#47976 Re: IRAN
Posted: 08/07/2025 10:54
Očito je počelo kinesko naoružavanje Irana. Stigli su PVO sistemi, a u najavi su neke napredne igračke koje su kod amera još u razvojnoj fazi.
France claims China used embassies to sabotage Rafale deals after India-Pakistan clash
French officials believe the effort was intended to erode the Rafale’s credibility and derail France’s arms exports, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
In an extensive disinformation campaign traced back to Beijing, Chinese embassies mobilized to discredit the French-made Rafale fighter jet following its combat role in the India–Pakistan conflict in May, according to a French military intelligence assessment shared with The Associated Press (AP).
French officials believe the effort was intended to erode the Rafale jet’s credibility and derail France’s arms exports, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
Chinese disinformation campaign against Rafale
Speaking anonymously to AP, French intelligence sources revealed that Chinese defense attachés at foreign embassies led coordinated lobbying efforts targeting nations that had ordered or considered acquiring Rafales.
According to the assessment, Beijing aimed to persuade current buyers, mainly Indonesia, to cancel future orders and shift interest toward Chinese-made aircraft.
The timing coincided with four days of intense clashes between India and Pakistan in May, involving over 50 combat aircraft and resulting in the first known combat loss of a Rafale.
India confirmed aircraft losses without specifying numbers. However, French Air Force Chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger told AP that France’s internal assessment pointed to only three Indian losses, including a Rafale, a Sukhoi Su-30, and a Mirage 2000.
Pakistan claimed it had downed five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales. French officials disputed the claim, accusing Pakistan and its ally China of launching a digital offensive.
“Of course, all those nations that bought Rafales asked themselves questions,” Gen. Bellanger admitted to AP. However, French authorities maintain that much of the narrative was rooted in misinformation.
Manipulated images, AI-generated visuals, gameplay footage
The French Defense Ministry described a “vast campaign of disinformation,” as quoted by AP, aimed at weakening confidence in the Rafale.
The campaign reportedly included manipulated images, AI-generated visuals, gameplay footage presented as real combat, and over 1,000 newly created social media accounts spreading anti-Rafale narratives.
These messages highlighted the superiority of Chinese weapons and questioned the Rafale’s performance.
While the French intelligence services could not directly tie the social media activity to the Chinese government, they confirmed to AP that Chinese defense officials echoed identical talking points during in-person meetings with foreign defense ministries.
These lobbying efforts concentrated on Indonesia, a major Rafale buyer with an order for 42 jets, and other nations still evaluating the aircraft, such as Brazil and Iraq.
When contacted by AP, China’s Ministry of National Defense dismissed the allegations as “pure groundless rumors and slander,” insisting that China adheres to responsible arms export practices and promotes peace.
Still, the broader pattern fits China’s known playbook. As AP noted, Beijing has expanded its influence operations across global platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, leveraging fake news sites and state-sponsored influencers to advance strategic narratives.
French defense officials see this campaign as an attack on the credibility of the Rafale and France’s defense.
“The Rafale was not randomly targeted,” the French Ministry of Defense told AP. “It represents a strategic French offering… Certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defense industrial and technological base.”
Rafale exports
Before the India–Pakistan conflict in May, the Dassault Aviation had already sold 533 Rafale aircraft, including 323 for export.
India was the biggest buyer, ordering 36 Rafales in 2016 and committing to 26 naval variants in 2025.
Other buyers include Egypt (24), Qatar (36), Greece (24), and Croatia (12). Serbia signed a deal for 12 Rafales in April 2024, while the UAE has the largest order with 80 jets.
Indonesia was a key prospective buyer, signing 42 jets in 2022 and expressing intent for 18 more post-conflict.
Saudi Arabia showed interest in 54 Rafales, Brazil evaluated an offer for 24, Iraq considered 14, and Uzbekistan looked at 24 units. Malaysia paused its plans to replace its MiG-29s.
The May conflict prompted some countries to reassess the Rafale’s credibility, particularly after Pakistan claimed to have tracked Indian Rafales.
Despite this, Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment and signed a Letter of Intent for 18 additional Rafales in late May.
No country withdrew from existing agreements, and interest in the Rafale program grew, especially from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe.
A koliko su US nakaradne vidi se iz sljedečeg članka:
While Millions of Americans Struggle, Their Tax Dollars Fund Luxury for Israeli Settlers
Nearly one million Israeli settlers living in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem enjoy a life of subsidised housing, free healthcare, tax breaks, and military protection, all while Palestinians live under daily threat, displacement, and apartheid. These settlers, residing in territories deemed illegal under international law, benefit from state-funded infrastructure, exclusive roads, and superior medical and educational services, entitlements made possible not just by the Israeli government but by billions in U.S. taxpayer aid. While Palestinians endure home demolitions and military raids, settlers receive low-interest loans, free public services, and armed escorts, often at the very expense of the native population’s freedom and land.
Meanwhile, back in the United States, tens of millions of Americans cannot afford basic healthcare, struggle to pay rent and face a deepening housing and cost-of-living crisis. Yet, U.S. tax dollars continue to bankroll the expansion of illegal settlements, effectively funding a colonial apartheid project abroad while abandoning the urgent needs of American citizens at home. This double standard reveals a moral crisis: an empire financing occupation and oppression while its own people go without. The question isn’t whether America can afford to support Israel’s settler expansion; it’s whether it can afford the ethical cost of doing so.
France claims China used embassies to sabotage Rafale deals after India-Pakistan clash
French officials believe the effort was intended to erode the Rafale’s credibility and derail France’s arms exports, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
In an extensive disinformation campaign traced back to Beijing, Chinese embassies mobilized to discredit the French-made Rafale fighter jet following its combat role in the India–Pakistan conflict in May, according to a French military intelligence assessment shared with The Associated Press (AP).
French officials believe the effort was intended to erode the Rafale jet’s credibility and derail France’s arms exports, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
Chinese disinformation campaign against Rafale
Speaking anonymously to AP, French intelligence sources revealed that Chinese defense attachés at foreign embassies led coordinated lobbying efforts targeting nations that had ordered or considered acquiring Rafales.
According to the assessment, Beijing aimed to persuade current buyers, mainly Indonesia, to cancel future orders and shift interest toward Chinese-made aircraft.
The timing coincided with four days of intense clashes between India and Pakistan in May, involving over 50 combat aircraft and resulting in the first known combat loss of a Rafale.
India confirmed aircraft losses without specifying numbers. However, French Air Force Chief Gen. Jérôme Bellanger told AP that France’s internal assessment pointed to only three Indian losses, including a Rafale, a Sukhoi Su-30, and a Mirage 2000.
Pakistan claimed it had downed five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales. French officials disputed the claim, accusing Pakistan and its ally China of launching a digital offensive.
“Of course, all those nations that bought Rafales asked themselves questions,” Gen. Bellanger admitted to AP. However, French authorities maintain that much of the narrative was rooted in misinformation.
Manipulated images, AI-generated visuals, gameplay footage
The French Defense Ministry described a “vast campaign of disinformation,” as quoted by AP, aimed at weakening confidence in the Rafale.
The campaign reportedly included manipulated images, AI-generated visuals, gameplay footage presented as real combat, and over 1,000 newly created social media accounts spreading anti-Rafale narratives.
These messages highlighted the superiority of Chinese weapons and questioned the Rafale’s performance.
While the French intelligence services could not directly tie the social media activity to the Chinese government, they confirmed to AP that Chinese defense officials echoed identical talking points during in-person meetings with foreign defense ministries.
These lobbying efforts concentrated on Indonesia, a major Rafale buyer with an order for 42 jets, and other nations still evaluating the aircraft, such as Brazil and Iraq.
When contacted by AP, China’s Ministry of National Defense dismissed the allegations as “pure groundless rumors and slander,” insisting that China adheres to responsible arms export practices and promotes peace.
Still, the broader pattern fits China’s known playbook. As AP noted, Beijing has expanded its influence operations across global platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, leveraging fake news sites and state-sponsored influencers to advance strategic narratives.
French defense officials see this campaign as an attack on the credibility of the Rafale and France’s defense.
“The Rafale was not randomly targeted,” the French Ministry of Defense told AP. “It represents a strategic French offering… Certain actors sought to undermine the credibility of France and its defense industrial and technological base.”
Rafale exports
Before the India–Pakistan conflict in May, the Dassault Aviation had already sold 533 Rafale aircraft, including 323 for export.
India was the biggest buyer, ordering 36 Rafales in 2016 and committing to 26 naval variants in 2025.
Other buyers include Egypt (24), Qatar (36), Greece (24), and Croatia (12). Serbia signed a deal for 12 Rafales in April 2024, while the UAE has the largest order with 80 jets.
Indonesia was a key prospective buyer, signing 42 jets in 2022 and expressing intent for 18 more post-conflict.
Saudi Arabia showed interest in 54 Rafales, Brazil evaluated an offer for 24, Iraq considered 14, and Uzbekistan looked at 24 units. Malaysia paused its plans to replace its MiG-29s.
The May conflict prompted some countries to reassess the Rafale’s credibility, particularly after Pakistan claimed to have tracked Indian Rafales.
Despite this, Indonesia reaffirmed its commitment and signed a Letter of Intent for 18 additional Rafales in late May.
No country withdrew from existing agreements, and interest in the Rafale program grew, especially from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe.
A koliko su US nakaradne vidi se iz sljedečeg članka:
While Millions of Americans Struggle, Their Tax Dollars Fund Luxury for Israeli Settlers
Nearly one million Israeli settlers living in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem enjoy a life of subsidised housing, free healthcare, tax breaks, and military protection, all while Palestinians live under daily threat, displacement, and apartheid. These settlers, residing in territories deemed illegal under international law, benefit from state-funded infrastructure, exclusive roads, and superior medical and educational services, entitlements made possible not just by the Israeli government but by billions in U.S. taxpayer aid. While Palestinians endure home demolitions and military raids, settlers receive low-interest loans, free public services, and armed escorts, often at the very expense of the native population’s freedom and land.
Meanwhile, back in the United States, tens of millions of Americans cannot afford basic healthcare, struggle to pay rent and face a deepening housing and cost-of-living crisis. Yet, U.S. tax dollars continue to bankroll the expansion of illegal settlements, effectively funding a colonial apartheid project abroad while abandoning the urgent needs of American citizens at home. This double standard reveals a moral crisis: an empire financing occupation and oppression while its own people go without. The question isn’t whether America can afford to support Israel’s settler expansion; it’s whether it can afford the ethical cost of doing so.
