Russia: Who Stole What For North Korea

Over the weekend Russia made a point of revealing another of their post-Cold War EW (electronic warfare) aircraft. This one is called the Il-22PP and described as an airborne electronic jammer that can block all manner of signals but particularly the digital ones (like Link 16) favored by Western warplanes. The Il-22PP was also described as being able to protect itself from anti-radiation missiles, like the American AGM-88. Since late 2015 Russia has revealed (to the public) the existence of other post-Cold War electronic warfare aircraft by using them in Syria or over Ukraine. Not so the Il-22PP, at least not yet.

U.S. forces bow to Russian response after ISIL seizes anti-aircraft weapons in Palmyra

ISIL regained control of Palmyra on Dec. 11.

 

The U.S.-led coalition will defer to Russia in retaking Palmyra after Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) regained control of the ancient Syrian city on Dec. 11.

“If they don’t, we will do what we need to do to defend ourselves and we’ll de-conflict those actions with the Russians,” Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, who commands the American-led coalition, said on Dec. 14 according to AFP.

ISIL took full control of Palmyra on Dec. 11 after temporarily being stopped by Russian forces.

AFRICOM chief: ISIL threat ‘has expanded across all of North Africa’

At a June 12 press conference at AFRICOM’s base in Stuttgart, Germany with reporters from Tunisia and Morocco, Gen. David Rodriguez said “unfortunately, that (Islamic State) has expanded across northern Africa, coming out of mainly Libya, but also across all of north Africa.”

ISIL Controls More Than 50% of Syria AfterPalmyra Seizure – Monitor

It doesn’t matter what you hear from the trained-to-whitewash media, as there is a difference between what’s happening on the ground and what’s being said.

 

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, a local source told Sputnik that after week-long battles Syrian government forces withdrew from Palmyra to avoid the destruction of the historic part of the city, one of the most important cultural and archaeological sites in the Middle East. A majority of Palmyra’s population was evacuated.

Obama changes objective in war on ISIS from ‘destroy’ to ‘defeat’

President Obama is changing the objective in the war against the Islamic State from “destroy” to “defeat.”

Military analysts say there is a big difference.

Top Iranian Official: Obama is ‘The Weakest of U.S. Presidents’

Adviser to Iranian president mocks Obama’s ‘humiliating’ presidency

The Iranian president’s senior advisor has called President Barack Obama “the weakest of U.S. presidents” and described the U.S. leader’s tenure in office as “humiliating,” according to a translation of the highly candid comments provided to the Free Beacon.

The comments by Ali Younesi, senior advisor to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, come as Iran continues to buck U.S. attempts to woo it into the international coalition currently battling the Islamic State (IS, ISIL, or ISIS).

Defense Leaders Warn of Tomahawk Missile Shortage

It’s as naïve and accidental as the ongoing military reductions (intentional purging) leaving the US military at pre-World War II levels.

Military could run out of key weapon in fight against ISIL

As the United States steps up its battle against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or ISIS), defense leaders on Capitol Hill are raising concerns about a looming shortage in the Tomahawk missile supply, a key offensive weapon that the Navy has deployed against militant strongholds in Syria and elsewhere.

The U.S. Navy’s current reliance on the Tomahawk, known as “the world’s most advanced cruise missile,” comes just months after the Obama administration attempted to significantly cut funding for the weapon and then eliminate it completely it in 2016, a move that drew heavy criticism from defense experts and lawmakers.

With the military relying on the weapons in its strikes against ISIL targets in Syria, defense leaders have begun to warn that the Pentagon could quickly run through its Tomahawk stockpiles, a problem exacerbated by defense budget cuts known as sequestration, defense sources say.

Experts warn: ISIS threat from ‘immigration reform’

‘There are increasing members of Hezbollah present in Latin America’

President Obama has sought to grant amnesty to aliens through “immigration reform” since he took office, and now he’s apparently ready to get around to that work.

At least, that’s according to Vice President Joe Biden, who told CBS News in a report this week that Obama is “absolutely committed to moving forward.”

Speaking at a Hispanic Heritage Month reception recently, Biden explained Obama’s moves would be political.

Canadian ISIL Member Says Attacks Coming to New York Soon

 

A man believed to be 21-year-old Somali-Canadian Abu Usamah Somali said ISIL will “make some attacks in New York soon.”

The terrorist recruit explained why he decided to join ISIL and what the group’s intentions are in an interview with Vice News founder Shane Smith.

Iraqi PM says Islamic State plans subway attacks in US and Paris

New York: Iraq has received “credible” intelligence that Islamic State militants plan to attack subway systems in Paris and the United States, Iraq’s prime minister said on Thursday, but senior U.S. officials said they had no evidence to back up the claim.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said he had received the information Thursday morning from militants captured in Iraq and concluded it was credible after asking for further details. The attacks, he said, were plotted from inside Iraq by “networks” of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL.

“They plan to have attacks in the metros of Paris and the US,” Abadi told a small group of US reporters while in New York for the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly. “I asked for more credible information. I asked for names. I asked for details, for cities, you know, dates. And from the details I have received, yes, it looks credible.”

ISIL has formed oil trading network in Syria, experts say

(ANSAmed) – ANKARA, SEPTEMBER 23 – Islamic fighters led by ISIL have established an oil trading network within Syria which includes other opposition groups and the Assad regime, Turkish Anadolu Agency reports today quoting experts on Syria as saying.

Opening Moscow’s Bag of Political and Strategic Tricks

Political correctness was invented by Marxists to destroy Western society from inside…. And in Russia, there is no political correctness at all! The reason is that Marxists do not need to undermine the Russian society from the inside, because it is already Marxist.

– Konstantin Preobrazhensky, “How the West Was Fooled by Vladimir Putin”

…

Then there is Russia’s military potential. With regard to major opponents, the West seriously underestimated its enemies twice during the last century: first in 1939 when the Allies believed they had boxed in Nazi Germany with their “guarantee” to Poland; and again, with sanctions on Japan in 1941. In the first instance Germany smashed Poland and crushed France. In the second instance, Japan destroyed the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, defeated the U.S. forces in the Philippines and captured the British forces in Singapore.

Some may argue that Russians are not as capable as Germans and Japanese. After all, Russia is a backward country; the Russian economy stinks; Russian equipment is obsolete and their people are demoralized. Even more egregious, Russian commanders are political stooges. But wait! Russia put the first man into space. Russia launched the first satellite. Russia built the first operational version of the hydrogen bomb. Let’s not make the mistake of underestimating Russia.

ISIL hit U.S. F-15 with anti-aircaft batteries captured from Iraq

Western diplomatic sources said ISIL struck at least one U.S. aircraft. They said an F-15 fighter-jet was hit by ISIL fire in late August that damaged the hydraulic system and forced the aircraft to land in neighboring Turkey.

Officials did not identify the anti-aircraft batteries employed by ISIL, according to a report by Middle East Newsline. But they acknowledged that most of the stolen Iraqi military equipment used by ISIL was of U.S. origin, including artillery, armored personnel carriers and combat vehicles.

Grave setbacks for Obama’s strategy: Turkey backs out of US-led war on IS. Germany, UK say no to air campaign

The Turkish government inflicted a stunning blow to President Barack Obama’s strategy for a broad US-led coalition for tackling and defeating the Islamic State, Thursday, Sept. 11 – just hours after the plan was unveiled in Washington. One of the 11 Sunni Muslim nations invited to Jeddah by US Secretary John Kerry Thursday to join the coalition’s establishment, Turkey announced instead that it wants no part in the US strategy for destroying IS.

In his speech Wednesday night, President Obama specifically named Turkey as one of the “friends and allies” who would contribute troops to the mission.

Pentagon confirms ISIL captured tanks, building ‘faster’ military force

WASHINGTON — The United States has determined that Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was building an armored force.

Officials said the U.S. intelligence community detected a presence of U.S. and Russian-origin armored vehicle platforms at ISIL facilities in northern Iraq.

The officials said the platforms included armored personnel carriers, main battle tanks and armored combat vehicles.