https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/us-approves-possible-sale-of-military-assistance-to-taiwan

US approves possible sale of military assistance to Taiwan

The US State Department approves the potential sale of military-technical support to Taiwan worth an estimated $108 million, according to the Pentagon.

The US maintains only unofficial connections with Taiwan, but President Joe Biden's administration has pledged to increase interaction with the island.

Taiwan has sought the most recent assistance, which includes spare and maintenance parts for tanks and combat vehicles as well as technical and logistical support from the US government and contractors, according to the Pentagon.

"The proposed sale will contribute to the sustainment of the recipient's vehicles, small arms, combat weapon systems, and logistical support items, enhancing its ability to meet current and future threats," the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.

It would also improve Taiwan's military interoperability with the US and other allies, and the island's armed forces would have no trouble absorbing the equipment and support, according to the report.

The notification from the State Department does not indicate that a contract has been signed or that discussions have ended. However, Taiwan's Defense Ministry stated that the agreement would "become effective" within a month.

"In the face of the expanding military threat of the Chinese Communists, properly maintaining equipment is as important as newly purchased weapons and equipment," it added in a statement.

Successive US administrations have urged Taiwan to modernize its military to become a "porcupine" in the face of China, promoting the sale of affordable, transportable, and survivable - or "asymmetric" - weaponry that could withstand any potential initial onslaught by China's stronger force.

However, some US business groups have attacked the Biden administration's Taiwan arms sales policy, claiming it is excessively restrictive and fails to confront China's military challenges.

In a statement, US-Taiwan Business Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers hailed the announcement, but said it showed the administration was focused on Taiwan's sustainment and munitions support, and that force modernization "is no longer a priority."

It is worth noting that earlier today, the US Navy said on Saturday that a destroyer traveled near the disputed Spratly Islands, marking the second such "freedom of navigation" drill in the South China Sea in a week.

China's navy said it had "driven away" the same ship, the USS Benfold, as it traveled near the disputed Paracel Islands, on Wednesday.

The US military actions have seriously violated China's national sovereignty and security, undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea, and violated international law, according to a Chinese military spokesperson.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/saudi-fm:-no-normalization-no-arab-nato-no-cooperation-with

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/ksa-summit-affirms-good-neighborliness-territorial-integrity

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-journalist-speaks-at-jeddah-summit-as-proof-of-norma

Israeli journalist speaks at Jeddah summit as proof of normalization

A correspondent of the Israeli Channel 13 announced, from Jeddah Summit that "despite the statements of the Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan, what happened here is a step in the direction of normalization. There is no doubt about that."

Addressing the broadcaster, he added:

"Be aware that we are broadcasting live. You are talking to me and I am answering you. All this is taking place via a live broadcast, and we are located in Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia. And if you want another proof of normalization, this broadcast is allowed here."

The Saudi Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan, was asked, during a press conference, about the normalization of ties with "Israel", to which he replied, "Why are you talking about normalization, (is it) because we allowed them (Israel) to fly in our airspace? We allow any country to fly in our airspace, and we also allow them, there is no need to call this normalization."

Bin Farhan argued that opening airspace is not an act of normalization, however, he did explain the framework in which such a decision came. Saudi Arabia FM also failed to mention the presence of Israeli media at the Jeddah Summit, which was broadcasted live on Israeli Channel 13.

Ibn Farhan only alleged that the opening of Saudi airspace to Israeli aircraft does not pave the way for any possible steps toward the normalization of relations with "Israel".

"This has nothing to do with diplomatic ties with Israel," Prince Faisal bin Farhan told a news conference, adding, "It's not in any way a precursor to any further steps."

The next question at the press conference came in regards to the islands of Tiran and Sanafir, and whether or not "Israel" agreed to end the work of the Multinational Force & Observers (MFO), to which Ibn Farhan also replied, "This is not normalization."

The Channel 13 correspondent said, "The Saudis are not ready to admit that it's all about normalization, but there is no doubt that there have been several normalization steps here. The best proof of this is that, by the beginning of next year, they will allow direct flights from Israel to Jeddah…"

>> Liar, liar, pants on fire.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/biden-goes-home-with-no-saudi-commitment-on-oil-production:

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/the-endless-gaffe-series:-biden-honors-selfishness-of-us-sol

The endless gaffe series: Biden honors "selfishness" of US soldiers

It isn't the first and probably won't be the last in the endless series of Biden gaffes: The US President honored the "selfishness" of the US soldiers who fought corporate wars in the Middle East. Biden, who has been under large-scale scrutiny from his party for his unfitness for the presidency and senility, quickly corrected "selfishness" with "selflessness" in accordance with what was written on the paper he was reading off from.

The Freudian slip was made at the Jeddah Security and Development Summit in Saudi Arabia, today, Saturday, in the presence of Gulf States, as well as Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq.

Biden, truthfully so, honored the "selfishness" of the US soldiers that continue to occupy countries around the world and reap resources for corporate profit.

Many tongue-in-cheek, as well as disappointing, instances have happened in recent memory.

Around a week ago, Biden, reading off a teleprompter read what he shouldn't have read: "end of quote," and "repeat the line" - and, he actually repeated the line.

In late June, a similar incident that instigated political embarrassment was at the NATO Summit, when he declared that "Ukrainians will not defeat Ukrainians!"

During the conference, Biden also confused Sweden and Switzerland, as the leader welcomed Switzerland into NATO, before realizing he confused the two and corrected his mistake, saying NATO's expansion has gotten him anxious.

In July 2021, Biden in an address forgot a congressman’s name, then confuses whether a guest’s mother is attending the event and asks if she was in the crowd.

Last week, the New York Times wrote a piece on how Biden's age, 79, with his deteriorating health conditions, are making him increasingly unfit for the presidency.

While still amazing for a man of his age, according to them, his energy level has decreased, and several assistants are keeping a close eye on him. His walking is often shuffling, and his caregivers are concerned he'll tumble on a wire. They wait with anticipation to see if he avoids a slip-up because he frequently makes mistakes while speaking in front of large crowds.

Many Americans believe Biden is too old, as per the polls, and several Democratic strategists do not believe he should run for office again.

He has referred to Kamala Harris, the vice president, as "President Harris" on several occasions. Biden fumbles over phrases like "kleptocracy", despite having overcome a childhood stammer. He has referred to Ukrainians as Iranians and called Virginia's Democratic Senator Mark Warner "John" multiple times, confusing him with the late Republican senator of the same name from Virginia.

As a matter of fact, the White House has been forced to retract some of his impromptu remarks, such as when he threatened a military response if China attacked Taiwan or said that Russian President Vladimir Putin "cannot be in office."

Because the US President seems to not know how to act, his aides decided to hand him a cheat sheet! Mistakenly, the President held out the sheet prepared by his aides in one instance urging the prone-to-mistake leader of the free world to "take YOUR seat" and limit his remarks to "2 minutes".

>>16746530

You start at the rim and go towards the center.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/biden-risks-impeachment-if-democrats-lose-midterms

Biden risks impeachment if Democrats lose midterms

If Democrats lose control of Congress in the November midterm elections, US President Joe Biden may be impeached, according to a Newsweek report published on Saturday. The Democrats might suffer big losses in the midterm elections, and numerous Republican members have already said they would consider impeaching the President, according to the source.

A simple majority of House members must vote in favor of the impeachment process, but only a two-thirds majority of the Senate may have him removed. The report stated that this has never occurred and that it is improbable that the Republicans would hold enough seats to make it happen in 2023.

How democrats see Biden

With the Democrats' already-growing dissatisfaction with Biden aside, according to a CNN report on July 7, members of the party are getting even more frustrated with how Biden is responding to the challenges that America is facing, including inflation and the recent Supreme Court ruling on abortion rights.

In the eyes of those complaining, dozens of Democrats believe that Biden and his administration lack effective management to quickly respond to new challenges and demands that the country faces every day, according to the report.

Back in June, White House counsel Dana Remus, Joe Biden's top personal legal advisor, resigned, joining an exodus of senior officials from the President's personal staff since December, according to a press release issued by Biden on the 15th of that month.

"I am immensely grateful for the service of Dana Remus, who has been an invaluable member of my senior staff for the past 3 years and helped reinstate a culture of adherence to the rule of law. I wish her the best as she moves forward," the President said.

Jen Psaki, Biden's Press Secretary, resigned in May to become a political analyst for the MSNBC news channel.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/israeli-occupation-targets-2-resistance-sites-in-gaza-with-a

Israeli occupation targets 2 Resistance sites in Gaza with airstrikes

Al Mayadeen correspondent reported Saturday that Israeli warplanes bombed two sites belonging to the Resistance in the west of the Gaza Strip, with three airstrikes targeting the Nusseirat Martyrs' site in the center of the besieged Gaza Strip.

Our correspondent later said that the occupation's bombing of Gaza has now stopped, pointing out that the Resistance responded to the airstrikes by firing anti-aircraft weapons.

In addition, occupation warplanes bombed a Resistance site near Al-Baydar area, southwest of Gaza City, with at least 10 missiles.

Al Mayadeen correspondent reported that the Resistance fired two missiles from Gaza towards the occupied Palestinian territories in conjunction with the Israeli airstrikes on the Strip, as warning sirens sounded in the city of Askalan and the Israeli settlements adjacent to the northern and eastern borders of the Strip.

Israeli occupation forces claimed that they intercepted one of four projectiles fired from the Gaza Strip, adding that they "targeted one of Hamas' most significant rocket production sites in Gaza."

On his part, Hamas movement Spokesperson Hazem Qassem considered that the Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip and terrorizing of people come within the framework of its continuous crimes and terrorist behavior against Palestinians.

Qassem stressed that with all its tools of terrorism and US support, the Israeli occupation will not be able to break the will of the steadfast people and their valiant Resistance.

The Hamas spokesperson affirmed that "we will continue our legitimate resistance and struggle until the occupier is expelled from all Palestinian land."