State Dept. admits: Three of four Libyan MANPADS unaccounted for

State Dept. admits: Three of four Libyan MANPADS unaccounted for

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The United States has acknowledged that the lion’s share of Libya’s shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles are gone. Officials said a State Department program to retrieve so-called man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) stolen from Libyan Army arsenals during the revolt in 2011 has been stalled. They said that after initial success in […]

As Iran, Syria crises heat up, N. Korean missile exports boom

Special to WorldTribune.com By Donald Kirk, East-Asia-Intel.com WASHINGTON — North Korea stands to be a major winner if Israeli hawks prevail and Israel attacks Iranian nuclear facilities. With Iran said in some quarters to be only months away from emerging as the world’s 10th nuclear weapons power, North Korea reportedly is producing more middle-range missiles […]

Pakistan and Central Asia greet stark 2012 landscape minus U.S. strategic dominance

Pakistan and Central Asia greet stark 2012 landscape minus U.S. strategic dominance

Special to WorldTribune.com Gregory Copley, Global Information System By the start of 2012, the U.S. had seen a precipitous decline in its real strategic dominance of the Arabian Peninsula, the Red Sea, and the Persian Gulf, and in its ability to reach and influence Central Asia. It had taken less than two decades for the […]

Iraq: Drones to protect Americans violate nation’s sovereignty

Iraq: Drones to protect Americans violate nation’s sovereignty

Special to WorldTribune.com BAGHDAD — Iraq plans to block a U.S. program to deploy unmanned aerial vehicles for force protection missions. Officials said the government of Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki would veto a U.S. plan to acquire and operate scores of tactical UAVs to protect staffers of the American embassy in Baghdad. They said […]

Hamas interior minister called key Gaza smuggler, ally of new leader

Hamas interior minister called key Gaza smuggler, ally of new leader

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The United States has deemed a Hamas minister a major player in the weapons smuggling industry in the Gaza Strip. The Treasury Department has determined that Interior Minister Fathi Hamad was playing a key role in the weapons industry in the Gaza Strip. The department said Hamad was given responsibility […]

Pollard supporters say Israel shares much more intel with U.S. than it receives

Pollard supporters say Israel shares much more intel with U.S. than it receives

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — A leading former U.S. senator said Washington has employed intelligence as a lever for concessions from Israel. Former Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Dennis DeConcini cited a victim impact statement in the case of former U.S. Navy analyst Jonathan Pollard, sentenced to life in 1986 for relaying classified information to Israel. […]

U.S. feared backlash from Iran over missile defense exercise with Israel

U.S. feared backlash from Iran over missile defense exercise with Israel

Special to WorldTribune.com TEL AVIV — The United States, concerned over an Iranian backlash, has canceled a major ballistic missile defense exercise with Israel. Israeli sources said the administration of President Barack Obama requested the cancellation of Austere Challenge-2012, meant to take place around April and include more than 2,000 soldiers. They said the administration […]

Turkey keeps rival Syrian rebel groups guessing on its intentions

Turkey keeps rival Syrian rebel groups guessing on its intentions

Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — Syria’s rebel army, based in Turkey, has reported shortages in weapons and funds. The Free Syrian Army has urged Arab and other opponents of the regime of President Bashar Assad to rush aid to the rebel force. “If the FSA had greater capabilities the situation on the ground would be […]

The U.S. is overlooking Iran’s moves in South America

The U.S. is overlooking Iran’s moves in South America

Special to WorldTribune.com By Fariborz Saremi, FreePressers.com Iran has been working covertly not only in Canada and the United States but has also been fostering strong ties with an anti-U.S. set of countries in South America: Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua. The USA has largely failed to take proper note Iran’s well-funded ambitions in these countries. […]

Conspiracy to conduct espionage? Julian Assange, WikiLeaks, and Ron Paul’s stand

Conspiracy to conduct espionage? Julian Assange, WikiLeaks, and Ron Paul’s stand

Special to WorldTribune.com By Cliff Kincaid A May 24 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Frontline program quoted WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as saying he’d never had any contact with Bradley Manning and that he had no information indicating that the former Army intelligence analyst was the source of the classified U.S. intelligence information released by WikiLeaks. […]