TheList 5275

The List 5275 TGB


To All.

A bit more for today

Regards,

skip





First. Dudley sent this about the Bill O'Reilly bit at the end of 5274

Skip, the final article in this morning's List wasn't written by Bill O'Reilly. It was a piece by Tim Besmer, Sr. posted on the "Wake Up America" website. https://www.livetradingnews.com/wake-up-america-172331.html







This Day in U.S. Military History



1715 – The Yamasee War begins in South Carolina. The Yamasee War (also spelled Yemassee War) (1715–1717) was a conflict between British settlers of colonial South Carolina and various Native American tribes, including the Yamasee, Muscogee, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Catawba, Apalachee, Apalachicola, Yuchi, Savannah River Shawnee, Congaree, Waxhaw, Pee Dee, Cape Fear, Cheraw, and others. Some of the Native American Indian groups played a minor role while others launched attacks throughout South Carolina in an attempt to destroy the colony. Native Americans killed hundreds of colonists and destroyed many settlements. Traders "in the field" were killed throughout what is now southeastern United States. Abandoning settled frontiers, people fled to Charles Town, where starvation set in as supplies ran low. The survival of the South Carolina colony was in question during 1715. The tide turned in early 1716 when the Cherokee sided with the colonists against the Creek, their traditional enemy. The last of South Carolina's major Native American foes withdrew from the conflict in 1717, bringing a fragile peace to the colony. The Yamasee War was one of the most disruptive and transformational conflicts of colonial America. It was one of the American Indians' most serious challenges to European dominance. For over a year the colony faced the possibility of annihilation. About 7% of South Carolina's white citizenry was killed, making the war bloodier than King Philip's War, which is often cited as North America's bloodiest war involving Native Americans. The geopolitical situation for British, Spanish, and French colonies, as well as the Indian groups of the southeast, was radically altered. The war marks the end of the early colonial era of the American South. The Yamasee War and its aftermath contributed to the emergence of new Indian confederated nations, such as the Muscogee Creek and Catawba. The origin of the war was complex. Reasons for fighting differed among the many Indian groups who participated. Commitment differed as well. Factors included land encroachment by Europeans, the trading system, trader abuses, the Indian slave trade, the depletion of deer, increasing Indian debts in contrast to increasing wealth among some colonists, the spread of rice plantation agriculture, French power in Louisiana offering an alternative to British trade, long-established Indian links to Spanish Florida, the vying for power among Indian groups, as well as an increasingly large-scale and robust inter-tribal communication network, and recent experiences in military collaboration among previously distant tribes





1918 – Six days after being assigned for the first time to the western front, two American pilots from the U.S. First Aero Squadron engaged in America's first aerial dogfight with enemy aircraft. In a battle fought almost directly over the Allied Squadron Aerodome at Toul, France, U.S. fliers Douglas Campbell and Alan Winslow succeeded in shooting down two German two-seaters. By the end of May, Campbell had shot down five enemy aircraft, making him the first American to qualify as a "flying ace" in World War I. The First Aero Squadron, organized in 1914 after the outbreak of World War I, undertook its first combat mission on March 19, 1917, in support of the 7,000 U.S. troops that invaded Mexico to capture Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa. Despite numerous mechanical and navigational problems, the American fliers flew hundreds of scouting missions for U.S. Brigadier General John J. Pershing and gained important experience that would later be used over the battlefields of Europe in World War I.





1981 – The first test flight, STS-1, of America's first operational space shuttle, the Columbia 1, ended successfully with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.




1986 – United States launches air strikes against Libya in retaliation for the Libyan sponsorship of terrorism against American troops and citizens. The raid, which began shortly before 7 p.m. EST (2 a.m., April 15 in Libya), involved more than 100 U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft, and was over within an hour. Five military targets and "terrorism centers" were hit, including the headquarters of Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi. During the 1970s and '80s, Qaddafi's government financed a wide variety of Muslim and anti-U.S. and anti-British terrorist groups worldwide, from Palestinian guerrillas and Philippine Muslim rebels to the Irish Republican Army and the Black Panthers. In response, the U.S. imposed sanctions against Libya, and relations between the two nations steadily deteriorated. In 1981, Libya fired at a U.S. aircraft that passed into the Gulf of Sidra, which Qaddafi had claimed in 1973 as Libyan territorial waters. That year, the U.S. uncovered evidence of Libyan-sponsored terrorist plots against the United States, including planned assassination attempts against U.S. officials and the bombing of a U.S. embassy-sponsored dance in Khartoum, Sudan. In December 1985, five American citizens were killed in simultaneous terrorist attacks at the Rome and Vienna airports. Libya was blamed, and U.S. President Ronald Reagan ordered expanded sanctions and froze Libyan assets in the United States. On March 24, 1986, U.S. and Libyan forces clashed in the Gulf of Sidra, and four Libyan attack boats were sunk. Then, on April 5, terrorists bombed a West Berlin dance hall known to be frequented by U.S. servicemen. One U.S. serviceman and a Turkish woman were killed, and more than 200 people were wounded, including 50 other U.S. servicemen. U.S. intelligence reportedly intercepted radio messages sent from Libya to its diplomats in East Berlin ordering the April 5 attack on the LaBelle discotheque. On April 14, the United States struck back with dramatic air strikes against Tripoli and Banghazi. The attacks were mounted by 14 A-6E navy attack jets based in the Mediterranean and 18 FB-111 bombers from bases in England. Numerous other support aircraft were also involved. France refused to allow the F-111s to fly over French territory, which added 2,600 total nautical miles to the journey from England and back. Three military barracks were hit, along with the military facilities at Tripoli's main airport and the Benina air base southeast of Benghazi. All targets except one were reportedly chosen because of their direct connection to terrorist activity. The Benina military airfield was hit to preempt Libyan interceptors from taking off and attacking the incoming U.S. bombers. Even before the operation had ended, President Reagan went on national television to discuss the air strikes. "When our citizens are abused or attacked anywhere in the world," he said, "we will respond in self-defense. Today we have done what we had to do. If necessary, we shall do it again." Operation El Dorado Canyon, as it was code-named, was called a success by U.S. officials. Qaddafi's 15-month-old adopted daughter was killed in the attack on his residence, and two of his young sons were injured. Although he has never admitted it publicly, there is speculation that Qaddafi was also wounded in the bombing. Fire from Libyan surface-to-air missiles and conventional anti-aircraft artillery was heavy during the attack, and one F-111, along with its two-member crew, were lost in unknown circumstances. Several residential buildings were inadvertently bombed during the raid, and 15 Libyan civilians were reported killed. The French embassy in Tripoli was also accidentally hit, but no one was injured. On April 15, Libyan patrol boats fired missiles at a U.S. Navy communications station on the Italian island of Lamedusa, but the missiles fell short. There was no other major terrorist attack linked to Libya until the 1988 bombing of Pan Am 747 over Lockerbie, Scotland. All 259 passengers and crew of that flight were killed, and 11 people on the ground perished. In 1999, Qaddafi, seeking to lead Libya out of its long international isolation, agreed to turn over to the West two suspects wanted for the Lockerbie attack. In response, Europe lifted sanctions against Libya. The United States maintained sanctions, even after one of the Lockerbie suspects was convicted in 2001.



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A bit of news from around the world from Military Periscope for 14 April



USA—Roosevelt Sailor Dies From COVID-19 Navy Newsstand | 04/14/2020 A sailor from the carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt has died from complications from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), reports the Navy NewsStand. The sailor died on April 13 while receiving care at an intensive care unit (ICU) at U.S. Naval Hospital Guam. The sailor was moved into the ICU on April 9 after being discovered unresponsive during a routine medical check. The sailor's identity is being held by the Navy pending the notification of their next-of-kin. The Roosevelt is the epicenter of the first major COVID-19 outbreak on a deployed Navy warship. The carrier entered port in Guam on March 27 amid a growing number of suspected coronavirus cases onboard. As of April 12, 92 percent of the carrier's crew had been tested, with 585 testing positive for the virus, reported USNI News.



USA—NRO Seeks New Sources For Commercial Satellite Imagery Breaking Defense | 04/14/2020 The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) plans to expand its sources for commercial satellite imagery for the U.S. intelligence community, reports Breaking Defense. The office anticipates issuing a request for proposals in the third quarter of fiscal 2020, with multiple commercial imagery contracts to be awarded in the fourth quarter, an NRO spokeswoman said. The move to potentially select multiple imagery providers would break the monopoly previously held by Maxar Technologies, formerly DigitalGlobe, on the provision of commercial imagery to the intelligence community. DigitalGlobe and GeoEye were selected by the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA) in 2010 to provide imagery under the EnhancedView program. GeoEye was merged with DigitalGlobe in 2012 due to NGA budget cuts. Contracting authority for commercial imagery was transferred from the NGA to the NRO in August 2018. Maxar Technologies received an EnhancedView Follow-On program contract in November 2018, which granted it a one-year imagery contract with one-year extension options, each valued at $300 million, through 2023. The NRO indicated that it was moving toward a new strategy last year when it awarded electro-optical imagery study contracts to BlackSky, Maxar and Planet. Planet has been providing commercial imagery to the NGA since 2016 under an experimental contract.



USA—$10 Million Bounty Set For Top Hezbollah Commander In Iraq U.S. State Dept. | 04/14/2020 The U.S. government is offering a large reward for information on Muhammad Kawtharani, a senior Hezbollah official in Iraq, reports the U.S. State Dept. Individuals who provide information on Kawtharani's activities, networks and associates will be eligible for a reward of up to US$10 million, the department announced on April 10. Kawtharani is a senior leader of Hezbollah forces in Iraq and coordinates with other Iranian paramilitary groups in that country. He took on the role after Qassem Suleimani, the head of Iran's Quds Force, was killed in a U.S. airstrike in January. Kawtharani is a member of Hezbollah's political council and is alleged to have organized the violent suppression of protests, attacks on diplomatic missions and widespread organized criminal activity. He was labeled a specially designated global terrorist by the Treasury in 2013.



Netherlands—Guided Artillery Rounds Sought For Self-Propelled Howitzers U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency | 04/14/2020 The Netherlands is seeking to buy guided artillery shells from the U.S. for its self-propelled guns, reports the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The potential US$40.55 million deal covers 199 Excalibur Increment IB M982AI shells and associated technical and logistics support. The munitions will be integrated with the Dutch army's PzH 2000NL self-propelled howitzers, said an agency release on April 10. The U.S. Congress has been notified of the possible sale and has 30 days to review it.



Turkey—More Troops Sent To Syria Syrian Observatory for Human Rights | 04/14/2020 Turkey has deployed more troops to its observation posts in northwestern Syria, reports the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (U.K.). At least 35 Turkish vehicles were seen entering Syria via the Kafr Lusin crossing, said witnesses. The vehicles were headed to Turkish observation posts around Idlib province. Hundreds of soldiers and about 6,000 vehicles, weapons and other equipment have arrived in the area since a Feb. 2 cease-fire entered effect, the observatory said. About 10,300 Turkish soldiers are estimated to be in the area, supporting a larger contingent of allied Syrian rebels against Syrian government troops and their Russian backers.



Ukraine—Fire Near Chernobyl Under Control, Officials Say Kyiv Post | 04/14/2020 Extensive fires in the Chernobyl exclusion zone have been brought under control, reports the Kyiv Post. The remaining small-scale fires are expected to be put out soon. The majority of the blaze was extinguished by firefighters with assistance from rainy weather, the interior ministry said on Tuesday. The fires broke out on April 4 and quickly spread in the direction of the abandoned nuclear power station, the site of the 1986 reactor meltdown. The blaze, which came within 1.25 miles (2 km) of the site, raised concerns that smoke could carry radioactive debris in the direction of Kyiv, reported the Guardian (U.K.). The fires were started by a man who was arrested on April 6 and confessed to burning garbage and dry leaves in the Chernobyl exclusion zone "for fun." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that radiation levels around the site had been monitored, with no abnormal spikes detected for the duration of the fire, reported BBC News.



Russia—Moscow Ready To Discuss Hypersonic Weapons With U.S. Reuters | 04/14/2020 Top Russian officials say they are prepared to discuss hypersonic weapons and their effect on strategic stability with the U.S., reports Reuters. On Tuesday, RIA Novosti reported that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov indicated that he would discuss the matter by phone with his U.S. counterpart, Mike Pompeo, in the next few days. Russia announced that it would begin production of the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle in March 2018. The U.S. has several hypersonic weapon programs underway.



China—New Amphib Catches Fire The War Zone | 04/14/2020 The Chinese navy's new large-deck amphibious warship has experienced a fire while fitting out at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai, reports the War Zone website. On April 11, the first-in-class Type 075 amphibious assault ship caught fire. Photos and video appeared to show that the fire originated in the well deck. Images of the ship after the fire was extinguished showed extensive scorching at the stern. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear. Unnamed sources told the state-run Global Times that the damage was not significant and would not affect further work. The ship was launched in September and has been undergoing final outfitting and testing. Experts told the paper that the fire could have been the result of power or mechanical issues; sparks caused by welding; or inflammable materials left unsupervised on the deck.



Taiwan—Defense Ministry Eyes Powered Suits For Troops Central News Agency | 04/14/2020 Taiwan plans to develop a powered exoskeleton for military applications, reports the semi-official Central News Agency. The defense ministry's armaments bureau has received US$8.3 million in fiscal 2020 to begin development of the powered suit, with the goal of entering production by 2023. Researchers are working with domestic private medical technology, automation and robotic companies as well as universities and the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, which is part of the military. Taiwanese engineers expect to build on lessons learned by U.S. efforts to develop similar systems. The suits provide additional strength and endurance to the wearer and are expected to be used for combat and disaster relief operations.



North Korea—Military Test-Fires Missiles Into Sea Of Japan Yonhap | 04/14/2020 North Korea has conducted another round of missile firings into the Sea of Japan, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). On Tuesday, multiple anti-ship cruise missiles were launched from Munchon in the southeastern Kangwon province, according to the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The weapons were fired over a period of 40 minutes and traveled about 95 miles (150 km). The missiles were similar to the Kumsong-3 (KN-19) coastal defense weapons that were last tested in June 2017, said the JCS. Separately, several Sukhoi and MiG fighter jets took off from the eastern city of Wonsan and fired several air-to-surface missiles into the Sea of Japan. The weapons are still being analyzed by South Korean and U.S. intelligence, said the JCS, as cited by Reuters. The tests came the day before the 108th birthday of North Korean founder Kim Il Sung, the grandfather of current dictator Kim Jong Un, and parliamentary elections in South Korea.



South Korea—Air Force Wants To Acquire Follow-On Support, Services For F-35s U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency | 04/14/2020 The South Korean government has requested the sale of follow-on support and services from the U.S. for its F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, reports the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The proposed US$675 million Foreign Military Sale includes follow-on support and services for the aircraft, associated engines and weapons; publications and technical documentation; support equipment; spare and repair parts; repair and return; test equipment; software delivery and support; pilot flight equipment; personnel training equipment; technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of program support, said the DSCA on April 10. Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney will serve as the prime contractors for the work. South Korea ordered 40 F-35s in 2013, of which 13 had been delivered as of December 2019. The U.S. Congress has been notified of the possible sale and has 30 days to review it.



North Korea—Supreme People's Assembly Discusses COVID-19, Rebuilding Economy Yonhap | 04/14/2020 The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) in North Korea has held its annual meeting in Pyongyang to approve new laws and personnel changes, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). The meeting on Sunday, two days later than initially planned, is believed to have focused on dealing with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and rebuilding the economy, which is hampered by international sanctions. No reason was given for the delay, noted the state-run Korean Central News Agency. Lawmakers passed the annual budget during the meeting, which allocated 47.8 percent of spending for economic construction projects. North Korean revenue and expenditure increased over the previous year, said the South Korean Unification Ministry. The budgets for the economy, science and health were all increased. A major reshuffling of the State Affairs Commission (SAC), the highest decision-making body in the North Korean government, which saw five of its 13 members replaced, was also approved, reported Agence France-Presse. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un did not attend the SPA meeting. He reportedly led a political bureau meeting of the ruling Korean Workers' Party on Saturday. That meeting covered COVID-19 issues and the election of his sister, Kim Yo Jong, as an alternate member of the body.



North Korea—Supreme People's Assembly Discusses COVID-19, Rebuilding Economy Yonhap | 04/14/2020 The Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) in North Korea has held its annual meeting in Pyongyang to approve new laws and personnel changes, reports the Yonhap news agency (Seoul). The meeting on Sunday, two days later than initially planned, is believed to have focused on dealing with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and rebuilding the economy, which is hampered by international sanctions. No reason was given for the delay, noted the state-run Korean Central News Agency. Lawmakers passed the annual budget during the meeting, which allocated 47.8 percent of spending for economic construction projects. North Korean revenue and expenditure increased over the previous year, said the South Korean Unification Ministry. The budgets for the economy, science and health were all increased. A major reshuffling of the State Affairs Commission (SAC), the highest decision-making body in the North Korean government, which saw five of its 13 members replaced, was also approved, reported Agence France-Presse. North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un did not attend the SPA meeting. He reportedly led a political bureau meeting of the ruling Korean Workers' Party on Saturday. That meeting covered COVID-19 issues and the election of his sister, Kim Yo Jong, as an alternate member of the body.



Vietnam—Chinese Survey Ship Returns To Vietnamese Waters Reuters | 04/14/2020 A Chinese survey ship involved in a standoff with Vietnamese vessels last year is back sailing off the coast of Vietnam, reports Reuters. On Tuesday, the Haiyang Dizhi 8 seismic survey ship appeared 98 miles (158 km) off the coast of Vietnam and within Hanoi's exclusive economic zone, reported the website Marine Traffic. She was escorted by at least one Chinese coast guard vessel. At least three Vietnamese ships were also moving with the Chinese vessel. The appearance of the Haiyang Dizhi 8 comes as Vietnam nears the end of a 15-day lockdown to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and less than two weeks after a Chinese vessel sank a Vietnamese fishing boat off the coast of the disputed Paracel Islands. Vietnam filed protest after the sinking, which it said endangered the lives of the fishermen. In 2019, the Haiyang Dizhi 8 spent months in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone, where it was believed to be exploring for oil.



Burma—8 Civilians Die In Shelling In Rakhine State Myanmar Times | 04/14/2020 Eight civilians have been killed in an artillery attack in Burma's western Rakhine state, reports the Myanmar Times. On Monday, three artillery shells landed in the Kyauk Seik village in Ponnagyun township, which has been the site of heavy fighting between the army and the Arakan Army rebel group, reported Radio Free Asia. Locals blamed the army for the shelling, reported Reuters. Efforts to evacuate the wounded were hindered by the military, which forced medical workers to wait at a checkpoint for two hours before letting them proceed to local hospitals. The military said that clashes in the area have been ongoing since April 11. A spokesman for the Arakan Army (AA) denied that any fighting was taking place in the area.



India—Torpedoes, Missiles Sought From U.S. For P-8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency | 04/14/2020 The U.S. State Dept. has approved possible sales of anti-ship missiles and torpedoes to India, reports the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency One potential deal, worth US$92 million, covers 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air-launched missiles, as well as spares, support and training. Another proposed sale, valued at US$63 million, was for 16 Mk 54 all-up round lightweight torpedoes, three Mk 54 exercise torpedoes, spare parts, torpedo containers and two recoverable exercise torpedoes. The weapon systems are being acquired for integration with India's P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. The potential sales would strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship and improve the security of a major defensive partner, said the DSCA.



Libya—GNA Seizes Strategic Towns From Haftar's Forces Anadolu News Agency | 04/14/2020 The U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) says its forces have recaptured two strategic towns near Tripoli from militias loyal to eastern military leader Khalifa Haftar, reports the Anadolu Agency (Ankara). The GNA retook the town of Sorman south of Tripoli on Monday, a GNA spokesman said. Sabratah, west of Tripoli, was recaptured later in the day. GNA forces captured weapons and military vehicles, including armored vehicles, during the operation. The spokesman said that the towns of al-Ajaylat, al-Jamil and Riqdalin had also been retaken as part of an effort to secure the border with Tunisia. Haftar's forces have not commented on the claims. Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive to take Tripoli in April 2019. The operation quickly stalled, turning into a bloody stalemate.