Mapping the Taliban Last week saw a historic meeting in Islamabad between the intelligence chiefs of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran. While the details of the meeting were not disclosed beyond statements implying that counter-terrorism was a dominating theme, it is a safe assumption that the war in Afghanistan was a major topic of discussion. …
So I know everyone is in a GET HYPE mood for this, fueled by loony interpretations ranging from THE RESISTANCE’s idea that Trump is going there to receive his annual performance review from DARK LORD OF THE KREMLIN, to Trump having chosen Helsinki specifically for Finland’s symbolic value as having played a role in the …
Continue reading Don’t Expect Much from the Helsinki Meeting
Both Presidents Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are meeting today Monday in Helsinki, Finland to discuss issues much more important than events in the Middle East. Despite its own importance, the situation in Syria is not as urgent as clarifying US intentions towards Russia and the potential will of both parties to develop the commercial-security-military …
Continue reading Putin-Trump Meeting in Helsinki: Objectives Bigger Than Syria and the Middle East
I have said it before, and I will say it again, and I will keep saying it and saying it until it becomes mainstream conventional wisdom: it is the US intelligence community’s job to lie to you. In an article for The Nation dated July 11, the internationally renowned US-Russia relations expert Stephen F. Cohen warned of possible attempts …
Continue reading Two Big ‘Russia! Russia!’ Stories Released Days Before Trump-Putin Summit
The claim made by many neoconservatives that Israel and the United States are partners in the Middle East because their strategic interests are identical is belied by the fact that the Israelis are more than willing to ignore Washington when its suits them to do so. The claim of identical interests has always been false, …
It was always within the realms of possibility that there might be some last-minute attempt made by the strong and vociferous opposition within the United States to President Donald Trump aimed at undermining his Monday summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki. The suspense was about if this would happen, how it would happen …
Continue reading Trump-Putin Summit Hits Last-Minute Turbulence
This week, The Daily Intelligencer promoted the theory that says the story of collusion between Donald Trump and Russia dates back to the Soviet period, an obvious attempt to sour the upcoming Putin-Trump summit. Before embarking upon the wildest conspiracy theory to emerge since Sasquatch was filmed in his natural habitat many years ago, author …
On the 10th of July, a private meeting in Islamabad took place between the intelligence heads of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran. The meeting has been described as an opportunity for each power to discuss a more coordinated and united strategy in tackling international terrorism with a particular emphasis on the Takfiri groups Daesh (ISIS). …
The US-led series of drills in and around Ukraine’s Black Sea coastline is part of NATO exercise Sea Breeze that kicked off on July 9 to last until July 21. The training event involves an international armada representing 19 countries, including such non-NATO states as Ukraine, India, Georgia, the United Arab Emirates and Moldova. All …
Continue reading Sea Breeze 2018: Who Wants to Disrupt Strategic Balance in the Black Sea Region?
