Things We Lost In The Mire - 46

TURKEY/S-400 – Defense News magazine reports that a U.S. Air Force official says Turkey will not be allowed to use NATO technology if it buys the Russian air defence system the S-400. The official also said there may be additional repercussions that would impact Turkey’s ability to buy or operate F-35 jets due to be delivered next year.

ISRAEL/SAUDI – Israel’s Chief of Staff of the IDF, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot said in an interview with Saudi-owned Elaph news that Israel and Saudi Arabia “share common interests” in dealing with an Iranian threat. Israel does not plan to attack Hezbollah the Iranian backed Lebanese group he added, but will protect itself from threats.

AFGHAN/DRUGS – The UN Office on Drugs and Crime says that opium production has increased in Afghanistan by 87% since 2016.

SPAIN/CATALONIA –  Spain’s attorney general, Jose Manuel Maza, has died aged 66.  He was the lead prosecutor of the separatist leaders of Catalonia, and his demise is likely to delay trial for 20 Catalan politicians, including the region’s former leader, Carles Puigdemont.

COMING UP – This week should see, one way or another, President Mugabe stand down. The Russian summit attended by Putin, Erdogan, and Iran’s Hassan Rouhani is worth watching: Will Putin agree to Turkish requests to withdraw troops which are blocking a Turkish attack on Kurdish areas in Syria? Venezuela’s death spiral will continue as food shortages grow worse. We may get some clarity on if Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri really is resigning. He may show up in Egypt today, after visiting Paris, but he’s got to go home at some point…hasn’t he?

DIARY

Mon – Greek island of Lesbos plans general strike to protest about deteriorating condition at migrant reception centres.

Mon – EU Foreign Ministers meet – Brussels. Briefing by EU Commission’s Michel Barnier re Brexit.

Mon – Another deadline for Kenya’s Supreme Court to rule on validity of Oct 26^th presidential election re-run.

Tues – Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who has, or has not, resigned while in Saudi Arabia, may fly back into his country, or he may not.

Tues – The United Nations has declared this International Television Day…

Weds – Turkey: Trial of 11 human rights activists over alleged links to terror groups resumes. Defendants include Amnesty’s Turkey director Idil Eser.

Weds – Possible judgement on alleged Bosnian Serb war criminal Ratko Mladic at Hague.

Weds – President Putin hosts Iranian and Turkish counterparts in Sochi. He likes it there.

Weds – UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Phillip Hammond presents government’s budget.

Thurs –  Thanksgiving Day in USA. Turkey to be pardoned.

Fri –  Is Black.

Sat –  UN International Day for The Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Sun – USS Ronald Reagan concludes joint exercises with S Korean and Japanese forces off Okinawa.