23 July 2011 — Stop NATO

• Libya: NATO Strikes Civilian Targets
• NATO Attack Helicopters Intensify Raids Along Libyan Coast
• Jordanians Hold Demonstration Against U.S. Interference In Region
• Georgia: U.S. Marines Train ‘High-Quality Combat Units’
• Japanese F-15s Arrive For Red Flag-Alaska

Libya: NATO Strikes Civilian Targets

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/07/22/158831.html

Al Arabiya
July 22, 2011

Libya: NATO Strikes Civilian Spots

…Foreign media in Libya have shown what the government said were the sites of a number of NATO air strikes on civilian targets.

Journalists were taken to Zlitan, while air strikes were ongoing. A number of loud explosions were heard and smoke rose on the horizon from several miles away.

In a Zlitan hospital male patients told reporters they had been injured in a separate strike on Zlitan that targeted a civilian neighborhood, killing members of at least one family and injuring others.

The media have also visited a construction company site which had suffered extensive damage. A spokesman said the site belonged to a civilian, commercial concern and had no military connections.

====

NATO Attack Helicopters Intensify Raids Along Libyan Coast

http://www.janes.com/products/janes/defence-security-report.aspx?ID=1065930099&channel=defence

Jane’s
July 22, 2011

NATO attack helos conduct raiding campaign over Libya
By Tim Ripley

UK and French attack helicopters (AHs) have been conducting a raiding strategy along the length of the Libyan coastline to keep regime forces off balance and uncertain as to where the next attack will come from, according to UK Army Air Corps (AAC) commanders involved in the mission over the North African country.

‘AH attacks are a visible demonstration of NATO resolve,’ Lieutenant Colonel Phillip Cook, head of the UK’s Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) Air Manoeuvre Planning Team (AMPT), told a media briefing on 8 July. ‘We are operating from Brega [on the eastern edge of regime-controlled territory] to Zuwaya [between the capital Tripoli and the Tunisian border]. This increases the risk and sense of uncertainty among regime forces and provides a vital psychological effect.’

The UK AgustaWestland WAH-64D Apache AH.1s embarked on the Royal Navy (RN) helicopter carrier HMS Ocean, in conjunction with French Army Light Aviation Eurocopter Tiger HAP and Aerospatiale SA342 Gazelle helicopters, flying from the amphibious assault ship BPC Tonnerre , began strike operations against Libyan targets on 3 June.

‘In a 24-hour period Ocean and Tonnerre can appear anywhere on the Libyan coast, and then the regime will not know where we will strike next,’ said an AAC officer who had recently served on HMS Ocean off Libya.

====

Jordanians Hold Demonstration Against U.S. Interference In Region

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-07/23/c_131003417.htm

Xinhua News Agency
July 23, 2011

Jordanian protesters burn U.S. flag

AMMAN: Hundreds of Jordanians held a demonstration Friday, where they burnt a U.S. flag and stressed rejection of America’s interference in the region.

During the sit-in in downtown Amman, the demonstrators voiced rejection of any U.S. interference in reform efforts in the country.

Stressing the importance of unity among Jordanians of all origins, they called for uprooting corruption in the Arab kingdom and ending the ‘security iron fist.’

The demonstrators also condemned a police assault against several media personnel during a demonstration last Friday.
…

====

Georgia: U.S. Marines Train ‘High-Quality Combat Units’

http://www.mod.gov.ge/index.php?page=77&lang=1&type=1&Id=1090

Ministry of Defence of Georgia
July 22, 2011

Open Door Day – Agile Spirit 2011

Today the Open Door Day of the military exercise Agile Spirit 2011 has been held in the Vaziani Training Area.

The combined military exercise called Agile Spirit 2011 with the participation of U.S. Marines and soldiers and the 4th Infantry Brigade of the Georgian Armed Forces began on July 18.

The focus of the exercise is to increase interoperability between the forces and exchange and enhance each other’s capacity in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations.

Defence Minister of Georgia Bacho Akhalaia, the U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John R. Bass and other representatives of the diplomatic corps attended the military exercise.

The U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John R. Bass briefed the media on strengthening bilateral cooperation between two countries: ‘I am pleased to be here to participate in this distinguished visitors’ portion of the exercise. This is an important part of our ongoing defense cooperation between the United States and Georgia. Today, for this period of the exercise for these two weeks we have US marines training alongside Georgian soldiers and also helping train Georgian soldiers for the types of mission that frankly both sets of soldiers are going to be experiencing in Afghanistan. It is fully consisted with out commitment to support the deployment and training and success of Georgia in the coalition in Afghanistan…and to bring stability in that region and in the world’.

The military-field exercise Agile Spirit is ongoing in the Vaziani Training Area. The scenario is maximally close to real situations – the incidents are simulated according to the ongoing conflict (Afghanistan).

The exercise is conducted by Georgian and US Marines together. They are carrying out ‘convoy, cordon and search operations’. They are also training in clearing buildings from terrorists, and seizing and disarming insurgents.

Defence Minister of Georgia Bacho Akhalaia spoke on the importance of the joint exercise, ‘The participation of Georgian military servicemen in such an exercise is very important. The main goal of the exercise is to raise the combat capability of those battalions which are taking part in this joint exercise. In this case American as well as Georgian soldiers are undergoing training together under equal circumstances. Consequently, the Georgian Army will have high quality combat units that are the product of such exercises and trainings’.

The large-scale exercise involves 350 Marines from the Marine Corps’ Black Sea Rotational Force 11 based in Constanta, Romania, the Anti-Terrorism Battalion based out of Bessemer, Ala., and 450 military servicemen of the Georgian 4th Infantry Brigade.

Head of Operational Preparation Division, J-3 Operational Planning Department of the Joint Staff of the GAF Colonel Zurab Tomauri is commanding the exercise from the Georgian side and from the US side LtCol. Nelson S. Cardella, commanding officer, Black Sea Rotational Force 11.

The combined exercise Agile Spirit 2011 will be officially closed on August 1.

====

Japanese F-15s Arrive For Red Flag-Alaska

http://www.pacaf.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123264460

Pacific Air Forces
July 21, 2011

Japanese F-15s arrive at Red Flag-Alaska
354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska: Several Japan Air Self-Defense Force Mitsubishi F-15 Eagles joined other RED FLAG-Alaska participants July 12 after having its entire F-15 fighter fleet grounded in response to an incident on July 4 with one of the fighter jets during a routine training exercise back in Japan.

The Mitsubishi F-15 Eagle forms part of JASDF fighter-interceptor aircraft inventory used to engage hostile aircraft. The F-15 was brought to RED-FLAG Alaska to help JASDF members improve their tactical flying skills and their ability to generate aircraft in a simulated combat environment.

In Japan’s first overseas military training exercise since the disastrous earthquake and tsunami in March, JASDF will be receiving world class training and experiencing a realistic combat simulation…

‘Some of our major training goals as RF-A participants are to expand our fighters’ tactics,’ said Lt. Col. Koichi Tokushige, JASDF F-15 Unit Commander. ‘We would like to improve cooperation between U.S. Forces and JSDAF as well as continue to strive for better understanding with our friends and allies in a joint environment.’

…

Ultimately, the arrival of the F-15s has motivated JASDF personnel who are ready to play their part in this large training exercise. The F-15 will fly a variety of tactics and missions in concert with other participating aircraft throughout the exercise.