Russia: Obama to meet with Putin next week - USA TODAY

Russia: Obama to meet with Putin next week - USA TODAY

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USA TODAY

Russia: Obama to meet with Putin next week
USA TODAY
Amid friction over Ukraine and Syria, President Obama and rival Russian leader Vladimir Putin will meet Monday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, officials said Thursday. It's the first meeting in almost a year for Obama and Putin ...
Russia's Putin calls Elton John, for real this time, offers meetingReuters
Putin prepares for big-time UN speech as Russia establishes its military ...Fox News
Russia opens huge new mosque ahead of Eid holidayAljazeera.com (blog)
Russia Direct -Business Insider -Christian Science Monitor
all 742 news articles »

Порошенко ввел в действие новую военную доктрину - РБК

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РБК

Порошенко ввел в действие новую военную доктрину
РБК
Президент Украины Петр Порошенко ввел в действие решение Совета национальной безопасности и обороны (СНБО) Украины «О новой редакции Военной доктрины Украины», сообщается на сайте Порошенко. В этом документе актуальной военной угрозой для Украины является ...
Президент Украины утвердил военную доктрину, называющую Россию военной угрозойКоммерсантъ
Порошенко утвердил новую редакцию военной доктрины с главной угрозой в лице РоссииГазета.Ru
Порошенко подписал новую военную доктрину УкраиныИА REGNUM
Взгляд -Интерфакс -Forbes Россия
Все похожие статьи: 67 »

Analysts: Solution to Migrant Crisis Remains Elusive

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As European leaders struggle to find a way to deal with the overwhelming flow of migrants, they are also debating the root causes of the continent's worst refugee since World War II. Analysts agree that desperate people are leaving their homes, but argue about who should have taken action to ease the crisis. VOA’s Keida Kostreci reports.

Pentagon: Russian Drones, Pilots Scouting Targets in Syria - Daily Beast

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Daily Beast

Pentagon: Russian Drones, Pilots Scouting Targets in Syria
Daily Beast
The flights, around the western Syrian province of Idlib, suggests that Russia's initial mission will focus on attacking areas controlled by regime opponents other than the self-proclaimed Islamic State. The flights are also near Latakia, where Russia ... 
Russia's Return to Mideast Upends Status QuoWall Street Journal
Putin's military intervention in Syria, explainedVox
Israel and Russia to coordinate Syrian military effortsWashington Times
USA TODAY-NBCNews.com-New York Times
all 1,820 news articles »

Putin In Syria: Pentagon Says Russian Drones Are Scouting Syria, But Not Where ISIS Is Based 

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Russian drones are scouting for targets in northwestern Syria, but far from where the terrorist group ISIS is located.
The previous post in our Putin in Syria blog can be found here.

Пентагон: США готовы сотрудничать с Россией по Сирии при условии борьбы с ИГ - Коммерсантъ

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РИА Новости

Пентагон: США готовы сотрудничать с Россией по Сирии при условии борьбы с ИГ
Коммерсантъ
Министр обороны США Эштон Картер, выступая на пресс-конференции в Пентагоне, заявил, что Соединенные Штаты хотели бы сотрудничать с Россией по Сирии, в том числе в борьбе с боевиками террористической группировки «Исламское государство» (ИГ), но пока не уверены, что ...
Картер: США готовы обсуждать с РФ Сирию только при условии борьбы с ИГРИА Новости (Блог)
Пентагон назвал условие военного сотрудничества с Россией против ИГВзгляд
Пентагон заявил о готовности сотрудничать с Россией в борьбе с ИГИЛАргументы и факты
Московский комсомолец -Федеральное агентство новостей No.1 -Mail.Ru
Все похожие статьи: 25 »
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US Gen. Dempsey Leaves Mixed Legacy on Russia, Syria, Iraq

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A military budget squeeze. Russian aggression in Ukraine. The rise of the Islamic State group. Those are the crises that shaped U.S. Gen. Martin Dempsey’s four years as the 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.The Chairman is the president's top military adviser. Budget crunch In a VOA interview, Chairman Dempsey said Congress cut the budget during his tenure in ways that were wildly unpredictable.  “Uncertainty is almost as dangerous to national security as the size of the budget itself,” he said. “We have not made much progress on that frankly, so that is not a part of my legacy of which I am particularly proud.I wish we could have made more progress on that.” When Dempsey steps down on October 1, many will debate his advice to the president on how to handle Russia and the Islamic State group.  Russian resolve Some critics have suggested the United States’ posture abroad emboldened Russian President Vladimir Putin to annex Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula. Others, however, feel a nuclear superpower as strong as the Russian bear should not be provoked.   Dempsey led a military strategy that trained Ukrainian forces without providing them lethal arms.Ukraine is considered a U.S. ally, but is not a member of NATO. “I hope that Russia sees what’s happening in Ukraine, sees the price that Russia has paid due to sanctions and isolation as a consequence of the aggression in Ukraine and will rethink it," U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said after meeting at the Pentagon with Ukrainian Defense Minister Colonel-General Stepan Poltorak. NATO allies, especially Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, have been reassured by an increased U.S. presence in eastern Europe, boosted under Dempsey’s watch.The U.S. military has sent troops, convoys of striker vehicles and even A-10 ground attack aircraft to the region. “I would actually give him some credit for helping organize a response that has been firm enough to get Putin’s attention, but not to pour gasoline on the fire,” said Michael O’Hanlon, a defense expert at The Brookings Institution and author of a new book, "The Future of Land Warfare." Islamic State On the Middle East, however, O’Hanlon calls Dempsey’s record “fairly spotty,” saying the U.S. allowed several Arab Spring countries from Libya to Syria to devolve into chaos.Other experts have also been critical of the military’s strategy against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.  “Some elements of the right strategy are in place, but several are under-resourced, while others are missing,” according to former CIA director David Petraeus, who served as commander of U.S. Central Command from 2008-2010 and commanding general of coalition forces in Iraq from 2007-2008. “We are not where we should be at this point,” he told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday. National security hawks in Congress have pushed for a stronger military response. Dempsey, however, tells VOA he has encouraged a conversation about the proper use of military power, which he believes should be used in conjunction with diplomacy and other elements of national power. “We have to think our way through our security challenges, not bludgeon our way through them,” he said. “And I hope part of my legacy is the phrase ‘make it matter,’ because the use of the military instrument is extraordinarily complex and shame on us if we allow it to be a simple answer to a complex problem.”

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Obama to meet with Putin at U.N General Assembly, discuss Ukraine and Syria 

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President Obama will meet one-on-one with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the latter's trip in New York next week to address the United Nations General Assembly, the White House has confirmed.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest stressed that the meeting will take place at Mr. Putin's request and said ...

Officials: Russia begins drone flights in Syria

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WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. officials say Russia has begun flying drone surveillance flights over Syria. Officials say the Russians are gathering intelligence in preparation for what most expect will be the launch of fighter aircraft in the coming days.
The officials say that so far there have been no problems ...

White House criticizes Vladimir Putin's posture 

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President Obama and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, will meet face to face
in New York City on Monday amid growing tensions over the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the deteriorating situation in Syria and other areas of conflict between the old Cold War foes.
The Kremlin announced the meeting Thursday, ...

Ashton Carter: Russian buildup in Syria could 'pour gasoline' on ISIS 

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Defense Secretary Ashton Carter says Russia's expanding military buildup in Syria could "pour gasoline on the [Islamic State] phenomenon," because Moscow is bent on backing one of the extremist group's top enemies — embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Any successful effort to crush the Islamic State, also known as ISIS ...

German sniper gets 20 years in case that targeted US agent

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NEW YORK (AP) - A former German Army sniper was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday after he was caught in a sting operation that tested whether ex-soldiers would kill a federal agent.
Dennis Gogel, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain in Manhattan, who said ...
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Page 3

Israel, Russia Set Up Joint Military Group to Coordinate Activities in Syria 

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JERUSALEM—Israel and Russia have set up a joint military working group at a senior level to coordinate their activities in Syria regarding aerial, naval, and electromagnetic activity, according to a senior Israeli defense source.
The working group, headed by the deputy chiefs of staff of both countries, is to hold its first meeting in two weeks at a site yet to be designated, according to Israeli security sources cited by theJerusalem Post. “Everything will be raised there,” said one of the sources.
The most obvious subject to be raised is the Israeli air force’s freedom of action over Syria in curbing arms shipments to Hezbollah in Lebanon and maintaining air surveillance. The Russians are amassing a substantial air arm at a base on the Syrian coast and have begun installing ground-to-air missiles, which could pose a formidable threat to Israeli aircraft if there is no coordination.
There are, however, other areas where cooperation could be mutually beneficial, say Israeli analysts. “Israel has quality intelligence on everything that is taking place in Syria and as time goes by the Russians might need Israel’s assistance in confronting the complexities of the fighting there,” wrote Amir Bohbot in Walla.
Israeli security sources say Israel could be in a position to inform the Russians about plans by Syrian rebels to hit Russian military targets or provide information about persons they might be seeking.
Sources at the Israeli Defense Ministry have confirmed that Israeli intelligence operatives have already made contact with Russia counterparts. Israel is expected to ask the Russians to discourage attempts by their ally, Iran, from inciting attacks on the Israeli border.
Israel has also set down red lines to the Russians including the sale of strategic weapons or chemical weapons to Israel’s enemies in the Syrian conflict and not to attempt to interfere with Israeli operations against those enemies, principally Hezbollah.
The basis for Israeli-Russian cooperation in Syria was laid down during a brief visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Moscow last week where he met with President Vladimir Putin. Netanyahu was accompanied by Israeli Chief of Staff Gen. Gadi Eisenkot and Military Intelligence chief Gen. Herzl Halevi, who held discussions with their Russian counterparts. Netanyahu said the meetings in Moscow were aimed at preventing “misunderstandings” in Syria between the Russian and Israeli military. “We established a mechanism to prevent those misunderstandings.”
The two countries have historically been on opposite sides of the Middle East divide, with the former Soviet Union being the principal supplier of military equipment and training for the Egyptian and Syrian armies for decades. However, in the complex situation which has evolved in Syria both Jerusalem and Moscow have defined areas where cooperation can be mutually beneficial.
The strong Russian intervention in Syria reflects the weakening position of its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose army is believed to control only 25 to 30 percent of the country. Its strongholds are Damascus and the Syrian coast around the port of Latakia where the Russian buildup if concentrated. If the rest of Syria falls to rebel forces, the Russians apparently hope to sustain a pro-Assad enclave on the coast.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah, which has provided a prime strike force for the Assad regime for the past two years, has informed Syrian authorities that it will not take part in any more offensive actions in Syria after the current battle for the strategic border city of Zabadani is over.
According to diplomatic sources cited by the newspaper, Hezbollah’s decision is due to the heavy losses it has suffered in the Syrian conflict and its wish to prepare for the possibility of a renewed conflict with Israel.
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White House: Russians ‘Desperate’ to Meet With Obama

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White House spokesman Josh Earnest suggested during Thursday’s briefing that the Russians were “desperate” for president Vladimir Putin to meet with President Obama next week.
Obama and Putin will have a face-to-face meeting in New York at the United Nations General Assembly, amid tensions over Russian aggression in Syria and Ukraine. The announcement was made by Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said the meeting would focus on the Syrian crisis, and was confirmed later by the White House.
ABC reporter Jonathan Karl pressed Earnest on why the Russians broke the news of the meeting first.
“The Kremlin has been quite forthright in saying Putin wanted a meeting, being the first to be out there to say the meeting would happen and now the only one to tell us exactly when that meeting is supposedly taking place,” Karl said. “Was the president kind of reluctant to take this meeting? Seems like the Kremlin’s been certainly more forthcoming in terms of talking about it.”
“I think some might conclude that means the Russians are–” Earnest said.
“More transparent?” Karl joked.
“Or more desperate,” Earnest said. “I think it is fair for you to say that based on the repeated requests we’ve seen from the Russians, that they are quite interested in having a conversation with President Obama, and after, I think, would acknowledge is some careful consideration on our end, the president did make a decision that it was worth it at this point to engage with President Putin in a face-to-face meeting to see if the interests of the United States could be advanced in the context of those conversations.”
The two leaders have been at odds for years, with relations bottoming out after the Russian invasion of Crimea, in addition to the handling of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons against his own people and Moscow granting asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden. Obama’s passive foreign policy has contrasted sharply with the former Soviet KGB agent’s expansionist vision for Russia.
Earnest said such willingness to speak with less-than-friendly faces was a hallmark of Obama’s foreign policy. He also said Obama’s top agenda item during the meeting with Putin would be Ukraine, the Associated Press reports:
Russia is ramping up its involvement in the Syria war, which has left 250,000 dead and forced millions to flee their homeland since it began in March 2011. Russia recently has ferried weapons, troops and supplies to an airport near the Syrian coastal city of Latakia in what the U.S. sees as preparations for setting up an air base there.
Moscow has denied that it’s building up its presence there in order to protect its longtime ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad, saying instead it wants to help him fight the Islamic State group.
U.S.-Russian relations deteriorated significantly after Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in March 2014. The U.S., as well as other Western countries, imposed sanctions on Russia over the annexation and over claims that Moscow is supporting an insurgency in eastern Ukraine with troops and arms.
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Multiple Investigations Launched into Skewed Islamic State Intelligence Allegations 

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Multiple investigations have been launched into allegations that senior officials at the U.S. Central Command altered intelligence estimates about the U.S. campaign against the Islamic State to indicate a more favorable impression of progress.
The news comes less than a month after the Pentagon’s inspector general began probing allegations of skewed intelligence assessments.
Bloomberg reported:
In addition to the Pentagon inspector general’s investigation into allegations by dozens of intelligence analysts, other inspectors general inside the intelligence community and two oversight committees in Congress have begun their own probes, according to senior lawmakers and intelligence officials. The Congressional investigations will expand the scope of the existing inquiry by examining allegations of intelligence tampering that predate the war against the Islamic State, some dating back years.
The main whistleblower in the matter has already met with Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and Senate Armed Services Committee staffers and is scheduled to meet with senior senators next week. Sen. John McCain, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that he plans to schedule a meeting with the whistleblower soon.
Rep. Devin Nunes (R., Calif.), who chairs the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said that he and other House committees as well as inspectors general in the intelligence community are investigating the allegations against Centcom,. He encouraged other whistleblowers to come forward with any relevant information.
Lawmakers are also calling for the inspector general of the entire intelligence community to investigate the allegations.
Earlier this month, the commander of U.S. Central Command Gen. Lloyd Austin saidthat “appropriate action” would be taken if the investigation concludes that officials altered intelligence estimates.
Read the whole story
 
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Untangling Syria: Europe's top diplomats mull new strategy

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The top diplomats of Britain, France, Germany and the European Union are sketching out a possible new diplomatic push to end the fighting in Syria.
     

Diplomats: US won't negotiate on Russia's UN draft on Syria

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Diplomats said Thursday the United States has refused to negotiate over a draft statement that Russia had hoped the U.N. Security Council would approve to bolster its position on Syria ahead of a major gathering of world leaders.
     

Chattanooga gunman test drove Lexus convertible before July 16 attack

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Mohammad Youssef Abdulazeez test-drove a convertible on Lee Highway five days before he drove a rented Mustang convertible to a military recruiting center a mile down the road from the dealership and opened fire.
     
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Officials: Russia begins drone flights in Syria

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U.S. officials say Russia has begun flying drone surveillance flights over Syria. Officials say the Russians are gathering intelligence in preparation for what most expect will be the launch of fighter aircraft in the coming days.
     

Israel military says it is coordinating with Russia on Syria

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Israel has set up a joint mechanism with the Russian military to coordinate their operations in Syria and avoid any accidental confrontations, a senior Israel military official said Thursday.
     

Putin’s chess game in Syria again forces Obama to recalculate

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Once again, Vladimir Putin is forcing Barack Obama to respond to bold moves on the geopolitical chess board. And once again, as Russia pours forces and military hardware into a corner of Syria, the American president has had to adjust.
     

Putin said to plan Islamic State strike, with or without US

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President Vladimir Putin, determined to strengthen Russia's only military outpost in the Middle East, is preparing to launch unilateral airstrikes against Islamic State from inside Syria if the U.S. rejects his proposal to join forces, two people familiar with the matter said.
     

US, Ukraine defense ministers address complicated relationship as Russia builds up in Syria

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In a Pentagon press conference Thursday meant to show a unified front on U.S. assistance to Ukraine, what became apparent instead is how Russia’s entry into Syria has complicated this relationship.
     

Suicide Attack at Mosque in Yemen Kills at Least 25

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An affiliate of the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack during prayers to commemorate the beginning of Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday.
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Page 5

Revised data show hackers stole fingerprints of 5.6 million federal workers - The Boston Globe

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Revised data show hackers stole fingerprints of 5.6 million federal workers
The Boston Globe
In fact, the director of national intelligence, James RClapper Jr., said over the summer that if the United States had the opportunity to steal that much data about an adversary, it would probably try to do it. And testifying to Congress alongside ...

and more »

Whoops, Turns Out Hackers Stole 5.6 Million People's Fingerprints from the ... - VICE

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VICE

Whoops, Turns Out Hackers Stole 5.6 Million People's Fingerprints from the ...
VICE
The Washington Post quoted FBI Director James BComey as calling the stolen data "a treasure trove of information about everybody who has worked for, tried to work for, or works for the United States government." Then, earlier today, OPM issued a ... 

and more »

Obama administration quietly explored ways to bypass smartphone encryption - Washington Post

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Obama administration quietly explored ways to bypass smartphone encryption
Washington Post
We want to use the front door, with clarity and transparency, and with clear guidance provided by law,” FBI chief James BComey said at the Brookings Institution in October. Technologists have said such approaches weaken the security of encryption by ... 

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Hillary's FBI nightmare - Politico

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Politico

Hillary's FBI nightmare
Politico
The next question in the Hillary Clinton email matter is who will force the FBI to release any documents it may have retrieved from the 2016 presidential candidate's homemade server — Congress or the courts? The answer: A federal judge may decide to ...
FBI Investigators Recover Clinton Emails Thought To Have Been LostNPR
Deleted Clinton Emails Recovered By the FBI: ReportsNBCNews.com 
Report: FBI pulls deleted emails from Clinton's serverwreg.com
GovExec.com-
 AOL News- Fox News
all 2,464 
news articles »

As Moscow’s Military Involvement in Syria Receives More Attention, Its Officials Focus on Russians Fighting Against al-Assad

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The Russian media ramped up coverage of Syria after reports emerged that the Russian military is actively taking part in the conflict on the side of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. To distract Russian citizens from domestic issues and justify intervention in the conflict, the authorities in Moscow have started providing figures on the number of Russian citizens fighting in Syria against al-Assad.
Last summer, Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Yevgeny Lukyanov stated that up to 2,000 Russian citizens were fighting in Syria and Iraq, in the ranks of the Islamic State (IS) extremist militant organization. According to Lukyanov, some of those militants have started to return home. The majority of those fighters, he said, were from the North Caucasus, although he conceded that some of them came from other Russian regions. Russian citizens have participated in the conflict in Syria and Iraq for a long time (Islamreview.ru, July 25). Lukyanov said that if al-Assad’s regime were to fall, the IS radicals would next target Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. The latter statement must have been aimed at signaling to the United States that its interests in the region would be affected if the regime in Syria crumbled.
Two months after Lukyanov’s statements, the chairwoman of the science consulting council under the Antiterrorist Center of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, Marianna Kochubei, put forward different estimates. “According to the National Antiterrorist Committee, from 800 to 1,500 citizens of Russia are fighting in the ranks of the ‘Islamic State’ in Syria,” she said. “Over 170 of them have been killed.” Kochubei specified that the figure for those killed covered the entire period of the existence of the Islamic State (Newsru.com, September 16).
The consulting council under the Antiterrorist Center of the CIS countries apparently receives less reliable information than other government bodies. Otherwise, it is hard to explain where the estimate of 170 casualties among the Russian citizens fighting with the Islamic State for the entire duration of the war in the Middle East comes from. Earlier reports suggested that there were large casualties among the Chechens fighting in the ranks of the Islamic State in the Syrian city of Kobanî (a.k.a. Ayn al-Arab) alone (Warsonline.info, Oсtober 25, 2014). According to unconfirmed sources, the Chechens suffered over 100 casualties out of the entire toll of several hundred casualties in the fighting against the Kurds in Kobanî. IS military commander Umar al-Shishani stated that his group lost 500 militants in the fighting with the Syrian opposition in 2013 alone. An estimated 300 Chechens died during the siege of Syria’s Minnag military airport. Chechnya’s ruler Ramzan Kadyrov has also spoken of large casualties among the Chechens in Syria (YouTube, May 21, 2013). It is therefore unclear where the estimate of 170 casualties comes from. Perhaps, the figure reflects only those casualties that the Russian government could reliably confirm.
The day after Kochubei’s statements, Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev put forward another set of figures. “According to the interior ministry, 1,800 Russian citizens are fighting in the ranks of ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria—a former name for the Islamic State],” he said. “We have launched 477 criminal inquests” (TASS, September 17). This statement indicates that the Russian government has managed to identify 477 out of 1,800 fighters and launched criminal investigation against them for participating in armed activities abroad.
The day after Kolokoltsev’s statement, the Federal Security Service’s (FSB) First Deputy Sergei Smirnov came out with yet another estimate, stating that 2,400 Russian citizens are fighting with the Islamic State, noting that “this is a fairly large number” (Echo.msk.ru, September 18).
One of Ramzan Kadyrov’s closest associates, Chechen parliamentary speaker Magomed Daudov, stated last month that “according to the latest information, over 3,000 of our young people are participating in war in Syria” (YouTube, August 30). Daudov’s figure may be the most accurate: indeed, 3,000–4,000 Chechens may be fighting in the ranks of the Islamic State and other groups fighting Bashar al-Assad’s regime. About a thousand Dagestanis and hundreds of individuals from other ethnic groups in Russia, such as the Ingush, Kabardins, Karachays, Tatars and others, are also in the Middle East. Thus the total number of militants from Russia fighting in Syria may be up to 5,000. As time goes by, some of those fighters will return to the Russian Federation from the Middle East and try to use their fighting experience against Russia. Russian government forces recently killed one such militant, Abu Dujan (Magomed Abdullaev), in Dagestan (Graniru.info, August 17). The Russian authorities have put some of the people who returned from Syria on trial. However, nobody can guarantee that a number of the fighters did not slip through the Russian authorities’ defenses and are currently waiting for the right moment to declare a “worldwide jihad.”
In confronting the West in Syria, Russia may be igniting a fire it will not be able to extinguish on its own.
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US Willing to Work With Russia Against ISIS

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By Aaron Mehta 5:13 p.m. EDT September 24, 2015
US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter hosts an honor cordon to welcome Ukraine's Minister of Defense Col. Gen. Stepan Poltorak to the Pentagon on Sept. 24 in Washington.(Photo: Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty)
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon’s top official says the US is willing to work with Russian forces in Syria against the militant Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, as long as such actions coincide with the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter made his comments during a brief press event with Colonel-General Stepan Poltorak, the Ukranian Minister of Defense.
“The United States believes that these two interests must be pursued in parallel,” Carter said.
He also warned that Russia would exacerbate the chaos in Syria if it were to “indiscriminately attack all the foes of Assad,” not just Islamic State militants, adding that such widespread attacks would lead to the higher recruitment for the group.
“To pursue the defeat of ISIL without, at the same time, pursuing a political transition, is to fuel the very kind of extremism that underlies ISIL, and if that's the Russian view, that's a logical contradiction,” Carter said.
He also dodged a direct question about whether the US is preparing for Russia to attack ISIS on its own, noting that the two sides will talking about Russian “intentions, both on the political track and the military track.”
As Poltorak looked on, Carter emphasized that whatever the relationship ends up being between Russia and the US in Syria, it will not impact the support of Ukraine.
“These ongoing discussions on Syria will not in any way take away from our strong condemnation of Russian actions in Ukraine or change our sanctions and security support in response to those destabilizing actions,” Carter said.
Poltorak later said that, in the eyes of the government of Ukraine, Russia’s movement into Syria is “one of the factors to divert the attention of international community from the problems in Ukraine.”
He also added that discussions of the US selling lethal weaponry to Ukraine was not brought up during his time with Carter. Some members of Congress have called for the supplying of such equipment to Ukrainian forces.
President Barack Obama is planning to sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the United Nations next week, at what US officials have said was Putin’s request.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Thursday that the “top item on the agenda” for those talks will be the situation in Ukraine.
Email: amehta@defensenews.com
Twitter: @AaronMehta
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Carter: US Willing to Work With Russia Against ISIS

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The Pentagon’s top official says the US is willing to work with Russian forces in Syria against the militant Islamic State as long as such actions coincide with the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
       

An Israeli-Russian team will coordinate aerial and sea operations

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September 24, 2015, 12:52 PM (IDT)
An Israeli military officer reported Thursday that an Israeli-Russian coordination team set up to prevent the countries accidentally trading fire in Syria will be headed by their deputy armed forces chiefs and hold its first meeting by Oct. 5. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the officer said the talks would focus on aerial operations in Syria and "electromagnetic coordination” – referring to agreement not to scramble each other’s radio or radar-tracking systems and identifying each other’s forces in the heat of battle.
Israel and Russia will also coordinate sea operations off Syria's Mediterranean coast, where Moscow has a major naval base. DEBKAfile reported earlier that the two deputy chiefs would operate a hot line between them and meet in person to maintain contact.

Russian Officers Liaise with Iranian Command, Poach on US-Backed Kurdish Groups

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September 24, 2015, 8:17 PM (IDT)
Russian reconnaissance teams are going around the battle fronts and Iranian, Hizballa, Syrian army command centers in Syria to plot the coming warfronts. They are meanwhile cashing in on delays in US arms supplies to the Kurds to poach on American Kurdish terrain.

Putin Nods on Air Force Hot Line with Israel, Is Unyielding on Total Partnership with Iran in Syria

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September 24, 2015, 8:17 PM (IDT)
Netanyahu gave Putin evidence that Iran was upgrading Hizballah’s arsenal for destroying Israel and plotting a terror front from the Golan. The Russian leaders was unmoved, refused to hear of any interference with Russia’s tight coordination with Iran in Syria.

A Russian-Dominated Belt Stretching from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf

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September 24, 2015, 8:17 PM (IDT)
Putin plans to develop his Syrian foothold into a wide-reaching Russian-dominated belt moving in on Mid East spheres of influence as the US disengages. In the Syrian arena, his main goal is to wipe out the hundreds of Chechen and Caucasian fighters in rebel and ISIS ranks.

Putin Touts Russia’s Syrian Buildup as Lead-in to His Syrian Political Solution

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September 24, 2015, 8:17 PM (IDT)
The strategic intentions entertained by Putin in his continuous buildup of military strength in Syria have most pundits and analysts guessing. It is clear that they are there to stay with Assad’s concurrence for goals that transcend the Syrian arena.
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Petraeus: Don't freak out over China dumping U.S. debt - CNNMoney

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CNNMoney

Petraeus: Don't freak out over China dumping U.S. debt
CNNMoney
... in order to prop up China's currency, presents a security risk to the U.S. -- or a risk to our currency, for that matter," Petraeus told CNNMoney. Petraeus is one of America's brightest minds on matters of national security. He served as a top ...

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China manages capitalism for its own gain. This explains how. - Washington Post (blog)

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Washington Post (blog)

China manages capitalism for its own gain. This explains how.
Washington Post (blog)
Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting the United States this week, meeting with American CEOs, dining at the White House, and speaking at the 70th United Nations General Assembly. But there's a shadow over the visit. Recently, Beijing has been ...

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Ex-CIA Chief Calls For More US Action in Syria - JP Updates

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JP Updates

Ex-CIA Chief Calls For More US Action in Syria
JP Updates
(AFP). Former CIA chief and retired general David Petraeus on Tuesday said America should take a more active role in the Syrian crisis, including implementing no-fly zones to prevent regime planes dropping barrel bombs. Speaking before the Senate Armed ...

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Pope Visits St. Patrick's Cathedral 

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From: TheNewYorkTimes
Duration: 00:00

Pope Francis attends an evening prayer service at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York after a short procession down Fifth Avenue.
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WH: Ukraine Will Top Agenda of Obama-Putin Meeting

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The White House says Ukraine will be at the top of President Barack Obama's agenda when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in New York. The Kremlin says the meeting is set for Monday when the United Nations General Assembly opens. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Obama wants to reinforce to Putin the importance of abiding by the Minsk agreement aimed at carrying out a cease-fire in Ukraine. Earnest said separatist forces in eastern Ukraine who get important...

VIDEO: On patrol with Kiev's new police

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Bridget Kendall joins members of the new Kiev police force out on patrol.
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