The United States Withdraws From UNESCO

USStateDepartment - On October 12, 2017, the Department of State notified UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova of the U.S. decision to withdraw from the organization and to seek to establish a permanent observer mission to UNESCO. This decision was not taken lightly, and reflects U.S. concerns with mounting arrears at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and continuing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO.

The United States indicated to the Director General its desire to remain engaged with UNESCO as a non-member observer state in order to contribute U.S. views, perspectives and expertise on some of the important issues undertaken by the organization, including the protection of world heritage, advocating for press freedoms, and promoting scientific collaboration and education.

Pursuant to Article II(6) of the UNESCO Constitution, U.S. withdrawal will take effect on December 31, 2018. The United States will remain a full member of UNESCO until that time. (ontinueReading

After North Korea Test, South Korea Pushes to Build Up Its Own Missiles

via newsreportonline.com - Missile analysts remain uncertain and even doubtful that North Korea has cleared all the technical hurdles to build a reliable nuclear-tipped ICBM. But the test on Friday night left little doubt that the country, although cut off from most of the global economy and hit with several rounds of United Nations sanctions, was getting closer to its goal of arming itself with long-range missiles that can deliver nuclear warheads to the United States.

South Korea fears that by building nuclear missiles that can reach major American cities, North Korea is trying to weaken the United States’ resolve over whether to intervene on the South’s behalf should war break out on the Korean Peninsula.

On Saturday, Mr. Moon called for strengthening South Korea’s deterrence capabilities, while stressing the importance of the military alliance with the United States.

“We must actively look for measures to secure our military’s own forces to deter and effectively deal with North Korea’s nuclear threats,” Mr. Moon said after an emergency meeting of his National Security Council on Saturday.South Korea wants to build ballistic missiles that can deliver more powerful payloads to targets in North Korea, including the location of its leadership and its missile and nuclear sites, most of which are hidden deep underground, defense officials here said. A key hurdle to the South Korean ambition has been a treaty the South signed with Washington in the 1970s in return for American help in building its missiles.

Under the deal, South Korea is allowed to build ballistic missiles with a range of up to 497 miles but is barred from tipping them with warheads weighing more than 500 kilograms, or half a ton, because of concerns about a regional arms race. South Korea wants to double the upper limit of the payload to a ton, officials here said.

(South Korea can already load warheads weighing up to two tons on ballistic missiles with shorter ranges, but those missiles cannot reach key missile bases in northern North Korea.)

The South Korean demands reflected growing regional jitters over how the North’s growing missile capabilities may affect Washington’s defense commitment to its allies in the region. On Saturday, Mr. Moon warned that the latest North Korean test could lead to “a fundamental change in the security structure in Northeast Asia.”

“U.S. policy for 21 years has been to prevent this day from coming, and now it has,” said Adam Mount, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress in Washington, referring to the North’s ICBM test on Friday.

“North Korea didn’t test an ICBM to launch a bolt from the blue against Washington; they’re hoping to split the United States from its allies.”

Barry Pavel, director of the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security, said North Korea could use a nuclear-tipped ICBM capability to “target the United States and deter U.S. security cooperation with its close Asian allies.”

“Once it is assured that it has a ‘nuclear shield,’ North Korea is likely to act much more aggressively in every other area of its foreign and military policies,” said Mr. Pavel. In “Rolling Back the Growing North Korean Threat,” the Atlantic Council’s memo to Mr. Trump published last month, Mr. Pavel and the co-author Robert A. Manning said that such North Korean aggressions could include “increasingly dangerous provocations and the sale of weapons of mass destruction to other nations and terrorist groups for much-needed cash.”

Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson on Friday reaffirmed that the United States “will never accept a nuclear-armed North Korea nor abandon our commitment to our allies and partners in the region.” At the United Nations Security Council, Washington is urging China and Russia to agree to a new set of economic sanctions against North Korea, including severely curtailing the country’s access to oil supplies from the outside.

China and Russia supply nearly all of North Korea’s oil imports and also host tens of thousands of the North workers. A bulk of the workers’ earnings end up in the coffers of the North Korean leadership, according to human rights groups and defectors. (ontinueReading

U.S. to ban Americans from traveling to North Korea

usatoday.com WASHINGTON — The Trump administration will ban American citizens from traveling to North Korea, U.S. officials said Friday, following the death of university student Otto Warmbier who died in June after falling into a coma in a North Korean prison.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson decided to impose “geographic travel restriction” for North Korea, the officials said, which would make it illegal to use U.S. passports to enter the country. They said the restriction would go into effect 30 days after a notice is published in the Federal Register, but it was not immediately clear when that would be. There was no announcement in Friday’s editions of the government publication.

The officials were not authorized to publicly discuss the decision before it is announced and spoke on condition of anonymity. Two tour operators that organize group trips to North Korea said they had already been informed of the decision.

It wasn’t clear how many Americans the move will effect, as figures about how many Americans go to North Korea are difficult for even the U.S. government to obtain. The U.S. strongly warns Americans against traveling to North Korea, but has not until now prohibited it despite other sanctions targeting the country. Americans who venture there typically travel from China, where several tour groups market trips to adventure-seekers. (ontinueReading

Trump ends covert CIA program to arm anti-Assad rebels in Syria, a move sought by Moscow

washingtonpost.com - President Trump has decided to end the CIA’s covert program to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels battling the government of Bashar al-Assad, a move long sought by Russia, according to U.S. officials.

The program was a central plank of a policy begun by the Obama administration in 2013 to put pressure on Assad to step aside, but even its backers have questioned its efficacy since Russia deployed forces in Syria two years later.

Officials said the phasing out of the secret program reflects Trump’s interest in finding ways to work with Russia, which saw the anti-Assad program as an assault on its interests. The shuttering of the program is also an acknowledgment of Washington’s limited leverage and desire to remove Assad from power.

Just three months ago, after the United States accused Assad of using chemical weapons, Trump launched retaliatory airstrikes against a Syrian air base. At the time, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, said that “in no way do we see peace in that area with Assad at the head of the Syrian government.”

Officials said Trump made the decision to scrap the CIA program nearly a month ago, after an Oval Office meeting with CIA Director Mike Pompeo and national security adviser H.R. McMaster ahead of a July 7 meeting in Germany with Russian President Vladimir Putin. (ontinueReading

Best buds: Trump to host Indian PM Narendra Modi in effort to strengthen ties

via cbsnews.com - WASHINGTON -- President Trump will host Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday for his first dinner at the White House with a foreign head of state, rolling out the red carpet as the administration seeks to strengthen ties with India, a major defense partner and ally.

The dinner will be the first meeting between Mr. Trump and Modi. Both are flamboyant, combative leaders who came into office promising economic reforms on a wave of nationalist support.

"I think these two leaders have a lot in common. For one, they are the world's two most followed political leaders on social media," a senior White House official said on Friday ahead of the meeting. "They are both innovators and businessmen and committed to bringing greater prosperity to their people and thinking about innovative ways to do that. I think they are going to find a lot of common ground in their discussions."

Just weeks ago, Mr. Trump hammered India when announcing the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, slamming the country's participation in the accord as being "contingent on receiving billions and billions of dollars in foreign aid from developed countries."

With the upcoming dinner, the White House says it hopes to restate its commitment to working with India on counterterrorism efforts, trade, and global cooperation in North Korea and Afghanistan.

"This visit is an opportunity to advance that trade dialogue that will enhance prosperity and create jobs for both countries," the official said. "We believe a strong India is good for the United States."

The administration official would not comment on a $2-billion pending arms deal that would provide 22 naval surveillance drones to India. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., the company that makes the aircraft, announced Friday that the administration had approved of the sale, the first of its kind between the U.S. and a non-NATO country.

"We do take into account the regional situation," the official said of potential defense deals, adding that the administration wants to "avoid a situation that escalates tensions" between India and neighboring rival Pakistan.

"Some of the defense systems we're talking about, we don't believe that they represent a threat to Pakistan," the official said.

The official said the White House hopes to encourage a "normalization of ties" between the India and Pakistan through bilateral dialogue. The official also praised India's financial support for war-torn Afghanistan -- Pakistan's neighbor to the west -- where India has pledged over $3 billion in aid and funded various infrastructure projects.

The White House, which has deemed the final week of June as "Energy Week," will also highlight the energy partnership between the U.S. and India, citing $42 billion in long-term contracts for the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Louisiana and Maryland. Energy Secretary Rick Perry has prioritized efforts to review and approve LNG export terminals in the U.S. (ontinueReading

Vladimir Putin Accuses U.S. of backing terrorists in Chechnya

newsweek.com - Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused the U.S. of supporting the most violent insurgency in post-Soviet Russia, during an interview with American director Oliver Stone.

The pair spoke about a breadth of topics in conversations that make up Stone’s four-hour film, The Putin Interviews . The series took place in a variety of settings, from opulent reception halls and bucolic residences to the inside of Putin’s car, with the leader in the driver’s seat.

During one of their sit-down exchanges, broadcast on Showtime, Putin gave credence to a claim about the wars in Russia’s Chechnya region often made by the more fringe elements among the Russian establishment, that the U.S. directly supported “terrorist” rebels.

Putin said the Kremlin hoped for U.S. support in quelling a separatist movement in the Russian republic, but had observed “instead, U.S. special services supporting the terrorists.”

The Chechen Wars took place in 1994, when secular Chechen militants declared independence from Russia, and 2009, when, after two bloody military operations, Russia announced it had quelled the insurgency that had morphed into a radical Islamist force.

Putin did not say at which point he thought the West had backed the “terrorists.” However, he seemed to endorse a theory frequently espoused by the current Chechen regional leader, who switched allegiances during the conflict to join Moscow’s ranks, that the U.S. was enmeshed in the conflict.

“If we are talking about political support, this does not need proving,” Putin said, referring to the negative reaction internationally to Russia’s use of force in the tiny region. “This was done publicly, openly. And as far as operational and financial support is concerned—we have such evidence and above all some of it we have already submitted to our American colleagues.”

Fighting the Chechen insurgency was instrumental in Putin’s rise to the presidency—he became prime minister in 1999, before being elected president on the promise of taking a hard line on Chechen separatists. His stance on the issue won him popularity after a series of controversial bombings in Moscow and elsewhere attributed to Chechen groups.

“In my view, the important thing is that upon us fell the absolutely lasting opinion that our American partners speak about supporting Russia in words, they speak about their preparedness to cooperate, including in fighting terrorism, but in deeds they use these terrorists to unsettle the internal political situation in Russia,” Putin told Stone.

Putin made similar claims in a state-TV documentary dedicated to his 15-year anniversary in power, two years ago. Much of Stone’s documentary consisted of Putin reiterating claims unfavorable to the U.S., the West and Ukraine, messages that frequently have an outlet in the Russian state-dominated media establishment. (ontinueReading

Trump says US committed to NATO's mutual defense pledge

Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States remained committed to NATO's mutual defense pledge, after he failed to endorse it in a speech in Brussels last month.

Amid worries by Washington's European partners that the US leader had not fully bought into the Atlantic alliance, Trump told reporters: "I'm committing the United States to Article Five. Certainly we are there to protect."

"That's one of the reasons that I want people to make sure we have a very, very strong force, by paying the kinds of money necessary to have that force," Trump told a joint press conference with visiting Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.

The US president stunned Europe's leaders at a summit in Brussels on May 25 when he failed to publicly back the now 29-member bloc's founding mutual defense guarantee.

Instead he castigated the allies for failing to pay their way with contributions to NATO forces, singling out especially Germany.

According to Politico, Trump's defense and security advisors included in his prepared speech a clear endorsement of the mutual defense pledge, but Trump himself struck it out just before speaking.

Doubts have remained since then, despite US diplomats and military leaders themselves restating the pledge.

- Trump to visit Poland -

Just days before his January 20 inauguration, Trump rocked the post-World War II western alliance by calling NATO "obsolete."

Article Five has been the core of the NATO treaty's strength since it was formed amid a budding Cold War with communist states -- particularly the Soviet Union -- in 1949.

It has only been invoked once -- in support of the United States, after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

On Thursday, Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee had called on Trump to declare his support for Article Five.

Trump's pledge on Friday came shortly before the White House announced that he would travel to NATO ally Poland ahead of the Group of 20 summit in early July.

"The visit will reaffirm America's steadfast commitment to one of our closest European allies and emphasize the administration's priority of strengthening NATO's collective defense," the White House said. (ontinueReading

Party for everybody: Iran celebrates 1979 Islamic Revolution with chants against U.S.

usatoday.com - TEHRAN, Iran — Iranians on Friday Feb 10 marked the anniversary of the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution with nationwide celebrations and mass rallies that saw people step on large U.S. flags laid out on the streets while President Hassan Rouhani called the new American administration “a problem.”

This year, the anniversary came against the backdrop of remarks by President Trump, who has already engaged in a war of words with Iran’s leadership and put Tehran “on notice” over its recent ballistic missile test.

At the Tehran rallies Friday, demonstrators chanted traditional slogans against the United States and Israel, and later, hundreds of thousands marched toward the city’s central Azadi Square, where Rouhani addressed the crowds, telling them that Iran will strongly answer any threat from its enemies.

“All of them should know that they must talk to the Iranian nation with respect and dignity,” Rouhani declared. “Our nation will strongly answer to any threat. (Iranians) will resist before enemies until the end.”

Rouhani called Iran the home of “lions” but said the country does not seek hostility. “We are not after tensions in the region and the world. We are united in the face of bullying and any threat.”

Many of the marchers carried the Iranian flag, others had banners and posters with revolutionary slogans. Printed U.S. flags and pictures of current and former U.S. presidents lay scattered on the streets — so they could be trampled by the marchers.

Iran and the U.S. have not had diplomatic relations since 1979, when Iranian students stormed the American Embassy and took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

Friday’s rallies commemorated Feb. 11 of that year, when followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini ousted the U.S.-backed Shah Reza Pahlavi. The United States helped orchestrate the 1953 coup that overthrew Iran’s popular prime minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, which brought Pahlavi to power and set the stage for decades of mistrust between the countries.

Some of the posters distributed in English on Friday read: “Thanks to American people for supporting Muslims.”

Another one with a picture of Trump said: “Thanks Mr. Trump … for revealing the face of the U.S.” — a reference to remarks by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, earlier this week.

Khamenei said on Tuesday that the “newcomer” Trump has shown the “real face” of the United States. He spoke after Trump tweeted — following a ballistic missile test by Iran — that Iranians were “playing with fire,” saying they “don’t appreciate how ‘kind’ President (Barack) Obama was to them. Not me!”

Trump has repeatedly criticized the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran, the U.S. and five other world powers, in which Tehran agreed to curb its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions, but he has not said what he plans to do about it.

His administration said Iran was “on notice” over the missile test, and imposed new sanctions on more than two dozen Iranian companies and individuals.

In Tehran, some of the demonstrators threw balls and darts targeting pictures of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Others burned an American flag. The semi-official ILNA news agency reported that an Israeli flag was also burned.(ontinueReading

US: Trump's terror list claims slammed by families of Mia Ayliffe-Chung, Curtis Cheng

Enjoy the train wreck

abc.net.au - The families of British backpacker Mia Ayliffe-Chung and police accountant Curtis Cheng have hit out at US President Donald Trump for claiming their loved ones died in terror attacks ignored by Western media.

The Trump administration referred to both Ms Ayliffe-Chung and Mr Cheng's death in a list of 78 alleged terror attacks, which was intended to back up the new President's claim the media has under-reported attacks inspired by the Islamic State militant group.

Ms Ayliffe-Chung's mother Rosie Ayliffe, 53, has written an open letter to Mr Trump criticising his "vilification" of Muslims, while Mr Cheng's son has told the ABC it is unfair for governments to "drag" affected families through the incidents again.

Ms Ayliffe-Chung and Tom Jackson, 30, were fatally stabbed in front of about 30 people at Shelley's Backpackers in Home Hill, south of Townsville, last year.

A 29-year-old French national, Smail Ayad, was charged over the deaths.

In her letter to Mr Trump, Ms Ayliffe criticised the US administration for using her daughter's death to demonise Muslims.

"This vilification of whole nation states and their people based on religion is a terrifying reminder of the horror that can ensue when we allow ourselves to be led by ignorant people into darkness and hatred," she wrote.

Ms Ayliffe said she wanted to "point out the facts" about what happened to her daughter.

"Ayad was not an Islamic fundamentalist, he wasn't even a practicing Muslim," she told the ABC.

"It's a retrograde step on Trump's part. Queensland Police have also rejected the claims, saying the crime was not race or religion." (ontinueReading

Pacific conflict looms between America and China

Slate.com - The Chinese government sent a clear message to President-elect Donald Trump this weekend: the “One China” policy is not up for debate. In fact, Beijing went as far as to say that not challenging China on the status of Taiwan as a renegade province “is the political foundation” of bilateral relations with the United States. A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry issued the statement in response to Trump telling the Wall Street Journal that “everything is under negotiation including ‘One China’.”

“The 'One China' principle is the political foundation of Sino-US relations and it is non-negotiable. We urge the relevant side in the US to recognize the high sensitivity of the Taiwan issue and abide by the pledges by successive US administrations from both parties,” spokesman Lu Kang said. In the brief statement, the spokesman also summarized the “facts recognized by the international community” on the issue: “There is but one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing China.”

The state-run Global Times published an unsigned piece under the headline, “Inexperienced, complacent Trump stuns public.” The tabloid known for its sensationalistic headlines had earlier in the week harshly criticized Trump’s pick for secretary of state Rex Tillerson, saying his views risked a “large-scale war” with China.

The interview with the Journal was only the latest example of how Trump has locked horns with China even before taking office. First there was accepting the congratulatory phone call from Taiwan’s president, which broke with more than three decades of diplomatic protocol. At the time, Beijing seemed to try to downplay the move, characterizing Trump as the victim of a “little trick pulled off by Taiwan.” But the president-elect then publicly criticized China on several issues, including currency manipulation and North Korea.

Analysts in China are apparently eager to see Trump’s words as a simple negotiation tactic to get some concessions from Beijing, rather than an effort to upend decades of foreign policy. “Trump has been very smart. He is using the Taiwan issue as a bargaining chip with China,” one analyst tells the South China Morning Post. “Trump has a relatively simple agenda. He cares only about the domestic economy. His issue is to create jobs. He believes that sorting out the trade ­issues with China can help him to create jobs inside the US.”(ontinueReading

Venezuela military trafficking food as country goes hungry

PUERTO CABELLO, Venezuela – When hunger drew tens of thousands of Venezuelans to the streets in protest last summer, President Nicolas Maduro turned to the military to manage the country's diminished food supply, putting generals in charge of everything from butter to rice.

But instead of fighting hunger, the military is making money from it, an Associated Press investigation shows. That's what grocer Jose Campos found when he ran out of pantry staples this year. In the middle of the night, he would travel to an illegal market run by the military to buy pallets of corn flour — at 100 times the government-set price.

"The military would be watching over whole bags of money," Campos said. "They always had what I needed."

With much of the country on the verge of starvation and billions of dollars at stake, food trafficking has become one of the biggest businesses in Venezuela, the AP found. And from generals to foot soldiers, the military is at the heart of the graft, according to documents and interviews with more than 60 officials, business owners and workers, including five former generals.

As a result, food is not reaching those who most need it.

The U.S. government has taken notice. Prosecutors have opened investigations against senior Venezuelan officials, including members of the military, for laundering riches from food contracts through the U.S. financial system, according to four people with direct knowledge of the probes. No charges have been brought.

"Lately, food is a better business than drugs," said retired Gen. Cliver Alcala, who helped oversee Venezuela's border security. "The military is in charge of food management now, and they're not going to just take that on without getting their cut." (Continue reading)

Turkey's Erdogan: 'Confirmed evidence' US-led coalition supports ISIS & other terrorists in Syria

RT.com - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said "it's very clear" that the US-led coalition is supporting terrorist groups in Syria, Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS/ISIL) among them.

"They give support to terrorist groups including Daesh (Arabic for IS)," Erdogan said.

Saying that the US have accused Turkey of supporting IS, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday the Turkish leader blamed the US-led coalition for assisting terrorists themselves.

Apart from IS, he also mentioned Kurdish People's Protection Units in northern Syria (YPG) and Democratic Union Party (PYD) as groups supported by the coalition.

"We have confirmed evidence, with pictures, photos and videos," he added.

Erdogan has also called on Saudi Arabia and Qatar to join Russia, Turkey and Iran in peace talks on Syria. On Tuesday, the Turkish leader said officials of these Gulf states should be included in the talks of foreign ministers in Kazakhstan next month, as their countries had "shown goodwill and given support'' to Syria, AP reported.

However, the Turkish president stressed that Ankara itself would not take part should Syrian Kurdish groups - whom he called "terrorist organizations" - be invited to take part in the meeting.

Commenting on Ankara's accusations, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Erdogan's claims were "ludicrous."

Saying that there is "no basis for truth" in Erdogan's statement, Toner added that Washington is "100 percent behind the defeat and destruction of Daesh, even beyond Syria and Iraq."

The State Department also praised Ankara's efforts in northern Syria, saying that they have been "very efficient, very successful." The US is in "constant contact" with Turkey, Toner added.

"The evidence [mentioned by Erdogan] is quite ample, [the US] have been doing it for a number of years, including running secret CIA operations through Jordan, then through Turkey and into Syria," Michael Maloof, a security analyst and former Pentagon official, told RT.

He added that Erdogan's comments were "disingenuous," however, as "he continues to supply arms [into Syria] as well, with his ultimate aim [being] to go after the Kurds, and ISIS is secondary."

On Tuesday, Moscow also accused Washington of "sponsoring terrorism" in Syria. (FullText)

Obama in Europe urges 'course correction' on globalisation

- Berlin (AFP) - US President Barack Obama arrived in Berlin Wednesday for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on a European tour aimed at reassuring key allies about transatlantic ties under his successor Donald Trump.

On the final leg of a European farewell tour, Obama touched down in the German capital from Athens where he delivered a sweeping speech warning of the dangers to modern democracy.

The US leader acknowledged that globalisation had fuelled a "sense of injustice" and needed a "course correction" to address growing inequality.

"The global path of globalisation demands a course correction," Obama, 55, said in Athens.

"When we see people, global elites, wealthy corporations seemingly living by a different set of rules, avoiding taxes, manipulating loopholes... this feeds a profound sense of injustice," he added.

However, his remarks also contained a ringing defence of democracy, open markets and social inclusiveness.

"I firmly believe that the best hope for human progress remains open markets, combined with democracy and human rights," the outgoing president said.

Trump welcomed Britain's shock vote in June to leave the European Union (EU) and has been a critic of global free trade agreements.

But Obama argued that "when people have opportunity and they feel confidence in the future, they are less likely to turn on each other and less likely to appeal to some of the darker forces that exist in all our societies, those that can tear us apart".

European governments, especially eastern countries close to Russia's orbit, have been shaken after Trump appeared to call into question Washington's near 70-year security guarantee by saying he would only help NATO allies if they paid their way.

In comments Tuesday, Obama cautioned the world must guard against "a rise in a crude sort of nationalism or ethnic identity or tribalism that is built around an 'us' and a 'them'".

- 'My closest partner' -

Obama has been at pains to stress that Europe -- and NATO -- would remain the cornerstone of US foreign policy.

"Today more than ever, the world needs a Europe that is strong and prosperous and democratic," he said.

The US-led NATO grouping is "absolutely vital" to US interests and a strong, unified Europe was good for America and the world, the president said in comments aimed at calming old partners' fears.

"We know what happens when Europeans start dividing themselves up... the 20th century was a bloodbath," he said pointedly on Tuesday.

Obama has described Merkel as "probably... my closest international partner these last eight years."

During his time in Berlin, he will also meet the leaders of Britain, France, Spain and Italy, as Europe desperately seeks clues to future US policy in a Trump world.

Syria Conflict: Putin is encouraged, Assad is safe with a weak America

(NeewsWeek - Those who advocate modest military measures to stop or at least slow the mass murder of Syrian civilians by Russia and its Assad regime client should not evade the patently unfair question they are often asked: "Are you willing to risk World War III?"

As important as it is to defend civilians—for both humanitarian and policy reasons—the answer, of course, must be no. And even if world war is a remote possibility, any circumstances possibly bringing the armed forces of nuclear powers into contact are troublesome.

But what of those who use the World War III ploy to argue for continued American passivity (coupled with soaring, empty rhetoric) in the face of defiant, unspeakable atrocities executed by those who have come to count on total impunity? Are they answerable for nothing in terms of risk?

If Russian President Vladimir Putin concludes, on the basis on American behavior in Syria, that Uncle Sam is an empty suit—willing to talk about everything but stand for nothing—is that a risk-free outcome in Syria and the world beyond?

If anything at all has been learned from the past five years of Levantine murder and mayhem, it is this: What happens in Syria does not stay in Syria. Even if it did—as Obama administration senior officials hoped it would, way back when—American passivity in the face of mass homicide would still have raised questions and inspired objections, both moral and policy-related.

But nothing about this abomination has been contained within Syria, other than a ruling family and an enabling entourage preserved by Russia and Iran.

In PR China, Duterte announces split with US: 'America has lost'

(CNN) Rodrigo Duterte left no room for doubt about where his allegiance lies.

In a state visit aimed at cozying up to Beijing as he pushes away from Washington, the Philippine President announced his military and economic "separation" from the United States.

"America has lost now. I've realigned myself in your ideological flow," he told business leaders in Beijing on Thursday. "And maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world: China, Philippines and Russia. It's the only way."

Duterte didn't provide details about how he'd break away from the United States, or what the separation could entail.

US officials stressed the long history of diplomatic, military and financial ties between the two countries.

"We have not received any requests from officials to change our alliance," Deputy White House Press Secretary Eric Schultz told reports aboard Air Force One Thursday.
In China, leaders said they were ready to start a new chapter.

Relations between China and the Philippines had soured over a territorial dispute in the South China Sea.

But now Duterte is taking a different tack, pushing that issue to the background as he tries to forge closer ties with China.

Will the gamble pay off?

So far, it seems to be, said Richard Javad Heydarian, a political science professor at De La Salle University, Manila.

The usually brash and outspoken Duterte appeared much more statesmanlike in China than he has on previous trips overseas, said Heydarian.

"Duterte has been careful not to slight his hosts, he's been very deferential to the Chinese. It's raised eyebrows in the Philippines but pleased people in China," he said. (FullText)
* * * *

RELATED - Philippine president says he won’t severe ties with U.S.

US, India bolster ties, warn Pakistan over extremists

(yahoonews) - The United States and India urged Pakistan Tuesday to do more to counter extremist groups operating from its soil as the world's two largest democracies announced measures to strengthen security and energy ties.

Speaking on a visit to New Delhi, US Secretary of State John Kerry declared that ties once clouded by suspicion had progressed "amazingly" in the last two years and echoed President Barack Obama's description of their relationship as "the defining partnership of the 21st century".

India and the United States have a common goal in creating a counterbalance to the rise of China and hold regular top-level dialogue in Delhi and Washington under a formal strategic partnership.

But a flare-up in violence in Kashmir meant that India's arch-rival Pakistan featured prominently in talks between Kerry and his counterpart, Sushma Swaraj.

After Foreign Minister Swaraj reiterated long-running accusations that Pakistan was "providing safe havens to terror groups," Kerry also urged Islamabad to do more to combat extremists operating from its territory.

He said it was vital Islamabad moved to "deprive any group of sanctuary", highlighting the threat posed by Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based Kashmiri separatist group behind a string of anti-Indian attacks.

"We will not and we cannot make distinctions between good and bad terrorists... Terrorism is terrorism," Kerry said at a press conference alongside Swaraj.

Kerry said the US government had "had conversations with all members of the region frankly about efforts they need to take against terrorism which comes out of their country", adding that he had personally raised the issue with Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

India has accused Pakistan of stoking a new bout of unrest in Kashmir, the troubled Himalayan region which has been divided between the two countries since independence in 1947 and is claimed in full by both.

Ukraine’s President Warns Full-Scale Russian Invasion Possible

(Bloomberg)  Ukraine’s leader warned of a possible invasion by Russia, further fraying nerves that have been on edge since President Vladimir Putin last week accused his neighbor of engaging in “terror” tactics in the Crimean peninsula he annexed in 2014.

The situation in eastern Ukraine is deteriorating and the military may consider instituting a draft should hostilities worsen, President Petro Poroshenko said Thursday in the western city of Brody. Earlier in the day, the army said the worst spate of shelling in a year by Russian-backed separatists killed three soldiers.

“The probability of escalation of the conflict remains very significant,” Poroshenko said in a televised speech. “We don’t rule out a full-scale Russian invasion.”

Rising tensions in Ukraine are heightening concern that the nation’s two-year-old conflict, which has killed almost 10,000 people, is in danger of boiling over once again. While Ukraine rejects allegations it sent saboteurs to Crimea and caused the deaths of two Russian servicemen, Putin has vowed to respond with “very serious” measures. Efforts to bring peace to eastern Ukraine have stalled, with Putin saying planned talks at next month’s Group of 20 summit in China would be pointless after recent events in Crimea. (FullText)

Donald Trump: I meant that Obama founded ISIS, literally

literally..

Washington (CNN) Donald Trump said Thursday that he meant exactly what he said when he called President Barack Obama the "founder of ISIS" and objected when a conservative radio show host tried to clarify the GOP nominee's position.

Trump was asked by host Hugh Hewitt about the comments Trump made Wednesday night in Florida, and Hewitt said he understood Trump to mean "that he (Obama) created the vacuum, he lost the peace."

Trump objected.

"No, I meant he's the founder of ISIS," Trump said. "I do. He was the most valuable player. I give him the most valuable player award. I give her, too, by the way, Hillary Clinton."

Hewitt pushed back again, saying that Obama is "not sympathetic" to ISIS and "hates" and is "trying to kill them."

"I don't care," Trump said, according to a show transcript. "He was the founder. His, the way he got out of Iraq was that that was the founding of ISIS, okay?"

Collins: Trump will make the world 'more dangerous'

Hewitt and Trump went back and forth after that, with Hewitt warning Trump that his critics would seize on his use of "founder" as more example of Trump being loose with words.

Clinton later hit back on Thursday on Twitter, saying it was Trump who was unfit to be president.

"It can be difficult to muster outrage as frequently as Donald Trump should cause it, but his smear against President Obama requires it," Clinton tweeted. "No, Barack Obama is not the founder of ISIS. ... Anyone willing to sink so low, so often should never be allowed to serve as our Commander-in-Chief."

Russia: Putin accuses Ukraine of trying to provoke a new conflict over Crimea

*yawn*

(Reuters) - Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine on Wednesday of using terrorist tactics to try to provoke a new conflict and destabilize annexed Crimea after Russia said it had thwarted two armed Ukrainian attempts to get saboteurs into the contested peninsula.

Russia's FSB security service said two people were killed in clashes and its forces had dismantled a Ukrainian spy network inside Crimea. Kiev denied the assertions, calling them an attempt by Moscow to create an excuse to escalate toward a war.

The Russian president accused Kiev of playing a dangerous game and said he saw no point in holding a new round of talks about the troubled peace process in eastern Ukraine on the sidelines of a G20 summit in China next month.

"The people who seized power in Kiev ... have switched to terror tactics instead of searching for ways for a peaceful settlement," Putin told a news conference, saying Russia would not let such actions pass without a response.

"The attempt to provoke an outbreak of violence, to provoke a conflict is nothing other than a desire to distract (Ukrainian) society from its problems," he added, calling Ukraine's actions "criminal."

Putin's comments will stir fears that Russia, which has been steadily reinforcing Crimea militarily, may be considering new military action.

"Putin wants more war. Russia escalates, desperately looks for a casus belli against Ukraine, tests the West's reaction," a spokesman for Ukraine's foreign ministry, Dmytro Kuleba, tweeted.

The Russian allegations follow an uptick in Russian military activity in northern Crimea and heavier fighting in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian government troops are battling pro-Russian separatists. (Full Text)

The Recall Movement Against Venezuela's President

The US already has his replacement..

(TheAtlantic) - Venezuela opposition lawmakers collected 1 percent of voter signatures in all 24 of the country’s states, completing the first step in the process to recall President Nicolás Maduro.

The country’s National Electoral Council approved the effort on Monday, which means opposition leaders can move on to the next step: gathering 20 percent of the country’s vote in favor of a referendum to recall Maduro.

As the BBC notes, timing is crucial:

... because if Maduro were to lose a referendum this year, as polls indicate he would due to an economic crisis, that would trigger a new presidential vote, giving the opposition a chance to end 17 years of socialism.

But should he lose a referendum next year, Maduro, 53, would be replaced by his vice president, maintaining the Socialist Party in power until the OPEC nation's next presidential election scheduled for the end of 2018.

The late Hugo Chávez picked Maduro as his successor in 2013. Not longer after, world oil prices crashed, and Venezuela’s oil prices dropped 50 percent. Oil makes up about 95 percent of the country’s export revenue, and 25 percent of all gross domestic product. That combined with drought has led to massive food shortages, and hospitals have run out of drugs to treat patients. As a result, citizens have held massive protests across the country. Grocery stores have been looted, and some people have snuck across the border into Colombia to buy food. Much of the blame for this has fallen on Maduro and his socialist party.

The date for another vote, which will require 20 percent of Venezuelans to favor the recall before a national referendum can take place, has not yet been announced.