4 New Messages
Digest #4812
Messages
Fri Sep 20, 2013 11:33 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://rt.com/
RT
September 20, 2013
Bolivian president to sue US govt for crimes against humanity
Bolivian President Evo Morales will file a lawsuit against the US
government for crimes against humanity. He has decried the US for
its intimidation tactics and fear-mongering after the Venezuelan
presidential jet was blocked from entering US airspace.
“I would like to announce that we are preparing a lawsuit
against Barack Obama to condemn him for crimes against
humanity,” said President Morales at a press conference in
the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz. He branded the US president as a
“criminal” who violates international law.
In solidarity with Venezuela, Bolivia will begin preparing a
lawsuit against the US head of state to be taken to the
international court. Furthermore, Morales has called an emergency
meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
(CELAC) to discuss what has been condemned by Venezuela as
“an act of intimidation by North American
imperialism.”
The Bolivian president has suggested that the members of CELAC
withdraw their ambassadors from the US to send a message to the
Obama Administration. As an additional measure he will call on
the member nations of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas to
boycott the next meeting of the UN. Members of the Alliance
include Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Nicaragua,
Venezuela and Saint Lucia.
“The US cannot be allowed to continue with its policy of
intimidation and blockading presidential flights,”
stressed Morales.
The Venezuelan government announced on Thursday that President
Nicolas Maduro’s plane had been denied entry into Puerto
Rican (US) airspace.
“We have received the information from American officials
that we have been denied travel over its airspace,”
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said, speaking to
reporters during an official meeting with his South African
counterpart. Jaua decried the move “as yet another act of
aggression on the part of North American imperialism against the
government of the Bolivarian Republic.”
President Maduro was due to arrive in Beijing this weekend for
bilateral talks with the Chinese government. Jaua was adamant
that the Venezuelan leader would reach his destination,
regardless of any perceived interference.
The US government has not yet made any statement regarding the
closing of its airspace to the Venezuelan presidential plane.
Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the US.
Relations on the rocks
Washington’s relations with Latin America have
deteriorated since the beginning of the year following the aerial
blockade that forced Bolivian President Evo Morales’ plane
to land in Austria in July. Several EU countries closed their
airspace to the presidential jet because of suspicions that
former CIA employee Edward Snowden - wanted in the US on
espionage charges - was on board. Bolivia alleged that the US was
behind the aerial blockade.
In response to the incident, Latin American leaders joined
together in condemnation of what they described as
“neo-colonial intimidation.”
Later in the year, the revelations on the US’ global spy
network released by Edward Snowden did little to improve
relations. Leaked wires revealed that the National Security
Agency (NSA) had monitored the private communications of both the
Brazilian and Mexican presidents.
The Brazilian government denounced the NSA surveillance as
“impermissible and unacceptable,” and a violation
of Brazilian sovereignty. As a result of US spying Brazilian
President Dilma Rousseff has postponed a state visit to
Washington in October.
============
===
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
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Stop NATO website and articles:
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============
=====
RT
September 20, 2013
Bolivian president to sue US govt for crimes against humanity
Bolivian President Evo Morales will file a lawsuit against the US
government for crimes against humanity. He has decried the US for
its intimidation tactics and fear-mongering after the Venezuelan
presidential jet was blocked from entering US airspace.
“I would like to announce that we are preparing a lawsuit
against Barack Obama to condemn him for crimes against
humanity,” said President Morales at a press conference in
the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz. He branded the US president as a
“criminal” who violates international law.
In solidarity with Venezuela, Bolivia will begin preparing a
lawsuit against the US head of state to be taken to the
international court. Furthermore, Morales has called an emergency
meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
(CELAC) to discuss what has been condemned by Venezuela as
“an act of intimidation by North American
imperialism.”
The Bolivian president has suggested that the members of CELAC
withdraw their ambassadors from the US to send a message to the
Obama Administration. As an additional measure he will call on
the member nations of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas to
boycott the next meeting of the UN. Members of the Alliance
include Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, Nicaragua,
Venezuela and Saint Lucia.
“The US cannot be allowed to continue with its policy of
intimidation and blockading presidential flights,”
stressed Morales.
The Venezuelan government announced on Thursday that President
Nicolas Maduro’s plane had been denied entry into Puerto
Rican (US) airspace.
“We have received the information from American officials
that we have been denied travel over its airspace,”
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua said, speaking to
reporters during an official meeting with his South African
counterpart. Jaua decried the move “as yet another act of
aggression on the part of North American imperialism against the
government of the Bolivarian Republic.”
President Maduro was due to arrive in Beijing this weekend for
bilateral talks with the Chinese government. Jaua was adamant
that the Venezuelan leader would reach his destination,
regardless of any perceived interference.
The US government has not yet made any statement regarding the
closing of its airspace to the Venezuelan presidential plane.
Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the US.
Relations on the rocks
Washington’s relations with Latin America have
deteriorated since the beginning of the year following the aerial
blockade that forced Bolivian President Evo Morales’ plane
to land in Austria in July. Several EU countries closed their
airspace to the presidential jet because of suspicions that
former CIA employee Edward Snowden - wanted in the US on
espionage charges - was on board. Bolivia alleged that the US was
behind the aerial blockade.
In response to the incident, Latin American leaders joined
together in condemnation of what they described as
“neo-colonial intimidation.”
Later in the year, the revelations on the US’ global spy
network released by Edward Snowden did little to improve
relations. Leaked wires revealed that the National Security
Agency (NSA) had monitored the private communications of both the
Brazilian and Mexican presidents.
The Brazilian government denounced the NSA surveillance as
“impermissible and unacceptable,” and a violation
of Brazilian sovereignty. As a result of US spying Brazilian
President Dilma Rousseff has postponed a state visit to
Washington in October.
============
===
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 Sep 20, 2013 11:33 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.eucom.
United States European Command
September 20, 2013
U.S. Army and Moldovan troops assess EUCOM humanitarian projects
By Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Chlosta, 7th Civil Support Command
CHISINAU, Moldova: Soldiers from the U.S. Army Reserve'
Five Soldiers from Company A, 457th Civil Affairs Battalion, 361st Civil Affairs Brigade, partnered with Moldovan Soldiers to evaluate seven EUCOM projects...
“We are here to evaluate how the HA projects align with the Department of State and European Command’s strategic objectives,” said Capt. Nathan Gardner, Company A’s commander, who led the team. “EUCOM provides the funding for these projects. We’re here representing the EUCOM HA program.”
Gardner, a Rocky Mount, N.C.-native, said the assessments determine if the projects were effectively implemented and are being sustained by Moldova, a partner nation. They give their work to EUCOM headquarters and the U.S. Embassy in Moldova’s Office of Defense Cooperation
...
At each site, the team spoke with key leaders, project supervisors and people who use the services, Pekarcik said. Roughly 50 percent of the Moldovan citizens interviewed knew of U.S. involvement in the projects.
“One of the shop owners knew that the U.S. had invested money to get the project going,” Pekarcik said, after a fire station visit. “We’re seeing that they have an idea that the U.S. was involved, but they don’t know all the details.”
...
Moldovan Soldiers made key contributions to the assessments and reports, Gardner said, as they “view the projects from a Moldova perspective.”
Moldovan Army 1st Lt. Simion Bitca, a military intelligence officer from Moldova’s special forces battalion, was familiar with the U.S. projects, how they are managed and how U.S. troops operate overseas.
“It’s important for us because we have similar activities,” Bitca said. “It will be a good experience for us for the future projects in our country or also for the future missions for my battalion.”
Having Moldovan soldiers on the team builds their capabilities and shapes ours, said Staff Sgt. David Heath, a Company A team sergeant.
...
============
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@
============
United States European Command
September 20, 2013
U.S. Army and Moldovan troops assess EUCOM humanitarian projects
By Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Chlosta, 7th Civil Support Command
CHISINAU, Moldova: Soldiers from the U.S. Army Reserve'
Five Soldiers from Company A, 457th Civil Affairs Battalion, 361st Civil Affairs Brigade, partnered with Moldovan Soldiers to evaluate seven EUCOM projects...
“We are here to evaluate how the HA projects align with the Department of State and European Command’s strategic objectives,” said Capt. Nathan Gardner, Company A’s commander, who led the team. “EUCOM provides the funding for these projects. We’re here representing the EUCOM HA program.”
Gardner, a Rocky Mount, N.C.-native, said the assessments determine if the projects were effectively implemented and are being sustained by Moldova, a partner nation. They give their work to EUCOM headquarters and the U.S. Embassy in Moldova’s Office of Defense Cooperation
...
At each site, the team spoke with key leaders, project supervisors and people who use the services, Pekarcik said. Roughly 50 percent of the Moldovan citizens interviewed knew of U.S. involvement in the projects.
“One of the shop owners knew that the U.S. had invested money to get the project going,” Pekarcik said, after a fire station visit. “We’re seeing that they have an idea that the U.S. was involved, but they don’t know all the details.”
...
Moldovan Soldiers made key contributions to the assessments and reports, Gardner said, as they “view the projects from a Moldova perspective.”
Moldovan Army 1st Lt. Simion Bitca, a military intelligence officer from Moldova’s special forces battalion, was familiar with the U.S. projects, how they are managed and how U.S. troops operate overseas.
“It’s important for us because we have similar activities,” Bitca said. “It will be a good experience for us for the future projects in our country or also for the future missions for my battalion.”
Having Moldovan soldiers on the team builds their capabilities and shapes ours, said Staff Sgt. David Heath, a Company A team sergeant.
...
============
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 Sep 20, 2013 1:43 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.usafe.
U.S. Air Foces in Europe - U.S. Air Forces Africa
September 19, 2013
Allied forces exercise over Norwegian training area
By 1st Lt. Christopher Mesnard
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
ØRLAND, Norway: The first-ever Exercise Arctic Challenge, which includes more than 60 aircraft from five partner nations, began here Sept. 16.
Norwegian F-16 Fighting Falcons, Swedish JAS-39 Gripens, Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and U.K. Eurofighter Typhoons took to the skies with U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles, F-15C Eagles and KC-135 Stratotankers to train in a combined environment. They incorporated both strategic planning and tactical war fighting simulations, practicing in-flight maneuvers and communication strategies with each other.
"[Our] air force has, in periods, had the need to train at bigger scenarios with more aircraft, and this is difficult in Norway, with only our own planes at [our] disposal," said Col. Baid Solheim, Main Air Station Bodø base commander. "Before the cross border training we had to deploy to foreign, far away countries to fly against other types of aircraft, [now] we fly directly from Bodø. In this way it's very efficient in costs."
The Arctic Challenge exercise focused on bringing the Scandinavian nations, the U.S. and the U.K. together in the air, to challenge pilots to react quickly and work together to achieve common goals. During times of maximum participation, more than 60 aircraft are expected to partake in the war-fighting scenarios.
"During this exercise, we will face almost every scenario that could be seen in any war or conflict," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Rich Stringer, 494th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations and lead project officer for the 48th Fighter Wing's participation in the exercise. The different aircraft will take turns as the aggressors and will be tested on how they can respond to a variety of scenarios, according to Stringer.
The purpose of this exercise is to train air forces to operate cohesively. Arctic Challenge, in particular, allows multiple nations to perform aerial operations simultaneously; give critical feedback on how to improve processes; and become a more efficient and effective force -- especially in a multi-national environment.
"These exercises provide the U.S. and NATO forces (and regional partners) an opportunity to integrate their operations at both the tactical and strategic levels with a high level of fidelity that could not otherwise be achieved without live-fly exercises," said Capt. Timothy Gerne, 100th Operations Support Squadron chief of wing weapons and tactics and director of operations for the 100th Air Refueling Wing portion of the exercise. "Similar to a Red Flag exercise in mission sets, large force numbers and multinational integration, the benefits of hosting locally allows us and our allies to focus resources toward operations."
In addition to flying with allies, Airmen from Royal Air Force Mildenhall combined the exercise with a simulated deployment. The movement tested many assets in U.S. Air Forces in Europe including air lift, medical, legal and financial services.
"This exercise improves the readiness of everyone because of the variety of scenarios and the high level of skill that we are flying with and against," said Stringer. "The Finns, Swedes, British, and Norwegians are all very skilled aviators and have very competent forces."
The Arctic Challenge exercise is scheduled to continue until Sept. 26, before culminating in a final scenario which tests the pilots on their ability to operate in a diverse force.
(Editor'
U.S. Air Foces in Europe - U.S. Air Forces Africa
September 19, 2013
Allied forces exercise over Norwegian training area
By 1st Lt. Christopher Mesnard
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
ØRLAND, Norway: The first-ever Exercise Arctic Challenge, which includes more than 60 aircraft from five partner nations, began here Sept. 16.
Norwegian F-16 Fighting Falcons, Swedish JAS-39 Gripens, Finnish F/A-18 Hornets and U.K. Eurofighter Typhoons took to the skies with U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles, F-15C Eagles and KC-135 Stratotankers to train in a combined environment. They incorporated both strategic planning and tactical war fighting simulations, practicing in-flight maneuvers and communication strategies with each other.
"[Our] air force has, in periods, had the need to train at bigger scenarios with more aircraft, and this is difficult in Norway, with only our own planes at [our] disposal," said Col. Baid Solheim, Main Air Station Bodø base commander. "Before the cross border training we had to deploy to foreign, far away countries to fly against other types of aircraft, [now] we fly directly from Bodø. In this way it's very efficient in costs."
The Arctic Challenge exercise focused on bringing the Scandinavian nations, the U.S. and the U.K. together in the air, to challenge pilots to react quickly and work together to achieve common goals. During times of maximum participation, more than 60 aircraft are expected to partake in the war-fighting scenarios.
"During this exercise, we will face almost every scenario that could be seen in any war or conflict," said U.S. Air Force Maj. Rich Stringer, 494th Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations and lead project officer for the 48th Fighter Wing's participation in the exercise. The different aircraft will take turns as the aggressors and will be tested on how they can respond to a variety of scenarios, according to Stringer.
The purpose of this exercise is to train air forces to operate cohesively. Arctic Challenge, in particular, allows multiple nations to perform aerial operations simultaneously; give critical feedback on how to improve processes; and become a more efficient and effective force -- especially in a multi-national environment.
"These exercises provide the U.S. and NATO forces (and regional partners) an opportunity to integrate their operations at both the tactical and strategic levels with a high level of fidelity that could not otherwise be achieved without live-fly exercises," said Capt. Timothy Gerne, 100th Operations Support Squadron chief of wing weapons and tactics and director of operations for the 100th Air Refueling Wing portion of the exercise. "Similar to a Red Flag exercise in mission sets, large force numbers and multinational integration, the benefits of hosting locally allows us and our allies to focus resources toward operations."
In addition to flying with allies, Airmen from Royal Air Force Mildenhall combined the exercise with a simulated deployment. The movement tested many assets in U.S. Air Forces in Europe including air lift, medical, legal and financial services.
"This exercise improves the readiness of everyone because of the variety of scenarios and the high level of skill that we are flying with and against," said Stringer. "The Finns, Swedes, British, and Norwegians are all very skilled aviators and have very competent forces."
The Arctic Challenge exercise is scheduled to continue until Sept. 26, before culminating in a final scenario which tests the pilots on their ability to operate in a diverse force.
(Editor'
Fri Sep 20, 2013 7:33 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://castroller.
Progressive Radio Network
September 20, 2013
Stephan Lendman and Rick Rozoff
Audio:
http://castroller.
Progressive Radio Network
September 20, 2013
Stephan Lendman and Rick Rozoff
Audio:
http://castroller.
