16 May, 2011 — Stop NATO
- Russia Could Withdraw From START Over U.S.-NATO Missile Shield
- Four NATO Soldiers Killed In Afghan Bomb Blast
- Reports: NATO Killed Five Afghan Women, One Boy On Sunday
- U.S. Missile Strike Kills At Least Seven In Pakistan
- Pakistan: Call For Expulsion Of U.S. Envoy, Ban On NATO Transit
- General Leads NATO Delegation To Azerbaijan
- Montenegro Moves Closer To Full NATO Membership
- Georgian Opposition: U.S. Supports Autocracy, Pseudo-Democracy
- British Military Brass Tour NATO Training Mission-Iraq Headquarters
Russia Could Withdraw From START Over U.S.-NATO Missile Shield
rt.com/politics/nato-missile-defense-medvedev/
RT
May 16, 2011
Moscow may quit START over US deploying missile shield in Europe
Further deployment of the US missile defense system in Europe gives Russia the right to withdraw from the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said.
“START may become a hostage of the so-called US European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA),” Ryabkov said at Monday’s meeting of the Expert Council on cooperation between Russia and NATO at the State Duma.
The official noted that Moscow has repeatedly warned its partners that if the scale of the US missile defense system creates a threat to Russia’s strategic nuclear forces, Russia has the right to withdraw from the agreement. That would be considered “an exceptional circumstance” mentioned in Article 14 of the New START.
He added that Russia will have to take responsive measures if the US and NATO develop their missile defense shield without taking Moscow’s opinion into account.
“In this situation, we will have to take the necessary measures to restore the disrupted balance of power,” Ryabkov said, cites Interfax.
The official also observed that Moscow is disappointed over Washington’s denial to give legal guarantees that the US missile defense system will not be targeted against Russia.
“We are disappointed with the reaction of Washington; this is a negative reaction,” he said.
The historic agreement – the New START – was signed by Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev on April 8, 2010, in Prague.
On Saturday, President Dmitry Medvedev sent letters to Russia-NATO Council members in which he reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to contribute to maintaining strategic stability and security by creating a joint missile defense system in Europe.
“The Lisbon summit of the Russia-NATO Council on November 20, 2010, opened up opportunities for building strategic partnership based on the principles of equality, indivisible security, mutual trust, transparency, and predictability,” the president’s letter reads, the Kremlin press service reported on Saturday.
Medvedev confirmed Russia’s readiness – voiced at the summit – to take a share of responsibility for maintaining strategic stability and security, including through the creation of a joint missile defense system in Europe. He underlined that the system could only be truly efficient and viable if Russia participates in the project as an equal member. The Russian President stressed the need for guarantees that the shield being deployed in Europe will not undermine strategic stability and will not be aimed against one of the sides.
Almost half-a-year on after Moscow was officially invited to participate in the missile defense program, the sides have not managed to iron out differences in their views on the planned system.
Moscow said it was ready to assume protection of its sector in Europe from a missile threat in the framework of the so-called “sectoral” approach put forward by Medvedev. The general idea is that Europe would be divided into sectors and each side – Russia and the Western partners – would defend their sector of responsibility. Moscow has also warned that if no compromise is found on missile defense and the West ends up building its own shield, Russia would have no choice but to respond with military measures.
On May 4, at the meeting of commanders of the general staffs of the Russia-NATO Council 29 member states in Brussels, Russia’s General Nikolay Makarov said that Moscow would insist that the alliance would guarantee that its European missile defense would not pose a threat to Russia’s strategic nuclear forces.
“We intend to seek firm guarantees on de-targeting missile defense against Russia’s nuclear potential. We will wait for proposals from NATO. We hope that our European colleagues will understand us”, Makarov said. “We cannot create the security situation in Europe depending on the Russian-US agreements as it was during the Cold War times,” he added, cited Itar-Tass.
The gathering took place shortly after the US announced its plans to deploy interceptor missiles in Romania, which raised serious concerns in Moscow.
Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said on Friday that the Brussels talks brought no breakthrough.
“We cannot watch indifferently as the US is deploying near our borders elements of its missile defense system, which can reach as far as the Urals,” he told journalists in Moscow. Russia is being told that its security would only benefit from it as Americans would be able to intercept missiles over the Russian territory. However, Moscow is not happy with such an approach as it can provide its national security itself, he added.
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Four NATO Soldiers Killed In Afghan Bomb Blast
www.dawn.com/2011/05/16/four-nato-soldiers-die-in-afghan-bomb-blast.html
Agence France-Presse
May 16, 2011
Four Nato soldiers die in Afghan bomb blast
KABUL: Four Nato soldiers were killed Monday in a bomb attack in southern Afghanistan, one of the toughest battlegrounds in a nearly 10-year Taliban insurgency, the alliance said in a statement.
The US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Nato’s mission in the war-torn country, did not provide the nationalities of the casualties, leaving it to their native countries to do so.
“Four International Security Assistance Force service members died following an improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan today,” it said without giving any further details.
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Reports: NATO Killed Five Afghan Women, One Boy On Sunday
www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/05/16/nato-examines-civilian-casualty-claims-kunar
Pajhwok Afghan News
May 16, 2011
NATO examines civilian casualty claims in Kunar
KABUL: NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on Monday said it was investigating media claims of possible civilian causalities from a military operation in eastern Kunar province.
The force said in a statement that it had learned of local media reports saying its forces killed at least one civilian in Ghaziabad district on Sunday. Some reports said one boy was killed, while others reported that five women died.
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U.S. Missile Strike Kills At Least Seven In Pakistan
news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-05/17/c_13877751.htm
Xinhua News Agency
May 16, 2011
7 killed in U.S. drone strike in northwest Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: At least seven people were killed Monday night when U.S. drones fired two missiles at a militant school in the Miranshah area of North Waziristan, a tribal area in northwest Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan, the local Urdu TV channel Samaa reported.
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Pakistan: Call For Expulsion Of U.S. Envoy, Ban On NATO Transit
www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C05%5C17%5Cstory_17-5-2011_pg7_22
Daily Times
May 17, 2011
LHC moved to expel US envoy, ban NATO supply
LAHORE: Barrister Iqbal Jaffree moved a petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday calling for the expulsion of the US ambassador from the country, a ban on transit facilities to the US until it apologises over the Abbottabad operation, and finally to take the matter to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
He said that “cowardly” policies made by Pakistani rulers, including Nawaz Sharif, Benazir Bhutto and Pervez Musharraf, gave courage to the US to carry out a military operation within Pakistani territory.
He stated, “All the leaders lack the courage to stand against the US as all have been taking dollars from it by handing over innocent Pakistanis.”
Jaffree stated that the US military operation in Abbottabad challenged the country’s sovereignty and independence. He stated that US Ambassador Cameron Munter should be banished form Pakistan until and unless he offers an official apology to the government as well as the citizens.
He requested that the Pakistani government be directed to take the issue to the ICJ. He stated that the US is bound to accept the jurisdiction of ICJ under a treaty of friendship agreed in 1959.
He also urged that the government should withdraw its ambassador from the US. He further requested that NATO supplies should be stopped at once until the US tenders an official apology over the Abbottabad incident.
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General Leads NATO Delegation To Azerbaijan
en.trend.az/news/politics/1876514.html
Trend News Agency
May 16, 2011
NATO experts to visit Azerbaijan
K. Zarbaliyeva
Baku: Experts of NATO/the USA will visit Azerbaijan on May 23-25 to continue expert assistance to the Azerbaijani Armed Forces Military Academy in the field of education, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry.
Brigadier General Michael P. Jorgensen, Joint Plans Branch Head at JFC Headquarters Brunssum, will visit the country on May 17-19.
Azerbaijani servicemen this month will take part in events organized by NATO in Baku. The militaries will participate in courses on “Planning of operations and logistical support to the multinational forces” on May 16-20 in Baku. The courses will be conducted by mobile teams of teachers of the NATO Air Staff.
Then, Azerbaijani troops will participate in the next meeting of the working group of supporters and experts in governance at the headquarters of NATO on May 23-27.
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Montenegro Moves Closer To Full NATO Membership
www.balkans.com/open-news.php?uniquenumber=105346
Balkans.com
May 16, 2011
Montenegro is making notable progress in meeting all NATO accession criteria
Montenegro is making notable progress in meeting all NATO accession criteria, most notably in the legislative and oversight activity of the Parliament, state administration reform, fight against corruption and organised crime, and the rule of law and freedom of the media, said Prime Minister Luk?i? in his meeting with several NATO member-states’ ambassadors (Bulgaria, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia and Spain).
“Our European agenda goes hand in hand with our NATO integration, and the sooner we fulfil our European commitments the closer we will be to Alliance membership, since EU integration reforms will bring us closer to NATO standards,” PM Luk?i? summed up Montenegro’s integration vision.
…PM Luk?i? said…that Montenegro has deployed soldiers and medical teams in peace-keeping operations and will soon take part in the regional team of instructors to be deployed in Afghanistan. The ambassadors welcomed Montenegro’s involvement…
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Georgian Opposition: U.S. Supports Autocracy, Pseudo-Democracy
www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?pg=2&id=243920
Interfax
May 16, 2011
Georgia demo demands that U.S. stop backing Saakashvili
TBILISI: About 300 demonstrators who gathered outside the U.S. embassy in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on Monday demanded that the United States stop supporting Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
“We don’t want pseudo-democracy, and the U.S. support for the regime of Saakashvili means support for autocracy. We want the American government to support the people of Georgia and not Saakashvili,” former ombudsman Sozar Subari, leader of the opposition Georgian Party, said during the demonstration, which represented his party.
“We need normal relations with Russia and great solidarity from the U.S.,” said another Georgian Party leader, Levan Gachechiladze. “With the incumbent president, Saakashvili, being in office, Georgia can have no effective foreign or domestic policy.”
The demonstrators passed to an embassy official a letter to U.S. President Barack Obama.
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British Military Brass Tour NATO Training Mission-Iraq Headquarters
www.aco.nato.int/page424203427.aspx
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
May 16, 2011
UK Chief of Joint Operations visits NATO Training Mission-Iraq
Baghdad: British Royal Air Force Air Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, the chief of Joint Operations for the United Kingdom’s Permanent Joint Headquarters, accompanied by the Commander of British Forces-Iraq Brig. Max Marriner visited the NATO Training Mission-Iraq Headquarters at Forward Operating Base Union III here May 13.
NTM-I’s Training, Education and Doctrine Division Chief, British Army Brig. Mark Pountain and NTM-I Chief of Staff, Col. Mike Russell welcomed the generals.
During the visit Peach met with NTM-I Deputy Commander, Italian Army Maj. Gen. Claudio Angelelli; and discussed several issues regarding NTM-I activities.
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NTM-I has been training, mentoring and advising officers in the Iraqi Security Forces since 2004, in order to assist the Government of Iraq resume its important place in the international community and to improve the security of all Iraqi people with democratic security forces.
The UK supports the NATO Training Mission in Iraq as the second largest contributor and one of the 13 NATO nations present in NTM-I plus one Partner for Peace nation as follows:
Albania, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Turkey, United States and one PfP nation, Ukraine.
There are currently 41 UK personnel serving in the NTM-I Mission from all 3 Services; within the NTM-I HQ and at the Iraqi National Defence University in Baghdad; at the Military Academy and Joint Staff College in Rustamiyah; and at the NCOs Training Regional Center in Taji.
The New Dark Age 