3 New Messages
Digest #4629
Messages
Tue Feb 12, 2013 5:58 am (PST) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.defense.gov/News/Ne
U.S. Department of Defense
February 11, 2013
Exercise Cobra Gold 2013 Kicks Off in Thailand
By Donna Miles
====
Cobra Gold 2013, which runs through Feb. 21, brings together the militaries of United States, Thailand and five other Asian countries: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Twenty additional nations have sent observers, including, for the first time, Burma.
Highlights will include an amphibious assault demonstration that includes attack jets, helicopters, landing craft and small boats...
====
WASHINGTON: The commander of U.S. Pacific Command kicked off the longest-running U.S. military exercise in the Pacific in Thailand today, calling the 13,000 multinational participants guardians of...
Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III marked the opening of the 32st iteration of Cobra Gold hosted by Thailand and the United States since 1980.
Cobra Gold began as a bilateral U.S.-Thai exercise, but expanded more than a decade ago to include other regional partners to advance their common goals...in the Asia-Pacific region, officials said.
Cobra Gold 2013, which runs through Feb. 21, brings together the militaries of United States, Thailand and five other Asian countries: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Twenty additional nations have sent observers, including, for the first time, Burma.
...
This year’s exercise will be demanding, as it prepares participants “for a broad spectrum of challenges we are going to face together,” the admiral said. The ambitious training schedule includes a staff exercise, senior leader engagements and “...field training we will do together, [and] live-fire events we will do together,” he said.
Highlights will include an amphibious assault demonstration that includes attack jets, helicopters, landing craft and small boats; small-boat and helicopter raids; a multilateral noncombatant evacuation operation; a combined arms live-fire exercise; and jungle warfare and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training.
All are designed, Locklear said, to “replicate the dynamic environment we find ourselves in today and [expect] in the future.” He challenged the participants to take advantage of the training opportunities at Cobra Gold to build the bonds and capabilities that ensure they will be prepared...
...
==============================
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==============================
U.S. Department of Defense
February 11, 2013
Exercise Cobra Gold 2013 Kicks Off in Thailand
By Donna Miles
====
Cobra Gold 2013, which runs through Feb. 21, brings together the militaries of United States, Thailand and five other Asian countries: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Twenty additional nations have sent observers, including, for the first time, Burma.
Highlights will include an amphibious assault demonstration that includes attack jets, helicopters, landing craft and small boats...
====
WASHINGTON: The commander of U.S. Pacific Command kicked off the longest-running U.S. military exercise in the Pacific in Thailand today, calling the 13,000 multinational participants guardians of...
Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III marked the opening of the 32st iteration of Cobra Gold hosted by Thailand and the United States since 1980.
Cobra Gold began as a bilateral U.S.-Thai exercise, but expanded more than a decade ago to include other regional partners to advance their common goals...in the Asia-Pacific region, officials said.
Cobra Gold 2013, which runs through Feb. 21, brings together the militaries of United States, Thailand and five other Asian countries: Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Twenty additional nations have sent observers, including, for the first time, Burma.
...
This year’s exercise will be demanding, as it prepares participants “for a broad spectrum of challenges we are going to face together,” the admiral said. The ambitious training schedule includes a staff exercise, senior leader engagements and “...field training we will do together, [and] live-fire events we will do together,” he said.
Highlights will include an amphibious assault demonstration that includes attack jets, helicopters, landing craft and small boats; small-boat and helicopter raids; a multilateral noncombatant evacuation operation; a combined arms live-fire exercise; and jungle warfare and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training.
All are designed, Locklear said, to “replicate the dynamic environment we find ourselves in today and [expect] in the future.” He challenged the participants to take advantage of the training opportunities at Cobra Gold to build the bonds and capabilities that ensure they will be prepared...
...
==============================
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.wordpress.co
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups
==============================
Tue Feb 12, 2013 5:18 pm (PST) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/i
Daily Trust (Nigeria)
February 12, 2013
A U.S. Drone Base in Niger Would Be De Facto Africom
By B.M. Sani*
====
To all intents and purposes, the drone base is Africa Command in disguise. Apart from Niger, there is another drone base in Djibouti to take care of that part of Africa.
====
Kano: Instinctively, one cannot help wondering the rationale behind the agreement on a drones base signed between the United States and the Republic of Niger for the fear that the latter, by design or default, becomes a country of military occupation which will adversely affect its sovereignty and independence.
The armed drone strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan readily come to mind considering the number of innocent people inadvertently killed when the targets were missed, eliciting resentment worldwide.
The Niger Republic might have been scared by the probable incursion of terrorists and insurgents into her territory to inflict serious damage on her security apparatus. The ongoing battle in Mali, which is her neighbour on the southwest, accentuates the security concern. She strongly feels vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Her willingness therefore to enter into such military alliance with the United States is understandable. It is within her competence as a sovereign state to do so.
However this preservation of Niger's enlightened self-interest carries diplomatic obligation. There is a duty of care not to harm her neighbours. America, for example, had not been happy with Cuba for providing the Soviets a stronghold. The Cuban missile crisis in the Cold War era is not forgotten. Afghanistan under Hafizullah Amin maintained very close ties with the Americans to the serious objection of the Soviets who suspected that a base was to be provided in Kabul. President Leonid Brezhnev swiftly attacked Afghanistan, toppled Amin and replaced him with Babrak Kamal to ward off the perceived threats.
The purpose of the drone base is most probably to track the movements of terrorists, insurgents and militants of all shades, be it Al-Qaida clients or other similar organizations. The base is to conduct surveillance under the direction of military experts and personnel numbering about 500 including some civilians.
Unlike the U.S. Africa Command, which has so far failed to secure a base in Africa, its projected military strength is put at 2000, as reported by newspapers. Africa Command has its headquarters now in Stuttgart, Germany. The command too is intended to offer military training, conduct manoeuvres, surveillance and, in the event of deepening security threats from insurgents and terrorists, it will in joint operations with other troops from selected African countries contain, if not suppress, the threats. Host states' police and legal experts will then arrest and prosecute the terrorists identified. To all intents and purposes, the drone base is Africa Command in disguise. Apart from Niger, there is another drone base in Djibouti to take care of that part of Africa.
Under the auspices of the AU, ECOWAS or other regional groups, military cooperation with the US or indeed other developed countries can be arranged in an attempt to contain possible threats from militant groups, which can make life difficult for the people.
The superpowers' technological development, tactics and military strategy can be taken advantage of in concerted efforts to counter terrorism. Indeed, even through satellites useful data are always being collected. It is time to share openly such information to the mutual benefit of those concerned. The symbiotic relationship subsisting in the exploitation and utilization of hydrocarbon and other mineral resources should be extended for more coverage in areas of security. Cognisance should be taken as part of desired cooperation of the armoured vehicles, communication gadgets, tear gas and other equipment for crowd control which are effectively being used by security agents throughout Africa. Otherwise, it will be a herculean task for African countries to monitor the hideouts of terrorists without sophisticated surveillance equipment.
In formalizing such cooperation arrangements, interference in the internal affairs of the countries hosting the bases no matter how slight should not be allowed. Likewise the tenure of the base operators should clearly be stated and adhered to. All other loopholes touching on the sovereignty and independence of the host states must be jealously guarded. But there is a real and urgent need to learn and adopt innovative methods for security vigilance, apprehension of terrorists in good time and the application of pre-emptive measures that will sustain peace and stability necessary for the well being of the people, particularly their lives and property.
*Ambassador Sani, mni, wrote from Sharada, Kano
==============================
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.wordpress.co
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups
==============================
Daily Trust (Nigeria)
February 12, 2013
A U.S. Drone Base in Niger Would Be De Facto Africom
By B.M. Sani*
====
To all intents and purposes, the drone base is Africa Command in disguise. Apart from Niger, there is another drone base in Djibouti to take care of that part of Africa.
====
Kano: Instinctively, one cannot help wondering the rationale behind the agreement on a drones base signed between the United States and the Republic of Niger for the fear that the latter, by design or default, becomes a country of military occupation which will adversely affect its sovereignty and independence.
The armed drone strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan readily come to mind considering the number of innocent people inadvertently killed when the targets were missed, eliciting resentment worldwide.
The Niger Republic might have been scared by the probable incursion of terrorists and insurgents into her territory to inflict serious damage on her security apparatus. The ongoing battle in Mali, which is her neighbour on the southwest, accentuates the security concern. She strongly feels vulnerable to terrorist attacks. Her willingness therefore to enter into such military alliance with the United States is understandable. It is within her competence as a sovereign state to do so.
However this preservation of Niger's enlightened self-interest carries diplomatic obligation. There is a duty of care not to harm her neighbours. America, for example, had not been happy with Cuba for providing the Soviets a stronghold. The Cuban missile crisis in the Cold War era is not forgotten. Afghanistan under Hafizullah Amin maintained very close ties with the Americans to the serious objection of the Soviets who suspected that a base was to be provided in Kabul. President Leonid Brezhnev swiftly attacked Afghanistan, toppled Amin and replaced him with Babrak Kamal to ward off the perceived threats.
The purpose of the drone base is most probably to track the movements of terrorists, insurgents and militants of all shades, be it Al-Qaida clients or other similar organizations. The base is to conduct surveillance under the direction of military experts and personnel numbering about 500 including some civilians.
Unlike the U.S. Africa Command, which has so far failed to secure a base in Africa, its projected military strength is put at 2000, as reported by newspapers. Africa Command has its headquarters now in Stuttgart, Germany. The command too is intended to offer military training, conduct manoeuvres, surveillance and, in the event of deepening security threats from insurgents and terrorists, it will in joint operations with other troops from selected African countries contain, if not suppress, the threats. Host states' police and legal experts will then arrest and prosecute the terrorists identified. To all intents and purposes, the drone base is Africa Command in disguise. Apart from Niger, there is another drone base in Djibouti to take care of that part of Africa.
Under the auspices of the AU, ECOWAS or other regional groups, military cooperation with the US or indeed other developed countries can be arranged in an attempt to contain possible threats from militant groups, which can make life difficult for the people.
The superpowers' technological development, tactics and military strategy can be taken advantage of in concerted efforts to counter terrorism. Indeed, even through satellites useful data are always being collected. It is time to share openly such information to the mutual benefit of those concerned. The symbiotic relationship subsisting in the exploitation and utilization of hydrocarbon and other mineral resources should be extended for more coverage in areas of security. Cognisance should be taken as part of desired cooperation of the armoured vehicles, communication gadgets, tear gas and other equipment for crowd control which are effectively being used by security agents throughout Africa. Otherwise, it will be a herculean task for African countries to monitor the hideouts of terrorists without sophisticated surveillance equipment.
In formalizing such cooperation arrangements, interference in the internal affairs of the countries hosting the bases no matter how slight should not be allowed. Likewise the tenure of the base operators should clearly be stated and adhered to. All other loopholes touching on the sovereignty and independence of the host states must be jealously guarded. But there is a real and urgent need to learn and adopt innovative methods for security vigilance, apprehension of terrorists in good time and the application of pre-emptive measures that will sustain peace and stability necessary for the well being of the people, particularly their lives and property.
*Ambassador Sani, mni, wrote from Sharada, Kano
==============================
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.wordpress.co
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@yahoogroups
==============================
Tue Feb 12, 2013 7:42 pm (PST) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_02
Voice of Russia
February 13, 2013
Civilians killed by NATO ignored - Churkin
The killing of civilians due to NATO’s bombing of Libya is still being overlooked. This was announced by Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, speaking at an open debate held at the UN Security Council.
The diplomat said that this was not just a question of compliance with the Security Council mandate to protect civilians, but also "elementary ethical rules, which required an apology and financial compensation."
The death of civilians during NATO’s operation Unified Protector, whose aim was to support the rebels fighting the army of Muammar Gaddafi, has been the subject of several major investigations.
Voice of Russia
February 13, 2013
Civilians killed by NATO ignored - Churkin
The killing of civilians due to NATO’s bombing of Libya is still being overlooked. This was announced by Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, speaking at an open debate held at the UN Security Council.
The diplomat said that this was not just a question of compliance with the Security Council mandate to protect civilians, but also "elementary ethical rules, which required an apology and financial compensation."
The death of civilians during NATO’s operation Unified Protector, whose aim was to support the rebels fighting the army of Muammar Gaddafi, has been the subject of several major investigations.
