NEWS SUMMARY-INTELLIGENCE REPORT TUESDAY 9/17/2019

(LIMITED SERVICE THROUGH LATE TUESDAY)

The voters in Israel at the polls for the second time this year electing a new parliament.    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud and Benny Gantz's Blue and White Party fighting to be the leading party but plenty of other smaller parties on the playing field.

Voter turnout said to be higher at mid-day than at mid-day in April's election with the turnout at 53.5 percent as of early evening, 1.5 percent ahead of April's turnout.

In the end 69.4 percent voter turnout, 1.5 percent ahead of April's turnout.

Results began coming in during the afternoon in the eastern United States and a special post on the Israeli elections is available for more details.....LINK

The vote count is continuing into Wednesday and will continue during the day Wednesday.    Exit polling showing a close contest for the lead spot between the Blue and White and Likud parties.

At least ten killed in Eastern Syria near Iraq's border in the latest military attack on militia forces said to be aligned with Iran.

This according to the pro-opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.   The attacks have been attributed to Israel.

Dozens reported dead in Afghanistan in the latest suicide bomb attack.    The attack on a political rally came just before the meeting was to be addressed by Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani.

That attack was in a province north of the capital Kabul.  Dozens more reported wounded in that attack.

But in Kabul itself, a least three dead in a bomb attack near the US Embassy.

And the Taliban are saying that the door is open to peace talks with the United States.  Talks that President Trump ended in the face of Taliban violence in Afghanistan.

More from the BBC.......LINK

Sitting next to Iran's President Hassan Rouhani and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Monday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin had advice for Saudi Arabia following the weekend attacks on its oil facilities.    Putin said the Saudis should buy Russian air defense systems.   He said in part:

"We are ready to help Saudi Arabia to protect their people.  And they need to make one clever decision as Iran did, buying our S-300 and as Mr. Erdogan did by deciding to buy the most advanced S-400 Triumph air defense systems from Russia.   These kinds of systems are capable of defending any kind of infrastructure in Saudi Arabia from any kind of attack"

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo enroute to Saudi Arabia to discuss the attacks with that country's leaders.    President Trump has tweeted that its up to "the Kingdom" to decide what the response will be to the attacks.

AN UNIDENTIFIED US OFFICIAL IS TELLING THE MEDIA THAT THE ATTACKS ON THE SAUDI OIL FACILITIES CAME FROM IRAN AND THAT SAUDI ARABIA WAS UNABLE TO STOP THEM BECAUSE ITS DEFENSES WERE POINTED SOUTHWARDS TOWARDS YEMEN.

THE US WILL PRESENT ITS EVIDENCE AT THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY NEXT WEEK.   ONE OF THE LATEST STORIES BEING GIVEN TO THE MEDIA IS THAT THE WEAPONS USED IN THE ATTACK WERE MANUFACTURED IN IRAN.

NORMALLY IN THE CASE OF A MILITARY ACTION SUCH EVIDENCE WOULD GO TO THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL FOR SOME SORT OF SANCTION OR ACTION.

THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY WOULD PROVIDE A FORUM FOR PUBLICITY AND PUBLIC RELATIONS ABOUT THE MATTER.

Libertarian activist former Congressman Ron Paul commented on the situation warning against war as a solution to the situation....LINK

In video released today Paul discussed the credibility of evidence about the attacks on the oil facilities.....LINK

An estimate of the number of Yellow Vests protesters in France last Saturday for Week 44.    The "Yellow Number" Facebook page estimating 18,227 protesters, that's up from 16,307 the week before.

A police investigation underway in Nancy, France after a video appeared showing a CRS riot policeman hitting a Yellow Vests protester with a baton last Saturday.

And in brief that's the way it really is for Tuesday September 17th, 2019.