Geopolitics
ARTICLES
[ AP ] Detainee says China has secret jail in Dubai, holds Uyghurs
A young Chinese woman says she was held for eight days at a Chinese-run secret detention facility in Dubai along with at least two Uyghurs, in what may be the first evidence that China is operating a so-called “black site” beyond its borders. The woman, 26-year-old Wu Huan, was on the run to avoid extradition…
[ Mothership ] A glimpse inside an overloaded US military plane with over 600 Afghans fleeing country
The cargo plane, which was one of the many which were able to take off with hundreds of civilians on board, was carrying over five times of its suggested load as it departed. Over 600 Afghans, including women and children, were packed into that space. Some of the other flights may have had an even…
[ Jamestown Foundation ] Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s Latest Merger Enables Renewed Attacks in Pakistan
The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), announced on August 7 that it had merged with a former al-Qaeda-affiliated, anti-state Pakistani jihadist group once led by Ustad Aslam (Umar Media, August 7). It becomes the ninth jihadist group to join the TTP since July 2020. Among the other groups are three TTP splinters, two…
Taliban: The war is over in Afghanistan
Taliban spokesman, Mohammad Naeem, for the Taliban’s political office told Al-Jazeera Mubasher TV that the war is over and that the type of rule and the form of regime will be clear soon. This happens as Afghanistan President, Ashraf Ghani fled Afghanistan to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, saying that he wanted to avoid bloodshed – a move…
Petition to call for UN recognition of Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG) underway
A petition is started on Change.org by “Nang Si Si Win NUG support group Australia” to call for the recognition of Myanmar’s government in exile, the National Unity Government (NUG) by the United Nations General Assembly. When we first encountered the petition, it was around 7000 signed. Currently as of the writing of the article,…
[ Business Insider ] Chinese sleeper agents are trying to enter the UK through a scheme designed for Hong Kongers fleeing the city, report says
– Chinese agents are trying to enter the UK with a visa designed to give refuge to Hong Kongers. – Sources told The Times agents try use the visa introduced after China’s new national security law. – It is not clear if any have been successful, and the UK government said it has a strict vetting process.…
[ The Guardian ] Myanmar duo arrested in New York over plot to kill UN ambassador
Two Myanmar citizens have been arrested in New York state for plotting with an arms dealer in Thailand – who sells weapons to the Burmese military – to kill or injure Myanmar’s ambassador to the United Nations. The US attorney’s office for the southern district of New York said on Friday that Phyo Hein Htut, 28, and…
[ SCMP ] Biden administration approves its first arms sale to Taiwan
The potential US$750 million deal includes 40 new M109 self-propelled howitzers and almost 1,700 kits to convert projectiles into more precise GPS-guided munitions The proposed sale would improve Taiwan’s capability to blunt a Chinese land invasion The US State Department notified Congress on Wednesday of a proposal to sell some US$750 million of weapons to…
[ CNN Philippines ] Duterte admits US vaccine donations persuaded him to cancel VFA termination
https://www.cnn.ph/news/2021/8/3/Duterte-US-vaccine-donations-cancelation-of-VFA-termination.html President Rodrigo Duterte revealed on Monday that COVID-19 vaccine donations from the United States played a role in his decision to recall the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement. “Give and take lang tayo, so pasalamat tayo sa kanila at may naibigay naman ako sa kanila na (we thank them, and I also gave them a) concession,”…
[ The Jerusalem Strategic Tribute ] Can America Regain Global Leadership? A View From Singapore
Can America regain global leadership? The question reflects the shock and dismay with which foreign policy establishments in North America and Europe greeted and viewed Donald Trump’s election as the 45th president of the United States. They came to regard what Trump said and did in office between 2017 and 2021 as a repudiation of…
[ Reuters ] U.S., Britain believe Iran attacked Israeli-managed tanker off Oman
“Upon review of the available information, we are confident that Iran conducted this attack, which killed two innocent people, using one-way explosive UAVs,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, adding there was “no justification” for the attack. “We are working with our partners to consider our next steps and consulting with…
[ Frontline ] What Is the Fatemiyoun Brigade and Why Does It Make the Taliban Nervous?
In the new FRONTLINE report Leaving Afghanistan, correspondent Najibullah Quraishi investigated how Afghanistan’s neighbors — particularly Iran, through its proxy militia, the Fatemiyoun — are looking to fill the void as America withdraws. Quraishi spoke to Taliban leaders and former fighters who claimed Iran is mobilizing the Shia Fatemiyoun within Afghanistan. In return, a Sunni Taliban leader…
[ SCMP ] China pledges support for Taliban in Afghanistan, but demands end to ETIM ties
Foreign Minister Wang Yi tells delegation there is no room for links with terror group it blames for Xinjiang attacks Taliban spokesman says meeting in Tianjin covered political, economic and security issues as well as peace process China has pledged support for the Taliban’s role in Afghanistan’s reconstruction, while demanding that it cuts ties with the East Turkestan…
The lack of leadership in the UN exposed by the Myanmar crisis
As the monsoon season hits Myanmar, floods turning the plight of the Burmese facing the double threat of both persecution by the military-rules regime and COVID-19 virus into a hellish triple threat. Despite the obvious problem with the military overthrowing the election results, and mandating a one year postponement of a re-election (which there is…
[ USNI News ] Two Iranian Warships Spotted Near English Channel
Two Iranian warships are nearing the English Channel, according to satellite photographs reviewed by USNI News. The ships are thought to be headed to the Baltic Sea to represent Iran in a July 25 naval parade off the coast of St. Petersburg to commemorate the 325th anniversary of the Russian Navy
[ The Geopolitics ] The Philippines’ Maoist Guerillas Vow to Resist ‘Imperialist China’
…although the network holds deep historical and ideological affinities with Chinese Maoism, they now view contemporary China as a capitalist and imperialist power that is actively violating Philippine sovereignty using a variety of coercive economic and military means, thus making the Chinese state an adversary to be resisted. The recent 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)…
[ The Guardian ] Pakistan detains five Chinese trawlers for alleged illegal fishing
Pakistan has detained five Chinese trawlers on suspicion of illegal fishing near its strategic port city of Gwadar, as a wave of protests swept across the region led by fishers concerned about losing control of their fishing grounds to China. The Chinese trawlers, loaded with fish, were taken into custody by the Pakistan Maritime Security…
[ Nikkei Asia ] US does not support Taiwan independence: Kurt Campbell
U.S President Joe Biden’s point man on Asia is “astonished” by China’s determination to play the leading role on the global stage and will “step up” its engagement in Southeast Asia to hold back such a trend. But the administration does not support Taiwan independence and understands the sensitivities involved, Indo-Pacific Coordinator Kurt Campbell said…
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