US ‘Interested’ in Remaining in Iraq Long-Term: General.

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#Imperialism, #Iraq, #Politics United States, Islamic State group, Middle East-North Africa, Military expenditure, War - Conflict

The US plans to continue its multiple-decade-long destabilizing military occupation of Iraq, even after the fall of the Islamic State group.

Lieutenant General Stephen Townsend dashed hopes that the impending collapse of the Islamic State group might mean the end of U.S. military involvement in Iraq, when he said on Tuesday that the United States is “interested” in maintaining a US military presence in Iraq after the eventual defeat of the Islamic State group.

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“I would anticipate that there will be a coalition presence here after the defeat of the Islamic State group,” the general said on Tuesday. “This fight is far from over… there’s still hard work to be done.”

He said decisions over post Islamic State group plans for a U.S. presence in the country are in a “final decision-making” stage.

He claimed that US coalition forces were needed to prevent a “replay” of 2011 when U.S. forces began to withdraw from Iraq following a decade of bloody, devastating invasion and occupation. With Iraq left in a destabilized condition, the Islamic State group quickly rose up as a regional power.

Turkey: Erdogan Claims Victory in Tight ‘Power Grab’ Referendum.

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#Politics, Middle East-North Africa, Tayyip - Erdogan, Turkey

Opponents of the referendum say the proposed reforms are a step toward greater authoritarianism in the country.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan claimed victory Sunday in the country’s hotly contested referendum that is set to place extraordinary powers in the hands of the president, heralding the most radical change to the country’s political system in its modern history.

US-led Coalition Airstrikes Mistakenly Kills 18 Militia Allies in Syria, Says Pentagon.

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# EU - Trump, #Syria, Middle East-North Africa, War - Conflict

The U.S.-led coalition forces struck the position after another partner in the fight wrongly told them it was occupied by Islamic State group militants.

A U.S.-led airstrike mistakenly killed 18 members of a Kurdish and Arab militia backed by Washington south of the Syrian city of Tabqa, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

Russia, Iran Say US Crossed ‘Red Lines’ in Syria, Vow Response.

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#Syria, #US, Middle East-North Africa, Russia, War - Conflict

The two countries and Hezbollah have been President Assad’s main allies helping him

 survive more than six years of a multiple-fronts insurgency.

A joint command center made up of the forces of Russia, Iran and Lebanon’s Shiite group Hezbollah supporting Syrian President Bashar Assad issued a statement Sunday slamming the U.S. strike on a Syrian air base Friday and saying that Washington had already crossed many “red lines” in Syria.

US Attacks on Syria Constitutes International Armed Conflict: Red Cross

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#Usa#Syria, Trump, Violation of human rights, War - Conflict

Previous airstrikes on Syria by a U.S.-led coalition have been against only the militant group Islamic State group, which is also the enemy of the Syrian government

US Attacks on Syria Constitutes International Armed Conflict: Red Cross.

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#Syria, Middle East-North Africa, War - Conflict

Previous airstrikes on Syria by a U.S.-led coalition have been against only the militant group Islamic State group, which is also the enemy of the Syrian government

The situation in Syria “amounts to an international armed conflict” following U.S. missile strikes on a Syrian airbase, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told Reuters on Friday.

Blood Money: Amid War Crimes in Yemen, Saudi Fighter Pilots Get 60% Pay Hike.

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# East & North Africa-, Saudi Arabia, War - Conflict, Yemen

As the Saudi military campaign against Yemen enters its third year, many airstrikes directly target civilians, which the U.N. calls war crimes.

As Saudi Arabia’s jets continue to bomb Yemen for the third year in a row, killing more than 10,000 people, the Saudi Cabinet announced a pay increase of up to 60 percent for air force pilots Monday, state news agency SPA reported.

Sunken Iron Ore Vessel, 22 Crew Members Still Missing.

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#Latin America, #Transport Trade, South America

Two surviving crew members told Uruguayan authorities that their captain alerted the crew that “water was entering” and that the ship was breaking

The whereabouts of the Stellar Daisy cargo ship, which is believed to have sank off the coast of Uruguay, is still proving to be a mystery.

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Two surviving crew members hold the key to explaining the disappearance of the vessel, which reported broke apart. The sailors had told Uruguayan authorities that at one point, their captain alerted the crew that “water was entering” and that the ship was breaking.The South Korean Government reported that fuel, debris and empty lifeboats have turned up in the ongoing rescue mission, but the remaining 22 crew members are still missing.