Miscellaneous News

Randomuser said:

Even the previous Dalai Lama was a British shill. Why did he run away to British India twice when things got tough? Why did he allow so much British "influence and support" to be in Tibet?

Honestly speaking, I'm beginning to think the role of Dalai Lama should be abolished just like King, Emperor etc. Its just a religious relic from the past that no longer justifies remaining in this age.

That title isn't even some really ancient thing. Its just a title given during the Ming Dynasty era.

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4Tran said:

I'm still pretty convinced that Japan would stay out of a Taiwan conflict as much as possible. If anything, this Takaichi thing tells me that they just don't have the guts to fight against China; especially since there's a real possibility that they could lose real territory over it.


That's about the least surprising news ever. The CIA has a record of funding every enemy of countries that the US doesn't like, and the Dalai Lama fits that description like a glove. We even already knew that the CIA was deeply involved in Tibet in the 1950s, so giving him money is just an extension of that operation.

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Exclusive: US to launch new phase of Venezuela operations, sources say​

WASHINGTON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - The United States is poised to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days, four U.S. officials told Reuters, as the Trump administration escalates pressure on President Nicolas Maduro's government.

Reuters was not able to establish the exact timing or scope of the new operations, nor whether U.S. President Donald Trump had made a final decision to act. Reports of looming action have proliferated in recent weeks as the U.S. military has deployed forces to the Caribbean amid worsening relations with Venezuela.

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Two of the U.S. officials said covert operations would likely be the first part of the new action against Maduro. All four officials quoted in this article spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of impending action by the United States.

The Pentagon referred questions to the White House. The CIA declined to comment.

A senior administration official on Saturday did not rule anything out regarding Venezuela.

"President Trump is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country and to bring those responsible to justice," said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

The Trump administration has been weighing Venezuela-related options to combat what it has portrayed as Maduro’s role in supplying illegal drugs that have killed Americans. He has denied having any links to the illegal drug trade.

Two U.S. officials told Reuters the options under consideration included attempting to overthrow Maduro.

Maduro, in power since 2013, has contended that Trump seeks to oust him and that Venezuelan citizens and the military will resist any such attempt.

The Venezuelan president, who will celebrate his 63rd birthday on Sunday, appeared on Saturday night at Caracas' main theater for the premiere of a television series based on his life.

A military buildup in the Caribbean has been underway for months, and Trump has authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Friday warned major airlines of a "potentially hazardous situation" when flying over Venezuela and urged them to exercise caution.

Three international airlines cancelled flights departing from Venezuela on Saturday after the FAA warning.

The United States plans on Monday to designate the Cartel de los Soles a foreign terrorist organization for its alleged role in importing illegal drugs into the United States, officials said. The Trump administration has accused Maduro of leading Cartel de los Soles, which he denies.

HEGSETH: NEW OPTIONS AFTER TERRORIST DESIGNATION

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week that the terrorist designation "brings a whole bunch of new options to the United States."

Trump has said the upcoming designation would allow the United States to strike Maduro's assets and infrastructure in Venezuela, but he also has indicated a willingness to potentially pursue talks in hopes of a diplomatic solution.

Two U.S. officials acknowledged conversations between Caracas and Washington. It was unclear whether those conversations could impact the timing or scale of the U.S. operations.

The U.S. Navy's largest aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford, arrived in the Caribbean on November 16 with its strike group, joining at least seven other warships, a nuclear submarine and F-35 aircraft.

U.S. forces in the region so far have focused on counter-narcotics operations, even though the assembled firepower far outweighs anything needed for them. U.S. troops have carried out at least 21 strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific since September, killing at least 83 people.

Human rights groups have condemned the strikes as illegal extrajudicial killings of civilians, and some U.S. allies have expressed growing concerns that Washington may be violating international law.

Washington in August doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million.
The U.S. military dwarfs Venezuela's, which is debilitated by a lack of training, low wages and deteriorating equipment. Some unit commanders have been forced to negotiate with local food producers to feed their troops because government supplies fall short, Reuters has reported.

That reality has led Maduro's government to consider alternative strategies in the event of a U.S. invasion, including possibly a guerrilla-style response, which the government has termed "prolonged resistance" and mentioned in broadcasts on state television.
This approach would involve small military units at more than 280 locations carrying out acts of sabotage and other guerrilla tactics, Reuters has reported, citing sources and years-old planning documents.

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4Tran said:

If Japan thinks that they will lose more by fighting a war with China than to back out, they absolutely can. Besides, by that point, Japan is likely going to have serious doubts about whether the Americans can protect them any more.

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Puss in Boots said:

I sympathize with their misfortune, while also pitying their ignorance.

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Temstar said:

View attachment 165105
This statue named "Three Drops of Oil" at CAC's factory park originates from an event just prior to J-10's maiden flight. Sometime shortly before the planned maiden flight three drops of oil was found under the prototype. The leadership immediately ordered the maiden flight delayed and rear half of the prototype disassembled on the spot down to individual parts to discover the source of the leak. Only after the source was found and confirmed to be harmless was the plane reassembled and the maiden flight allowed to proceed.

That's the correct attitude to take with your aircraft, instead of deflecting blame to anyone but yourself.

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14 Japanese Detained in Malaysia over Suspected Fraud

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Nevermore said:

What concerns me is how this situation will play out. China has already raised the stakes significantly, but if Japan fails to respond, China risks creating an awkward stalemate. This would likely be followed by the anticipated prolonged freeze in Sino-Japanese relations. That said, Japan's controversial remarks do provide China with justification for more assertive actions. It's akin to former U.S. House Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, which gave China grounds to cross the median line of the Taiwan Strait.

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GulfLander said:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1992396623083941951

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GulfLander said:

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