Myanmar in a Downward Spiral

Myanmar in a Downward Spiral

Mark Clouse September 2, 2021

State of Emergency in Myanmar – Six Months On

From www.lexology.com
2021-08-31 12:50:45

Excerpt:

Overview

On 1 February 2021, the military-nominated then Vice President U Myint Swe (who is now the current President of Myanmar) declared a state of emergency for a period of one year (“Declaration“) pursuant to Article 417 of the Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar 2008 (“2008 Constitution“). The Declaration was issued after the military detained government leaders including the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and other senior government officials from the National League for Democracy (“NLD“) in the early morning of 1 February 2021.

In connection with the Declaration, the legislative, executive and judicial powers of Myanmar were transferred to the Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who in turn established the State Administration Council (“SAC“) as the governing authority during the state of emergency. Since then, the military authorities have replaced the NLD government, removing NLD appointed…

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Greece and US Reaffirm Defensive Alliance

Mark Clouse September 2, 2021

Greece-US defense cooperation | eKathimerini.com

From www.ekathimerini.com
2021-08-31 18:17:05

Excerpt:

The prospect of a renewed Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement between Greece and the United States – possibly extended over five years – is an extremely important development, given the challenging geopolitical setting where events both in the immediate vicinity but also in more distant lands that may nevertheless affect us, are creating a growing sense of insecurity.

The US-Greece relationship has acquired its own momentum and, more importantly, is able to progress under different administrations in Washington (and majorities in Congress) and Athens.

Up until a few years ago, American decision makers regarded Greece with some skepticism (the approach was similar in Israel too) because of successive Greek governments’ efforts not to appear too pro-American in the eyes of a public known for decades for its knee-jerk, anti-American reaction and, at best, for marked suspicion of the US. This was due to specific American interventions in Greek domestic affairs in the past, but…

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Chinese Troops Training Up to do World “Peace Mission 2021”

Mark Clouse September 2, 2021

Chinese troops set out for SCO joint exercise “Peace Mission 2021”

From eng.chinamil.com.cn
2021-08-30 09:00:38

Excerpt:

BAICHENG, Aug. 30 — The first echelon of the Chinese troops to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) “Peace Mission 2021” joint anti-terrorism military exercise left Baicheng, northeast China’s Jilin Province, for the exercise venue in Orenburg Oblast, Russia, by railway on the evening of August 26.

The drill will be held at the Donguz training ground in Orenburg Oblast, Russia, from September 11 to 25. Eight SCO member states including China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, India, Pakistan and Uzbekistan will dispatch a total force of about 4000 to participate in the exercise, among which China will send over 550 troops and 130 vehicles (equipment).

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Our Afghani Friends Have Been Abandoned, Even the State Department Knows It

Mark Clouse September 2, 2021

By the US State Department’s own numbers, of the Afghanis that worked with us and were eligible to be evacuated out of Afghanistan, the majority of them were just left behind.

‘Majority’ of Afghans who worked for the US and applied for visas were likely left behind, State Department official says

From www.cnn.com
2021-09-01 17:49:00

Excerpt:

The official said they did not have a specific count of the Afghan Special Immigrant (SIV) applicants and family members who did not make it onto evacuation flights, “but I would say it’s the majority of them, just based on anecdotal information about the populations we were able to support.”

There were at least 20,000 SIV applicants in the pipeline prior to the US withdrawal, and the State Department has not provided a specific count of how many of the 123,000 people evacuated from Afghanistan fall into that category.

The State Department official told reporters that in early stages of the evacuation, the US tried to prioritize access for late-stage SIV applicants and other categories, but said the effort was unsuccessful because “every credential we tried to provide electronically was immediately disseminated to the widest possible pool.”

“Every day was a constant improvisational effort to figure out what was going to work that day,” they said. “As we got deeper into the process, we…

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Myanmar Junta Economic Plan Putting Country at Critical Risk

Mark Clouse September 1, 2021

Myanmar Junta Chief’s Wild Economic Plans at Odds With Reality

From www.irrawaddy.com
2021-09-01 11:01:02

Excerpt:

Recently, the senior general said that the Tatmadaw, as Myanmar’s military is known, had been growing tissue-culture bananas. Bananas are nutrient-dense and good for health, he explained, as he offered to provide banana saplings at reasonable prices to departments at the regional, state, district and township levels that wished to grow the crop. The move reminded Myanmar people of Min Aung Hlaing’s predecessor as dictator, Senior General Than Shwe, and his fruitless state project of growing castor oil trees across the country—including at schools—to produce biofuel for energy security. The ambitious scheme never came close to producing biofuel, and succeeded only in wasting time and money.

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Is the US Military Already Using Its Secret Knife Missile, the R9X?

Mark Clouse September 1, 2021

The Telltale Traces of the US Military’s New ‘Bladed’ Missile – bellingcat

From www.reddit.com
2021-08-30 18:15:04
/u/Donpabloescobar
Excerpt:

The R9X, or to give it its full name the AGM-114R9X, is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) with reportedly six blades. There does not appear to be any public images of this missile before it has been fired. However, given that the R9X is a modified version of the well-known Hellfire family of missiles (code 114), and based on fragments recovered from the scene of attacks, it’s possible to make an educated guess about what it looks like.

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VR to Teach Air Force Soldiers Sexual Assault Prevent and Response Skills

Mark Clouse August 31, 2021

The US Air Force is using VR Gaming Software to help train soldiers on how to defend themselves against potential assault. The program is called SAPT (Sexual Assault Prevent and Response Training) and is designed to help people avoic becoming victims and, if they do become victims, what to do afterwars, as well as how others can be prepared to help potential victims of sexual assault.

How the Air Force is using VR for sexual assault prevention training

From feedproxy.google.com
2021-08-30 18:30:01
Dean Takahashi
Excerpt:

The virtual reality company Moth + Flame has partnered with the U.S. Air Force to create a VR training program to show people how to prevent sexual assault and how to properly respond to it if it happens.

The program, dubbed sexual assault prevent and response training (SAPR), focuses on training Air Force personnel how to use intervention skills, advocate for victims, and how to report incidents, said Carmen Shott, SAPR program manager at Air Mobility Command (AMC), in an interview with VentureBeat.

The training is considered important because a report in March said there were a total of 1,661 reports of sexual assault in the Air Force in 2020, according to a report by the Department of Defense. Previously, New York-based Moth + Flame created a VR training module related to suicide prevention, and this week happens to be National Suicide Prevention Week.

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More Kenyan Christians Killed by Islamist Terror Groups

More Nigerian Christians Killed by Islamist Terror Groups

Mark Clouse August 31, 2021

Sectarian violence continues in Nigeria as the islamo-fascist group the Fulani go on rampage killing 36 Christians in 30 days throughout multiple counties in the country.

‘Bloodshed in Nigeria’: Fulani Militants Kill 36 Christians in 30 Days

From www.cbn.com
2021-08-31 15:27:09

Excerpt:

More sad news was reported in Kaduna state, Nigeria after Fulani Islamic extremists murdered 36 Christians during multiple attacks throughout the month of August.

According to Morning Star News, the attacks occurred from Aug. 4 to Aug. 28 in Zangon Kataf, Kaura, and Chikun counties.

Seventeen Christians were killed in Doh (Mado) village, five in Madamai, eight in Buruku and Udawa, three in Machun, and three more in Goran Gida.

“Fulani herdsmen have killed three of our Christians, and five other Christians were also injured,” area resident Judith David told Morning Star News in a text message.”It rained at the time the herdsmen invaded our village. We all had already gone to houses to sleep when the herdsmen attacked the village, forcing us to flee into the bush in the rain.”

The murders were confirmed by Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna state commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs.

“Police personnel responded to a distress call from Machun village and mobilized there,” he…

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Belarus Wants Maria Kolesnikova Locked Up for 12 Years for Opposing Alexander Lukashenko

Mark Clouse August 31, 2021

Belarus opposition figure Maria Kolesnikova faces 12 years in prison

From www.euronews.com
2021-08-31 15:57:57

Excerpt:

Belarus” public prosecutor’s office requested 12 years in prison for Maria Kolesnikova, one of the main leaders of the opposition movement.

She is accused of wanting to overthrow the authoritarian regime of President Alexander Lukashenko.

The trial of 39-year-old Kolesnikova, which began in early August, comes after months of crackdowns in Belarus.

Thousands of opponents of the regime have been arrested or forced into exile since the disputed election of Lukashenko last year.

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Bomb-Drone Attack on Saudi Airport Claims 8 Casualties

Mark Clouse August 31, 2021

Saudi Arabia Says Drone Attack On Airport Wounded At Least 8

From iranintl.com
2021-08-31 13:01:31

Excerpt:

A bomb-laden drone on Tuesday targeted an airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia, wounding eight people and damaging a civilian plane, Saudi state television reported.

It was the latest assault on the kingdom amid its grinding war in neighboring Yemen. The earlier attack, blamed on Yemen’s Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels, scattered shrapnel across the tarmac but caused no casualties. There have been dozens of such attacks in recent months since the US delisted Yemen’s Houthis from its terririst list.

The Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen did not elaborate on the assault or provide details about those hurt, beyond saying that its forces had “intercepted” the explosive drone.

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