By Carlo Muñoz, WSH TIMES

Pentagon war planners are shifting away from the George W. Bush and Obama-era strategies dominated by battling extremist groups such as al Qaeda, the Taliban and Islamic State, and setting their sights on the growing military threat posed by Russia, China and other nation states.

Defense Department and national security officials within the Trump administration outlined this doctrinal shift in its new National Security Strategy (NDS), released Friday. Defense Secretary James Mattis made the case for the administration’s divergence from extremist terror threats to those posed by global powers during a speech Friday in Washington.
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Classified report could bust myth that millions of refugees need UNRWA

By Adam Kredo, FREE BEACON

The State Department is hiding a classified report on Palestinian refugees that insiders say could be a game changer in how the United States approaches the situation and allocates millions in taxpayer funds to a key United Nations agency, according to multiple sources briefed on the situation.

As the United States moves forward with a decision to slash funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the agency responsible for providing education and support to some five million Palestinian refugees, officials on Capitol Hill and elsewhere have been pressuring the State Department to declassify a report that is believed to show the actual number of refugees is far fewer than the U.N. claims.
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The inflated numbers of third generation refugees claimed by Arabs and the UN started with an inflated number in 1948.

By Richard Mather, INN 2012

Most serious students of the history of Palestine would accept that the number of Arab refugees from Israel during and after 1948 claimed by Arab and UN sources—some 600,000 to 750,000—was exaggerated. It is very easy to refute that estimate and many have already done it. – Yehoshua Porath

It is a common misconception that around 650,000 Palestinian refugees were created because of fighting that took place in 1948. But a closer look at both the population data and statements made by UN officials at the time suggest that the true figure is much lower, possibly as low as 270,000.

The conventional figure of 650,000 cannot be true for more than one reason. Firstly, there were fewer than 660,000 Arabs living in the part of Palestine that eventually became Israel; and secondly, UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency), either through incompetence or deliberate manipulation, handed out multiple identity cards to the same persons, some of whom were not refugees at all but permanent residents who took advantage of the aid offered by UNRWA. This is attested by UNRWA officials.
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By Alexander Maistrovoy

Courts have been turned into leverage for destruction of national democracies by the totalitarian system

In late December, the European Commission announced punitive measures against Poland using the so-called “nuclear option”, Article 7 of the Lisbon Treaty. The reason was the decision of Warsaw to limit the power of judges. The EU considered this an infringement on “freedom, democracy and the rule of law”.

In fact, the “nuclear option” of the EU has no relation to freedom, democracy, or the rule of law. Its goal is to establish a totalitarian supranational system in Poland, the leading country of the Visegrad Fronde, in order to supersede democratic national institutions of power.

The judicial system in a democratic state should guard rights of citizens. Together with the executive and legislative powers, it must guarantee “the enjoyment of life and liberty” of free citizens (The Virginia Declaration of Rights of 1776), or according to Jeremy Bentham, the founder of British utilitarianism, ensure “the greatest happiness of the greatest number”.
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Counter-tunnel barrier being built under southern border runs hundreds of feet below ground, is studded with cutting-edge sensors and topped by a 26-foot metal fence • IDF projects construction, estimated at $700 million, will be completed by mid-2019.

Lilach Shoval, News Agencies and Israel Hayom Staff

An Israeli soldier stands near the opening of the Islamic Jihad tunnel discovered by the IDF in October | Photo: AP

The Israeli military brought journalists on Thursday to film a 2-kilometer terror tunnel dug by Gaza Strip-based terrorists under the enclave’s border with Israel. The IDF said it was putting the construction on display to show the continuing threat Israel faces from Gaza.

The Islamic Jihad has claimed responsibility for building the tunnel, saying it had planned to use it to attack Israel in the next armed confrontation.

The tunnel was lined with concrete slabs. It was discovered about 120 meters (390 feet) inside Israel, near Kibbutz Kissufim, and runs about six meters (20 feet) deep below ground, the IDF said.
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While experts aren’t sure if religion played into a highly secretive sect’s humanitarian acts, Jewish refugees were 10 times more likely to be saved than in neighboring countries

By CNAAN LIPHSHIZ, TOI

Maxim A. Suchkov, Al Monitor

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (L), together with his counterparts, Russia’s Vladimir Putin (C) and Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan, attend a joint news conference following their meeting in Sochi, Russia, Nov. 22, 2017.

As Moscow prepares for its Syrian National Dialogue Congress this month, the guest list might still be in flux. Russia hopes to broker peace between the Syrian regime and its opposition while appeasing major stakeholders — who at the moment aren’t playing nicely.

On Jan. 11, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the Syrian situation. This was two days after Turkey had summoned the Russian and Iranian ambassadors over cease-fire violations in the Idlib de-escalation zone. Under the preliminary peace agreements reached in Astana, Kazakhstan, the three guarantor countries for the four Syrian de-escalation zones are Turkey, Russia and Iran.
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DEBKA

Palestinian Mahmoud Abbas kicked back hard after grasping he was confronted with an orderly, Arab-backed US peace plan that left his strategy in ruins.

Abbas now sees he is cornered by his nemesis: Trump’s move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, was not just a one-off whim, but a component of the “deal of the century,” which the US president and his advisers had crafted for months together with Egyptian President Abdel-Fatteh El-Sisi, Saudi Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman and the UAE ruler Sheikh Muhammed Bin Ziyad.

The Palestinian leader’s first predicament was how to explain to the Palestinian and Arab public what happened to his master strategy of the past 25 years, for using world opinion to force a pro-Palestinian peace solution down Israel’s throat. Not too long ago, Abbas boasted he was about to pull it off. Now it is crashing before his eyes. It is not enough for him to yell that the “deal of the century” is the “slap of the century.”

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By J.E. Dyer, LIBERTY UNYIELDING January 17, 2018

Western media are suggesting that a Turkish military initiative in northwestern Syria, which would have U.S.-backed Kurds as its target, would present an alliance problem for NATO.  But that’s a misreading of the situation.

In fact, a popular Arab reading of the situation – that the Turkish move would put Ankara cross-ways with Russia – may also be a misreading.  Russia and her client Bashar al-Assad don’t necessarily prefer the Kurds having control of the territory in question, as opposed to the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army.
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T. Belman. I totally agree with getting rid of the PA and looking to Jordan for the solution. But I don’t think the King would go along. Plus he is one of Israel’s enemies. I far prefer to remove the King from power and make Mudar Zahran the President. Mudar will agree to the Jordan River being the border and will not be a thorn in our side as the King currently is.

Jordan should replace the intransigent PLO as Israel’s negotiating partner and end the conflict.

By David Singer, INN

The Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) threat to refuse to negotiate with Israel unless President Trump withdraws his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel could see Jordan replacing the PLO as Israel’s negotiating partner to end the 100 years-old Arab-Jewish conflict.

This threat – unless unconditionally revoked – would give Trump the opportunity to consign the PLO to the political wilderness by inviting Jordan to step in and negotiate with Israel over Trump’s eagerly-anticipated “ultimate deal”.
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T. Belman. Trump should respond by deleting another $23 million from the US contribution. He should not allow others to undo his pressure. Also he would save another 23 million. Others will also be deterred from taking up the slack. A win-win.

Move comes as UNRWA launches fundraising campaign after the Trump administration withholds $65 million

By AP and TOI STAFF

BRUSSELS  — Belgium has stepped in to help out the UN Agency assisting Palestinian refugees with an immediate disbursement of $23 million after the Trump administration suspended $65 million in aid for the international organization.

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Wednesday that “for a lot of Palestinian refugees, the UNRWA is the last life buoy.”

De Croo said he was responding to a global fundraising appeal from UNRWA in hopes of making up for funding cuts announced by the United States. The money is Belgium’s allocation for three years but because of the group’s immediate need, De Croo’s office said it will be “disbursed immediately.”
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PM treated to a reception rarely seen by Israeli leaders anywhere; Foreign Ministry director says he’s never seen any like it

By JOSHUA DAVIDOVICH, TOI

MUMBAI, India — In Ahmadebad, tens of thousands of people lined the street, some waving Israeli flags, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sped past, whizzing by massive billboards with his and Indian counterpart Narendra Modi’s faces plastered on them.

In rural Dev Dholera, curious farmers and others craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the prime ministers, and hundreds of young entrepreneurs and business people cheered the leaders like rock stars.
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By GARDINER HARRIS, NYT, JAN 17, 2018

A neighborhood destroyed in the fight against the Islamic State in the northern city of Raqqa this month.CreditDelil Souleiman/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

WASHINGTON — American troops will remain in Syria long after their fight against the Islamic State to ensure that neither Iran nor President Bashar al-Assad of Syria take over areas that have been newly liberated with help from the United States, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson said on Wednesday.

Staying in Syria, Mr. Tillerson said, will help ensure that the Trump administration does not repeat what he described as the mistakes of former President Barack Obama, who withdrew troops from Iraq before the extremist threat was doused and failed to stabilize Libya after NATO airstrikes that led to the overthrow of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi.

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But she was wrong to cite the 700,000 figure. I wrote to her to say so. If anyone has a link to a more definitive number, tell me so I can forward it on.

https://a7.org/media/a7radio/misc/video/18/jan/WhatsApp%20Video%202018-01-17%20at%2021.30.57.mp4

Might is a strange ideal for a democracy.

By Jonah Goldberg, NATIONAL REVIEW

What if diversity isn’t our strength?

Senator Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) says he scolded the president for saying something scatological about certain countries and their emigrants. “Diversity has always been our strength,” Graham allegedly said. By my very rough count, this makes Graham the bazillionth person to proclaim some variant of “diversity is strength.” But is it true? I think the only close to right answer is, “It depends.” Specifically, it depends on which (often clichéd) analogy you want to hang your argument on. Diverse stock portfolios are more resilient. Diverse diets are healthier.
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T. Belman. Trump, having encouraged these people to protest , must destroy the regime.

Iran’s rulers have inflicted death by torture and gunfire on citizen protesters in a crackdown since the Dec. 28 street uprising erupted, the main opposition group said Tuesday.

The Europe-based National Council of Resistance of Iran says the Islamic republic’s ubiquitous security apparatus has arrested more than 8,000 citizens and killed at least 50, all while the West has remained mostly silent. The council attributes at least five deaths to torture.

President Trump has spoken out in support of the protesters. The Treasury Department on Friday slapped further sanctions on the regime’s judiciary chief, Sadeq Amoli Larijani. Mr. Larijani has been singled out by the West for years for endorsing cruel punishments that include torture and amputation.
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