Thursday 21 September 2023

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These Were Saddam Hussein’s Crazy Mega Yachts

Al-Mansur , Al-Quadisiya 0 Comments

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans

''You Americans, you treat the Third World in the way an Iraqi peasant treats his new bride. Three days of honeymoon, and then it's off to the fields.'' (By Saddam Hussein)

Oligarchs' superyachts have garnered widespread attention due to their large size and lavish interiors. Many of these vessels feature helipads, pools, cinemas, dedicated hangars for speedboats and luxury cars and enough luxurious cabins to accommodate your in-laws. In fact, the largest superyachts are so colossal that they rival frigates in terms of size. In comparison, the yacht depicted in the header image might initially appear more akin to a cruise ship or even a Baltic ferry. However, do not be deceived by the vessel's appearance, for this floating palace stood as the most luxurious of its era. Named the Al-Mansur, it boasted a plethora of marble and gold-plated rooms, an impressive atrium, a dining room that could seat 200, a helipad with hangar and a mini-submarine escape pod. It is rumoured that this yacht was even equipped with two 9K31 Strela-1 SAM launchers concealed in the ship's superstructure.
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Wednesday 20 September 2023

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Shared Threats, Unequal Efforts: Belgium’s Free-Riding Approach To NATO’s Defence

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By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans
 
Belgium is often considered the black sheep of NATO due to its relatively low expenditure on defence. The country's free-riding approach to the security of other NATO member states and of itself is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that in 2014 Prime Minister Di Rupo declared his country's intention to commit 2% of its GDP to defence spending by 2024, only for Prime Minister De Croo to do the same in 2022, but with the date to achieve this pushed back by eleven years to 2035. [1] Even amidst the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War, Belgium's defence budget for 2023 witnessed an increase of only 0.01% compared to 2022, reaching a total of 1.19% of its GDP. [2] In fact, Belgium's defence expenditure as a percentage of its GDP is the second lowest within NATO, trailing only behind Luxembourg. [3]
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Documenting Equipment Losses During The September 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Armenia , Azerbaijan 0 Comments

By Jakub Janovsky, Dan, Stijn Mitzer, Joost Oliemans and Kemal
 
This list aims to catalogue Armenian and Azerbaijani equipment losses during the 2023 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict and the equipment surrendered by Armenian forces following the ceasefire agreement. This list only includes destroyed vehicles and equipment of which photo or videographic evidence is available. Armenian troops deployed in Nagorno-Karabakh consented to a ceasefire on September 20. As part of the agreement, they will surrender all their weaponry and equipment to Azerbaijan. Therefore, the amount of equipment captured is higher than recorded here. Captured ATGMs, MANPADS, light mortars, small arms, ammunition and civilian vehicles are not included in this list. Footage of massive stashes (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) of ammunition are a good indicator of the size of the ammunition stockpiles captured by Azerbaijan. This list was kept up to date until September 30, 2023.
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Tuesday 19 September 2023

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Kyiv’s K-Support: South Korean Military Aid To Ukraine

foreign aid to Ukraine , K600 0 Comments

 
South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan have all faced constraints that hinder their desire to provide military assistance to Ukraine. In Japan's case, it's primarily due to stringent laws prohibiting the export of military equipment. [1] Meanwhile, South Korea's hesitation stems from concerns that providing military support to Ukraine might prompt Russia to increase its military and technological assistance to North Korea. From March 2022 onward, South Korea delivered four shipments of non-lethal military aid to Ukraine, amounting to approximately €3 million in value. [2] This aid has included equipment like helmets, bulletproof vests, and mine detectors. Notably, some of this equipment was originally intended for the Afghan Army but was redirected to Ukraine in 2022 following the fall of Kabul in 2021.
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Wednesday 13 September 2023

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Uday Hussein: The King Of Clubs, Cars And Cruelty

Exotic Cars , Fedayeen Saddam 0 Comments

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans
 
Uday, what are you? A businessman or a playboy? I don't know what to make of you. (By Saddam Hussein)

There is little doubt that Uday Hussein, the eldest son of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, stands as one of the most terrifying individuals to ever tread upon this planet. Uday was a playboy and a pathological killer with a love for exotic cars, booze, Cuban cigars, guns (particularly golden ones) and Star Wars. Uday's erratic lifestyle led him on a path of death and destruction from a young age. Engaged in a myriad of businesses, Uday's criminal empire was involved in smuggling sanctioned goods such as oil and cigarettes, and cocaine alongside running a fast-food restaurant chain called 'Super Chicken' and an ice cream company called 'The Wave' (if you're still curious about the real-life inspiration behind the character Gus Fring in Breaking Bad, your search ends here). He also headed television and radio stations, was chairman of the board of seven newspapers and was at the helm of Iraq's most successful sports club. Uday took particular pride in the fearsome image he cultivated and referred to himself as 'Abu Sarhan' (The Father of Wolves).
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Wednesday 6 September 2023

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Afriqiyah One - How Gaddafi Travelled The World In Luxury (But Not In Style)

A340 , Afriqiyah One 0 Comments
 
By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans

''I am an international leader, the dean of the Arab rulers, the King of Kings of Africa and the imam of Muslims, and my international status does not allow me to descend to a lower level.'' (By Muammar Gaddafi)
 
The conclusion of the Libyan Revolution in 2011 led Libyans on a worldwide frenzy in search of the billions Muammar Gaddafi salted away during his 42-year long reign and the luxurious life style he was able to afford with it. Some 40% of Libya's population of six million lived below the poverty line during Gaddafi's reign with little to no access to affordable health care despite the fact that Libya has the most abundant oil reserves in Africa. [1] When Libyans could finally catch a glimp inside of the palaces owned by the Gaddafi family, the main thing that stood out was not the abundant luxury one perhaps expected, but rather their poor interior design styles. Whether it was the horrendous looking supercar wall murals encountered in one of the homes of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi or a huge stone water fountain placed in the middle of a hallway in one of Gaddafi's family resorts, money clearly doesn't equal style.
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Sunday 3 September 2023

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Samarqand Steel: Uzbekistan’s Fighting Vehicles

Aksum MAX-S , armored fighting vehicle 0 Comments

By Jan Kerdijk, Stijn Mitzer and Buschlaid
 
The Republic of Uzbekistan finds itself surrounded by five landlocked countries that define its borders: Kazakhstan to the north, Kyrgyzstan to the northeast, Tajikistan to the southeast, Afghanistan to the south, and Turkmenistan to the southwest. This unique positioning designates Uzbekistan as one of just two doubly landlocked countries in the world. Its location in Central Asia becomes even more significant due to its shared border with Afghanistan. Given that the potential dangers of a terrorist threat outweigh the risk of a conventional military invasion, a significant portion of the country's military investments has been directed towards enhancing its counterterrorism capabilities through the acquisition of equipment such as K-53949 Taifun-K and Ejder Yalçın MRAPs and more than a dozen Eurocopter AS532 transport helicopters, a dozen Eurocopter AS550 utility helicopters, and four C-295W transport aircraft.
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