Rice complains as U.S. pledges largest military aid package in history to Israel

Rice complains as U.S. pledges largest military aid package in history to Israel

by WorldTribune Staff, June 7, 2016 National Security Advisor Susan Rice scolded Israel while at the same time pledging a record U.S. military aid package to the Jewish state. Rice, in an address to the American Jewish Committee’s Global Forum on June 6, said that “even in these days of belt-tightening, we are prepared to […]

Why Russia’s Syria pullout is not what it seems

Why Russia’s Syria pullout is not what it seems

Special to WorldTribune.com Russia’s withdrawal from Syria “should not be taken at face value,” a former senior Israeli military official said. While President Valdimir Putin announced the pullout earlier this week, Moscow has decided to maintain major combat platforms in Syria, including the S-400 air and missile defense system. “We should remember the difference between […]

Red line: Israel tells Putin it won’t allow Iran on Israel-Syria border

Red line: Israel tells Putin it won’t allow Iran on Israel-Syria border

Special to WorldTribune.com Israeli President Reuven Rivlin told Russian counterpart Valdimir Putin that Israel will not allow Iran and Hizbullah to operate on the Israel-Syria border. The two met in Moscow on March 16 after Putin announced Russia’s withdrawal from Syria. Rivlin laid out Israel’s “red lines” in Syria, telling Putin the presence of any […]

Syrian jihadists’ morale ‘sky high’ as Russia withdraws

Syrian jihadists’ morale ‘sky high’ as Russia withdraws

Special to WorldTribune.com Anti-Assad regime rebels, jihadists and activists received a huge morale boost with the surprise withdrawal of Russian forces from Syria. Moscow’s move is also seen by the opposition as a major blow for the Damascus regime. “Our morale is sky high. The regime will not be able to survive alone,” said Raed al-Elewi, […]

Russia reassures Israel over implications of Syria pullout

Russia reassures Israel over implications of Syria pullout

Special to WorldTribune.com After the surprise announcement of its intent to withdraw from Syria, Russia on March 15 sought to reassure Israel that the two countries’ coordination on Syria would remain intact. Israel wants assurances that Syrian President Bashar Assad’s anti-Israel allies Iran and Hizbullah would continue to be restrained after Moscow’s pullout. “We will […]

Following talks with Israel, Putin freezes S-300 sale to Iran

Following talks with Israel, Putin freezes S-300 sale to Iran

Special to WorldTribune.com Russia has halted Iran’s order of the S-300 surface-to-air missile system, a report said. The move was made after Russian President Vladimir Putin consulted with Israeli officials who protested the sale, according to the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida. In discussions with Putin, Israel said it feared that at least some of the S-300 […]

Obama’s failed policy in Ukraine: Putin ‘has paid no price’ for invasion

Obama’s failed policy in Ukraine: Putin ‘has paid no price’ for invasion

Special to WorldTribune.com U.S. President Barack Obama’s policy in Ukraine of threatening Russian President Valdimir Putin but taking no substantial action has failed miserably, lawmakers and analysts say. Two years after protests toppled Ukraine’s pro-Moscow government, Obama’s policy languishes amid Putin’s heavy-handed determination, the headline-stealing conflicts in Syria and Iraq and wavering support from European […]

Russian cluster bombs destroy entire district in Aleppo, Syria

Russian cluster bombs destroy entire district in Aleppo, Syria

Special to WorldTribune.com An entire district of the Syrian city of Aleppo was destroyed by Russian cluster bombs in attacks the UN said were “blatant violations of international law.” Video of the Feb. 15 attack was recorded and shows Russian warplanes dropping the cluster bombs on the city. Reports from the scene say the attacks […]

Russia’s Navy seeks return to glory days in hot spots and cold Arctic

Russia’s Navy seeks return to glory days in hot spots and cold Arctic

Special to WorldTribune.com By Miles Yu, Geostrategy-Direct.com The post-Soviet ebb of Russian naval glory seems to be over under a more aggressive President Vladimir Putin. That seems to be the unmistakable message Moscow is trying to send to the world. In recent weeks, President Putin ordered a dramatic increase of Russian naval presence in the […]

Why Syria’s chemical weapons agreement will succeed

Why Syria’s chemical weapons agreement will succeed

Special to WorldTribune.com By Rael Jean Isaac Much of the current debate on Syria centers on whether Assad will in fact give up his chemical weapons. Not to worry. The chemical weapons agreement will be a resounding success. This is not because all or most of the weapons themselves will be found and destroyed. The […]