Antigovernment Protests in Lebanon

Lebanon is blowing up. Protesters want Hezbollah out. Iran won't let that happen. Lebanon's Information Minister has quit, criticizing Shortly after that, the Environment Minister also quit.



Hezbollah will likely pull out all the stops to quell these protests, but I have the feeling it's not going to work. Things are getting interesting, while all of us are focused on other things. What will come of all this? Your guess is as good as mine.

Onward and upward,
airforce

Russia warns it will see any incoming missile as nuclear

Posted by NC Scout | Aug 9, 2020 | AP Editorial Staff,
Holy Serf Sends: Russia warns it will see any incoming missile as nuclear

Coming on the heels of the Beirut ‘explosion’:

“A harsh warning in the official military newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star), directed at the United States, says flatly “”Russia will perceive any ballistic missile launched at its territory as a nuclear attack that warrants a nuclear retaliation.”

This comes on the heels of a massive explosion in the port of Beirut Lebanon, which wrecked about half of that city. No one has yet confirmed that a missile strike triggered a massive explosion in a warehouse where 2700 tons of Ammonium Nitrate was stored, but the timing of today’s warning from Russia, lends credence to such claims. Filtered video SEEMS to show a missile striking the warehouse and triggering the massive explosion, but no official source has confirmed a missile strike.
That video (HERE) clearly shows what appears to b e a missile, hurling into the warehouse fractions of a second before the explosion.

What other reason might Russia have for issuing such a warning?

Some of Russia’s top generals, including senior officer of the Russian military’s General Staff, Maj.-Gen. Andrei Sterlin, claimed that in the event of an attack, radar and anti-air systems will have no way of knowing if a ballistic missile has a nuclear warhead or not.

“Any attacking missile will be perceived as carrying a nuclear warhead,” the Russian military publication said. “The information about the missile launch will be automatically relayed to the Russian military-political leadership, which will determine the scope of retaliatory action by nuclear forces depending on the evolving situation.”

“Russia has designated the ‘red lines’ that we don’t advise anyone to cross,” the Krasnaya Zvezda article said further. “If a potential adversary dares to do that, the answer will undoubtedly be devastating. The specifics of retaliatory action, such as where, when and how much will be determined by Russia’s military-political leadership depending on the situation.”

The military publication clearly upped the ante in a huge way, no doubt seeking to bolster Russian diplomats’ leverage as the landmark nuclear arms reduction treaty, New START, could be on the chopping block after the US pulled out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF). New START will expire in February 2021 if the two sides don’t agree to renew it.

As I stated in Radio Contra Episode 25, there’s a lot more to this behind the scenes than at first glance. While it can be surmised at first glance that the detonation was caused by an incoming missile, there’s at least one media outlet claiming this is false and that the thermal video that went viral is fake. The question now becomes who stands to gain and for what reason. But this response from Russia (and China’s odd silence) tells much.

Are those Blackjack bombers still in Caracas?

"Peaceful Protestors " over there will not get treated with the kid gloves that their counterparts here are currently enjoying .... BWHAHAHAHAHAAAA OHH YEAH !!!

Anybody else remember duck and cover drills in the 60's? how about the shelters under the schools?

Tomorrow should be an interesting day. Flynn trial #3.

Lebanon’s Government Resigns Over Deadly Beirut Port Blast

Cause of massive explosion still undetermined


By Deutsche Welle Tuesday, August 11, 2020

In a brief televised speech on Monday, Prime Minister Hassan Diab said he was taking “a step back” so that he can stand with the Lebanese people “and fight the battle for change alongside them.”

“I declare today the resignation of this government. May God protect Lebanon,” Diab announced.

“Today we are heeding the people and their demands to hold accountable those responsible for a disaster.”

Diab blamed his predecessors for last week’s deadly blast in the capital Beirut. “They (political class) should have been ashamed of themselves because their corruption is what has led to this disaster that had been hidden for seven years,” he added.

“Their corruption created this tragedy,” said Diab. “Between us and change stands a thick wall protected by their dirty tactics,” he added.

President Michel Aoun accepted the resignation of the government.

Earlier on Monday, Health Minister Hamad Hassan told reporters that Diab was heading to the presidential palace to “hand over the resignation in the name of all the ministers.”

“The whole government resigned,” Hassan said.

The Lebanese government on Monday held a cabinet meeting amid mounting pressure to step down over the devastating explosion that killed more than 150 people in Beirut earlier this week.

‘Aspirations of the Lebanese people’

Meanwhile, France has urged the “rapid formation” of a new government in Lebanon.

“The aspirations expressed by the Lebanese in terms of reforms and governance must be heard,” French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a statement following Diab’s announcement.

“The priority must be the rapid formation of a government that can live up to the expectations of the people, whose mission will be to meet the main challenges of the country, especially the reconstruction of Beirut and reforms without which the country will plunge into economic, social and political chaos,” he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron was the first Western leader to visit Beirut on Thursday, just days after the deadly explosion.

Ministers step down amid growing public anger

Protesters and critics of the government have blamed corruption and poor leadership at the heart of Lebanon’s government for the explosion. 

At least nine members of parliament have resigned since the blasts with many more ministers wanting to resign, Reuters reported citing ministerial and political sources.

The cabinet was formed in January with the support of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group and its allies.

Snap elections

Hours after the first protests rocked Beirut over the weekend, Prime Minister Diab vowed to hold early parliamentary elections as his embattled government faces calls to resign.

Diab said he would stay in government for another two months until major parties can reach an agreement.

About 20 people have been detained over the explosion, including the head of Lebanon’s customs department and his predecessor, and the chief of the port. Dozens more have been questioned, including two former Cabinet ministers, according to government officials.

The investigations is focusing on how 2,750 tons of the extremely explosive ammonium nitrate chemical came to be stored at a warehouse in Beirut’s port for six years.

Protests grip Beirut

Protesters clashed with riot police in Beirut and tried to break into a cordoned-off area at the parliament square on Sunday amid widespread anger over the massive explosion that killed at least 158 people earlier this week.

A fire broke out at the entrance to the square near the parliament building, according to footage shown by Lebanese television. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.