By postfataresurgo for The Saker Blog What is essentially a Banana Republic? Regardless of its agricultural products, whether it’s bananas or broccoli, the definition can be applied to a country that is politically unstable on a permanent basis and/or a country whose sovereignty exists only on paper, being a de facto colony of a bigger power. There is a joke going around Italy these days, after the latest Iranian developments:
Paul Schmutz Schaller for The Saker Blog On January 5, Hassan Nasrallah stated: „ January 2, 2020 is a date that separates two stages in the region. It is the beginning of a new phase, a new history, not just for Iran or Iraq, but for the whole region.“ Obviously, this feeling is widely shared. The crime was too big, too heinous, and way too adventurist. In the new phase,
By Unorthodox Black Sheep VN for The Saker Blog Analysis On Vietnam Relationship with The Super Power Countries (With My Own Theory) (Title Image is Created By Me) [1. Public Apologize To Saker Readers: Before beginning the article, I want to admit that I am truly wrong on the part “China and US mess up Soviet Support to Vietnam during 1960s” when I response to comment Richard Spratly in my
Trump disgraces our military by using our men & women in uniform as mercenaries serving the interests of multinational corps (e.g. Exxon) & foreign countries (e.g. Saudis). We must stand side by side—no matter our political party—to end this travesty.
By Ramin Mazaheri for The Saker Blog and Cross Posted with PressTV Many people have been quite shocked by Iran’s response to the tragic, mistaken downing of a Ukraine International Airlines flight. Iran’s President Rouhani said, “I will never apologise for Iran – I don’t care what the facts are.” Tehran plans to never apologise, admit wrongdoing nor to accept responsibility. All of the Iranian soldiers involved were awarded Combat
Link: http://middleeastobserver.net/irgc-chief-on-ain-al-assad-missile-attack-accidental-downing-of-ukrainian-aircraft/ (Please consider supporting Middle East Observer’s work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MiddleEastObserver) Description: Head of Iran’s IRGC Major General Hossein Salami comments on the recent Iranian missile attack on US bases in Iraq, in addition to the subsequent accidental downing of a Ukrainian civilian aircraft by Iranian forces over Tehran. Source: Al-Alam News Date: 12-01-2020 Transcript: – America assassinated General Qasim Soleimani, and it threatened to respond to our retaliation, the incident (accidental downing
Link: http://middleeastobserver.net/key-notes-from-new-nasrallah-speech-marking-one-week-after-soleimani-assassination/ (Please consider supporting Middle East Observer’s work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MiddleEastObserver) Description: The following is a translation of breaking news notes from a speech delivered by Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah hours ago marking one week after the assassination of former Iranian General Qasim Soleimani and former Deputy Head of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Source: Al-Alam News/Al-Manar TV Date: 12-01-2020 Transcript: Hezbollah’s Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah:
Eric Zuesse for The Saker Blog This article from 21 July 2017 is here updated and expanded to the present; and the dead links in it have been replaced by functional (this time, archived — and thus more permanent) links: Before documenting that many trillions of dollars in U.S. Government military spending have been and are unaccounted-for, and that by far the most corrupt U.S. federal Department is the ‘Defense’
By Ramin Mazaheri and crossposted with PressTV Ramin Mazaheri is the chief correspondent in Paris for Press TV and has lived in France since 2009. He has been a daily newspaper reporter in the US, and has reported from Iran, Cuba, Egypt, Tunisia, South Korea and elsewhere. He is the author of the books ‘I’ll Ruin Everything You Are: Ending Western Propaganda on Red China’ and the upcoming ‘Socialism’s Ignored
Description: Syrian Presidential Adviser Bouthaina Shaaban believes Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s surprise meeting in Damascus (07-01-2020) forms part of the ‘Resistance Axis’ response to the assassination of Iranian General Qasim Soleimani. Source: Al-Mayadeen TV Date: 07/01/2020 Transcript: http://middleeastobserver.net/syrian-pres-adviser-assad-putin-surprise-meeting-part-of-axis-response-to-soleimanis-killing-english-subs/
Today, Moscow demonstrated how the most advanced Russian weapons work, which impress the general staffs of the world’s leading armies into changing their strategic plans and developing new tactical schemes. Joint exercises by the Northern and Black Sea fleets took place off the Crimean coast. Vladimir Putin watched them in close proximity. The maneuvers’ highlights were the combat launches of the Kinzhal hypersonic missile and Kalibr cruise missiles.
Peter Koenig for the Saker Blog “The Saker” Why doesn’t the U.S. respect the decision made by the Iraqi Parliament and move out of Iraqi territory? – The short answer is, because the US doesn’t respect anybody’s – any country’s – decision or sovereignty, as long as it doesn’t meet their objectives. Now, the US is steadfast and will not leave the region. Already President Assad has requested that the
The attacks on the US military bases in Iraq are just the beginning. The retaliatory operation will continue throughout the region. This was stated by the Iranian military command. The successor to the killed General Suleimani, the new commander of the Al-Quds Special Forces, said that they weren’t going to turn off the planned path.
Greek Correspondent for The Saker Blog This article’s purpose is to present the situation in Greece, the epicenter of the fall of civilization… You can also check this clarifying text of Labropoulos to read how it all started and unfolded in 2009-2016.[1] I have also uploaded an excerpt of Mr. Nikitas of the EPAM party[2], where he uncovers the background and the people/motives behind the triggering of the Greek debt
By Ramin Mazaheri and cross posted with PressTV Ramin Mazaheri is the chief correspondent in Paris for Press TV and has lived in France since 2009. He has been a daily newspaper reporter in the US, and has reported from Iran, Cuba, Egypt, Tunisia, South Korea and elsewhere. He is the author of the books ‘I’ll Ruin Everything You Are: Ending Western Propaganda on Red China’ and the upcoming ‘Socialism’s
By Ramin Mazaheri and cross posted with PressTV Ramin Mazaheri is the chief correspondent in Paris for Press TV and has lived in France since 2009. He has been a daily newspaper reporter in the US, and has reported from Iran, Cuba, Egypt, Tunisia, South Korea and elsewhere. He is the author of the books ‘I’ll Ruin Everything You Are: Ending Western Propaganda on Red China’ and the upcoming ‘Socialism’s
http://middleeastobserver.net/irans-irgc-aerospace-chief-on-us-casualties-damages-future-retaliation-steps/ Description: Commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force General Amir Ali Hajizadeh reveals key details regarding the recent retaliatory Iranian ballistic missile attacks on US bases in Iraq. Source: Iranian media: Al-Alam News/Fars News Agency Date: 09/01/2020 Transcript: – We struck with our missiles areas in the American airbase (in Iraq) that was used for equipping attack helicopters – We were able to target the barracks of US
“The Iranian Foreign Ministry asks Brussels to explain to Trump that it is time to stop. The same goal was pursued by the symbolic blow by Tehran on the American Ain Assad Air Base. It was captured by the Americans back in 2003 with the help of the Australian special forces. In recent years, it has become a kind of “hostel for NATO”: the UK, the Netherlands, and Canada have
Pepe Escobar posted with permission and cross posted with Consortium News (written before Trump’s Speech) President Donald Trump will de-escalate the crisis with Iran when he speaks to the nation at 11 a.m. Eastern time on Wednesday, a U.S. intelligence source has told me. Last night Iran retaliated for the assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani with missile strikes on two U.S. military bases in Iraq. So far there have
Zamir Awan for The Saker Blog Iran’s response to the assassination of its top General Qasim Suleimani in Baghdad attack by the US has created more panic. The situation is more uncertain, instable and rather confusing. Rumors and fake news are dominating the region. Economic activities suffered a lot, the stock exchange has witnessed drop-down, oil price seems going upward. Many people are traveling out of this region to safer
