West Asia News and Discussions

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 08 Nov 2019 02:20

If someone tracks the wars, conflicts, coups since 1947 in Middle East/West Asia it would be quite fascinating.

Long drawn chaos from fall of Ottomans.

mmasand · Post by **mmasand** » 08 Nov 2019 03:10

ricky_v wrote:A look at the succession crisis and the fallout on me after the death of the old king of saudi through a series of pdfs
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/pol ... of-the-uae
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/upl ... Kramer.pdf
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/upl ... Coates.pdf

I take their briefing papers with a grain of salt, they predicted an apocalypse in Kuwait post Op Desert storm, the breakdown of monarchy in Abu Dhabi after SZ's passing. A good starting point would be any inter governmental comms between the UK and US that can be mined from wikileaks.

ricky_v · Post by **ricky_v** » 08 Nov 2019 10:04

mmasand wrote: I take their briefing papers with a grain of salt, they predicted an apocalypse in Kuwait post Op Desert storm, the breakdown of monarchy in Abu Dhabi after SZ's passing. A good starting point would be any inter governmental comms between the UK and US that can be mined from wikileaks.

All information out there is suspect, the world today in terms of accuracy is more akin to the story of the blind men and the elephant and it is upon the reader to gather data from various places and arrive at his own truth and dimensions of the beast which ultimately may or may not align with facts. Memory in general is a repository of false information and societal memory waxes and wanes in such a synced up cycle as to render the entire data calling function confused ala mandela effect. And witht history revisionism occupying the time of the majority currently and in the forseeable future, who is to say that the historical truth of today may even resemble the truth taught later on about the same period.
As for the wrecking of middle east, kaplan in his revenge of geography states that it is so because the me has no actual borders which is why it stretches from morocco to the foothills of the himalayas and from the caucus to the arabian sea.

Parasu · Post by **Parasu** » 08 Nov 2019 13:47

ricky_v wrote:A look at the succession crisis and the fallout on me after the death of the old king of saudi through a series of pdfs
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/pol ... of-the-uae
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/upl ... Kramer.pdf
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/upl ... Coates.pdf

Thank you for the links.

Nice read

IndraD · Post by **IndraD** » 16 Nov 2019 22:52

Iran up in flames but will it result in top order rolling, needs to be seen
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-50444429
Iran petrol price hike: Protests erupt over surprise rationing

recently Iran embassy in Karbala in Iraq was taken over

menon s · Post by **menon s** » 20 Nov 2019 18:35

No internet in Iran, for past 90 hours and still running.
Source:Netblocks.org.

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 22 Nov 2019 01:21

Parasu wrote:Israel is absolutely spot on in anticipating trouble from Iran. The Mullahcracy in Iran regularly threatens Israel and is arming its proxies all around Israel to achieve this. Now Jihadi Erdogan has joined the list of threats that Israel faces. Even more importantly, the US and Russia have shown willingness to tolerate Jihad-supporting Erdogan as long as such short-sighted actions serve their geopolitical interests.
Israel should launch a pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah terrorists and take over parts of Lebanon and Syria for forward defence of northern Israel. Israel's improving relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which are fed up of Jihad-supporting activities of Turkey and Iran, places it in the same situation as India. Hopefully, India will help Israel in defending itself, notwithstanding its own fifth-columnists in the country.

It doesn't bother you that Isreal (along with it's buddies Saudi and the CIA) have been supporting Sunni militancy of the same ideology that has vexed us in India for ages? ISIS, Al-Queda, Al-Nusra, LET, JEM, they're all the same Sunni\Takfiri\Wahabbi ideology and Isreal is actively supporting them in Syria, Iraq, and probably all over the Middle East. Why do Jews support Sunni jihadists, you ask? Because it is in their interests to spread chaos in every ME nation that could possibly present a threat to Isreali territorial expansion. The Jews especially hated Syria and Iran, not because they're terrorist states, but because they're secular enough to be organized and dangerous. Nations controlled by jihadists aren't organized; they present no threat to Isreal. The Jews know they're creating a mess for everyone else (Europe, Russia, India, moderate Arabs) by supporting jihadists; they just don't care because the only lives that really matter are Jew lives.

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 23 Nov 2019 10:58

YKanan:

in fact it bothers patriotic Indians a great deal more that Russia has been responding to our loyal support with the filthiest sort of craven duplicity.

That the criminal Putin's State-Run (what else?) RT and RUPTLY channels have consistently taken a viciously anti-India, inveterately Hinduphobic stance against the Modi government's attempts to bring order in J&K.

That many of Putin's top military & strategic-affairs advisers have repeated, so many times over the past decade, the Pakistani ISI line that "the road to peace in Afghanistan runs through Kashmir."

Indeed, that the Russians (along with the Chinese, of whom they are abject b1tches) have been at the forefront of "engagement" with the Taliban, and thereby of placating and boosting the agenda of Pakistan's hegemony in Afghanistan.

Not to mention that Russia has attempted to squeeze Hindu India for every last United States Dollar (yes, United States Dollar) in exchange for the garbage they sell us, while gladly accepting generous terms of Remninbi payment from our existential enemies... the Chinese... to whom they supply far more sophisticated warmaking materiel.

I truly hope that thousands, if not lakhs, of filthy Russkies end up dying in Syria.

And that the Modi administration tells the vile serpent Putin (and his cohort of oligarch sycophants) where to stuff their lousy corpses.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 23 Nov 2019 20:26

Do we need more information about Russians stand before this where situation is we don't have geopolitical problems with Russia simply because of geography. Just look at circus going in Turk lands against kash more. Why spoil the environment rife with Chinese, Pakis, Turks et al along with slow moving EU (facing it's own islamofasci problems) and US with alphabet soup treaties.

Just to make a point that USSR had a good relationship with India till its disintegration and Chinese prowess increased (with generous US help).

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 25 Nov 2019 06:09

You’re angry about symbolic Russian actions or statements while the US and Isreal support jihadists that have and will kill our people. Well, I suppose Indian lives are cheap, so perhaps your position is justified. After all, what’s a little “collateral damage” between friends?

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 25 Nov 2019 10:42

Let me guess another US Based Indian who abhors Russia? That was a rant, I dont hate Russia or the USA. But it India which needs to get its act together.

Vikas · Post by **Vikas** » 25 Nov 2019 13:50

Everyone in ME has supported or funded Jehadis and yahoos at some point or the other. No ME actor one comes out smelling like roses. India tries to make best of existing situation.

vishvak · Post by **vishvak** » 25 Nov 2019 20:00

My point is that Russian pov isn't against Indian pov, from past. The Chinese factor, or factories, have changed situation a bit. Lets not make a problem bigger.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 26 Nov 2019 03:16

Reuters reports that Iran's supreme leader approved the attack on the Saudi oil installation to punish US for pulling out of nuclear treaty and re-imposing sanctions

The main topic that day in May: How to punish the United States for pulling out of a landmark nuclear treaty and re-imposing economic sanctions on Iran, moves that have hit the Islamic Republic hard.

With Major General Hossein Salami, leader of the Revolutionary Guards, looking on, a senior commander took the floor.

“It is time to take out our swords and teach them a lesson,” the commander said, according to four people familiar with the meeting.

Hard-liners in the meeting talked of attacking high-value targets, including American military bases.

Yet, what ultimately emerged was a plan that stopped short of direct confrontation that could trigger a devastating U.S. response. Iran opted instead to target oil installations of America’s ally, Saudi Arabia, a proposal discussed by top Iranian military officials in that May meeting and at least four that followed.

This account, described to Reuters by three officials familiar with the meetings and a fourth close to Iran’s decision making, is the first to describe the role of Iran’s leaders in plotting the Sept. 14 attack on Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state-controlled oil company.

These people said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei approved the operation, but with strict conditions: Iranian forces must avoid hitting any civilians or Americans. Khamenei apparently hewing close to the red line of Trump/Pompeo .

ArjunPandit · Post by **ArjunPandit** » 26 Nov 2019 03:21

^^does anyone else also thinks that this report being out in public and the protests in iran are strongly connected...perhaps funded by the big khan...

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 26 Nov 2019 04:27

Reports sound 400% True and Original and Top Quality: Made in America.

nachiket · Post by **nachiket** » 26 Nov 2019 07:47

Rudradev wrote: Not to mention that Russia has attempted to squeeze Hindu India for every last United States Dollar (yes, United States Dollar) in exchange for the garbage they sell us, while gladly accepting generous terms of Remninbi payment from our existential enemies... the Chinese... to whom they supply far more sophisticated warmaking materiel.

Not disputing anything else you said (may very well be true, or not), but what exactly did the Russians sell to the Chinese that they refused to sell to us? I don't remember them refusing us anything that we asked for. Nowadays we go to the Russians for stuff which we cannot get from anywhere else (like the S-400 or a nuclear attack submarine - INS Chakra). They even collaborated on the Brahmos (which clearly had a higher range than the allowed 300km considering how it magically increased later) before we got into MTCR. Their collaboration on the Arihant program is also acknowledged. I don't mind criticizing the Russians, I do it all the time in Mil forum, but at least criticize them on the right issues - like overcharging us and delaying the Vikramaditya etc.

Karthik S · Post by **Karthik S** » 26 Nov 2019 11:15

Y. Kanan wrote:
Parasu wrote:Israel is absolutely spot on in anticipating trouble from Iran. The Mullahcracy in Iran regularly threatens Israel and is arming its proxies all around Israel to achieve this. Now Jihadi Erdogan has joined the list of threats that Israel faces. Even more importantly, the US and Russia have shown willingness to tolerate Jihad-supporting Erdogan as long as such short-sighted actions serve their geopolitical interests.
Israel should launch a pre-emptive strike against Hezbollah terrorists and take over parts of Lebanon and Syria for forward defence of northern Israel. Israel's improving relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, both of which are fed up of Jihad-supporting activities of Turkey and Iran, places it in the same situation as India. Hopefully, India will help Israel in defending itself, notwithstanding its own fifth-columnists in the country.
It doesn't bother you that Isreal (along with it's buddies Saudi and the CIA) have been supporting Sunni militancy of the same ideology that has vexed us in India for ages? ISIS, Al-Queda, Al-Nusra, LET, JEM, they're all the same Sunni\Takfiri\Wahabbi ideology and Isreal is actively supporting them in Syria, Iraq, and probably all over the Middle East. Why do Jews support Sunni jihadists, you ask? Because it is in their interests to spread chaos in every ME nation that could possibly present a threat to Isreali territorial expansion. The Jews especially hated Syria and Iran, not because they're terrorist states, but because they're secular enough to be organized and dangerous. Nations controlled by jihadists aren't organized; they present no threat to Isreal. The Jews know they're creating a mess for everyone else (Europe, Russia, India, moderate Arabs) by supporting jihadists; they just don't care because the only lives that really matter are Jew lives.

Kannan sir, did it bother SCB not to take assistance from hitler during WWII just because hitler was trying to solve the "jewish question"? How many times we have voted against them at UN? Point is as long as Israelis don't fund and support LeT or JeM, we shouldn't be complaining about them.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 29 Nov 2019 02:10

Iraq Protesters Burn Down Iran Consulate in Night of Anger

Iraqi protesters in the southern city of Najaf burned down the Iranian Consulate there on Wednesday night in an outburst of anger at Iran, witnesses said.

Video showed sizable crowds outside the consulate shouting “Out, out Iran!” and waving Iraqi flags as the building burned.

Thirty-five protesters and 32 members of the Iraqi security forces were injured, according to the police in Najaf.

No Iranian diplomats were in the building at the time, according to witnesses and Iranian news media, and there were no reports of Iranian casualties.

But the attack struck a significant symbolic blow against Iran, which places a high value on its outposts in the Shiite Muslim heartland of southern Iraq. Najaf houses important Shiite shrines, and Iran’s presence in the city demonstrates its ties to this ancient site.

Iraqi secular and religious authorities condemned the violence but did not blame any particular group. The government imposed a curfew in Najaf until further notice.

The attack on the consulate comes amid widespread antigovernment protests, which began nearly two months ago in Baghdad. The demonstrations started as a demand for jobs and better government services but have broadened into a call for a change in government, which the demonstrators see as corrupt and beholden to Iran.

Many of the political parties who dominate the Iraq’s Parliament have ties to Iran.

The attack on the consulate “sends a clear message that a segment of the Iraqi society rejects the Iranian political presence in the country and holds it accountable for bringing this government,” said Sheikh Fadhil al-Budayri, a senior cleric in Najaf.

This was the second attempt in a month by protesters to burn the Iranian consulate in Najaf. In the first attempt, Molotov cocktails were thrown over the consulate walls but the flames were put out and the damage was limited.

The demonstrators in Najaf are almost all Shiites, and Shiite religious authorities there have encouraged the protests, although they have insisted that they remain peaceful.

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 29 Nov 2019 07:22

Karthik S wrote:Kannan sir, did it bother SCB not to take assistance from hitler during WWII just because hitler was trying to solve the "jewish question"? How many times we have voted against them at UN? Point is as long as Israelis don't fund and support LeT or JeM, we shouldn't be complaining about them.

You're comparing Putin to Hitler? Seriously?

Rudradev wrote:I truly hope that thousands, if not lakhs, of filthy Russkies end up dying in Syria..

If you "truly" hope for that, then you have no regard for Indian lives or Indian security because if something like this came to pass, many of our people would die when a newly emboldened wave of Sunni jihadists inevitably ends up here. It would be the late 90's \ early 2000's all over again.

I "truly" can't believe you're cheering for the same people that have done so much terrible harm to us. I suggest you visit the terror attack thread, soak in the reality of it, and then slap yourself vigorously and repeatedly. Then reflect on your morality or lack thereof, and then slap yourself around some more, just for good measure.

Karthik S · Post by **Karthik S** » 29 Nov 2019 08:06

Y. Kanan wrote:
Karthik S wrote:Kannan sir, did it bother SCB not to take assistance from hitler during WWII just because hitler was trying to solve the "jewish question"? How many times we have voted against them at UN? Point is as long as Israelis don't fund and support LeT or JeM, we shouldn't be complaining about them.
You're comparing Putin to Hitler? Seriously?

Flawed analogy, my reply was to this:

It doesn't bother you that Isreal (along with it's buddies Saudi and the CIA) have been supporting Sunni militancy of the same ideology that has vexed us in India for ages? ISIS, Al-Queda, Al-Nusra, LET, JEM, they're all the same Sunni\Takfiri\Wahabbi ideology and Isreal is actively supporting them in Syria, Iraq, and probably all over the Middle East.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 29 Nov 2019 08:40

Israeli policy appears to support the maximum mayhem among Islamic nations. May be same as core American policy too.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 30 Nov 2019 09:41

Going by names, mostly Christian fisherman from Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu and Muslim fisherman from Kerala.

9 Indians pull off epic Yemen sea escape, arrive in Kochi

Cain Marko · Post by **Cain Marko** » 30 Nov 2019 10:15

Rony wrote:Going by names, mostly Christian fisherman from Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu and Muslim fisherman from Kerala.

9 Indians pull off epic Yemen sea escape, arrive in Kochi

Wow. Time for a Bollywood movie..

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 02 Dec 2019 05:24

Reading MSM about Iraq street protests, police firings, PM resignation etc., is a bit confusing.

From what I can gather, the protesters are Shias, including those led by Muqtada Sadr, who was previously presented as a tool of Iran. Now they are burning Iranian consulate in Najaf? What happened between the time Iran shed blood to liberate Mosul etc., from ISIS and now? Corruption? Unemployment? Incompetence? But these things are permanent features.

Gurus?

KLNMurthy · Post by **KLNMurthy** » 02 Dec 2019 05:30

Cain Marko wrote:
Rony wrote:Going by names, mostly Christian fisherman from Kanyakumari, Tamilnadu and Muslim fisherman from Kerala.

9 Indians pull off epic Yemen sea escape, arrive in Kochi
Wow. Time for a Bollywood movie..

Several of them seem to have "Sahaya" in their name, including one of the wives. Does if denote membership in a particular Christian sect?

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 02 Dec 2019 10:41

KLNMurthy wrote: Several of them seem to have "Sahaya" in their name, including one of the wives. Does if denote membership in a particular Christian sect?

Kanyakumari is 50% Christian. Most are Roman Catholics followed by Church of South India which is Protestant. Catholics use Sahaya/Sahayam/Devasahayam which is originally a Hindu name . AP catholics too use these names. I could be wrong but it could be something to do with the Kerala/India Catholic church fabrication of Devasahayam Pillai as a "martyr". His official beatification is recent but the myth of his "martyrdom" is quite prevalent and propagated by Catholic church long before that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devasahayam_Pillai

Neshant · Post by **Neshant** » 05 Dec 2019 09:42

Rudradev · Post by **Rudradev** » 06 Dec 2019 01:46

Y. Kanan wrote:
If you "truly" hope for that, then you have no regard for Indian lives or Indian security because if something like this came to pass, many of our people would die when a newly emboldened wave of Sunni jihadists inevitably ends up here. It would be the late 90's \ early 2000's all over again.

I "truly" can't believe you're cheering for the same people that have done so much terrible harm to us. I suggest you visit the terror attack thread, soak in the reality of it, and then slap yourself vigorously and repeatedly. Then reflect on your morality or lack thereof, and then slap yourself around some more, just for good measure.

So apparently the only way India can beat jihadis... or HAS beaten jihadis in the past, is by becoming a primping, helpless catamite of the wretched, two-faced Russkis.

Do you even realize that the Russians have been instrumental in trying to bring the Taliban... via Pakistan of course... into the Afghan political mainstream? That Moscow has been coordinating with Beijing and Islamabad to achieve this, and concurrently to eliminate New Delhi's influence in Kabul?

Perhaps you need to reflect a little on how eager you are for our entire civilization to turn into Moscow's bum boy... that you must sell some putrid nonsense about the jihadi threat as a justification for such patent stupidity.

And yes, I would very, very much like to see Syria become the graveyard for Putin's Russia (and for Erdogan's Turkey) much as Afghanistan was for the USSR. The current Russia has become far too big for its boots. If they choose to involve themselves in wars against ISIS jihadis while facilitating Taliban jihadis, allying with Iranian Quds/IRGC jihadis, and winking at Erdogan's embrace of al-Nusra jihadis, they richly deserve to face the bloodiest possible consequences of that.

Cain Marko · Post by **Cain Marko** » 07 Dec 2019 05:04

Rudradev wrote:
Y. Kanan wrote:
If you "truly" hope for that, then you have no regard for Indian lives or Indian security because if something like this came to pass, many of our people would die when a newly emboldened wave of Sunni jihadists inevitably ends up here. It would be the late 90's \ early 2000's all over again.

I "truly" can't believe you're cheering for the same people that have done so much terrible harm to us. I suggest you visit the terror attack thread, soak in the reality of it, and then slap yourself vigorously and repeatedly. Then reflect on your morality or lack thereof, and then slap yourself around some more, just for good measure.
So apparently the only way India can beat jihadis... or HAS beaten jihadis in the past, is by becoming a primping, helpless catamite of the wretched, two-faced Russkis.

Do you even realize that the Russians have been instrumental in trying to bring the Taliban... via Pakistan of course... into the Afghan political mainstream? That Moscow has been coordinating with Beijing and Islamabad to achieve this, and concurrently to eliminate New Delhi's influence in Kabul?

Perhaps you need to reflect a little on how eager you are for our entire civilization to turn into Moscow's bum boy... that you must sell some putrid nonsense about the jihadi threat as a justification for such patent stupidity.

And yes, I would very, very much like to see Syria become the graveyard for Putin's Russia (and for Erdogan's Turkey) much as Afghanistan was for the USSR. The current Russia has become far too big for its boots. If they choose to involve themselves in wars against ISIS jihadis while facilitating Taliban jihadis, allying with Iranian Quds/IRGC jihadis, and winking at Erdogan's embrace of al-Nusra jihadis, they richly deserve to face the bloodiest possible consequences of that.

What India really needs to do is to take a page out of the Russian book wrt dealing with the riffraff in the northwest including AFPAK. They need to find an errand boy like Kadyrov who knows how to deal with these scum, give him a free hand to rule that area with lots of Indian support. So long as he keeps the rascals away from the mainland.

If India doesn't want to get it's hands/feet dirty by putting boots on the ground in that place, at least find someone you can back to the hilt and promise him a free run

mmasand · Post by **mmasand** » 07 Dec 2019 20:50

^ Ahmad Shah Masood was backed by R&AW for nearly a decade until his assassination. In fact, Northern Alliance fighters were often flown to an airbase in Tajikistan for treatment by Air Force docs.

Y. Kanan · Post by **Y. Kanan** » 09 Dec 2019 00:35

Rudradev wrote:
Y. Kanan wrote:
If you "truly" hope for that, then you have no regard for Indian lives or Indian security because if something like this came to pass, many of our people would die when a newly emboldened wave of Sunni jihadists inevitably ends up here. It would be the late 90's \ early 2000's all over again.

I "truly" can't believe you're cheering for the same people that have done so much terrible harm to us. I suggest you visit the terror attack thread, soak in the reality of it, and then slap yourself vigorously and repeatedly. Then reflect on your morality or lack thereof, and then slap yourself around some more, just for good measure.
So apparently the only way India can beat jihadis... or HAS beaten jihadis in the past, is by becoming a primping, helpless catamite of the wretched, two-faced Russkis.

Do you even realize that the Russians have been instrumental in trying to bring the Taliban... via Pakistan of course... into the Afghan political mainstream? That Moscow has been coordinating with Beijing and Islamabad to achieve this, and concurrently to eliminate New Delhi's influence in Kabul?

Perhaps you need to reflect a little on how eager you are for our entire civilization to turn into Moscow's bum boy... that you must sell some putrid nonsense about the jihadi threat as a justification for such patent stupidity.

And yes, I would very, very much like to see Syria become the graveyard for Putin's Russia (and for Erdogan's Turkey) much as Afghanistan was for the USSR. The current Russia has become far too big for its boots. If they choose to involve themselves in wars against ISIS jihadis while facilitating Taliban jihadis, allying with Iranian Quds/IRGC jihadis, and winking at Erdogan's embrace of al-Nusra jihadis, they richly deserve to face the bloodiest possible consequences of that.

... Russia has no love for the Taliban. The only reason they're entertaining the idea of making peace with them is to cause trouble for the US in Afghanistan. Note the Russians were the primary backer of the Northern Alliance against the Taliban and continued to be strongly anti-Taliban up until 2014-2015, as the western sanctions began to really hurt them. Russia would never have done this without the US essentially forcing them into this position, and by the way US is now courting the Taliban also, with nary a protest from you.

You're REALLY upset about all this perceived Russian perfidy but you give the US a free pass for doing far worse. Russia hasn't killed thousands of our people, but you know who has? Muslims backed and empowered by the US and China. Your response to that is to declare Russia the enemy and embrace the US? What reality are you living in, and is your stance indicative of our decision makers and political class? Luckily it is not. Imagine where India would be without all those decades of Soviet and then Russian backing.

We don't have many friends, nor the luxury of dumping an ally that sells us tech no one else will. And you go even further, cheering for headchoppers and hoping Russians die by the thousands? Disgusting. You sound like a pouting child and your demeanor reminds me of the US media with all their anti-Russian hysteria.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Dec 2019 04:56

RDji, what is the basis for the item that Russia has been backing Pakiban? I never considered that b4, but of course the effect is to deliver a massive blow to US/NATO H&D so I can begin to see some light there. Pls expand. How can Taliban be friendly to Russians? All those with memories are dead? Like Vietnam is friendly to Yoo Ess? But even given this, result is to win Hearts & Minds of Taliban, isn't it? Why would Russia want to biss off India: will that discourage US-slant? I can't picture Putin being that clueless. Alternative explanation is that this is the only way Russia can build a wall against eastward march of Pee All See.

As for Russian weapons, I asked someone who knows, how come Roos a/c have such poor up-time record in IAF/IN (as claimed by some) while they performed so brilliantly in Syrian War. Response was that their approach is to replace parts. If you have a steady stream of new parts, planes stay up well. But apparently, a lot of parts sent to India were actually scrounged off old planes given to Middle East air faujes and taken back and junked. Arabic lettering shows up if you scratch paint off. This is a matter of cash power (not baksheesh) and tough quality control, isn't it?

Cain Marko · Post by **Cain Marko** » 09 Dec 2019 14:49

mmasand wrote:^ Ahmad Shah Masood was backed by R&AW for nearly a decade until his assassination. In fact, Northern Alliance fighters were often flown to an airbase in Tajikistan for treatment by Air Force docs.

That was a different India Saar. Today India has much more weight and resources to throw in that direction. It could make all the difference.

Cain Marko · Post by **Cain Marko** » 09 Dec 2019 14:55

UlanBatori wrote: As for Russian weapons, I asked someone who knows, how come Roos a/c have such poor up-time record in IAF/IN (as claimed by some) while they performed so brilliantly in Syrian War. Response was that their approach is to replace parts. If you have a steady stream of new parts, planes stay up well. But apparently, a lot of parts sent to India were actually scrounged off old planes given to Middle East air faujes and taken back and junked. Arabic lettering shows up if you scratch paint off. This is a matter of cash power (not baksheesh) and tough quality control, isn't it?

Another thing that I've noticed is that India really doesn't sign comprehensive support and logistics agreements with Russia as they do with Western manufacturers. Notice the differences in the amounts spent in such agreements between say French and russkis maal. With most Russian gear, troubles seem to be resolved as soon as support and supply agreements are properly dealt with.

I'm not sure if this is a ploy by the russkis to offer cheap initial prices and then keep making dough over parts or poor negotiation by babus. Also we rarely see the cost of maintenance contracts with the Russians.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 09 Dec 2019 20:52

I see it as mainly the biss-boor failure to replicate systems with India-jeenius parts. Agree that you may not be able to replace, say, a single part in a subsystem, but once the subsystem's overall functions and I/O are figured out, why not build quality parts in desh? Blaming the Russians after 60 years of vital, nation-saving support, is not very nice.

Rony · Post by **Rony** » 10 Dec 2019 10:16

Turkish-Saudi animosity spills over into cultural sphere

The 15-episode-long “Kingdoms of Fire” ("Mamlakaat Al-Nar"), which began airing on the Saudi-owned, United Arab Emirate-based MBC channel, is a $40 million production that vilifies Ottomans as “tyrannical occupiers who ravaged the Arab world for centuries.”

Peter Webber, whose films include the much-celebrated “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” directs the historical drama. Egyptian writer Mohamed Solaiman Abdul Malek wrote the screenplay, and its cast includes many well-known Arab actors. The series claims to provide a dramatic but factual rendition of the defeat of the Mamluks by the Ottoman Sultan Selim the Grim in 1517, and the advent of Ottoman rule.

Supporters of the series in the Arab press claim that it “puts historical facts in perspective” and reveals the true face of Ottoman rule over the Arabs.

“Kingdoms of Fire” appears to be an answer to major Turkish productions like “Resurrection: Ertugrul” or “The Magnificent Century,” which glorify the Ottoman Empire and continue to be widely watched on Netflix in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, soaps depicting modern-day Turkey and especially relations between men and women are also highly popular in the Arab world, much to the annoyance of Saudi Arabia’s ultra-conservative Wahhabi establishment.

Although “Kingdoms of Fire” has received much praise across the MENA region, some Arab voices have spoken out against it, accusing it of distorting history. Not surprisingly, these voices are mostly in Qatar, which is the only Arab country Turkey has solid ties with today.

There is, however, no reason why an audience that was dazzled by expensive and visually lush historical Turkish dramas should not also be dazzled by an equally expensive and visually lush project such as “Kingdoms of Fire.”

The fact that this series purports to depict their historical past is another factor that will increase the Arab audience’s interest in this period drama, while at the same time contributing to negative feelings about Turkey.

Gerard · Post by **Gerard** » 23 Dec 2019 16:58

Jamal Khashoggi: Saudis sentence five to death for journalist's murder

Karthik S · Post by **Karthik S** » 23 Dec 2019 17:02

Gerard wrote:Jamal Khashoggi: Saudis sentence five to death for journalist's murder

11 unnamed people on trial. Doesn't mean much.

UlanBatori · Post by **UlanBatori** » 27 Dec 2019 16:45

Looks like Putin has decided to help Syria liberate Idlib after all