‘The Guns of October’: Report forecasts Gulf war by late 2012

‘The Guns of October’: Report forecasts Gulf war by late 2012

Special to WorldTribune.com WASHINGTON — The United States could become involved in a major war in the Gulf in 2012, a report said. The Lexington Institute said Washington and other NATO states could be swept into a war with Iran over the next few months. The Washington-based institute said the military buildup throughout the Gulf […]

Report: Several nations providing ‘semi-covert’ assist to Syrian revolution

Report: Several nations providing  ‘semi-covert’ assist to Syrian revolution

Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — Arab and Western countries have been providing help to the Sunni revolt in Syria, a report said. Chatam House, a leading British think tank, said a range of countries were quietly intervening in the war against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. In a report, Chatam cited both NATO […]

U.S., NATO tracking Russian ship with upgraded attack helicopters for Syria

U.S., NATO tracking Russian ship with upgraded attack helicopters for Syria

Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — The United States has been working with NATO allies to track a Russian weapons ship to Syria. Western diplomatic sources said Britain and the United States were coordinating patrols of the North Sea for a Russian vessel that contained attack helicopters for the regime of President Bashar Assad. The sources […]

EU defense cuts erode peackeeping mission in Lebanon

EU defense cuts erode peackeeping mission in Lebanon

Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — The United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon, amid pressure to cut national defense budgets, was preparing to undergo a reduction. Diplomats said a range of European Union countries were preparing to reduce their contingents in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon over the next year. The diplomats said at least […]

Geostrategy-Direct: Russia opposes hasty pullout, offers NATO access to supply air base

Geostrategy-Direct: Russia opposes hasty pullout, offers NATO access to supply air base

Special to WorldTribune.com Compiled by Miles Yu, Geostrategy-Direct.com In a surprise move, a senior Russian official said on March 14 that the country may allow NATO to use an air base in southern Russia as a hub to transport supplies to Afghanistan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said that it might not be wise […]

UK offers assistance to Syrian opposition

UK offers assistance to Syrian opposition

Special to WorldTribune.com LONDON — Britain, in what could prompt other NATO members to do the same, has decided to equip the opposition against Syrian President Bashar Assad. Officials said the government of Prime Minister David Cameron would begin sending advanced non-lethal equipment to the Syrian opposition. They said this would include communications systems to […]

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 […]

Can this global mess wait until January 2013?

Can this global mess wait until January 2013?

Sol W. Sanders Diverted by the essential — if sometimes burlesqued — pursuit of America’s quadrennial search for leadership, policymakers have tried to put international problems on hold. But dealing with wannabe-totalitarian outcroppings throughout the Islamic world from Casablanca to Zamboanga, is as critical and demanding and may take as long as the struggle with […]

NATO flotilla sends message, steams through Iran-claimed Strait of Hormuz

NATO flotilla sends message, steams through Iran-claimed Strait of Hormuz

Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — Western powers intend to challenge Iran’s domination of the Strait of Hormuz. The United States and NATO allies have been sending warships through the Strait of Hormuz. Western diplomats said Britain, France and the United States deployed six warships this month through the Iranian-claimed strait. “We maintain a constant presence […]

Report: NATO states including France said to be recruiting, training Syrian rebels

Report: NATO states including France said to be recruiting, training Syrian rebels

Special to WorldTribune.com ANKARA — France is reportedly training rebels in their effort to topple the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. A major Turkish newspaper reported that France has sent military advisers to train the Free Syrian Army. FSA, based in Turkey, was said to have received training in weapons and combat skills in […]