The European Union Times |
- Pentagon calls Islamic State ‘threat beyond anything we’ve seen’
- Russia aid trucks leave Ukraine after delivering supplies
- National Front of France and Putin
- Australia, Singapore vow to boost intelligence ties
- Iceland evacuates area near volcano amid eruption fears
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Posted: 23 Aug 2014 09:43 AM PDT
 US Defense Secretary said on Thursday that Islamic State militants could possibly pose an even bigger threat to the United States than Al-Qaeda, and pledged efforts to weaken the group would continue. Speaking at a press conference at the Pentagon, Hagel also said that potential airstrikes in Syria are on the table, and defended the unsuccessful attempt by American Special Forces to rescue murdered photojournalist James Foley and other Western hostages. “[Islamic State militants] are an imminent threat to every interest we have, whether it’s in Iraq or anywhere else,” he said, as quoted by Reuters. Responding to a question on whether or not the extremists are a threat on the scale of Al-Qaeda, which carried out the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, Hagel noted that “ISIL is as sophisticated and well-funded as any group that we have seen.” “They’re beyond just a terrorist group. They marry ideology, a sophistication of strategic and tactical military prowess. They are tremendously well-funded. Oh, this is beyond anything that we’ve seen. So we must prepare for everything,” he added. The comments come in the wake of a graphic video released by Islamic State earlier this week, which showed a masked, English-speaking man beheading Foley and threatening to murder another one if President Barack Obama did not halt his renewed airstrike campaign in Iraq. The individual is thought to be British born, and a member of a trio of hostage caretakers known by the group as ‘The Beatles,’ in reference to their shared UK nationality. The militant Sunni group IS represents an extreme take on Islam, and began increasing its strength as civil war raged through Syria over the last three years. When the group initiated its campaign in Iraq, it was able to quickly take over territory in the western and northern parts of the country, in part thanks to the toleration of Sunni communities disaffected with the Shia-led government in Baghdad. Its brutal tactics began making headlines around the world as it targeted religious and ethnic minorities, threatening them with death if they did not convert to their own brand of Islam. When militants forced tens of thousands of people up a mountain in order to avoid death, the US reacted by renewing humanitarian and military action in Iraq. At the press conference Thursday, Hagel said this effort has been effective so far. “American air strikes and American arms and assistance helped Iraqi and Kurdish forces blunt ISIL’s advance around Arbil, where American diplomats and troops are working, and help the Iraqis retake and hold-Mosul dam,” he said. At the same time, however, General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, cautioned that the Islamic State could not be defeated without international efforts aimed at its base in Syria. “This is an organization that has an apocalyptic, end-of-days strategic vision that will eventually have to be defeated,” he said, according to the Huffington Post. “Can they be defeated without addressing that part of the organization that resides in Syria? The answer is no.” Meanwhile, the Global Post published the letter sent by IS to Foley’s family about one week before his death. In the letter, the group called its hostages “the scum of [US] society,” and said it would execute Foley “as a direct result” of American “transgressions” in Iraq. The letter states that the Foley family was given “many chances to negotiate” his release, but the Post disputed this statement, saying the journalist was missing for more than a year before IS even made its initial contact with the family. After demanding about $132 million, it did not send another message until August 12, just one day before the video of Foley’s murder was released. As RT reported previously, US and UK intelligence agencies are working on identifying Foley’s killer, with British Prime Minister David Cameron already admitting on Thursday that the individual seen in the video appeared to be British. One of the IS member’s former hostages claimed his name was “John,” saying he is a key negotiator for the militants and is “intelligent, educated and a devout believer in radical Islamic teachings.” Source           |
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Posted: 23 Aug 2014 09:05 AM PDT
 Russian aid convoy trucks have crossed back over the border after delivering humanitarian supplies to eastern Ukraine. Russian Deputy Emergency Minister Eduard Chizhikov said on Saturday that all the trucks that had departed for Ukraine have returned to Russia. “There were 227 trucks in the humanitarian operation participating in the operation, and they have all returned. All those vehicles have been searched by the representatives of the customs and border control, both on the Ukrainian and Russian sides. All vehicles were empty upon returning,” Chizhikov added. The aid convoy crossed the border on Friday to deliver food, water, generators and sleeping bags to civilians in the city of Lugansk. The convoy had been held on the border for several days. The Ukrainian government has accused Russia of trying to intervene in eastern Ukraine through aiding pro-Russia forces in the region. Moscow, however, has strongly denied the allegations, saying the aid convoy was to address the plight of hundreds of thousands of people displaced in the region. The Russian Foreign Ministry also said on Saturday that they were “getting a lot of feedback from the residents of Lugansk, who were thankful for such a good attitude from the Russian part.” The ministry added that it will cooperate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to provide humanitarian aid to people in the region. Ukraine’s eastern regions have witnessed deadly clashes between pro-Russia protesters and the Ukrainian army since Kiev launched military operations there in mid-April. Source      |
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Posted: 23 Aug 2014 08:54 AM PDT
 One of the real divisions of the contemporary world is now made between Pro-Putin and Anti-Putin. The National Front in France is the rising alternative force aimed to resist imposed European austerity and integration and NATO-run lunatic diplomacy. More Frenchmen are also sensitized by the sound of boots and Russophobia that grows here following American commandments. And the same ones who have supported the war effort by Islamist terrorists also promote the last war against Russia in Europe. The bellicose, bourgeois and Pan-American newspaper Le Figaro denounced last August 16 a collusion between the National Front, the European Rights in general and Vladimir Putin. Aymeric Chauprade, scholar and counselor of Marine Le Pen in international issues, has agreed to state his preferences in diplomatic matters. Mr. Chauprade, what can you tell about the fall of the MH-17 flight for which everyone here has accused Russia without any evidence? François Hollande has threatened Russia not to deliver the second Mistral. Further proof if any were needed that the drama of the flight MH-17 in Ukraine does not benefit Russia but the governments of Kiev and Washington. It happens exactly what I announced the day after the tragedy of 17 July. All pro-American forces are unleashed against the Franco-Russian contract and the prospect of delivery of Mistral, as they are unleashed against the South Stream gas contract. This crazy surge, I could see myself in the European Parliament, where the anti-Russian activists (mostly German and French Greens) are struggling without proof on Russia and seek resolutions condemning the sale of ships. Minister Laurent Fabius repeats it may not deliver the Mistral to Russia “if Russia does not change policy.” What is your comment? This decision would be disastrous in many ways. For the contract itself of course, which weighs 1.2 billion euros and which conditions a thousand jobs in Saint-Nazaire. It would return the money already paid (half), refer the stern of the ship (built in Russia) and pay substantial damages. Also the France would lose its rights in terms of the Mistral, already given to Russia, which could then build itself. Such a decision will also close the door on any future contracts with Russia and especially its huge naval rearmament program (civil and military), estimated at more than $ 50 billion. Our competitors are just waiting for that! In this area as in others, France must regain its independence, defend its strategic interests, thinking in geopolitical terms, in the long term and not based on emotions raised by the news. The fall of the airplane has still not been explained. How do you explain the burst of russophobia against president Putin? So, how Russia let herself accused of this horrible tragedy MH-17 while evidently the Ukrainian-American camp had a real interest in this shoot camera? Of course the Russians deny it, but their arguments are hardly audible because of American ubiquitous superiority in information war (that is to say, misinformation). While the United States State Department accuses Moscow without the ability to produce any serious evidence, Western diplomats, as powerless as they are blind, fall both feet into the trap set by Washington. Sad submission of Europe and its leaders who, once again, betrayed by accepting the agenda of warmongers! The world moves inexorably toward a third world war if European governments do not quickly regain their discernment. How do you consider Vladimir Putin in terms of European and even global history? Vladimir Putin has allowed the emergence of a multipolar world. Instead, on September 11 gave the pretext for the Americans to strengthen their unipolar commitment invading several countries (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya…). It is thanks to the economic recovery, political, geopolitical a Russia led by Vladimir Putin that the proposed American domination, which accelerated after the fall of the Soviet Union, has been halted. Unfortunately this project is still at work today in Ukraine, the sole purpose of digging the gap between the EU and Russia and to establish the rule of the oligarchy of the Empire on our Europe. But Putin has a second record: it is now contribute to the recovery of traditional and spiritual values of Christian civilization in Europe. Russia has become, for the patriots committed to the values of Christian civilization, a hope in all the nations of Europe. Faced with French identity challenge the foreign policy choices will prove decisive. The alliance with Russia, the only major European power to openly and firmly take its Christian civilization should be a given for any patriot. The BRICS are delivering a crushing blow to the Anglo-American condominium and the dollar that took advantage of the world wars. China is increasingly scratched by Obama, but why president Putin is suffering the shock of the confrontation? One of the real divisions of the contemporary world is now made between Pro-and Anti-Putin Putin. I am one of the first, not fascination or disposition to a country that is not mine, but because the project the best in the interests of France’s alliance with Russia. This is a great man and I am confident that it will remain as such in the history of Russia. Beside him, Western leaders, often subject to the United States, appear to be ephemeral dwarfs in the history of their country.” Source      |
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Posted: 23 Aug 2014 08:31 AM PDT
 Australia and Singapore agree to enhance intelligence sharing.The agreement was reached during a meeting between Singaporean Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen and visiting Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Friday. “In this context of counter-terrorism and counter radicalization… we felt that we could exchange more information because these threats if they materialize will affect all citizens of all races and all religions,” the Singaporean minister said at a joint press conference with the top Australian diplomat following the meeting. The development comes less than a week after a footage, which surfaced on the Internet, showed a suspected British terrorist beheading American journalist James Foley in what is said to be retaliation for US airstrikes against the ISIL Takfiri group in Iraq. Commenting on the video, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the fact that the man responsible for Foley’s execution seemed to be British showed the threat was global. “It just goes to show that this is not just something that happens elsewhere, it could happen in countries like Australia if we relax our vigilance against terrorism and potential terrorism here on our shores,” he said. Having taken control of parts of Syria, the ISIL terrorist group sent its militants into neighboring Iraq in early June and quickly seized large swathes of the territory there. The foreign-backed Takfiri militant group, some members of which are foreigners, has terrorized various communities, including Shias, Sunnis, Kurds, Christians, Izadi Kurds and others in their advances in Iraq. Source      |
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Posted: 23 Aug 2014 03:43 AM PDT
 Bardarbunga: Iceland’s largest volcano is seen from afar on a webcam positioned on Grimsfjoll mountain.Seismic activity in the Bardarbunga vicinity has not been decreasing, the Icelandic Meteorological Office reported on Thursday. “The highest magnitude during the last 24 hours was about 3.8, measured at 23:38 last night (20th August)”, the agency’s statement said. There were around 1,000 small earthquakes detected in the area Wednesday that prompted the evacuation of about 300 tourists. “The area is now closed and has been evacuated,” Iceland’s Civil Protection Authority said on its website. “These actions were taken following seismic activity around the Bardarbunga caldera in the last few days.” The agency also said it would carry out further air patrols over the volcano to make sure no one was left there. If the volcano doe start to erupt, it would lead to the Vatnajokull glacier which sits over it melting. The resulting flooding that this would cause has led to roads in the srea being closed as a precaution. Airlines said they were monitoring news from Bardarbunga. “We’ve been aware of the reported increasing potential of volcanic activity through aviation and government sources for a few days,” Morgan Durrant, a Delta spokesman told USA Today. “We’ll continue to closely monitor the situation.” “We are closely observing the developments. However, currently there is no reason for operational measures,” said Christina Semmel, a Lufthansa spokeswoman. The eruption of the Icelandic volcano, with the nearly-impossible-to-pronounce name, Eyjafjallajoekull, in 2010 resulted in a huge ash cloud disrupting air traffic for six days. Around 100,000 flights were cancelled, and 10 million air travellers found themselves stranded at airports. The crisis cost airlines $1.7 billion. The Icelandic Meteorological Office on Monday raised its risk level for an eruption at its Bardarbunga volcano to orange, which means that “a volcano shows heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption”. Orange comes fourth on the five-level scale of volcano-induced aviation risks. “We cannot exclude that the current activity will result in an explosive subglacial eruption, leading to an outburst flood (jökulhlaup) and ash emission”, the agency said on Thursday. Source     |
