Russia capable of neutralizing US missile defense threat

A Russian RS-24 Yars thermonuclear intercontinental ballistic missile launcher (AFP Photo / Andrey Smirnov)

Source: Russia Today

http://rt.com/politics/russia-us-nato-missile-defense-898/

Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov is confident that Russia has the means to protect itself against the sprawling US missile defense system, which is not just limited to Russia’s neck of the woods.

"We are closely monitoring the work of our colleagues and understand its vector,” Serdyukov said in an interview published in Itogi journal. “Russia’s state military program, which looks ahead until 2020, solves many tasks and will help neutralize threats created by the US global missile defense network.”

The United States, as the military powerhouse behind the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), has refused Russia’s assistance in building the latest leg of it global missile defense system, which Russia warns could spark another arms race without some sort of agreement.

Last year, former President Dmitry Medvedev announced plans to deploy Iskander missiles in Russia’s westernmost Kaliningrad Region in order to counter the threat posed by the US system.

The US missile defense system has neither geographical nor technological limitations, and this has some military observers warning that Russia could eventually find itself surrounded by a ring of NATO radar and missiles.

Last year it was reported that Washington was planning a “major expansion” of missile defenses in Asia, which are ostensibly intended to guard against an unpredictable North Korea, but are most likely being planned with China and Russia in mind.

The US military in 2006 placed a powerful early-warning radar, known as an X-Band, in Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan, with further plans to expand the radar to the Philippines.

When asked whether Russia had the military tools for meeting the challengers of any possible aggressor, Serdyukov’s answer was simple and straightforward: "We have them.”

When pressed for more information, the defense minister responded: “I would rather not go into details, but I can assure you that, in addition to our nuclear deterrent, which is in a very good shape, [Russia is researching] significant high-precision arms projects, among others.”

“We feel confident," Serdyukov concluded.

The unfortunate side of the controversy over the US missile defense system is that it exposes the cynicism behind the Russia-US reset.

Like other unfulfilled promises made by the presidential administration of Barack Obama, including the failure to close Guantanamo Bay detention center, the idea of a reset seems to have been part of a ploy to reduce anxiety – both in Russia and Europe – over its missile defense plans.

While Washington was holding out flowers with one hand, it seems to have been concealing a club behind its back in the other.

Fortunately, Moscow was not fooled by the ruse.

Peacekeeper Menace: Pentagon sees Chinese UN missions as a threat

Peacekeepers or colonialists? China's UN contingent in Darfour (AFP Photo/HO/Stuart Price/Aalbany Assosiates)

Source: Russia Today
http://www.rt.com/news/china-us-congress-peacekeeping-631/

UN peacekeeping – risking your life to maintain order in a foreign land, is seen as one of the more noble roles in modern warfare, but a new Pentagon report shows that the US is more than a little alarmed at China’s growing humanitarian role.

The annual Department of Defense report,to the US Congress, on China, is a key document that shapes American policy for the year ahead. It flagged all the usual concerns about China, but hidden among anxieties about the opaque defense budget, technological espionage and Taiwan, is an emerging concern about the purpose of China’s peacekeeping operations.

The report claims Beijing’s international missions are aimed at accruing “diplomatic influence to facilitate access to markets, capital, and resources.”

The Pentagon also says that whatever skills are learnt during these missions, the ultimate aim is regaining control of Taiwan, which is “the principal focus and driver of much of China’s military investment.”

From isolationist to international arbiter

With 2,000 troops currently deployed worldwide in ten different United Nations missions, the People’s Republic of China provides more peacekeeping manpower than any other permanent Security Council member.

Amongst recent forays has been an evacuation in Libya during the UN mission, and a long-running anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden.

These briefs, while not unusual in themselves, represent a big step for the world’s most populous country.

After all, prior to 1990 Beijing did not deploy a single peacemaker anywhere in the world.

Traditional Chinese foreign policy was based on non-interference in the affairs of sovereign states, in hope that Western countries would also exercise the same non-judgmental approach to China’s internal affairs and dealings with Tibet and Taiwan.

Even as it dipped its toes in multi-national operations, Beijing always insisted on sending non-combat units, such as medics or engineers.

A policy shift came in 2004, when Communist Party leader Hu Jintao said that China needed to undertake “historic new missions.”

Outside observers have monitored China’s peacekeeping of the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan, an area which supplies a tenth of its oil.

Some have gone as far as to accuse China of a new African colonialism.

"China is now starting to settle into the role of being a great power, and maybe… wanting to look after its own interests to a greater degree," Marc Lanteigne, from the New Zealand Contemporary China Research Center at Victoria University of Wellington, told Voice of America.

No way to fight good deeds

In fact, just like China’s attitude to the outside world in general, its peacekeeping is a cacophony of mixed signals.

With its avowed desire to avoid military engagement, China is positioning itself as a benevolent international player, keen to chip in, but posing no danger.

It also forces the country to co-operate with its natural adversaries, playing by international rules. Even the Pentagon report says that joint missions between the US and China are key to maintaining peace.

But Beijing also picks its spots politically and pragmatically, refusing to send any support to the mission in US-controlled Afghanistan, but gladly assigning troops to its resource-rich allies in Africa.

There is also no doubt that China is using the missions in lieu of training, particularly when sending its burgeoning but not battle-tested navy across the world, as it did when its frigate Xuzhou arrived in Libya last year.

On balance the US appears to be at least partly justified in seeing China’s expanded international role as a threat to its national interests. But its fears about peacekeeping are proxies for general concerns about China – its desire for regional dominance, its economic expansionism, and its lack of transparency.

But however much it frets, there is nothing Washington can do about Chinese peacekeepers. No one can stop China from performing humanitarian tasks, whatever its ulterior motives.

20,000 Palestinian homes under demolition threat

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=121861&sectionid=351020202



Palestinian officials warn that more than 20,000 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem al-Quds could soon face demolition orders from Israeli municipal authorities.

Ahmad Ruweidi, the Palestinian Authority's legal advisor on al-Quds affairs, said Israeli courts will soon hand demolition orders to Palestinian homeowners over what Tel Aviv calls violation of construction rules over the past 10 years and the requirement of renewable licenses.

The figure does not include homes whose owners have already received final demolition orders from Israeli courts or the Israeli municipality in al-Quds, Ruweidi noted.

This means that all owners will live in a state of fear that at any moment their homes could be demolished or a family member may be found homeless on the street, he cautioned.

Ruweidi said Israel's policy was intended to force Palestinians in al-Quds to pay large sums to engineers and lawyers in addition to significant fines for the so-called 'violations of construction restrictions.'

Major differences between the Palestinians and Israelis are growing deeper over Tel Aviv's continued demolition of Palestinian houses in al-Quds and its efforts to create a demographic wedge in the region.

On Saturday, acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas told delegates at the Arab League summit in Libya that Israeli settlements in the West Bank, in annexed East al-Quds in particular, remained the main obstacle to the resumption of the 'peace' talks.

Abbas described al-Quds, which Palestinians have long been demanding as the capital of their future Palestinian state, as "the jewel in the crown as well as the door and the key to peace."

"We emphasize that we hold onto every grain of soil and stone in Jerusalem (al-Quds). We are determined to defend Palestine's capital," he stressed.

Ahmadinejad in Syria for talks on Israel

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=119446§ionid=351020101


Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has arrived in Damascus to discuss with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad the threat that Israel poses to the Middle East and beyond.

Before leaving Tehran on Thursday morning, the Iranian president announced that his talks with Assad in the Syrian capital would focus on regional and global developments.

Ahmadinejad added that Israel's efforts to destabilize the region would also be one of the main topics of their discussions.

He mentioned that Iran and Syria already share the same stance on regional and global issues, noting that both countries stood in “the front line of standing up to” Israel.

“These days, the Zionists are constantly threatening countries and nations surrounding Palestine. They intend to drag the region into an atmosphere of serious tension,” he said

“That is why it is necessary for our two countries to begin a new series of negotiations,” he added.

Winding up, the Iranian president pointed out that talks on economic cooperation and joint investment projects would also be a part of his discussions with his Syrian counterpart.

China-US exchange of threats intensifies

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=117848§ionid=351020404


Verbal threats between China and the US intensify as Beijing reiterates that it would not step back from its policies.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry reacted strongly to US President Barack Obama's threat of taking a tougher stance on Beijing to make sure it opens its markets to trade with Washington.

"Wrongful accusations and pressure will not help solve the issue," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said on Thursday.

Obama once again criticized China's currency policies on Wednesday, reiterating that his administration was pushing China to enforce trade rules and further open its markets.

In response, Zhaoxu emphasized that the yuan was at a reasonable level and China did not deliberately pursue a trade surplus with the United States.

US manufacturers have complained for years that China's currency policies give local companies an unfair price advantage. China says its exchange rate policy is an internal matter.

Tensions between the two biggest economies of the world have intensified after the US revealed a $6.4 billion package of arms to Taiwan, a country that China regards as a threat.

Later, China threatened to impose sanctions on US arms companies that would participate in the US-planned sale of weapons to Taiwan.

Zhaoxu also noted that the government's decision to impose sanctions on US weapon makers was an appropriate measure.

A number of other issues such as Obama's plan to meet with the exiled Tibetan leader, the Dalai Lama, and Google's complaint of being targeted by cyber attacks in China have strained ties between the two major powers.

US spies authorized to kill American 'terrorists'

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=117855&sectionid=3510203


US spy agencies have the license to 'take out' any American they deem a threat to the national security, an intelligence chief declares.

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair admitted Wednesday that Washington can take out potential American terrorists overseas.

Blair told the Intelligence Committee of the US House of Representatives that direct action will be taken against US citizens that threaten other Americans.

"We take direct action against terrorists in the intelligence community. If that direct action, we think that direct action will involve killing an American, we get specific permission to do that." The intelligence chief said.

The National Security Council and the Justice Department will have to determine who fits that profile.

"I just don't want Americans who are watching this to think that we are careless about endangering -- in fact, we're not careless about endangering American lives as we try to carry out the policies to protect most of the country," Blair claimed at the annual threat briefing before the committee.

His comments came amid reports indicating US President Barack Obama's approval of the continuation of the Bush-era policy of killings Americans deemed involved in 'terrorist activities' overseas.