NBCUniversal talks to acquire Vudu from Walmart at an advanced stage

(February 23) NBC Universal is in the advanced stage of talks to purchase Vudu, the video service owned by Walmart. While the talks may not end up in a deal it appears that NBCUniversal part of Comcast has a number of ideas as to how it would develop Vudu. How NBCUniversal might use Vudu The Wall Street Journal which reported on the talks said that Vudu's ad-supported service could serve as a complement to Peacock which is NBCUniversal's upcoming, standalone, streaming service. The digital movie rentals and purchases business would be tied into Fandango the app that you often buy movie tickets through. Fandango also operates FandangoNOW its own streaming service but is not nearly as popular as Vudu among consumers. In October of 20016 Vudu introduced the ad-supported free tier of Vudu. This service now offers a large mix of TV shows and movies that can be streamed on demand without paying a cent. In recent years there has been increased interest in these ad-supported services. Roku for instant has found major success with its Roku channel. Fox has expressed interest in purchasing Tubi another ad-supported streaming platform. Vudu has dabbled in offering its own original programming as Netflix has done successfully but has produced nothing that has resonated with viewers. Vudu well-regarded for its video stream quality Vudu is known not only for its free streaming but home theater enthusiasts also praise the excellent streaming quality. Vudu uses a higher bit rate than some other services. Even before 4k took over streaming, Vudu had concentrated on improving 1080p streaming with an "HDX" rental tier. The company also runs a number of disc-to-digital programs that helps customers to add movies they have on DVD or Blu-ray to their digital collection. For many people using Vudu changes that could be made may not generate much excitement. Vudu could become bloated and will also lose its independent status which it has carved out over the last few years. It may become just another tool in NBCUniversal's streaming wars arsenal. Neither NBCUniversal nor Walmart would comment on the ongoing discussions. Last fall Walmart made it clear that it was looking for a buy for Vudu as reported in a Digital Journal article. Vudu is used on over 100 million devices Walmart claimed at the time.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Group of US senators sponsor bill to bring US back into Iran nuclear deal

(February 23) A group of US Senators led by Senator Ed Markey, Dianne Epstein, Chris Van Hollen, Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Duckworth, all Democrats and Bernie Sanders an Indpendent have introduced the Iran Diplomacy Act.

The Iran Diplomacy Act

The act, bill S.3314, calls upon the US to return to its commitments under the P5 + 1 nuclear deal with Iran. However the bill is non-binding so it becomes just one of a series of bills objecting to Trump's policy on Iran. Trump will almost certainly disapprove of the bill as he has from the beginning objected to the Iran deal. It remains to be seen if the bill can pass the Senate and then the House.

US appears to want to sabotage the original pact

Senator Markey argues that the US pullout from the deal created a nuclear crisis where none existed before. Other argue that the US and Iran should both return to the deal as originally written. Iran is clearly willing to do so should the US decide to do so as well. However, the US has not only withdrawn from the pact but also seems bent upon keeping other parties from complying with the terms of the pact.

Senator Markey said: "President Trump’s Iran policy is a prime example of how he has created new nuclear crises where none existed or where they had successfully been tamed through diplomacy. IIf President Trump is serious about his declaration that ‘Iran will never have a nuclear weapon,’ he should recommit to the agreement which verifiably shut off all of Iran’s pathways to a nuclear bomb and abandon his failed Iran strategy that has brought us to the brink of war, not once but twice.”

Senator Feinstein claimed that under the Iran nuclear agreement there was a deal that restricted Iran's capability of developing nuclear weapons. She claimed the agreement was the best chance for peace in decades of hostilities. She argued that Trump's decision to withdraw increased tensions and has led to the potential of increased nuclear proliferation. Feinberg hoped that the Iran Diplomacy Act would help the US return to the deal.

Senator Elizabeth Warren argued that the US should work with its allies and partners to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Instead of doing this through the agreement President Trump withdrew from a successful deal. He re-imposed sanctions that hurt the Iranian populace and risked provoking a war with Iran. Warren said the bill put diplomacy first and avoids another possible war in the Middle East.

New EU foreign affairs chief to meet with Iran's Foreign Minister

Josep Borrell the new EU foreign affairs chief, will meet with Javad Zarif Iran's Foreign Minister this Monday according to an Iranian news report. Since Trump withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions on Iran, the Iranians have responded by gradually rolling back their commitment to the deal. Iran has not been satisfied by attempts of other signatories to rescue the deal. The deal is described by Wikipedia: "The Iran nuclear deal framework was a preliminary framework agreement reached in 2015 between the Islamic Republic of Iran and a group of world powers: the P5+1 (the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, and China—plus Germany) and the European Union."

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Israel Super PAC had run ads against Sanders but then stopped

( February 22) The Democratic Majority for Israel a pro-Israel super PAC (Political Action Committee) claims that it will not run any more negative ads against Senator Bernie Sanders in his race for the Democratic presidential candidate.

Mark Mellman president of the Democratic Majority for Israel said it would focus on congressional races and had no plans to endorse any candidate in the race to be presidential candidate or to pay for any more negative ads against any candidates after Saturday's Nevada caucus. Sanders is likely to win if polls are accurate.

During a panel discussion on Wednesday Mellman said: "We don't have plans to be further involved in the presidential race – against Sanders or anyone else for that matter."

Super Political Action Committees (Super PAC)

A recent Investopedia article briefly describes a super PAC: "Political action committees (PACs) are formed to privately raise money to donate to a political campaign in hopes of influencing the election. Super PACs can raise unlimited amounts of money to influence an election, but they are not permitted to donate directly to a campaign."

Super PACs are almost a fixture of US political campaign. American individuals, unions or corporations are legally allowed to donate as much money as they want to supposedly to super-PACs supposedly independent organizations that are linked to a particular candidate.

Super PACs have quickly grown into one of the biggest forces influencing US politics. Even back in the 2012 Republican primaries, Super PACs spent more money than the candidates' campaigns.

The anti-Sanders campaign.

The Super PAC of the Democratic Majority for Israel spent about $1.4 million on ads directed against Senator Sanders both in Iowa and Nevada. After the Iowa caucuses Sanders secured 12 delegates and former South Bend Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg got 13, the super PAC claimed that it had prevented Sanders from achieving a clear win.

Just ahead of the Iowa caucuses Mellman told the New York Times that the ads were aimed at showing that Sanders was in a uniquely bad position to defeat Trump in the November, The polls I have seen show exactly the opposite. Sanders is the only candidate in the running who would get a larger percentage of the vote than Trump.

Mellman's concerns about Sanders

Mellman complains that Sanders has the endorsement of those who hate Israel. This would include no doubt Representative Iilhan Omar, and Linda Sarsour a Palestinian-American activist. Sanders has urged the US to adopt a pro-Palestinian policy in addition to continued support for Israel.

No doubt Mellman does not welcome Sanders criticism of the present Israeli government. Sanders said at a town hall meeting in Nevada last Tuesday: "To be for the Israeli people and to be for peace in the Middle East does not mean that we have to support right-wing, racist governments that currently exist in Israel. What American foreign policy has got to be about in the Middle East is bringing the Israelis, bringing the Palestinians together under the banner of justice."

Sanders noted that youth unemployment in Gaza was 70 percent and yet people were not even able to leave the area. He said the US could not simply be pro-Israel but needed to pay attention to the needs of the Palestinian people.

Analysts and the mainstream press are constantly expressing concern about Russian attempts to influence US elections. Yet here we had an obvious attempt to influence the outcome of the choice of the Democratic candidate. Everything is out in the open and yet there no on seems to be warning us about Israeli attempts to influence US politics. The foreign lobby group is openly and with the support of many prominent US members of the Democratic Majority for Israel directly intervening in US politics. So where are all those blaming Israeli influence for the results of US political campaigns among other happenings?

Previously published  in the Digital Journal

Turkey claims retaliatory attacks kill 50 Syrian soldiers.

(February 20) Clashes in Syria's Idlib Province have increased Thursday as Turkish forces attacked Syrian Army forces. The Turks claim to have killed over 50 Syrian soldiers. Turkish officials said their attacks were in retaliation for Syria's killing of two soldiers.

Earlier in February 13 Turkish soldiers were killed in Syrian attacks. Erdogan had said at the time that Turkish forces would strike anywhere in Syria should another soldier be hurt. Fahtrettin Altun the Turkish Communications Director said the Turkish soldiers were in Idlib to "establish peace and manage humanitarian aid operations".

The Turkish government claimed that five tanks, two armoured personnel carriers, two armoured trucks and one howitzer were also destroyed in the retaliatory attacks.

Turkish-backed rebels involved in the attacks

Syria requested help and Russia ultimately sent in warplanes that stopped the fights. Russia warned Turkey to cease its actions. Turkish-backed rebels were involved in the attacks on the Syrians and were supported by Turkish artillery. The main group of Jihadists in control in Idlib Governorate is Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), who are linked to Al-Qaeda.

The Russian counter attack

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that its air forces launched strikes to repel the attack by Turkey-backed rebels to counter the offensive of the Syrians and retaliate for the killing of Turkish soldiers. They rebels sought to break through Syria's defensive lines. The rebels launched a massive offensive southeast of Idlib city according to the Russian Reconciliation Center in Libya using many armoured vehicles. Turkish artillery helped the rebels break through Syrian defenses in some areas.

The Russian Defense Ministry says its Air Force launched strikes to repel a militant offensive against the Syrian Army in Idlib, which had sought to breach the government forces’ defensive lines with Turkey’s backing. However, the Russian bombing destroyed considerable Turkish equipment and when Russia contacted Ankara the artillery barrage stopped.

The clashes may not be over

Russia describes the situation as a worst case scenario and demanded that Turkey cease backing terrorist groups in Syria. However, Turkey has demanded that Syrian forces withdraw from Idlib. Erdogan said on TV last Saturday: "Until the regime’s [Syrian government] forces pull out beyond the borders [of the Idlib de-escalation zone] outlined in the Sochi agreement, the problem will not be solved. If they do not leave, we will do this work without waiting until the end of February." In effect Turkey is demanding that Syria allow Jihadist rebels to rule Idlib Governorate.

However, Assad forces have been launching attacks which have regained considerable territory both inside and outside Idlib. The Syrian government now controls the key M5 highway linking Damascus and Aleppo.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Saudi Arabia facing pushback after attack by tribe in eastern Yemen

(February  19) Saudi Arabia's venture into Yemen to try and reinstate the internationally recognized government of Mansur Hadi has caused the country continual problems as it has confronted not just Houthi rebels who control much of the north but southern separatists.

Background

The Southern Transitional Council(STC), separatists fighting for an independent South Yemen, with the help of United Arab Emirates (UAE) forces had seized the southern port of Aden and some surrounding areas. However, the Saudis were able to reach a peace agreement with the STC and the UAE giving the STC some seats in the Hadi government but much to Hadi's displeasure.

Now it appears the Saudis may be creating a new enemy apart from the Houthis who control much of the north and are supported by Iran. The Saudis stormed the town of Shahn in the east of the country on the Oman border.

The Saudi attack

The Saudis have not explained what their aim was but they attacked a cargo port that belongs to the Mahra tribes in Mahra Province. The province has seen almost no fighting since the 2015 Saudi invasion. It is far east of Houthi-controlled territory. Mahra tribesmen denounced the seizure as a Saudi intrusion and claimed the seizure of the port was a violation of the sovereignty of the tribe. Saudi forces had opened fire during the seizure and injured a number of fighters.

A people's sit-in committee of the Mahra tribe issued a statement on Facebook: "The committee condemns these practices and violations committed by the Saudi occupation and its militias against our people. It constitutes a flagrant violation of Yemeni sovereignty and national identity. In this dangerous turning point of our honorable history, we call on all the tribes of the province, their sheikhs and their dignitaries, and their citizens to unite alongside all the liberals of the province to prevent the Saudi occupation from imposing its domination Al-Mahra."

Starting a fight with the tribes is a risky move as tribal factions and alliances in Yemen have often been more powerful than the government. The Saudis could be in for a fierce fight on territory where before there had been no resistance to the Saudi invasion.

The apparent reason behind the seizure

Saudi Arabia has already stationed some troops in the province. They have taken control of the airport and the main seaport. They did so after alleging that they were important points for smuggling weapons to the Houthis who control much of the northeast of Yemen including the capital Sanaa. The Saudis have also established more than a dozen military bases in the province and this has led to frequent tensions which have been escalating into armed clashes. It looks as if the Saudis are creating new enemies even while they appear unable to drive back the Houthis.

War has created a humanitarian disaster and caused many casualties

A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting Houthi rebels since 2015. Saudi actions have been widely condemned as they have targeted schools and hospitals, and even a wedding party. Including civilians and fighters some reports estimate that over 100,000 people have been killed since the war started. As mentioned earlier the Saudi coalition has been trying to restore the internationally-recognized government of Mansur Hadi but so far have not been able to retake the north and the capital from the Houthis,

The fighting has left millions suffering from food and medical shortages creating what many claim is the world's worst humanitarian disaster. As shown in the appended video the Houthis claim to have shot down a plane.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Turkiish-supported Syrian rebels mount counter-offensive to try and regain ground lost to Assad's forces

(February 17)Turkish-supported rebels in Syria have begun a new counter-offensive in Aleppo Province during the weekend to try to regain territory that had been won by the Assad government forces in recent weeks.

The Syrian offensive

The Syrian offensive was originally targeting al-Qaeda but once Turkey intervened Syria attacked rebels in Aleppo as well. Almost the whole of Aleppo Province is now in the hands of the Assad government. The road from Damascus to Aleppo is now unblocked with Syrian forces controlling all parts of it now. With control of this main highway the Syrian Army appears to be on the verge of controlling the whole of Aleppo Province.

Turkey anxious to reverse the Syrian advance

Turkey has warned Russia to stop its bombing missions. The Turks have provided rebels with mortars and rockets to rebel groups with the hope that this will help them with their counter-attacks. In Idlib Governorate itself one of the major groups is linked to al-Qaeda, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Many displaced and thousands killed in the conflict

The Russian-backed Syrian offensive has caused 800,000 people to flee the battle areas since December according to the United Nations. The conflict broke out nearly nine years ago and since then more than 380,000 people have been killed.

Turkey angry as Turkish troops are killed

Turkish has troops within Syria itself and also supports the rebels. It was bound in time to suffer casualties as the Assad forces advanced and Russia provided bombing support. 13 Turkish troops were killed over two weeks in Idlib governorate. Turkey urged Russia to stop the attack and warned that it would use military force to drive Syrian forces back unless they withdraw by the end of February. The conflict is in danger of escalating into a direct confrontation between Turkey and Russia.

The Syrian president Assad said in a meeting with Ali Larijani Speaker of the Iranian parliament that Syria was determined to take back all Syrian land from what he called terrorists according to a report in SANA the Syrian state news agency,

Turkey and Russia to hold talks

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, speaking at a brief at the Munich Security Conference said that what he called the aggression in Idlib must stop and a lasting ceasefire should be established right away. He added that Turkish and Russian officials would discuss the issue Monday in Moscow.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

US offers a partial withdrawal of its troops from Iraq

(Feb. 16) Back in January this year, the Iraqi parliament voted 170 to 0 for a resolution requiring all foreign troops be withdrawn from Iraq. The resolution was not binding upon the government and a number of lawmakers stayed away from the vote.

Iraq asks for meetings with the US to discuss troop withdrawal

The former Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi asked US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to send a delegation to discuss steps to be taken for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. There are approximately 5,200 troops in Iraq whose main mission was to train Iraqi troops and help in the fight against the Islamic State. However, the Islamic State has been mostly defeated and no longer holds any significant territory. It is more or less in survival mode. While the US is no longer needed the US wants to remain in Iraq to counter Iranian influence.

The US assassinated a top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani as well as a deputy commander of the Popular Mobilization Forces an umbrella group of militias approved and financed by the Iraqi government. There were many protests after the drone attack near Baghdad airport. As the attack did not have government approval many considered it a violation of Iraqi sovereignty.

In response to the Iraqi PM's request the US State Dept. said that it would not discuss a troop withdrawal but would discuss the "appropriate force posture in the Middle East". This response no doubt raised tension between the US and the Iraqi government.

Trump had a violent negative reaction to the vote

Trump was angered by the vote in the Iraqi and demand for troop withdrawal. He threatened Iraq with sanctions such as they had never seen before if they forced the US to withdraw. On January 10 he also suggested the might block some $35 billion of Iraqi funds sitting in a US account.

The former Iraqi PM backed off somewhat but tensions remained high. However, the US is now taking a less negative stance and is offering the Iraqis at least a partial withdrawal.

Secret talks in Amman Jordan

Secret talks were held outside of Iraq at the private residence of the Canadian ambassador to Jordan in Amman according to the Middle East Eye. At the meeting were a US military representative, a NATO official and a senior Iraqi security adviser. The US State Dept. would not comment on the meeting. Similarly a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada also would not comment on the meeting.

The US appears to be willing to leave some Shi'ite majority areas and even cut down the number of troops in Baghdad. The US military representative said: “We are prepared to leave some of the Shia-majority areas, like the base in Balad. Maybe we could reduce our presence in Baghdad .” The US rule in Baghdad would be reduced to guarding the airport and the US embassy in the Green Zone. However the US is categorically ruled out any withdrawal from the biggest air base in Iraq Ain al-Assad the largest US base in Iraq indeed in the whole Middle East.

The new US position represents a major shift but it remains to be seen if the withdrawal offer will be sufficient to satisfy many in Iraq who want to see a full withdrawal. As the appended video shows there are still ongoing protests against the government in Iraq.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Pentagon ends subsidy for venerable military newspaper Stars and Stripes

(Feb.  16) US Defense Secretary Mark Esper defended the Pentagon's decision to remove all federal funding of the military paper Stars and Stripes in its 2021 budget request. Esper told reporters in Brussels that the independent paper was not a priority.

Stars and Stripes not a priority

Esper claimed that the slightly more than $15.5 million for the paper needed to be used for other priority issues. Esper listed space, nuclear programs, hypersonic missiles as among places the money could be reinvested. However, $15.5 million is a minuscule amount within the Pentagon's total $705.4 billion budget request.

The funding enables the Stars and Stripes to be printed and distributed to US troops deployed around the world even in such areas as Afghanistan. Iraq, and Syria. It keeps the troops informed about what is going on.

Stars and Stripes funding

This is the first time that Pentagon officials have noted that their budget request has completely cut out the federal subsidy.

The newspaper receives about $8.7 million a year in operation and maintenance funds and another $6.9 million in contingency operations funds according to Marine Lt. Col. Chris Logan a spokesperson for Deputy Defense Secretary David Norquist.

The subsidy is about half of the newspaper's annual budget. The other half of Stars and Stripes" revenue comes from sales, subscriptions, and advertising.

Last Monday on a briefing on the Pentagon's 2021 budget Comptroller Elaine McCusker confirmed that the subsidy to Stars and Stripes would be eliminated and said: “We have essentially decided that, you know, kind of coming into the modern age that newspaper is probably not the best way that we communicate any longer." However, it is not clear if the newspaper will be replaced by some other information source. No doubt some officials would like to see a propaganda outlet replace a respected independent news source but others may be content with there being no replacement.

Stars and Stripes

As described by Wikipedia Stars and Stripes is a US military newspaper that concentrates on issues that concern members of the US Armed Forces. It operates from inside the Department of Defense but is editorially separate from it. It has First Amendment protection that is protected by the US Congress to whom an independent ombudsman who serves the readers' interests regularly reports. Stars and Stripes is obviously not some official propaganda outlet but designed to provide information to its readers and serve their interests.

Stars and Stripes appeared first during the US Civil War and has been published continuously since the second World War. The news organization not only provided daily newspapers around the world but also operates a website that is updated 24 hours a day.

Stars and Stripes gains praise from official while he cuts funding

Logan acknowledged that Stars and Stripes had been of great value during its long seven decades of service to the US military community. Logan said: "Their hard work and dedication in reporting on issues that matter the most to the military community continues to be of value. However, as we look forward to the current budget proposal and beyond, the DOD must prioritize spending to support our war-fighters in the most critical areas of need. Therefore, the department has made the difficult decision that, beginning in fiscal year 2021, it will no longer provide appropriated funds to Stars and Stripes." Apparently it is not a critical need that the US military be informed about what is going on in the military and the rest of the world. This shows a disrespect for the military community.

Ernie Gates, the ombudsman for the Stars and Stripes noted that the newspaper provided independent , free-flowing information that they needed and was their right to receive as Americans. He said the paper also provided a little bit of home or a welcome diversion from tough missions..

Pushback against cuts

The Society of Professional Journalists (SPI) called on Esper to rethink his cuts in funding for the paper saying that the cut to the subsidy would be a huge disservice to the men and women who served the USA. He noted that service people especially relied on the newspaper in areas where there was no Internet. SPI president Patricia Newberry said that the Stars and Stripes had been a balanced and objective source of information. She said that the paper's ability to inform US troops about issues that were important to them should not be unhindered. Perhaps the balance and objectivity of the paper is what makes it a target of the funding cut. The paper provides some information to the military that authorities would rather remained under wraps.

Representative Ruben Gallego a Democrat from California who is himself a Marine veteran said that the paper was a link to home when he was in Iraq and Okinawa and said: "It's an A+ indie take on everyday DoD news, f*** ups, and Administration & General Officer BS. No wonder this President wants to cut it. He's got a fight on his hands." No doubt this critical aspect of the paper that could lead authorities to cut its funding.

Representative Gil Cisneros a navy veteran wrote that the paper provide a crucial voice on the Dept. of Defense and Veteran's Affairs and other military matters. He said its reporting was needed.

Another former official praised the Stars and Stripes. James Stavridis, who served both as EUCOM Chief and NATO Supreme Allied Commander from 2009 to 2013 said: "Every day in my office as commander [of] U.S. European Command, I would read Stars and Stripes..It was an invaluable, unbiased, and highly professional source of information which was critical to me in my role overseeing U.S. military throughout Europe."

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Houthis claim to have shot down Tornado jet in Yemen

(February 15)A Tornado jet belonging to the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi rebels in Yemen has gone down. The official Saudi Press Agency said that the Saudi Air Force Tornado crashed in northern al-Jawf province.

Houthi rebels claim to have shot down the plane

Houthi broadcaster Al Masirah TV released a statement from Houthi spokesperson Yahya Saria saying they Houthis had show down the Tornado with an advanced air-to-ground missile.

Marwan Bishara, a senior political analyst for Al Jazeera noted that if Saria's report is true it could be a significant development in the Yemen war. Bishara said: "If they would have such a capability of missile batteries or land-to-air capacity against the Saudi air force, that would actually be a game changer."

Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdelsalam boasted in a tweet: “The downing of a Tornado in the sky above Al-Jawf is a major blow to the enemy and an indication of remarkable growth in Yemeni (rebel) air defence capabilities.”

There is no discussion of where the advanced weapons come from. Perhaps, the US will accuse Iran of providing the weapons increasing already tense relations between the two countries.

Saudis respond with deadly air strikes near the crash area

On Saturday Al Masirah TV quoted Houthi health officials who claimed that at least 30 civilians were killed in the region where the Tornado had gone. A recent Digital Journal article reports on the raids and puts civilian casualties at 31. Reporter for Al Jazeera Mohammed al-Attab reporting from the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa said that Saudi fighter jets were intensifying attacks in the area. Youssef al-Hadira a spokesperson for the Houthi health ministry said that Saudi-led strikes were hampering rescue operations at the site. The fate of the crew of the plane has yet to be confirmed.

Background

The Saud-led military coalition with other Gulf States such as the UAE intervened in the conflict after 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government of Mansur Hadi. Hadi had to flee to Saudi Arabia as the Houthis advanced. They still control much of the north of the country although pro-Hadi forces supported by the Saudis and the UAE control Aden and other southern areas.

The situation is complicated by the role of the Southern Transitional Council the main southern separatist groups who are working for an independent southern Yemen as had existed in the past. With the aid of the UAE the group had seized control of Aden and the surrounding areas. An agreement ended this bitter fight between the UAE and the Saudis who were allied against the Houthis. The STC were to be given cabinet positions in the Hadi government. However Hadi supporters were unhappy with this solution and appear to have resisted attempts to carry it out.

It may very well be that the Saudis are getting tired of the Hadi government resisting the agreement. The Saudis would like to end this costly war. Saudi bombing practices have led to international condemnation.. There have been back-channel negotiations in Oman that have given some hope of reconciliation. However, there is continuing violence on the ground up to now. However, there is the possibility that a solution can be found that gives the separatists their independent country in the south and the Houthis control over the north with some Hadi supporters being offered positions in the Houthi government. If Hadi does not like it he could be left in a position so weak he would be virtually irrelevant.

The conflict has seen tens of thousands killed and millions reduced to the brink of famine in what the UN has termed the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

The appended video purports to show the shooting down of the Tornado. However, there are dozens of missiles being shot. One wonders how the Houthi could have this many.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

US cuts off funding to Palestinian Authority security forces

(February 13) The US Trump administration has dealt another blow to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority (PA) as it introduces more budget cuts to the group, this time to the PA security forces.

US has long supported the Palestinian Security Services

When the US State Department released the budget request for 2021 missing from the requests was funding for the Palestinian Security Services. This funding has received bipartisan support for the last 27 years. In 2019 the US provided an estimated $35 million to fund the security services.

Since Trump took office the US has steadily cut humanitarian and economic aid to the Palestinians. As a result the Palestinian Authority and other groups such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). have suffered deep financial crises.

Last year, the Congress had rejected the State Dept's 2020 request for $175 million in funds for the Diplomatic Progress Fund. Instead the Congress opted to restore $150 million in Palestinian aid and that had included $75 million in security assistance.

Some funds available if Palestinians accept US peace plan

Even though there are no unconditional or explicit funds for the Palestinian security forces in the budget request, there is a request for $200 million for a Diplomatic Progress Fund, that the US government can use with flexibility to “respond to new opportunities arising from progress in diplomatic and peace efforts around the world…such as progress on a plan for Middle East peace.” Within those funds is $25 million designated towards security assistance in the West Bank. However it is understood that access to those funds is contingent upon the Palestinians accepting the Trump peace plan that has already been categorically rejected by the Palestinians and the PA. It seems that the Palestinians are correct when they claim that the US is using political blackmail to force Palestinians to give in to their demands.

Israel supports the US funding of Palestinian Security Forces

Israel as well as the US have both long supported the funding of the Palestinian Security Services as a means of maintaining stability and order in the occupied West Bank. Israel considers the forces help protect their security interests. Trump's nixing of funds for the Palestinian Security Forces came as a surprise to many. However, it has been reported that Trump rejected a request to continue funding from Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu last November

For years security coordination between the PA and Israel has been an essential part of Israel's security arrangements. Recently, Mahmoud Abbas, PA president, has threatened to break off security coordination if Israel moves ahead with annexation plans.

Israel has been working to make Israel less dependent upon PA Security Forces.

Israel using advanced technology to replace PA security

Diana Buttu, a political analyst based in Ramallah said she was not surprised by the news of the budget cut. Buttu claimed that Israel really did not need the PA any longer for security coordination.

Buttu said: “If you look at the way Israel operates today, a lot of it is being done by their own technological mechanisms. Everything from new IDs with magnetic chips for Palestinians, gates at the entrances to Palestinian areas that be can closed electronically, and facial recognition technology at checkpoints...The occupation is very much operating by remote control, they don’t need the PA any longer."

However Buttu said that the EU and other donor countries will probably step up funding as the forces help provide regional stability and the PA security services are a major employer of Palestinians. However, this may mean less funding for other services such as education and health care. Buttu notes that the PA spends more money on security than it does on education and healthcare combined.

Previously published in the Digital Journal

Philippine president Duterte ends Visiting Forces Agreement with the US

(February 12) The Philippines has officially notified the US that it is scrapping a security pact allowing US forces to train and take part in joint exercises in the country.

Rodrigo Duterte the Philippine president has for some time threatened to move away from the Philippine's long term relationship as a strong ally of the US and turn more towards China.

The visiting forces agreement (VFA)_ was signed in 1998. The VFA accords legal status to thousands of American troops rotated in the country for humanitarian assistance and military exercises. There are dozens of visits taking place annually. Duterte's foreign secretary tweeted that official notice had been given to end the VFA. The notice begins a 180-day waiting period and then the agreement ends.

A Duterte spokesperson, Salvador Penelo quoting Duterte said: “It’s about time we rely on ourselves. We will strengthen our own defences and not rely on any other country.” Throughout his more than three years in office Duterte has often denounced the US for hypocrisy and for treating the Philippines as if it were a dog on a leash. However this is the first time that Duterte has actually scrapped a treaty with the US.

Duterte makes move after US revokes the visa of an ally

Duterte had warned Washington last month that he would cancel the agreement after the US had revoked a travel visa that had been issued to former police chief Ronald dela Rosa. Dela Rosa said the visa had been rescinded over an issue related to the detention of a senator who was a critic of dela Rosa. Dela Rosa had been the top commander of Duterte's war on drugs which killed hundreds if not thousands of drug traffickers.

Trump brushes off Duterte decision

While you might think that Trump would show concern about losing the Philippines as an ally with close military relations with the US, his response was rather nonchalant verging on the positive: "Well I never minded that very much, to be honest. We helped the Philippines very much. We helped them defeat ISIS ... I don't really mind if they would like to do that, it will save a lot of money. My views are different from others." Trump has often been critical of the fact that countries that have US troops in them do not pay the US enough for their upkeep.

Thousands died in US Afghan reconstruction projects

(February 12)There has been much documentation to show that the Afghan war has been quite expensive with considerable sums spent on reconstruction but little has been achieved.

The human costs of Afghan reconstruction

The US Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko warns the US Congress that financial expenditures give an incomplete picture of the costs. There has been a very high human cost to the reconstruction program.

The SIGAR report said: "While considerable effort is made to track the amount of U.S. dollars spent, this review shows that we do not adequately capture the human cost of conducting reconstruction and stabilization projects while combat operations are still ongoing, especially third country nationals and Afghans," the report concludes. "Unless the U.S. Government considers the human costs, the true costs of reconstruction and stabilization efforts in Afghanistan are not accurately captured."

The reconstruction program has resulted in 2,214 people being killed so far. 216 American soldiers were among those killed but also 68 American civilians. There were 2,921 wounded, and another 1,182 who are simply missing. Most casualties identified in the report were Afghan civilians, 1,447 were killed, 2,008 wounded, and 1,003 kidnapped during reconstruction operations.

The US Congress created the SIGAR office to find where there was waste and corruption in the billions of dollars the US taxpayer spent in the war in Afghanistan. Up until this report SIGAR was almost exclusively focusing on the financial costs of the US operation but now it is revealing the huge human costs as well.

The casualties reported were the result of Taliban and other militant attacks on reconstruction projects since 2002.

When asked to assign a letter grade to the US reconstruction effort in Afghanistan Sopko said he thinks even a D-minus would be a bit high. He said that the US should only get credit for attendance.

Trump conditionally accepts Afghan peace plan

The New York Times reports that Trump has conditionally approved a peace deal with the Taliban that will see US troops withdraw if the Taliban will commit to a reduction in violence for roughly a one-week period this month. However the Taliban had already agreed to a demand that the deal include a ceasefire. The Taliban have indicated that they are fed up with the US backing out of a deal to ask for additional demands. It remains to be seen if they accept this further demand.

Previously published in the Digital Journal