On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump pushed a narrative being spread by US intelligence officials that Iran is trying to kill him even though there’s no evidence of Iranian involvement in either attempt on his life.
Tag: Conflict escalation
Industrial Policy Without Nationalism
Can we expand the state’s role in the economy while diminishing its capacity for war?
Brian Berletic: Washington Sets Trap for Iran, Will Iran Take the Bait?
Brian Berletic, September 24
Amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and growing tensions in the Asia-Pacific, Washington is moving toward an equally dangerous, regional war in the Middle East between its Israeli proxies and a growing list of neighboring states and organizations.
Washington Sets Trap for Iran, Will Iran Take the Bait? (archived)
Sole US Navy Oiler – USNS Big Horn – in the Middle East Damaged | September 23, 2024
by John Konrad – gCaptain has received multiple reports that the US Navy oiler USNS Big Horn ran aground yesterday and partially flooded off the coast of Oman, leaving the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group without its primary fuel source.
US Navy Oiler Runs Aground, Forcing Carrier Strike Group to Scramble for Fuel
Related:
Oiler USNS Big Horn Damaged off the Coast Of Oman, No Fuel Leak Detected
The US Navy Needs Tankers: A Crisis In Capability
US sending more troops to Middle East as violence rises in the region
US sending more troops to Middle East as violence rises in the region
The U.S. is sending additional troops to the Middle East in response to a sharp spike in violence between Israel and Hezbollah forces in Lebanon that has raised the risk of a greater regional war, the Pentagon said Monday
US sending more troops to Middle East as violence rises in the region
US Keeps Missile System in Philippines as China Tensions Rise, Tests Wartime Deployment
MANILA (Reuters) – The United States has no immediate plans to withdraw a mid-range missile system deployed in the Philippines, despite Chinese demands, and is testing the feasibility of its use in a regional conflict, sources with knowledge of the matter said.
US Keeps Missile System in Philippines as China Tensions Rise, Tests Wartime Deployment
Previously:
Philippines aims to acquire Typhon missile launcher as regional arms race intensifies
New US-Ukraine partnership proposal from influential senators is a recipe for World War III
New US-Ukraine partnership proposal from influential senators is a recipe for bipartisan success
Related:
Washington wants Ukraine’s resources – US Senator
“According to open-source data, the total value of Ukraine’s former mineral resource base is estimated at almost $14.8 trillion, but $7.3 trillion of this is now in the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. That means almost half of the former Ukraine’s national wealth is in Donbass!” Medvedev explained in a lengthy Telegram post.
“To get access to the coveted minerals, the Western parasites shamelessly demand that their wards wage war to the last Ukrainian. They are already directly voicing such intent without hesitation,” Russia’s former leader added.
The future of critical raw materials: How Ukraine plays a strategic role in global supply chains
Ukraine is a key potential supplier of rare earth metals, including titanium, lithium, beryllium, manganese, gallium, uranium, zirconium, graphite, apatite, fluorite, and nickel. Despite the war, Ukraine holds the largest titanium reserves in Europe (7% of the world’s reserves). It is one of the few countries that mine titanium ores, crucial for the aerospace, medical, automotive and marine industries.
Before February 2022, Ukraine was a key titanium supplier for the military sector. It also has one of Europe’s largest confirmed lithium reserves (estimated at 500,000 tons), vital for batteries, ceramics, and glass. Ukraine is the world’s 5th largest gallium producer, essential for semiconductors and LEDs, and has been a major producer of neon gas, supplying 90% of the highly purified, semiconductor-grade neon for the US chip industry.
Skies over South China Sea seen as new flashpoint as Manila begins ‘aerial provocations’
According to the article, Philippine aircraft also frequently operate with their Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) transponders deactivated, significantly increasing safety risks.
Deactivating such transponders means real-time positioning of the aircraft is not shared with air traffic controllers and other aircraft, making it more difficult to maintain situational awareness and avoid potential conflicts or collisions.
Skies over South China Sea seen as new flashpoint as Manila begins ‘aerial provocations’
Related:
How far is China-Philippines Aerial Collision in the South China Sea?
Since August 2024, the Philippines has repeatedly dispatched military aircraft to trespass into the airspace of the Spratly Islands and Macclesfield Bank, escalating tensions in the region. On August 7 and 8, the Philippines sent an NC-212i aircraft to intrude into the airspace near Scarborough Shoal for two consecutive days, disrupting China’s regular training activities. On August 19, a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan plane (C-208B) was dispatched to illegally enter the airspace of Scarborough Shoal. On August 22, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippines again sent a C-208B to illegally intrude into the vicinity of Subi Reef.
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On the other hand, the Philippine aircraft in use are primarily single-engine turboprop light utility aircraft, which are less equipped to handle complex maritime environments, increasing the likelihood of accidents during frequent operations. Moreover, Philippine military aircraft usually operate with ADS-B transponders turned off throughout their missions, posing potential safety risks. In the event of an accident, whatever the reasons, based on past behavior, the Philippines would likely blame China, leading to another cycle of victim-playing and diplomatic posturing.
Video: How is the US Convincing the Philippines to Destroy Itself?
How is the US Convincing the Philippines to Destroy Itself?
As China rises, Asia rises with it. The Southeast Asian state of the Philippines stood to rise alongside the rest of the region until relatively recently as the United States successfully convinces the Philippines to do otherwise.
How is the US Convincing the Philippines to Destroy Itself? (archived)
Related:
PH’s PressONE is funded by several US front organizations:
The Philippine Fact-Checker Incubator was established with the financial backing of Facebook, in collaboration with VERA Files and Rappler. The incubated organizations include ABS-CBN News & Current Affairs, Manila Broadcasting Company, MindaNews, Philstar.com, PressONE.ph, and Probe Productions. They are accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network. – PFCI, Poytner.
Poynter Institute has been funded by the Gates Foundation, the Koch Network, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Omidyar Network, and Open Society Foundations. Other sponsors are CNN, the Scripps Howard Foundations, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, TEGNA Foundation, etc..

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