💬 #Zakharova We noted reports about preparations for deployment of a #US B-1B Lancer strategic #bomber squadron at #Norway's Erland airbase.

❗️ We regard this decision by #Oslo as another step towards increased military activity in the Far North. pic.twitter.com/2RQboglpur

— MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) February 11, 2021

Talking opportunities in the age of Climate Change ...

B-1Bs to Deploy to Norway | Air Force Magazine |

U.S. B-1B bombers will deploy to Norway for the first time, in both a message to Russia and a sign of the growing importance of the Arctic.

B-1Bs from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, will fly out of Orland Air Base on the coast of the Norwegian Sea. While bombers have repeatedly flown alongside Norwegian aircraft, this will be the first time Lancers will operate out of a base in the country, according to U.S. European Command.

Some Airmen already have deployed to the base as part of an advance team before the aircraft arrive. Eventually, more than 200 Airmen will arrive at the base as part of the Bomber Task Force. The Airmen were medically screened before deploying and will quarantine for 10 days once arriving.

EUCOM did not disclose how long the bombers will be at the base, but they will conduct training with allies, including operating in the "high north" and across Europe.

"Operational readiness and our ability to support Allies and partners and respond with speed is critical to combined success," Gen. Jeffrey L Harrigian, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa commander, said in the release. "We value the enduring partnership we have with Norway and look forward to future opportunities to bolster our collective defense."

Russia follows US to withdraw from Open Skies Treaty | Defense News - AP |

Russia said it will withdraw from an international treaty allowing observation flights over military facilities following the U.S. exit from the pact.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the U.S. withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty last year "significantly upended the balance of interests of signatory states," adding that Moscow's proposals to keep the treaty alive after the U.S. exit have been cold-shouldered by Washington's allies.

The ministry said Russia is now launching the relevant procedural moves to withdraw from the pact "due to the lack of progress in removing the obstacles for the treaty's functioning in the new conditions." The Russian parliament, which ratified the treaty in 2001, will now have to vote to leave it.

The treaty was intended to build trust between Russia and the West by allowing the accord's more than three dozen signatories to conduct reconnaissance flights over each other's territories to collect information about military forces and activities.

U.S. President Donald Trump declared Washington's intention to pull out of the Open Skies Treaty in May, arguing that Russian violations made it untenable for the United States to remain a party. The U.S. completed its withdrawal from the pact in November.

The Open Skies Treaty: NATO's Eyes Over Russia

Trump Administration Adds Pentagon 'Space Force' to U.S. Spy Agency Group | US News - Jan. 8, 2021 |

Nikki Haley denounces Biden and calls for 4 more years of Trump during RNC speech

#NikkiHaley [_link]

— AmericanValues (@AmericanValues6) February 12, 2021

'We shouldn't have followed him': Nikki Haley turns on Trump after MAGA riots [_link]

— Raw Story (@RawStory) February 12, 2021

Open season for #president2024

Beating the RDIF's own forecast, 26, not 25, nations have become part of the #SputnikV family by the end of this week. The world needs more safe and effective vaccines. At the #SputnikV team we are looking forward to welcoming new family members soon. pic.twitter.com/Th7Y0rOLZW

— Sputnik V (@sputnikvaccine) February 12, 2021

Vaccines are prone to politics and advancing diplomacy amongst allies ...

○ Salman Offered Candidate Trump Assassination Program on Iran

Biden urged to publish CIA intelligence on Kashoggi murder

Jamal Khashoggi pictured in the background during Barack Obama's visit to Cairo University in 2009. (Pete Souza)

After JCPOA, a clean break with Democrats ...

Saudi king Salman names his son as crown prince, upending succession

Sidelined: Prince Mohammed bin Nayef with then US secretary of state Hillary Clinton in January 2013. He has been removed as crown prince and interior minister. Credit: US State Department

HRC was the queen of Al Jazeera - Doha, Qatar and the darling of Turkey's President Erdogan - choice for Muslim Brotherhood nations. A damning choice that frustrated any movement in Geneva peace negotiations in the Syrian war for regime change.

Biden administration 'to declassify report' into Khashoggi murder | The Guardian |

US court orders CIA to explain withholding of Khashoggi report

It's official: Along with @POTUS Joe #Biden, German Chancellor Angela #Merkel will join the #MSC2021 Special Edition on February 19. We are delighted to provide a unique opportunity to reinvigorate transatlantic relations at this critical time. pic.twitter.com/pQmE6ch8Cg

— Munich Security Conference (@MunSecConf) February 12, 2021

School removes 'unsuitable' Churchill and Rowling as house names [_link]

— The Independent (@Independent) February 12, 2021

UCL board rejects IHRA definition of antisemitism [_link]

— The Guardian (@guardian) February 12, 2021

Spiked New York Times column on reporter's exit published by New York Post | The Guardian |

Bret Stephens piece criticizing newspaper's handling of Donald McNeil departure over racist language was pulled by senior bosses.

The high-profile science and health reporter Donald McNeil Jr resigned from the paper earlier this month following disclosures about his use of racist language on a company-sponsored trip to Peru with high school students in 2019. He apologised for offending his colleagues and hurting the reputation of his former employer.

At the time of his resignation, the executive editor, Dean Baquet, said: "We do not tolerate racist language regardless of intent."

On Thursday, columnist Bret Stephens told colleagues that a column he had written that criticised Baquet's statement had been spiked by the paper's publisher AG Sulzberger, NBC reported.

From the diaries ...

Bret Stephens, WSJ/Murdoch Are Inseparable | April 30, 2017 |

Murdoch's WSJ Editorial Board Going Bats**t | Dec. 27, 2017 |

Over the past year, a colleague and, I worked on this database with other activists, volunteers and groups. It's a work in progress, and always will be, but hope it will contribute to the conversations that need to happen about Israeli military export. [_link]

— Sahar M. Vardi (@SaharMvardi) February 11, 2021

Israelis suspected of selling missiles to 'Asian country' | Straits Times |

The US demonstrated its military power in the Indo-Pacific, when two carrier strike groups conducted joint operations in the South China Sea. [_link] pic.twitter.com/r54z0f1RW5

— AsianMilitaryReview (@amrmagazine) February 12, 2021

Happy Lunar New Year to London's East and South East Asian community, who have enriched our society, economy and culture for many decades.

Sadly, your community has endured high levels of hate crime this year. I stand shoulder to shoulder with you against all forms of racism. pic.twitter.com/Tp2aEi6xMK

— Mayor of London (gov.uk/coronavirus) (@MayorofLondon) February 12, 2021

In 2020 a continued political attack on China economy, 5G technology, Wuhan outbreak and human rights. Risk of creating Sinophobia by the masses and political scavengers.

A really very special Roundtable last week with Sir Peter Westmacott @PeterWestmacott and @BBCJonSopel talking Diplomacy, US politics and the UK's role in the world. A celebration of Sir Peter's new book: They Call it Diplomacy. You can listen here: [_link] pic.twitter.com/tuip3kHa5A

— Dr. Leslie Vinjamuri (@londonvinjamuri) February 10, 2021

In interview on CNN's Amanpour, it became clear former UK Ambassador wanted to return to life as before on defense, security and foreign policy. It became clear when I saw he was co-author of a report by the Atlantic Council.

But we're not forgetting the UK. On the contrary, we'll rethink UK-US-EU relations post Brexit. Let's put acrimony behind and rebuild together. First step, a great report on defense relations spearheaded by @PeterWestmacott, General Abrial, @OlivierR_Bel [_link]

— Benjamin Haddad (@benjaminhaddad) February 14, 2021

Neera Tanden's OMB nomination may fail after key senators said they oppose her due to past social media posts. Psaki tells @edokeefe that Tanden "has a record of working with members of both parties, views from both parties, and we have no doubt she'd do that as budget director" pic.twitter.com/3G9aZC2PaV

— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 22, 2021

At least 18 European companies have either terminated their participation in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline or have pledged to withdraw from the project over US sanctions threats, according to a US State Department report for Congress.[_link]

— DW News (@dwnews) February 23, 2021

The attacks on @DebHaalandNM are being driven by Republican senators in the pocket of the fossil fuel lobby. No one cares more about our land and the people on it than she does. [_link]

— Tom Steyer (@TomSteyer) February 24, 2021

Biden's Big Lie ...

Congressman Madison Cawthorn says that he opposes the Covid relief package because he doesn't believe in giving away "free stuff." #CPAC2021 pic.twitter.com/p2vfLgfCg6

— Dave Sloan (@DaveASloan) February 26, 2021

He's Saying One Thing and Then He's Doing Another.' Rep. Madison Cawthorn Peddles a Different Kind of Trumpism in a Post-Trump World |TIME |

While offering different messages to different audiences is hardly unique inside the Beltway, Cawthorn's brand of shape-shifting is emblematic of this broader moment in national politics. As the Trump era ends, the Republican Party is struggling to chart a future course in which it both retains the support of Trump's expansive base, while jettisoning the controversial former President.

Cawthorn's potential power, as a rising Republican star, is rooted in his apparent ability to navigate this tight rope. Though the gun-toting, Twitter-wielding freshman is a Trump acolyte, both in his political views and personal positioning, he has differentiated himself from his similarly hardline fellow freshmen, like newly-elected Rep. Lauren Boebert, who tweeted the movement of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as a rioter allegedly stalked the Capitol with zip ties, and fellow newcomer Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who embraced QAnon and wore a Stop The Steal mask on Capitol Hill. Cawthorn,

Can't wait for these freshmen to become sophomores and getting beaten some sense into their heads by letter dashing seniors.

A nation where the signature under the cheque is a matter of politics for GOTV ... Loser!