destined for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah , a close ally of Assad . Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six Day War of 1967 , before Syrian forces led an unsuccessful counter - offensive in 1973 , and Israel effectively annexed the vast majority of the occupied territory in 1981 . The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force ( UNDOF ) was set up to monitor a ceasefire established in the region but fighting between the Syrian regime and rebels has frequently spilled over into the demilitarised area since 2012 , sparking Israeli air strikes in Syrian territory .
Ties are one thing , policy and statements are another . Here is where the links get interesting . The one time Trump ’s aides intervened in the drafting of the Republican National Convention ’s platform , it was to push for the deletion of a passage endorsing arms shipmentsmovement.transportperson.disperseseparateto Ukraine soldiers fighting to stave off incursions from Russian forces . And of course , many of Trump ’s statements on foreign policy , such as his isolationist impulses and jarring statement , in a New York Times interview , that he might not come to the aid of a NATO ally in the event of an invasion , must be sweet whisperings to Putin ’s ears .
And then it turns out that Secretary of State Hillary played a role in transferring 50 percent of our nation ’s uranium output to Russia ’s government . With the Hillary - led State Department authorizing numerous deals , several countries in the Middle East ( Saudi Arabia , Qatar , Kuwait , United Arab Emirates , et al . ) received arms shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparatefrom the United States . These dictatorships ( some even having ties to terrorist organizations ) donated somewhere between $ 50 and $ 150 million to the Clinton Foundation . The FBI , already investigating Hillary ’s unsecured e - mail transmissions , has reportedly opened up a second investigation looking into the possibility that she accepted funds and delivered political favors .
Ties are one thing , policy and statements are another . Here is where the links get interesting . The one time Trump ’s aides intervened in the drafting of the Republican National Convention ’s platform , it was to push for the deletion of a passage endorsing arms shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadto Ukraine soldiers fighting to stave off incursions from Russian forces . And of course , many of Trump ’s statements on foreign policy , such as his isolationist impulses and jarring statement , in a New York Times interview , that he might not come to the aid of a NATO ally in the event of an invasion , must be sweet whisperings to Putin ’s ears .
The mining sector is a key part of North Korea 's economy , which is already largely cut off from the rest of the world . Experts believe revenue from the sector helps underwrite North Korea 's military expenditures . The ministry said it would also ban coal shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparatefrom North Korea , although it made exemptions consistent with sanctions , including uses intended for " the people 's well - being " and not connected to nuclear or missile programs . North Korea delivered around 20 million tonnes of coal to China last year , up 27 percent on the year , overtaking Russia and Mongolia to become China 's third biggest supplier , behind Australia and Indonesia . An exception was made for coal originating in third countries and supplied via North Korea 's port of Rason .
It also comes after several gestures by Russian President Vladimir Putin that seem to aim at defusing East - West tensions despite NATO 's summit last weekend in Warsaw . There , the alliance agreed to deploy a multinational force to the Baltics and Poland and to take over a U.S.-built missile shield that Russia sees as hostile . Putin agreed to Wednesday 's meeting of the NATO - Russia Council , only the second since mid-2014 , while also recently allowing a U.N. resolution authorizing the EU to intercept arms shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadto Libya in the Mediterranean . Putin has talked by telephone U.S. President Barack Obama , German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Holland in recent days . " BACK TO THE COLD WAR "
And then it turns out that Secretary of State Hillary played a role in transferring 50 percent of our nation ’s uranium output to Russia ’s government . With the Hillary - led State Department authorizing numerous deals , several countries in the Middle East ( Saudi Arabia , Qatar , Kuwait , United Arab Emirates , et al . ) received arms shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadfrom the United States . These dictatorships ( some even having ties to terrorist organizations ) donated somewhere between $ 50 and $ 150 million to the Clinton Foundation . The FBI , already investigating Hillary ’s unsecured e - mail transmissions , has reportedly opened up a second investigation looking into the possibility that she accepted funds and delivered political favors .
[ Washington ’s foreign policy elite breaks with Obama over Syrian bloodshed ] If so , Obama ’s successor will inherit an array of unattractive options . Critics of the proposal to increase arms shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.nawarn that it would only worsen the violence in Syria without fundamentally changing the outcome . But inaction has its own risks — increasing the likelihood that Aleppo will fall , that tens of thousands of CIA - backed fighters will search for more - reliable allies , and that the United States will lose leverage over regional partners that until now have refrained from delivering more - dangerous arms to Assad ’s opponents . The proposed expansion of the agency program — dubbed “ Plan B ” because it was seen as a fallback for failed diplomatic efforts — still has supporters , including CIA Director John Brennan and Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter .
to train rebels trying to oust Mr. Assad . The decision was made in part to try to gain control of a chaotic situation in which Arab countries were funneling arms into Syria for various rebel groups with little coordination . The Qataris had paid to smuggle shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateof Chinese - made FN-6 shoulder - fired weapons over the border from Turkey , and Saudi Arabia sent thousands of Kalashnikovs and millions of rounds of ammunition it had bought , sometimes with the C.I.A. ’s help . By late 2013 , the C.I.A. was working directly with Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates and other nations to arm and train small groups of rebels and send them across the border into Syria .
President Barack Obama authorised the covert arming programme in April 2013 , after more than a year of debate inside the administration about the wisdom of using the CIA to train rebels trying to oust Assad . The decision was made in part to try to gain control of a chaotic situation in which Arab countries were funnelling arms into Syria for various rebel groups with little coordination . The Qataris had paid to smuggle shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.fallof Chinese - made FN-6 shoulder - fired weapons over the border from Turkey , and Saudi Arabia sent thousands of Kalashnikovs and millions of rounds of ammunition it had bought , sometimes with the CIA 's help . By late 2013 , the CIA was working directly with Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates and other nations to arm and train small groups of rebels and send them across the border into Syria . The specific motives behind the November shooting at the Amman police training facility remain uncertain , and it is unclear when the FBI will officially conclude its investigation .
[ Washington ’s foreign policy elite breaks with Obama over Syrian bloodshed ] If so , Obama ’s successor will inherit an array of unattractive options . Critics of the proposal to increase arms shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadwarn that it would only worsen the violence in Syria without fundamentally changing the outcome . But inaction has its own risks — increasing the likelihood that Aleppo will fall , that tens of thousands of CIA - backed fighters will search for more - reliable allies , and that the United States will lose leverage over regional partners that until now have refrained from delivering more - dangerous arms to Assad ’s opponents . The proposed expansion of the agency program — dubbed “ Plan B ” because it was seen as a fallback for failed diplomatic efforts — still has supporters , including CIA Director John Brennan and Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter .
Despite his forces being part of the truce , President Assad vowed to take back the country from " terrorists " - a term used to describe all opposition groups . Israel has largely remained on the sidelines of the fighting along its border , but has carried out reprisals on Syrian positions when errant fire has previously landed in Israel . The IDF is also widely believed to have carried out airstrikes on arms shipmentsmovement.transportperson.disperseseparatedestined for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah , a close ally of Assad . Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six Day War of 1967 , before Syrian forces led an unsuccessful counter - offensive in 1973 , and Israel effectively annexed the vast majority of the occupied territory in 1981 . The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force ( UNDOF ) was set up to monitor a ceasefire established in the region but fighting between the Syrian regime and rebels has frequently spilled over into the demilitarised area since 2012 , sparking Israeli air strikes in Syrian territory .
[ Washington ’s foreign policy elite breaks with Obama over Syrian bloodshed ] If so , Obama ’s successor will inherit an array of unattractive options . Critics of the proposal to increase arms shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparatewarn that it would only worsen the violence in Syria without fundamentally changing the outcome . But inaction has its own risks — increasing the likelihood that Aleppo will fall , that tens of thousands of CIA - backed fighters will search for more - reliable allies , and that the United States will lose leverage over regional partners that until now have refrained from delivering more - dangerous arms to Assad ’s opponents . The proposed expansion of the agency program — dubbed “ Plan B ” because it was seen as a fallback for failed diplomatic efforts — still has supporters , including CIA Director John Brennan and Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter .
Qatar denies the claims . The BBC says the row is actually a culmination of a complex regional schism that puts Doha on the side of Saudi Arabia 's rival Iran , which ironically represents a branch of Islam that is opposed to both IS and Nusra . Qatar , a member of the Opec oil cartel , relies on the Strait of Hormuz waterway , says the Daily Telegraph , and as that passes through both Iranian and UAE waters , regional shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadcould be disrupted , which would have consequences for global oil supply . The oil price has long been in the thrall of supply trends : Brent crude fell below $ 50 a barrel last week over doubts that supply cuts by Opec , Russia and others would be enough to rebalance the market . Oil price drops below $ 50 as ' game of chicken ' starts again
The mining sector is a key part of North Korea 's economy , which is already largely cut off from the rest of the world . Experts believe revenue from the sector helps underwrite North Korea 's military expenditures . The ministry said it would also ban coal shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.nafrom North Korea , although it made exemptions consistent with sanctions , including uses intended for " the people 's well - being " and not connected to nuclear or missile programs . North Korea delivered around 20 million tonnes of coal to China last year , up 27 percent on the year , overtaking Russia and Mongolia to become China 's third biggest supplier , behind Australia and Indonesia . An exception was made for coal originating in third countries and supplied via North Korea 's port of Rason .
Qatar denies the claims . The BBC says the row is actually a culmination of a complex regional schism that puts Doha on the side of Saudi Arabia 's rival Iran , which ironically represents a branch of Islam that is opposed to both IS and Nusra . Qatar , a member of the Opec oil cartel , relies on the Strait of Hormuz waterway , says the Daily Telegraph , and as that passes through both Iranian and UAE waters , regional shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparatecould be disrupted , which would have consequences for global oil supply . The oil price has long been in the thrall of supply trends : Brent crude fell below $ 50 a barrel last week over doubts that supply cuts by Opec , Russia and others would be enough to rebalance the market . Oil price drops below $ 50 as ' game of chicken ' starts again
Aid deliveries to besieged areas were a key part of the cessation of hostilities deal brokered last week . Supplements were delivered to the besieged town of Talbiseh in Homs province on Monday , the Red Cross said . But most aid shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadwere still waiting to go in . The UN said it had received government approval to reach all the besieged and hard - to - reach areas where it sought to bring aid . But access to many areas was still constrained , it said , because of fighting , insecurity and administrative delays .
Despite his forces being part of the truce , President Assad vowed to take back the country from " terrorists " - a term used to describe all opposition groups . Israel has largely remained on the sidelines of the fighting along its border , but has carried out reprisals on Syrian positions when errant fire has previously landed in Israel . The IDF is also widely believed to have carried out airstrikes on arms shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparatedestined for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah , a close ally of Assad . Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six Day War of 1967 , before Syrian forces led an unsuccessful counter - offensive in 1973 , and Israel effectively annexed the vast majority of the occupied territory in 1981 . The United Nations Disengagement Observer Force ( UNDOF ) was set up to monitor a ceasefire established in the region but fighting between the Syrian regime and rebels has frequently spilled over into the demilitarised area since 2012 , sparking Israeli air strikes in Syrian territory .
China 's imports of North Korean coal are up 11.7 percent for the first eight months of the year compared to the same period last year , slightly below the 12.4 percent gain for total coal imports . So far , the big winners among coal exporters to China are Mongolia , with a 50.1 percent year - to - date increase and Indonesia at 18 percent . Top supplier Australia is down 3.6 percent for the first eight months of the year , as higher coking coal exports have n't been enough to offset lower thermal coal shipmentsmovement.transportperson.disperseseparate. It 's difficult to ascertain why China has decided to allow its coal trade with North Korea to continue , and indeed to grow . About 90 percent of Pyongyang 's trade is with China , and coal accounts for nearly 40 percent of that in value terms , according to a Sept. 24 report in the Nikkei Asian Review .
State - owned Russian news agencies have quoted military officials as saying that Syrian rebels have violated the ceasefire agreement 55 times already . Rebels have alleged violations by Assad ’s forces . Aid shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateinto the devastated city of Aleppo have yet to be allowed to reach civilians . More than 470,000 people have been killed in the Syrian civil war since 2011 , according to the Syrian Center for Policy Research . On Saturday , Putin blamed ceasefire violations and the aid blockade on resistance from Washington , saying Americans “ still can not separate the so - called healthy part of the opposition from the half - criminal and terrorist elements .
Aid trucks carrying non - food items such as blankets on Monday entered Mouadamiya , a suburb of Damascus under siege by government forces , the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said . The United Nations and other agencies hope to deliver aid to more than 150,000 people in besieged areas over the next five days . Kerry said he was concerned by reports the Syrian government was creating obstacles for the delivery of humanitarian aid and hoped it would stop its officials and troops from taking medicine or other supplies from the shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparate. GLOOMY ASSESSMENT Asaad al - Zoubi , head of the HNC 's delegation to the peace talks , gave a gloomy assessment of the truce .
Washington has sold weapons and provided training , targeting information , and aerial refueling support to the Saudi - led coalition fighting in Yemen . It has also sold Riyadh millions of dollars ’ worth of cluster bombs in recent years . Asked about the hold on the shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunload, a senior U.S. official cited reports that the Saudi - led coalition used cluster bombs “ in areas in which civilians are alleged to have been present or in the vicinity . ” “ We take such concerns seriously and are seeking additional information , ” said the official , who spoke on condition of anonymity . The hold applies to CBU-105 cluster bombs manufactured by the U.S.-based firm Textron Systems , a subsidiary of Textron .
Acrimony within the group could undermine these efforts to rebalance the market . Phin Ziebell , of National Australia Bank , told Market Watch : " Qatar may have little reason to keep the production quota and if that happens , it might encourage other Opec members to cheat too . " In addition , if the row rolls on , it may prove difficult to keep oil shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.namoving along the strategically important Strait of Hormuz waterway . Oil price back above $ 50 as Arab states cut off Qatar 05 June AM
Oil price back above $ 50 as Arab states cut off Qatar 05 June AM Brent crude is back above $ 50 a barrel this morning after a diplomatic row in the Middle East raised concerns over oil shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunload. The international oil price benchmark rose 0.5 per cent to hit $ 50.18 a barrel , while its US counterpart West Texas Intermediate was up 0.6 per cent to $ 47.92 following the news that several countries have severed ties with Qatar . Saudi Arabia has closed its land borders with the peninsula and cut all air and sea contact , a move also seen from Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates .
In Arizona , a state that has voted Democratic once in nearly 70 years but has a growing Hispanic population , his lead has slipped to 44 % to 42 % . Marco Rubio : women with Zika should not be allowed abortions Read more Trump ’s broader polling numbers have plummeted in a period during which , among other controversies , he again refused to release his taxes , insulted the family of a war hero , claimed that Russia had not invaded Ukraine – two years after it had , said his daughter should “ find another company ” if sexually harassed and briefly claimed to have seen a nonexistent video of cash shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateto Iran . Republicans have tried to tie Clinton ’s foreign policy to that money , $ 400 m owed to pre - revolutionary Iran for a failed arms deal in the 1970s , describing it as “ ransom ” for hostages who were freed in January , around the time of delivery and sanctions relief for a nuclear arms deal . Clinton began tentative nuclear talks with Iran but the money dispute predated her and was concluded by her successor as secretary of state , John Kerry , who also oversaw the hostage release .
“ In recent years Israel has gained a great diplomatic advantage in that the claim that the source of all troubles in the Middle East is the Israeli - Arab conflict has been disproved by developments , such as the developments in Syria , Iraq and Libya that have no connection to Israel , ” Mr. Rabinovich told Israel Radio , adding , “ I ’m not necessarily coming out against the stand but against this demonstrative act that returns us to the heart of the argument . ” The cabinet meeting came a week after Mr. Netanyahu made another unusual declaration acknowledging that Israel had carried out “ dozens ” of strikes across the Syrian frontier in recent years to prevent Hezbollah from obtaining advanced weapons . While Israel has generally hewed to a policy of nonintervention in the internal fighting in Syria , it has acted to prevent weapons shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparatefrom Syria to Lebanon but has rarely admitted responsibility for the strikes , in part to avoid pushing the other side to retaliate .
Acrimony within the group could undermine these efforts to rebalance the market . Phin Ziebell , of National Australia Bank , told Market Watch : " Qatar may have little reason to keep the production quota and if that happens , it might encourage other Opec members to cheat too . " In addition , if the row rolls on , it may prove difficult to keep oil shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadmoving along the strategically important Strait of Hormuz waterway . Oil price back above $ 50 as Arab states cut off Qatar 05 June AM
China is constructing a modernized version of the old silk roads , with the intent not only of integrating the region under Chinese influence , but also of reaching Europe and the Middle Eastern oil - producing regions . It is pouring huge sums into creating an integrated Asian energy and commercial system , with extensive high - speed rail lines and pipelines . One element of the program is a highway through some of the world ’s tallest mountains to the new Chinese - developed port of Gwadar in Pakistan , which will protect oil shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparatefrom potential U.S. interference . The program may also , China and Pakistan hope , spur industrial development in Pakistan , which the United States has not undertaken despite massive military aid , and might also provide an incentive for Pakistan to clamp down on domestic terrorism , a serious issue for China in western Xinjiang Province . Gwadar will be part of China ’s “ string of pearls , ” bases being constructed in the Indian Ocean for commercial purposes but potentially also for military use , with the expectation that China might someday be able to project power as far as the Persian Gulf for the first time in the modern era .
President Barack Obama authorised the covert arming programme in April 2013 , after more than a year of debate inside the administration about the wisdom of using the CIA to train rebels trying to oust Assad . The decision was made in part to try to gain control of a chaotic situation in which Arab countries were funnelling arms into Syria for various rebel groups with little coordination . The Qataris had paid to smuggle shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadof Chinese - made FN-6 shoulder - fired weapons over the border from Turkey , and Saudi Arabia sent thousands of Kalashnikovs and millions of rounds of ammunition it had bought , sometimes with the CIA 's help . By late 2013 , the CIA was working directly with Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates and other nations to arm and train small groups of rebels and send them across the border into Syria . The specific motives behind the November shooting at the Amman police training facility remain uncertain , and it is unclear when the FBI will officially conclude its investigation .
Aid was delivered to the besieged town of Talbiseh in Homs province on Monday , the Red Cross said , for the first time since July . The convoy brought in food , water and hygiene supplies for up to 84,000 people , it said . But most aid shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateenvisaged under the truce have yet to go in . The United Nations said it had received government approval to reach nearly all the besieged and hard - to - reach areas where it sought to bring aid , but access to many areas was still constrained by fighting , insecurity and administrative delays . Already widely violated since it took effect , the ceasefire came under added strain at the weekend when Russia said jets from the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State killed more than 60 Syrian soldiers in eastern Syria .
“ In recent years Israel has gained a great diplomatic advantage in that the claim that the source of all troubles in the Middle East is the Israeli - Arab conflict has been disproved by developments , such as the developments in Syria , Iraq and Libya that have no connection to Israel , ” Mr. Rabinovich told Israel Radio , adding , “ I ’m not necessarily coming out against the stand but against this demonstrative act that returns us to the heart of the argument . ” The cabinet meeting came a week after Mr. Netanyahu made another unusual declaration acknowledging that Israel had carried out “ dozens ” of strikes across the Syrian frontier in recent years to prevent Hezbollah from obtaining advanced weapons . While Israel has generally hewed to a policy of nonintervention in the internal fighting in Syria , it has acted to prevent weapons shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.nafrom Syria to Lebanon but has rarely admitted responsibility for the strikes , in part to avoid pushing the other side to retaliate .
Washington has sold weapons and provided training , targeting information , and aerial refueling support to the Saudi - led coalition fighting in Yemen . It has also sold Riyadh millions of dollars ’ worth of cluster bombs in recent years . Asked about the hold on the shipmentsmovement.transportperson.disperseseparate, a senior U.S. official cited reports that the Saudi - led coalition used cluster bombs “ in areas in which civilians are alleged to have been present or in the vicinity . ” “ We take such concerns seriously and are seeking additional information , ” said the official , who spoke on condition of anonymity . The hold applies to CBU-105 cluster bombs manufactured by the U.S.-based firm Textron Systems , a subsidiary of Textron .
In Arizona , a state that has voted Democratic once in nearly 70 years but has a growing Hispanic population , his lead has slipped to 44 % to 42 % . Marco Rubio : women with Zika should not be allowed abortions Read more Trump ’s broader polling numbers have plummeted in a period during which , among other controversies , he again refused to release his taxes , insulted the family of a war hero , claimed that Russia had not invaded Ukraine – two years after it had , said his daughter should “ find another company ” if sexually harassed and briefly claimed to have seen a nonexistent video of cash shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadto Iran . Republicans have tried to tie Clinton ’s foreign policy to that money , $ 400 m owed to pre - revolutionary Iran for a failed arms deal in the 1970s , describing it as “ ransom ” for hostages who were freed in January , around the time of delivery and sanctions relief for a nuclear arms deal . Clinton began tentative nuclear talks with Iran but the money dispute predated her and was concluded by her successor as secretary of state , John Kerry , who also oversaw the hostage release .
for treason over a 2015 story they published with pictures of trucks alleged to have belonged to Turkey 's MIT intelligence agency carrying weapons to Syria . At the time , in January 2014 , the trucks were stopped by gendarmerie . The government first said the shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparatewere a national secret , then said they were carrying food and medicine . cw / jm ( AFP , AP )
China 's imports of North Korean coal are up 11.7 percent for the first eight months of the year compared to the same period last year , slightly below the 12.4 percent gain for total coal imports . So far , the big winners among coal exporters to China are Mongolia , with a 50.1 percent year - to - date increase and Indonesia at 18 percent . Top supplier Australia is down 3.6 percent for the first eight months of the year , as higher coking coal exports have n't been enough to offset lower thermal coal shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunload. It 's difficult to ascertain why China has decided to allow its coal trade with North Korea to continue , and indeed to grow . About 90 percent of Pyongyang 's trade is with China , and coal accounts for nearly 40 percent of that in value terms , according to a Sept. 24 report in the Nikkei Asian Review .
Rebels chafed at the restriction , complaining that it left them vulnerable to air attack by Assad and , more recently , Russia . The Plan B proposal envisioned a compromise in which the CIA and its partners would deliver truck - mounted antiaircraft weapons that could help rebel units but would be difficult for a terrorist group to conceal and use against civilian aircraft . As the Russian pounding of Aleppo intensified , horrific images of injured children and destroyed hospitals put new pressure on Obama to authorize expanded weapons shipmentsmovement.transportperson.disperseseparateto besieged opposition groups . Plan B was raised during a series of weekly White House meetings and was finally put to Obama during an Oct. 14 session with the National Security Council . Carter has for months favored a “ doubling down ” of the CIA program , officials said , to inflict higher costs on Moscow for its intervention , while opposing using U.S. military force out of worry that it would divert resources from the campaign against the Islamic State .
to train rebels trying to oust Mr. Assad . The decision was made in part to try to gain control of a chaotic situation in which Arab countries were funneling arms into Syria for various rebel groups with little coordination . The Qataris had paid to smuggle shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadof Chinese - made FN-6 shoulder - fired weapons over the border from Turkey , and Saudi Arabia sent thousands of Kalashnikovs and millions of rounds of ammunition it had bought , sometimes with the C.I.A. ’s help . By late 2013 , the C.I.A. was working directly with Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates and other nations to arm and train small groups of rebels and send them across the border into Syria .
China is constructing a modernized version of the old silk roads , with the intent not only of integrating the region under Chinese influence , but also of reaching Europe and the Middle Eastern oil - producing regions . It is pouring huge sums into creating an integrated Asian energy and commercial system , with extensive high - speed rail lines and pipelines . One element of the program is a highway through some of the world ’s tallest mountains to the new Chinese - developed port of Gwadar in Pakistan , which will protect oil shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadfrom potential U.S. interference . The program may also , China and Pakistan hope , spur industrial development in Pakistan , which the United States has not undertaken despite massive military aid , and might also provide an incentive for Pakistan to clamp down on domestic terrorism , a serious issue for China in western Xinjiang Province . Gwadar will be part of China ’s “ string of pearls , ” bases being constructed in the Indian Ocean for commercial purposes but potentially also for military use , with the expectation that China might someday be able to project power as far as the Persian Gulf for the first time in the modern era .
to train rebels trying to oust Mr. Assad . The decision was made in part to try to gain control of a chaotic situation in which Arab countries were funneling arms into Syria for various rebel groups with little coordination . The Qataris had paid to smuggle shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.naof Chinese - made FN-6 shoulder - fired weapons over the border from Turkey , and Saudi Arabia sent thousands of Kalashnikovs and millions of rounds of ammunition it had bought , sometimes with the C.I.A. ’s help . By late 2013 , the C.I.A. was working directly with Saudi Arabia , the United Arab Emirates and other nations to arm and train small groups of rebels and send them across the border into Syria .
Aid trucks carrying non - food items such as blankets on Monday entered Mouadamiya , a suburb of Damascus under siege by government forces , the Syrian Arab Red Crescent said . The United Nations and other agencies hope to deliver aid to more than 150,000 people in besieged areas over the next five days . Kerry said he was concerned by reports the Syrian government was creating obstacles for the delivery of humanitarian aid and hoped it would stop its officials and troops from taking medicine or other supplies from the shipmentsmovement.transportperson.disperseseparate. GLOOMY ASSESSMENT Asaad al - Zoubi , head of the HNC 's delegation to the peace talks , gave a gloomy assessment of the truce .
It also comes after several gestures by Russian President Vladimir Putin that seem to aim at defusing East - West tensions despite NATO 's summit last weekend in Warsaw . There , the alliance agreed to deploy a multinational force to the Baltics and Poland and to take over a U.S.-built missile shield that Russia sees as hostile . Putin agreed to Wednesday 's meeting of the NATO - Russia Council , only the second since mid-2014 , while also recently allowing a U.N. resolution authorizing the EU to intercept arms shipmentsmovement.transportperson.disperseseparateto Libya in the Mediterranean . Putin has talked by telephone U.S. President Barack Obama , German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Holland in recent days . " BACK TO THE COLD WAR "
It turned out Gaddafi had been right about the nature of his enemies . Undaunted by the mess in Libya , Clinton made similar plans for Syria where again she marched in lock - step with the neocons and their “ liberal interventionist ” sidekicks in support of another violent “ regime change , ” ousting the Assad dynasty , a top neocon / Israeli goal since the 1990s . Clinton pressed Obama to escalate weapons shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.falland training for anti - government rebels who were deemed “ moderate ” but in reality collaborated closely with radical Islamic forces , including Al Nusra Front ( Al Qaeda ’s Syrian franchise ) and some even more extreme jihadists ( who coalesced into the Islamic State ) . Again , Clinton ’s war plans were cloaked in humanitarian language , such as the need to create a “ safe zone ” inside Syria to save civilians . But her plans would have required a major U.S. invasion of a sovereign country , the destruction of its air force and much of its military , and the creation of conditions for another “ regime change . ”
Washington has sold weapons and provided training , targeting information , and aerial refueling support to the Saudi - led coalition fighting in Yemen . It has also sold Riyadh millions of dollars’ worth of cluster bombs in recent years . Asked about the hold on the shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparate, a senior U.S. official cited reports that the Saudi - led coalition used cluster bombs “ in areas in which civilians are alleged to have been present or in the vicinity . ” “ We take such concerns seriously and are seeking additional information , ” said the official , who spoke on condition of anonymity . The hold applies to CBU-105 cluster bombs manufactured by the U.S .- based firm Textron Systems , a subsidiary of Textron .
“ We are aware of the reports and are closely monitoring the situation on the Korean peninsula in coordination with our regional allies , ” said Commander Bill Urban , a Pentagon spokesman . North Korea fires missile volley into sea after UN ratchets up sanctions Read more The UN sanctions target mineral exports and other key sectors of the North Korean economy , as well as requiring member states to inspect cargo shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadto and from the North that go via their ports . The measures , passed on Wednesday , are designed to limit North Korea ’s ability to earn foreign currency , which it then uses to fund its nuclear and missile programmes . On Friday the Philippines coast guard announced it had detained a North Korean cargo ship that docked at the port of Subic Bay after arriving from Balembang , Indonesia .
US reportedly reverses policy to allow shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.naof man - portable systems to Syria , in response to intense bombardment of city Manpad systems are effective against low - flying aircraft such as helicopters ( AFP ) The US has resolved to prevent the fall of Aleppo and is preparing to allow its Gulf allies to flood the city with shoulder - fired , anti - aircraft missiles , according to a source with close contacts to rebel forces .
The US has resolved to prevent the fall of Aleppo and is preparing to allow its Gulf allies to flood the city with shoulder - fired , anti - aircraft missiles , according to a source with close contacts to rebel forces . The Reuters news agency this week reported anonymous US officials as saying that the recent intense bombardment of Syria 's second city had " heightened " the possibility of the Obama administration lifting a long - held ban by allowing Qatar and Saudi Arabia to arm rebels with man - portable missiles . A source on Tuesday told Middle East Eye that the US had confirmed it would allow the two Gulf states to begin shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparate. " The US confirmed the green light to begin sending them to rebels through supply routes still open through Jordan and Turkey , " the source said . " Rebels are being told only to target Syrian helicopters , not Russian - but it 's not clear they will abide by this .
US reportedly reverses policy to allow shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadof man - portable systems to Syria , in response to intense bombardment of city Manpad systems are effective against low - flying aircraft such as helicopters ( AFP ) The US has resolved to prevent the fall of Aleppo and is preparing to allow its Gulf allies to flood the city with shoulder - fired , anti - aircraft missiles , according to a source with close contacts to rebel forces .
The US has resolved to prevent the fall of Aleppo and is preparing to allow its Gulf allies to flood the city with shoulder - fired , anti - aircraft missiles , according to a source with close contacts to rebel forces . The Reuters news agency this week reported anonymous US officials as saying that the recent intense bombardment of Syria 's second city had " heightened " the possibility of the Obama administration lifting a long - held ban by allowing Qatar and Saudi Arabia to arm rebels with man - portable missiles . A source on Tuesday told Middle East Eye that the US had confirmed it would allow the two Gulf states to begin shipmentsmovement.transportperson.disperseseparate. " The US confirmed the green light to begin sending them to rebels through supply routes still open through Jordan and Turkey , " the source said . " Rebels are being told only to target Syrian helicopters , not Russian - but it 's not clear they will abide by this .
Gandhi was blunter – if anything , less tactful than Nixon . Kissinger later wrote that her tone was that of “ a professor praising a slightly backward student , ” which Nixon received with the “ glassy - eyed politeness ” that he showed when trying to muscle down his resentment . She ripped into US arms shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.bringcarryunloadto Pakistan , which had outraged the Indian people , despite her efforts to restrain her public . She hammered away at Pakistan ’s “ persistent ‘ hate India ’ campaign , ” which she blamed for the two previous India - Pakistan wars . Then she gave an expansive denunciation of Pakistan .
Gandhi was blunter – if anything , less tactful than Nixon . Kissinger later wrote that her tone was that of “ a professor praising a slightly backward student , ” which Nixon received with the “ glassy - eyed politeness ” that he showed when trying to muscle down his resentment . She ripped into US arms shipmentsmovement.transportartifact.disperseseparateto Pakistan , which had outraged the Indian people , despite her efforts to restrain her public . She hammered away at Pakistan ’s “ persistent ‘ hate India ’ campaign , ” which she blamed for the two previous India - Pakistan wars . Then she gave an expansive denunciation of Pakistan .