Showing posts with label NATO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NATO. Show all posts
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Monday, December 7, 2009
The Great Game: U.S., NATO War In Afghanistan - Fifty or more countries in a single war theater
The U.S. (and Britain) began bombing the Afghan capital of Kabul on October 7, 2001 with Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from warships and submarines and bombs dropped from warplanes and shortly thereafter American special forces began ground operations, a task that has been conducted since by regular Army and Marine units. The bombing and the ground combat operations continue more than eight years later and both will be intensified to record levels in short order.
The combined U.S. and NATO forces would represent a staggering number, in excess of 150,000 soldiers. By way of comparison, as of September of this year there were approximately 120,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and only a small handful of other nations' personnel, those assigned to the NATO Training Mission - Iraq, remaining with them.
"Secretary Gates has made clear that the conflicts we're in should be at the very forefront of our agenda. He wants to make sure we're not giving up capabilities needed now for those needed for some unknown future conflict. He wants to make sure the Pentagon is truly on war footing....For the first time in decades, the political and economic stars are aligned for a fundamental overhaul of the way the Pentagon does business." ....
The combined U.S. and NATO forces would represent a staggering number, in excess of 150,000 soldiers. By way of comparison, as of September of this year there were approximately 120,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and only a small handful of other nations' personnel, those assigned to the NATO Training Mission - Iraq, remaining with them.
"Secretary Gates has made clear that the conflicts we're in should be at the very forefront of our agenda. He wants to make sure we're not giving up capabilities needed now for those needed for some unknown future conflict. He wants to make sure the Pentagon is truly on war footing....For the first time in decades, the political and economic stars are aligned for a fundamental overhaul of the way the Pentagon does business." ....
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=16422
Friday, December 4, 2009
Russia wants NATO, OSCE replaced with new security pact to restrict the United States' ability to act unilaterally around the world
Published: Friday December 04, 2009President Dmitry Medvedev published what he called a draft proposal for a new European security treaty that Russia wants to supplant Cold War-era organizations like the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
The proposal appeared on the president's website on November 29, ahead of the annual OSCE Ministerial meeting and session of the Russia-NATO cooperation council, and received mixed reactions in the West.
The proposal is seen as part of Moscow's efforts to restrict the United States' ability to act unilaterally around the world, while reasserting own international role through the United Nations Security Council.
According to RFE/RL, President Medvedev first discussed Russia's intention to propose a new treaty during his trip to Germany in June 2008.
"I'm convinced that Europe's problems won't be solved until its unity is established, an organic wholeness of all its integral parts, including Russia," Mr. Medvedev said at the time, calling the United States, the European Union, and the Russian Federation the "three branches of European civilization."
Source:
http://www.reporter.am/go/article/2009-12-04-russia-wants-nato-osce-replaced-with-new-security-pact
Friday, November 27, 2009
PressTV.ir | Two NATO commanders wore Nazi regalia in Afghanistan
It has just been discovered that two commanders of the Czech military working under NATO command used Nazi symbols on their helmets during their deployment in Afghanistan.
The story was made public after Czech police serving in Afghanistan reported the case, the Russia Today website reported on Tuesday.
According to the daily Mlada fronta Dnes, the soldiers, identified as Hynek Matonoha and Jan Cermak, wore the symbols of the 9th SS panzer division Hohenstaufen and the SS Dirlewanger brigade respectively, which were probably the most infamous SS combat units of World War II.
Unaware of their sordid actions, Czech Defense Minister Martin Bartak decorated the soldiers for bravery on Friday after their return from Afghanistan.
Later, the minister said that at the time, he had not yet learned about the helmet controversy, which has caused quite a stir among the country's armed forces.
A specialist in extremism, Michal Mazel, has rejected the excuse given by one of the men, who said that he had unintentionally used the symbols.
“He is an elite troop who graduated from university, he is no teenager. The SS symbols on their helmets show a totally perverse view of the world of the NATO military's elite troop,” Russia Today quoted Mazel as saying.
Anti-violence activists say the case with the soldiers is nothing new for the Czech Republic.
“There were several attacks on Roma and other communities in recent years, and these problems in our army, of course, shocked all Czech people,” said Ivona Novomestska, spokesperson for an anti-violence movement.
Petr Prochazka, the commander of the Czech contingent in Afghanistan's Logar province, had ordered that any photographs showing the controversial helmet covers be burnt.
After the facts came out, the commanders were immediately suspended, and they will be facing disciplinary action for their conduct.
Source:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=112118§ionid=351020403
The story was made public after Czech police serving in Afghanistan reported the case, the Russia Today website reported on Tuesday.
According to the daily Mlada fronta Dnes, the soldiers, identified as Hynek Matonoha and Jan Cermak, wore the symbols of the 9th SS panzer division Hohenstaufen and the SS Dirlewanger brigade respectively, which were probably the most infamous SS combat units of World War II.
Unaware of their sordid actions, Czech Defense Minister Martin Bartak decorated the soldiers for bravery on Friday after their return from Afghanistan.
Later, the minister said that at the time, he had not yet learned about the helmet controversy, which has caused quite a stir among the country's armed forces.
A specialist in extremism, Michal Mazel, has rejected the excuse given by one of the men, who said that he had unintentionally used the symbols.
“He is an elite troop who graduated from university, he is no teenager. The SS symbols on their helmets show a totally perverse view of the world of the NATO military's elite troop,” Russia Today quoted Mazel as saying.
Anti-violence activists say the case with the soldiers is nothing new for the Czech Republic.
“There were several attacks on Roma and other communities in recent years, and these problems in our army, of course, shocked all Czech people,” said Ivona Novomestska, spokesperson for an anti-violence movement.
Petr Prochazka, the commander of the Czech contingent in Afghanistan's Logar province, had ordered that any photographs showing the controversial helmet covers be burnt.
After the facts came out, the commanders were immediately suspended, and they will be facing disciplinary action for their conduct.
Source:
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=112118§ionid=351020403
Saturday, November 21, 2009
WhatReallyHappened.com | NATO calls on Israel for naval support
November 21, 2009 - Ties between Israel and NATO have firmed with the decision by NATO to tap the Israeli navy for assistance.
Israel will send one of its warships to the Mediterranean to join NATO's Active Endeavor naval force, patrols the Eastern Mediterranean and monitors shipping to help detect, deter and protect against terrorist activity, boarding ships when necessary.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Straits Time | Friendly fire kills 7 Afghanistan Security Personnel with mis-targeted NATO air strike in remote NW
KABUL - November 8, 2009 - SEVEN Afghan security personnel were killed in a mis-targeted Nato air strike in the remote northwest, the defence ministry said on Saturday, signalling further trouble for a fraying Western military effort.
The 'friendly fire' incident occurred when Nato and Afghan forces searching for two missing American paratroopers in the barren, rugged area clashed with the Taleban.
'Due to a Nato forces air strike on November 6 in Badghis province, seven Afghan security personnel (both army and national police) were martyred and also some were wounded,' the ministry said in a statement.
Nato's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said that more than 25 ISAF and Afghan security personnel were killed or wounded during the joint operation.
It said it was investigating whether some of those casualties resulted from friendly fire. However, one Western military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed to AFP that it appeared to be a 'blue-on-blue incident' - a military term for friendly fire - with 'a huge number of casualties'.
Afghan defence ministry spokesman Mohammad Zahir Azimi told AFP there was no doubt Afghan personnel had been killed and injured by their international partners. 'It was an erroneous air strike which caused casualties to friendly forces,' he said. -- AFP
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
AFP | NATO chief pledges probe into Afghan air raid
The NATO air strike destroyed two fuel tankers hijacked by the Taliban in Afghanistan's volatile northern Kunduz province, igniting a fireball that ...
Related:
Reuters | Afghanistan tribal elder: Taliban fighters had hijacked 2 tankers and were offering fuel to a crowd of villagers when bombed by NATO forces - 80 dead.
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Ties between Israel and NATO have firmed with the decision by NATO to tap the Israeli navy for assistance.
Israel will send one of its warships to the Mediterranean to join NATO's Active Endeavor naval force, patrols the Eastern Mediterranean and monitors shipping to help detect, deter and protect against terrorist activity, boarding ships when necessary.
The operation is conducted from the Allied Maritime Component Command Naples, Italy through a Task Force deployed in the Mediterranean.
An Israeli liason officer is already with the force.
The Deputy Secretary-General of NATO Claudio Bisogniero will will be in Israel on Monday and Tuesday of next week. He will lead a delegation which will conduct high level talks with Israeli officials on the Israeli participation in the Mediterranean.
During his visit to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Bisogniero will meet with Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Avigdor Liberman, the Chairman and members of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset, the Deputy Minister of Defense Matan Vilnai, the Head of the National Security Council of Israel Dr.Uzi Arad, and other government officials.
If all goes according to plam the Israeli warship will likely join the NATO force early next year.
Arrangements have been agreed for the Israeli vessel to circumvent missions involving Arab territorial waters.