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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES?
7/24/2017 5:36:41 PM

US Imposes Sanctions On Russia, Iran, North Korea

Ishani Roy


Traditional Russian wooden nesting dolls, called Matryoshka dolls, depicting U.S. President Donald Trump (left) and Russia's President Vladimir Putin (right) during the G20 summit in Germany at a gift shop in central Moscow, Russia, July 7, 2017.


The House and Senate released a deal Saturday and gave Congress new veto power to block any easing of the sanctions, which was put on Russia, toughening the position of President Donald Trump. The bill also imposed sanctions on Iran and North Korea.

"North Korea, Iran, and Russia have in different ways all threatened their neighbors and actively sought to undermine American interests," the press release of the Foreign Affairs Committee stated. "The bill the House will vote on next week will now exclusively focus on these nations and hold them accountable for their dangerous actions."

Last month, an earlier version of the sanctions legislation was passed in the Senate with an overwhelming majority of 98-2, but it focused only on Russia and Iran. It was then delayed in the House after representatives demanded that even North Korea, which has been posing a danger to the U.S. with its ballistic missile program, should be included. That issue was resolved after Saturday's release of the bill, lawmakers said, according to reports.

The bill intends to punish Moscow for its 2014 annexation of Crimea — a peninsula claimed by Ukraine, and for its alleged interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The bill would also impose penalties on anyone involved in Iran's ballistic-missile program or persons, entities who do business with them. It also intends to apply "terrorism sanctions" to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and enforce an arms embargo.

In regards to North Korea, the bill aimed at stopping the nation's nuclear program and will also attempt to exhaust funds from the government so that it is not able to sponsor its nuclear program.

According to the bill, Trump can send Congress a report elaborating on his reasons of why he wants to suspend or terminate a particular set of sanctions after which lawmakers would have 30 days to decide whether to allow the move or reject it, Fox News reported.

They are hoping to approve the sanctions before leaving Washington for the August recess.

Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland said: "I’m pleased that both parties in the House and Senate have reached agreement on sanctions legislation that will hold Russia and Iran accountable for their destabilizing actions around the world," according to Hoyer's official website.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi asserted Russia should be punished with stricter sanctions for its role during last year's election and in Europe. She said: “Even though the Senate passed legislation to do just that by a margin of 98 to 2, I am concerned by changes insisted upon by Republicans that give the GOP leadership the sole power to originate actions in the House to prevent the Trump Administration from rolling back sanctions," according to her official website.

Pelosi also said the addition of North Korea in the sanctions package "does not prevent Congress from immediately enacting Russia sanctions legislation and sending it to the President’s desk before the August recess."


(Yahoo News)

"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES?
7/24/2017 5:51:10 PM



US Sees a ‘Lot More’ to Do in Syria, Will Continue Backing Kurds

July 24, 2017 at 8:33 am

(ANTIWAR.COM) — The US-led coalition in Syria believes they have a “lot more” to do in their war against ISIS in the country, even if they manage to expel ISIS from their capital city of Raqqa, with the deputy commander saying they’ll go after the rest of ISIS territory, backing the Kurds.

ISIS still holds a substantial amount of territory outside of Raqqa, including the majority of the Deir Ezzor Province. US officials have previously even singled out Mayadin as the “next capital” for ISIS, which they’ll invade next.

That’s likely to take quite some time, as the Raqqa invasion has been ongoing since October, and still not really close to completed. While the other ISIS cities are smaller, the talk of defeating ISIS by killing every single fighter they have is likely to keep ISIS forces fighting until the last.

In Iraq, the US has styled their military presence as basically a permanent reality now, irrespective of ISIS’ status, but in Syria, where the US-led coalition isn’t authorized to be in the first place, justifying their long-term presence is going to be trickier.


By Jason Ditz / Republished with permission / ANTIWAR.COM / Report a typo

This article was chosen for republication based on the interest of our readers. Anti-Media republishes stories from a number of other independent news sources. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect Anti-Media editorial policy.




"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES?
7/24/2017 11:46:16 PM
JULY 22, 2017 / 2:16 PM / 2 DAYS AGO
Hundreds of Islamic State corpses await repatriation from Libya


Libya is yet to decide what to do with corpses stored in the city of Misrata.(REUTERS)


MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) - Seven months after Libyan forces defeated Islamic State in the coastal city of Sirte, hundreds of bodies of foreign militants still lie stored in freezers as authorities negotiate with other governments to decide what to do with them, local officials say.

The corpses have been shipped to Misrata, a city further to the west whose forces led the fight to defeat Islamic State in Sirte in December.

Allowing the bodies to be shipped home to countries such as Tunisia, Sudan and Egypt would be sensitive for the governments involved, wary of acknowledging how many of their citizens left to fight as jihadists in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

"Our team removed hundreds of bodies," a member of the Misrata organized crime unit dealing with the bodies told Reuters, his face masked to conceal his identity because of security concerns.

A fighter of Libyan forces stands atop the ruins of a house as the forces secure the last few buildings where Islamic State militants had been making a final stand, in Ghiza Bahriya district in Sirte, Libya December 6, 2016.


"This is the main operation which allows us to preserve the bodies, document and photograph them and also collect DNA samples."

The crime unit said it was awaiting a decision from the Prosecutor General, who was in talks with foreign governments over the return of the bodies.

Islamic State has now been defeated in its main stronghold in the Iraqi city of Mosul and is under pressure in its base in the Syrian city of Raqqa. But at the height of its territorial control it attracted recruits from the Middle East, North Africa and Europe to its ranks.

In Tunisia alone, officials say more than 3,000 citizens left to fight in Syria, Iraq and Libya. Tunisians who trained in militant camps in Libya carried out two gun attacks on foreign tourists in 2015 that battered Tunisia's vital tourism industry.

Islamic State took over Sirte in 2015, taking advantage of infighting between rival Libyan armed factions and using the city as a base from which to attack oil fields and other nearby towns.

(Writing by Patrick Markey; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)


(REUTERS)

"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES?
7/25/2017 12:09:12 AM

North Korea Now In Dire Trouble: Agency Confirms They’re Almost Completely Out

Posted by | Jul 24, 2017 |

Both institutes stated that this situation threatens food security for a huge part of its population, which represents a colossal crisis for a country that has previously suffered this kind of situation many times in the last few decades.

Both institutes stated that this situation threatens food security for a huge part of its population, which represents a colossal crisis for a country that has previously suffered this kind of situation many times in the last few decades.

A United Nations (UN) agency reported that North Korea is experiencing its worst drought in 16 years, which raises fears of worsening food shortages in the communist country, where children and many other vulnerable groups have been malnourished under Kim Jong Un’s regime.

The agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization said in a report prepared in collaboration with the European Commission’s Joint Research Center that prolonged dry spells have damaged the country’s production of staple crops for this year, including corn, rice, potatoes, and soybeans.

Both institutes stated that this situation threatens food security for a huge part of its population, which represents a colossal crisis for a country that has previously suffered this kind of situation many times in the last few decades.

Previously, the Asian nation experienced chronic food shortages in the 1990s, when a famine caused by several years of bad weather and communist economic measures forced the regime to issue a rare appeal for international help.

Previously, the Asian nation experienced chronic food shortages in the 1990s, when a famine caused by several years of bad weather and communist economic measures forced the regime to issue a rare appeal for international help.

The agency’s representative in North Korea, Vincent Martin, said in a news release that seasonal rainfall in the main cereal-producing areas is below that of 2001, when grain production fell to a record low of two million tons.

The report said that while some rain has fallen this month, it was likely to be too late to allow the normal planting and development of main crops that would be harvested not only in October but also in November.

Additionally, the report showed that because of this concerning drought, the production of early season crops that are harvested a month ago, including barley, wheat, and potatoes, dropped to 310,000 tons, which represents more than 30 percent below last year’s 450,000 tons. The delicate detail in this whole picture is that the early season harvest usually accounts for 10 percent of North Korea’s total annual cereal production.

The North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un (Pictured) Is known for being incredibly unstable.

The North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un (Pictured) Is known for being incredibly unstable.

Regarding this issue, the agency said in a statement that increased food imports, commercial or through food, would definitely be needed during the next 12 weeks at the peak of the lean season, ensuring sufficient food supply for the most vulnerable, which includes children and elders.

Previously, the Asian nation experienced chronic food shortages in the 1990s, when a famine caused by several years of bad weather and communist economic policies forced the regime to issue a rare appeal for international help. Some statistics revealed that more than a million people died in the famine.

Since that moment, the communist government has allowed more market-oriented activities and encouraged trade with China in order to increase access to food. Although its own food production has also improved in recent years, humanitarian relief groups still call for donations, warning that shortages remain widespread in the country.

Back in September, after the fifth nuclear test, South Korea refused to offer humanitarian aid to tens of thousands of flood victims in its neighbor country, explaining that this nation should diver the money spent on weapons to feed its people and provide them a better way of living.

Back in September, after the fifth nuclear test, South Korea refused to offer humanitarian aid to tens of thousands of flood victims in its neighbor country, explaining that this nation should diver the money spent on weapons to feed its people and provide them a better way of living.

However, international donors have become quite reluctant in recent years to provide any kind of humanitarian aid, considering that Kim Jong Un’s regime has continued to test nuclear weapons and missiles in defiance of UN resolutions.

Back in September, after the fifth nuclear test, South Korea refused to offer humanitarian aid to tens of thousands of flood victims in its neighbor country, explaining that this nation should divert the money spent on weapons to feed its people and provide them a better way of living.

While former President Park Geun-hye took a hard-line stance against North Korea, under the liberal government of President Moon-Jae-in South Korea recently announced it will be readier to consider humanitarian aid. This softer position has been widely criticized by many analysts, claiming that this measure would be quite beneficial to Kim Jong Un’s regime.

Although South Korea is showing a favorable stance, the North has not responded to its proposal on Monday that both sides hold military and humanitarian talks on the border in order to discuss easing tensions.

Apparently, the Defense Ministry of South Korea had wanted to hold a military dialogue with the North three days ago. After not receiving any kind of response, it said it was willing to wait for several more days so both parties can consider some kind of agreement.

So far, the communist regime hasn’t reported any damage from the drought, and its main state-run newspaper urged the country on Friday to produce more goods locally, especially fuel and raw materials to fight what it called “barbaric” international sanctions pushed by the U.S.

In a separate article, the North Korean newspaper criticized the American efforts to pressure China to use its economic leverage to force the regime to abandon its missile and nuclear programs. Despite the sanctions, China has openly remained as North Korea’s most loyal ally.


(conservativedailypost.com)

"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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Luis Miguel Goitizolo

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RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES?
7/25/2017 9:37:44 AM

Why Ukrainian forces gave up Crimea without a fight - and NATO is alert

By Pavel Polityuk and Anton Zverev

By Pavel Polityuk and Anton Zverev

KIEV/SEVASTOPOL, Crimea (Reuters) - The career of Sergei Yeliseyev helps to explain why Ukraine's armed forces gave up Crimea almost without a fight - and why NATO now says it is alert to Russian attempts to undermine military loyalty in its eastern European members.

His rise to become number two in the Ukrainian navy long before Russia seized Crimea illustrates the divided loyalties that some personnel in countries that once belonged to the Soviet Union might still face.

Yeliseyev's roots were in Russia but he ended up serving Ukraine, a different ex-Soviet republic, only to defect when put to the test. NATO military planners now believe Moscow regards people with similarly ambiguous personal links as potentially valuable, should a new confrontation break out with the West.

In 2014, Yeliseyev was first deputy commander of the Ukrainian fleet, then largely based in Crimea, when Russian soldiers in unmarked uniforms took control of Kiev's ships and military bases on the peninsula.

Instead of resisting, Yeliseyev quit and subsequently got a new job: deputy chief of Russia's Baltic Fleet.

Yeliseyev, now aged 55, did not respond to Reuters questions sent to him via the Russian defense ministry.

In Kiev, however, there is no doubt where his loyalties lay. "When he took an oath to Ukraine, these were empty words for him. He has always been pro-Russian," said Ihor Voronchenko, now commander of the Ukrainian navy, who once served with Yeliseyev.

In fact, the Russian soldiers were pushing at an open door in late February 2014 - Yeliseyev was just one of many to defect and almost all Ukrainian forces in Crimea failed to resist.

Russia annexed Crimea the following month, prompting a major row with the West which deepened over Moscow's role in a rebellion in eastern Ukraine that lasts to this day.

At the time, Moscow and its allies in Crimea exploited weaknesses within Kiev's military to undermine its ability to put up a fight, according to interviews conducted by Reuters with about a dozen people on both sides of the conflict.

The Russian defense ministry did not respond to questions on their accounts of the events in 2014 submitted by Reuters.

One NATO commander told Reuters that, in a re-run of the tactics it deployed in Crimea, Russian intelligence was trying to recruit ethnic Russians serving in the militaries of countries on its borders.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the commander said the alliance was particularly sensitive to the risk in countries with high concentrations of ethnic Russians, notably the Baltic states.

NATO had to guard against this, said the commander, though the risk should not be overstated because having Russian roots did not necessarily mean that a person's loyalty is to Moscow.

Officials in the Baltic states, former Soviet republics which unlike Ukraine are NATO members, play down the danger.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg likewise said he trusted the armies of the Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Still, he told Reuters: "We always have to be vigilant. We always have to develop our intelligence tools and to be able to see any attempts to try to undermine the loyalty of our forces."

DROPPING THE GUARD

Years before the Crimean annexation, a Ukrainian appointment panel appeared to drop its guard when it interviewed Yeliseyev for the deputy naval commander's post.

Yeliseyev was born near Moscow, graduated from a Soviet naval school in the Russian city of Kaliningrad in 1983 and served with the Russian Pacific fleet.

So the panel asked Yeliseyev what he would do if Russia and Ukraine went to war. He replied that he would file for early retirement, according to Myroslav Mamchak, a former Ukrainian naval captain who served with Yeliseyev. Despite this response, Yeliseyev got the job in 2006.

Mamchak did not disclose to Reuters how he knew what was said in the interview room but subsequent events bear out his account.

Relations between Russia and Ukraine dived as Kiev moved closer to NATO and eight years after his appointment, with the countries on the brink of conflict over Crimea, Yeliseyev stayed true to his word by quitting.

Russia's actions were not the only factor in the Crimean events. Ukraine's military had suffered years of neglect, there was a power vacuum in Kiev after the government was overthrown, and many Crimean residents felt more affinity with Moscow.

Still, Ukrainian service personnel with Russian ties switched sides when the annexation began and some officers pretended to put up resistance only to avoid court-martial. Moscow also intercepted orders from Kiev so they never reached the Crimean garrison.

"There was nothing spontaneous. Everything was organized and each fiddler played his role," said Mykhailo Koval, who at the time was deputy head of the Ukrainian border guard and is now deputy head of the Security Council in Kiev.

INVITATION TO DEFECT

Voronchenko, who was another deputy commander of the navy at the time of the annexation, said he had received invitations to defect to Moscow's side soon after the Russian operation began.

These, he told Reuters, came from Sergei Aksyonov, who was then head of Crimea's self-proclaimed pro-Russian government, as well as from the commander of Russia's southern military district and a deputy Russian defense minister.

Asked what they offered in exchange, Voronchenko said: "Posts, an apartment ... Aksyonov offered to make me defense minister of Crimea." Neither Aksyonov nor the Russian defense ministry responded to Reuters questions about the contacts.

Voronchenko, in common with many other senior Ukrainian officers, had been in the Soviet military alongside people now serving in the Russian armed forces. He had spent years in Crimea, where Russia leased bases from Ukraine for its Black Sea fleet after the 1991 break up of the Soviet Union.

"Those generals who came to persuade me ... said that we belong to the same circle, we came from the Soviet army," he said. "But I told them I am different ... I am not yours."

Naval chief Denis Berezovsky did defect, along with several of his commanders, and was later made deputy chief of the Russian Black Sea fleet.

Many in the ranks followed suit. At one Ukrainian signals unit, service personnel were watching Russian television when President Vladimir Putin appeared on the screen.

"To my surprise, they all stood up," said Svyatoslav Veltynsky, an engineer at the unit. "They had been waiting for this." The majority of the unit defected to the Russian side.

JUST A SHOW

Even those willing to resist found themselves in a hopeless position. One member of the Ukrainian border guards told Reuters how his commander had despatched their unit's ships to stop them falling into Russian hands, and ordered his men to train their rifles on anyone trying to enter their base.

However, the base's military communications were not working, having been either jammed or cut by the Russians. Isolated from his own side, and outnumbered and outgunned by Russian troops outside, the commander struck a deal with the head of a Russian special forces unit.

Pro-Russian civilians were allowed to force the base's gate without reprisals. The Ukrainians "supposedly could not do anything; you cannot shoot civilians", the member of the unit said on condition of anonymity because he is still living in Crimea and feared repercussions.

Russian troops then followed the civilians in, taking over the base and offering the unit a chance to switch allegiance to Russia. About half agreed, although the base's chief refused and was allowed to leave Crimea.

"The commander did not resist," said the unit member. "On the other hand, he did what he could under the circumstances."

Two other people involved in the annexation - a former Ukrainian serviceman now on a Russian base in Crimea, and a source close to the Russian military who was there at the time - also described witnessing similar faked confrontations.

"You have to understand that the seizure of Ukrainian military units in Crimea was just a show," said the source close to the Russian military.

LESSONS LEARNED

NATO's Baltic members differ significantly from Ukraine. Soviet-era commanders, for instance, largely left their armed forces after the countries joined the Western alliance in 2004.

Officials also point out that Russian speakers were among the seven members of Latvia's forces to die during international deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Nevertheless, lessons have been learned from Crimea. "We learned, of course, that there was not only the issue of loyalty, but also false orders were submitted and there was a blockage of communication during the Crimea operation," said Janis Garisons, State Secretary in the Latvian defense ministry.

Latvia has changed the law so that unit commanders are obliged to resist by default. But Garisons said the simplest step was taken long before the annexation, with the introduction in 2008 of vetting by the security services for "everybody who joins the armed forces, from private to general".

(Additional reporting by Margaryta Chornokondratenko in KIEV, Andrius Sytas in VILNIUS, Gederts Gelzis in RIGA, David Mardiste in TALLINN, and Robin Emmott in BRUSSELS; editing by David Stamp)

(Yahoo news)



Vice Admiral Sergei Yeliseyev, First Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian fleet, attends joint maritime exercises with Russian Navy forces in the Crimean port of Sevastopol, Ukraine, June 22, 2013.Stringer

"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)

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