ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

FILE IMAGE: The USS Nimitz, USS Kitty Hawk and USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Groups © U.S. Navy / Reuters The US military has officially confirmed that its three aircraft carrier strike groups will hold joint drills in the Western Pacific for the first time in a decade. According to the US NAvy, the USS Ronald Reagan, USS Nimitz and USS Theodore Roosevelt strike groups will conduct air defense drills, sea surveillance, replenishments at sea and other training in a period between November 11 and November 14. “ Units assigned to the strike force will conduct coordinated operations in international waters in order to demonstrate the U.S. Navy’s unique capability to operate multiple carrier strike groups as a coordinated strike force effort ,”  the US Navy’s statement says  besides general claims about “security” and “stability” in the region. The previous time when three carrier strike groups operated together was during exercises Valiant Shield 2006 and 2007, which were

Written by Mikaprok;  Originally appeared in Russian in his blog A study in landscape design for exotic places on Earth. Let’s try to bring some context to the never ending discussion of offshores. The amount of leaks concerning offshores may very well surpass the amount of legal information. More than 13 million of documents have fallen into the public’s hands, and the media try their best to find some recognizable names out of vast expanses of text, trying to match them with known information. It’s time to dot the i’s and cross the t’s by laying some fundamental truths out. Let’s start with the big question. Who keeps the money in the offshores? Doesn’t matter whether the offshores are British, American, Asian or Middle Eastern. If we want to keep it simple then the answer is everyone who has money. One way or the other they keep them in offshores. Since the 1920s, Switzerland has existed in its own international banking dimension. The European cream of the crop al

FILE IMAGE: AFP/Adem Altan Security forces arrested 111 alleged ISIS members in the Turkish capital of Ankara on November 9, Turkish media report. The ongoing anti-ISIS operation involves 1,500 security service members. The security operation targets the distrcits of Sincan, Etimesgut, and Cubuk. In total, the arrest warrants were reportedly issued for 245 suspects by Ankara’s public prosecutor’s office. On the same day, security forces also conducted an operation against ISIS in the province of Bingol. Turkey, which has been a rear base for ISIS supporters and foreign fighters for a long time, faces a significant security threate as  ISIS’ self-proclaimed caliphate collapses. A major part of ISIS members fleeing Syria and Iraq chooses the Turkish territory as a hideout.

A B-52 strategic bomber. © Tim Chong / Reuters US President Donald Trump on November 7  warned  North Korea that the US was prepared to use the full range of its military power, but urged Pyongyang to “make a deal” to end the nuclear standoff. During a visit to Seoul, Trump said that while “we hope to God” not to have to resort to the use of full US military might, he said: “We cannot allow North Korea to threaten all that we have built.” Trump also urged North Korea to “do the right thing” and added that: “I do see some movement,” though he declined to elaborate. “It really makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and make a deal,” Trump said after talks with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who has supported diplomatic outreach to Pyongyang. “We demand that North Korea ceases nuclear developments and returns to negotiations,” Moon Jae-in  said  after talks with Trump, adding that Washington and Seoul agreed to continue exerting pressure on Pyongyang to achieve th

Photo: TASS/Sergey Savostianov The Caspian special operations unit will transport and evacuate special forces units on high-speed boats. According to  Izvestiya , Caspian Flotilla has formed a new special operations unit, dedicated to conducting shore operations, such as covertly transporting and evacuating reconnaissance teams, covering them with fire and conducting raids. The unit will take care of security of sea bases and coasts. The unit will be equipped with Raptor high-speed patrol boats and Tachyon drones. According to the experts, the unit doesn’t have a military-political use. The unit was created as an extension of the Russian Navy, as “coastal” special operations units can be a useful asset in special operations taking place on sea. The Raptor high-speed patrol boats are to be delivered to the unit until the end of the year. Tachyon drones will be used for covert landing on shores and for discovering enemy saboteurs under water. The unit’s personnel is current

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince said Iran supplying rockets to militias in Yemen is an act of “direct military aggression”, could be considered an act of war. Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s comments were published after Saudi Arabia intercepted a ballistic missile north-east of Riyadh on November 5, launched by the Iran-allied Houthi militia which controls large parts of neighboring Yemen. The supply of rockets to the Iran-allied rebel Houthi movement could “be considered an act of war against the Kingdom,” state news agency  SPA  on November 7 quoted Prince as saying in a call with British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson. In reaction to the missile, Saudi Arabia would temporarily close all Yemeni ground, air and sea ports while investigating how the missiles were smuggled in. Yemen’s national airline, Yemenia, subsequently cancelled all flights to the country. Iran also called some attention in regards to the 2015 nuclear agreement.  The Jerusalem Post  claims that Iran may not be

Illustrative image: Reuters/Marko Djurica The Armed Forces of Ukraine reactivated in Donetsk by opening fire at Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) army positions and towns near the front on November 5, according to  Anna-news . Two children and one adult were injured, one child killed. A high number of civilians was evacuated. 82mm and 120mm mortars, 122mm and 152mm howitzers, and BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers are reported to have been used.  “2126 shots have been fired by Armed Forces of Ukraine at Donetsk People’s Republic in 24 hours,” DPR representative in the Joint Control and Coordination Center, Ruslan Yakubov, said. DPR forces have retaliated, destroying two howitzer batteries,  according  to DPR leader Alexander Zakharchenko. He also added that Ukraine may have attacked because of a possible meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Vietnam this week. The north of Donetsk an

Just hours after the death of Prince Mansour bin Muqrin in a helicopter “crash” in the Saudi province of Asir , the Saudi Royal Court announced the death of Prince Abdul Aziz bin Fahd. The second prince was reportedly killed during a firefight with security forces, which were attempting to arrest him. 44-year-old Prince Aziz was the youngest son of King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. Fahd died in 2005. The death of Prince Aziz was the latest incident in a series of  arrests and crackdowns started by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. According to experts, the Saudi economic and political elite is in a disarray as 32-year-old Bin Salman is destroying the vestiges internal stabiltiy in the country to supress the growing opposition to himself and his father.