(2021-08-18). Afghanistan: Mirage Of The Good War. popularresistance.org Rarely has there been such an enthusiastic display of international unity as that which greeted the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Support for the war was universal in the chanceries of the West, even before its aims and parameters had been declared. nato governments rushed to assert themselves 'all for one'. Blair jetted round the world, proselytizing the 'doctrine of the international community' and the opportunities for peace-keeping and nation-building in the Hindu Kush. Putin welcomed the extension of American bases along Russia's southern borders. Every mainstream Western party endorsed the war; every med…
(2021-08-18). Russian General Shpak: The Whole World is Watching how Shamelessly the US Abandons its Allies. orinocotribune.com On Monday, August 16, Russian General Georgy Shpak commented on the shameless and ruthless way in which the United States "dumps its allies." He made this comment in regard to the recent takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban after the withdrawal of US troops. | In an interview with Russian news agency RT, Colonel Shpak addressed the recent events in Afghanistan, a country mired in despair after the sudden takeover by the Taliban, just after US forces withdrew from Afghan territory in defeat, after 20 years of unsuccessful occupation. | General Shpak, a veteran of the Afghan-Soviet war (1979), stated that "the wh…
(2021-08-18). Turkey in talks with U.S., NATO to keep troops in Afghanistan. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Turkey takes necessary measures for safety of troops in Kabul: Minister Turkey has around 600 troops deployed at the airport….Turkey is continuing talks with the United States and other NATO countries about the management of the airport, Akar said, reiterating Turkey's will to continue its mission.
(2021-08-18). GOP State Officials Take Step Toward Overseeing Elections in Georgia's Heavily Democratic Fulton County. commondreams.org Now our obligation is to those Afghans living with the consequences of our four decades of intervention.
(2021-08-18). Russia eager to help Turkey bomb Iraq and Syria, shoot down more Russian aircraft. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Russia ready to expand cooperation with Turkey for aircraft deliveries — Rosoboronexport Russia is ready to expand cooperation with Turkey for the delivery of aircraft and helicopters, Head of the Rosoboronexport state arms seller's delegation Denis Gizunov told TASS at the IDEF'21 international defense industry show in Istanbul on Wednesday. "We are holding certain consultations …
(2021-08-18). Turkish, Azerbaijani defense chiefs, Libyan military chief discuss new wars. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Turkish, Azerbaijani defense chiefs discuss bilateral defense Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar met with his Azerbaijani counterpart on Aug. 17. …on the agenda were harassment and attacks by Armenia on the border with Azerbaijan. Akar stressed that Turkey would continue to stand by Azerbaijan in its "just cause." Spotlighted during the fair were Turkish drones, …
(2021-08-18). Azerbaijan releases information on Israeli, Turkish drones destroying Armenian targets. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Azerbaijan releases data on Armenian military targets destroyed by UAVs during Second Karabakh War Azerbaijani border guards had destroyed a big number of strategic military targets of the Armenian Armed Forces during the 44-day Karabakh war (from late Sept. to early Nov.2020) by using Harop and Guzgun [Kuzgun] unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the State Border …
(2021-08-18). Poland deploys 1,000 troops, seals border with Belarus. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Poland strengthens security on Belarus border "The border is sealed, and the Border Guard has been supported for a week by 1,000 Polish Army soldiers," Deputy Interior Minister Maciej WƒÖsik said in a tweet late on Tuesday. "We act quickly and effectively," he added. **** In a joint statement issued [earlier this month], Polish Prime …
(2021-08-18). Belarusian Officers Push Migrants Across Lithuania Border, Briefly Encroach (Video). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On August 17th, Belarusian officers armed with shields and riot gear forcibly pushed a group of 35 irregular migrants into Lithuania, and in the process entered Lithuanian territory. | Lithuania's State Border Guard Service (VSAT) shared a video of the incident on Facebook on Tuesday afternoon. It said that Belarus first published the footage, but omitted the part where the officers can be seen in Lithuanian territory. | "Belarusian officers wearing riot gear were the ones…
(2021-08-18). Sweden: NATO's 31st member. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com From an August 16 feature on the website of the American Legion: Sweden recently hosted — and contributed heavily to — Exercise Arctic Challenge. One of the largest air-power exercises in Europe, Arctic Challenge 21 brought together warplanes from the United States, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Britain for the full range of …
(2021-08-18). A Day in the Death of British Justice. towardfreedom.org WikiLeaks has given us real news about those who govern us and take us to war, not the preordained, repetitive spin that fills newspapers and television screens. This is real journalism; and for the crime of real journalism, Julian Assange has spent most of the past decade in one form of incarceration or another, including Belmarsh prison, a horrific place.
(2021-08-18). The Mediterranean is on fire. therealnews.com 
After experiencing the most severe heatwave in decades, Mediterranean countries like Greece, Turkey, Italy, Algeria, Morocco, and Spain have been in the midst of a wave of destructive and deadly wildfires that have displaced thousands of residents and scorched the landscape. Scientists say there's little doubt that the scope, severity, and regularity of these wildfires are linked to man-made climate change, and the Mediterranean region itself has been designated a "climate change hotspot." TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez talks with Theodota Nantsou in Athens about the toll the fires have taken on G…
(2021-08-18). NATO deploys Polish F-16s to High North. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com As U.S. F-16s are based at the ≈Åask air base and Turkish F-16s at Poland's Malbork air base. Polish F-16s to Ensure NATO Air Policing Over Iceland The Polish Air Force will deploy four F-16 fighter aircraft to Iceland for NATO's Air Policing mission in the High North. The Polish Air Force deployment will consist …
(2021-08-18). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: It's like a Code Red hospital alert. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org An overwhelming surge of COVID-19 cases is underway in the U.S. The delta variant continues to spread, the lambda variant is showing up, and some people are refusing to be vaccinated for COVID-19 or wear face masks. "My message today is a hospital term and that's Code Red," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "It is Code Red in the U.S. and for the globe regarding…
(2021-08-18). Kabul airport: over 40 dead after "foreign troops opened fire" antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Kabul airport stampede, shooting leave 40 dead — TV At least 40 people have died since Monday in a stampede and shooting in Kabul International Airport, TOLOnews TV channel reported on Tuesday, citing a Taliban (outlawed in Russia) commander who is inside the airport. According to him, the people died after "foreign troops opened fire" …
(2021-08-18). Turkey's Meteksan Defence Industry To Present New 'Soft Kill' Laser System (Video). southfront.org 
The Nazar "Evil Eye" laser system as seen in a video shared by the Anadolu Agency. | On August 17, Turkey's defense contractor Meteksan Defence Industry Inc. announced that it had developed a new military laser system. | The system, dubbed "Nazar " [Evil Eye], will be presented for the first time at the Meteksan Defence booth during IDEF 2021 Exhibition. The system was developed with support from the Presidency of Defence Industries of the Republic of Turkey. | According to Meteksan Defence Industry, the land-based Nazar…
(2021-08-18). Iraq: Turkey kills 18 Kurds in bombing of clinic after killing Yazidi leader day earlier. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com 18 PKK members killed in drone strike targeting clinic in northern Iraq At least 18 militants from the…Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed on Tuesday in an airstrike by a drone near the town of Sinjar in northern Iraq, a Kurdish security source said. The airstrike took place in the afternoon when a Turkish drone …
(2021-08-17). Europe needs to create humanitarian corridors for Afghan refugees, EU official says. tass.com The EU countries' foreign ministers will hold emergency consultations on the situation in Afghanistan via videoconference on August 17…
(2021-08-17). Russia, China can moderate crash landing of 'puppet Afghan government,' expert says. tass.com According to the professor of international law at the University of Illinois, "Russia and China are doing their best to moderate the situation"
(2021-08-17). Headlines for August 17, 2021. democracynow.org Biden Defends U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan After Taliban Capture Kabul , Advocates Demand U.S. and Other Nations Open Doors to Afghan Refugees, Tropical Storm Adds to Haiti's Misery Two Days After Massive Earthquake Kills Over 1,400, Immigrant Advocates Denounce Biden Administration for Deporting Haitian Refugees, U.S. Will Recommend COVID Booster Shots After 8 Months, Despite Global Vaccine Inequity, Johnson & Johnson Ships Millions of Vaccine Doses from South Africa to Europe, U.S. Coronavirus Hospitalizations Soar, with Record Infection Levels in Five States, Republican Governors Erect New Barriers to COVI…
(2021-08-17). Azerbaijani troops remain in Afghan capital. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com No threat to lives of Azerbaijani peacekeepers in Kabul — Defense Ministry Despite the tense situation in the region, the 120-man peacekeeping unit of the Azerbaijan Army together with the Turkish troops continues to carry out its duties….
(2021-08-17). The Taliban Takes Kabul as US Deploys More Troops. sputniknews.com On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Shane Stranahan talk about the takeover of Kabul and greater Afghanistan by the Taliban*, what this means for the official interference of the United States in that country, how European nations are preparing for a Taliban* government, and the upcoming elections in Germany.
(2021-08-17). As Afghanistan falls, what does it mean for the Middle East? juancole.com 
By Tony Walker |- In the 19th century, the phrase "The Great Game" was used to describe competition for power and influence in Afghanistan, and neighbouring central and south Asia territories, between the British and Russian empires. Neither side prevailed in what became known as the "graveyard of empires". Two centuries later, an American superpower …
(2021-08-17). Poland retreats from first war since WWII. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com It only took two years from Poland joining NATO in 1999 to deploying troops to Asia for NATO's war in Afghanistan. Polish evacuation planes fly to AfghanistanTwo Polish military evacuation planes are on their way to Afghanistan, a government official said on Tuesday [Prime minister spokesman Micha≈Ç] Dworczyk told reporters that "the situation in Afghanistan …
(2021-08-17). US Treatment Of Afghanistan Should Be A Warning For Ukraine: Kiev MP. southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | Ukraine needs to forget about the US guarantees in the framework of the Budapest Memorandum, according to Maxim Buzhansky, a member of Kiev's parliament from President Volodymyr Zelensky's party. | Earlier, Afghan media circulated footage showing people falling out of an American transport plane departing from Kabul — presumably, they were Afghans who were trying to escape by clutching to the chassis."I think now that we have seen how" the main allies outside NATO "are thrown out of th…
(2021-08-17). Military Situation In Syria On August 17, 2021 (Map Update). southfront.org 
Click to see full-size image | On August 16, Russia reported that Idlib militants violated the ceasefire regime in Greater Idlib 23 times: 11 — in Idlib province, 5 — in Latakia province, 4 — in Hama province, 3 — in Aleppo province | On August 16, clashes between SDF and Turkish-backed forces were reported north of Tal Tamar | On August 17, artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SDF positions in Dardarah village | On August 16, artillery of Turkish-backed forces shelled SD…
(2021-08-17). 21st century barbarism: Azerbaijan. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com If the description is not unfair to barbarism, which was a product of historical circumstances centuries ago — not a conscious choice in the 21st century. We returned to land of our ancestors by crushing Armenian army, head of Armenian fascism — President Aliyev "They thought that Azerbaijan would not liberate its lands through war. …
(2021-08-17). Talk of third world war no joke: Belarusian president. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Lukashenko: I do not want Belarus to turn into battleground "Do not think that I am exaggerating the situation [with the potential] to unleash some war. My words about a possible World War III were not a joke," the Belarusian leader said. **** "If they decide to encroach on Belarus, then, of course, Russia will …
(2021-08-17). Natural Gas Prices in Europe Reach New Record High. telesurenglish.net On Monday morning, natural gas futures for September this year stood at almost $550 per 1,000 cubic meters, but by the end of the day they reached $586.3 per 1,000 cubic meters on the Dutch stock exchange, RIA Novosti agency reports. | RELATED: | The significant price rise is explained by the decision of the Russian company Gazprom to reserve a minimum of additional transit capacity for the Ukrainian gas transporta…
(2021-08-17). 80 Percent of COVID Patients Still Have Antibodies After One Year in Major Swedish Study. sputniknews.com The antibodies appear to provide good protection for both what was previously called the British variant and today is referred to as Alpha and the Delta variant that is now becoming the dominant strain across the globe.
(2021-08-17). Mini space mission launches with Imperial kit on board. imperial.ac.uk The European Space Agency RadCube mission has launched with the aim of testing new technologies for monitoring potentially devastating space weather.
(2021-08-17). 'We are in nobody's backyard': rejecting geopolitical and historical fatalism. mronline.org 
The catch-phrases "transnational criminal organizations," "humanitarian assistance" and even "disaster relief operations" are worn-out euphemisms for the neo-colonial presence of the U.S. Empire and its European allies in Guyana and throughout the region.
(2021-08-17). State assassins: U.S., NATO allies hold sniper competition in Germany. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Soldiers from 14 countries compete in Army sniper competition in Germany Three U.S. military sniper teams joined soldiers from 13 other countries in Germany this month to show off their shooting skills, learn new techniques and vie for the title of best sniper team. **** Twenty-seven teams from 14 countries participated in the 10-day competition….The …
(2021-08-17). The first coins were minted in China, suggests new research. peoplesdispatch.org It has long been thought that coin minting — the process of coin manufacturing which includes the stampings on them — first began in Turkey or Greece. However, this has been challenged by recent findings, which suggest that coin minting may have begun in China. The findings have been published in the journal
(2021-08-17). Scraping the Bottom of the Sea: the Movement to Stop Deep Sea Mining. counterpunch.org On July 29, the two-day Wokisok Shark Calling Festival will begin at Kono village, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. It's not a new gimmick to capitalize on Shark Week or Sharknado movies—although foreign visitors are welcome. Nor do people stand on the beach and yell, Shark! Instead it's a seasonal rite where fishers paddle out
(2021-08-17). Kosovo redivivus: Ukraine calls for international intervention against Russia over Crimean Tatars. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Zelensky calls on global community to respond to searches and detentions in occupied Crimea President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has called on the international community to properly respond to the searches and detentions of Crimean Tatars in the temporarily occupied Crimea. **** He noted that the global community must respond appropriately to such violations.
(2021-08-17). Serbia warns no repetition of WWII, 1990s will be tolerated. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Vucic: Pressure on Serbia to grow but we will always be with our people Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in Bajina Basta, western Serbia, on Tuesday pressure on Serbia over Kosovo-Metohija and Republika Srpska would grow but that Serbia would always be with its people and help it in every way. **** He noted that …
(2021-08-17). Poland: U.S. Battle Group, NATO cohorts mark armed forces day. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Battle Group Poland strengthens NATO alliance through celebration of Polish Armed Forces Day Battle Group Poland participated in the military vehicles showcase. The U.S. Army contingent brought a Mortar Carrier Vehicle "Stryker," a vehicle equipped with a 120 millimeter mortar, and a Stryker with anti-tank capabilities. Also, the U.S. Army brought Howitzers, a field artillery …
(2021-08-17). Based on war experience of 13 years ago, South Ossetia expresses support for Crimea. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com South Ossetia expressed support for Crimea amid unfolding anti-Crimean and anti-Russian campaign Minister of Foreign Affairs of South Ossetia Dmitry Medoev sent a message to Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea — Permanent Representative of the Republic of Crimea to President of Russia Georgy Muradov on behalf of the …