Iraq
Wednesday 30 October 2019
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“The increase in the number of direct participants and countries that allegedly took part in this ‘operation’, as well as conflicting information about the details of how it was conducted, generates reasonable questions and doubts about its reality, and even more so about its success.”
Russia responded to the U.S. operation that killed al-Baghdadi with a disinformation campaign aimed at raising doubts about the success of the operation or whether it took place at all. However, there is evidence the U.S. conducted the operation and that al-Baghdadi was killed as a result. -
“In 2009, independent research conducted by a team of international scientists discovered, after analyzing some dust samples from the debris in the area where the skyscrapers collapsed, that they all contained a red layer of active thermitic material, incorporating nanotechnology.”
The claim was debunked years ago. The “research” cited in the article did not actually find “thermitic material,” and thermite and similar compounds are not used – and, in fact, cannot be used -- in controlled demolitions. -
"We have been the single NATO member country that fought with Daesh in the Syrian field, man-to-man. And we were the only NATO country that devastated this terrorist organization."
The United States and several other NATO member countries have fought Islamic State on the ground or supported anti-IS operations. The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have contributed the most to the defeat of IS. -
“The train consists of 18 railway cars that are displaying over 500 trophies from Syria that include the armor and engineering vehicles, artillery guns, armored vehicles, bladed weapons and firearms, improvised implosive devices and terrorists’ gear and outfits.”
The exhibit claims all the material was captured from “terrorists.” However, it contains several distortions that support Kremlin narratives about Syria. -
“These [Freedom House] reports are politically motivated and are used as an additional element of pressure on the country … they made a bogeyman out of Russia and constantly throw in negative information.”
Russian officials label reports by independent watchdog groups as politically motivated. But Freedom House’s report finds a steady decline in freedom around the world over the last 13 years, and raises the alarm particularly about threats to democracy in the United States. -
“… the recent statement made by the Taliban about the targeted raid by the US special task force to capture a Taliban prison in the Afghan province of Badghis…All of the militants were moved by the special task force to an unknown destination…suggests that the US might have been trying to prevent a leak of information regarding what the ISIS members could reveal about their real sponsors.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry provided no evidence for any of its claims, which contradict well-established reality about the U.S. fight against the Islamic State and the Taliban. -
“The Friday airstrikes of the US-led Coalition have completely destroyed a hospital in the Syrian city of Hajin in the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, Ikhbariya broadcaster reported.”
The original ‘report’ of destruction emerged from Islamic State media, was picked up by Syrian media and later the Russian state media outlet. The hospital in question was still standing as of December 9. An explosion was reported in the hospital that day, but what caused it is unclear. -
“At the age of 94, George Bush Sr. died - the man who started the Gulf War, marking the beginning of the current chaos in the Middle East.
If we say nothing but good about the dead, about Bush Sr. say nothing.”
While many have criticized President George H.W. Bush for an inconclusive outcome of the Persian Gulf War, it is simplistic and misleading to attribute Middle Eastern conflicts, or “current chaos” to Bush’s actions in 1991. -
“The international company Ipsos is researching RT’s audience at our request. According to the company’s data, over the course of the last two years our audience has grown by one-third. 100 million people in 47 countries are now watching RT every week. RT’s Website in Arabic has beaten all other Arabic language channels, including the famous Al Jazeera and Al Arabyia, in terms of the number of visitors. Our Spanish Website is outpacing the BBC and CNN in Spanish.”
While RT in English is facing a credibility crisis, the Russian state media outlet’s audience in Arabic and Spanish languages is growing. However, Simonyan withheld information about multiple legal charges RT is facing internationally. -
“Russia, Turkey and Iran have managed to achieve progress. Syria is preserved as an independent state, ISIS war machine is in ashes and peace talks are underway.”
Syrian government reconstruction of ruined cities is “non-existent,” a significant portion of the country is not under government control, Islamic State is capable of launching attacks and the Assad regime is dependent on Russian and Iranian support for its survival. -
“Russia is ready to host the World Cup. The stadiums are open. The cops are polyglots. That is a quick recap of many years of work.We're not going to lose face in front of the planet. It’s not for nothing we terrified [the planet] with a missile. In general, all is well. But there is only one “but”: Our team, frankly, is sh-t.”
The International Federation of Football Association, the world soccer authority better known as FIFA, ranked Russia’s national team #70 and labeled it a “worst mover.” -
“US training a “New Syrian Army” near refugee camp in Al-Hasakah to fight the government, core fighters of the group are ISIS terrorists allowed to leave Raqqa (as BBC has revealed)”
The New Syrian Army has a well-established record of fighting against the Islamic State. There is no evidence to suggest that the U.S. is deliberately arming or training ISIS fighters.