Lightning Times

World Today: 2016-12-14 Wednesday

Israel/Azerbaijan: Netanyahu visits Azerbaijan. 'Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Azerbaijan's capital of Baku on Dec. 13 for a meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, APA reported. Talks reportedly centered on strengthening energy, trade and technology ties.' (Stratfor)

Iran/Russia: Tehran, Gazprom sign preliminary deal. 'An agreement to development two major oil fields in Iran was signed by Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak in Tehran Dec. 13, AFP reported, citing the Shana news agency.' (Stratfor)

Syria: Aleppo battle nearing end. 'The battle for the long-divided city of Aleppo appears to be in its final stages, as Syrian government forces and their allies continue to rapidly retake ground formerly held by rebels, Reuters reported Dec. 12. Rebels, who once controlled the eastern half of the city, are now falling back into an ever-shrinking enclave as government troops push forward. ...' (Stratfor)

Saudi Arabia: Woman arrested for hijab-less photo tweet. 'The Saudi woman was going out for breakfast when she decided to make a statement. Violating the country’s moral codes, she reportedly stepped out in public wearing a multicolored dress, a black jacket and ankle boots — without a hijab or abaya, a loosefitting garment. Late last month, she tweeted a photo of her outfit, and the post circulated through Saudi Arabia, drawing death threats and demands to imprison or even execute the woman.' She's been unofficially identified as Malak al-Shehri. (Washington Post)

USA military: Airborne laser weapons closer to reality. 'The Air Force is increasing computer simulations and virtual testing for its laser-weapons program to accelerate development and prepare plans to arm fighter jets and other platforms by the early 2020s. To help model the effects of such technologies, the service has awarded Stellar Science a five-year, $7 million contract for advanced laser modeling and simulation.' (Defense Systems via Instapundit)

Terrorism: Two Paris attack facilitators reported killed in US airstrike in Raqqa. 'The Department of Defense announced today that three Islamic State “external attack operatives” were killed in a “precision airstrike” in Raqqa, Syria on Dec. 4. All three “were part of a network led by Boubaker Al-Hakim,” a French-Tunisian jihadi who was killed in another airstrike on Nov. 26. Al-Hakim was a notorious veteran of the jihad who first fought alongside Abu Musab al Zarqawi during the Iraq war. ...' (Long War Journal)

Iran

Why Obama let Iran's Green Revolution fail. '... Obama wasn't just reluctant to show solidarity in 2009, he feared the demonstrations would sabotage his secret outreach to Iran. In his new book, "The Iran Wars," Wall Street Journal reporter Jay Solomon uncovers new details on how far Obama went to avoid helping Iran's green movement. Behind the scenes, Obama overruled advisers who wanted to do what America had done at similar transitions from dictatorship to democracy, and signal America's support.'

The Iranian naval threat. '... Meanwhile, the Iranians keep improving the firepower of their fast patrol boats and adapt Western technology to further raise the threat level. They now have a semi-submersible fast patrol boat they acquired from North Korea and improved. This carries significant firepower and is hard to find and hit. They have taken British technology from the superfast Bladerunner speedboat and turned it into the Seraj-1, which exceeds 55 knots on the surface. A newer version, thought to be the Seraj-2, may reach 80 to 85 knots, far faster than anything in the U.S. inventory. And the Iranians appear able to acquire diesel engines, surface drives and other sophisticated gear from Western sources without any practical interference.'

200 yards is too close. '“Too close” has to be publicly defined. The Iranians should be put on notice that if they close to within 500 yards of any ship or boat, they will be fired on, not just given the courtesy of warning shots. Five hundred yards is about the range of a rocket-propelled grenade (though it’s hard to hit anything smaller than a large ship from that distance).'

Morning Report: 2016-08-17

North Korea says it has resumed plutonium production. 'North Korea says it has resumed plutonium production by reprocessing spent fuel rods and has no plans to stop nuclear tests as long as perceived U.S. threats remain, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday. ...'

Munich raises beerfest security after jihadi threats. 'Organizers of the world's biggest beer festival, Munich's Oktoberfest, have raised security after Islamist attacks in Germany last month, including banning rucksacks, introducing security checks at all entrances and erecting fencing. ...'

Leaked Soros memo on refugee crisis. 'A leaked memo from left-wing financier George Soros’s Open Society Foundations argues that Europe’s refugee crisis should be accepted as a “new normal,” and that the refugee crisis means “new opportunities” for Soros’ organization to influence immigration policies on a global scale. ...'

Morning Report: 2016-08-14

Hafiz Saeed Khan gets his virgins. Islamic State's emir for Khorasan province (eastern Afghanistan) was killed in a July 26 airstrike in Nangarhar, the US military has confirmed. LWJ observes that 'Khan and his followers were so violent in Nangarhar that he even alienated Abdul Rahim Muslim Dost, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee who served as an unofficial spokesman for Khorasan province.'. Stratfor adds that 'Khan's death has been falsely reported before, but Afghan Ambassador Omar Zakhilwal said he had confirmation from security forces.'

Russia / Turkey rapprochement. Late last week, Turkish and Russian officials met in St. Petersburg to discuss cooperation on economic and Middle East issues (chiefly the Syria situation).

Totten: Iran payment wasn't ransom ... ... but it was ransom.

Simon: Which is worse ... ... an October surprise or a December surprise?

Israel, Europe, and Transnational Liberalism

But what, to return to the Likud minister’s question, makes Europe different? One thing above all. The EU’s ruling ideology is supra-nationalism. Its founders detested the national principle, which they regarded as one step away from fascism and war. They were wrong: The misalignment of national units with state frontiers is arguably the chief cause of conflict in the world, from Chechnya to Kashmir, from Sri Lanka to South Sudan. But they sincerely believed that national loyalties were irrational, transient and dangerous, as do their successors today.

Israel represents the most vivid vindication of the national principle that humanity has witnessed.

via www.washingtonexaminer.com

This nails it. It explains anti-Zionism not just in post-WWII Europe, but in the left-liberal and center-liberal world generally. Liberals have become invested in the fallacy that "nationalism breeds fascism".

Morning Report 2015-01-23

Saudi Arabia: King Abdullah dies, succeeded by King Salman. The former king's half-brother Deputy Prime Minister Salman bin Abdul Aziz takes the throne after the passing of the 93-year-old monarch. Debka cites an ambitious Iran, the encroaching Islamic State, and revolutionary Yemen (see below) as security concerns facing the new king. Reuters: '"Times are dangerous," said Joseph Kechichian, a scholar of Gulf Arab ruling families. "Mohammed bin Nayef's appointment shows Salman feels it's important to speak quickly with a single determined voice in the face of all these threats."'

Yemen: President Hadi resigns after Houthi takeover. The Iranian-backed, Shi'a Houthis now appear to be running the show in Yemen. To give you an idea of where they're coming from, their slogan is 'God is Great, Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews, Victory to Islam.' For Yemen-related updates, follow long-time Yemen watcher Jane Novak on Twitter.

Michael Totten: The Iranian regime and Charlie Hebdo.

The fact that the Iranian regime behaves this way at home does not by itself make a deal with Iran impossible. The United States has a transactional alliance with Saudi Arabia despite its government being no less grotesque. But the geopolitical interests of Washington and Riyadh overlap while the geopolitical interests of Washington and Tehran are entirely at odds with each other. ...

Read it all at the link.

Morning Report 2015-01-21

Israel: Knife attack on Tel Aviv bus; terrorist held. Hamza Matrouk told investigators he learned everything from the internet; he was shot and apprehended following a stabbing attack on the #40 Dan bus that wounded 12 people.

West Africa: Chad joins Cameroon and Niger against Boko Haram. Chad's parliament voted unanimously to send an undisclosed number of troops south to Cameroon to fight Boko Haram. LWJ notes that both the US and Russia have expressed interest in assisting in the fight against BH.

Morning Report: 2015-01-11

France: The elusive Hayat Boumieddine. She was killed in the raid on the Hyper Cacher supermarket, then she escaped alive, and now she was never there.

A crossbow in her hands and covered head-to-toe in a black Islamic headwear and robe that leaves only her eyes visible -- that is the image now circulating of France's most-wanted woman: Hayat Boumeddiene.

The 26-year-old is the partner of Amedy Coulibaly, one of the three gunmen shot dead by police after three days of high drama in France. ...

Although police now say that she was likely to have been in Turkey at the time of the killings, she remains of great interest to investigators piecing together this week's jihadist attacks in France by Coulibaly and brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi who killed 12 people on Wednesday in an attack on the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.

France: Massive demonstrations in solidarity with Charlie Hebdo. In Paris and throughout France, massive numbers of people demonstrated in defense of free speech and against terrorism. Over 3 million throughout France and 1.5 million in Paris alone according to AFP. Leaders from around the world showed solidarity by attending.

Nigeria: Ten-year-old girl suicide bomber kills 19 in Borno. 'A female suicide bomber suspected to be a child of about 10 years was said to have carried out the Maiduguri market attack while dozens were killed in Adamawa and Yobe state when insurgents and military troops clashed yesterday.'

BBC: French Police Storm Hostage Sites

9 January 2015 Last updated at 11:39 ET Share this pageEmailPrintShare this pageShareFacebookTwitterCharlie Hebdo hunt: Police storm two hostage sitesFrench police have stormed two hostage sites in Paris and north of the city. Gunshots and explosions have been heard at a printworks warehouse in Dammartin-en-Goele, where two suspects in the Charlie Hebdo shootings were holding at least one hostage.Police say the suspects, brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, have been killed.Explosions and gunfire could also be heard at a second hostage site in eastern Paris, at Porte de Vincennes.A gunman there was holding several hostages at a kosher supermarket. Reports suggest he is linked to the Charlie Hebdo suspects.After the operation started, several hostages could be seen leaving the supermarket. The hostage at the printworks warehouse has also been freed, while a police officer at the scene was injured, AFP news agency said.

via www.bbc.com

Looks like good news.

Morning Report: 2015-01-08

France: Policewoman's killer takes hostages in kosher supermarket as Charlie Hebdo killers take refuge and hostage in printing plant. The jihadi brothers Charif and Said Kouachi fled north from Paris after the massacre at Charlie Hebdo, and they're surrounded in Dammartin-en-Goele. Meanwhile, the man who shot a policewoman Thursday is probably the guy who's holding women and children hostage in a kosher market in eastern Paris, where two people are already reported killed. It's not officially confirmed whether the two strings of terrorist attacks are connected, although that would be a reasonable guess.

Nigeria: Boko Haram attack devastates Baga. Reports on the number killed range from 100 to 2000. Witnesses said the attackers were indiscriminately shooting civilians, burning buildings, and looting.