My Latest Edit: Chasing Success: The Air Force and Civilian Harm

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/221826.htm

Libertarian Party of Mississippi – #LegalizeLiberty

Watch the Libertarian Party Presidential Debate tonight, 7:25 to 9:45 PM CT. Learn about the leading alternative to the two-party stranglehold on American liberty. Re-legalize liberty! Return to the Constitution!



Libertarian Party of Mississippi – #LegalizeLiberty

Thousands of US veterans are sick and dying because of burning garbage

Thousands of US veterans are sick and dying because of burning garbage

Stolen Radioactive Material Missing in ISIS-Ravaged Iraq

Stolen Radioactive Material Missing in ISIS-Ravaged Iraq

Kurdish Forces and Their Allies Closing in on Rebel-Held Aleppo

YPG forces prepare for further assaults on al-Qaeda-affiliated rebels in Aleppo, Syria.

After launching a powerful assault on Tuesday morning to liberate several sites from extremist rebels, the Kurdish Yekîneyên Parastina Gel (YPG, People’s Protection Units) and Jaysh al-Thuwar (SDF, The Revolutionary Army)—a mixed ethnic militia of Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmen—are advancing on the provincialcapital of the Aleppo governorate. In addition to their advance inside Aleppo, the YPG and SDF have imposed fire control over the Castillo roundabout, effectively cutting off the rebel supply route from the provincial capital to the northern Aleppo front. Nor do the YPG and SDF appear to be finished, as reports indicate they are preparing another significant assault on the al-Qaeda-affiliated rebels’ defenses near the strategic border city of Azaz. Should this prove to be the case, the YPG and SDF can surely expect to receive shelling from the Turkish military, which continues, contrary to public statements, to give succor to the rebel forces.

Iran to Ink Massive Arms Deal with Russia

Iranian military officials announced this week that they will purchase $8 billion in arms from Russia, the latest indicator of growing economic and military ties between the two US rivals.

With the recent lifting of sanctions against the regime in Tehran, Iran is promptly using its new found funds to  strengthen its military capabilities. Sputnik News reports that Iran will sign a massive arms deal with Russia, exceeding $8 billion USD. This deal would provide Iran with antiship missile systems, a fleet of new submarines, military helicopters, and advanced trainer aircraft. Most significantly, the deal would greatly enhance the quality and capabilities of Iran’s air force, which currently centers around an aging fleet of US fighters acquired before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
These are to be replaced with modern Sukhoi Su-30 mulitrole fighters, the premier Russian design. The deal would also significantly boost the power of the Iranian navy. Tehran’s hope is to radically enhance the regime's ability to repel potential Israeli or US attacks and increase its military's offensive capabilities in relation to those of its regional Arab rivals.

Deadly Car Bomb Rips through Central Ankara, Dozens Dead and Injured

IMAGE: Mustafa Kirazli/Cihan News Agency

In the latest among a spate of attacks rocking Turkey, at least 28 people were killed and 61 wounded Wednesday when a car bomb targeting Turkish troops detonated in the heart of the capital Ankara. The blast struck a convoy of military vehicles stopped at a traffic light in downtown Ankara. No group has yet to claim credit for the attack. However, Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised swift retaliation against the perpetrators of the attack, which follows numerous deadly strikes in Turkey blamed on jihadists and Kurdish rebels.