At the end of January this year, a giant Ilyushin-76 cargo aircraft touched down at the airport in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. It was the first of nine flights that brought tons of Russian weapons to bolster CAR’s fragile government. The three journalists had traveled via Morocco on tourist visas, informing neither the Russian embassy nor CAR authorities of their presence because they wanted to investigate the activities of a Russian military contractor called PMC Wagner. PMC Wagner is a secretive company — with no known address, phone number or official records — that recruits hundreds of former Russian soldiers, many of them special forces or “spetsnaz.” In the last few years, its contractors have appeared in a growing number of conflict zones. As Russia looks for opportunities to project its influence in the Middle East and Africa, countries with weak governments and rampant insecurity are obvious targets. The scale of CAR’s problems — coupled with diminishing French interest in the country — has provided an opening for both the Kremlin and private Russian interests.
As in Syria, there may well be a neat intersection of political ambition and profit.
US soldiers killed in Niger were outgunned, ‘left behind’ in hunt for ISIS leader
Four Army special operations soldiers killed in action during an ambush in Niger last October were part of a largely inexperienced and lightly-armed team outmatched by ISIS fighters who exploited bad decisions by U.S. commanders, families of the fallen soldiers and other sources briefed on the military investigation told ABC News.
“They were left on their own and it was The Alamo. They were abandoned,” the parent of one of the American commandos who died told ABC News. “The sad thing is, they didn’t realize they’d been left behind, and by the time the other guys attempted to get to them, it was probably too late, and they’d been killed.”
Two Army Green Berets, Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright, 29, and Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, 35, and an Army support enabler, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson, 39, were killed fighting in one location near the remote village of Tongo Tongo, after they were surrounded while attempting to withdraw from the fight.
Almost four hours after the fight began, a Nigerien response force arrived and discovered Johnson and Wright’s bodies had been loaded in the back of a pickup truck by the ISIS fighters. Black’s body lay on the ground next to the vehicle.
I’m not sure why people fixate on Putin’s murders of journalists (or former spies, for that matter). He is, after all, propping up a fellow dictator who has massacred HALF A MILLION PEOPLE, almost all of whom were civilians. Most of them were, no doubt, massacred by the Syrian dictator himself, yet with the vital aid of the Russian dictator. We know that Russian airstrikes target schools and hospitals, of course, so probably Putin is responsible directly for a few thousand murders himself.
Masterskrain Premium Member over 5 years ago
And Comrade-Cadet Bonespurs Trumpski just can’t WAIT to do that here, as well, just like his BFF Vlad taught him…
Baslim the Beggar Premium Member over 5 years ago
Uncle Joe’s little red Handbook of Libel Reaction?
Page 1: Journalist disses you? Arrest them.
Page 2: Collect Evidence of Guilt: Torture them.
Page 3: How to deal with uncooperative Guilty Party: Torture them some more
Page 4: If still uncooperative, torture families.
Page 5: If they have admitted guilt, shoot them Lubyanka style. If they have not admitted guilt, shoot them, any style.
Page 6: Announce to world that Journalist was wracked (make sure that they get spelling correct!) with guilt over libel and committed suicide.
Page 7: Smile benignly at Press when in public.
Page 8: Goto Page 1
Radish the wordsmith over 5 years ago
Why We Know So Little About the U.S.-Backed War in Yemen
What the U.N. calls the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis” is an unhappy confluence of American media taboos
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/yemen-war-united-states-704187/
Radish the wordsmith over 5 years ago
UK ‘hides extent of arms sales to Saudi Arabia’
Campaigners say licences for ‘less sensitive goods’ are being used for bombs that hit civilian targets in Yemen
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/23/uk-hides-arms-trade-saudi-arabia—yemen
Radish the wordsmith over 5 years ago
US approves proposed $1bn arms sale to Saudi Arabia
US State Department approves the arms sale, despite concerns raised by rights groups that it might be used in Yemen.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/03/approves-proposed-1bn-arms-sale-saudi-arabia-180323090745361.html
Mr. Blawt over 5 years ago
At the end of January this year, a giant Ilyushin-76 cargo aircraft touched down at the airport in Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic. It was the first of nine flights that brought tons of Russian weapons to bolster CAR’s fragile government. The three journalists had traveled via Morocco on tourist visas, informing neither the Russian embassy nor CAR authorities of their presence because they wanted to investigate the activities of a Russian military contractor called PMC Wagner. PMC Wagner is a secretive company — with no known address, phone number or official records — that recruits hundreds of former Russian soldiers, many of them special forces or “spetsnaz.” In the last few years, its contractors have appeared in a growing number of conflict zones. As Russia looks for opportunities to project its influence in the Middle East and Africa, countries with weak governments and rampant insecurity are obvious targets. The scale of CAR’s problems — coupled with diminishing French interest in the country — has provided an opening for both the Kremlin and private Russian interests.
As in Syria, there may well be a neat intersection of political ambition and profit.
Radish the wordsmith over 5 years ago
Yemen: Dozens killed in airstrike on children’s bus
CNN1 hour ago
Dozens dead in Yemen as bus carrying children hit by airstrike
The Guardian6 hours ago
Dozens dead after school bus hit by airstrike
CNN3 hours ago
Radish the wordsmith over 5 years ago
US soldiers killed in Niger were outgunned, ‘left behind’ in hunt for ISIS leader
Four Army special operations soldiers killed in action during an ambush in Niger last October were part of a largely inexperienced and lightly-armed team outmatched by ISIS fighters who exploited bad decisions by U.S. commanders, families of the fallen soldiers and other sources briefed on the military investigation told ABC News.
“They were left on their own and it was The Alamo. They were abandoned,” the parent of one of the American commandos who died told ABC News. “The sad thing is, they didn’t realize they’d been left behind, and by the time the other guys attempted to get to them, it was probably too late, and they’d been killed.”
Two Army Green Berets, Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright, 29, and Staff Sgt. Bryan Black, 35, and an Army support enabler, Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Johnson, 39, were killed fighting in one location near the remote village of Tongo Tongo, after they were surrounded while attempting to withdraw from the fight.
Almost four hours after the fight began, a Nigerien response force arrived and discovered Johnson and Wright’s bodies had been loaded in the back of a pickup truck by the ISIS fighters. Black’s body lay on the ground next to the vehicle.
https://abcnews.go.com/International/us-soldiers-killed-niger-outgunned-left-hunt-isis/story?id=54909240
Radish the wordsmith over 5 years ago
The Trump admin has zero credibility.
Godfreydaniel over 5 years ago
I’m not sure why people fixate on Putin’s murders of journalists (or former spies, for that matter). He is, after all, propping up a fellow dictator who has massacred HALF A MILLION PEOPLE, almost all of whom were civilians. Most of them were, no doubt, massacred by the Syrian dictator himself, yet with the vital aid of the Russian dictator. We know that Russian airstrikes target schools and hospitals, of course, so probably Putin is responsible directly for a few thousand murders himself.
braindead Premium Member over 5 years ago
No Trump Disciples commenting on what a good guy Putin is?
I mean, helping Trump get elected? What could be more patriotic of him?
.
#TraitorTrump