ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

Putin reveals 'fair multipolar world' concept in which oil contracts could bypass the US dollar and be traded with oil, yuan and gold By Pepe Escobar The annual BRICS summit in Xiamen – where President Xi Jinping was once mayor – could not intervene in a more incandescent geopolitical context. Once again, it’s essential to keep in mind that the current core of BRICS is “RC”; the Russia-China strategic partnership. So in the Korean peninsula chessboard, RC context – with both nations sharing borders with the DPRK – is primordial. Beijing has imposed a definitive veto on war – of which the Pentagon is very much aware. Pyongyang’s sixth nuclear test, although planned way in advance, happened only three days after two nuclear-capable US B-1B strategic bombers conducted their own “test” alongside four F-35Bs and a few Japanese F-15s. Everyone familiar with the Korean peninsula chessboard knew there would be a DPRK response to these barely disguised “decapitation” tests. S...

FILE IMAGE On September 7, the ISIS-linked news agency Amaq claimed that ISIS fighters repelled an attack of NATO forces and the Afghan Army in Nangarhar province in southeastern Afghanistan. Amaq claimed that NATO helicopters evacuated many injured soldiers from the battlefield. Furthermore, Amaq said that ISIS fighters shelled positions of the Afghan Army and NATO forces with mortars after repelling the attack. On September 5, a suicide attacker of the Taliban attacked one of the gates of the Bagram Air Base – one of the biggest US bases in Afghanistan. According to the US Army the attack resulted in a “small number of casualties.” The Taliban said that the attack was an answre for an “anti-Islam” leaflet that was dropped by US-led coalition aircraft over Parwan province. The leaflet featured a lion running after a white dog with the Islamic Shahada on it. The Islamic Shahada is considered one of the most holy roles and symbols in Islam, and it is a part of the Taliban ...

On Wednesday, two US Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jets crashed during a training flight over a Nevada military range, the US newspaper Stars and Stripes  reported on Thursday  citing US officials. The incident took place at the Nevada Test and Training Range at 20:00 local time. According to a statement of Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, the warplanes’ pilots ejected safely and were taken into a military hospital. The pilots were assigned to the Air Force’s 57th Wing at Nellis. It is not clear yet what caused the crash. The incident is under investigation. Click to see the full-size image

Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS On September 7, a meeting was held between representatives of Free Syrian Army (FSA) groups in the northern Homs countryside and Russian officials, according to Syrian opposition sources. The meeting was also attended by Syrian government officials. Opposition sources revealed that the aim of the meeting was to modify the original de-escalation agreement. According to the sources, the Russians wanted the FSA to allow re-openning of the Homs-Homs highway that had been blocked since 2011. Moreover, pro-government sources claimed that Russia asked the FSA to hand over al-Rastan and Talbiseh towns in the northern Homs countryside. From its side, opposition representatives requested an immediate release of 5000 prisoners of war allegedly held by the Syrian authorities. It’s unlikely that FSA will agree to the new Russian demands. Furthermore, even if the road was re-opened it will be hard to consider it a safe road. FSA groups in northern Homs countr...