On FPF #119, I discuss the coup to remove Robert Mugabe as president of Zimbabwe. The military commander behind the coup has insisted that this is not a coup. The former Vice President is poised to take power as the 93-year-old Mugabe is ousted. The AU and UN have said they are looking for a peaceful transition of power. I also update the imprisonment of Lebanon’s Prime Minister, the Afghan opium market, and North Korea.

Articles

• China will send a high-level envoy to North Korea. [Link]
• South Korea says the US needs their consent before attacking North Korea. [Link]
• Saudi Arabia may be planning to replace Lebanon’s Prime Minister Saad Hariri with his brother Bahaa. Bahaa made statement condemning Iran and Hezbollah. [Link]
• Islamic State snipers are using US weapons and equipment. [Link]
• Dan McAdams explains how the US plans to influence Hungarian elections. [Link]
• Center for Strategic and International Studies has been pushing the idea of putting THAAD missiles in South Korea. THAAS missiles are made by a top donor of CSIS, Lockheed Martian. [Link]
• African countries are attempting to peacefully transition President Mugabe from power. [Link]
• Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hariri plans to leave Saudi Arabia Saturday for France. [Link]
• Afghanistan 2017 opium crop sets records of land use and weight produced. The anti-opium effort destroyed a record amount of opium. [Link]
• Inspector general report finds US troops were informally told to ignore child sex abuse. [Link]

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