В ходе совместной работы стороны обсудили состояние и перспективы сотрудничества двух стран в военной области.
Начальник Генерального штаба ВС РФ генерал армии Валерий Герасимов и председатель Комитета начальников штабов ВС США генерал Джозеф Данфорд на встрече в Баку обменялись мнениями о состоянии российско-американских отношений, оценками ситуации в сфере международной безопасности.
White House chief of staff Reince Priebus asked the FBI to discredit media reports that President Donald Trump's campaign advisers were frequently in touch with Russian intelligence agents during the election, U.S. media reported late February 23.
TASHKENT (Reuters) - An explosion occurred at a chemical plant in the city of Ferghana in Uzbekistan, killing an undisclosed number of people, the Central Asian country's emergency ministry said on Thursday.
SEOUL (Reuters) - The bizarre assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother marks a departure from the isolated country's repertoire of overseas operations, according to experts on its opaque ruling structures.
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian police said on Friday a preliminary report showed the murder of Kim Jong Nam was carried out with a highly toxic chemical known as VX nerve agent.
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KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - VX nerve agent, a chemical on a U.N. list of weapons of mass destruction, was used to kill the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in last week's bizarre murder in a busy Kuala Lumpur airport, Malaysian police said on Friday.
By Steve Holland
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump said on Thursday he wants to ensure the U.S. nuclear arsenal is at the "top of the pack," saying the United States has fallen behind in its atomic weapons capacity.
In a Reuters interview, Trump also said China could solve the national security challenge posed by North Korea "very easily if they want to," ratcheting up pressure on Beijing to exert more influence to rein in Pyongyang's increasingly bellicose actions.
In his first comments about the U.S. nuclear arsenal since taking office on Jan. 20, Trump said he would like to see a world with no nuclear weapons but expressed concern that the United States has "fallen behind on nuclear weapon capacity."
“I am the first one that would like to see everybody–nobody have nukes, but we're never going to fall behind any country even if it's a friendly country, we're never going to fall behind on nuclear power."
"It would be wonderful, a dream would be that no country would have nukes, but if countries are going to have nukes, we're going to be at the top of the pack," Trump said.
Russia has 7,300 warheads and the United States, 6,970, according to the Ploughshares Fund, an anti-nuclear group.
"The history of the Cold War shows us that no one comes out ‘on the top of the pack' of an arms race and nuclear brinkmanship," said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the independent Arms Control Association non-profit group.
"Russia and the United States have far more weapons than is necessary to deter nuclear attack by the other or by another nuclear-armed country," he said.
The new strategic arms limitation treaty, known as New START, between the United States and Russia requires that by Feb. 5, 2018, both countries must limit their arsenals of strategic nuclear weapons to equal levels for 10 years.
The treaty permits both countries to have no more than 800 deployed and non-deployed land-based intercontinental and submarine-launched ballistic missile launchers and heavy bombers equipped to carry nuclear weapons, and contains equal limits on other nuclear weapons.
Analysts have questioned whether Trump wants to abrogate New START or would begin deploying other warheads.
In the interview, Trump called New START "a one-sided deal."
"Just another bad deal that the country made, whether it's START, whether it's the Iran deal … We're going to start making good deals," he said.
"WE'RE VERY ANGRY"
The United States is in the midst of a $1 trillion, 30-year modernization of its aging ballistic missile submarines, bombers, and land-based missiles, a price tag that most experts say the country cannot afford.
Trump also complained that the Russian deployment of a ground-based cruise missile is in violation of a 1987 treaty that bans land-based American and Russian intermediate-range missiles.
"To me it's a big deal," Trump said.
Asked if he would raise the issue with Putin, Trump said he would do so "if and when we meet." He said he had no meetings scheduled as of yet with Putin.
Speaking from behind his desk in the Oval Office, Trump declared that "we're very angry" at North Korea's ballistic missile tests and said accelerating a missile defense system for U.S. allies Japan and South Korea was among many options available.
"There's talks of a lot more than that," Trump said, when asked about the missile defense system. "We'll see what happens. But it's a very dangerous situation, and China can end it very quickly in my opinion."
Trump's meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earlier this month in Florida was interrupted by a ballistic missile launch by North Korea.
Trump did not completely rule out possibly meeting Kim at some point in the future under certain circumstances but suggested it might be too late.
"It's very late. We're very angry at what he's done, and frankly this should have been taken care of during the Obama administration," he said.
According to Japanese news reports, the Japanese government plans to start debate over the deployment of a U.S. missile defense system known as the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, and the land-based Aegis Ashore missile defense system to improve its capability to counter North Korean ballistic missiles.
Japanese government sources told Reuters last year Japan may accelerate around $1 billion of planned spending to upgrade its ballistic missile defenses.
Trump vowed during his campaign to step up missile defense efforts and within minutes of his Jan. 20 inauguration, the White House announced that the administration intended to develop a "state of the art" missile defense system to protect against attacks from Iran and North Korea.
It did not provide details on whether the system would differ from those already under development, its cost, or how it would be paid for.
The post Trump Wants to Expand U.S. Nuclear Arsenal, Make It ‘Top of the Pack’ appeared first on Washington Free Beacon.
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Trio of military men gain growing influence with Trumpby By VIVIAN SALAMA and JULIE PACE
WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a White House laden with competing power centers, a trio of military men has emerged as a force to be reckoned with....
Peace Train: Relations between US/NATO and Russia
Colorado Daily During 2016, the relations between the U.S./NATO and Russia continued to worsen. According to the Western mainstream media, Russia was the problem due to its reactions to the U.S.-supported coup in the western part of Ukraine in February 2014. and more » |
Los Angeles Times |
Pence condemns Jewish center bomb threats and visits desecrated cemetery in Missouri
Los Angeles Times Visiting Fenton, Mo., on Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence condemned a string of bomb threats against Jewish community centers around the nation and the desecration of a St. Louis-area Jewish cemetery over the weekend. "Speaking just yesterday ... VP Pence Joins Gov. Greitens at Jewish Cemetery Clean-UpCBS Local VP Pence tours damaged gravestones in St. Louis Jewish cemeteryfox2now.com Pence Condemns Vandalism at Jewish CemeteryU.S. News & World Report Daily Caller -Washington Times -STLtoday.com -Mediaite all 43 news articles » |
Washington Post |
Republicans are facing the ire of the anti-Trump movement this week. Will it last?
Washington Post YORKTOWN, Va. — The raucous anti-Trump movement poured into this historic town Tuesday evening for a 75-minute showdown with a freshman Republican congressman, peppering him with questions on every key national news item. Members of the ... and more » |
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The chief of staff for the Navy’s forward deployed amphibious force — based on Okinawa — died Tuesday in an off-duty recreational accident, Navy officials said.
 Хартия'97 |
The Guardian: Мифы и правда о Путине
Хартия'97 Изучив движения Путина по видеозаписям, Коннорс заключила, что у него есть ослабляющий здоровье и, вероятно, врожденный неврологический дефект (вероятно, вызванный инсультом в эмбриональный период), который не дает ему полноценно пользоваться правой половиной ... and more » |
Владимир Путин провёл совещание с постоянными членами Совета Безопасности. Обсуждались актуальные международные вопросы и различные темы, связанные с внутрироссийской повесткой дня.
Глава государства также поздравил участников совещания с Днём защитника Отечества.
В совещании приняли участие Председатель Правительства Дмитрий Медведев, Председатель Совета Федерации Валентина Матвиенко, Руководитель Администрации Президента Антон Вайно, Председатель Государственной Думы Вячеслав Володин, Секретарь Совета Безопасности Николай Патрушев, Министр внутренних дел Владимир Колокольцев, Министр иностранных дел Сергей Лавров, Министр обороны Сергей Шойгу, директор Федеральной службы безопасности Александр Бортников, директор Службы внешней разведки Сергей Нарышкин, спецпредставитель Президента по вопросам природоохранной деятельности, экологии и транспорта Сергей Иванов.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Russian government summoned energy companies last week to give it advance notice about developments that could influence public opinion in the period up to May next year, when President Vladimir Putin's term ends.
MADRID (Reuters) - A Spanish court decided on Thursday not to hold the King of Spain's brother-in-law in custody while he awaits an appeal against a six-year jail sentence for charges including tax fraud and money laundering.
Russia has asked Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime to halt bombings during peace talks this week in Geneva, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura has said, adding that a peace breakthrough seems unlikely.
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The world is becoming ever more tumultuous. But amid the general storm one country can be relied upon to maintain a sanguine -- and sanguinary -- course: Vladimir Putin's Russia. (The views expressed in this blog post do not necessarily reflect the views of RFE/RL.)
The migrant boat that carried more than 70 migrants to their death on Monday was left floating without an engine for days. Smugglers are also taking the unusual risk of sending out boats during rough winter weather.
Power vacuum left by the extradition of "El Chapo" Guzman to the US prompts a spike in violence.
AL.com |
President Trump approval rating falls to 38 percent: Poll
AL.com President Trump rally in Florida President Donald Trump salutes as he arrives a Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., Friday, Feb. 17, 2017. Trump is spending a third weekend in a row at his Mar-a-Lago estate. (AP Photo/Susan ... Quinnipiac poll: Trump approval hits new lowThe Hill (blog) MTSU poll finds slim majority of Tennesseans approve of Donald TrumpWBIR.com Will Trump Go To War? Most Americans Fear Military Conflict, Split Over Russia Threat, Iran DealInternational Business Times Philly.com all 69 news articles » |
The Foreign Ministry’s website now highlights articles it considers to be false, but critics say that the ministry’s designation should be considered a “medal.”
Washington Post |
Donald Trump is losing his war with the media
Washington Post It's pretty clear what President Trump is doing by going after the media. He sees someone who is tough on him, with a lower approval rating, and he sets up a contrast. It's like making yourself look taller by standing next to a short person. “You have ... Poll: Trump's approval rating continues to dipCNN Trump's disapproval rating keeps creeping upPolitico Quinnipiac poll: Trump approval hits new lowThe Hill (blog) Business Insider -CNNMoney -AOL News -U.S. News & World Report all 66 news articles » |
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An elusive Ukrainian associate of Paul Manafort says he briefed the former campaign chairman for U.S. President Donald Trump on Ukraine during last year's presidential race.
The new complaint drops wording that said she lost the chance to profit from her brand.
The remarkable double life of undercover agent Jack Barsky who lived the American dream at the KGB's expense.
Russia is open to dialogue with the United States on creating safe zones in Syria, but believes that any such plan needs to be coordinated with the Syrian government, Moscow's top diplomat said.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said he was satisfied he has established a dialogue with the Trump administration despite early predictions the American president would favor a closer relationship with Russia.
Thai editor has lese majeste jail sentence reducedby Dake Kang and Kaweewit Kaewjinda | AP
Thailand’s Supreme Court has upheld but reduced the jail sentence of a magazine editor who is currently the longest-serving prisoner convicted of lese majeste — insulting the monarchy.
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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told senior European Union officials in Brussels on Monday that the Trump administration was looking at ways to "deepen our relationship" with the EU.
BEIRUT/ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran summoned the Turkish ambassador in Tehran on Monday over comments made by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and President Tayyip Erdogan accusing the Islamic Republic of destabilizing the region.
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian authorities said on Tuesday they had yet to determine a cause of death in the killing of the half-brother of North Korea's leader, and had still to confirm the identity as no next of kin has come forward.
BERLIN/MOSCOW (Reuters) - The leader of Germany's far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) held talks with Russian officials during a visit to Moscow at the weekend, including with an ultra-nationalist ally of President Vladimir Putin, a spokesman said on Tuesday.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration will leave protections in place for immigrants who entered the country illegally as children, known as "dreamers," but will consider all other illegal immigrants subject to deportation, according to guidance released on Tuesday.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia waits for the United States to come up with proposals on a possible cooperation in Syria, Interfax news agency quoted Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov as saying on Wednesday.
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MOSCOW (Reuters) - Moscow and Washington are not currently holding talks on possible dates for a first meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Add a potential government shutdown to embattled President Donald Trump's growing roster of headaches....
Russia military acknowledges new branch: info warfare troopsby By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
MOSCOW (AP) -- Along with a steady flow of new missiles, planes and tanks, Russia's defense minister said Wednesday his nation also has built up its muscle by forming a new branch of the military - information warfare troops....
What killed Kim Jong Nam, who did it and why still not knownby Kim Tong-Hyung and Hyung-Jin Kim | AP
More than a week has passed since the North Korean leader’s estranged half brother died in Malaysia, but what killed him, who instigated it and why are still unknown. Malaysian authorities have identified several suspects in the death of Kim Jong Nam, but many questions remain.
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Reuters |
US existing home sales rise to 10-year high
Reuters A house-for-sale sign is seen inside the Washington DC Beltway in Annandale, Virginia January 24, 2016. REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang/Files. By Lucia Mutikani | WASHINGTON. WASHINGTON U.S. home resales surged to a 10-year high in January as buyers ... January home sales rose in Ohio, nationwide, though Midwest lags other regionscleveland.com Existing-Home Sales Jump in January, NAR Data ShowForbes Existing-home sales jump to a 10-year highBusiness Insider Columbus Dispatch -Bloomberg -MarketWatch -USA TODAY all 38 news articles » |
Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan on February 27-28, a presidential aide has said.
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No secret entrenched bureaucracy is plotting to overthrow Donald Trump
As Donald Trump’s White House fumbles mounted in his first month in office, including several insults casually aimed at our Intelligence Community, something close to all-out war between the president and the country’s spies has broken through the surface. Faced with a commander-in-chief who compares them to Nazi Germany and accuses them of being “very anti-American,” intelligence professionals have fought back with leaks, per time-tested tradition.
In particular, IC sources have informed journalists—this one included—about signals intelligence intercepts of phone calls to the Russian embassy in Washington which led to the early downfall of National Security Advisor Mike Flynn. Additional SIGINT collected by the National Security Agency demonstrated that several members of Trump’s inner circle maintained contacts with Moscow in the months before the November 8 election. In neither case did anyone inform the media of the content of those calls, but the mere fact that they had been intercepted posed problems for the new administration.
These revelations have been highly embarrassing to the White House, and led to denunciations of leakers by the president on down, as well as assurances that the malefactors who talked to the press without authorization will be tracked down and punished. This drama has an unavoidably Nixonian flair, since that vindictive president, too, waged a war on leakers—ultimately leading to the break-in at the Watergate, which unraveled Richard Nixon’s presidency.
Many Trump backers have professed outrage at America’s leaky spies, whom they claim are acting out of loyalty to the previous administration. That charge is absurd, since there are hardly any political appointees in the IC. Save a few very high-ranking IC personnel, our spies are professionals—not donors appointed to cushy Washington jobs. In this sense, the Intelligence Community is very unlike other parts of the Federal government.
One charge, however, is more serious, and that is the claim from certain Trump supporters that the president is the target of a conspiracy hatched by the “deep state” in Washington. According to this take, the IC and related elements of our secret government have gone rogue and are acting beyond their remit. In this telling, resentful spies are spreading stories about President Trump, especially regarding his mysterious ties to Russia, in order to remove him from office.
Read the rest at The Observer …
Filed under: Counterintelligence, Espionage, USG
The XX Committee
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20committee by 20committee
No secret entrenched bureaucracy is plotting to overthrow Donald Trump
As Donald Trump’s White House fumbles mounted in his first month in office, including several insults casually aimed at our Intelligence Community, something close to all-out war between the president and the country’s spies has broken through the surface. Faced with a commander-in-chief who compares them to Nazi Germany and accuses them of being “very anti-American,” intelligence professionals have fought back with leaks, per time-tested tradition.
In particular, IC sources have informed journalists—this one included—about signals intelligence intercepts of phone calls to the Russian embassy in Washington which led to the early downfall of National Security Advisor Mike Flynn. Additional SIGINT collected by the National Security Agency demonstrated that several members of Trump’s inner circle maintained contacts with Moscow in the months before the November 8 election. In neither case did anyone inform the media of the content of those calls, but the mere fact that they had been intercepted posed problems for the new administration.
These revelations have been highly embarrassing to the White House, and led to denunciations of leakers by the president on down, as well as assurances that the malefactors who talked to the press without authorization will be tracked down and punished. This drama has an unavoidably Nixonian flair, since that vindictive president, too, waged a war on leakers—ultimately leading to the break-in at the Watergate, which unraveled Richard Nixon’s presidency.
Many Trump backers have professed outrage at America’s leaky spies, whom they claim are acting out of loyalty to the previous administration. That charge is absurd, since there are hardly any political appointees in the IC. Save a few very high-ranking IC personnel, our spies are professionals—not donors appointed to cushy Washington jobs. In this sense, the Intelligence Community is very unlike other parts of the Federal government.
One charge, however, is more serious, and that is the claim from certain Trump supporters that the president is the target of a conspiracy hatched by the “deep state” in Washington. According to this take, the IC and related elements of our secret government have gone rogue and are acting beyond their remit. In this telling, resentful spies are spreading stories about President Trump, especially regarding his mysterious ties to Russia, in order to remove him from office.
Read the rest at The Observer …
Filed under: Counterintelligence, Espionage, USG
Read the whole story
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