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WW3 devastation: The terrifying moment Iran’s missiles attacked US airbase released – Express.co.uk

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

Iranian state television has now released a video of what it says is a ballistic missile attack launched at US military forces in Iraq. The Pentagon has confirmed that missiles were launched from Iran. The missiles targeted at least two Iraqi military bases which hosted American soldiers and coalition personnel.

The two bases were al-Asad and Erbil.

The attack comes just days after the US confirmed it killed General Qassem Suleimani.

Suleimani was the head of Irans elite Quds force.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards claim the attack was in retaliation to the assassination of the Iranian general.

The video shows missiles being fired into the night sky, leaving trails of smoke.

US officials released a statement that more than a dozen ballistic missiles were fired at US troops at two Iraqi bases.

At the present time they are working on initial battle damage assessments.

Although no official report has yet been released on the number of fatalities, it is expected to have had a major impact upon the bases.

READ MORE:Trump popularity soars after Iran attack - Will he win 2020 election?

A US government statement said: It is clear that these missiles were launched from Iran and targeted at least two Iraqi military bases hosting US military and coalition personnel at Al Assad and Erbil.

We are working on initial battle damage assessments.

These bases have been on high alert due to indications that the Iranian regime planned to attack our forces and interests in the region.

As we evaluate the situation and our response, we will take all necessary measure to protect and defend US personnel, partners and allies in the region.

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WW3 devastation: The terrifying moment Iran's missiles attacked US airbase released - Express.co.uk

World War 3 fears: Are airlines travelling to the Middle East? – Express

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

Many airlines across the UK are keeping a watchful eye on the rising tensions across the Middle East, following a US airstrike which targeted and killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.

As it stands, most airlines are continuing with flights to and from the region.

A spokesperson for British Airways told Express.co.uk that their teams are closely monitoring the situation and our flights are operating normally".

An Emirates spokesperson echoed similar sentiments, commenting: Emirates flights are continuing as scheduled and we are monitoring the situation.

Virgin Atlantic added that their safety and security is their number one priority they will continue to monitor all air space closely and make adjustments to our flight paths if necessary".

Concerns around travelling to the Middle East escalated after US military launched a drone attack on a group of Iranian militants, which targeted and killed Iranian military leader Major General Qassem Soleiman.

READ MORE: World War 3 warning: Iran in line to unleash 'disastrous' response to US attack in Israel

Since his death, protests have sparked across the region, with reports stating that crowds have been heard chanting: Death to America.

While flights are continuing to travel to and from the Middle East, some airlines have faced delays.

Passengers flying between the UK and India were delayed by more than 36 hours over the weekend, with airline TUI citing airspace restrictions in the Middle East as the cause.

The flight - which took off from London Gatwick to Goa shortly after 6am on Monday - was due to depart on Saturday evening.

DON'T MISSWorld War 3 MAP: Which countries are allies of Iran and the US amid fears of WW3?World War 3: Is World War 3 official? Will WW3 happen and will the UK get involved?World War 3 MAP: Which countries are allies of Iran and the US amid fears of WW3?

According to The Independent, TUI told passengers on flight TOM30: "Due to recent political issues in the Middle East, this has resulted in airspace restrictions along the route of your flight."

Reports suggest the airline didnt not clarify what restrictions are in place.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, a spokesperson for Tui said: TOM030, Gatwick to Goa and TOM031, Goa to Gatwick were delayed due to flying restrictions along the intended route. The safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority.

The revised time of departure for TOM030 was 07:00 (local) on Monday 6th January and TOM031 at 23:20 (local) on Monday 6th January.

All customers were being looked after in hotels until the new flight departure and we can confirm both flights landed safely.

As a result of the delay, TUI said it would compensate each passenger, paying them 600 (513) under European air passengers rights rules.

The European air passengers rights rules state that if a flight is delayed at departure, a person has the right to assistance, reimbursement and a return flight depending on the duration of the delay and distance of the flight, according to the European Union (EU) website.

They add: If you arrived at your final destination with a delay of more than three hours, you are entitled to compensation, unless the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances.

The airline has to prove this by providing, for example, extracts from logbooks or incident reports. The air carrier should give this evidence to the relevant national enforcement body as well as to the passengers concerned in line with national provisions on access to documents.

While a 36-hour flight delay is particularly long, many have taken to forums to discuss the shocking delays theyve experienced.

In a forum on TripAdvisor, one user detailed a delay that left her family stranded in Morocco for nine days.

Having travelled there last April for four nights, an ash cloud descended, and the holidaymaker explained that the first available flights were nine days later.

Many shared that they had been delayed for up to 96 hours in countries including France, Brussels and Spain.

I was totally abandoned in Brussels three years ago due to fog. No alternative transport offered and no one to ask when the next flight leaving would be, another user revealed.

We found out later that the next scheduled flight was four days later and it was full. Cost me 900 euros to get my family home.

Whats the longest delay youve had to endure? Email leahsinclair@reachplc.com to share your story.

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World War 3 fears: Are airlines travelling to the Middle East? - Express

These 30 WW3 memes are the only way to get through this chaos – The Tab

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

Can I speak to the manager of Iran?

In case youve been living under a rock, Donald Trump ordered an air strike on Iran on Friday, that killed Irans General Qassem Soleimani and Iran have threatened to strike back against the US, and now WW3 memes are a thing.

These decisions have led many people on Twitter to believe that we are heading to World War three.And of course there are many memes to get us through this troubling political time.

Some Twitter users have criticised the creations of these memes, stating that war is not funny and has serious consequences.

Obviously it is a very serious issue but people on the Internet have decided to make the best out of a bad situation and bless us all with some quality memes to get us through the day.

Weve rounded up the best memes that are essentially the best coping mechanism for dealing with a potential global catastrophe.

Featured Image Credit: Gage Skidmore /Creative Commons Licence

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These 30 WW3 memes are the only way to get through this chaos - The Tab

Are we heading towards WW3? – Your Local Guardian

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

The threat of a major escalation in Iran-US tensions appears to be rising following the death of top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a US airstrike in Iraq. General Soleimani, 62, was responsible for commanding the Quds Force and attained celebrity status as a military mastermind for Irans war efforts in Syria and Iraq. The Pentagon has accused Soleimani and his infamous military unit of being terrorists, and claims Soleimani was developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in the region, reports the BBC.

The killing has sparked a wildfire of fears across social media of a possible World War 3. A question many have is Are those fears justified.

Tensions have been growing between the US and Iran since 2018 when Washington announced it was withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal. An independent US report warned that an all-out war was impending with Trump deciding to surround himself with hardliners in his administration. Those fears have been stoked by the killing this week of Soleimani in a drone strike on Baghdad International Airport. President Donald Trump, who ordered the attack, tweeted an image of the US flag shortly after the news broke. It appears that Trump is unlikely to back down from this situation meaning chances of World War 3 are increasing day by day.

Another question many are asking is Are the UK likely to get involved

The UK has a history of diplomatic issues with Iran dating back to when they seized the Iranian Oil Tanker Grace 1 after discovering it was transporting oil to Syria, in violation of EU sanctions. However, I believe this history of disputes does not necessarily mean the UK is likely to get involved. At the current time, the US is a far greater threat and priority to Iran than the UK and Im sure leaders in the UK would like to avoid war at all costs.

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Are we heading towards WW3? - Your Local Guardian

Even as Iran & US flex muscles, here are three reasons why World War 3 isnt happening – Republic World – Republic World

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

The past few days have borne witness to a whirlwind of excitement in the world of geopolitics- excitement born out of a sense of collective fear and negativity. Twitter users around the world woke up on the January 3, 2020, to see #WWIII as one of the top social media trends. Yet despite the collective globalfear about the developments in Iran immediately following General Qassem Soleimanis assassination, the concerns about WW3 may well be unfounded. The stakes are high, and the potential for a limited war is extremely likely. Yet, to say that the Third World War is inevitable is incorrect- and this is not the result of the publics futile hopes for a diplomatic solution, but a ground reality based on fact.

READ |Major Gaurav Arya's LIVE Blog: No One Wants This War Except...

Following last nights missile strikes on Al-Asad Air Base in northern Iraq, the Iranian government issued a series of threats against a variety of US allies in the Middle East. The two most outlandish and quoted of these threats have been against the UAE and Israel, with Tehran threatening to use Hezbollah militias to conduct terrorist attacks in Dubai and Haifa respectively. The escalating rhetoric from both Washington and Tehran at first glance may appear to be a call to arms, but a deeper look shows that it is really just coded calls for restraint aimed at one another. Iran hopes that its escalating talk of war and violence will pressurise American allies in the region to a point where they have to work together to prevent Donald Trump from deploying ground troops in Iran, thereby ending the looming threat of World War Three.

READ | With the world on tenterhooks over Iran-US escalation, AAAs the magic word for Imran Khan

Despite Washingtons best efforts to gather support for its cause among allies, it is highly doubtful as to whether or not they will concede to the USAs demands. It is true that most of the USAs major European allies- Britain, France and Germany- have all faced off with Iran in the past year or have outstanding differences with Tehran. The UK had a tense face-off with Iran in July 2019, following Britains detention of an Iranian oil tanker, Grace 1, on the charge of evading sanctions and smuggling crude oil to Syria. Iran responded with the capture of British ships Mesdar and Stena Impero. After two months of tense negotiations, both sides relented and the ships were freed.

After such a showdown, caused as a result of Whitehall pursuing American national interest on the basis ofLondons Special Relationship with Washington, the UK will try to not become involved in a military confrontation with Iran. With the UK poised to leave the EU on theJanuary 31, PM Boris Johnson will not want anything to distract from Brexit, viewed by many in the Conservative Party as Johnsons greatest political triumph.

France has already expressed its concern about the escalating tensions between the USA and Iran. France and Iran had a severe diplomatic spat in late 2018, with France publicly declaring that Irans intelligence agencies were involved in an attempted bomb plot in Paris aimed at targeting a meeting of Iranian dissidents. Responding in 2019, Iran jailed two French academics on charges of espionage. The charges against the duo were dropped in January once France proposed to solve the US-Iran standoff diplomatically.

READ |Amid Speculation Over Plane Crash, Iran Decides Not To Hand Over Black Boxes To Boeing

While France continues to push for a diplomatic solution, it has still strengthened the security levels for the 160 French troops deployed in Iraq. However, this is little but a token gesture, aimed at creating a facade of apparent NATO unity while refraining from getting involved in what is viewed as an American war.

Finally, Germany refuses to become entangled in any war against Iran. While Germany did voice support for the American assassination of General Soleimani, and was criticised by Iran for it, it is averse to supporting President Trumps military activities against Iran. In fact, Germany has rapidly started withdrawing some of its troops from Iraq already.

The different lines of action being taken by France and Germany indicate that there is fractured support for war against Iran among NATO members. And despite certain shared views on the matter, no European ally of the USA is willing to go to war with Iran.

In the case of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the USAs main regional allies, neither of them want a conventional war with Iran either. Despite the tensions between the USA and Iran, UAEs Energy Minister has rubbished what he calls exaggerations regarding WW3. Yet the UAE is quietly working on securing its oil routes in case war does break out- and even if it doesnt the actions the UAE is taking now will increase its standing as a regional power. The UAE has started quietly lobbying in Washington so that an Emirati company, DP World, is given the contract to invest in a construction project in Port Sudan. Such an investment will allow the UAE to transport oil via the Red Sea, and through the Suez Canal and Bab-el Mandeb strait to markets in Europe, Asia and beyond. In case of war, the Straits of Hormuz will be blockaded- which would otherwise have left the UAE in a lurch.

READ |Iran repeats S.O.S for 'friendly' India's intervention after targeting US with rockets

From a strategic standpoint, war is not a feasible reality for the USA. The only two routes into Iran are through the south and north. A US landing in southern Iran would face the full might of the Iranian navy, and even then the invading American troops would have to traverse across wide desert and mountains to reach Tehran in the north. The invasion would also see widespread destruction in major Iranian port cities, such as Chabahar, where India is working on a port project. An invasion from the north would require American bases in Central Asian countries such as Turkmenistan, which are firmly part of Russias CSTO bloc. With the current tensions between Russia and the West, it is unlikely that the US will have this opportunity. An invasion from the west is most likely, since US forces in Iraq would be able to move eastward toward Tehran. Yet still, the terrain is rough and Tehran is extremely far away. Additionally, the western Iranian province of Khuzestan has borne witness to a decades-long separatist insurgency by the Sunni Arab population dominating the province. Violent interactions with invading American troops could quickly spiral into a Wahhabi insurgency funded by Saudi money.

In conclusion, chances - if at all - of even a localised conflict spiralling into the Third World War may be remote.Despite what one might like to excitedly proclaim to ones friends, the real possibility is either a violent skirmish or an intense diplomatic showdown where both sides - Trump especially - may be able to walk away claiming a victory for the galleries.

It is, and will be, peace in our time.

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Even as Iran & US flex muscles, here are three reasons why World War 3 isnt happening - Republic World - Republic World

As long as WW3 does not kick off, 2020 looks set to be a better year – Retail Sector

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

All eyes on are on the rising tensions between the United States and Iran after president Trump ordered the assassination of Irans most powerful general, Qassem Suleimani.

The oil price has risen, stocks have fallen this morning, and the threat of war almost always depresses global trade flows. But lets bask in a rare moment of optimism at home here in the UK, where there are signs of a positive outlook for 2020.

There has been talk of economic contraction at the end of last year, but todays news shows the Purchasing Managers Index showing a 49.3 reading in November 2019. Anything below 50 indicates contraction and means businesspeople with buying power were less confident and therefore planning to spend less.

However, with the uncertainty about what happens next lifted, that index has now risen to 50 on the nose. Its nothing to get excited about particularly as that does not indicate any surge in business investment, indeed it indicates the definition of stagnation. But it does at least offer one indication that were not about to slide into recession, and given the parlous state of our politics over the last three years, that is probably something of a miracle.

What might offer further succour to the economic position is the passing of the Brexit deadline day. The 31st January was the newly established deadline for Britain to leave the EU, and with his new majority, Boris Johnson managed to pass his Withdrawal Agreement Bill easily, meaning we will definitely leave and enter that implementation period.

It gives 11 months grace during which nothing will change in the economy or our trading arrangements, and the threat of any disruption will be deferred to the end of the year by which time we leave the EU properly regardless of whether or not a new free trade agreement has been struck.

Whilst naturally we all want the cliff edges to disappear for good, arguably we have not had a period of 11 months pure predictability for several years now, and this will allow business to make some investments and try to move forward.

It will be worth following the news on Iran closely, because a new war with US involvement is likely to have a dampening effect on capital flows and therefore on domestic economies. The price of gold is already at a seven-year high this morning this is significant because gold is seen as a safe haven commodity by investors, and big spikes in gold tend to mean reduced confidence in all the other types of asset classes.

Heres hoping international diplomatic pressure can get both countries to step back from the brink, and defuse an already hot situation. Our economies need the breathing space.

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As long as WW3 does not kick off, 2020 looks set to be a better year - Retail Sector

World War 3: Medical conditions that could save you from conscription if WW3 broke out – Daily Star

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

In the week where the United States killed Irans top general, the internet has reacted in its typical style and World War III memes have taken over social media.

100 years on from the First World War, which saw 886,000 British people lose their lives including 70,000 civilians, many have been wondering about how forced conscription would work in the modern age.

In 2020, sex discrimination is illegal and so many have been wondering if women would be drafted into the army alongside men.

Subsequently people have questioned what would happen to children.

The obesity epidemic alongside a heightening awareness of mental health disorders means that the reality may be unrecognisable from that of 1918.

If conscription were to happen, we ask, what fitness levels might be expected and which medical conditions would make you exempt? We looked at the National Archives and looked at expert commentary to help paint a picture.

Firstly, the question of women and enlistment. In 2016, Hardman Lea, the author of First World War novel The Sins of Soldiers, conducted a poll about modern attitudes to conscription.

Speaking to The Telegraph in 2016, he said: The female role was much more formal 100 years ago, but times have changed. Women now serve in the Amed Forces, so if conscription came back in, should they be called up?

In response to his question 57% answered yes, but 43 per cent said no citing: women are less aggressive, they dont belong and women have occupations that would be invaluable on the home front.

This also brings up the issue of single parenthood. Hartman Lea said: Single parenting was a social position that didnt really exist 100 years ago, so that, along with gender and childcare issues, would present a further problem with reintroducing conscription.

It seems that if you are called up in World War Three, parenthood and occupation could keep you off of the front lines.

The second question about enlistment is that of health, specifically weight.

In order to pass the fitness tests required by the British army today, you would need to be able to complete the following:

Considering that, as of August 2019, 28.7% of English adults were obese and 35.6% were overweight, it would be easy to think that conscription of these individuals would be impossible.

However, in 2011, a Ministry of Defence study found that in actuality 44.9 per cent of existing British soldiers were classed as overweight and 12.1 per cent were obese or even heavier.

While the army insisted that their personnel were getting larger they insisted that their soldiers were large and fit. They did introduce a weight management system in 2009 to tackle the issue.

With this in mind, it should also be noted that this year the British Army has been seeking new ways to increase its troop members, and this includes a soldier development course which takes on overweight, unfit and shy recruits.

This means that if conscription were to return, being overweight may not automatically get you pulled from the ranks.

Finally, weve all heard of men being signed unfit for war during the previous world wards due to asthma or flat feet - but what about now? Which conditions could get you out of war in 2020?

If we consider that those conditions which excused men from war in the last century would also count in the 21st century the following would make you exempt.

Records of medical exemptions are rare, according to the National Archives, but the following illnesses were noted in a collection of Middlesex County appeals against conscription from 1916-17.

Its worth noting that a total of 303 appeals were from men who were aged between 40 and 50.

In the papers were included appeals due to heart defects, heart disease, partial or total blindness, deafness, hernias, chronic bronchitis and Neurasthenia.

Neurasthenia was a psychological term which covered symptoms such as fatigue, anxiety, neuralgia and depression.

As modern attitudes towards mental health have improved, it is likely that those with similar conditions, depression, anxiety, ME and other conditions would be excused from the draft.

On the British Army website there is an extensive list of conditions which they say could stop you from being able to join. These include: Crohns disease or ulcerative colitis, kidney disease or donation, pregnancy, MS, epilepsy, Hepatitis B or C, ear grommets, Asthma, lung disease, TB, Cerebral Palsy, HIV, Diabetes and HIV.

Also included are PTSD, alcoholism or drug dependancy, schizophrenia, past suicide attempts, anxiety, OCD.

Even food allergies, 44% of the UK has some kind of allergy, could make you exempt.

Conscientious objection was widely vilified during the last century, however it was accepted as a reason to be exempt in some cases. It was peer pressure which widely pushed these men into the army eventually.

In Hardman Leas poll, 57% of respondents would protest the reintroduction of conscription, meaning that this pressure may not exist in the same way.

With all of these exemptions, it seems as though there would be no-one in the UK left to conscript.

However, Hardman Lea notes: I suspect that their opinions would change when it came to the actual situation and, as was the case a century ago today, they would accept the necessity of the decision, we would have to work out the logistical difficulties, and conscription would return."

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World War 3: Medical conditions that could save you from conscription if WW3 broke out - Daily Star

Royal Navy warships heading for Iran to protect Brits as WW3 tensions skyrocket – Daily Star

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

Two British warships are currently heading to the Persian Gulf to "take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens" following the US assassination of Qasem Soleimani.

Defence Secretary, Ben Wallace, has ordered HMS Montrose and HMS Defender, a Type 23 frigate and a Type 45 destroyer to accompany British-flagged ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to fly back to the UK tomorrow, following his holiday in Mustique and will be faced with his biggest foreign policy crisis during his time in Downing Street.

The PM is likely to be immediately briefed by his National Security Adviser, Sir Mark Sedwill, who today met with the UKs leading security agencies to discuss risks to UK assets in the Middle East.

This news comes as thousands of Brits currently in Turkey and Dubai have been warned to remain "vigilant" by the Foreign Office, who have recently updated their advice for travel across the Middle East.

Wallaces decision to send the warships back to the Gulf comes just two months after the ships had been withdrawn from their previous deployment in the same area.

In a statement, Wallace said: "The Government will take all necessary steps to protect our ships and citizens at this time."

He went on to say that on Friday he had spoken to US Defence Secretary, Mark Esper, claiming he urged all parties to engage to de-escalate the situation.

Following on the heels of President Trumps decision to go ahead with the airstrikes and signifying Britains position in the escalating crisis, Wallace added: "During the last few months US forces in Iraq, who are based in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government, have been repeatedly attacked by Iranian backed militia ."

He continued: "General Soleimani has been at the heart of the use of proxies to undermine neighbouring sovereign nations and target Irans enemies.

"Under international law, the United States is entitled to defend itself against those posing an imminent threat to their citizens."

Sedwill, who is also the Cabinet Secretary, chaired a two-hour meeting with senior figures from the Governments listening post, GCHQ and other intelligence officials at 10 Downing Street.

Its believed the meeting looked into "the potential scenarios, risks to the UK assets in the region."

Reports also emerged that GCHQ had stepped up their monitoring of Tehran-backed hackers this weekend, following fears that Britains national infrastructure and government departments would be targeted in retaliation by Iran.

Royal Navy warships heading for Iran to protect Brits as WW3 tensions skyrocket - Daily Star

Iran’s missile cities buried beneath five layers of concrete ready to strike in WW3 – Daily Star

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

Iran 's sprawling underground missile bases buried beneath up to five layers of concrete are ready to strike on the outbreak of World War 3 .

Hidden bases housing thousands of missiles are dotted around the Islamic Republic and are constantly on alert.

Opposition groups released previously unseen aerial images revealed the sprawling sites to Daily Star Online.

The largest of the sites is alleged to be the base at Khojir known as Code 7500 with a tunnel around 1,000 metres long packed with missiles.

Pictures inside the bases have previously been revealed by Iranian state media.

Images of the mysterious sites were released in a dossier to this website by the dissident group the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).

It comes amid ongoing fears of war between the US and Iran following the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and their retaliatory missile attack on US bases.

The NCRI estimate the Iranian regime has ploughed billions of dollars into the bases and its missile programme.

Iranian military forces are said to constructed most of the sprawling tunnel complexes between 1997 and 2002.

However, some of the older sites are believed to date back as far as 1984.

The underground networks are built with the intent of concealing missiles and acting as staging areas for strikes in the Middle East.

Iran does not have the ballistic missile capability to strike the US or Britain, but its reach is estimated to reach as far as Ukraine and they nation have bragged they have "hundreds of missiles" at the ready.

Missile bases are primarily found around the Persian Gulf, but Code 7500 is found just outside Tehran.

It is alleged the Iranian regime used shell companies linked to the Revolutionary Guard a shadowy organisation that included Soleimani to covertly construct the sites.

Pictures released to Daily Star Online by the NCRI show three missile sites and tunnel complexes around Iran.

Images of Khojir show the military base with at least three roads appearing to go burrowing beneath a nearby hillside.

Code 7500 is believed to be the final construction site of the Shahab 3 medium-range missiles.

Imam Ali airbase can be found in western Iran with roads seen disappearing into a mountainside.

And then there is the Lard garrison which is also found in western Iran.

Lar is described by NCRI sources as a sprawling tunnel complex that is highly protected and secure.

It is this complex which is believed to have been featured in the regime propaganda being dubbed the missile city.

Reportedly mobile phone signals are blocked around the highly secretive installation.

Other sites such as the Queshm Missile Centre on the Iranian coast are understood to be hidden under up to five layers of concrete.

Iran has allegedly used the facility to export missiles to their proxy forces in Yemen.

Soleimani was the spider at the centre of the web of these Iranian proxies with US claiming he had the blood of thousands on his hands from his shell attacks.

As well as being covert, the bases are designed to try and survive any onslaught by the US .

NCRI forces said the exact number of missiles in the regimes arsenal remains unknown.

Reports from the Centre for Strategic and Internal Studies (CSIS) describe the Iranian arsenal as the largest and most diverse in the Middle East.

CSIS estimates claim Iran has at least 12 types of operational missiles, with a further four in development.

Missiles have become a central tool of Iranian power projection and anti-accts/area denial capabilities, it said.

It also describes Iran has providing proxy groups with a steady supply of missiles and rockets.

Iranian proxies are believed to have been behind a rocket attack on US forces in Iraq that killed an American defence contractor an act which sparked the latest flurry of tensions.

Fears of war have eased after Trump opted not to respond militarily to the Iranian missiles strikes on US bases in Iraq.

However, he announced a raft of tough new sanctions which are only set to further frustrate the Iranian regime.

Iran has promised a harsher revenge and previously committed to abandoning the nuclear deal completely raises fears they will try to develop a nuke.

The crisis owes its roots to Trumps decision to axe the deal, which traded an ease in sanctions for Tehrans commitment not the develop its nuclear capabilities.

Trump used his first campaign election rally of 2020 to argue that he served up "American justice by blowing up Soleimani.

The US President also defended his decision to act without seeking approval from Congress.

They want us to tell them so they can leak it to their friends in the corrupt media," Trump said.

Vice president Mike Pence said also spoke and boasted Trump deserved credit for ridding the world of a dangerous terrorist.

He said: And when American lives were threatened by the most dangerous terrorist in the world, President Donald Trump took action and Qassem Soleimani is gone.

And in the wake of that attack, Iran responded, but thanks to the professionalism of the military, we suffered no American casualties and Iran appears to be standing down. That's what leadership looks like.

And now the Iran crisis could deepen once again as it is claimed regime forces are behind the downing of Ukrainian airliner PS752 .

Iran finally admitted it accidentally shot down the jet with a ground-to-air missile intended for a US base in Iraq.

The aircraft was "unintentionally" shot down, due to human errors, Iranian state television claimed.

In a TV statement, the Iranian military confirmed that the Boeing 737 was shot down due to human error.

The crash came just hours after Iran had struck the US, and it is feared anti-aircraft missiles may have fired upon the Boeing 737 killing all 176 passengers and crew.

Iran however is insisting the aircraft was not shot down and has invited investigators to probe the wreckage.

Chief investigator Hasan Rezaeifa claimed that "the topics of rocket, missile or anti-aircraft system is ruled out".

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Iran's missile cities buried beneath five layers of concrete ready to strike in WW3 - Daily Star

Jokes aside, what is WW3 really about? by Sanjana Iyer, The Henrietta Barnett School – This is Local London

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

Only a few days of 2020 have passed, yet social media and the internet has been taken over by jokes, memes and fears about the possibility of a third world war, but how did this trend begin? Furthermore, are we approaching it in the right way?

The phrase World War 3 began trending on platforms such as Twitter after the killing of Irans top general Qasem Soleimani on the 31st of December, due to a US airstrike ordered by President Trump. In response to this, Irans supreme leader Ali Khamenei stated that "I and the government and the nation of Iran strongly condemn this American crime." This threat has sparked conversation and fear that it could potentially trigger a larger-scale conflict. In response to this Trump stated that We took action last night to stop a war. We did not take action to start a war.

Following the unfolding situation, the internet has been bombarded with searches in Iran and World War 3, presumably due to fear and concern. On the other hand, social media and the younger generation have approached the conversation in an entirely different manner. It has been used as inspiration for many memes and jokes about being drafted to the war, and the conflict itself. Although war is not to be taken lightly, the very low possibility of a full-blown World War has given people the reassurance that it is acceptable to joke about the matter. If the likelihood of danger was higher, it is unlikely that this would be deemed as appropriate.

However, the threat and danger of conflict are very real in the Middle East, who at very high risk. Iran, Afghanistan and Syria have been ranked as the most dangerous countries to live in by the Global Peace Index, and in no way find this a joking matter. This raises issues about whether it is right to use the potential deaths of thousands of people as a ground for humour, simply because it is not affecting us directly. Others still defend the right to make jokes, as they claim it is a way of coping.

This controversy has brought to light how increasingly desensitized we have become to the severity of the conflict itself, and to violence in general. Potential reasons could include our overexposure to violence due to video games, films and media (which are becoming increasingly accessible). The constant cycle of violent news seems to be perpetuating this further, leading to why our first response to news of war is to joke about it.

But is it truly right to joke about war, while thousands are fearing for their lives?

By Sanjana Iyer

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Jokes aside, what is WW3 really about? by Sanjana Iyer, The Henrietta Barnett School - This is Local London

The world reacts to the threat of #ww3 on social media with memes – Briefly.co.za

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

The world woke up to memes on social media expressing concern, anger and excitement at the prospect of World War 3 breaking out. Tensions between Iran and the US reach an all-time high after the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Suleimani.

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Briefly.co.za knows that when there is something concerning happening in the world, people react in on or two ways, outrage or laughter. Some of the memes are funny, others not so much.

Buckle up and prepare yourselves for a war of memes on social media.

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Briefly.co.za has been covering developments over the past few days, including Iran's reaction to Donald Trump's threat to attack 52 sites in Iran.

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The world reacts to the threat of #ww3 on social media with memes - Briefly.co.za

UN headquarters in Iraq evacuated over ‘security threat’ as WW3 fears escalate – Daily Star

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

In a major escalation of World War 3 fears, the United Nations has evacuated its headquarters in Iraq over an alleged "security threat".

UN personnel have been ordered to leave the Mission in Baghdad's Green Zone, site of the US Embassy and many other major diplomatic buildings.

The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) was created in August 2003 at the request of the Iraqi government to help with national development efforts throughout the country.

It has around 320 international staff and more than 470 Iraqis working for it across the country.

The evacuation comes as tensions rise in the region following Iranian airstrikes on 15 US targets in Iraq.

Iraq's foreign ministry has lodged official complaints with the UN's Secretary-General and Security Council over US airstrikes on Iraqi soil which killed Iran's top general Qassem Soleimani and several Iraqi militia leaders.

Soleimani died in a drone strike on Friday, sparking furious protests in Iran and Iraq.

Iranian forces this morning launched airstrikes on 15 US targets in Iraq, after previously demanding that American troops leave Iraq.

US President Donald Trump threatened that 52 Iranian targets would be attacked, including a number of culturally significant sites.

A number of NATO troops who had been helping Iraqi troops battle ISIS have started leaving the country.

In a statement, the organisation said it was taking precautions in the wake of war fears, including "the temporary repositioning of some personnel to different locations both inside and outside Iraq."

The US has said it won't issue Iran's foreign minister a visa to travel to the United Nations later this week, claiming there wasn't enough time to process the request.

Mohammed Javad Zarif told "CBS This Morning" on Tuesday that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had informed the UN Secretary-General, who in turn had passed the message on to Zarif.

The visit would have given the top Iranian official a chance to discuss the killing of Suleimani last week and the resulting escalation in tensions.

Today has also seen the crashing of a passenger plane in Iran, killing all on board.

The Ukraine Airlines Boeing 737 came down shortly after taking off from Tehran with 176 crew and passengers losing their lives.

Three Brits are confirmed to be among the victims.

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UN headquarters in Iraq evacuated over 'security threat' as WW3 fears escalate - Daily Star

Iraqi terrorists threaten to reduce US airbases to rubble as WW3 fears rise – Daily Star

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

Iraqi terrorists have threatened to turn US airbases in Iraq to rubble in after an airstrike that killed Irans top general Qasem Soleimani.

Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia at the centre of current tensions between Washington and Tehran, made the dire warning.

Hassan Nasrallah, the Lebanese secretary-general of Hezbollah, said all US bases, all warships and every single soldier in the region are now a target.

He warned: The true, just retribution for those who conducted this assassination is an institution, which is the U.S. military.

We will launch a battle against those killers, those criminals.

Soleimani, tipped to be the country's future president, was killed as he was leaving Baghdad airport on Friday morning .

He was the head of Irans elite Quds Force, which has been designated by the U.S. as a terror group since 2007.

Soleimani oversaw networks of proxy forces, long been suspected of being behind actions to destabilise the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump afterwards said he ordered the assassination to "to stop a war, not to start one".

The US has since deployed 3,000 extra troops to the Middle East .

On Saturday, Trump warned the US would target 52 sites important to Iran and Iranian culture and hit them very fast and very hard if it attacked US assets.

The head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards aerospace programme, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said: Firing a couple of missiles, hitting a base or even killing Trump is not valuable enough to compensate for martyr Soleimani's blood.

The only thing that can compensate for his blood is the complete removal of America from the region.

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Iraqi terrorists threaten to reduce US airbases to rubble as WW3 fears rise - Daily Star

Met Police on extreme alert over Iran-linked terrorism threat amid WW3 fears – Daily Star

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

Met Police have said they are extremely alert of any threat to Britain amid the ongoing crisis with Iran and fears of World War 3 .

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said they are monitoring the developing situation in the Middle East.

And she confirmed UK counter-terror policing Neil Basu has been in discussions with the security agencies and government bodies about the crisis.

Iran is known to have a wide-reaching terror network and they are known to have plotted suggested they could launch attacks on Britain.

MI5 foiled a terror plot when Hezbollah militants linked to Iran were found stockpiling tonnes of explosive material on the outskirts of London in 2015.

It comes after Iran launched missiles at US military bases in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of Tehrans top general Qassem Soleimani.

And meanwhile, a Ukrainian airliner crashed in Iran overnight killing 176 people including three Brits.

Dame Cressida said: "It's a very worrying time clearly and we have lots of people of Iranian and Iraqi heritage and the surrounding areas in London, so there's lots for us to think about, lots for us to be alert to.

"What I can say is so far in London we have had no issues directly associated with this, there was one quite small protest.

"But of course we're extremely alert to what this could possibly lead to, but it's a very complex situation. At the moment there's absolutely no impact on London."

The top cop, herself a former chief of counter-terrorism policing, said the force is "very adept" at measuring possible domestic threats linked to international events.

She added: Being the international city that we are, with the multiplicity of communities and also the threats that we have had to face over the years which change and morph all the time, we are very, very adept at seeing what's happening around the world, reaching out into communities and looking at the possible threats and risks that might come.

"That's what we're doing on a day by day basis, and in response to this."

The UK's terror threat level remains at substantial, meaning an attack is likely, after it was lowered in November.

It comes after a top Royal Navy admiral warned Britain must be ready for war to Daily Star Online.

Tehran and its satellite organisations still operate across Europe with the dead general Soleimani being the spider at the centre of a web of terror networks.

And in October, 2018, France froze Iranian assets in response to an alleged bomb plot against an opposition group in Paris.

British intelligence sources have said Iran is believed to pose to the biggest state threat to UK national security aside form China and Russia.

The crisis continues to unfold in the Middle East as the UK condemned Irans actions overnight while also calling for de-escalation.

Iran has also been blamed for cyber attacks on the UK, including an attack on the Post Office and the hacking of MPs and Peers.

The group responsible has been linked to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Iran claims to have 120,000 trained cyber warfare operatives amid fears of attacks on the West.

And just last week, the US Library service was attacked by Iranian-linked hackers who issued a chilling warning with a picture of a bloodied US President Donald Trump.

Royal Navy warships have already been sent to the Gulf to renew escort duty for tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

The world now waits to how the US will respond following the Iranian attack, but Trump has assured all is well.

UK foreign secretary Dominic Raab told Tehran "not to repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks".

The 22 ballistic missiles were fired at bases including Erbil in northern Iraq and the Al Asad Air Base.

Raab added: "We condemn this attack on Iraqi military bases hosting Coalition - including British - forces. We are concerned by reports of casualties and use of ballistic missiles.

We urge Iran not to repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks, and instead to pursue urgent de-escalation.

A war in the Middle East would only benefit Daesh and other terrorist groups.

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the no UK personnel were affected.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the attacks were a "slap on the face" for the US.

He said: "Military action like this is not sufficient. What is important is ending the corrupting presence of America in the region."

It is feared a conflict in the Gulf could spiral into World War 3 with the term even trending last week following the death of Soleimani.

Iran's ambassador to the UK, Hamid Baeidinejad, said the nation was not seeking a war but that its armed forces are "ready to respond to against any adventurism".

Baeidinejad said in a tweet: "Iran in an act of self-defence as enshrined in the UN Charter, attacked two US military bases.

"Iran does not seek escalation or war.

"Our armed forces are quite ready to forcefully respond against any adventurism.

"Iran's People and government are fully behind their armed forces."

Continued here:

Met Police on extreme alert over Iran-linked terrorism threat amid WW3 fears - Daily Star

Death and Transfiguration | Dan Peterson – Patheos

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

We were out to dinner with friends again last night, (at their request) at the La Jolla Groves. Excellent food, once again.

Tonight, we went out for a quick bite with another couple of friends. (Hey! How am I supposed to maintain my slim, youthful physique while eating out so often?) She is a very serious violinist (masters degree level) and so, after dinner, we attended a performance at BYU by the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra.

Under the baton of Kory Katseanes, who was my assistant zone leader while I was serving as a missionary in Interlaken, Switzerland, they played the Carnival Overture (Op. 92), byAntonn Dvok, andTill Eulenspiegels Merry Pranks(Op. 28,Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche), by Richard Strauss.

Introducing the second work, Kory spoke briefly of Strausss great tone poemTod und Verklrung (Death and Transfiguration). He mentioned an apparently commonly told story that I had never heard, according to which, when Richard Strauss lay dying in 1949 (exactly 60 years after writing Tod und Verklrung), he said to his daughter-in-law: Funny thing, Alice, dying is just the way I composed it inDeath and Transfiguration. Some say that he actually set to music the white light commonly mentioned in near-death experiences.

Strauss explained the underlying idea of Tod und Verklrung in an 1894 letter:

It was six years ago that it occurred to me to present in the form of a tone poem the dying hours of a man who had striven towards the highest idealistic aims, maybe indeed those of an artist. The sick man lies in bed, asleep, with heavy irregular breathing; friendly dreams conjure a smile on the features of the deeply suffering man; he wakes up; he is once more racked with horrible agonies; his limbs shake with fever as the attack passes and the pains leave off, his thoughts wander through his past life; his childhood passes before him, the time of his youth with its strivings and passions and then, as the pains already begin to return, there appears to him the fruit of his lifes path, the conception, the ideal which he has sought to realize, to present artistically, but which he has not been able to complete, since it is not for man to be able to accomplish such things. The hour of death approaches, the soul leaves the body in order to find gloriously achieved in everlasting space those things which could not be fulfilled here below.

In a note written to accompany a performance of Tod und Verklrung at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC, musicologist Peter Laki comments on the piece and on the 1894 letter as follows:

The stages of the heros last hours, as Strauss described them in his letter, are somewhat analogous to the phases of anger, denial, and acceptance found in Elisabeth Kbler-Rosss famous (and, of course, much later) book on dying.

Following the intermission, the BYU Philharmonic Orchestra came out again. This time, they performed Ludwig van Beethovens Violin Concerto in D Major for Violin and Orchestra (Op. 61), accompanyingan apparently well-known fiddler hes appeared several times on Sesame Street by the name ofItzhak Perlman. Mr. Perlman was, I have to say in all fairness, pretty good. Seeing how easily he played the Beethoven piece, though, Ive concluded that fiddling cant really be all that hard. I would be able to master it in a week or two, Im sure. If I cared to try.

Death and Transfiguration | Dan Peterson - Patheos

The West and Iran: Catholic Wisdom in Uncertain Times – National Catholic Register

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

President Donald Trump speaks about the situation with Iran in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington, D.C., Jan. 8, 2020. (Saul Loeb/AFP/via Getty Images)

COMMENTARY: The just-war tradition has much wisdom to offer in this moment of heightened tension between the United States and Iran.

Msgr. Stuart Swetland

We live in an age best described as post-Christian. The moral and anthropological truth of the Judeo-Christian tradition is no longer generally accepted in our society.

Walker Percy described our age as demented because of its loss of confidence both in faith and reason:

The present age is demented. It is possessed by a sense of dislocation, a loss of personal identity, an alternating sentimentality and rage which, in an individual patient, could be characterized as dementia.

Pope Francis confirmed Dr. Percys diagnosis in his recent address to the Curia:

Christendom no longer exists. Today we are not the ones who produce culture, nor are we the first or the most listened to. [Christianity], especially in Europe, but also in a large part of the West, is no longer an obvious premise of our common life, but, rather, it is often denied, derided, marginalized or ridiculed.

The loss of Christian vision is evident everywhere: There is rampant consumerism and materialism, self-centeredness and individualism, relativism and nihilism. These false ideologies lead to numerous social pathologies: abortion, murder, euthanasia, suicide, drug addiction, despair, divorce, sexual abuse, disregard for the poor, crippling isolation and disabling loneliness.

Fortunately, there are still some echoes of the Judeo-Christian moral vision generally accepted today. One area where this is seen is in the ethics of war and peace. Here, at least, a remnant of a workable ethic is still generally agreed upon (if not always acted upon). Perhaps the wisdom found here may serve as a steppingstone toward rebuilding a holistic vision of a just and caring society.

In particular, the just-war tradition has much wisdom to offer in this moment of heightened tension between the U.S. and Iran.

Generally, President Donald Trump, in his actions (but, sadly, not always in his rhetoric), has respected the tenets of the just-war tradition. He has generally refrained from the use of deadly force when other options (such as dialogue, sanctions and embargoes) have been available. While he has blustered about major attacks (on North Korea and Iran, for example), he has shown restraint and pivoted toward other options (sometimes at the last moment).

When force has been used, it has usually been proportionate to the actual threat (think ISIS in Syria, for example). Many in the military have been frustrated by the way Trump makes decisions (the decision to leave Syria, for example), but generally the president has kept his campaign promise to de-escalate U.S. military commitments in the Middle East and beyond.

In light of this history, many see his most recent action as more problematic and even reckless. Other administrations have had the opportunity to attack Gen. Qassem Soleimani and have chosen not to, despite the unanimous opinion that he is directly responsible for ongoing unjust aggression against the Iranian people, the U.S. and allied forces, and numerous other innocents throughout the region. However, if what the administration has shared is true, given the increase in direct attacks on shipping in the Persian Gulf and U.S. bases and personnel in the region, and Trumps clear warning (and a red line, if you will) about the consequences of any American casualties, one can make a strong argument that it was justified to interrupt ongoing, imminent action against actual innocents by disrupting the command, control and communication of this unjust aggression personified by Soleimani. One could surmise that his action was a proportionate and necessary response to Iranian escalation of hostility in the Gulf of Iraq and that further restraint or appeasement would only embolden Iranian aggression.

However one interprets the presidents orders, now is the time for all to revisit the wisdom of the just-war traditions where the following lessons could be learned.

Like in many areas, Congress refusal to engage in actual problem-solving (think immigration reform, criminal-justice reform, health-care reform, infrastructure repair, deficit control, gun control, environmental issues, all of which need comprehensive, bipartisan, workable solutions) has led to drift and more and more governance by administrative fiat or worse, judicial overreach. It is time for Congress, the peoples representatives, to do their constitutional duty and have serious debate about and oversight of the use of force. Our military deserves this basic service.

Msgr. Stuart Swetland is the president of Donnelly College. A 1981 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he served six years as a line officer in the U.S. Navy.

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The West and Iran: Catholic Wisdom in Uncertain Times - National Catholic Register

Post-Christendom and the Return of Paganism in the West – National Catholic Register

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

French philosopher Chantal Delsol discusses the roots of de-Christianization in the West and the new challenges facing the Christian faithful.

The first post-Christian generation has officially emerged in America: According to a 2018 study, a majority of the so-called Generation Z all Americans born from 1999 to 2015 rejects the idea of a religious identity. This generation includes twice more atheists than the adult population, and 37% of them believe there cannot be any certainty of the existence of God.

This alarming tendency is already widespread in Europe, where a majority of young adults have no faith, as a recent report showed. But it didnt arise out of the blue, as it results from a long process that started in the 18th century and became dominant in the 1960s.

As this topic is subject to passionate debates in the West, French philosopher Chantal Delsol offered a stimulating reflection about the mechanisms and implications of the phenomenon during a lecture she gave at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, in the framework of a Nov. 29-30 conference promoted by the Institute for Legal CultureOrdo Iuris. Entitled The House on the Rock: Axiology of Law for the Europe of Tomorrow, the event focused on the current stakes and the future of cultural and social life in Europe.

A Catholic philosopher and columnist well-known to the European public, Delsol is the author of a number of books and articles focusing on European identity in the age of secularism and relativism and on the origin of the political and religious crisis the West is going through.

While stating that Europe has officially entered a post-Christendom era, Delsol highlighted the fact that the end of Christendom by no means implies the end of Christianity in the West. However, this situation requires that Christians acknowledge their minority position and correctly identify the new forces and ideologies at play.

The Register interviewed her at the conclusion of the conference.

In your speech entitled After Christendom, you noted that Christianity was no longer the master nor the inspirer of our Western societies. In your opinion, this state of affairs is the expression of the so-called post-Christendom. In this respect, you speak about a reversal of the situation that occurred in the fourth century, when pagan myths were transformed into Christian truths: Today, Christian truths are gradually being transformed into myths. How is this transformation articulated?

Humans need to make their lives meaningful, to question their roots and future, to know why they are here. All societies meet this need through stories which are neither true nor false and that we call myths. Regardless of whether they are true or false, they are meaningful. We dont know if Achilles really existed, but it doesnt matter: he gives meaning to human courage and to its struggle against adversity.

But with ancient Greeks and Judeo-Christians came the notion of truth: Christ is no longer a myth but a true story. Christians, when they settled down and took power (during the fourth century) did not make a clean sweep of pagan myths; this wasnt possible because they were too deeply rooted in the hearts and minds. Therefore, the Christians took up these myths and made them truths. For example, the story of the virgin-mother existed as a myth and became a truth: For a believer, the Virgin Mary really did exist.

Today, we are witnessing the opposite movement: For our contemporaries, Christ becomes a mythical character, who is neither true nor false, giving meaning to life (compare Tolstoys book on the life of Christ). It is this ebb and flow that interested me. It means that we are definitely on the way back to a pagan mode.

What makes you think that our society is currently falling into paganism, more than into nihilism, as many elements in our societies suggest?

Nihilism means that we seek to break or bypass the very structures of anthropology; it is what sociologists Marcel Mauss and Claude Lvi-Strauss called base, which is made up of three essential polarities: life and death, man and woman, and filiation. This is why, for example, incest is prohibited in all human societies. We can identify such a base thanks to its permanence over time (which is called natural law; that can be identified because all people follow it it is an anthropological permanence). To be nihilistic is to want to challenge this base. Marriage between two persons of the same sex is typically nihilistic. Nothing of this sort existed in human history (except one case: Neros buffoon marriage with his catamite).

The situation is quite different for other so-called societal measures such as abortion, euthanasia or assisted suicide. In contrast to same-sex marriage, infanticide, euthanasia and suicide can be found in all human societies except Judeo-Christian societies (which is well documented, for example, in the famous Epistle to Diognetus). When we implement such measures, it is only a return to paganism, which precedes us, and which spontaneously and naturally returns when Christianity fades away.

Why is atheism now so specifically present in societies with Judeo-Christian roots, in your judgment?

It is because only the affirmation of the truth can produce its negation. There is no atheism in paganism, in which there are a multitude of divine or sacred myths that overlap and are worshipped with more or less ardor, in a kind of polyphony in which we do not know who believes in what. Historian Paul Veyne addressed this question in a book entitled Did the Greeks Believe in Their Myths?: An Essay on the Constitutive Imagination. In the society of myths, everything is relative, and syncretism reigns which is very different from tolerance; that can only be exercised within the regime of truth. On the contrary, the affirmation of the unique, exclusive truth (which comes from the jealous God of the Bible) can produce atheism; that is, exclusivity into its opposite.

Aggressive secularism which is rampant in France and spreading to an increasing number of European countries seems to want to purely and simply eliminate any reference to religion within societies. I am thinking especially about the recent controversy in France over a nun expelled from an elderly home because of her veil, the ban on crches in town halls or the removal of the cross from St. Nicholas mitre in Belgium. ... Since nature abhors a vacuum, another form of religiosity is necessarily taking root in our Western societies. You often mention the secular religions peril. What is their relationship with paganism, and why are they so specifically hostile to Christianity?

Secular religions are paganisms, of the very ordinary kind. They favor attachment to all kinds of myths and stories that are more or less sacred, such as radical ecology, glorification of whales or dolphins. In short, we create all kinds of idols. All the prohibitions against religion you mention are real, of course: They embody refusals of the founding religion, which is considered oppressive, and which we must get rid of if we want to be able to indulge in the delights and disorders of paganism.

The question of truth, which was discussed above, is very important here: Because there is one Truth, the Christian religion is exclusive. We must never forget that the word heresy comes from the Greek word airesis, which means choice. The fight against the cross of St. Nicholas, and other fights, is a refusal of the exclusive truth, always suspected of intolerance. And it is a way of making Christendom which has not stopped dying for the past two centuries disgorge definitively.

You are rather critical toward our Catholic clergy, who tends, in your opinion, not to take stock of the minority position of Christianity in todays society. At the same time, the most traditionalist parishes are statistically the ones that massively attract young people. What approach would you recommend, in this respect?

I think our clergy is very sick. An all-too-big part of it is haunted by power and dominated by sexual passions of all kinds, in the midst of the vow of chastity. One need only look at the way Catholic institutions work, how poorly they are governed, with secrecy and appetite for power. The Church has known many other misfortunes and will experience a rebirth that may come from monasteries. But for the time being, it is natural that a clergy that is so busy with power and worldliness does not realize that it has lost power over society. Problems come from far away. The reason why the youth prefer a traditional Church is because they feel a more genuine fervor, more distant from worldly attractions: The Catholic clergy has long been flirting with Marxism, in order to be fashionable, and today it is flirting with contemporary art, for example, once again to be fashionable. Young people who hope for the Churchs holiness, and not its worldly success, are very reluctant to embrace all of this.

Speaking of monastic revival, what do you think about American writer Rod Drehers insights about the future of Christianity in the West, in his famous The Benedict Option?

Rod Dreher and I talked a lot, and his book is very interesting. We could believe that he calls for the creation of fortresses where children would be raised far away from a depraved postmodern society. Its not really that. The man is more open than his book may suggest. It only means that in the post-Christendom disarray, Christians need groupings around strong spiritual centers; in other words, monasteries. And I think hes right.

Solne Tadi is the Registers Rome-based Europe correspondent.

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Post-Christendom and the Return of Paganism in the West - National Catholic Register

Harry Hains, actor in American Horror Story and The OA, dies at 27 – SYFY WIRE

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Danzig

ActorHarry Hains, whose roles included appearances on American Horror Story: Hotel'sfifth-season episode "Devil's Night" andThe OA's second-season episode "Angel of Death," has died at age 27.

Hains' mother, actressJane Badler (V: The Series, Mission: Impossible), announced the news on her Instagram.

"On Jan 7 my beautiful son died. He was 27 and had the world at his feet. But sadly he struggled with mental illness and addiction," Badler wrote. "A brilliant spark shone bright too short a time .. I will miss you Harry every day of my life."

Back in October, Badler had posted a throwback photo of her children, as she reflected on motherhood:

The young actor and model also appeared in such genre fare asA Haunting at Silver Falls: The Returnand was scheduled to appear in an upcoming horror film titledKlowns, among many other projects, according to his IMDb page.

Hains was also a musician, performing under the name ANTIBOY. Hains described ANTIBOY as "a trans human/android from afuture in which all social constructs - including gender, sexuality, and race - have been destroyed." Attitude Magazine named Hains one of its rising stars:

A memorial service for Hains will be held on Jan. 12 at Hollywood Forever in Los Angeles.

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Harry Hains, actor in American Horror Story and The OA, dies at 27 - SYFY WIRE

Trump, in a raucous rally, takes on Democrats and touts Soleimani killing – POLITICO

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Danzig

Trump mocked Pelosi by saying shes not operating with a full deck, and House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) as you little pencil neck" and then added He buys the smallest shirt collar you can get, and its loose!" He returned to his 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton, again dubbing her crooked Hillary and prompting the familiar Lock her up! chant from the crowd.

The president boasted of killing Irans top military commander, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, as well the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who died in a U.S. raid in northwestern Syria in October.

He was a bad guy, Trump said of Soleimani. He was a bloodthirsty terrorist, and hes no longer a terrorist. Hes dead, and yet now I see ... the radical-left Democrats have expressed outrage over the termination of this horrible terrorist. And you know, instead they should be outraged by Soleimanis savage crimes and the fact that his countless victims were denied justice for so long.

As he was talking, a man in the crowd yelled, Kill them all!

The president said: We stopped him quickly, and we stopped him cold.

Late last week, Trump ordered the killing of Soleimani in a drone strike in Iraq, prompting Iran to retaliate with a missile strike against Iraqi air bases housing U.S. troops. By Wednesday, the president sought to de-escalate the crisis in a White House address announcing sanctions rather than military retaliation.

So we seek friends, not enemies, Trump told the crowd in the 8,000-seat Huntington Center on Thursday. But if you dare to threaten our citizens, you do so at your own grave peril.

Democrats blame Trump for engaging in a confrontation with Iran as a way to distract from his impeachment. The House voted largely along party lines earlier Thursday evening to restrict the presidents authority for military action against Iran after intelligence briefings failed to satisfy several lawmakers on the justification for Soleimanis killing.

The violence between the U.S. and Iran came as the Senate is preparing to hold the impeachment trial, though the timing remains uncertain. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to move forward on a set of trial rules without Democratic support.

The House approved the two articles of impeachment in a mostly party-line vote on Dec. 18 charging Trump with abuse of power for soliciting foreign interference in the 2020 election and obstruction of Congress for blocking the Houses efforts to investigate him making Trump the first president to face an impeachment trial while seeking reelection.

On Thursday night, the president lashed out at some of his 2020 Democratic rivals Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., for having a name that Trump says no one can pronounce, dubbing him Alfred E. Neuman and Howdy Doody; and Sen. Elizabeth Warren for inflating her Native American heritage, once again mocking her as Pocahontas.

But he saved the most criticism for Biden, the Democratic frontrunner, who he said didnt know the difference between Iran and Iraq because he mixed up the two countries when speaking this week. Hes gotten it wrong four times, Trump said.

Its, like, my job to try and watch whats the competition, but its like watching death, he said. Those debates are boring and boring. You got to sit through those things for two or three hours. You got to really be committed to the country to do that. I mean, you have some real beauties.

House Democrats officially launched an impeachment inquiry after learning that Trump had asked President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine to investigate his Democratic rival Joe Biden and Bidens son Hunter.

Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani have accused Biden, while he was serving as vice president, of helping secure lucrative deals for his son, who at one time served on the board of a Ukrainian natural gas company, Burisma Holdings. Trump and Giuliani have defended their efforts, saying it was part of a broader effort to eradicate corruption in the former Soviet republic.

Then Trump laid into Hunter Biden, whom he accused of trading off his fathers name in Ukraine and China.

As soon as sleepy Joe became vice president, right, he made millions of dollars a year, Trump said. Ukraine took care of him. How about China? He walked out with 1.5 billion to manage and he never did it before, he didnt know anything about oil and gas, he was making a fortune.

Trump said he hoped Democrats would give Biden the nomination so the pressure would stay on his son.

So, wheres Hunter? Where the hell are you, Hunter? he said. But Ill tell you, I sort of hope its Joe, because he will hear Wheres Hunter? every single debate, nine times a debate.

President Donald Trump at the Toledo rally. | Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photo

Trumps 90-minute speech veered from one issue to another from the booming economy to the increase of funding in the military, from the corrupt media to the Nobel Peace Prize, from the opioid epidemic to the wall on the southern border. He even boasted of completing what he said he would do and more. Ive completed more promises than Ive made, he said.

The president praised the first phase of a trade deal he made with China that will be signed next week at the White House.

Well sign that terrific and fully enforceable Phase One trade deal with China, he said. And again, were keeping the tariffs on because well use that for another one. We are taking billions you remember what I said: Were not paying for it, because China devalued their currency and they put a lot of money into the pot. Were not paying for it. And now theyre starting to say, I guess he was right.

Thousands of supporters at the Huntington Center, many wearing Make America Great Again hats and waving Trump-Pence signs, cheered. He was interrupted once by protesters in the arena, one who was holding a sign that said bone spurs alluding to the medical reason Trump has given for avoiding military service in Vietnam.

The arena, decorated in the typical way for a rally, was full. A large U.S. flag was erected on one side. Keep America Great! showed on blue digital monitors.

Hundreds of people protested outside, and hundreds more supporters stood in an overflow area with a large video screen showing the rally.

Trump is looking to repeat his 2016 victory in Ohio, a state that has voted for every presidential election victor but one since 1944 and is vital to Trumps hopes in November.

Ohio has trended Republican in more recent elections. Trump beat Clinton here in 2016 by 8 percentage points, though he lost Toledo the site of Thursdays rally and the surrounding county of Lucas.

The Trump campaign credits the president with helping bring 94,700 new jobs, including 14,700 manufacturing jobs, back to the state.

This is where they want to be, the president said on Thursday night. They want to be in the United States. Thats where the action is. Theyre all coming back. I used to go around and talk about how everyones leaving. Now theyre all coming back. New ones, old ones, theyre all coming back and many are coming right here to Ohio. And just in case you didnt know it, Ohio just had the best year economically in the history of your state.

But earlier this week, Toledo-area Democrats accused the Trump administration of implementing policies that have hurt the region failing to send money to the area for economic development and environmental restoration efforts.

Trump is expected to increase the number of rallies he headlines now that Democratic voters are beginning the process of choosing a nominee to face him in November. He has two others scheduled for this month in Wisconsin on the 14th and in New Jersey on the 28th.

The Democrats nominating process kicks off with the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 3, quickly followed by contests in New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, all leading to Super Tuesday on March 3, when a slate of states will vote.

Polls show Trumps approval rating hovering around 45 percent and in close competition with the leading Democratic candidates in the swing states that will likely determine the winner this year.

Matthew Choi contributed to this report.

Trump’s Art of the Steal – POLITICO

Posted on January 10, 2020 by Danzig

Was it a birth certificate? You tell me, he told ABC News in 2013. Some people say that was not his birth certificate.

That same year, Nunberg arranged for Trump to make his Levin show debut, preparing a memo to familiarize Mr. Trump with Mark Levin, he wrotedeploying tried-and-true ways to pique Trumps interest. Nunberg emphasized Levins ratings history (In the first 18 months on the air, the program jumped to #1 in the time slot), the company he kept (considers Sean Hannity his best friend), his reach (books Liberty and Tyranny and Ameritopia: The Unmaking of America sold more than a million copies, Nunberg noted), and his compensation (a reported annual salary of $12.5 million a year). Nunberg mentioned, too, that what he said on the air often was disseminated on a variety of websites like TheRightScoop.com. People, in other words, some people, many people, a lot of people, were listening to what Levin was saying.

Armed with this advance work, the memo as well as the emails, Trump fit in well with Levin. In addition to shilling for the upcoming season of The Celebrity ApprenticeTrace Adkins, La Toya Jackson, Dennis RodmanTrump delivered to Levins listeners what they wantedwhich essentially was Levins ideas, studiously collected by Nunberg, consumed by Trump and regurgitated back to the host.

If the Republicans are going to win, Trump said, theyre going to have to break away from the Karl Roves of the world and, frankly, get more involvedyou know, the Tea Party, these people are great. Ive done some speeches in front of the Tea Party. They are great Americans, they love this country, they work so hard, and they have been so mistreated by the liberal media. They truly are not treated with proper respect.

And he landed especially hard on immigration and any notions of amnesty for undocumented immigrants.

I watched last night, he continued, referring to Obamas State of the Union that year, as Senator McCain and everybody were jumping up and down, you know, applaudingI never saw him move so fast, you know, nice guy, but he jumped upand was applauding as soon as the immigration became a part of the discussion, a part of the speech.

Immigration, Trump said, will be the next thing, based on what Im watching.

Trump and Levin wrapped up by exchanging compliments.

Im extremely impressed with what youre doing, Levin said.

You just have a great show, Trump said. Im always listening.

Donald Trump, Levin told his listeners after Trump signed off. See that, folks? Very solid. Very conservative. To the right of the Republican establishment. Strong supporter of the Tea Party. Im telling you. Ive been watching this. Ive been listening. People have been sending me his tweets.

There was a reason for that. Hes putting stuff out there, Nunberg told me of Trumps tweets at the time, some of which Nunberg was suggesting, that sounds like Mark Levin.

In the few months before his interview with Levin:

And in the few months after:

This ear-to-the-proverbial-ground political ramp-up wasnt limited to Levin and talk radio. It was around this time as well that Trump began to give more and more talks on the pre-presidential hustings, GOP chicken dinners in places like Iowa and New Hampshire.

He talked to Pat Caddell about what he was picking up on the trail. He would put forth his position or his feelings, and he would judge the level of the response to it, and that helped him organize, I suppose to whatever degree it was organized, his views about issues, Caddell told me in 2018. Things he said that didnt go over disappeared. Things that did stayed.

Twitter, too, increasingly served a similar purpose.

He glommed onto it like it was an oxygen source, Caddell explained. And he would tweet what he believed, and people would retweet or answer or whatever, and it was kind of his ongoing focus group.

He loved it, Nunberg said. He doesnt trust the political people who do the focus groups. Instead: What are we getting the most retweets on?

In 2014 and 15well before Trump came down the escalator and announced his intention to runNunberg sent Trump nearly daily updates of snippets of news and possible topics and wordings for tweets. At the tops of the documents he showed the number of Trumps Twitter followers ticking up (a snapshot from December of 2014: 2,751,488 2,753,548 2,757,190 ) and the number of days left until the GOP primary debate at the Reagan library and the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primaries ticking down.

A month into the presidential campaign, after the Vietnam-avoiding Trump insulted McCain by saying he was not a war hero and that he liked people who werent captured, he refused to apologize. That, Nunberg said, partly was because of what he had internalized by listening to Levin. Nunberg told Trump it was going to help him. (It certainly didnt hurt him.) He said, Why? Nunberg said. And I said, Because our people despise John McCain. They despise the fact that McCain hides behind his military record to shit on Republicans and you cant criticize him on anything because of his military record. I said, John McCainhe is hated almost as much as Barack Obama on talk radio. I said, He might as well be Barack Obama on talk radio.

Talk radio led the way. Trump followed.

Theoretically, Trump could have changed. As successful as this pattern of behavior had been in the years preceding his run and during the campaign itselfhe was, after all, elected presidentTrump could have adjusted once he took office, having at his disposal, suddenly and quite unexpectedly, the worlds preeminent intelligence-gathering apparatus. But nosticking to that gossip kind of mentality, said ODonnell, the casino exec, Trump has continued to mine Twitter, plucking what he wants, very comfortable with half thoughts, always looking for tidbits of information that he can use to his advantage.

He sees the ones that are the most popular, former Fox News anchor Eric Bolling, identified by Time as someone who speaks regularly to Trump, told the magazine in June of 2018, and getting the most [of the] zeitgeist, most attention on social media.

And then? The last and most important piece of this by now almost rote process?

He repeats it, Bolling said.

Trump's Art of the Steal - POLITICO

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