US Signs Commitment With Israel To Uphold Military Edge Over Gulf States

 "Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com,

Potential F-35 sales to Gulf states have driven US officials to take extra steps to guarantee Israel’s military superiority over its neighbors, known as the Qualitative Military Edge (QME).

On Thursday, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz met at the Pentagon and signed a joint declaration affirming Washington’s commitment to ensure Israel’s QME.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands in front of an F-35 fighter jet at the Israeli Air Force's Nevatim base, via The Times of Israel.

“I want to state, again, how committed we are to Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge when it comes to defense sales, and our commitment to Israel’s security, which has been longstanding and it’s guaranteed and ironclad,” Esper said.

Details of the declaration are not clear, and it may be largely symbolic since maintaining Israel’s QME is already mandated by US law. A source from the meeting told The Jerusalem Post that an agreement was formulated to further Israeli acquisitions of US weapons.

The US sale of F-35 fighter jets to the UAE that is rumored to be part of Abu Dhabi’s normalization agreement with Israel was initially objected to by Israeli officials. But now, Israel could be angling to get some new weapons out of the deal. In September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu submitted a wishlist of advanced weaponry to President Trump worth $8 billion.

The F-35 sale has met resistance in Congress, with upholding Israel’s QME being a top priority on both sides of the aisle. A group of bipartisan lawmakers introduced a bill in the House that would effectively give Israel veto powers over US arms sales to the Middle East..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/us-signs-commitment-israel-uphold-military-edge-over-gulf-states

Watch US Navy Stealth Destroyer Conduct First Missile Test

 at https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/watch-us-navy-stealth-destroyer-conduct-first-missile-test

The Destruction Of The Euro

 at https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/destruction-euro

Doug Casey On Why The 2020s Will Likely Be the Most Turbulent Decade in 250 Years

 at https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/doug-casey-why-2020s-will-likely-be-most-turbulent-decade-250-years

Visualizing All Of Earth's Satellites: Who Owns Our Orbit?

 at https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/visualizing-all-earths-satellites-who-owns-our-orbit

US Budget Deficit Triples To Record $3.1 Trillion In 2020 As US Spends 90% More Than It Collects

 "Those who have been following the record surge in US public debt (excluding the roughly $100 trillion in off-balance sheet obligations), which exploded by $3 trillion in the three months following the covid shutdowns and which just hit an all time high $27.1 trillion this week, will be all too aware that the US budget deficit this year - and every year after - will be staggering.

Sure enough, in the latest just released deficit report, the Treasury announced that in September the US burned through another $124.6BN, which while modestly better than the $200.1 billion deficit reported in August, was a whopping 50% more than the $82.8 billion deficit last September.

Specifically according to the Treasury, in August, government outlays were $497.8 billion, up $74 billion from the $423.3 billion spent in August, and a whopping 71% more than the $291 billion the US spent last September...

... while receipts rebounded from the $223.2 billion received in August to $373.2 billion, and effectively identical to the $374 billion collected last September (the question of why anyone still pays taxes in a time of helicopter money, when the Fed simply purchases whatever debt the Treasury issues, remains)..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/budget-deficit-hits-record-21-trillion-fiscal-2020-us-spends-90-more-it-collects

Pentagon School To Focus Half Its Curriculum On China, Esper Announces

 "Authored by Dave DeCamp via AntiWar.com,

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said on Thursday that he tasked a Pentagon-funded university to focus half of its curriculum on China. The move is a testament to the shift in the US military’s focus from terrorism to so-called “great power competition,” as outlined in the 2018 National Defense Strategy.

“As part of our top-10 goal to focus the department on China, I directed the National Defense University to refocus its curriculum by dedicating 50 percent of the coursework to China by academic year 2021,” Esper said at an event hosted by the Heritage Foundation.

National Defense University (NDU) Faculty at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington D.C.

The National Defense University is a higher-learning facility run by the Pentagon that offers graduate programs mostly to members of the US military. “I also tasked the military services to make the People’s Liberation Army [China’s military] the pacing threat in our professional schools, programs and training,” the Pentagon chief said.

Esper also warned of the threat China and Russia pose to US global hegemony. “Our strategic competitors China and Russia are attempting to erode our hard-earned gains,” he said.

The former Raytheon lobbyist also touted a new plan to increase the fleet of the US Navy that Esper has dubbed “Battle Force 2045.” The plan calls for the Navy to have a 500 ship fleet by 2045. Currently, the US Navy has just under 300 battle-ready ships.

The Pentagon released its annual report on China’s military in September. The report says China has the world’s largest navy and has “an overall battle force of approximately 350 ships and submarines.”

Despite having more ships, China’s navy is vastly smaller than Washington’s in terms of tonnage. One example of this is the number of aircraft carriers each nation has, with the US having eleven aircraft carriers, while China only has two..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/pentagon-school-focus-half-its-curriculum-china-esper-announces

Taiwan Must Prepare To Deter Chinese Amphibious Landing: National Security Advisor O'Brien

 at https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/taiwan-must-prepare-strategies-deter-pla-amphibious-landing-national-security-advisor

UK Fighter Jets Intercept Russian Bombers Off Scotland Coast

 at https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/uk-fighter-jets-intercept-russian-bombers-scotland-coast

China’s ambassador to Canada Cong Peiwu issued a threat to Ottawa

 "Canada and China are once again in a diplomatic battle over a range of issues — this time with Beijing threatening retaliation over Canada's acceptance of activists from Hong Kong who are seeking political asylum..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/chinese-ambassador-makes-outrageous-threat-hong-kong-based-canadians

In "Blunt Message" China Warns It Might Detain Americans If US Prosecutes PLA-Linked Academics

 "After federal agents this summer moved to detain and charge multiple visiting Chinese academics for their undisclosed links to the People’s Liberation Army while at US research universities or laboratories (often involving outright deception to federal agencies), Beijing has escalated things with its own unprecedented warning. 

A WSJ exclusive published Saturday cites several sources to say Chinese government officials are threatening to arrest American nationals working or residing in China in response to the DOJ prosecutions of Chinese military-linked researchers. The report cites a series of warnings communicated via "multiple channels" since the summer, including directly to the US Embassy in Beijing..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/chinas-blunt-message-americans-could-be-detained-if-us-prosecutes-pla-linked-academics

Beijing Views US Consulates As "Hostile Forces", Orders Monitoring Of Diplomats: Leaked Documents

 "Authored by Eva Fu via The Epoch Times,

Chinese authorities see U.S. consulates as “hostile forces” that conduct “infiltration and sabotage” activities on Chinese soil and have ordered officials to monitor key U.S. diplomats, according to a leaked document obtained by The Epoch Times..."

at https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/beijing-views-us-consulates-hostile-forces-orders-monitoring-diplomats-leaked

CIA Director Gina Haspel And The British Role In The Anti-Trump Plot

...Looking back on news reporting concerning Haspel, we turn (with caution) to a Washington Post article from July 2019 by Scott Shane, titled: "The quiet director: How Gina Haspel manages the CIA's volatile relationship with Trump"...

at https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/cia-director-gina-haspel-and-british-role-anti-trump-plot

"On To Plan B": What Goldman Thinks Happens Next In The Stimulus Fight

 at https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/plan-b-what-goldman-thinks-happens-next-stimulus-fight

Get Ready For Chaos

 ...the country will set out on two entirely different paths depending on the outcome... In that sense, this will be the most consequential election since 1860...

at https://www.zerohedge.com/political/get-ready-chaos

France & Germany To Push For EU Sanctions On Russia's GRU Over Navalny

 “Russia owes nothing to anyone, not to Germany, not to other countries...that without proof claim that Russia is allegedly guilty of poisoning Navalny,” the Kremlin said. 

at https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/france-germany-push-eu-sanctions-russias-gru-over-navalny-poisoning-allegations

What Could Go Wrong?

 ...plenty!

at https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/what-could-go-wrong

20 Things You Must Believe In Order To Convince Yourself That Everything Is Going To Turn Out Okay

 at https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/20-things-you-must-believe-order-convince-yourself-everything-going-turn-out-okay

Alasdair Macleod – Bullion Banks May Need To Be Bailed Out As Entities Standing For Gold Delivery Hits All-Time Record

 at https://kingworldnews.com/alasdair-macleod-bullion-banks-may-need-to-be-bailed-out-as-entities-standing-for-gold-delivery-hits-all-time-record/

Nomi Prins – Chaos Is Definitely The Order Of The World Right Now And This Permanent Distortion, That Is Now Our Reality

 at https://kingworldnews.com/nomi-prins-chaos-is-definitely-the-order-of-the-world-right-now-and-this-permanent-distortion-that-is-now-our-reality/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nomi-prins-chaos-is-definitely-the-order-of-the-world-right-now-and-this-permanent-distortion-that-is-now-our-reality