ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

There is no doubt that the United States has dedicated, well-trained first responders who bravely risk their own lives when disaster strikes. We have only to view  images of the tragic events of 9/11  to realize how brave these men and women truly are. Nonetheless, a disturbing study by researchers from the  University of Georgia  recently found that the majority of U.S. first responders have received no training in how to deal with the aftereffects of a nuclear attack, and that many are so frightened of radiation that they would be unwilling to assist in the event of such a disaster. The study was published in the journal  Frontiers in Public Health . News Wise  reports  that experts have warned that “a radiological or nuclear event is inevitable,” and as such, it is vitally important that emergency workers be trained and ready to deal with this when it happens. The New Yorker  recently warned  that America’s relations with Nort...

North Korea has released stamps celebrating the November 28 launch of the Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). According tothe North, the ICBM is capable of reaching the US mainland. During the November 28 test launch, the missile reportedly reached an altitude of 4,475 km and flew 950 km. The flight lasted 53 minutes. The stamps were released by the State Stamp Bureau of North Korea. Click to see the full-size image Click to see the full-size image Click to see the full-size image Click to see the full-size image

Written by  Brandon Turbeville ; Originally appeared at  Activist Post A familiar sight is  taking place  across Iran tonight and it has been for the last three days. Protests are taking place in numerous cities citing grievances and demanding that the Ayatollah and Iranian President step down. For a few days, the protests remained non-violent but  now violence has indeed flared up  as protesters have laid waste to a number of government properties and those belonging to “pro-government militias.” Neo-cons  in the  American media  and the U.S. President are all demanding that Americans stand with the “Iranian people” and the “protesters” in their “fight for freedom.” The reason this sight is familiar is because we have seen it in Egypt, Libya, and Syria in the past as well as in Iran itself in the late 2000s. Protests that turn violent, a subsequent crackdown that either is violent or is reported as such, and the weight of American pro...

In a New Year speech, North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un vowed to accelerate mass production of nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles. “ The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons, and a nuclear button is always on my desk. This is reality, not a threat ,” he said. “ This year we should focus on mass producing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles for operational deployment. ” “It is necessary to activate large-scale production and practical deployment of nuclear warheads, ballistic missiles,” Kim said. “[Norh Korea] can cope with any kind of nuclear threats from the US and has a strong nuclear deterrence that is able to prevent the US from playing with fire.” Kim said that it is important that military tensions on the Korean peninsula be lowered and added that the path to dialogue with South Korea was open. According to the North Korean leader, Pyongyang was mulling the sending of a delegation to the Winter Olympics Games which are se...

SOURCE: TASS Written by  Sergei Ischenko ; Originally appeared  Svpressa , translated by  AlexD  exclusively for  SouthFront What the Departmental Board Meeting with the Participation of the President Showed Every New Year’s Eve, the Russian Federation’s Ministry of Defence turns red from all the generals’ stripes. At the annual extended board meeting in the last days of December the entire team of the Armed Forces, the General Staff, Arms and Services, military districts and fleets from across the country meet. And almost always, the President of Russia, members of the government and the Security Council of the Russian Federation and the representatives of the defence industry. Thus, the results of the past year are summarised from each participant and the challenges facing the troops in the near future. Those who for some time observe attentively this gathering would certainly notice that in the current 2017, all was similar but not quite. The expa...

On December 30, forces loyal to Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi captured al-Yatiymah area in Khabb wa Sha’af district of the northern province of al-Jawf, according to the UAE-based al-Arabiya TV. The media outlet said that pro-Hadi fighters captured 59 fighters of the Houthis and killed many others during their advance in Khabb wa Sha’af. The Saudi-led coalition military operation in al-Jawf is aimed at besieging the heartland of the Houthis, Saada city. However, the Saudi-led coalition is still over 150km east of Saada. Meanwhile, in western Yemen, the Houthis conducted a series of hit and run attacks against several positions of pro-Hadi forces and the Saudi-led coalition north of the coastal town of Yakhtul in the province of Taiz, according to the Yemeni al-Masirah TV. During the attacks, the Houthis destroyed several vehicles and fortifications of the Saudi-led coalitions with ATGMs, rocket-propelled grenades and IEDs. Over the last two weeks, the Houthis have i...

On December 29, thousands of Palestinians took at the streets in the Gaza Strip, the Western Bank and the city of Jerusalem to protest  the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel  in what was called the fourth “day of rage”, according to Palestinian sources. Israeli security forces clashed with the protestors in the Western Bank and used tear gas and rubber bullets against them in an attempt to disperse the protests. The Israeli Army used light weapons against the protestors in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian activists. The Palestinian Red Crescent announced that Israeli security forces injured 133 protestors in the Western bank. Another 33 protestors were injured with live bullets fired by Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip. Earlier,  the Israeli Army announced that three rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip  at the Israeli settlements north of Gaza. Such rockets attacks have become a regular tradition that accompanied...

A screenshot from the video Following the liberation of the strategic village of Abu Dali in southern Idlib , the Syrian military had deployed additional troops and military equipment to further develop momentum against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda) in the area. Russian-made TOS-1A heavy flamethrower systems were deployed within this effort.  Previously, the TOS-1A system was spotted in the area on December 24.  Since then, the Syrian Arab Army, the Tiger Forces and the National Defense Forces have liberted a large area, including the villages of Tal Maraq, Hamdaniyah, Naseriyah, Mushayrifah, Dajjaj, Tamat Khalifah and Tal Warid. Now, government forces are developing momentum in the direction of Khuwayn Kabir in order to isolate the militant-held town of Tamanah from the eastern direction. If they are able to reach Khuwayn Kabir or even capture it, the army and its allies will create a direct threat of resu...