Archive

26.04.2018 - 10:27 [ Daily Sabah ]

France, US and Middle Eastern partners to discuss Syrian crisis in Paris

The meeting will bring together a group of nations – including France, the U.S., Britain, Saudi Arabia and Jordan – which belong to the U.S.-led coalition against the Daesh terror group, dpa learned from diplomatic sources on Tuesday. It was not clear which officials would be sent by the participating nations.

More than 70 countries and around 20 international organizations are expected in Paris on Wednesday for the „No Money for Terror“ conference.

26.04.2018 - 10:14 [ diePresse.com ]

Besuchsdiplomatie: Merkel löst Macron in Washington ab

Kaum ist Frankreichs Präsident Emmanuel Macron aus Washington abgereist, folgt die deutsche Kanzlerin Angela Merkel (CDU): Sie bricht am frühen Donnerstagabend zu ihrem zweiten Besuch bei US-Präsident Donald Trump nach Washington auf. Dabei dürften der drohende Handelskrieg zwischen den USA und Europa sowie die Krisen in Syrien und im Iran im Mittelpunkt stehen.

26.04.2018 - 09:51 [ CBC News ]

Trump-Macron: kissing, hand holding, dandruff wiping – their body language analyzed

French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Donald Trump have appeared quite chummy on Macron’s state visit to the United States. The two leaders have been seen kissing, holding hands and Trump has jokingly brushed dandruff off Macron’s jacket. Some have seen these public displays of affection as sign of a growing alliance, but others wonder if it is all a show.

25.04.2018 - 18:58 [ Spiegel.de ]

„Ein neues Nuklearabkommen steht nicht im Raum“

„Diesen Vorschlag (zu einem neuen Abkommen) muss man sich jetzt genauer angucken“, sagte der Sprecher weiter: „Die Frage ist, unter welchen Bedingungen Iran bereit wäre, diese Prozess zu erlauben.“ Der Sprecher betonte auch, dass Macron vorgeschlagen hatte, ein zusätzliches Abkommen zu beschließen, das auf dem alten aufbauen sollte.

25.04.2018 - 18:37 [ New York Times ]

Trump Signals Openness to a ‘New Deal’ to Constrain Iran

President Trump signaled on Tuesday that he was open to a new arrangement with European allies that would preserve the Iran nuclear agreement by expanding and extending its terms to constrain Tehran’s development of missiles and other destabilizing activities in the Middle East.

Hosting President Emmanuel Macron of France at the White House, Mr. Trump again assailed the agreement made by the Obama administration as “insane” and “ridiculous,” but said he could agree to “a new deal” negotiated by American and European officials if it was strong enough.

25.04.2018 - 08:14 [ Martin Ganslmeier, ARD-Studio Washington / tagesschau.de ]

Macron auf Staatsbesuch: Trump-Flüsterer und erste Adresse in Europa

Am Freitag kommt sie zu einem kurzen Arbeitsbesuch ins Weiße Haus. Vorher wird sie von Macron gebrieft, wo das Trump-Flüstern bereits geholfen hat und wo die Kanzlerin nachhaken muss.

Gut sieht es beim Thema Syrien aus. Trump ist bereit, auf einen sofortigen Abzug der US-Soldaten zu verzichten.

25.04.2018 - 07:56 [ Asharq Al-Awsat ]

Macron in Washington: A Second Syrian War Takes Shape

According to sources in Paris, Macron has already scored one success with Trump by persuading him to take back his earlier pledge to withdrawn US forces from Syria.

Trump accepted a delay because Macron said he had “new ideas” on Syria.

To be sure, the delay was also encouraged by “strong advice” from several Arab allies, as well as Trump’s Defense Secretary James Mattis and the new National Security Adviser John Bolton.

25.04.2018 - 07:37 [ Zeit.de ]

Wie Deutschland der syrischen Opposition hilft

(25.7.2012) Bei der »Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik« (SWP) hat seit Januar eine Gruppe von bis zu 50 syrischen Oppositionellen aller Couleur geheime Treffen abgehalten, um Pläne für den Tag nach dem Abgang Assads zu schmieden. Das klandestine Projekt mit dem Namen »Day After« wird von der SWP in Partnerschaft mit dem »United States Institute of Peace« (USIP) organisiert, wie DIE ZEIT von Beteiligten erfuhr. Das deutsche Außenministerien und das State Department helfen mit Geld, Visa und Logistik.

23.04.2018 - 20:05 [ Axios ]

Trump asked Netanyahu if he genuinely cares about peace

Trump was pressing Bibi on the importance of striking a „deal“ for Mideast peace. He’d read news reports about Bibi planning to build additional settlements to please his conservative base in Israel. Trump thought Bibi was unnecessarily angering the Palestinians. So, in the course of a longer conversation that was mostly friendly and complimentary, he bluntly asked Bibi whether or not he genuinely wants peace.

23.04.2018 - 20:01 [ Business Insider ]

Trump reportedly bluntly asked Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu if he really wants peace or not

„The President has great relationships with a number of foreign leaders but that doesn’t mean he can’t be aggressive when it comes to negotiating what’s best for America,“ Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said of the reported comment.

23.04.2018 - 19:11 [ Japan Today ]

Protest rally marks one year since start of seawall work for U.S. base

In Monday’s sit-in protest outside the gates of Camp Schwab in Henoko, over 300 people including lawmakers took part. The protest will last for six straight days through Saturday.

Forced out by riot police officers, protestors rallied, saying they would never allow the building of new bases in Henoko, either at sea or on land.

Among them, a 50-year-old local resident vowed to „never give up.“

23.04.2018 - 08:39 [ ORF.at ]

Neue EU-Verordnung zu grenzenloser Überwachung

Am Dienstag stellte die Kommission ihre Verordnung zur „Sicherung von Beweismitteln in der Cloud“ vor. Hauptmaßnahme ist ein neuer elektronischer Durchsuchungsbefehl, der in der gesamten EU gilt. Internetfirmen und Telekoms müssen in Zukunft binnen zehn Tagen die verlangten Daten liefern, in Notfällen gelten sechs Stunden.

22.04.2018 - 09:49 [ Yonhap ]

North Korean leader shifts policy focus to economy

The measures could mark Kim’s strategic course correction after incremental global sanctions have crippled his country’s economy, eroded public support and loyalty from the elites, and fueled diplomatic friction with China, its key economic patron.

The announcement came ahead of Kim’s summits with South Korean President Moon Jae-in on April 27 and United States President Donald Trump in May or early June.

20.04.2018 - 22:28 [ Washington Post ]

Democratic Party files lawsuit alleging Russia, the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks conspired to disrupt the 2016 campaign

The complaint, filed in federal district court in Manhattan, alleges that top Trump campaign officials conspired with the Russian government and its military spy agency to hurt Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and help Trump by hacking the computer networks of the Democratic Party and disseminating stolen material found there.

20.04.2018 - 22:27 [ Washington Post ]

Russia: US did not violate red lines during Syria strikes

“We told them where our red lines were, including the geographical red lines,” Lavrov told Russian state television. “The results have shown that they haven’t crossed those lines.”

Moscow had warned the U.S. before the strike that it could hit back if the U.S. actions jeopardize Russian servicemen in Syria, and the allies had given Russia an advance warning to make sure no Russians were in the line of fire.

20.04.2018 - 08:03 [ ORF.at ]

USA: Syrien und Russland verwischen Spuren von Angriff

Die USA werfen Syrien und Russland vor, die Untersuchung des mutmaßlichen Giftgasangriffs auf die ehemalige Rebellenbastion Duma zu behindern. Beide Länder versuchten, das vermutete Angriffsziel zu „reinigen“ und so belastende Beweise für den Einsatz von Chemiewaffen verschwinden zu lassen, erklärte das Außenministerium in Washingtongestern.

19.04.2018 - 17:16 [ Sputnik / Youtube ]

So drehten Weißhelme ihr C-Waffen-Video: Elfjähriges „Opfer“ packt aus

Knapp zwei Wochen nach der offenbar inszenierten C-Waffen-Attacke in Duma bei Damaskus haben russische Journalisten eines der Kinder entdeckt, die die Weißhelme in ihrem Belastungs-Video gegen die syrische Armee für Opfer ausgegeben hatten. Der elfjährige Hassan Diab erzählt nun, wie das Video gedreht und er selbst ungewollt zum Schauspieler wurde.

19.04.2018 - 17:13 [ Sputnik ]

„C-Waffen-Angriff“: Russland will dem UN-Sicherheitsrat angebliches Opfer zeigen

Moskau hat laut dem russischen UN-Botschafter Wassili Nebensja vor, dem Weltsicherheitsrat ein Sujet über den Jungen Hassan Diab aus dem syrischen Duma, der in einem Video von den „Weißhelmen“ als ein „Opfer des Chemieangriffs“ vorgestellt worden ist, vorzuführen.

19.04.2018 - 12:40 [ New York Times ]

Japan Fears Being Sidelined by Trump on Trade and North Korea

(18.4.2018) after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s first day visiting President Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., the Japanese public is wondering whether their leader, embattled at home by influence-peddling scandals, might return to Japan with the diplomatic equivalent of an “All I Got Was This Lousy T-shirt.”

19.04.2018 - 12:35 [ Japan Times ]

Abe says he’s in contact with North about meeting Kim, suggests in Diet he’d be open to trilateral summit with U.S.

(26.3.2018) Japan is also increasingly being viewed as the odd man out as South Korean President Moon Jae-in has referred to the possibility of a trilateral summit involving Washington and Pyongyang.

Still, members of Abe’s ruling party on Monday were quick to dismiss this narrative, with Foreign Minister Taro Kono, for one, stressing that Tokyo is closely in touch with Washington and Seoul.

“The argument that Japan is being kept out of the loop completely misses the point,” he said.

18.04.2018 - 12:14 [ Egypt Independent ]

Egypt to decline any request by US to send troops to Syria: former intelligence official

In response to a recent report published by American newspaper The Wall Street Journal regarding an alleged request by the United States to Egypt to send armed forces to Syria, former undersecretary of Egypt’s General Intelligence Mohammad Rashad said that Egypt will summarily decline any such invitation.

“The Egyptian Armed Forces are not mercenaries [and cannot be] leased or ordered by foreign states to deploy forces in a certain area. This is not acceptable and no one […] should dare to direct or give instructions to Egypt’s army,” Rashad told Egypt Independent.

18.04.2018 - 10:03 [ Kommunistische Partei von Israel ]

Hundreds Protest US-Led Strikes vs. Syria outside Haifa Consulate

Holding aloft red flags and chanting anti-imperialist slogans, several hundred Hadash and Communist Party of Israel (CPI) activists demonstrated in Haifa Saturday evening, April 14, against Washington-led missile strikes on Syrian targets. The rally against the attack was held in front of the US Consulate in Haifa.

Hadash and CPI condemned the attack and said that the US has a history of “aggression and bullying in the region, with the excuse of destroying weapons of mass destruction, which turned out to be false.”

18.04.2018 - 09:56 [ TBU News / Youtube ]

USA protests against airstrikes “NO WAR ON SYRIA”

(15.4.2018) Protesters gathered in front of the White House in Washington and Union Square, New York City on Saturday to protest against the US-led airstrikes in Syria. Many of the protesters were holding banners and flags against the war on Syria while others used words of civil right activist Martin Luther King Jr., a week after the fiftieth anniversary of his death.

18.04.2018 - 09:01 [ New York Times ]

Mattis Wanted Congressional Approval Before Striking Syria. He Was Overruled.

Administration and congressional officials said the hawkish Mr. Bolton is not expected to defer to the defense secretary; already, neoconservative members of the Republican foreign policy establishment have started to air concerns that Mr. Mattis is ceding strategic territory to Iran and Russia in Syria.

Mr. Mattis is widely viewed by global leaders as the strongest and perhaps most credible voice on foreign policy in an administration that has been rocked by firings and resignations among senior presidential advisers.

18.04.2018 - 08:57 [ CNN ]

Senators leave classified briefing on Trump’s Syria policy ‚very unnerved‘

„I am very unnerved by what I’m hearing and seeing,“ said Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, who said the briefing on the strikes made him more worried, not less. The administration is „going down a dangerous path“ with regards to Syria, he said, without offering details.

18.04.2018 - 08:43 [ CNN ]

Bolton dealing to build an Arab military force in Syria

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, said Tuesday that Saudi Arabia is engaged in talks with the US and would consider sending forces to Syria along with other Arab countries as part of this contingent.
Jubeir also noted that the idea is not necessarily new, as Saudi Arabia made a similar proposal to the Obama administration, but that the US did not take them up on the offer.

18.04.2018 - 08:07 [ Japan Today ]

Trump, Abe discuss N Korea, trade issues

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States is engaged in direct talks at „extremely high levels“ with North Korea to try to set up a summit between him and its leader, Kim Jong Un.

Trump made the comment as he and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe opened two days of talks at the president’s Mar-a-Lago retreat in Palm Beach, Florida, meetings that are to include a round of golf.

17.04.2018 - 18:01 [ Business Insider ]

Syria claims to thwart missile attack, later says it fired off defenses in a false alarm

Syrian state news agency SANA cited a military source as saying a number of air defense missiles had been fired but no foreign attack had taken place.
Separately, a commander in the regional military alliance backing the government attributed the malfunction to „a joint electronic attack“ by Israel and the United States targeting the Syrian radar system.

17.04.2018 - 10:28 [ Junge Welt ]

Nach Angriffen auf Syrien: Tausende demonstrieren in vielen Ländern gegen die Aggression des Imperialismus.

Bereits am Vortag waren Tausende Menschen in der griechischen Hauptstadt einem Aufruf der Kommunistischen Partei (KKE) zur Protestdemonstration gegen die Kriegspolitik des US-Imperialismus gefolgt, für den heutigen Dienstag mobilisiert die kommunistisch orientierte Gewerkschaftsfront PAME zu einer Großkundgebung auf dem Syntagma-Platz vor dem griechischen Parlament.

17.04.2018 - 09:28 [ wsws.org ]

Nach Angriff auf Syrien: EU-Außenminister drängen auf Regimewechsel

Nach den Luftangriffen der USA, Frankreichs und Großbritanniens auf Syrien drängten die Außenminister der Europäischen Union am Montag auf eine „politische Lösung“. Sie wollen durch Druck auf Russland und Iran das erreichen, was ihnen mithilfe der inzwischen weitgehend besiegten islamitischen Milizen nicht gelungen ist – einen Regimewechsel in Damaskus.

Obwohl der Angriff auf Syrien eindeutig völkerrechtswidrig war, stellte sich das Außenministertreffen in Luxemburg ausdrücklich hinter ihn.

17.04.2018 - 09:15 [ euronews.com ]

EU calls on Russia to bring Syria back to talks

Some analysts hope that the western airstrikes can bring the parties to a peace deal. Here is Marc Pierini of Carnegie Europe.
„Russia has been carefully warned, it has sheltered its staff and equipment, and so it is to be hoped that these strikes, which are in no way an aggression against Russia and not even against the Assad regime, also serve to give the signal that it would be time after 7 years of an atrocious war to talk politics and talk about a settlement of the conflict.“

17.04.2018 - 09:09 [ Ray McGovern / Nachdenkseiten ]

Der Angriff auf Syrien: Wie man Verfassung und Recht verhöhnt

Die Verfassung der USA und das Völkerrecht erlitten letzte Nacht einen schweren Schlag durch die Hand einer seltsamen Koalition, die man als Goldlocke und die zwei moralischen Zwerge, die sich als Marinegeneräle ausgaben, bezeichnen könnte, zusammen mit der Schreckschraube aus “Right Dishonorable” (Satirewebsite, d. Ü.) und einem jungen französischen Pudel.

Wie vor 15 Jahren, als die USA und Großbritannien einen Angriffskrieg gegen den Irak vom Zaun brachen, wurden als Vorwand sogenannte “Massenvernichtungswaffen” (WMD) angeführt – und diesmal am 7. April auch der angebliche Einsatz von Chlorgas (und vielleicht auch des Nervengifts Sarin – wer weiß?) in Duma, einem Vorort von Damaskus. Und diesmal durfte der französische Präsident Emmanuel Macron als Juniorpartner mitspielen in dieser Bande, die nicht einmal überzeugend lügen kann.

16.04.2018 - 16:36 [ Times of Israel ]

At 10th J Street conference, Trump and Netanyahu seen as peas in a rotten pod

J Street was instrumental in 2015 in helping to pass the Iran nuclear deal. Trump appears ready to dismantle it next month. J Street’s operating credo when it was established in 2008 was to advance the two-state solution. Trump and Netanyahu have both retreated from commitment to a two-state outcome.

16.04.2018 - 16:36 [ Jerusalem Post ]

J Street: Trump and Netanyahu are a threat

‘We are here to call out—and to change—a right-wing, populist government, with a leader who thrives on hatred and division, who mocks and attacks the press, and who sees the strangers among us as a danger to be feared and mistreated, not as fellow humans,” said keynote speaker Randi Weingarten, the president of the American Federation of Teachers.

“Hmm…about which country am I speaking?” she continued, to laughter.

16.04.2018 - 16:36 [ Bloomberg.com ]

Merkel’s Struggle to Gain Trump’s Ear Leaves Berlin Sidelined

The U.S. tried to shame Merkel’s government into helping in Syria, arguing that Germany of all nations should be appalled by the use of chemical weapons on civilians, according to a U.S. official who asked not to be named discussing strategy.

16.04.2018 - 09:34 [ USA Today ]

Macron: France persuaded Trump to strike in Syria

Appearing in a two-hour live broadcast on French television BFM and online investigative site Mediapart, the 40-year-old leader said the U.S., Britain and France had “full international legitimacy to intervene” in order to enforce international humanitarian law.

The allies fired missiles early Saturday at three chemical-weapons facilities in Syria to punish the regime for the alleged use of chemical weapons in the town of Douma.

“It was retaliation, not an act of war,” Macron said in justifying the operation a day before the French parliament was set to debate it.

16.04.2018 - 09:17 [ Haaretz ]

How the U.S.-led Airstrikes in Syria Hit Their Targets Before Assad’s Missile Defenses Even Fired

Electronic warfare suppression, a decoy battle group in the Mediterranean and never-before-used stealth missiles were all part of the attack

16.04.2018 - 07:51 [ Donald Trump, Präsident der Vereinigten Staaten / Twitter ]

The big questions in Comey’s badly reviewed book aren’t answered like, how come he gave up Classified Information (jail), why did he lie to Congress (jail), why did the DNC refuse to give Server to the FBI (why didn’t they TAKE it), why the phony memos, McCabe’s $700,000 & more?

16.04.2018 - 07:21 [ Korea Broadcasting System ]

Seoul wählt „Frieden, ein neuer Anfang“ als Slogan für Korea-Gipfel

Der Sprecher des Präsidialamtes, Kim Eui-kyeom, gab am Sonntag das Motto des Gipfeltreffens bekannt. Der Slogan bedeute, dass das anstehende Treffen als erster Korea-Gipfel seit elf Jahren und als Wegweiser für den US-Nordkorea-Gipfel ein Ausgangspunkt zum Weltfrieden darstelle. Darin sei der Wunsch aller Bürger enthalten, dass diese Gelegenheit der Anfang für einen nachhaltigen Frieden werde.

15.04.2018 - 19:48 [ Arab News ]

Arab leaders meet in Saudi Arabia as Syria tensions reach boiling point

Leaders of the 22-nation Arab League, who will meet in the Saudi city of Dhahran on Sunday, are expected to stress continuity in their efforts to find a solution to the Syrian conflict. It follows airstrikes by the US, UK and France against the Assad regime on Saturday. The leaders are likely to seek Arab and international support to increase pressure on the regime to find a solution to the conflict.

15.04.2018 - 18:51 [ Sydney Morning Herald ]

How could the Syrian strikes affect Australia?

We therefore need to think very carefully about what is in our national interest when it comes to our overseas military commitments and the next American military adventure, whether it be in the Middle East, North Asia or elsewhere – particularly if it puts Australia on a strategic collision course with China.

15.04.2018 - 07:51 [ WashingtonExaminer.com ]

Chuck Schumer: US strikes on Syria ‚appropriate‘

(13.4.2018) “A pinpointed, limited action to punish and hopefully deter Assad from doing this again is appropriate, but the administration has to be careful about not getting us into a greater and more involved war in Syria,“ Schumer said in a statement Friday night.

Schumer supported the president’s strikes on Syria last April.

15.04.2018 - 07:47 [ washingtonexaminer.com ]

Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi endorse Trump’s attack in Syria

(6.4.2017) „Making sure Assad knows that when he commits such despicable atrocities he will pay a price is the right thing to do,“ Schumer said in a statement released late Thursday. „I salute the professionalism and skill of our Armed Forces who took action today.“

„Tonight’s strike in Syria appears to be a proportional response to the the regime’s use of chemical weapons,“ Pelosi said in a statement.

15.04.2018 - 07:30 [ Reason.com ]

When Trump Loses Alex Jones‘ and Gains Elizabeth Warren’s Support, All Things Are Possible!

In the other direction, a wide variety of #NeverTrump conservatives and liberal interventionists—including John McCain and Elizabeth Warren—are praising the attacks. Hillary Clinton was calling for them a week ago and there are apologists for unbridled state power such as former Obama State Department official Anne Marie Slaughter, who writes:

15.04.2018 - 06:50 [ ThinkProgress.org ]

Republicans and Democrats blast Trump for bombing Syria without legal authority

In a briefing after Trump’s announcement, Secretary of Defense Mattis argued that the President relied on his Article II powers under the Constitution to authorize the strike. This is the same authority Trump claimed to authorize his 2017 attack.

15.04.2018 - 06:47 [ theAtlantic.com ]

The Unconstitutional Strike on Syria

“To see what is under one’s nose,” George Orwell wrote in 1946, “requires a constant struggle.” Orwell didn’t add that trying to point out what is under our noses can turn one into a kind of Ancient Mariner at whose approach both friend and foe are tempted to flee.

But here goes: Trump did not have the authority to order any kind of strike on Syria. Congressional authorization was needed before any use of force against Syria; Friday’s attack was unconstitutional.

14.04.2018 - 09:57 [ Rob Lee / Twitter ]

After warning the US against a future strike against Damascus, Gen. Gerasimov had a conversation with Gen. Dunford. The Russian MoD is concerned because, while they have Russian air defenses at their bases in Khmeimim (S-400 and Pantsir-S1) and Tartous (S-400V4),

(13.3.2018)

14.04.2018 - 04:27 [ Michael Carpenter ‏/ Twitter ]

Dunford: Only contestation of these strikes was from Syrian air defense systems. No mention of Russian A2/AD. The deconfliction channel with Russia was used, but Dunford says no “prenotification” of Russia. So targets were presumably not shared but perhaps airspace boxes were.

14.04.2018 - 04:25 [ ABC News ]

What is the US-Russian hotline being used as possible Syria strike looms?

(12.4.2018) Anything is possible when the missiles start flying, but the U.S. and Russia have a system for avoiding this scenario – it’s known as the deconfliction hotline.

The hotline runs from the vast U.S. air command center in Qatar to Khmeimim Air Base in Syria where Russia has commanders.