21 December 2011 — Stop NATO
- CSTO Warns U.S., NATO Over European Missile System
- Israel: U.S. Commander Finalizes Largest-Ever Interceptor Missile Drill
- NATO Doubles Georgian Troop Deployment To Afghanistan
- NATO Pushes Permanent Mission In Baltic Sea
- Hungary: U.S.-NATO Strategic Airlift Operation Logs 6,000 Flight Hours
- AFRICOM-Trained Djibouti Troops Arrive In Somalia
- Troops Out, U.S. Military Clout Remains In Iraq
- Iranian MP Criticizes Turkey For Hosting NATO Missile Radar
- GCC Marks $5 Billion For Aspirants, Fellow Monarchies Jordan, Morocco
- Pentagon Intelligence Secretary Arrives In Azerbaijan
- Massive Japan F-35 Deal Increases U.S. Leverage In Asia
- Pentagon Applauds Japan F-35 Purchase, Canada Next
CSTO Warns U.S., NATO Over European Missile System
http://rt.com/politics/csto-nato-russia-medvedev-kazakhstan-257/
RT
December 20, 2011
CSTO talks tough on NATO
Robert Bridge
The member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization released a strong message warning that European missile defense and unilateral military action may work to destabilize international security and strategic stability around the world.
The harsh statement was released by President Dmitry Medvedev and his counterparts from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in Moscow on Tuesday.
The leaders made specific mention of the missile defense system that the United States is currently constructing in Eastern Europe, just miles from the Russian border.
‘The unilateral deployment of strategic missile defense systems by one state or a group of states without due account for the lawful interests of other countries and without extending legally-binding guarantees to the latter may damage international security and strategic stability in Europe and the world as a whole,’ the statement by the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) read.
Moscow has repeatedly warned the US and NATO that the missile defense system, without Russia’s participation in the expansive project that promises to expand technologically and spatially by 2018, will be viewed as a direct security threat.
CSTO, a security alliance that was signed into force in May 1992, made a thinly veiled comment regarding NATO’s military operation in Libya when it mentioned the ‘increasing tendency for military intervention’ in countries that are experiencing domestic crises.
‘Since the [collective security] Agreement was signed, international relations have been increasingly characterized by a rise in tensions. Serious concern is being caused by the…tendency for military intervention in critical situations,’ the CSTO said on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Collective Security Agreement and the tenth anniversary of the CSTO.
The leaders agreed that internal problems inside of sovereign states are giving particular countries a green light to break international law and exert military pressure.
‘We are alarmed by the attempts to bypass the commonly recognized principles of international law by taking advantage of the temporary difficulties of certain countries and peoples,’ the document said.
The security alliance then gave special attention to Afghanistan, where NATO has been engaged in a bruising battle against Taliban forces for the past decade.
Of particular concern is ‘the deteriorating situation in the Afghanistan, which borders with the Organization’s responsibility zone,’ it said. ‘We believe that achieving peace and stability in Afghanistan is one of the main factors of ensuring regional and international security. We are calling for building Afghanistan as a peaceful, prosperous, independent and neutral state.’
Finally, the leaders of the CSTO agreed that the deployment of foreign bases in their territory is only possible with the consent of all CSTO partners.
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said ‘an accord has been reached to coordinate the deployment, in the territory of the CSTO states, of military infrastructure facilities belonging to non-CSTO states.’
‘In order to deploy military bases of a third country in the territory of the CSTO member-states, it is necessary to obtain the official consent of all its members,’ said Nazarbayev, who took over the rotating presidency of the Organization from Belarus.
President Medvedev said the decision on the deployment of military bases of third countries in the territory of the CSTO member states only with the consent of CSTO partners was an important measure for consolidating the Organization.
‘Reaching these accords is very important for consolidating the position within the CSTO,’ the Russian leader said.
I believe it is very important that all the parties have reached consensus, Medvedev added.
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Israel: U.S. Commander Finalizes Largest-Ever Interceptor Missile Drill
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=250249
Jerusalem Post
December 20, 2011
US commander visits Israel to finalize missile drill
By Yaakov Katz
Israel, US to hold largest ever missile defense exercise this spring; thousands of US soldiers will be deployed in Israel
Israel is moving forward with plans to hold the largest-ever missile defense exercise in its history this spring…
Last week, Lt.-Gen. Frank Gorenc, commander of the US’s Third Air Force based in Germany, visited Israel to finalize plans for the upcoming drill, expected to see the deployment of several thousand American soldiers in Israel.
The drill, which is unprecedented in its size, will include the establishment of US command posts in Israel and IDF command posts at EUCOM headquarters in Germany – with the ultimate goal of establishing joint task forces in the event of a large-scale conflict in the Middle East.
The US will also bring its THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) and shipbased Aegis ballistic missile defense systems to Israel to simulate the interception of missile salvos against Israel.
The American systems will work in conjunction with Israel’s missile defense systems – the Arrow, Patriot and Iron Dome.
Gorenc came to Israel for talks with Brig.-Gen. Doron Gavish, commander of the Air Force’s Air Defense Division.
He toured one of the Iron Dome batteries in the South and the Israel Test Bed lab in Holon where the IAF holds its interception simulation exercises.
The IAF is planning to deploy a fourth battery of the Iron Dome counter-rocket system in the coming months and is mulling the possibility of stationing it in Haifa to protect oil refineries located there.
The Defense Ministry has allocated a budget to manufacture an additional three Iron Dome batteries by the end of 2012. IAF operational requirements call for the deployment of about a dozen batteries along Israel’s northern and southern borders.
The IAF is also moving forward with plans to deploy Rafael’s David’s Sling missile defense system, which is designed to defend against medium-range rockets and cruise missiles. Rafael recently completed a series of successful navigation and flight tests of the David’s Sling’s interceptor and plans to hold the first interception test by mid-2012.
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NATO Doubles Georgian Troop Deployment To Afghanistan
Agence France-Presse
December 20, 2011
Georgia to double troop deployment in Afghanistan
TBILISI: Parliament in Georgia voted Tuesday to almost double the ex-Soviet state’s troop deployment to Afghanistan and make it the largest non-NATO contributor…
Lawmakers approved Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s request to send another battalion of soldiers to serve with NATO-led forces in Afghanistan, thus exceeding Australia’s current deployment.
‘Georgia will be sending an additional 920 troops,’ the head of the parliamentary defence committee Givi Targamadze told AFP.
‘As a future NATO member and a responsible member of the international community, Georgia wants to be an active contributor to international security,’ he said.
The small Caucasus state, which is bidding for membership of the Western military alliance, currently has 935 soldiers in Afghanistan, according to NATO.
Tbilisi’s NATO aspirations have infuriated powerful neighbour Russia, which fought a brief war with Georgia in 2008.
…
Saakashvili justified the Afghanistan deployment by saying in September that it gave Georgian troops ‘invaluable combat experience’ and won the country the ‘solidarity and support’ of its Western allies.
Visiting Tbilisi last month, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen told Georgia that its contribution was ‘the best proof of your commitment to our alliance’.
Rasmussen said Georgia had ‘progressed significantly’ in its membership bid, but said that it needed to do more to develop democracy.
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http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20111220/170392867.html
Russian Information Agency Novosti
December 20, 2011
Georgian parliament votes to send more troops to Afghanistan
TBILISI: Georgia’s parliament voted on Tuesday in favor of President Mikheil Saakashvili’s plan to send more troops to Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
The initiative was backed by 103 votes out of 150 seats in the Georgian parliament.
Georgia, which actively seeks NATO membership, joined the international U.S.-led coalition fighting the Afghan insurgency in August of 2009.
More than 900 Georgian troops are currently deployed in Afghanistan, including some 750 in the Helmand Province and 175 in the capital, Kabul.
Ten Georgian soldiers have been killed since joining ISAF operations in Afghanistan.
…
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NATO Pushes Permanent Mission In Baltic Sea
http://www.defpro.com/news/details/30841/?SID=a4243647310d79e41f08733907bf849a
Ministry of Defence
Republic of Estonia
December 20, 2011
NATO Deputy Secretary General acknowledged Estonian national defence
On Thursday evening, Minister of Defence Mart Laar met with NATO Deputy Secretary General Claudio Bisogniero, who was visiting Estonia, and acknowledged the contribution of the members of the Estonian Defence Forces in foreign missions and the decision of Estonia to increase the defence budget to 2% of gross domestic product.
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has appointed Deputy Secretary General Bisogniero as the special envoy on smart defence issues…
According to Bisogniero, the current NATO air policing mission of the Baltic States is a great example of smart defence and he expressed hope that this mission will be made permanent in the near future.
Minister of Defence Laar noted that, in fact, the concept of smart defence is nothing new for Estonia. ‘During the past 15 years, in the development of our national defence, we have continuously found joint cooperation projects with other countries, as it has offered necessary solutions for less money, be it the Baltic Defence College, cooperation between the navies of the Baltic States or the contribution to the NATO Response Force with joint units’, said Laar.
‘At the same time, I and Deputy Secretary General Bisogniero agreed that smart defence does not mean that one can start to invest less in national defence – all military capabilities still require proper investments,’ added the Minister of Defence.
In addition, Deputy Secretary General Bisogniero acknowledged the significant contribution of the members of the Estonian Defence Forces in foreign missions and set Estonia as an example to other NATO member states for its determined decision to contribute 2% of the gross domestic product to national defence starting from 2012.
‘When it comes to the budget increase, it is also important how this 2% will be used – the defence budget must, first and foremost, be directed at the enhancement of real combat power and smart solutions,’ said Minister of Defence Laar.
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Yesterday evening, the Deputy Secretary General also met with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Mikk Maran and gave a speech at the International Centre for Defence Studies.
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Hungary: U.S.-NATO Strategic Airlift Operation Logs 6,000 Flight Hours
http://www.eucom.mil/article/22997/haw-reaches-6-000-flight-hours
U.S. European Command
December 20, 2011
HAW reaches 6,000 flight hours
PAPA AIR BASE, Hungary: After 29 months of operation by the multinational Heavy Airlift Wing team, U.S. Air Force Major Brian Nicosia and his flightcrew passed the 6,000 flight-hours milestone of C-17 Globemaster IIIs assigned to Papa Air Base, Hungary.
The aircraft crew was on its way towards Ankara, Turkey, on a Polish mission on the afternoon of Dec. 9 when they reached the milestone. The latest one thousand flight hours were flown in a three-month time period.
The HAW at Papa AB provides strategic airlift capability through a cooperative effort of 12 nations: Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden and the United States.
Since the delivery of the first aircraft in July 2009, the HAW has now flown more than 6,000 flight-hours delivering more than 27,000 tons of cargo and more than 14,000 passengers in six continents. More information about the HAW is available at http://www.heavyairliftwing.org.
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AFRICOM-Trained Djibouti Troops Arrive In Somalia
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2011-12/21/c_122455218.htm
Xinhua News Agency
December 21, 2011
Djibouti peacekeeping contingent arrives in Somalia
MOGADISHU: Somalia’s northern neighbor Djibouti sent 200 soldiers as part of the African Union peacekeeping mission in the war-torn Horn of African nation, a top government official said on Tuesday.
The tiny horn of African country of Djibouti has previously pledged to send in a battalion of its troops to take part in the AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia known as AMISOM.
‘The 200 troops from Djibouti landed in Mogadishu airport and they will take part in the peacekeeping mission of AMISOM,’ Abdishakur Sheikh Hassan, Somali interior minister told reporters in Mogadishu.
The troops will join in at least 9,500 AU peacekeepers already in Mogadishu. The troops, from Uganda and Burundi, have been deployed since the start of the mission in 2007.
…
The spokesman of Al-Shabaab Ali Rageh this week threatened to target the Djiboutian troops if they arrived in Mogadishu, warning the Djibouti government and people that the group’s fighters will attack the Djiboutian soldiers.
The Kenyan government, whose troops are launching joint military offensive with Somali forces in the south of the country, said this month that they will be taking part in the African Union peacekeeping mission.
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Troops Out, U.S. Military Clout Remains In Iraq
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/indepth/2011-12/20/c_131316984.htm
Xinhua News Agency
December 20, 2011
Troops out, U.S. military clout still lingers in Iraq
By Li Hongmei
-Geopolitically, Iraq is caught between the U.S., which retains major military facilities in nearby Qatar and Bahrain, and Iran…Iraq, as a critical piece on the Middle East strategic chess board, will never be readily abandoned by the U.S. ‘To retreat is to advance’, which is not only a military tactic, but a far-reaching strategy as well.
Headlights on and horns blaring, around 25 American military trucks and tractor trailers carrying Bradley fighting vehicles trundled across the southern Iraq desert from their last base early Sunday morning. Flak jackets and helmets stacked in neat piles, the last convoy of 500 U.S. troops waved goodbye to the almost nine years’ battle front, ready for the final departure for Kuwait and then home.
The bloodletting war has since its ‘dramatic’ opening in March 2003 lasted eight years and nine months, thus far costing over one million Iraqi and 4,500 American lives and left the Middle Eastern country open with wild speculations as to whether it would become a democratic and civil state as the West wished or just fall into shambles economically and politically, or would be grappling with extremism, sectarianism and terrorism.
For U.S. President Barack Obama, the military pullout is the fulfilment of an election promise to bring an end to a shameful legacy left over by his predecessor, the most unpopular war since Vietnam and one that has tainted America’s standing worldwide.
Seventy-five percent of U.S. citizens do not believe the military mission which has cost 1 trillion dollars is worth that ‘blood and treasure’ and are happy to see their forces home.
For Iraqis, the U.S. exit brings some sense of sovereignty. But many fret over the likelihood that their country may slide once again into the kind of sectarian violence that killed many thousands of people at its peak in 2006-2007.
Also, security remains a particular concern, as attacks on local government offices and security installations continue and Iraqis are still being killed by regular bombings and shootings. Besides, extremism and terrorism could make a comeback after the American pullout.
On the domestic front, with the departure of American troops, Iraq’s delicate power-sharing deal for Sunni and Kurdish factions would get much more fragile. Its stagnant economy needs investment in all sectors, from hospitals to infrastructure.
Furthermore, the majority of Iraqi people are struggling to get jobs and access to power in a country whose national grid provides only a few hours of electricity a day despite its vast oil potential. Seven million out of 30 million Iraqis live below the poverty line. And 1.3 million Iraqis are displaced within the country.
Albeit at such a grievous cost, Iraq, however, remains dependent on Washington, as it has no frontier force, navy or airforce. Neither police nor army, now 800,000 strong, can ensure security or provide protection from external attack or meddling.
Meanwhile, there are Iraqi people who are, on the one hand, celebrating the U.S. pull-out, and on the other, believe the U.S. exit is not a withdrawal, but an act on a stage, in that the U.S. military presence and clout would never recede with the withdrawal of its troops.
At the height of the war, more than 170,000 U.S. troops were in Iraq at more than 500 bases. With the U.S. exit from Iraq, there will be around 150 U.S. troops remaining in the country attached to a training and cooperation mission at the huge U.S. embassy on the banks of the Tigris river.
Geopolitically, Iraq is caught between the U.S., which retains major military facilities in nearby Qatar and Bahrain, and Iran, which tries to gain political and economic advantages and seeks to draw the post-war Iraq into its sphere of influence.
The U.S. would by no means leave Iraq for good, although it has pulled back its troops. But, Iraq, as a critical piece on the Middle East strategic chess board, will never be readily abandoned by the U.S. ‘To retreat is to advance’, which is not only a military tactic, but a far-reaching strategy as well.
At this rate, the U.S. military pullout from Iraq cannot be interpreted as a real vacuum of the U.S. military presence and any shrink in U.S. regional influence.
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Iranian MP Criticizes Turkey For Hosting NATO Missile Radar
http://en.trend.az/regions/iran/1971708.html
Trend News Agency
December 21, 2011
Iranian MP criticizes Turkey for decision to host NATO radar system
Iranian MP Alaeddin Boroujerdi has criticized Turkey for its decision to host an early warning radar as part of NATO’s missile defense system, which is ostensibly meant to counter an alleged ballistic missile threat from Iran, Mehr News reported.
Boroujerdi, who is the chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, made the remarks in a meeting with Turkish Ambassador to Iran Umit Yardim on Tuesday.
Tehran and Ankara should not allow their enemies to cause strains in their friendly relations, Boroujerdi said.
…
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GCC Marks $5 Billion For Aspirants, Fellow Monarchies Jordan, Morocco
http://en.trend.az/regions/met/arabicr/1971690.html
Trend News Agency
December 20, 2011
Gulf states approve $5 billion aid to Morocco, Jordan
-The Gulf monarchies are seeking closer ties with Arab kingdoms outside the Gulf as part of efforts to contain pro-democracy unrest that is buffeting autocratic ruling elites throughout the Arab world, analysts say. Jordan and Morocco are the only two Arab states outside the Gulf with monarchies.
Energy-exporting Gulf Arab states decided at a summit on Tuesday to set up a $5 billion fund to help development projects in aspiring Gulf Cooperation (GCC) members Morocco and Jordan, a final communique said, Al Ahram reported.
‘The higher council agreed to set up a Gulf development fund, which starts with offering support for development projects in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Kingdom of Morocco, to the value of $2.5 billion each,’ the final communique said.
Gulf Arab countries said in September they plan to fund a five-year development aid programme for Morocco and Jordan, and the amount will be set in December.
The Gulf monarchies are seeking closer ties with Arab kingdoms outside the Gulf as part of efforts to contain pro-democracy unrest that is buffeting autocratic ruling elites throughout the Arab world, analysts say. Jordan and Morocco are the only two Arab states outside the Gulf with monarchies.
The United Arab Emirates said last month there was no consensus yet among Gulf Arab states on admitting Jordan and Morocco to the GCC.
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Pentagon Intelligence Secretary Arrives In Azerbaijan
http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=162136
Azeri Press Agency
December 20, 2011
US Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers arrives in Azerbaijan
Viktoria Dementyeva
Baku: US Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence Michael Vickers has arrived in Azerbaijan.
US embassy in Azerbaijan told APA that Michael Vickers will hold meetings at the Defense Ministry, meet with senior officials of Azerbaijan. Security issues will be discussed during the meetings.
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Massive Japan F-35 Deal Increases U.S. Leverage In Asia
http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml
Forbes
December 20, 2011
Japan Fighter Buy Bolsters U.S. Leverage In Asia
Loren Thompson
-Japan’s decision to buy 42 F-35s — and eventually some multiple of that number — increased the likelihood that South Korea will follow suit, enabling the U.S. to maintain a coalition of friendly forces in the region that operate compatible combat systems. Compatibility, known in Pentagon parlance as ‘interoperability,’ enables multi-nation task forces to plan and execute missions more effectively.
…Japan’s government today gave a boost to the Pentagon’s biggest weapons program by selecting the F-35 fighter as its first line of defense in future conflicts. The stealthy, single-engine fighter is being developed in multiple variants to meet the needs of three U.S. military services and nine overseas allies, but this is the first time it has beaten foreign and domestic competitors in a head-to-head competition.
The F-35, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter, was conceived by the Clinton Administration shortly after the Cold War ended as an affordable, exportable tactical aircraft that could help implement the administration’s policies of coalition warfare and burden-sharing…
…
Japan’s decision to buy 42 F-35s — and eventually some multiple of that number — increased the likelihood that South Korea will follow suit, enabling the U.S. to maintain a coalition of friendly forces in the region that operate compatible combat systems. Compatibility, known in Pentagon parlance as ‘interoperability,’ enables multi-nation task forces to plan and execute missions more effectively. Japanese leaders undoubtedly took that fact into consideration…
…Russia and China both have longstanding disputes with Tokyo over the disposition of nearby islands and maritime resources, which periodically lead to tense exchanges…
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta recently used his first major policy address to underscore America’s security commitment to friends and allies in the Western Pacific…[W]ith both Australia and Japan now firmly onboard the F-35 program, it will be easier for U.S. policymakers to construct an arc of like-minded nations across the Western Pacific that can restrain a rising China’s military pretensions by fielding the most advanced military equipment.
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The F-35 is described in U.S. military circles as a ‘fifth-generation’ fighter because it integrates advanced stealth (‘low observable’) technology with sophisticated sensors, agile processors, digital datalinks and precision-guided weapons to create a combat system of unprecedented capability…Japanese leaders were willing to pay more for the F-35, because they knew it would be uniquely survivable and lethal…
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Japan’s selection of the F-35 therefore is a crucial endorsement of the F-35, and a strong indication that America will continue dominating the tactical aircraft market through mid-century.
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Pentagon Applauds Japan F-35 Purchase, Canada Next
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=66555
U.S. Department of Defense
December 20, 2011
Pentagon Welcomes Japan’s F-35 Stealth Fighter Purchase
By Karen Parrish
WASHINGTON: A defense spokesman today welcomed the Japanese defense minister’s announcement that his nation has selected the F-35 joint strike fighter for its air force.
Navy Capt. John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters Japan’s purchase of 42 of the stealth aircraft will be ‘a critical component of strengthening our partnership in the alliance…’
Japan’s decision to buy the F-35s was an extremely important one for the island nation’s security, and the joint strike fighter possesses solid capability, Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa told reporters in Tokyo.
‘The security environment surrounding future fighter jets is transforming,’ Ichikawa said. ‘The F-35 has capabilities that can firmly respond to the changes.’
Speaking in Canada Nov. 18, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said the joint strike fighter is essential to meeting increasing global security challenges.
‘We need to have this [aircraft],’ the secretary said. ‘It’s true for us. It’s true for our partners – not only Canadians, but others – who are going to work with us and participate with us in the development of the F-35.’
Canadian Defense Minister Peter G. MacKay, who spoke alongside Panetta on Nov. 18, said that while all nations must manage budget pressures, Canada is firmly committed to the F-35.
The aircraft’s capability, he added, is ‘eye-watering.’
The New Dark Age 
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