3 New Messages
Digest #4755
Messages
Fri Jul 19, 2013 12:14 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.usafe.
U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa
June 18, 2013
Polish air force identifies strategic need for US Av-Det
By Staff Sgt. Daryl Knee
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LASK AIR BASE, Poland: The commander of the Polish air force visited U.S. service members here as part of an operations tour of Detachment 1, 52nd Operations Group July 17, 2013.
Lt. Gen. Lech Majewski met and spoke with aviation detachment leadership and Aviano Air Base, Italy, Airmen who are the third overall aircraft rotation to the two-week training course.
"It'
The Polish military has employed the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft for less than 10 years and have since begun developing their tactics and capabilities. The F-16 aircraft entered the U.S. arsenal in 1979, and Aviano pilots have flown the airframe since 1994. The two nations have shared experiences with the activation of the detachment last year.
Majewski toured the facility occupied by the 510th Fighter Squadron and walked along the U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft. He thanked both the pilots and ground crews for their continuing contributions to develop and improve allied air readiness.
"The best way to cooperate is to fly together," he said, "and this is one of the best places to do it. Thank you for coming to Poland."
============
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============
U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa
June 18, 2013
Polish air force identifies strategic need for US Av-Det
By Staff Sgt. Daryl Knee
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LASK AIR BASE, Poland: The commander of the Polish air force visited U.S. service members here as part of an operations tour of Detachment 1, 52nd Operations Group July 17, 2013.
Lt. Gen. Lech Majewski met and spoke with aviation detachment leadership and Aviano Air Base, Italy, Airmen who are the third overall aircraft rotation to the two-week training course.
"It'
The Polish military has employed the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft for less than 10 years and have since begun developing their tactics and capabilities. The F-16 aircraft entered the U.S. arsenal in 1979, and Aviano pilots have flown the airframe since 1994. The two nations have shared experiences with the activation of the detachment last year.
Majewski toured the facility occupied by the 510th Fighter Squadron and walked along the U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft. He thanked both the pilots and ground crews for their continuing contributions to develop and improve allied air readiness.
"The best way to cooperate is to fly together," he said, "and this is one of the best places to do it. Thank you for coming to Poland."
============
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@
============
Fri Jul 19, 2013 12:14 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://rt.com/
RT
July 19, 2013
Kerry vows to put the screws to Venezuela over Snowden – report
US Secretary of State John Kerry has reportedly promised his Venezuelan counterpart to close NATO airspace to the country’s flights and stop crucial oil product deliveries if Caracas grants asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
Last Friday night, just hours after Venezuela agreed to provide political asylum to former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, Kerry personally called Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua, a Spanish ABC media outlet cites a source familiar with the conversation as saying.
Kerry threatened to ground any Venezuelan aircraft in America’s or any NATO country’s airspace if there is the slightest suspicion that Snowden is using the flight to get to Caracas.
The US’ top diplomat sent a clear signal that Venezuela’s Air Force One is not immune and President Nicolas Maduro could easily face the same fate as his Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales, whose plane was grounded for inspection in Austria earlier this month in violation of all international diplomatic agreements.
“Immunity is for the president, not the plane,†the ABC source cites Kerry’s personal message to President Maduro as saying.
Closing all NATO member countries’ aerospace to Venezuelan flights means avoiding 26 countries in Europe and two in North America. Under this scenario, it would be safer for Snowden to fly across the Pacific from Russia’s Far Eastern city of Vladivostok instead of crossing the Atlantic.
Kerry also promised to intensify the ongoing process of revoking US entry visas to Venezuelan officials and businessmen associated with the deceased President Hugo Chavez.
Washington will also begin prosecuting prominent Venezuelan politicians on allegations of drug trafficking, money laundering and other criminal actions, Kerry reportedly said, and specifically mentioned some names in his conversation with the Venezuelan FM.
He further said that Washington is well aware of Venezuela’s dependence on the US when it comes to refined oil products. Despite being one of the world’s largest oil producers, Venezuela requires more petrol and oil products than it can produce, buying around 500,000 barrels of gasoline every month, roughly another half million barrels of fuel for power plants, and some 350,000 barrels of MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) – the additive used for to increase octane in gasoline.
The US Secretary of State bluntly warned that fuel supplies would be halted if President Maduro continues to reach out to the fugitive NSA contractor.
Neither the US State Department nor the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry have so far commented on ABC’s report.
On July 19 President Maduro sharply criticized a statement by the Obama administration&#
“I want an immediate correction by the US government,†Maduro said live on state television, as quoted by Reuters.
“Power says she'll fight repression in Venezuela? What repression? There is repression in the United States, where they kill African-Americans with impunity, and where they hunt the youngster Edward Snowden just for telling the truth,†Maduro fumed.
Former CIA technician and NSA contractor Snowden remains a fugitive without a passport, as he has remained stuck in Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport for nearly a month. Snowden requested temporary asylum from Russia and has not officially accepted Maduro's asylum offer, WikiLeaks says.
If extradited to the US, where Showden is wanted on espionage charges, he fears he could face inhumane treatment and even the death penalty for leaking details of the National Security Agency’s dragnet surveillance programs.
============
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:
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============
RT
July 19, 2013
Kerry vows to put the screws to Venezuela over Snowden – report
US Secretary of State John Kerry has reportedly promised his Venezuelan counterpart to close NATO airspace to the country’s flights and stop crucial oil product deliveries if Caracas grants asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden.
Last Friday night, just hours after Venezuela agreed to provide political asylum to former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, Kerry personally called Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua, a Spanish ABC media outlet cites a source familiar with the conversation as saying.
Kerry threatened to ground any Venezuelan aircraft in America’s or any NATO country’s airspace if there is the slightest suspicion that Snowden is using the flight to get to Caracas.
The US’ top diplomat sent a clear signal that Venezuela’s Air Force One is not immune and President Nicolas Maduro could easily face the same fate as his Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales, whose plane was grounded for inspection in Austria earlier this month in violation of all international diplomatic agreements.
“Immunity is for the president, not the plane,†the ABC source cites Kerry’s personal message to President Maduro as saying.
Closing all NATO member countries’ aerospace to Venezuelan flights means avoiding 26 countries in Europe and two in North America. Under this scenario, it would be safer for Snowden to fly across the Pacific from Russia’s Far Eastern city of Vladivostok instead of crossing the Atlantic.
Kerry also promised to intensify the ongoing process of revoking US entry visas to Venezuelan officials and businessmen associated with the deceased President Hugo Chavez.
Washington will also begin prosecuting prominent Venezuelan politicians on allegations of drug trafficking, money laundering and other criminal actions, Kerry reportedly said, and specifically mentioned some names in his conversation with the Venezuelan FM.
He further said that Washington is well aware of Venezuela’s dependence on the US when it comes to refined oil products. Despite being one of the world’s largest oil producers, Venezuela requires more petrol and oil products than it can produce, buying around 500,000 barrels of gasoline every month, roughly another half million barrels of fuel for power plants, and some 350,000 barrels of MTBE (Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether) – the additive used for to increase octane in gasoline.
The US Secretary of State bluntly warned that fuel supplies would be halted if President Maduro continues to reach out to the fugitive NSA contractor.
Neither the US State Department nor the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry have so far commented on ABC’s report.
On July 19 President Maduro sharply criticized a statement by the Obama administration&#
“I want an immediate correction by the US government,†Maduro said live on state television, as quoted by Reuters.
“Power says she'll fight repression in Venezuela? What repression? There is repression in the United States, where they kill African-Americans with impunity, and where they hunt the youngster Edward Snowden just for telling the truth,†Maduro fumed.
Former CIA technician and NSA contractor Snowden remains a fugitive without a passport, as he has remained stuck in Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport for nearly a month. Snowden requested temporary asylum from Russia and has not officially accepted Maduro's asylum offer, WikiLeaks says.
If extradited to the US, where Showden is wanted on espionage charges, he fears he could face inhumane treatment and even the death penalty for leaking details of the National Security Agency’s dragnet surveillance programs.
============
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@
============
Fri Jul 19, 2013 2:51 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.eur.
　
U.S. Army Europe
July 19, 2013
　
Exercise Rapid Trident 2013 comes to a close
By Maj. Mike Weisman, U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs
　
====
Several of the forces rotating through the situational training lanes were formed into multinational companies consisting of one or more platoons from one nation combined with troops from other nations, under a single company commander.
The diverse units were formed into a single multinational battalion during a field training exercise that involved conducting combined maneuver and wide-area security operations against an opposing force.
As in past iterations, this year's Rapid Trident continued the exercise'
Another important facet of the exercise was the participation of several Ukrainian units in a NATO Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation and Feedback Program. A team of inspectors from NATO's Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey evaluated units via a variety of technical inspections and skills demonstrations.
"The result is (that) we are certified as combat ready. These units are able to conduct operations with NATO forces."
====
YAVORIV, Ukraine: After two weeks of training, Exercise Rapid Trident 2013 officially ended July 19 with a closing ceremony at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center here.
Approximately 1,300 soldiers from 17 nations came together July 8-19 to participate in the U.S. Army Europe-led, U.S. European Command Joint Training and Exercise Program event designed to enhance interoperability between forces...
"I thought Rapid Trident 2013 was a great opportunity for multinational training," said Col. Alfred Renzi, director of assessments for the USAREUR operations directorate (G3) and this year’s exercise co-director. Between tactical platoons, STX (situational training) lane instructors, staff officers and observer/trainers, we took advantage of experience from 17 countries."
Soldiers from host nation Ukraine, along with forces from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Sweden, Turkey and the U.S., participated in this year’s exercise.
In the first week of the exercise, soldiers from each nation rotated through situational training exercises, honing small-unit tactics and exchanging techniques and methods with their multinational counterparts. Infantrymen trained on key tasks such as countering improvised explosive devices, convoy operations and dismounted patrolling.
Each of the situational training lanes was set up and run by a different partner nation...
"Rapid Trident provides the Canadian Forces a unique opportunity to work with our multinational partners to advance our skills and those of all participating nations," said Canadian contingent commander Maj. Stephen Hale, part of Land Force Atlantic Area based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "Our counter-IED trainers are among the best in the world. The skills they have gained on recent operations are passed on to prepare other soldiers for future operations."
Several of the forces rotating through the situational training lanes were formed into multinational companies consisting of one or more platoons from one nation combined with troops from other nations, under a single company commander.
"Rapid Trident has been a great exercise for improving small-unit tactics and multinational interoperability, especially at the company level," said Maj. Brent LeGreid, whose group of observer/coach/
...
The diverse units were formed into a single multinational battalion during a field training exercise that involved conducting combined maneuver and wide-area security operations against an opposing force. The battalion was built around a Ukrainian airborne infantry battalion staff and augmented with multinational staff elements. Several of the companies combined one or more platoons from multiple nations.
"We built a multinational battalion, even down to the company level," said Renzi.
The multinational battalion received direction from the Ukrainian 95th Separate Airborne Brigade headquarters staff, allowing both staffs to conduct command post operations to stress their planning and execution capabilities.
"In addition to trainers, Canada provides staff officers within the headquarters elements," said Hale. "Training in this way with partners ensures we are ready to work together on real operations when we are called upon."
This year marked the 11th iteration of the Rapid Trident exercises. The exercise was conducted under the name "Peace Shield" from 1998 to 2002.
USAREUR units that participated in the exercise included an airborne infantry company from USAREUR'
As in past iterations, this year's Rapid Trident continued the exercise'
Another important facet of the exercise was the participation of several Ukrainian units in a NATO Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation and Feedback Program. A team of inspectors from NATO's Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey evaluated units via a variety of technical inspections and skills demonstrations.
"We signed our evaluations with the NATO monitors," said Ukrainian Lt. Col. Ihor Zenin, deputy chief of the IPSC and director of the self-evaluation. "The result is (that) we are certified as combat ready. These units are able to conduct operations with NATO forces."
Renzi said the most valuable thing the units participating in Rapid Trident gained from the exercise was experience working with their partners and overcoming obstacles such as language barriers and differences in tactics and equipment.
...
USAREUR Commanding General Lt. Gen. Donald M. Campbell Jr. paid a visit to the exercise July 17 as part of a group of two dozen senior military and civilian officials from several nations. Campbell said he planned to discuss future Rapid Trident exercises with Ukrainian Land Forces Commander Col. Gen. Genadiy Vorobiov.
"It’s too good of a training exercise to not talk about it for the future," said Campbell.
　
U.S. Army Europe
July 19, 2013
　
Exercise Rapid Trident 2013 comes to a close
By Maj. Mike Weisman, U.S. Army Europe Public Affairs
　
====
Several of the forces rotating through the situational training lanes were formed into multinational companies consisting of one or more platoons from one nation combined with troops from other nations, under a single company commander.
The diverse units were formed into a single multinational battalion during a field training exercise that involved conducting combined maneuver and wide-area security operations against an opposing force.
As in past iterations, this year's Rapid Trident continued the exercise'
Another important facet of the exercise was the participation of several Ukrainian units in a NATO Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation and Feedback Program. A team of inspectors from NATO's Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey evaluated units via a variety of technical inspections and skills demonstrations.
"The result is (that) we are certified as combat ready. These units are able to conduct operations with NATO forces."
====
YAVORIV, Ukraine: After two weeks of training, Exercise Rapid Trident 2013 officially ended July 19 with a closing ceremony at the International Peacekeeping and Security Center here.
Approximately 1,300 soldiers from 17 nations came together July 8-19 to participate in the U.S. Army Europe-led, U.S. European Command Joint Training and Exercise Program event designed to enhance interoperability between forces...
"I thought Rapid Trident 2013 was a great opportunity for multinational training," said Col. Alfred Renzi, director of assessments for the USAREUR operations directorate (G3) and this year’s exercise co-director. Between tactical platoons, STX (situational training) lane instructors, staff officers and observer/trainers, we took advantage of experience from 17 countries."
Soldiers from host nation Ukraine, along with forces from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Moldova, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Sweden, Turkey and the U.S., participated in this year’s exercise.
In the first week of the exercise, soldiers from each nation rotated through situational training exercises, honing small-unit tactics and exchanging techniques and methods with their multinational counterparts. Infantrymen trained on key tasks such as countering improvised explosive devices, convoy operations and dismounted patrolling.
Each of the situational training lanes was set up and run by a different partner nation...
"Rapid Trident provides the Canadian Forces a unique opportunity to work with our multinational partners to advance our skills and those of all participating nations," said Canadian contingent commander Maj. Stephen Hale, part of Land Force Atlantic Area based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "Our counter-IED trainers are among the best in the world. The skills they have gained on recent operations are passed on to prepare other soldiers for future operations."
Several of the forces rotating through the situational training lanes were formed into multinational companies consisting of one or more platoons from one nation combined with troops from other nations, under a single company commander.
"Rapid Trident has been a great exercise for improving small-unit tactics and multinational interoperability, especially at the company level," said Maj. Brent LeGreid, whose group of observer/coach/
...
The diverse units were formed into a single multinational battalion during a field training exercise that involved conducting combined maneuver and wide-area security operations against an opposing force. The battalion was built around a Ukrainian airborne infantry battalion staff and augmented with multinational staff elements. Several of the companies combined one or more platoons from multiple nations.
"We built a multinational battalion, even down to the company level," said Renzi.
The multinational battalion received direction from the Ukrainian 95th Separate Airborne Brigade headquarters staff, allowing both staffs to conduct command post operations to stress their planning and execution capabilities.
"In addition to trainers, Canada provides staff officers within the headquarters elements," said Hale. "Training in this way with partners ensures we are ready to work together on real operations when we are called upon."
This year marked the 11th iteration of the Rapid Trident exercises. The exercise was conducted under the name "Peace Shield" from 1998 to 2002.
USAREUR units that participated in the exercise included an airborne infantry company from USAREUR'
As in past iterations, this year's Rapid Trident continued the exercise'
Another important facet of the exercise was the participation of several Ukrainian units in a NATO Operational Capabilities Concept Evaluation and Feedback Program. A team of inspectors from NATO's Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey evaluated units via a variety of technical inspections and skills demonstrations.
"We signed our evaluations with the NATO monitors," said Ukrainian Lt. Col. Ihor Zenin, deputy chief of the IPSC and director of the self-evaluation. "The result is (that) we are certified as combat ready. These units are able to conduct operations with NATO forces."
Renzi said the most valuable thing the units participating in Rapid Trident gained from the exercise was experience working with their partners and overcoming obstacles such as language barriers and differences in tactics and equipment.
...
USAREUR Commanding General Lt. Gen. Donald M. Campbell Jr. paid a visit to the exercise July 17 as part of a group of two dozen senior military and civilian officials from several nations. Campbell said he planned to discuss future Rapid Trident exercises with Ukrainian Land Forces Commander Col. Gen. Genadiy Vorobiov.
"It’s too good of a training exercise to not talk about it for the future," said Campbell.
