The UK is sending a nuclear submarine to the Malvinas Islands amid growing tensions between Britain and Argentina over the disputed territories.

According to media reports on Saturday, British Prime Minister David Cameron has personally approved the deployment of the Trafalgar-class vessel, believed to be either HMS Tireless or HMS Turbulent, in the South Atlantic.

However, a British Ministry of Defense (MoD) spokeswoman said, “We do not comment on submarine deployments.”

The heavily-armed submarine is set to be in the Malvinas waters in April for the 30th anniversary of the 1982 war which the two countries fought over the islands also known as the Falklands.

The Royal Navy has already revealed it is sending HMS Dauntless, a Type 45 destroyer, to the Falklands.

Britain’s Prince William arrived in the Malvinas on Thursday for a six-week training mission as a search and rescue pilot with the Royal Air Force (RAF).

Buenos Aires has strongly condemned Britain’s “provocative” move to post Prince William, likening it to that of a “conqueror.”

“The Argentinean people regret that the royal heir is coming to the soil of the homeland with the uniform of the conqueror and not with the wisdom of a statesman who works in the service of peace and dialogue between nations,” read an Argentine Foreign Ministry statement.

Situated about 250 nautical miles from Argentina, Malvinas has been a British colony for over 180 years.

Argentina claims sovereignty and the two countries fought a destructive 74-day war over the islands in 1982.

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Two Iranian naval ships have docked in the Saudi port of Jeddah. Iranian officials say the move aims to project the country’s “power on the open seas” and “confront Iranophobia.”

The supply ship Kharg and destroyer Shaid Qandi docked on Saturday in the Red Sea port in line with orders from the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Iran’s news agency, Fars.

“This mission aims to show the power of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the open seas and to confront Iranophobia,” Fars quoted navy commander Admiral Habibollah Sayari as saying.

The commander added that the mission would last between 70 and 80 days, but did not specify its route.

Tehran says boosting its naval presence in international waters is in part motivated by the need to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirates. This is why Iranian vessels were deployed to the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden last year. In February 2011, for the first time ever, it also sent two naval vessels into the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.

The rise in Iran’s naval activity comes amid a steep deterioration of its relations with the West. Its ties with Saudi Arabia are also in poor health, and have gone downhill fast since America accused Tehran of masterminding a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington.

As if that weren’t enough, relations between Tehran and Riyadh deteriorated further after EU countries agreed to impose sanctions on Iran’s oil exports over the country’s nuclear program. In return, Tehran assured the European Union that it is not afraid of its sanctions and that the EU would be the one to suffer. However, Saudi Arabia quickly offered to make up for any shortfall in Europe’s oil supplies. Tehran, in response, called on Riyadh to reconsider, saying its move was unfriendly.

The EU oil embargo has also increased tensions in the Strait of Hormuz – a vital link for oil transit between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.  Iran has threatened to block the Strait in the past, and its determination was underlined when a senior official said Iran would “definitely” close the Strait of Hormuz if the EU oil embargo disrupted the export of crude oil.

The situation around the Strait and the Iranian nuclear program – which the country states is purely peaceful – has already prompted Washington to send squadrons of war ships into the area, while Britain and France have expressed willingness to back the US navy in opposing attempts by Iran to block the Strait.

The Israeli Deputy PM added fuel to the fire, claiming that Iran has also succeeded in building a long-range missile capable of putting the US within its reach. These latest statements are very much in line with the position of Israel and its allies who are accusing Iran of using its nuclear industry to mask plans to develop nuclear arms, a charge official Tehran has frequently and vehemently denied.

The gravity of the crisis became particularly apparent when US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Israel could attack Iran in the next few months. The attack would allegedly occur before it enters a so-called “immunity zone”, ie: before Iran has time to fortify its nuclear facilities against attack.

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The United States is not at war with Iran yet, but just in case,the Pentagon says they want to be prepared. To do so, the Department of Defense has dispatched 15,000 troops to the neighboring nation of Kuwait.

Gen. James Mattis, the Marine Corps head that rules over the US Central Command, won approval late last year from the White House to deploy the massive surge to the tiny West Asian country Kuwait, which is separated from Iran by only a narrow span of the Persian Gulf.

The latest deployment, which was ushered in without much presentation to the public, adds a huge number of troops aligned with America’s arsenal that are now surrounding Iran on literally every front. In late 2011, the US equipped neighboring United Arab Emirates with advanced weaponry created to disrupt underground nuclear operations. In adjacent Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, American military presence has long been all but enormous.

While the US has not placed any boots on the ground in Iran, an unauthorized surveillance mission of a US steal drone in December prompted Tehran to become enraged at Washington. US officials insist that Iran is on the verge of a nuclear weaponry program, despite lacking sufficient evidence or confirmation. During the drone mission, Iran authorities intercepted the craft and forced it into a safe landing. Tensions have only worsened between the two nations in the month since, but Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that stealth missions into Iran will continue “absolutely,” despite ongoing opposition from overseas.

In calling for the latest surge to Kuwait, Gen.Mattis said the deployment was necessary to keep Iran in check and keep America prepared for any other threats in the area. It comes only weeks after the last American troops vacated nearby Iraq, where the US still in actuality has an advance presence — the American embassy in Baghdad employs thousands of armed military contractors.

The move to build up military presence in Kuwait comes at a time when the foreign government is at odds to a degree with a US. While protesters in America this week have demonstrated against the ten year anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay prison facility, the Kuwait government has increased efforts to have two of their own men transferred out of Gitmo and sent back home. Both Fawzi al-Odah and Fayiz al-Kandari have been detained at Guantanamo since 2002, although only one of the two Kuwaiti citizens has ever been charged.

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A disturbing report prepared by the Ministry of Defense circulating in the Kremlin today states that Russian Military Officials were rebuffed by NATO yesterday after questions were raised regarding massive troop and war equipment movements in the United States region of California and said to involve over 78,000 soldiers from various countries.

Reports coming in from the United States verify these extraordinary troop movements are currently underway with videos showing massive amounts of tanks and other war equipment being brought into the California region by train near Santa Cruz [see video HERE] and Morgon Hill [see video HERE] along with reports detailing that areas of Los Angeles were cordoned off this week for secret military exercises.

Important to note, this report says, is that even though Russia had withdrawn in 2007 from the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) it was still able to get explanations for the transferring and movement of Western European and American troops from the United Kingdom under a separate agreement, but which was suspended without notice or explanation by the British government this past 25 November 2011.

Concerns over the military movements of the Western Powers, this report continues, are due to the United States and its European allies accounting for nearly three-quarters of the entire amount spent on armed troops and equipment in the entire world and that over the past decade have unleashed wars in various parts of the globe which they show no signs of stopping.

Russian military intelligence analysis of the camouflage pattern indentified on the thousands of military vehicles and tanks flooding into the California region [see both videos linked above] note that it is a variant of the MARPAT woodland pattern designed for use by US Marine Forces intended for use in urban environments located in temperate zones or tropical areas, but most certainly is not one used in any of Americas current war theaters of operation.

Analysis as to why these troops are currently massing in California, this report says, could involve any number of scenarios including: 1.) A planned US-EU invasion of either Mexico or a South American nation. 2.) Preparations to put down large scale rioting erupting in the United States. 3.) Preparations to assist the civilian population in the aftermath of a catastrophe caused by war or natural disaster.

Russian military analysts in this report note that Mexico could be a prime target” for US-European military action as its Drug War which began in 2006 has claimed nearly 48,000 lives and during this pivotal election year is now threatened with disintegration as its drug cartels now have more power than the government.

Another analysis in this report notes the United States growing anger at both oil rich Venezuela and Brazil whose left-leaning governments are becoming increasingly opposed to American-European domination and increasingly siding with China and Iran against the West. Important to note in this scenario are that war concerns in Brazil have increased to the point that many are now calling for Brazilians to begin preparing to crush an expected American invasion.

As to the likelihood that these forces massing in California will be used to put down internal dissent appears to have strong validity due to many experts analysis, including Obama regime backer and billionaire George Soros who this week warned that a violent class-war is about to erupt in the United States and stating, The situation is about as serious and difficult as I’ve experienced in my career.”  Important to note in this scenario is that United Statescrackdown on protesters has become so violent that the international association known as Reporters Without Borders downgraded press freedom in America to 47^th this week, an astounding fall of 27 places for a country that claims it has the most freedom in the world.

To if these troops massing in California are to be used in the event of a catastrophe we had noted in our previous report, Megaquake Warning Issued For US-Mexican Pacific Coast, that there is, indeed, a growing concern among Russian experts this region may be about to experience a devastating earthquake.

In our world today where the Obama regime has called for more of its troops to be deployed to the Philippines to counter China, has ordered 15,000 more of its troops to Kuwait in preparation for a war with an Iranian nation that is itself “preparing for Armageddon,” these strange and massive troop movements in California do raise a number of concerns, but which without the American people themselves demanding to know what is going on will, as always, leave these poor souls at the mercy of the tyrants who rule over them.

And to how truly barbaric the United States has become, one need look no further than Tariq Aziz, a 16-year-old Pakistani boy who offered to collect information on US drone strikes killing innocent civilians if it would help protect his family, but within 72 hours of making his offer was assassinated by the Americans along with his 12-year-old brother when the car he was travelling in was blown up by a missile fired by a drone.

If even children are now considered enemies by the new god” Obama who now rules completely over Battlefield Earth,” one must surely ask themselves what chances anyone has anymore…May the Lord have mercy upon us all.

January 26, 2012 © EU and US all rights reserved. Permission to use this report in its entirety is granted under the condition it is linked back to its original source at WhatDoesItMean.Com.

Tensions in the Gulf could reach a breaking point as a senior Iranian official said Iran would “definitely” close the Strait of Hormuz if an EU oil embargo disrupted the export of crude oil, the semi-official Fars news agency reports.

The announcement came in response to a decision by the European Union on Monday to impose an oil embargo on Iran over the country’s alleged nuclear weapons program.

“The pressure of sanctions is designed to try and make sure that Iran takes seriously our request to come to the table,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said.

However, with Washington’s decision to deploy a second carrier strike group in the Gulf, the EU’s attempt to pressure Iran economically could greatly increase the likelihood of all-out war in the region.

The Strait of Hormuz is the vital link between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

It is also one of the most strategic chokepoints in the world when it comes to oil transit.

With world oil output estimated at some 88 million barrels per day in 2011, the US Energy Information Administration estimated that some 17 million of those barrels passed through the Strait.

If economic sanctions sufficiently pressure Iran to retaliate by closing down the Strait, nearly 20 per cent of worldwide oil trade would be impacted, resulting in a massive spike in global energy costs.

With over half a million regular forces and an additional 120,000 personnel in the country’s elite Revolutionary Guard,  analysts believe the consequences of a US-led war against Iran would dwarf recent Western-backed military incursions the Middle East.

Thus far, the US decision to maintain two carrier strike groups in the region has been described as “a routine activity”by Iran.

But the vast US military buildup in the region, which was bolstered when the Pentagon dispatched an additional 15,000 troops to the neighboring nation of Kuwait, was only the latest step in an obvious attempt by Washington to strengthen its military capabilities in the region.

However since 1988, when the United States managed to destroy some 25 per cent of Iran’s larger naval capability during Operation Praying Mantis, Iran has spent the last two decades preparing its Revolutionary Guard naval forces to exploit the vulnerabilities of the United States’ larger conventional forces.

According to Revolutionary Guard commander Brigadier General Jafaari, ”The enemy is far more advanced technologically than we are, we have been using what is called asymmetric warfare methods… our forces are now well prepared for it,” he said, as cited by Global Bearings.

Ultimately,  the latest round of brinkmanship between Iran and the West may force Iran to the negotiating table over its uranium enrichment program.

However, the EU strategy of averting “chaos in the Middle East” by tightening the economic noose around Iran could spark the very conflagration it was ostensibly trying to avert.

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Russia has signed a contract to sell combat jets to Syria, a newspaper reported Monday, in apparent support for President Bashar Assad and open defiance of international condemnation of his regime’s bloody crackdown.

The respected business daily Kommersant, citing an unidentified source close to Russia’s Rosoboronexport state arms trader, said the $550-million deal envisions the delivery of 36 Yak-130 aircraft. A spokesman for Rosoboronexport refused to comment on the report.

If confirmed, the deal would cement Russian opposition to international efforts to put pressure on Assad’s regime over its attempts to snuff out the country’s uprising. The U.N. says more than 5,400 people have died over 10 months. The report of the sale comes the same day that Human Rights Watch called Russia’s backing of the Syrian regime “immoral.”

The Yak-130 is a twin-engined combat trainer jet that can also be used to attack ground targets. The Russian air force has recently placed an order for 55 such jets.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last week that Moscow doesn’t consider it necessary to offer an explanation or excuses over suspicions that a Russian ship had delivered munitions to Syria despite an EU arms embargo.

Russia was acting in full respect of international law and wouldn’t be guided by unilateral sanctions imposed by other nations, he said.

Lavrov also accused the West of turning a blind eye to attacks by opposition militants and supplies of weapons to the Syrian opposition from abroad and warned that Russia will block any attempt by the West to secure United Nations support for the use of force against Syria.

Russia has been a strong ally of Syria since Soviet times when the country was led by the president’s father Hafez Assad. It has supplied Syria with aircraft, missiles, tanks and other modern weapons.

Igor Korotchenko, head of the Center of Analysis of the Global Arms trade, an independent think-tank, said the jet deal apparently reflected Moscow’s belief that Assad would stay at the helm.

“With this contract, Russia is expressing confidence that President Assad would manage to retain control of the situation, because such deals aren’t signed with a government whose hold on power raises doubts,” Korotchenko was quoted by RIA Novosti news agency as saying. “It’s another gesture by Moscow underlining its confidence that Damascus will remain its strategic partner and ally in the Middle East.”

Another Moscow-based military analyst, Ruslan Pukhov, said, however, that Russia might be too optimistic about Assad’s prospects.

“This contract carries a very high degree of risk,” Pukhov told Kommersant. “Assad’s regime may fall and that would lead to financial losses for Russia and also hurt its image.”

Human Rights Watch warned Russia that by supporting Assad it is repeating the mistakes of some Western governments during the Arab Spring, saying they were too slow to recognize the popular desire for democratic change in places like Egypt and Bahrain.

“Armed elements shooting at government soldiers is materially different from government representatives shooting deliberately at unarmend civilians,” Carroll Bogert, the group’s deputy executive director, said at a news conference in Moscow that followed the release of HRW’s annual report.

She added that the overwhelming number of victims in Syria is on the side of the demonstrators.

“The continued support of this regime is immoral and not permissible,” Bogert said. “The West has already made serious mistakes with the support of Arab regimes. Russia’s repetition of those mistakes will lead to tragic consequences.”

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The United States has sent some 12,000 soldiers to Libya, in the first phase of deployments to the oil-rich North African nation.

According to Asharq Alawsat, the troops landed in the eastern oil port city of Brega.

Although the deployment is said to be aimed at generating stability and security in the region, the troops are expected to take control of the country’s key oil fields and strategic ports.

Brega, the site of an important oil refinery, serves as a major export hub for Libyan oil. The town is also one of the five oil terminals in the eastern half of the country.

Following the popular uprising of the Libyan people, NATO launched a major air campaign against the forces of the former regime on March 19, 2011 under a UN mandate to “protect the Libyan population.”

The Western military alliance, however, was heavily criticized for its failure to protect civilians and taking action beyond the terms of the UN mandate.

On October 20, Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was killed in his hometown of Sirte, eight months into an uprising that put an end to his 42-year dictatorship.

Human rights groups have accused NATO of committing war crimes and human rights violations against Libyans.

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The Jerusalem Post reports today that Israel’s military has ordered its Southern Command to prepare for a “large scale” invasion of the Gaza Strip, likely to begin within the next few months.

The revelation is hardly a surprise, as Israeli Military Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz has repeatedly pressed for an invasion of the Gaza Strip over the past few months, while trumpeting the late 2008 invasion as a “great success.”

Officials today indicated that the next invasion would be very much on the same model as 2008, which saw massive Palestinian civilian casualties and destruction of considerable civilian infrastructure, much of which remains unrepaired as an Israeli blockade has prevented construction materials from being imported.

Israeli officials cited “increased weaponry” in the Gaza Strip as the reason for the upcoming invasion, particularly anti-tank weapons. Other than getting some of their tanks blown up, it isn’t clear why they consider this a good reason to invade, as weapons have been flooding much of the region since the Libyan regime fell and their weapons warehouses were looted.

The exact timing of the invasion will also be tricky, as Israel will of course rely on the US to run interference in the UN when the ugliest aspects of the war begin to trickle out. The last invasion came after the 2008 US Presidential election but was virtually wrapped up before President Obama took office. It may be that Israel will try a similar strategy of starting the war after the vote in an effort to keep it from being a political issue in the US.

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The Ministry of Defense has started preparations for one of the biggest military exercises of the year, the “Caucasus-2012″ drills.

The exercises are taking place in Southern Russia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Armenia in September 2012.

One purpose of the large-scale drills this year is to prepare the Russian military for a possible armed conflict between the US and Israel on the one side and Iran on the other.

“It would be a good demonstration of new Russian military power,” Viktor Mizin from the Institute of Strategic Assessment told RT. “We will show that Russia has undergone a revival of its military power, and is now becoming not only a major economic and political player, but also a major global military player.”

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