5 New Messages
Digest #4464
Messages
Thu Aug 16, 2012 5:45 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://english.
Voice of Russia
August 16, 2012
Can US and its allies arbitrarily violate international law?
John Robles
Recorded on August 6, 2012
Audio at URL above
Rick Rozoff discusses General Assembly resolutions on Syria and how the US and its allies are circumventing standard procedure in order to win a propaganda battle. “Everything that the West and its Persian Gulf allies have done over the last seventeen months has worsened the situation, [costing] more Syrian lives,” Rozoff said.
This is part 3 of the interview with Rick Rozoff, the manager of the Stop NATO website and mailing list.
What do you make about Kofi Annan’s sudden, I don’t know how unexpected it was for those in the know, but it was unexpected for many, to see Kofi Annan all of a sudden decide not to renew his mandate?
Which was to have expired at the end of this month.
It didn’t surprise me. I would just tell you frankly, I believe that his stepping down was coordinated with the introduction of the resolution in the General Assembly, which was introduced by the current Secretary-General - Kofi Annan’s successor, Ban Ki-moon - who lambasted the Syrian government, made comparisons to Rwanda and Bosnia in the 1990s as though suggesting that what happened in Syria was a replication of the precedents I mentioned.
And again, you know, poisoned the well, or prejudiced the vote by his comments. We have to recollect that Kofi Annan himself would never have been Secretary-General of the UN if then-U.S. representative to the UN, the Secretary of State later, Madeleine Albright hadn’t single-handedly rammmed through his nomination and secured his position at the expense of Boutros Boutros-Ghali who was running for reelection for that position.
So, Kofi Annan was the U.S.’s man in the United Nations for two terms. And if anything I was rather surprised he hadn’t tipped his hand earlier in terms of supporting the West’s position. But you know, in fact he did to some extent at the Geneva meeting of the so-called Action Group, where there were different interpretations of what came out. There was Russia’s and China’s, for example, and there was his, which intimated or stated I think even more explicitly that Bashar Assad had to step down as president and the government had to cede power to some sort of coalition. So, it doesn’t surprise me in the least. I think these events were coordinated and then the fact that he received a guest editorial in the Financial Times, the morning of the General Assembly vote, as I recollect last Friday, explaining his position all seems to be a fairly coordinated campaign.
What do you think about: several Russia officials made statements that the resolution actually served to worsen the situation in Syria?
Yes, it does. And everything that the West and its Persian Gulf allies have done over the last seventeen months has worsened the situation, cost more Syrian lives, led to the further destabilization, in many ways made irreparable damage to the nation of Syria, which one would now have to assume is the intent. For example Vitaly Churkin also said after the vote last Friday [August 3, 2012] that to take the vote to the General Assembly while the Security Council was still deliberating on the Syrian issue was a violation of the United Nations Charter.
So, the U.S. and its allies have again circumvented the standard procedure in order to win a propaganda battle, but a propaganda battle that will continue as we were just talking about with the escalation in the loss of Syrian lives as a result. The West and its Saudi allies and Qatari allies will sacrifice the life of every last Syrian if they accomplish their geopolitical objectives, which are not only regime change in Damascus, it's also to prolong the perceived isolation of Russia and China. That’s the significance of this vote last Friday more than anything else.
Syria is much more the pretext than the actual issue being discussed, because what is at issue right now is whether the U.S. and its allies can arbitrarily violate international law, whether they can subvert the concepts of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of states, whether somebody sitting in the State Department can determine who has to step down as head of state and who is going to replace him. And the U.S. has done this on a least four occasions since early last year. I’m talking about Ivory Coast, Libya, Yemen and now Syria. And there is every reason to believe that if they are successful in Syria, then they would move on to the next countries. And I would suggest that the twelve countries that voted against the resolution on Friday are exactly the twelve countries that are going to be targeted.
Can you list those countries for our listeners?
Yes. The twelve countries that voted against the resolution are Russia, China, Syria, Iran, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
And you think all those countries are on a hit list for regime change?
Each except for Myanmar decidedly are. And I’m a bit surprised that the former Burma, Myanmar, voted against the resolution as it had not voted against the resolution in February.
Why do you think they did this?
I have no idea. I would have thought that since Hillary Clinton’s visit to Myanmar last November that she had pretty much shifted Myanmar away from China and towards the United States. So, frankly I have no explanation for why they voted against the resolution unless they sensed something. If you’d asked me a year ago it would have been self-evident why Myanmar voted against it, because it itself was targeted for regime change at the time.
Somebody has them on the checklist and I think it's important that they not be able to make checks in each box. And if developments in Syria, that is Western and allied efforts to overthrow the government in Syria, are thwarted with the continued opposition of Russia and China in the first place, then I don’t think we have to worry about the other eleven nations, because of course Syria is one of them. But should they be successful in Syria, then I think the remaining eleven nations are likely targets.
Listen, one last question regarding Syria, which you just brought up again. About a week ago it looked like Assad was all but finished. What do you think Assad’s chances are, and the current Syrian government’s chances are of staying in power?
Barring a direct foreign military intervention, I think better with each passing day. The successful campaign to secure Damascus and now Aleppo, the two largest cities in the country, has given the lie to the media propaganda in the West, in the first place, about the fact that there was no unity within the government, that the Syrian nation and people were divided, that the government had no substantive support...
Yes, they were talking about everybody bailing out, that the high officials saw no future, and after the assassination at the security building.
That’s a good point you raise. With the murder by a suicide bombing of four leading officials of the government, including the Defense Minister and the Deputy Defense Minister…
And the intelligence head I believe it was.
Yes. The reports in the West were that this is “the final nail in the coffin”, to quote Leon Panetta, the Pentagon chief, with the Syrian government and it was only a matter of days if not hours before it fell and so forth. And we’ve seen quite the reverse occur. We’ve seen the government reestablish control over the capital of Damascus as well as Aleppo. And basically what are going on now are mopping-up operations. And it also demonstrates that the Syrian military is firmly in support of the government.
============
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http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
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============
Voice of Russia
August 16, 2012
Can US and its allies arbitrarily violate international law?
John Robles
Recorded on August 6, 2012
Audio at URL above
Rick Rozoff discusses General Assembly resolutions on Syria and how the US and its allies are circumventing standard procedure in order to win a propaganda battle. “Everything that the West and its Persian Gulf allies have done over the last seventeen months has worsened the situation, [costing] more Syrian lives,” Rozoff said.
This is part 3 of the interview with Rick Rozoff, the manager of the Stop NATO website and mailing list.
What do you make about Kofi Annan’s sudden, I don’t know how unexpected it was for those in the know, but it was unexpected for many, to see Kofi Annan all of a sudden decide not to renew his mandate?
Which was to have expired at the end of this month.
It didn’t surprise me. I would just tell you frankly, I believe that his stepping down was coordinated with the introduction of the resolution in the General Assembly, which was introduced by the current Secretary-General - Kofi Annan’s successor, Ban Ki-moon - who lambasted the Syrian government, made comparisons to Rwanda and Bosnia in the 1990s as though suggesting that what happened in Syria was a replication of the precedents I mentioned.
And again, you know, poisoned the well, or prejudiced the vote by his comments. We have to recollect that Kofi Annan himself would never have been Secretary-General of the UN if then-U.S. representative to the UN, the Secretary of State later, Madeleine Albright hadn’t single-handedly rammmed through his nomination and secured his position at the expense of Boutros Boutros-Ghali who was running for reelection for that position.
So, Kofi Annan was the U.S.’s man in the United Nations for two terms. And if anything I was rather surprised he hadn’t tipped his hand earlier in terms of supporting the West’s position. But you know, in fact he did to some extent at the Geneva meeting of the so-called Action Group, where there were different interpretations of what came out. There was Russia’s and China’s, for example, and there was his, which intimated or stated I think even more explicitly that Bashar Assad had to step down as president and the government had to cede power to some sort of coalition. So, it doesn’t surprise me in the least. I think these events were coordinated and then the fact that he received a guest editorial in the Financial Times, the morning of the General Assembly vote, as I recollect last Friday, explaining his position all seems to be a fairly coordinated campaign.
What do you think about: several Russia officials made statements that the resolution actually served to worsen the situation in Syria?
Yes, it does. And everything that the West and its Persian Gulf allies have done over the last seventeen months has worsened the situation, cost more Syrian lives, led to the further destabilization, in many ways made irreparable damage to the nation of Syria, which one would now have to assume is the intent. For example Vitaly Churkin also said after the vote last Friday [August 3, 2012] that to take the vote to the General Assembly while the Security Council was still deliberating on the Syrian issue was a violation of the United Nations Charter.
So, the U.S. and its allies have again circumvented the standard procedure in order to win a propaganda battle, but a propaganda battle that will continue as we were just talking about with the escalation in the loss of Syrian lives as a result. The West and its Saudi allies and Qatari allies will sacrifice the life of every last Syrian if they accomplish their geopolitical objectives, which are not only regime change in Damascus, it's also to prolong the perceived isolation of Russia and China. That’s the significance of this vote last Friday more than anything else.
Syria is much more the pretext than the actual issue being discussed, because what is at issue right now is whether the U.S. and its allies can arbitrarily violate international law, whether they can subvert the concepts of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of states, whether somebody sitting in the State Department can determine who has to step down as head of state and who is going to replace him. And the U.S. has done this on a least four occasions since early last year. I’m talking about Ivory Coast, Libya, Yemen and now Syria. And there is every reason to believe that if they are successful in Syria, then they would move on to the next countries. And I would suggest that the twelve countries that voted against the resolution on Friday are exactly the twelve countries that are going to be targeted.
Can you list those countries for our listeners?
Yes. The twelve countries that voted against the resolution are Russia, China, Syria, Iran, Belarus, Bolivia, Cuba, Myanmar, Nicaragua, North Korea, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
And you think all those countries are on a hit list for regime change?
Each except for Myanmar decidedly are. And I’m a bit surprised that the former Burma, Myanmar, voted against the resolution as it had not voted against the resolution in February.
Why do you think they did this?
I have no idea. I would have thought that since Hillary Clinton’s visit to Myanmar last November that she had pretty much shifted Myanmar away from China and towards the United States. So, frankly I have no explanation for why they voted against the resolution unless they sensed something. If you’d asked me a year ago it would have been self-evident why Myanmar voted against it, because it itself was targeted for regime change at the time.
Somebody has them on the checklist and I think it's important that they not be able to make checks in each box. And if developments in Syria, that is Western and allied efforts to overthrow the government in Syria, are thwarted with the continued opposition of Russia and China in the first place, then I don’t think we have to worry about the other eleven nations, because of course Syria is one of them. But should they be successful in Syria, then I think the remaining eleven nations are likely targets.
Listen, one last question regarding Syria, which you just brought up again. About a week ago it looked like Assad was all but finished. What do you think Assad’s chances are, and the current Syrian government’s chances are of staying in power?
Barring a direct foreign military intervention, I think better with each passing day. The successful campaign to secure Damascus and now Aleppo, the two largest cities in the country, has given the lie to the media propaganda in the West, in the first place, about the fact that there was no unity within the government, that the Syrian nation and people were divided, that the government had no substantive support...
Yes, they were talking about everybody bailing out, that the high officials saw no future, and after the assassination at the security building.
That’s a good point you raise. With the murder by a suicide bombing of four leading officials of the government, including the Defense Minister and the Deputy Defense Minister…
And the intelligence head I believe it was.
Yes. The reports in the West were that this is “the final nail in the coffin”, to quote Leon Panetta, the Pentagon chief, with the Syrian government and it was only a matter of days if not hours before it fell and so forth. And we’ve seen quite the reverse occur. We’ve seen the government reestablish control over the capital of Damascus as well as Aleppo. And basically what are going on now are mopping-up operations. And it also demonstrates that the Syrian military is firmly in support of the government.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Thu Aug 16, 2012 6:04 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.pajhwok.
Pajhwok Afghan News
August 16, 2012
11 dead in ISAF helicopter crash
By Bashir Ahmad Naadimon
KANDAHAR CITY: An International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing nearly a dozen Afghan and NATO-led personnel, officials said.
The alliance said the crash, which was also confirmed by the Kandahar governor’s spokesman, resulted in the deaths of four ISAF soldiers, as many US military officials, three members of Afghan forces and one Afghan civilian interpreter.
A brief statement from the multinational force said the cause of the crash was under investigation. In line with its policy, ISAF deferred casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities.
Meanwhile, the Taliban asserted responsibility for shooting down the helicopter in a village on the outskirts of Tirinkot, the capital of central Uruzgan province.
The group’s spokesman Qari Yousaf told Pajhwok Afghan News the militants brought down the copter with a rocket in Chinartu area. All those on board were killed as the helicopter caught fire after the crash.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Pajhwok Afghan News
August 16, 2012
11 dead in ISAF helicopter crash
By Bashir Ahmad Naadimon
KANDAHAR CITY: An International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helicopter crashed in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing nearly a dozen Afghan and NATO-led personnel, officials said.
The alliance said the crash, which was also confirmed by the Kandahar governor’s spokesman, resulted in the deaths of four ISAF soldiers, as many US military officials, three members of Afghan forces and one Afghan civilian interpreter.
A brief statement from the multinational force said the cause of the crash was under investigation. In line with its policy, ISAF deferred casualty identification procedures to the relevant national authorities.
Meanwhile, the Taliban asserted responsibility for shooting down the helicopter in a village on the outskirts of Tirinkot, the capital of central Uruzgan province.
The group’s spokesman Qari Yousaf told Pajhwok Afghan News the militants brought down the copter with a rocket in Chinartu area. All those on board were killed as the helicopter caught fire after the crash.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Thu Aug 16, 2012 6:04 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://news.
Xinhua News Agency
August 16, 2012
Britain threatens to storm Ecuadorian embassy to arrest Assange
LONDON: British Foreign Office said on Thursday the country will try to fulfill its "obligation" to extradite Julian Assange, in response to a protest made by the Ecuadorian foreign minister against Britain's "threat" to storm its embassy in London.
The Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino held a news conference in Quito on Wednesday, after receiving a letter from the British government.
"Today we received from the United Kingdom the express threat, in writing, that they could assault our embassy in London if Ecuador didn't hand over Julian Assange. We want to make this absolutely clear. We are not a colony of Britain," he said.
The British Foreign Office, for its part, posted a short statement through its social networking account on Thursday morning, without denying the "threat."
"We have consistently made our position clear in our discussions with the government of Ecuador. UK has a legal obligation to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden to face questioning over allegations of sexual offences," The Foreign Office said.
"Throughout this process we have drawn the Ecuadorians' attention to relevant provisions of our law. For example, extensive human rights safeguards in our extradition procedures, or to legal status of diplomatic premises in the UK," it said, adding "We are still committed to reaching a mutually acceptable solution."
The Ecuadorian government will announce its decision about Assange's asylum request later Thursday.
Britain's Supreme Court dismissed Assange's appeal in May, paving the way for his extradition to Sweden over alleged sex crimes. Assange took refuge at the embassy in June to avoid extradition.
The 41-year-old Australian who founded the Wikileaks website has embarrassed several governments, including the United States authorities, by publishing millions of secret diplomatic cables on the Internet.
Since his arrest in Britain in December 2010, Assange fought a lengthy legal battle against extradition, fearing that his return to Sweden would lead eventually to his extradition to the United States to face the anger of the authorities over his publishing of the diplomatic cables.
------------
http://news.
Xinhua News Agency
August 15, 2012
Ecuador denounces British threat to storm embassy over Assange asylum
QUITO: Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino Wednesday denounced Britain's threat to enter Ecuador's embassy in London to seize WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who seeks asylum there.
Patino told reporters that Ecuador's Ambassador to London, Ana Alban, was notified that British authorities "could assault" the embassy, if Assange "is not handed over."
The British government had said it is "determined" to extradite Assange to Sweden to face charges of sexual assault. "The UK has a legal obligation to extradite Mr. Assange to Sweden...and we remain determined to fulfill this obligation," said a Foreign Office spokesman.
In Quito, Patino called Britain's threat a "hostile and unfriendly act" that violates "clear international norms." "We are not a British colony," he added.
Earlier in the day, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa received a legal brief on Assange's asylum request, as he prepared to deliver a decision on the closely-watched case.
Correa met with a team of legal experts who prepared the brief, accompanied by his Attorney General Diego Garcia, Presidential Office Spokesman Fernando Alvarado and Foreign Minister Patino.
After the meeting, Patino told reporters that he personally handed the brief to Correa, but declined to say whether the document recommended granting political asylum to the Australian-born journalist, who has been taking refuge at Quito's embassy in London since June 19.
"I can't give you any information,
The Ecuadorean government has spent almost two months analyzing Assange's asylum request, which has complex implications for Ecuador's relationship with Australia, Britain, Sweden and the United States - all of them with an involvement in the Assange-Wikileaks affair.
Last Monday, Correa said he would meet with his legal team Wednesday to study the brief before making "a responsible and sovereign decision" regarding the sensitive case.
On Tuesday, Correa denied a news report in the British daily The Guardian that claimed Ecuador had decided to grant asylum to Assange.
Ecuador's final decision on the asylum request is expected at any moment.
While Correa has consulted with top officials on the matter, several government officials have said the decision rested solely with the president.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Xinhua News Agency
August 16, 2012
Britain threatens to storm Ecuadorian embassy to arrest Assange
LONDON: British Foreign Office said on Thursday the country will try to fulfill its "obligation" to extradite Julian Assange, in response to a protest made by the Ecuadorian foreign minister against Britain's "threat" to storm its embassy in London.
The Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino held a news conference in Quito on Wednesday, after receiving a letter from the British government.
"Today we received from the United Kingdom the express threat, in writing, that they could assault our embassy in London if Ecuador didn't hand over Julian Assange. We want to make this absolutely clear. We are not a colony of Britain," he said.
The British Foreign Office, for its part, posted a short statement through its social networking account on Thursday morning, without denying the "threat."
"We have consistently made our position clear in our discussions with the government of Ecuador. UK has a legal obligation to extradite Mr Assange to Sweden to face questioning over allegations of sexual offences," The Foreign Office said.
"Throughout this process we have drawn the Ecuadorians' attention to relevant provisions of our law. For example, extensive human rights safeguards in our extradition procedures, or to legal status of diplomatic premises in the UK," it said, adding "We are still committed to reaching a mutually acceptable solution."
The Ecuadorian government will announce its decision about Assange's asylum request later Thursday.
Britain's Supreme Court dismissed Assange's appeal in May, paving the way for his extradition to Sweden over alleged sex crimes. Assange took refuge at the embassy in June to avoid extradition.
The 41-year-old Australian who founded the Wikileaks website has embarrassed several governments, including the United States authorities, by publishing millions of secret diplomatic cables on the Internet.
Since his arrest in Britain in December 2010, Assange fought a lengthy legal battle against extradition, fearing that his return to Sweden would lead eventually to his extradition to the United States to face the anger of the authorities over his publishing of the diplomatic cables.
------------
http://news.
Xinhua News Agency
August 15, 2012
Ecuador denounces British threat to storm embassy over Assange asylum
QUITO: Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino Wednesday denounced Britain's threat to enter Ecuador's embassy in London to seize WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who seeks asylum there.
Patino told reporters that Ecuador's Ambassador to London, Ana Alban, was notified that British authorities "could assault" the embassy, if Assange "is not handed over."
The British government had said it is "determined" to extradite Assange to Sweden to face charges of sexual assault. "The UK has a legal obligation to extradite Mr. Assange to Sweden...and we remain determined to fulfill this obligation," said a Foreign Office spokesman.
In Quito, Patino called Britain's threat a "hostile and unfriendly act" that violates "clear international norms." "We are not a British colony," he added.
Earlier in the day, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa received a legal brief on Assange's asylum request, as he prepared to deliver a decision on the closely-watched case.
Correa met with a team of legal experts who prepared the brief, accompanied by his Attorney General Diego Garcia, Presidential Office Spokesman Fernando Alvarado and Foreign Minister Patino.
After the meeting, Patino told reporters that he personally handed the brief to Correa, but declined to say whether the document recommended granting political asylum to the Australian-born journalist, who has been taking refuge at Quito's embassy in London since June 19.
"I can't give you any information,
The Ecuadorean government has spent almost two months analyzing Assange's asylum request, which has complex implications for Ecuador's relationship with Australia, Britain, Sweden and the United States - all of them with an involvement in the Assange-Wikileaks affair.
Last Monday, Correa said he would meet with his legal team Wednesday to study the brief before making "a responsible and sovereign decision" regarding the sensitive case.
On Tuesday, Correa denied a news report in the British daily The Guardian that claimed Ecuador had decided to grant asylum to Assange.
Ecuador's final decision on the asylum request is expected at any moment.
While Correa has consulted with top officials on the matter, several government officials have said the decision rested solely with the president.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Thu Aug 16, 2012 8:08 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.aco.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
August 16, 2012
RAMSTEIN ROVER 2012 - International Military Air Exercise in the Czech Republic
Ramstein:The Czech Republic will host a major international exercise for NATO Forward Air Controllers (FACs) from 5 to 21 September 2012. The training is organised by NATO's Headquarters Allied Air Command Ramstein (HQ AC Ramstein), Germany.
Exercise Ramstein Rover 2012 (RARO12) is an advanced training opportunity to exercise Close Air Support (CAS) and FAC capabilities. RARO12 provides realistic pre-deployment training for FACs to be deployed to NATO's ISAF operation in Afghanistan.
In coordination with the Czech Air Force, HQ AC Ramstein has organised the exercise for participants from a total of 16 NATO member nations based at Namest Air Base and involving training areas in the Czech Republic at Libava, Boletice, and Písek. During RARO12 the Czech Air Force will fly missions out of Čáslav.
Flying assets and FAC teams will be provided by the Czech Republic, Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States.
The aim of RARO12 is to provide a measurable increase in proficiency, standardization and interoperability for FACs from NATO, Partnership for Peace (PfP) and ISAF troop contributing nations. RARO12 is a live-fly exercise during which NATO aircraft will provide the full-spectrum of day, night, medium and low altitude training for aircrews in realistic and complex scenarios.
In a classroom academic training followed by live-fly practical CAS training, RARO12 exercise participants will be taught how to effectively employ airpower in support of their own forces while mitigating risks to civilians and their property.
"I am confident that RARO12 makes a difference,” underlines Colonel (GS) MSc Harry H. Schnell, German Air Force, the HQ AC Ramstein Exercise Director for RARO12 and a former pilot on F-104 Alpha Jet and Tornado – aircraft also used for CAS missions, "we have done everything to provide realistic and challenging training to further develop the capabilities of FACs and the Air Land Integration in support of ISAF operations.”
"For the Czech Air Force RARO12 is an outstanding opportunity to showcase our contribution to NATO,” says Brigadier General Jiri Verner, Deputy Commander of the Joint Forces and Air Force Commander, the senior representative of the Czech Host Nation for RARO12, "we have offered ideal facilities for conducting CAS training. NATO nations come here to train and prepare for the important Allied mission in Afghanistan. To us it is paramount to explain the purpose of the exercise to the population especially in the vicinity of the exercise locations.”
"We currently plan with the participation of some 30 FAC teams and an additional 15 FAC instructors in RARO12,” says Colonel (GS) MSc Schnell, "during the exercise's ten fly days from 10 to 21 September, aircraft like the Turkish F-16, US Air Force A-10, Czech L-159, L-39, Mi-24, Mi-171, Mi-17, Slovak L-39, Mi-17, German Learjet and PC-9 as well as a US KC-135 tanker aircraft will prominently portray the air dimension.”
The FAC Capability Section (FCS) of HQ AC Ramstein is responsible for the FAC training during the exercise. The team headed by Lieutenant Colonel Steve "Cajun” Behmer, a US Air Force A-10 pilot, have been working the standardization of NATO's FACs and, using this process, have accredited several FAC training facilities. "RARO12 provides a great venue for ‘collective' training,” says LtCol Behmer, "an aircraft mission in support of ground forces – what we call CAS – is typically a combined and joint event. It involves several nations and branches of the military within those nations. A CAS mission provides our men on the ground – the FACs who direct and control the supporting aircraft to the target – with a very beneficial opportunity to exercise with these entities.”
The 20-strong HQ AC Ramstein team led by Col (GS) MSc Schnell will start deploying to Namest Air Base from 4 September 2012 on.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
August 16, 2012
RAMSTEIN ROVER 2012 - International Military Air Exercise in the Czech Republic
Ramstein:The Czech Republic will host a major international exercise for NATO Forward Air Controllers (FACs) from 5 to 21 September 2012. The training is organised by NATO's Headquarters Allied Air Command Ramstein (HQ AC Ramstein), Germany.
Exercise Ramstein Rover 2012 (RARO12) is an advanced training opportunity to exercise Close Air Support (CAS) and FAC capabilities. RARO12 provides realistic pre-deployment training for FACs to be deployed to NATO's ISAF operation in Afghanistan.
In coordination with the Czech Air Force, HQ AC Ramstein has organised the exercise for participants from a total of 16 NATO member nations based at Namest Air Base and involving training areas in the Czech Republic at Libava, Boletice, and Písek. During RARO12 the Czech Air Force will fly missions out of Čáslav.
Flying assets and FAC teams will be provided by the Czech Republic, Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the United States.
The aim of RARO12 is to provide a measurable increase in proficiency, standardization and interoperability for FACs from NATO, Partnership for Peace (PfP) and ISAF troop contributing nations. RARO12 is a live-fly exercise during which NATO aircraft will provide the full-spectrum of day, night, medium and low altitude training for aircrews in realistic and complex scenarios.
In a classroom academic training followed by live-fly practical CAS training, RARO12 exercise participants will be taught how to effectively employ airpower in support of their own forces while mitigating risks to civilians and their property.
"I am confident that RARO12 makes a difference,” underlines Colonel (GS) MSc Harry H. Schnell, German Air Force, the HQ AC Ramstein Exercise Director for RARO12 and a former pilot on F-104 Alpha Jet and Tornado – aircraft also used for CAS missions, "we have done everything to provide realistic and challenging training to further develop the capabilities of FACs and the Air Land Integration in support of ISAF operations.”
"For the Czech Air Force RARO12 is an outstanding opportunity to showcase our contribution to NATO,” says Brigadier General Jiri Verner, Deputy Commander of the Joint Forces and Air Force Commander, the senior representative of the Czech Host Nation for RARO12, "we have offered ideal facilities for conducting CAS training. NATO nations come here to train and prepare for the important Allied mission in Afghanistan. To us it is paramount to explain the purpose of the exercise to the population especially in the vicinity of the exercise locations.”
"We currently plan with the participation of some 30 FAC teams and an additional 15 FAC instructors in RARO12,” says Colonel (GS) MSc Schnell, "during the exercise's ten fly days from 10 to 21 September, aircraft like the Turkish F-16, US Air Force A-10, Czech L-159, L-39, Mi-24, Mi-171, Mi-17, Slovak L-39, Mi-17, German Learjet and PC-9 as well as a US KC-135 tanker aircraft will prominently portray the air dimension.”
The FAC Capability Section (FCS) of HQ AC Ramstein is responsible for the FAC training during the exercise. The team headed by Lieutenant Colonel Steve "Cajun” Behmer, a US Air Force A-10 pilot, have been working the standardization of NATO's FACs and, using this process, have accredited several FAC training facilities. "RARO12 provides a great venue for ‘collective' training,” says LtCol Behmer, "an aircraft mission in support of ground forces – what we call CAS – is typically a combined and joint event. It involves several nations and branches of the military within those nations. A CAS mission provides our men on the ground – the FACs who direct and control the supporting aircraft to the target – with a very beneficial opportunity to exercise with these entities.”
The 20-strong HQ AC Ramstein team led by Col (GS) MSc Schnell will start deploying to Namest Air Base from 4 September 2012 on.
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Thu Aug 16, 2012 8:08 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://rt.com/
RT
August 16, 2012
'Not even in Cold War’s darkest days': International law scrapped in anti-Assange crusade
Video at URL above
Ecuador’s move to grant Julian Assange political asylum has shown the true face of the current world order, highlighting more clearly than ever the line between the American Empire and the rest of the world, former CIA officer Ray McGovern told RT.
RT: One of the main reasons Ecuador cited for granting asylum was not the Swedish case against Assange, but the danger of him being persecuted and possibly even executed in the US. What reaction from Washington do you expect?
Ray McGovern: Well, this is a classic case of what has changed over the last 20 years. And that is simply that the shape of the world is now empire vs. the rest of you. What I say here now is that Caesar has spoken. Caesar is the law. Caesar is the United States and the satraps overseas – the UK in the first instance, and now Sweden in the other, do the bidding of the empire. The country that has refused to do the bidding of the empire, Ecuador, is playing a very interesting role here. Their foreign minister said this morning that "we are not a British colony, and the days of colonialism are over.
So what we see here is a playing out of the fact that there is a complete disrespect for international law. The embassy premises of all countries have heretofore been considered sacrosanct. The British Foreign Office is now saying ‘well, we may forcibly enter.’ This was unheard of even during the worst days of the Cold War. If someone sought refuge in the US embassy in Moscow or the Soviet embassy in the United States, despite the friction, despite the enmity between those two countries, international law was always honored. This is unprecedented.
RT: According to Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patina, the UK’s acts of aggression, blackmailing, and threats are in direct violation of the 1976 Council of Diplomatic Relations. Do you think that as London and Washington are in cahoots, Ecuador is considered to be meaningless, as it has a small military, and is not a significant economic power?
RM: Well, that has been the attitude. Smaller countries do not really amount to much in Washington or London’s view these days. What will be interesting is to see how much will come out in terms of the real game being played here. Nobody seems to remember that the prime accuser of Julian Assange – Anna Ardin in Sweden – used to work for extreme anti-Castro publications funded by the CIA. So there are links there, and it doesn’t require a conspiratorial attitude to see that the only way they can get at Julian Assange is by trumped-up charges of sexual indiscretions in a country that is hypersensitive to that, and they haven’t even persuaded a judge in Sweden to make those charges.
They have had ample opportunity to go to the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and question Julian Assange. They said, ‘we’re not going to do that.' Now, why is that? The reason is, there is no case against Julian Assange. In my opinion, it’s all very transparent. They want to extradite him to Sweden, and then to the United States to suffer the same indignities, the same torture of Bradley Manning – the person who allegedly gave those documents to Julian Assange – has faced. This is a violation of the First Amendment in our country and other amendments in our Bill of Rights, and I dare say that our founding fathers are rolling in their graves to see a [publisher] treated this way in violation of the right to make things known that are otherwise hidden.
RT
August 16, 2012
'Not even in Cold War’s darkest days': International law scrapped in anti-Assange crusade
Video at URL above
Ecuador’s move to grant Julian Assange political asylum has shown the true face of the current world order, highlighting more clearly than ever the line between the American Empire and the rest of the world, former CIA officer Ray McGovern told RT.
RT: One of the main reasons Ecuador cited for granting asylum was not the Swedish case against Assange, but the danger of him being persecuted and possibly even executed in the US. What reaction from Washington do you expect?
Ray McGovern: Well, this is a classic case of what has changed over the last 20 years. And that is simply that the shape of the world is now empire vs. the rest of you. What I say here now is that Caesar has spoken. Caesar is the law. Caesar is the United States and the satraps overseas – the UK in the first instance, and now Sweden in the other, do the bidding of the empire. The country that has refused to do the bidding of the empire, Ecuador, is playing a very interesting role here. Their foreign minister said this morning that "we are not a British colony, and the days of colonialism are over.
So what we see here is a playing out of the fact that there is a complete disrespect for international law. The embassy premises of all countries have heretofore been considered sacrosanct. The British Foreign Office is now saying ‘well, we may forcibly enter.’ This was unheard of even during the worst days of the Cold War. If someone sought refuge in the US embassy in Moscow or the Soviet embassy in the United States, despite the friction, despite the enmity between those two countries, international law was always honored. This is unprecedented.
RT: According to Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Ricardo Patina, the UK’s acts of aggression, blackmailing, and threats are in direct violation of the 1976 Council of Diplomatic Relations. Do you think that as London and Washington are in cahoots, Ecuador is considered to be meaningless, as it has a small military, and is not a significant economic power?
RM: Well, that has been the attitude. Smaller countries do not really amount to much in Washington or London’s view these days. What will be interesting is to see how much will come out in terms of the real game being played here. Nobody seems to remember that the prime accuser of Julian Assange – Anna Ardin in Sweden – used to work for extreme anti-Castro publications funded by the CIA. So there are links there, and it doesn’t require a conspiratorial attitude to see that the only way they can get at Julian Assange is by trumped-up charges of sexual indiscretions in a country that is hypersensitive to that, and they haven’t even persuaded a judge in Sweden to make those charges.
They have had ample opportunity to go to the Ecuadorian Embassy in London and question Julian Assange. They said, ‘we’re not going to do that.' Now, why is that? The reason is, there is no case against Julian Assange. In my opinion, it’s all very transparent. They want to extradite him to Sweden, and then to the United States to suffer the same indignities, the same torture of Bradley Manning – the person who allegedly gave those documents to Julian Assange – has faced. This is a violation of the First Amendment in our country and other amendments in our Bill of Rights, and I dare say that our founding fathers are rolling in their graves to see a [publisher] treated this way in violation of the right to make things known that are otherwise hidden.
