The US Spent So Much Time Fighting Insurgents That It Forgot ‘What It Means to Actually Fight a War,’ a US Vet in Ukraine Says

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An American veteran who fought in Ukraine said the US military spent so long focused on fighting insurgents that it forgot “what it means to actually fight a war.”

“We have neglected a lot of the training” on “how to fight and survive in a peer-on-peer adversary war,” the veteran, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Business Insider.

He said that “in the US military, we mostly have been focusing on a guerilla war” and battling insurgents, with places with Iraq and Afghanistan in mind. The US military invested decades, billions of dollars, and thousands of lives into fights in these places.

The former soldier spoke about how his training with the US military a number of years ago compared to what he saw in Ukraine, where he started fighting when Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022 and left last December. . .

In the US military, he explained, “I believe that a lot of the training that we have is tailored more to fighting in a guerilla warfare nowadays than it is to actually fighting a near-peer adversary like it would be with Russia or China.” He said that it is an issue that many NATO members face. (Read more from “The US Spent So Much Time Fighting Insurgents That It Forgot ‘What It Means to Actually Fight a War,’ a US Vet in Ukraine Says” HERE)

Israel Raids, Shuts Down News Service in the Country

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Israeli authorities raided and shut down Qatar-based television news network Al Jazeera in Israel with the unanimous approval of the Israeli government, according to an official statement.

“The Government, today, unanimously approved the closure of Al Jazeera according to the proposal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi,” the statement from Netanyahu’s office released Sunday read.

The orders, signed by Karhi, reportedly went into immediate effect.

Netanyahu conceived and advanced the law based on his conviction that Al Jazeera was “harming the state,” the statement implied. Karhi implemented the law after having received “at least one security opinion and the approval of either the Government or the Security Cabinet.”

“Al Jazeera correspondents have harmed the security of Israel and incited against IDF soldiers. The time has come to eject Hamas’s mouthpiece from our country,” Netanyahu said, the statement reported. (Read more from “Israel Raids, Shuts Down News Service in the Country” HERE)

Another Arab Country Rejects Hosting Hamas Terrorist Leaders

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Despite its previous wars and rhetoric against Israel since the Jewish State’s founding — don’t get us started on Queen Rania — the government of Jordan, though a senior diplomat, entirely rebuffed the suggestion that Hamas leaders could move to the Kingdom from their current home base in Qatar.

Mousa Abu Marzouk, the deputy political chief for Iran-backed Hamas, said in a recent interview that if Qatar decided to boot the terrorist leaders, Hamas would “move to Jordan.”

Jordan, however — after its air force joined in the defense of Israel during Iran’s unprecedented direct attack on the Jewish State — said that’s not an option. And it’s not the first time rejecting Hamas attempts to move their “political” (read: terrorist) operation to Jordan after the Kingdom banned Hamas in 1999

Jordanian diplomat Ziad Majali reminded that “Hamas behaves as if there’s no state and no authority in Jordan that will decide and determine how to act and how to conduct itself” and made it clear that “Jordan has closed the book on Palestinian cells — and we do not intend to reopen it.” (Read more from “Another Arab Country Rejects Hosting Hamas Terrorist Leaders” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

China Hosts ‘Unity’ Talks Between Palestinian Fatah and Hamas Terrorists

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Tuesday that representatives from the two main Palestinian factions, the terrorist organization Hamas and Fatah, made progress at recent “unity talks” held in Beijing.

Lin said Hamas and Fatah sent representatives to Beijing at China’s invitation for “in-depth and candid dialogue on promoting Palestinian reconciliation.”

“The two sides fully expressed their political will of realizing reconciliation through dialogue and consultation, had discussions on many specific issues, and made encouraging progress,” he said.

No announcements have been made and the talks were held without much fanfare. Lin did not indicate exactly when this “dialogue” occurred and the question that allowed him to broach the subject was clearly planted with Chinese state media, so Lin’s press conference on Tuesday looked like the Chinese Communist regime trying to squeeze a little good press out of meetings that did not accomplish much.

Lin said the Palestinian factions “agreed to continue this dialogue process so as to achieve Palestinian solidarity and unity at an early date.” (Read more from “China Hosts ‘Unity’ Talks Between Palestinian Fatah and Hamas Terrorists” HERE)

Putin Likely Didn’t Order Death of Russian Dissident Alexei Navalny, U.S. Intel Agencies Say

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American intelligence agencies have found that the death of Russian opposition leader and dissident Alexei Navalny was likely not ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Navalny’s February death in a prison camp in Russia’s Arctic regions prompted the United States and other countries to levy additional sanctions on the Russian economy, and derailed negotiations on prisoner exchanges. However, multiple American intelligence agencies, including the State Department and the Central Intelligence Agency, have assessed that Putin did not directly order the death of Navalny, according to the WSJ.

“The idea of Putin being not informed and not approving killing Navalny is ridiculous,” Navalny ally Leonid Volkov said, according to the WSJ. Navalny survived being poisoned with a Russian nerve agent in August 2020.

“Navalny was a high-value prisoner, politically, and everybody knew that Putin was personally invested in his fate. The chances for this kind of unintended death are low,” Polish Institute of International Affairs director Slawomir Dębski told the WSJ.

However, the American intelligence assessment did not clear Putin of any culpability for the death of the Russian opposition leader who was reportedly to be part of a proposed prisoner swap that could have also included jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and ex-Marine Paul Whelan in exchange for a Russian operative accused of assassinating a Georgian dissident. (Read more from “Putin Likely Didn’t Order Death of Russian Dissident Alexei Navalny, U.S. Intel Agencies Say” HERE)

Christian Homes in Egypt Attacked and Burned by Islamist Extremists

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Islamist extremists reportedly set fire to several Christian houses and businesses in southern Egypt last week.

The violence broke out on Tuesday night in the village of Al-Fawakher, which is home to about 3,000 Christian families. The local Christian community had recently received a permit to construct a new church building, prompting backlash from some Muslim hardliners.

“The attacks are believed to have been triggered by an attempt to build a new church in Al-Fawakher village in Minya [province],” one local source, who asked to remain anonymous, told The New Arab. “When religious fanatics failed to expel Christians from their homes as a form of punishment, the extremists [reportedly] burned down their houses while they were still inside.”

Video circulating on social media appears to show crowds of people dancing and celebrating in front of the burning buildings. (Read more from “Christian Homes in Egypt Attacked and Burned by Islamist Extremists” HERE)

Zelensky Reveals U.S. And Ukraine ‘Working’ on Scheme for 10 Years of Military Aid

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that the United States and Ukrainian governments are “working on a bilateral security agreement” that would result in sending additional monetary aid to Ukraine over the next ten years.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Zelensky noted he had spoken to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) thanking “him and all the congressmen for their support” of Ukraine and for voting to send a $61 billion aid package out of a $95 billion foreign aid package.

Zelensky added that during his conversation with Jeffries, he had “emphasized the need for Patriot systems.” . . .

“Also, our teams, Ukraine and the United States, are currently working on a bilateral security agreement, and we are already working on a specific text. Our goal is to make this agreement the strongest of all. We are discussing the specific foundations of our security and cooperation,” Zelensky said. “We are also working on fixing specific levels of support for this year and for the next ten years, including armed support, financial, political, and joint arms production. The agreement should be truly exemplary and reflect the strength of American leadership. I am grateful to both our team and the team of the American side for the progress in drafting the agreement.” (Read more from “Zelensky Reveals U.S. And Ukraine ‘Working’ on Scheme for 10 Years of Military Aid” HERE)

Ukraine Bill Allocates Funds for Increased Immigration to U.S.

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The recently proposed Ukraine aid bill championed by House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) has drawn attention for its allocation of at least $481 million towards facilitating further migration into the United States, amid broader provisions for economic and military assistance to Ukraine.

President Joe Biden has been advocating for this funding since August, facing repeated obstacles due to pressure from voters and Republican lawmakers. The bill, primarily focused on providing Ukraine with substantial economic aid and military support, includes a provision on page 18 directing $481 million to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for refugee and entrant assistance activities authorized by immigration laws.

While much of the aid is intended for humanitarian efforts, raising concerns about the potential ramifications of increased migration. There’s a likelihood that significant portions of the funds will be allocated to Democrat-led cities, which they label as “Ponzi-scheme cities,” and argue that deliberate migrant influxes may displace American citizens.

Additionally, the bill includes $300 million for bolstering border security in Ukraine, alongside an Israel aid package totaling $3.5 billion for addressing humanitarian needs. However, the wording of the bill does not explicitly prohibit the allocation of funds towards facilitating migration to the United States.

Critics, including William Gheen, founder of the pro-American group ALIPAC, expressed concerns about the potential national security implications of increased migration to the United States. Gheen asserts that policies contributing to a weaker, more divided America are being pursued by both Democrats and certain Republican factions aligned with globalist interests.

Israel Strikes Iranian Sites Near Suspected Nuclear Facilities, Reports Say

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Reports have surfaced indicating that Israel launched airstrikes targeting multiple Iranian sites, including areas near suspected locations of Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Israel’s Army Radio disclosed early Friday morning local time that ABC News had identified Israeli strikes near the town of Isfahan, Iran, as well as in regions within Syria and Iraq. The Times of Israel further detailed:

According to Iran’s Fars news agency, explosions were heard near the airport in Isfahan, central Iran. However, the cause of these explosions remains unknown, with investigations ongoing to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.

Isfahan province hosts several Iranian nuclear sites, including Natanz, which serves as a focal point for Iran’s uranium enrichment efforts.

Speculation circulated on social media suggesting that the targets in Syria and Iraq might be associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the external terrorist arm of the Iranian military.

The Israeli strikes are believed to be in response to a significant missile and drone assault launched by Iran against Israel over the preceding weekend. Despite interception by Israeli and allied air defenses, this marked the first direct attack by Iran against Israel from Iranian territory.

Israel had previously issued warnings that any attack originating from Iran would prompt retaliatory strikes within Iranian borders.

For years, Israel has contemplated the possibility of targeting Iran’s nuclear program, regardless of support from the United States.

Assessments indicate that the Iranian regime lacks substantial air defense capabilities. Dr. Shay Har-Zvi of the Institute for Policy and Strategy (IPS) at Reichman University, speaking to Breitbart News, noted that Iran’s air defenses, supplied primarily by Russia, have yet to incorporate the latest generation systems like the S-400. He suggested that Israeli actions might be motivated by concerns over potential Russian-Iranian collaboration, which could lead to the deployment of advanced air defense systems by Iran. However, he also emphasized Russia’s reluctance to directly engage in a confrontation between Iran and Israel.

Iran Closes Nuclear Facilities Over Fears They Could Be Targeted in Strike

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The Islamic Republic of Iran temporarily closed its nuclear facilities this week over “security considerations” that they could be targeted by Israel in an airstrike in retaliation for Iran’s unprecedented missile and drone barrage.

“We are always concerned about this possibility,” said International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi at a U.N. Security Council meeting. “What I can tell you is that our inspectors in Iran were informed by the Iranian government that [Sunday], all the nuclear facilities that we are inspecting every day would remain closed on security considerations.”

Grossi kept inspectors back on Monday over fears that Israel could hit the facilities after Iran launched combined more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel over the weekend — the first time the country has ever directly attacked Israel.

Several foreign policy and military experts urged Israel to strike Iran’s nuclear program following the attack, arguing that the window was closing for them to do so. (Read more from “Iran Closes Nuclear Facilities Over Fears They Could Be Targeted in Strike” HERE)