Britannia Radio

Israel’s senior ministers confer urgently on Iran as US masses air-naval might in Middle East waters DEBKAfile Special Report September 10, 2008, 11:57 AM (GMT+02:00) USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier joins American Middle East armada Prime minister Ehud Olmert summoned defense minister Ehud Barak and foreign minister Tzipi Livni for an urgent consultation on Iran Wed. Sept. 10, as the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier headed out to the Mediterranean for missions “in support of maritime security.” Its arrival will bring the number of US aircraft carriers in the Mediterranean, Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea to four, compared with two Russian warships. Monday, Iran launched a three-day naval-air-missile exercise to practice defense tactics for its nuclear sites.  More...

Two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers land in Venezuela, nuclear battle cruiser on way DEBKAfile Special Report September 10, 2008, 9:57 PM (GMT+02:00) nuclear-powered heavy missile cruiser" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; "> Peter the Greatnuclear-powered heavy missile cruiser The Russian defense ministry said the Tu-160 nuclear-capable, multi-mission bombers (NATO-coded Blackjack) arrived Wednesday Sept. 10 at a Venezuelan air base to take part in joint military exercises along with a Russian flotilla. DEBKAfile’s military sources first disclosed on Sept. 9, that the nuclear maritime reconnaissance/anti-submarine warfare turboprop TU-142 (NATO coded Bear F, or Bear J), which can fly 6,500 km, i.e. from Venezuela to the US coast, will also be based at a Venezuelan military airfield.  More... Russia to post 7,600 troops in Georgia's rebel regions DEBKAfile Special Report September 9, 2008, 3:27 PM (GMT+02:00) Dmitry Medvedev says yes - but - on Georgia deal The Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili’s response to the updated ceasefire deal French president Nicolas Sarkozy brought fromMoscow Tuesday, Sept. 9, was that the Russians, “should get the hell out of the territories they control.” Moscow shot back later: Russia will keep 7,600 soldiers in the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia after its withdrawal from the rest of Georgia. Tuesday, Moscow and the two disputed regions formally established diplomatic relations.  More... US-Russian naval rivalries heat up over Black, Caspian, Persian Gulf seas DEBKAfile Exclusive Report September 8, 2008, 12:12 PM (GMT+02:00) USS Mount Whitney enters Black Sea DEBKAfile’s military sources report Washington is testing the Turkish government’s response to the permanent anchoring of US warships at either of the two Georgian ports of Poti or Batumi. This would be quid pro quo for Moscow’s interest in bases in Iranian Azerbaijan and the Persian Gulf.  More... Pakistan’s new al Qaeda chief said killed in missile attack – report September 10, 2008, 8:56 AM (GMT+02:00) According to a guard wounded in the attack Tuesday, Sept. 9, Abu Haris died of his wounds after missiles hit the compound of Taliban commander Jalaluddin Haqqani killing at least 25 people and injuring twenty. The White House has not commented on the unconfirmed report of the missile attack, suspected to have carried out by US Predator drones. The guard is quoted as reporting that three other al Qaeda operatives were killed: two Saudi Arabians called Abdullah and Abu Hamza and Zain Ul Abu Qasim, an Egyptian.