ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Written by Boyan Chukov; Originally appeared at A-specto , tranlsated by Desi Tzoneva exclusively for SouthFront Turkish Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim, returned from a visit to Moscow a few days ago. Previously, Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a statement that Ankara will seek to become a member of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization). A proposal for amendment of the Turkish Constitution was submitted to the Turkish parliament, moving the country to a presidential regime. It is an old dream of Recep Erdogan. If these adjustments are made, the constitution will abolish the post of a prime minister. The president will appoint ministers. As a whole, the Turkish President will become a true “Sultan”. Comments on these events had not subsided yet when on 10th December 2016, Istanbul was covered in blood again. Two blasts exploded in the center of the city, near the football stadium, “Besiktas”. 38 people were killed. 30 of them were employees of law enforcement. The youth organization, ‘...

Source: VPK/Andrey Sedih Written by Yevgeny Satanovskiy; Originally appeared at VPK , translated by Alice Decker exclusively for SouthFront On December 11, militants from the “Islamic State” (IS), which is banned in Russia, forced Assad’s troops out of Tadmora, historic Palmyra, for the second time and captured the provincial town of world historical significance — not so important strategically, unless you take into account the nearby intersection with the road leading to Deir ez Zor, besieged by IS for several years, with its refineries and air force base. Characteristically, the attacking forces of five thousand fighters with tanks, armored personnel carriers and rocket artillery made their way through the desert for several hundred kilometers without being detected by Assad’s intelligence, which makes experts speak of a possible betrayal at the highest level of the Syrian army command and its Mukhabarat (or military intelligence). Betrayal or Gullibility? The specific question is, ...

A Chinese Navy ship stole an American underwater research drone in full view of a US crew in the area of the South China Sea, contested by China and the Philippines. Engineers inspect a littoral battlespace sensing glider aboard the USNS Pathfinder in 2010 (Photo: US Navy) An American underwater research drone was stolen by a Chinese Navy ship in full view of a US crew in the area of the South China Sea, contested by China and the Philippines , the Fox News TV-channel reported on Friday, citing US defense officials. The incident took place approximately 65 kilometers west of the Philippines and about 240 kilometers from Scarborough Shoal on Thursday around noon local time. Reportedly, the Chinese ship had been secretly monitoring the American USNS Bowditch ship, which deployed the drone, a Slocum Glider, during several days. “This is an act of war against the United States,” analyst and author of ‘The Coming Collapse of China’, Gordon Chang, told Fox News. According to Chang, the move...