weapons Archives

Netanyahu of Israel gift to Azerbaijan, weapons of mass destruction

December 16, 2016 By administrator

BY YARON WEISS

The Israeli government’s support for Azerbaijan is unacceptable and disgraceful. Many Israelis are concerned about the cooperation between Israel and one of the darkest dictatorships in the world. Earlier this year, Zehava Galon, one of the leaders of the opposition in Israel, accused Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s Defense Minister, as a “foreign agent” collaborating with the government of Azerbaijan.

Many Israelis feel empathy and solidarity towards Armenia. The two nations have suffered genocide. Armenia is a small country surrounded by enemies as Israel. However, the Israeli government’s policy is the opposite of the feelings of Israeli citizens. It seems that the Israeli government sells its values for money.

Netanyahu warned the world that Iran is a dangerous country and threatens to exterminate Israel. He demands to impose sanctions on Iran. But at the same time, he sells weapons to Azerbaijan who threatens Armenia.

Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia is similar to Iran’s aggression against Israel.

Even in the past, Israel has sold weapons to dictatorships. As a result, oppressed nations began to hate Israel. Everyone remembers the cooperation between Israel and South Africa during apartheid regime. It is no coincidence that South Africa’s Goverment is hostile toward Israel.

In the seventies, Israel sold weapons to the Shah of Iran. Later, the weapons turned against Israel. This is what is likely to happen with Israeli weapons in Azerbaijan.

Two months ago, I visited in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic), and met a courageous and determined people. Nothing in the world will change the fact that Artsakh has been and will be forever Armenian. No drones and no sophisticated weapon systems can subdue the courage of the Armenians. We will continue to demand that the Israeli government stop selling weapons to Azerbaijan. We will continue to demand that the Israeli government will adopt a moral foreign policy. It is proven that relationships between countries based on shared values persist for a long time.

We have seen in the past that giving priority to material interests alone without moral partnership do not hold for long. I believe that in the end, common sense will prevail.

The question is, how many victims will there be until that time?

Terrorists Could Capture US Nuclear Weapons at Turkey’s Incirlik Base

August 15, 2016 By administrator

Stimson Center think tank said that United States run the risk of losing control over dozens of nuclear weapons deployed at Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base to terrorists.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The United States run the risk of losing control over dozens of nuclear weapons deployed at Turkey’s Incirlik Air Base to terrorists, the Stimson Center think tank said Monday.

“The continued presence of these weapons at five sites in Europe, particularly in Turkey, raises serious risks of their seizure by terrorists or other hostile forces,” the center said in a new report titled “B61 Life Extension Program: Costs and Policy Considerations.”

In a statement accompanying the report’s publication, the think tank stressed that a protracted civil conflict in Turkey would make the fate of the weapons uncertain, citing the events during Turkey’s July 15 attempted coup.

The base was impacted significantly by the July 15 events and their aftermath. Former base commander Gen. Bekir Ercan Van was arrested over alleged involvement in the plot, while Turkish authorities cut the base’s electricity supply off and prohibited US planes from taking off.

“From a security point of view, it’s a roll of the dice to continue to have approximately 50 of America’s nuclear weapons stationed at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, just 70 miles from the Syrian border…These weapons have zero utility on the European battlefield and today are more of a liability than asset to our NATO allies,” Laicie Heeley, a Stimson Center researcher and the report’s co-author, was quoted as saying in the statement.

The Stimson Center recommended the removal of all B61 bombs from Europe, stressing that a total over $6 billion could be saved by such a move.

Earlier in August, the US National Nuclear Security Administration approved the production engineering phase for the B61-12 life extension program as a part of the country’s drive to modernize it nuclear arsenal. The lives of over half of all B61 bombs are set to be extended.

The Incirlik base is used by the United States and US-led coalition combat planes when launching airstrikes in Syria and Iraq against the Islamic State group, which is outlawed in many countries including Russia. The base is located in the city of Adana, several dozen miles from the Syrian border.

Source: http://sputniknews.com/world/20160815/1044272187/terrorists-us-nuclear-weapons.html

The Minister of the Russian Defence is willing to sell more weapons to Azerbaijan

June 16, 2016 By administrator

russia-weapon azerbaijan While exposing to criticism from Armenia, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, welcomed yesterday the military relations “strategic” between Russia and Azerbaijan. He noted the willingness of Moscow to sell more weapons to Baku.

“Our military cooperation has a strategic character,” said Shoygu to his Azerbaijani counterpart Zakir Hasanov, during talks that took place in Moscow.

“I think there’s potential for growth and development of our relations. We certainly will do everything to ensure that our partnership and our friendly strategic ties continue to grow, “he added.

According to a ministry statement, Shoygu also explained that he would be “happy” to see a delegation of Azerbaijan at the massive arms exhibition in the Russian army in September. Russian defense companies will show “etmatériel military weapons” in the country for a week, the statement said.

Hasanov, in turn, meant that relations between the two countries were “strategic and friendly.” He also stressed the importance of training by Russia of Azerbaijani military personnel. He expressed the hope that the number of Azerbaijanis study at Russian military academies will increase next year.

The declaration of Shoygu came more than two months after the offensive of the Azerbaijani army in Karabakh that triggered the escalation of the most serious conflict since the Armenian-Azerbaijani war which took place between 1991 and 1994. The Armenian leaders have accused the sale of Russian weapons to Azerbaijan, which would have greatly encouraged the attack. A position that refutes Russia.

The First Deputy Minister of the Armenian Defense Davit Tonoyan, discussed with his Russian counterpart Anatoly Antonov during their meeting in Moscow on Tuesday. The Russian Ministry of Defense said he spoke of “a number of pressing issues of military cooperation and military-technical cooperation between the two countries.”

Despite the continuing Russian military aid to Yerevan, the apparent willingness of Moscow to sell more weapons to Baku could trigger further criticism of the Armenian government officials and pro-government politicians.

Shoygu met with Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian immediately after his meeting with Hasanov. “We want to maintain our strategic partnership,” Ohanian said.

The Russian minister praised the defense cooperation with Armenia, emphasizing training and military education, rather than on arms deliveries. The Russian Ministry of Defense was quoted as saying that Moscow is “ready” to include over 200 Armenian officers and cadets in Russian military academies this year.

Ohanian, for his part, said that bilateral military ties knew a “dynamic development”. His press office said he also spoke with Shoygu “development of military-technical cooperation.”

Thursday, June 16, 2016,
Claire © armenews.com

Turkey’s Islamists, nationalists both silent on Israeli weapons flow to Azerbaijan – Al Monitor

May 26, 2016 By administrator

By Pinar Tremblay
In early April, as renewed fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region made headlines in Turkey, there was little talk of the crucial role of Israeli weapons in the clashes. Only the daily Hurriyet reported on Azerbaijan’s use of the Israeli Harop armed drone, which generated Armenian protests.

Turkey’s Islamist and ultra-nationalists are curbing their opposition — at least outwardly — to Israel, which is supplying Azerbaijan with weapons to fight Armenia.

Justice and Development Party (AKP) spokesperson Omer Celik summarized why the issue should be important to the press: “Azerbaijan’s battle is our battle; their martyrs are our martyrs.” Indeed, Azerbaijan consistently scores as Turkey’s closest friend in Turkish public opinion polls, while Israel maintains its status as a serious threat in the same polls.
Intriguingly, Israel is Azerbaijan’s main arms supplier, a situation that poses a puzzle: Why have Turks remained silent as Azerbaijan, their closest friend, and Israel, their greatest rival — if not necessarily enemy — have grown closer? The silence of two sections of Turkish society is particularly noteworthy: One is Turkish ultra-nationalists, whose commitment to Azerbaijan is near-absolute; the other is Islamists, who miss no opportunity to bash Israel. Why are these two groups, whose protests are rarely if ever curtailed by the police in Turkey, ignoring this development?
The Israeli-Azeri cooperation has expanded as Israeli-Turkish relations have soured since the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident. Richard Giragosian, director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC), an independent think tank in Yerevan, Armenia, told Al-Monitor, “Israel has replaced Turkey as an essential military patron of Azerbaijan, as seen in the 2012 deal involving the Azerbaijani procurement of drones and anti-aircraft missile defense systems from the state-run Israel Aerospace Industries for $1.6 billion.”
Giragosian explained that the bilateral relations are not limited to the weapons trade. The countries’ interests converge in three main areas — “security and military, including intelligence cooperation; energy and trade; and geopolitical strategy,” he said.
So why are Turkish Islamists and ultra-nationalists remaining silent as their rival Israel expands its presence in Azerbaijan? There are at least two intertwined explanations for this rational ignorance: the media’s silence and political pragmatism.
There is an undeclared media gag order in Turkey on publishing, and not just on anti-AKP stories considered unpleasant for the government. The Israeli-Azerbaijani relationship is diligently ignored in mainstream media. Hence, several leading figures of grass-roots Islamist and nationalist movements told Al-Monitor they are not aware of the extent of the strategic friendship between Turkey’s best friend and its most outspoken rival in the region. It was particularly noteworthy that none of the ultra-nationalists and only one of the Islamists was willing to go on the record with their views on the subject.

A middle-aged, self-described bozkurt (a nickname for a member of the Gray Wolves, the Turkish ultra-nationalist group) who worked in organizing youth told Al-Monitor, “Our youth are happy to see Azerbaijan triumph. We all wish it was mostly Turkish-made weapons being used, but we are not there yet. In the meantime, we cannot fuss about the identity of the manufacturer.”Turkey sells arms to Azerbaijan as well.
When reminded of the increasing presence of Israeli intelligence in Azerbaijan, as well as in the oil and gas trade, realpolitik came to the fore. Approaching the question in a frivolous manner, the Gray Wolf said, “Our [Turkish] relations are much better with Israel now, so are the Azerbaijanis’. Who is going to call the kettle black? Times have changed.”
More on the story is available here

Leading Jewish Scholar Condemns Israel’s Sale of Murderous Weapons to Azerbaijan

April 13, 2016 By administrator

harut-sassounian-small2 BY HARUT SASSOUNIAN

In last week’s large-scale attack on Artsakh (Karabakh), the Azeri military killed and injured dozens of Armenian soldiers and civilians, using the sophisticated weapons purchased from Israel and Russia for billions of dollars.

The Armenian government and Armenians worldwide accused both Israel and Russia of responsibility for the innocent Armenian lives lost in the recent Azeri invasion.

Prof. Israel Charny, a righteous Jew and a staunch defender of human rights, could not remain silent knowing that his country — Israel — had a bloody role in the Armenian killings. As Executive Director of the Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide in Jerusalem, Dr. Charny sent a scathing commentary to the Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, under the provocative title: “Would Israel Sell a Used Drone to a Hitler?” Here is what he wrote:

“If the Nazis were not at all murdering Jews but ‘only’ were murdering say hated Slavs, Gypsies, and Jehovah’s Witnesses; and if our beloved State of Israel were in existence; would you agree to our selling arms to the Nazis?

“Israel is reported to have sold billions of dollars of arms including to governments that are killing or threatening to attack victim peoples. Last week, there came reports that an Israeli drone in the hands of Azerbaijan — a huge arms customer of ours — was responsible for the deaths of six Armenians in the Armenian enclave Nagorno Karabakh.

“I am ashamed!

“The Armenians were the victims of a major genocide 100 years ago that has even been called the ‘Armenian Shoah’ by some Israeli scholars, including from Bar Ilan University. A great deal of their national and cultural concern continues to focus passionately on the memory of that genocide (does that sound familiar to us Jews?). For many years now, we Israelis — whether led by Labor or Likud — have insulted and hurt the Armenian people by failing to recognize their genocide officially and formally. Would we ourselves tolerate another government — say the U.S. or England — failing to recognize the Holocaust because of their realpolitik interest with the perpetrator government?

“One senior Armenian official has written several of us in Israel to express his deep pain as well as indignation now not only at our cowardly and self-serving denials of the Armenian Genocide, but also at our thick military trade alliance with Azerbaijan. I am reminded of the prophet Nathan crying out to King David for an earlier though more delectable murderous act of self-interest: It’s bad enough that you killed him, are you also taking a profit from the sordid affair? The Azeris are a Turkic people who adhere to Turkey’s bizarre and fascist tradition of rewriting history and denying the Armenian Genocide.

“In general, how much do we Israelis want to strengthen our economy by lucrative arms sales? Of course, ‘everyone’ in the world is doing it, but do we have to also? Have we given up the image/dream of Israel as a moral leader of peoples on this planet? Is this idea tiresome, naïve, and childlike in a madly destructive and self-destroying world?

“An alternative concept could be that along with our building arms first and foremost for the defense of Israel, that we sell — or contribute — arms only to underdog peoples who are facing mass destruction, and/or to allies like the U.S., who are essentially committed to shared democratic values and peace. Of course, we will still be making some mistakes, but at least our conscience will be more clear that we have not delivered used arms to the ‘Nazis.’

“To my Armenian colleagues and friends, I can only say that as a Jew and as an Israeli, I am mortified — and angry.”

Prof. Charny’s harsh words are fully justified as both Israeli and Russian officials have shamefully pledged to continue shipping more weapons to Azerbaijan!

Dr. Charny has never shied away from expressing his critical views on Israel’s immoral policies on Armenian issues. In a scathing letter in 2001, he told Israel’s Foreign Minister Shimon Peres: “You have gone beyond a moral boundary that no Jew should allow himself to trespass…. As a Jew and an Israeli, I am ashamed of the extent to which you have now entered into the range of actual denial of the Armenian Genocide, comparable to denials of the Holocaust.”

Prof. Charny should be highly commended for his bold and righteous stand, taking to task the callous leaders of his own country!

ISIL Militant Admits to Buying Arms in Ukraine, Sending to Syria Via Turkey

November 20, 2015 By administrator

Kuwaiti security forces have uncovered an international cell that supplied the Islamic State terrorist group with Chinese-made weapons purchased in Ukraine, funds and new recruits, US media reported on Friday.

Six members of the group were arrested but four others are still at large, AP reported, citing Interior Ministry officials in Kuwait City.

The leader of the group, 45-year-old Lebanese national Osama Khayat, was detained first and disclosed information about the rest of the members during interrogation, the ministry said in a statement.

According to the information provided by Khayat, the cell was involved in making arms deals on behalf of the Islamic State leaders in Syria, including buying FN-6 portable air defense systems and other weaponry, which were shipped to ISIL in Syria through Turkey.

During questioning, Khayat also admitted to transferring money to Turkish bank accounts as well as spreading ISIL propaganda online to get new recruits.

Besides the Lebanese mastermind, Kuwaiti authorities arrested three Syrians, an Egyptian and a Kuwaiti and said four others — two Syrians and two Australians of Lebanese origin — were outside the country.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry denied that it had sold Chinese-made FN6 portable air defense systems to the Islamic State.

“We cannot sell or resell or make any deals concerning weapons. We are not a business entity and we do not have such weapons,” spokeswoman Viktoria Kushnir told RIA Novosti.

Moscow supplies Kurds fighting ISIS with weapons via Iraqi govt – Lavrov

October 1, 2015 By administrator

Moscow is providing Kurds who are fighting Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) with weapons via the Iraqi government, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Thursday. The Kurds’ representatives are taking part in the work of the information center in Baghdad, RIA Novosti quoted him as saying. The center staff includes military from Iraq, Syria, Iran and Russia.

Turkey Raid on Koza İpek Media Group comes after reports on transfer of weapons to ISIL

September 2, 2015 By administrator

he front page of Bugün daily published on Tuesday. (Photo Today’s Zaman)

Police raided the offices of a Turkish conglomerate and media group after the Bugün daily ran a lead story showing the transfer of weapons and explosives to the terrorist Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) from Turkey to Syria.

On Tuesday morning the police raided the premises of the Koza İpek Holding, which is critical of the government, in the capital of Ankara, as the daily owned by the group had run a story with video stills showing the illegal weapons transfer to the terrorist group on the same day.

Koza İpek Holding includes Kanaltürk, Bugün TV, the Bugün daily, İpek University and Koza Holding. The residence of Akın İpek, owner of the group, was searched by the police.

Editor-in-Chief of the Bugün daily Erhan Başyurt posted several tweets on his personal Twitter account, saying: “A police operation that aims to silence our group has started. Police raided our office. How shameful!”

“The operation has come right after we revealed the illegal shipment of weapons to ISIL,” he said in another tweet.

The daily claimed the video footage shows that a large amount of materials, including explosives, construction pipes and plates, were being transferred to ISIL from Turkey’s Akçakale border gate in the southeastern Şanlıurfa province, while Turkish customs officials were standing by and watching.

The interim Justice and Development Party (AK Party) government is accused of illegally sending arms to ISIL fighting against both Kurds and Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, as the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) was subjected an investigation in January of last year on charges of being the main actor in transferring weapons to ISIL.

In 2014, several MİT trucks were intercepted by gendarmes in two separate incidents in the southern provinces of Hatay and Adana, after prosecutors received tips that the trucks were illegally carrying arms to Syria. Those prosecutors who launched an investigation into the members of MİT linked to the incident were first taken off the case and then were arrested on charges of “treason” and “membership in a terrorist organization that aims to overthrow the government

According to the report run by Bugün, the materials and weapons that were passed into ISIL-controlled territory in Syria are seen in the footage, and images captured from CCTV footage show material enough to fill up numerous trucks as custom officials allowed the transfer of the weapons.

The material includes metal plates weighing 400 to 500 kilograms, which ISIL mounts on vehicles as armor, construction pipes used for firing mortars and electric cables used in explosives.

The quantities being transported on a daily basis are apparently very large. Two trucks of fertilizer used in explosives, in addition to materials such as electric cables and fuses, enough to fill a truck each, have been passing through Turkey’s Akçakale border gate, heading for ISIL-controlled parts of Syria over the past two months.

Mehmet Ali Edipoğlu, Hatay deputy of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), recently said shipments of weapons have been continuing to ISIL elements since the revelation of the MİT-linked weapons transfer issue in 2014.

The Cumhuriyet daily in a headline story in June published video stills of weapons carried by trucks operated by MİT, discrediting the government’s earlier claim that the trucks were carrying humanitarian aid to Turkmens.

After the report, Erdoğan had threatened Can Dündar, editor-in-chief of the daily, saying: “He will pay a heavy price for it. He cannot get away with it.”

Meanwhile, Turkish whistleblower Fuat Avni had recently exposed plans by Erdoğan to launch a crackdown on critical media outlets in the country ahead of a snap election slated for November.

After a massive corruption scandal went in public on Dec. 17, 2013, implicating then-government members, including four former ministers and then-Prime Minister Erdoğan’s close circle, Erdoğan vowed to carry out a witch hunt against all dissent including media groups, businesspeople and civil society groups.

In the first wave of a crackdown on critical media, Samanyolu Broadcasting Group CEO Hidayet Karaca was detained on Dec. 14, 2014, three days before the first anniversary of the Dec. 17 corruption scandal, and since then Karaca has been held in Silivri Prison without any indictment.

After the sale of arms to Armenia, Russia will also sell a large quantity of weapons to Azerbaijan, according to a Russian expert

July 11, 2015 By administrator

According to the Armenian newspaper “Zhamanak” (Time) Armenia, through the voice of the spokesman of the Ministry of Defence, Ardzroun Hovhannisyan confirmed the provision of a loan of $ 200 million by Russia, so that Armenia achene arms. Armenia needs to develop type missiles “Iskander-M” in scope it will buy logs from Russia. But according to a famous Russian political scientist Sergei Markov, in return for this assistance to Armenia, Russia will sell significant quantities of arms to Azerbaijan. “The arms sales by Russia to Armenia and Azerbaijan increases the voltage but the other side promotes balance and peace, “he said. S. Markov added “increased weapons increases the risk of conflict. But on the other hand, these countries buy arms to defend themselves if attacked by the enemy. “Therefore according to this expert, the acquisition of arms is a balance that promotes peace and … if Russia does not sell arms to Armenia and Azerbaijan, these countries would source elsewhere. “Russia is a supporter of peace, unlike the United States (…) Russia by selling arms also contributes to peace, “says Sergei Markov. He also expressed confidence that Russia will continue to sell arms to Azerbaijan.

Krikor Amirzayan

Economy Minister Assures Bulgaria Not Exporting Weapons to Syria

June 13, 2015 By administrator

Bulgarian Economy Minister Bozhidar Lukarski. Photo: BGNES

Bulgarian Economy Minister Bozhidar Lukarski assured on Saturday that the country does not export and does not allow for weapons to be exported from its territory to Syria.

His comments come as a response to the information widely circulated during the week by Reuters that the three US contractors, who were injured by the explosion at the military polygon in the Bulgarian village Anevo, had been testing weapons destined for export to the Syrian opposition.

The incident, which took place on June 6 after a rocket-propelled grenade malfunctioned, claimed the life of one of the US citizens, while the other two as well as two Bulgarians were injured.

Lukarski asked the US authorities to provide an explanation whether Bulgarian armaments reached Syria as the country was not issuing permits for Syria as an end user, the minister said in an interview for Darik radio.

Lukarski added that Bulgaria exported weapons, including Russian ones to the USA and dismissed the speculations that weapon testing was taking place in Anevo, but rather training of specialists.

It did not amount to weapon testing as the rocket-propelled grenades in question were in use since the time of the Warsaw Pact.