This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.
- Syrian army uses unmanned drones to identify targets
- Debka: Obama orders preparations for air strikes in Syria
- Europe in chaos two days after bailout of Spain announced
- Greece and Ireland to demand a better bailout deal after Spain’s no-strings bailout
- Greek politician who slugged two women sues them for unprovoked verbal abuses
- U.S. ends negotiations with Pakistan over reopening land routes
Syrian army uses unmanned drones to identify targets
United Nations observers watched as tanks and helicopter gunships attacked unarmed civilians in the city of Homs. In a new development, the regime of Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad is using unmanned drones to identify targets for shelling. It’s thought that the drones were supplied by Iran. Metro (London)
Debka: Obama orders preparations for air strikes in Syria
Debka, which has gotten several things wrong lately, is quoting its intelligence sources as saying that President Barack Obama has ordered the U.S. Navy and Air Force to accelerate preparations for a limited air offensive against the Bashar al-Assad regime, and imposition of no-fly zones over Syria. The objective would be to knock out Assad’s central regime and military command centers, and restrict Syria’s army and air force. However, Washington is not sure how Moscow would react aside from sharp condemnations. Debka
Europe in chaos two days after bailout of Spain announced
When the €100 billion bailout of Spain was announced on Saturday, with no austerity strings attacked, European officials hoped that the markets would be “calmed,” but instead there was enormous chaos on Monday. Stocks surged early in the day, but fell sharply as investors realized that the bailout was barely worth the paper it was written on. The yields (interest rates) on Spain’s government bonds went up to 6.5%, indicating that investors are increasingly betting that Spain is going to default (like Greece). Italy is next in line, as its bond yields went up to an unsustainable 6%. Reuters and Irish Times
Greece and Ireland to demand a better bailout deal after Spain’s no-strings bailout
Politicians in Greece are planning to renegotiate the terms of the EU bailout, after EU announced that Spain will receive a €100 billion no-strings bailout. The far left Syriza party has already claimed that Europe was bluffing when it announced they would stop bailing out Greece if Greece didn’t meet its austerity commitments, and they’ve already said that they’ll abandon those commitments if they win in Sunday’s election. According to a statement on Monday from a Syriza spokesman, “Developments in Spain fully vindicate us in our reading of the crisis: This is a deep structural crisis of the eurozone itself.” In Ireland, opposition candidates are demanding that the government negotiate a better bailout deal, to gain the same concessions that Spain got. Kathimerini and Irish Examiner
Greek politician who slugged two women sues them for unprovoked verbal abuses
Ilias Kasidiaris, the spokesman for the neo-Naza Chrysi Avgi (Golden Dawn) political party, who slugged two women on nationwide TV during a political debate last week has finally come out of hiding to face arrest. However, he’s suing the two women for unprovoked verbal abuses, and is also accusing the television station of abuse of power. Kathimerini
U.S. ends negotiations with Pakistan over reopening land routes
The supply route through Pakistan to the Nato forces in Afghanistan has been chosed since a drone strike last November accidentally killed 21 Pakistan soldiers. Pakistan and the U.S. have been negotiating the terms for reopening the supply routes, but those attempts were abandoned on Monday, when it became clear that no progress would be made. The Pakistanis are furious about a remark made last week by U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta:
“It’s an increasing concern that this safe haven exists and that there are those like the Haqqanis who are making use of that to attack our forces. We are reaching the limits of our patience here. For that reason, it’s extremely important that Pakistan take action to prevent this kind of safe haven.
We have made that very clear time and time again, and we will continue to do that. But as I said, we are reaching the limits of our patience.”
Even worse, Panetta mocked the Pakistanis over how easily they were fooled in the U.S. commando raid that killed Osama bin Laden — a joke that was told in front of an audience of Indians in Delhi. CNN and CBS/AP and The News (Pakistan)