Geopolitical mosaic: Obama and Netanyahu are carrying out anti-Iranian plans, and the list of American values includes motherhood, apple pie and solitary confinement
From Houston to New York. The US court accused the illegal export of microelectronic components of the employees of the Texas Electron company - Russian citizens Alexander Fishchenko, Alexander Posobilova, Anastasia Dyatlov and Victoria Klebanova - will be transported from Houston to New York, reports correspondent ITAR-TASS Igor Shamshin.
“According to the order for transfer of the case, signed by the judge, this should happen as soon as possible,” said lawyer Alexei Tarasov.
Prosecutor David Rieker, who arrived from Washington and is in charge of counterintelligence activities, asked the judge: “Where do you usually start such processes?” - To which he received a clear answer: “In the city where the airport is located, through which illegal export went, or in Washington, where the US Department of State is located, whose divisions issue export permits. ”
Now the case of Anastasia Dyatlova, whose interests are protected by counsel Tarasov, sent to the court of Brooklyn. In this New York district, there is an airport named after John F. Kennedy, through which, according to the materials of the case, its persons engaged in the illegal supply of high-tech components.
Today in Houston, the correspondent reports. ITAR-TASS, in 13: 00 local time (in 22: 00 Moscow time), a court session will begin at which the issue of release on bail of Alexander Fishchenko and Victoria Klebanova will be considered. Lawyers believe that the Russians will be denied.
The case of “Russian espionage,” we add, was on the hands of both presidential candidates. If Mitt Romney can now criticize his rival for throwing nets to the traffic light chips in his presidency in America, then Barack Obama can boast about how quickly justice stops illegal attempts to profit.
NATO will help fraternal Turkey. In the event of an escalation of the conflict on the border with Syria, NATO will support Turkey. This was stated by the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance after meeting with the defense ministers of the participating countries in Brussels, "Vesti".
Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: “We have developed various plans to defend Turkey. For obvious reasons, I cannot go into details. But, of course, Turkey can count on solidarity from the Alliance. At the same time, I repeat, the international community should focus on finding a political solution to the Syrian conflict. ”
Syrian troops are winning. According to correspondent ITAR-TASS Dmitry Zeleninreferring to SANA, the Syrian troops repulsed yesterday the invasion of militants from Turkey and Lebanon.
A detachment of mercenaries entered the mountainous region of Tell-Nahb and tried to block the highway passing through the mountain pass Jisr al-Shugur, but the Syrian army soldiers entered the battle, several militants were destroyed, the rest took refuge on the Turkish side of the border.
In addition, in Khirbet Nueimat, on the Lebanese-Syrian border, two armed detachments with a total number of 300 people were trying to break into the rescue of the insurgents surrounded by the city of El Quseir (30 km south of Homs). They fought back and retreated to Lebanese territory.
In Homs, government forces yesterday entered the quarter of Khalidia, which for a long time served as a stronghold for the Syrian Free Army. During the sweep, over a hundred militants were destroyed.
Saudi armory logistics. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said that the country does not supply weapons to Syria. The statement followed in response to an investigation. "BBC", during which it became clear: Ukrainian-made weapons intended for Saudi Arabia could be at the disposal of Syrian rebels in the city of Aleppo.
“Ukraine did not and does not deliver such goods in Syria,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Dikusarov. But he added that in 2010, "in full compliance with international requirements and national procedures," Ukraine signed a contract for the supply of military goods to Saudi Arabia.
How did the Ukrainian weapons fall into the hands of the Syrian rebels? The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine replied to this question: “We cannot make any assumptions about how this cargo is used after receiving the cargo by Saudi Arabia or another party to the contract.”
"BBC" previously found some evidence that weapons of Ukrainian production, intended for Saudi Arabia, could be at the disposal of the Syrian rebels. The correspondent of "BBC" saw three boxes of military cargo sent from Ukraine to Saudi Arabia, on the basis of the Syrian rebels in Aleppo. How these boxes reached Aleppo is unknown. By the way, the journalist "BBC" was not allowed to remove their contents on camera. Saudi Arabia declined to comment on this issue.
Journalists have suggested based on the labeling. On the boxes found in the mosque in Aleppo, judging by the marking, there is a weapon obtained from the Ukrainian company Dastan. She specializes in the production of marine weapons and missile systems. The manufacturer is Lugansk ammunition plant, which has been the largest manufacturer of small arms ammunition since Soviet times.
However, a company representative did not comment on reports of Ukrainian weapons in Syria and only stressed that Dastan has no contacts with Saudi Arabia.
The correspondent of "BBC" Ian Pannell, who visited Aleppo, said that in the end it remained unknown what these boxes contain.
The main export item of Lugansk PZ is now the cartridge caliber 7,62 mm for AK-47, widely used by both the Syrian army and the rebels. And their presence indicates that some in the Gulf countries are helping the Syrian rebels in their fight against President Al-Assad. So says Ian Pannell.
NEWSru.com In addition to this, he reports: “In the tangled trail of deliveries of military goods to the Syrian rebels, attention is drawn to the attention and message of the Ukrainian media of three years ago. According to their data, in the spring of 2009, the Cyprus company Woodex Holdings, Limited bought 25% of the shares of the Lugansk cartridge plant. Three American companies, Elmora Ventures, Clymer Finance and Holmgard System, are also co-owners of the plant in equal shares in 25%.
"Patriots" in the suburbs of Haifa. October 8 Israel unfolded in the suburbs of Haifa battery SAM "Patriot". Reports about it "Lenta.ru" with reference to France-Presse.
Anti-missiles in Haifa were deployed 2 days after the penetration of Iranian UAVs into Israeli airspace. The drone was shot down by Israeli F-16 over the Negev desert.
Two hours or two days. Authoritative American analyst David Rothkoff believes that the United States may strike Iran in the near future. In an article written for Foreign Policy magazine, this expert claims that Washington is already actively negotiating the details of the operation with Tel Aviv.
Mr Rothkopf writes: “The US and Israel plan to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. The operation from the air will last from two hours to two days. It will involve bomber aircraft and Drones».
He does not exclude report "Vesti"that Washington could strike before the presidential election (November 6). Barack Obama, by pinpoint Iranian surgery, would be able to raise his rating by responding with verbal reproaches of his rival Mitt Romney. In addition, a blow to Iran, according to Rothkopf, "will ensure the security of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and the entire Persian Gulf, will give an unequivocal signal to Russia and China, will affirm American influence in the region for at least a decade."
"Lenta.ru", referring to the same article in the Foreign Policy, writes that the Americans managed to convince the allies that the overall scale of the potential operation should be substantially less than that discussed now in the media. As for Obama's election "points", the current president will be able to give Mitt Romney an answer with the help of "surgical strikes" on Iranian facilities - and he will have to admit that he is wrong and, moreover, support Obama's actions.
Recall that in recent days, according to polls, aggressive Romney began to overtake the relatively peace-loving Obama. And since the people want aggression, the president is forced to fulfill his will. But at the same time take away from Romney what a strong competitor is. In one fell swoop two birds with one stone.
In addition, Obama approved a package of sanctions against Iran.
Another package of sanctions. As transmits correspondent RIA "News" Maria Tabak, the US president approved yesterday the list of measures necessary for the implementation of the next package of sanctions against Iran, adopted by the Congress of 2 on August.
The document provides for sanctions against anyone who cooperates with the enterprises of the fuel, petrochemical or gas sector of Iran, helps the country's oil and gas industry to acquire goods, services, technologies, infrastructure elements, helps Iran to buy equipment for jamming radio and television signals, tracking devices, and as well as equipment and special means for dispersing demonstrations. At the same time, those bad comrades who are involved in human rights violations in Iran and Syria will be subject to sanctions.
As a result of these measures, according to the official representative of the US National Security Council, Tommy Vitor, Iran will not be able to obtain nuclear weapons.
In itself, this statement, we note, should be regarded as black political humor. Following the logic of Vitor (more precisely, Obama and those behind him), the expulsion from Russia by USAID, the creation of some effective obstacles to the activities of forest, child and human rights NGOs, and the departure from the air of Radio Liberty should give rise to Russian nuclear arms race.
The reaction of the oil market. As transmits correspondent ITAR-TASS Alan Badov, amid growing tensions in the Middle East region, oil prices rose.
By the end of yesterday's session on the London Intercontinental Futures Exchange, the value of contracts for the supply of Brent oil blend has risen by 1,61 dollars, and by the end of the day amounted to 113,43 dollars per barrel.
Price increases were also noted on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The price of a barrel of Texas light oil at the intermediate mark of the trading session was $ 91,27, an increase of $ 1,52.
Oil prices rose despite the decline in the euro against the dollar.
The factors that caused the rise in prices, the analyst believes, were the threat of a US-Israeli strike on Iran, as well as the decision of the Turkish parliament allowing the direction of troops to the border with Syria, which is fraught with a military conflict between the two countries.
Four billion. In the second half of 2012, Iraq concluded several contracts with Russia for the supply of weapons and military equipment, reports "Lenta.ru" with reference to ITAR-TASS. Information on military deals is contained in documents prepared for the meeting of the Prime Ministers of Russia and Iraq, Dmitry Medvedev and Nuri al-Maliki.
What kind of weapons and military equipment in question is not specified.
Earlier, the media wrote that Iraq had bought from Russia 30 attack helicopters Mi-28H and 42 anti-aircraft missile systems "Pantsir-S1". Today, Iraqis are planning to acquire a number of MiG-29М / М2 fighters and heavy armored combat vehicles. UPI reports that during the visit of al-Maliki, contracts worth a total of five billion dollars may be signed.
Athens: tear gas and batons. More than two hundred people were detained by Greek police yesterday during protests against the arrival of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Athens, reports "Lenta.ru" with reference to the RIA "News". Of the 217 detainees, 24 were later arrested. They were charged with violation of public order.
The police used tear gas and batons to disperse thousands and thousands of demonstrators. Protesters threw stones in response. They tried to break through the barricades to the building where negotiations were held between the Greek authorities and Mrs. Merkel. The Greeks do not like the austerity measures introduced in the country, initiated by Germany.
Sakharov short list. Maria Alekhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samutsevich (in other words, “Mad Vaginas”) were included in the short list of the Sakharov Prize for 2012 a year. Reports about it "Lenta.ru" With reference to "Interfax" and to the representative of the press service of the European Parliament Satu Helina.
The laureates of the award will become known on October 26 at a meeting of the factions of the European Parliament. The award will be awarded 12 December in Strasbourg.
The Andrei Sakharov Prize, recalls Lenta, is awarded each year for achievements in protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, developing democracy and upholding the rule of law, respecting international law and protecting minority rights.
Former Georgian law enforcement officers disliked Georgia. Some high-ranking Georgian officials, including the former Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Bacho Akhalaya, and the Deputy Minister of Defense, Date Akhalaya, left the motherland in a hurry.
As transmits Rosbaltreferring to the Georgian media, the Akhalaya brothers left the country on the night of October 6. Passports and visas they brought directly to the Ministry of Defense.
The brothers said goodbye to each other and drove away in different cars. According to eyewitnesses, after the distribution of cadres of torture in prisons, the Akhalaya brothers lived on the 9 floor of the general staff, in the so-called "Apartment Akhalaya." Rosbalt reports that the head of the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Georgia Nino Potrzhebskaya could neither confirm nor deny this information.
There is information that high-ranking police official Megis Kardava and Minister of Justice Zurab Adeishvili left Georgia. Former Minister of Defense David Kezerashvili and head of the parliamentary committee on national security of the past convocation Givi Targamadze allegedly left their homeland.
Finally, David Chakua, ex-chairman of the Department for the Execution of Sentences, parted ways with Georgia. Among those who left Georgia are also those involved in the murder of Buta Robakidze, former head of the patrol police Zurab Mikadze and ex-employee of the department of constitutional security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Georgy Dgebuadze.
Che Guevara: 45 anniversary of the death. As transmits correspondent RIA "News" Dmitry Znamensky, the diaries of the revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, written by him in the last months of his life, became available to Internet users.
Che diaries can be read for free. Originals are stored in Bolivia. In 1980's, they were bought from an unknown seller at a London auction.
"Lenta.ru", referring to France-Presse, specifies that photocopies of the diary were posted by researcher Carlos Soria Galvarro on the website dedicated to the life of Che Guevara in Bolivia for the 45 anniversary of the death of the revolutionary.
Published handwritten notes were made from January to October of the year 1967.
Link on diary.
Romney ahead of Obama by four percentage points. Presidential candidate from the Republican Party, Mitt Romney, for the first time overtook the current head of the White House in popularity. Of the respondents going to vote, 49% is ready to cast their votes for Romney, while for Obama - 45%, writes Utro.ru (Anna Bolshakova), referring to The Guardian. The survey involved more than one and a half thousand adult Americans.
Analysts believe that Obama shrank after the very first debate between the candidates. They were recognized as failures for Obama and quite successful for Romney.
On the eve of the Republican presidential candidate from the Republicans, speaking at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, criticized the current administration's foreign policy and aggressively stated that if he wins the election, he will change the course in the Middle East. And he promised to implement the missile defense program, despite the objections of Russia.
“I will implement an effective missile defense program to protect against threats. And in this matter there will be no flexibility with Vladimir Putin, ”Mr. Romney quoted the New York Times as saying. Romney also said that "Putin’s Russia casts a long shadow on young democracies."
The Republican candidate also noted that “the US has lost historical the opportunity to make new friends who share our values in the Middle East, ”and if so, then he, Romney,“ will strive for American leadership in this region. ”
Since it’s impossible to find friends, we’ll add from our own, America, by its old habit, will find enemies.
And in order to find those faster and more, Mr. Romney promised to end the Syrian conflict by helping the "rebels". In order to increase the number of enemies to a critical value, he announced a tightening of pressure on Iran. Finally, Romney decided that the time had come to reconsider relations with Egypt and settle once and for all the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The sad record of advanced democracy. Comrade Jose Ignacio Torreblanca from the Spanish newspaper "El Pais" (translation source - "InoSMI"), referring to the study of the magazine "New Yorker", spoke about how many people are languishing in American prisons and how it is beneficial to America.
Neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney is talking about it now. Still, how can we explain to Americans and the whole world why this country, which is the flagship of democracy, has more than 6 million people in penitentiaries - that is, more than in the Soviet Union in the era of Stalinist repression?
The problem lies not only in the incredible number of prisoners, but also in the extremely harsh conditions of their detention. About 50 thousands of prisoners are kept in complete isolation, without the right to communicate with anyone. They are allowed to play sports alone for 1 hours per day. About 70 thousands of prisoners are abused every year. Finally, America is leading in one more indicator: hundreds of teenagers are sentenced to life imprisonment.
In the year 1980, in the United States, 220 people were detained for every 100 thousand inhabitants. In 2010, the rate of prisoners per capita increased threefold - 741 people per 100 thousand inhabitants. In Norway, for every 100 thousands of residents account for 66 prisoners, and in Spain - 144. Plus racism: the likelihood of being imprisoned for black people is 7 times higher than for members of the white race. Statistics show that the number of convicted African Americans held in prison and released on parole exceeds the number of slaves in the country in 1850 year.
The penitentiary system in the United States, under the control of private companies, has become a large and very profitable business. As an example, the journalist considers the state of California, which allocates 50 thousands of dollars a year for the maintenance of one prisoner, which in every possible way exceeds the cost of each student. “The priorities,” the author of the article believes, “are clear: 20 years ago, the cost of higher education in California was two times higher than the cost of maintaining a place of detention. Today, the opposite is true: the cost of maintaining prisoners (10 billions of dollars by almost 150 thousand prisoners) is twice the cost of higher education. ”
But the traditional values of Americans - motherhood and apple pie, not to mention the long-forgotten right to life, liberty and the search for happiness, as stated in the US Declaration of Independence.
There is no need to comment on the article of a progressive Spanish journalist, but perhaps we will have to add something.
"New Yorker" is not the first time that draws the attention of readers to the US prison system. Back in March 2009, the magazine was published article (author - Atul Gavand) on the conditions of solitary confinement in the United States (it was placed under the heading "Chronicle of Human Rights"). Several facts from the article deserve our attention.
John McCain once wrote: "This is terrible - solitary confinement." This man spent five and a half years in captivity in Vietnam, and more than two years he spent in isolation in a cage measuring fifteen by fifteen feet. He could not communicate with other prisoners of war; the only means of communication was an enamelled cup that could knock on the wall.
"It destroys your spirit and weakens resistance — far more effectively than any other form of ill-treatment." So wrote McCain.
These words belong to a man who was constantly beaten, whose arm was broken twice, his leg was broken, and he suffered from dysentery in a chronic form.
EEG studies, which have been carried out in the USA more than once, show a diffuse deceleration of brain waves in prisoners — after a week of their imprisonment in solitary cells.
In 1992, fifty-seven prisoners of war, released an average of six months from camps in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, were studied using EEG tests. Records revealed brain abnormalities.
The author of the article spoke with a man who had spent more than five years at that time in isolation in a prison in Walpole, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. Within a few months, he, imprisoned in a “loner,” talked to himself, experienced panic attacks, and screamed for help. He had color hallucinations: the walls of the chamber seemed to change color. Over time, this person completely lost the experience of communication with the outside world. He could not even talk to his lawyer; panic swept over him.
Craig Haney, a professor of psychology at the University of California at Santa Cruz, received rare permission to study the hundreds of randomly selected prisoners at Supermax, Pelican Bay, California. He managed to prove that after several months or years of complete isolation, many prisoners "begin to lose the ability to initiate behavior of any kind, to organize their lives around activities and goals."
Almost 90% of these prisoners were characterized by manifestations of "irrational anger." Many prisoners in solitary confinement thought only of revenge, richly fantasizing about this topic.
In American prisons, the author writes, now sits 25% of all prisoners in the world, and probably "the vast majority of prisoners who sit in solitary confinement for a long time." But it was not always so. In 1890, the United States Supreme Court had already approached single isolation as an unconstitutional punishment. Judge Samuel Miller noted that the experience found "serious objections" against imprisonment in solitary confinement. A significant number of prisoners, even after a short period of time in isolation, fell into a state of mental clouding, out of which it was almost impossible. Others turned out to be violent madmen. Still others committed suicide.
Many prisoners, the author writes, have saved the mind thanks to difficult mental exercises. They built houses in their heads, from beginning to end, from the first board to the varnish. McCain recreated in his mind all the films that he had previously watched. Yuri Nosenko, a KGB defector who was mistakenly accused by the CIA of a double agency who spent three years in complete isolation, made chess out of threads, a calendar and food — just to be discovered and destroyed.
In 2008, presidential candidates, both from the Republican and the US Democratic Party, firmly declared the prohibition of torture and the closure of the facility in Guantanamo, where hundreds of prisoners spent many years in isolation.
But did Barack Obama or John McCain address the issue of solitary confinement? No, that would be political suicide for them, the journalist said. The fact is that if in Western Europe steps are being taken to reduce solitary confinement, in the United States solitary confinement is supported by public opinion.
And public opinion, we will add on our part, is supported there by the penitentiary system, which with all its might ensures the safety of civilians who stand up for this very security. A vicious circle from which you never get out.
With a grenade, knives and bags for corpses - on the plane. At Los Angeles International Airport, a man with a smoke grenade, batons and knives was detained. Reports about it "Lenta.ru" with reference to the Los Angeles Times.
Yunda Juan Harris, a 28-year-old US citizen of Chinese descent, taking the items with him, was sent from Japan to Boston, and was detained on October 5 during a transfer to the Los Angeles airport.
Under the raincoat, the passenger was wearing a bulletproof vest and flame-retardant pants, and in his luggage there was a smoke grenade, knives, police batons, shackles, gas mask, protective suit, dog scaring device, and at the same time bags for corpses.
В the original articles (blog "L.-A. Times") reported that the customs officers detained the passenger because they ... embarrassed his clothes. By the way, in addition to four batons and knives, a friend had an ax with him. Now, the US customs and border guards are wondering: why hasn’t the passenger’s carry-on baggage checked in Japan yet?
But who, we add, in samurai Japan will pay attention to some kind of knives and an ax? Especially - transported complete with bags for corpses. This means that the passenger is a neat person and will always take care of himself.
“According to the order for transfer of the case, signed by the judge, this should happen as soon as possible,” said lawyer Alexei Tarasov.
Prosecutor David Rieker, who arrived from Washington and is in charge of counterintelligence activities, asked the judge: “Where do you usually start such processes?” - To which he received a clear answer: “In the city where the airport is located, through which illegal export went, or in Washington, where the US Department of State is located, whose divisions issue export permits. ”
Now the case of Anastasia Dyatlova, whose interests are protected by counsel Tarasov, sent to the court of Brooklyn. In this New York district, there is an airport named after John F. Kennedy, through which, according to the materials of the case, its persons engaged in the illegal supply of high-tech components.
Today in Houston, the correspondent reports. ITAR-TASS, in 13: 00 local time (in 22: 00 Moscow time), a court session will begin at which the issue of release on bail of Alexander Fishchenko and Victoria Klebanova will be considered. Lawyers believe that the Russians will be denied.
The case of “Russian espionage,” we add, was on the hands of both presidential candidates. If Mitt Romney can now criticize his rival for throwing nets to the traffic light chips in his presidency in America, then Barack Obama can boast about how quickly justice stops illegal attempts to profit.
NATO will help fraternal Turkey. In the event of an escalation of the conflict on the border with Syria, NATO will support Turkey. This was stated by the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance after meeting with the defense ministers of the participating countries in Brussels, "Vesti".
Anders Fogh Rasmussen said: “We have developed various plans to defend Turkey. For obvious reasons, I cannot go into details. But, of course, Turkey can count on solidarity from the Alliance. At the same time, I repeat, the international community should focus on finding a political solution to the Syrian conflict. ”
Syrian troops are winning. According to correspondent ITAR-TASS Dmitry Zeleninreferring to SANA, the Syrian troops repulsed yesterday the invasion of militants from Turkey and Lebanon.
A detachment of mercenaries entered the mountainous region of Tell-Nahb and tried to block the highway passing through the mountain pass Jisr al-Shugur, but the Syrian army soldiers entered the battle, several militants were destroyed, the rest took refuge on the Turkish side of the border.
In addition, in Khirbet Nueimat, on the Lebanese-Syrian border, two armed detachments with a total number of 300 people were trying to break into the rescue of the insurgents surrounded by the city of El Quseir (30 km south of Homs). They fought back and retreated to Lebanese territory.
In Homs, government forces yesterday entered the quarter of Khalidia, which for a long time served as a stronghold for the Syrian Free Army. During the sweep, over a hundred militants were destroyed.
Saudi armory logistics. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine said that the country does not supply weapons to Syria. The statement followed in response to an investigation. "BBC", during which it became clear: Ukrainian-made weapons intended for Saudi Arabia could be at the disposal of Syrian rebels in the city of Aleppo.
“Ukraine did not and does not deliver such goods in Syria,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Dikusarov. But he added that in 2010, "in full compliance with international requirements and national procedures," Ukraine signed a contract for the supply of military goods to Saudi Arabia.
How did the Ukrainian weapons fall into the hands of the Syrian rebels? The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine replied to this question: “We cannot make any assumptions about how this cargo is used after receiving the cargo by Saudi Arabia or another party to the contract.”
"BBC" previously found some evidence that weapons of Ukrainian production, intended for Saudi Arabia, could be at the disposal of the Syrian rebels. The correspondent of "BBC" saw three boxes of military cargo sent from Ukraine to Saudi Arabia, on the basis of the Syrian rebels in Aleppo. How these boxes reached Aleppo is unknown. By the way, the journalist "BBC" was not allowed to remove their contents on camera. Saudi Arabia declined to comment on this issue.
Journalists have suggested based on the labeling. On the boxes found in the mosque in Aleppo, judging by the marking, there is a weapon obtained from the Ukrainian company Dastan. She specializes in the production of marine weapons and missile systems. The manufacturer is Lugansk ammunition plant, which has been the largest manufacturer of small arms ammunition since Soviet times.
However, a company representative did not comment on reports of Ukrainian weapons in Syria and only stressed that Dastan has no contacts with Saudi Arabia.
The correspondent of "BBC" Ian Pannell, who visited Aleppo, said that in the end it remained unknown what these boxes contain.
The main export item of Lugansk PZ is now the cartridge caliber 7,62 mm for AK-47, widely used by both the Syrian army and the rebels. And their presence indicates that some in the Gulf countries are helping the Syrian rebels in their fight against President Al-Assad. So says Ian Pannell.
NEWSru.com In addition to this, he reports: “In the tangled trail of deliveries of military goods to the Syrian rebels, attention is drawn to the attention and message of the Ukrainian media of three years ago. According to their data, in the spring of 2009, the Cyprus company Woodex Holdings, Limited bought 25% of the shares of the Lugansk cartridge plant. Three American companies, Elmora Ventures, Clymer Finance and Holmgard System, are also co-owners of the plant in equal shares in 25%.
"Patriots" in the suburbs of Haifa. October 8 Israel unfolded in the suburbs of Haifa battery SAM "Patriot". Reports about it "Lenta.ru" with reference to France-Presse.
Anti-missiles in Haifa were deployed 2 days after the penetration of Iranian UAVs into Israeli airspace. The drone was shot down by Israeli F-16 over the Negev desert.
Two hours or two days. Authoritative American analyst David Rothkoff believes that the United States may strike Iran in the near future. In an article written for Foreign Policy magazine, this expert claims that Washington is already actively negotiating the details of the operation with Tel Aviv.
Mr Rothkopf writes: “The US and Israel plan to strike Iranian nuclear facilities. The operation from the air will last from two hours to two days. It will involve bomber aircraft and Drones».
He does not exclude report "Vesti"that Washington could strike before the presidential election (November 6). Barack Obama, by pinpoint Iranian surgery, would be able to raise his rating by responding with verbal reproaches of his rival Mitt Romney. In addition, a blow to Iran, according to Rothkopf, "will ensure the security of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and the entire Persian Gulf, will give an unequivocal signal to Russia and China, will affirm American influence in the region for at least a decade."
"Lenta.ru", referring to the same article in the Foreign Policy, writes that the Americans managed to convince the allies that the overall scale of the potential operation should be substantially less than that discussed now in the media. As for Obama's election "points", the current president will be able to give Mitt Romney an answer with the help of "surgical strikes" on Iranian facilities - and he will have to admit that he is wrong and, moreover, support Obama's actions.
Recall that in recent days, according to polls, aggressive Romney began to overtake the relatively peace-loving Obama. And since the people want aggression, the president is forced to fulfill his will. But at the same time take away from Romney what a strong competitor is. In one fell swoop two birds with one stone.
In addition, Obama approved a package of sanctions against Iran.
Another package of sanctions. As transmits correspondent RIA "News" Maria Tabak, the US president approved yesterday the list of measures necessary for the implementation of the next package of sanctions against Iran, adopted by the Congress of 2 on August.
The document provides for sanctions against anyone who cooperates with the enterprises of the fuel, petrochemical or gas sector of Iran, helps the country's oil and gas industry to acquire goods, services, technologies, infrastructure elements, helps Iran to buy equipment for jamming radio and television signals, tracking devices, and as well as equipment and special means for dispersing demonstrations. At the same time, those bad comrades who are involved in human rights violations in Iran and Syria will be subject to sanctions.
As a result of these measures, according to the official representative of the US National Security Council, Tommy Vitor, Iran will not be able to obtain nuclear weapons.
In itself, this statement, we note, should be regarded as black political humor. Following the logic of Vitor (more precisely, Obama and those behind him), the expulsion from Russia by USAID, the creation of some effective obstacles to the activities of forest, child and human rights NGOs, and the departure from the air of Radio Liberty should give rise to Russian nuclear arms race.
The reaction of the oil market. As transmits correspondent ITAR-TASS Alan Badov, amid growing tensions in the Middle East region, oil prices rose.
By the end of yesterday's session on the London Intercontinental Futures Exchange, the value of contracts for the supply of Brent oil blend has risen by 1,61 dollars, and by the end of the day amounted to 113,43 dollars per barrel.
Price increases were also noted on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The price of a barrel of Texas light oil at the intermediate mark of the trading session was $ 91,27, an increase of $ 1,52.
Oil prices rose despite the decline in the euro against the dollar.
The factors that caused the rise in prices, the analyst believes, were the threat of a US-Israeli strike on Iran, as well as the decision of the Turkish parliament allowing the direction of troops to the border with Syria, which is fraught with a military conflict between the two countries.
Four billion. In the second half of 2012, Iraq concluded several contracts with Russia for the supply of weapons and military equipment, reports "Lenta.ru" with reference to ITAR-TASS. Information on military deals is contained in documents prepared for the meeting of the Prime Ministers of Russia and Iraq, Dmitry Medvedev and Nuri al-Maliki.
What kind of weapons and military equipment in question is not specified.
Earlier, the media wrote that Iraq had bought from Russia 30 attack helicopters Mi-28H and 42 anti-aircraft missile systems "Pantsir-S1". Today, Iraqis are planning to acquire a number of MiG-29М / М2 fighters and heavy armored combat vehicles. UPI reports that during the visit of al-Maliki, contracts worth a total of five billion dollars may be signed.
Athens: tear gas and batons. More than two hundred people were detained by Greek police yesterday during protests against the arrival of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Athens, reports "Lenta.ru" with reference to the RIA "News". Of the 217 detainees, 24 were later arrested. They were charged with violation of public order.
The police used tear gas and batons to disperse thousands and thousands of demonstrators. Protesters threw stones in response. They tried to break through the barricades to the building where negotiations were held between the Greek authorities and Mrs. Merkel. The Greeks do not like the austerity measures introduced in the country, initiated by Germany.
Sakharov short list. Maria Alekhina, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Ekaterina Samutsevich (in other words, “Mad Vaginas”) were included in the short list of the Sakharov Prize for 2012 a year. Reports about it "Lenta.ru" With reference to "Interfax" and to the representative of the press service of the European Parliament Satu Helina.
The laureates of the award will become known on October 26 at a meeting of the factions of the European Parliament. The award will be awarded 12 December in Strasbourg.
The Andrei Sakharov Prize, recalls Lenta, is awarded each year for achievements in protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, developing democracy and upholding the rule of law, respecting international law and protecting minority rights.
Former Georgian law enforcement officers disliked Georgia. Some high-ranking Georgian officials, including the former Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Bacho Akhalaya, and the Deputy Minister of Defense, Date Akhalaya, left the motherland in a hurry.
As transmits Rosbaltreferring to the Georgian media, the Akhalaya brothers left the country on the night of October 6. Passports and visas they brought directly to the Ministry of Defense.
The brothers said goodbye to each other and drove away in different cars. According to eyewitnesses, after the distribution of cadres of torture in prisons, the Akhalaya brothers lived on the 9 floor of the general staff, in the so-called "Apartment Akhalaya." Rosbalt reports that the head of the press service of the Ministry of Defense of Georgia Nino Potrzhebskaya could neither confirm nor deny this information.
There is information that high-ranking police official Megis Kardava and Minister of Justice Zurab Adeishvili left Georgia. Former Minister of Defense David Kezerashvili and head of the parliamentary committee on national security of the past convocation Givi Targamadze allegedly left their homeland.
Finally, David Chakua, ex-chairman of the Department for the Execution of Sentences, parted ways with Georgia. Among those who left Georgia are also those involved in the murder of Buta Robakidze, former head of the patrol police Zurab Mikadze and ex-employee of the department of constitutional security of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Georgy Dgebuadze.
Che Guevara: 45 anniversary of the death. As transmits correspondent RIA "News" Dmitry Znamensky, the diaries of the revolutionary Ernesto Che Guevara, written by him in the last months of his life, became available to Internet users.
Che diaries can be read for free. Originals are stored in Bolivia. In 1980's, they were bought from an unknown seller at a London auction.
"Lenta.ru", referring to France-Presse, specifies that photocopies of the diary were posted by researcher Carlos Soria Galvarro on the website dedicated to the life of Che Guevara in Bolivia for the 45 anniversary of the death of the revolutionary.
Published handwritten notes were made from January to October of the year 1967.
Link on diary.
Romney ahead of Obama by four percentage points. Presidential candidate from the Republican Party, Mitt Romney, for the first time overtook the current head of the White House in popularity. Of the respondents going to vote, 49% is ready to cast their votes for Romney, while for Obama - 45%, writes Utro.ru (Anna Bolshakova), referring to The Guardian. The survey involved more than one and a half thousand adult Americans.
Analysts believe that Obama shrank after the very first debate between the candidates. They were recognized as failures for Obama and quite successful for Romney.
On the eve of the Republican presidential candidate from the Republicans, speaking at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, criticized the current administration's foreign policy and aggressively stated that if he wins the election, he will change the course in the Middle East. And he promised to implement the missile defense program, despite the objections of Russia.
“I will implement an effective missile defense program to protect against threats. And in this matter there will be no flexibility with Vladimir Putin, ”Mr. Romney quoted the New York Times as saying. Romney also said that "Putin’s Russia casts a long shadow on young democracies."
The Republican candidate also noted that “the US has lost historical the opportunity to make new friends who share our values in the Middle East, ”and if so, then he, Romney,“ will strive for American leadership in this region. ”
Since it’s impossible to find friends, we’ll add from our own, America, by its old habit, will find enemies.
And in order to find those faster and more, Mr. Romney promised to end the Syrian conflict by helping the "rebels". In order to increase the number of enemies to a critical value, he announced a tightening of pressure on Iran. Finally, Romney decided that the time had come to reconsider relations with Egypt and settle once and for all the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The sad record of advanced democracy. Comrade Jose Ignacio Torreblanca from the Spanish newspaper "El Pais" (translation source - "InoSMI"), referring to the study of the magazine "New Yorker", spoke about how many people are languishing in American prisons and how it is beneficial to America.
Neither Barack Obama nor Mitt Romney is talking about it now. Still, how can we explain to Americans and the whole world why this country, which is the flagship of democracy, has more than 6 million people in penitentiaries - that is, more than in the Soviet Union in the era of Stalinist repression?
The problem lies not only in the incredible number of prisoners, but also in the extremely harsh conditions of their detention. About 50 thousands of prisoners are kept in complete isolation, without the right to communicate with anyone. They are allowed to play sports alone for 1 hours per day. About 70 thousands of prisoners are abused every year. Finally, America is leading in one more indicator: hundreds of teenagers are sentenced to life imprisonment.
In the year 1980, in the United States, 220 people were detained for every 100 thousand inhabitants. In 2010, the rate of prisoners per capita increased threefold - 741 people per 100 thousand inhabitants. In Norway, for every 100 thousands of residents account for 66 prisoners, and in Spain - 144. Plus racism: the likelihood of being imprisoned for black people is 7 times higher than for members of the white race. Statistics show that the number of convicted African Americans held in prison and released on parole exceeds the number of slaves in the country in 1850 year.
The penitentiary system in the United States, under the control of private companies, has become a large and very profitable business. As an example, the journalist considers the state of California, which allocates 50 thousands of dollars a year for the maintenance of one prisoner, which in every possible way exceeds the cost of each student. “The priorities,” the author of the article believes, “are clear: 20 years ago, the cost of higher education in California was two times higher than the cost of maintaining a place of detention. Today, the opposite is true: the cost of maintaining prisoners (10 billions of dollars by almost 150 thousand prisoners) is twice the cost of higher education. ”
But the traditional values of Americans - motherhood and apple pie, not to mention the long-forgotten right to life, liberty and the search for happiness, as stated in the US Declaration of Independence.
There is no need to comment on the article of a progressive Spanish journalist, but perhaps we will have to add something.
"New Yorker" is not the first time that draws the attention of readers to the US prison system. Back in March 2009, the magazine was published article (author - Atul Gavand) on the conditions of solitary confinement in the United States (it was placed under the heading "Chronicle of Human Rights"). Several facts from the article deserve our attention.
John McCain once wrote: "This is terrible - solitary confinement." This man spent five and a half years in captivity in Vietnam, and more than two years he spent in isolation in a cage measuring fifteen by fifteen feet. He could not communicate with other prisoners of war; the only means of communication was an enamelled cup that could knock on the wall.
"It destroys your spirit and weakens resistance — far more effectively than any other form of ill-treatment." So wrote McCain.
These words belong to a man who was constantly beaten, whose arm was broken twice, his leg was broken, and he suffered from dysentery in a chronic form.
EEG studies, which have been carried out in the USA more than once, show a diffuse deceleration of brain waves in prisoners — after a week of their imprisonment in solitary cells.
In 1992, fifty-seven prisoners of war, released an average of six months from camps in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, were studied using EEG tests. Records revealed brain abnormalities.
The author of the article spoke with a man who had spent more than five years at that time in isolation in a prison in Walpole, a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts. Within a few months, he, imprisoned in a “loner,” talked to himself, experienced panic attacks, and screamed for help. He had color hallucinations: the walls of the chamber seemed to change color. Over time, this person completely lost the experience of communication with the outside world. He could not even talk to his lawyer; panic swept over him.
Craig Haney, a professor of psychology at the University of California at Santa Cruz, received rare permission to study the hundreds of randomly selected prisoners at Supermax, Pelican Bay, California. He managed to prove that after several months or years of complete isolation, many prisoners "begin to lose the ability to initiate behavior of any kind, to organize their lives around activities and goals."
Almost 90% of these prisoners were characterized by manifestations of "irrational anger." Many prisoners in solitary confinement thought only of revenge, richly fantasizing about this topic.
In American prisons, the author writes, now sits 25% of all prisoners in the world, and probably "the vast majority of prisoners who sit in solitary confinement for a long time." But it was not always so. In 1890, the United States Supreme Court had already approached single isolation as an unconstitutional punishment. Judge Samuel Miller noted that the experience found "serious objections" against imprisonment in solitary confinement. A significant number of prisoners, even after a short period of time in isolation, fell into a state of mental clouding, out of which it was almost impossible. Others turned out to be violent madmen. Still others committed suicide.
Many prisoners, the author writes, have saved the mind thanks to difficult mental exercises. They built houses in their heads, from beginning to end, from the first board to the varnish. McCain recreated in his mind all the films that he had previously watched. Yuri Nosenko, a KGB defector who was mistakenly accused by the CIA of a double agency who spent three years in complete isolation, made chess out of threads, a calendar and food — just to be discovered and destroyed.
In 2008, presidential candidates, both from the Republican and the US Democratic Party, firmly declared the prohibition of torture and the closure of the facility in Guantanamo, where hundreds of prisoners spent many years in isolation.
But did Barack Obama or John McCain address the issue of solitary confinement? No, that would be political suicide for them, the journalist said. The fact is that if in Western Europe steps are being taken to reduce solitary confinement, in the United States solitary confinement is supported by public opinion.
And public opinion, we will add on our part, is supported there by the penitentiary system, which with all its might ensures the safety of civilians who stand up for this very security. A vicious circle from which you never get out.
With a grenade, knives and bags for corpses - on the plane. At Los Angeles International Airport, a man with a smoke grenade, batons and knives was detained. Reports about it "Lenta.ru" with reference to the Los Angeles Times.
Yunda Juan Harris, a 28-year-old US citizen of Chinese descent, taking the items with him, was sent from Japan to Boston, and was detained on October 5 during a transfer to the Los Angeles airport.
Under the raincoat, the passenger was wearing a bulletproof vest and flame-retardant pants, and in his luggage there was a smoke grenade, knives, police batons, shackles, gas mask, protective suit, dog scaring device, and at the same time bags for corpses.
В the original articles (blog "L.-A. Times") reported that the customs officers detained the passenger because they ... embarrassed his clothes. By the way, in addition to four batons and knives, a friend had an ax with him. Now, the US customs and border guards are wondering: why hasn’t the passenger’s carry-on baggage checked in Japan yet?
But who, we add, in samurai Japan will pay attention to some kind of knives and an ax? Especially - transported complete with bags for corpses. This means that the passenger is a neat person and will always take care of himself.
Observed and translated by Oleg Chuvakin
- especially for topwar.ru
- especially for topwar.ru
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