Stop NATO News March 30, 2011
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1. Video And Text: Day That Shook The World, NATO Bombs Chinese Embassy
2. Serbia In NATO Represents Threat To Russia
3. General Petraeus Praises Georgia’s Military Role In Afghanistan
4. U.S. Navy To Expand Role In Black Sea: Top NATO Military Commander
5. U.S. Flies Drones Over Black Sea, Trains Georgian Military
6. U.S. Imposes New Sanctions On Belarus For Cooperation With Iran
7. Missile Defense Agency Grants Lockheed $789 Million For 28 THAAD Missile Interceptors
8. Missile Defense Agency Awards Raytheon $323 Million For Next-Generation Missile For NATO Missile Shield In Europe
9. Russia To Deploy Arctic Brigade This Year
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1. Video: Day That Shook The World, NATO Bombs Chinese Embassy
The Independent
March 30, 2011
A Day That Shook The World: Nato accidentally bombs the Chinese embassy
On 7 May 1999, Nato warplanes on a mission to bomb Belgrade accidentally hit the Chinese embassy, killing three journalists and nearly dragging them into the war on the Serbian side.
Beijing did not believe the attack to be a mistake, so NATO found itself desperately scrabbling to make amends.
The diplomatic crisis did not grow into a military one, but it did prolong the Kosovo conflict, causing no small extra friction with an angry China – whose citizens demonstrated in their droves.
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2. Serbia In NATO Represents Threat To Russia
http://www.b92.net/eng/insight/tvshows.php?yyyy=2011&mm=03&nav_id=73523
Danas
March 30, 2011
“Serbia in NATO would represent threat to Russia”
Jelena Tasić
Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Vasilyevich Konuzin told the Belgrade-based daily Danas in an interview that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s visit last week had “completely met the principal expectations”.
It went in an atmosphere of close friendship and talks about trade and economic cooperation were very concrete and pragmatic, said the diplomat.
According to the Russian ambassador, Putin did not talk about relations between official Belgrade and NATO with Serbian President Boris Tadić and Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković. The issue, as he said, was launched by heads of parliamentary groups in the Serbian parliament who showed Putin that they were not united in their stance regarding the possibility of Serbia joining the western military alliance.
“In that situation, Prime Minister Putin clearly presented the Russian position – Serbs should solve the issue by themselves, but Russia thinks that it is necessary to present its opinion about NATO’s expansion, which is jeopardizing its security.”
Stating a concrete example, he said that nobody asked small countries in the NATO for their opinion, but that that instead decisions were made which these countries then had to fulfill.
“Any possible decision about missile deployment in Serbia’s territory would be a threat to Russia’s security and Russia would be forced to take military actions in order to remove that military threat. Those measures would not be aimed against Serbia but against the missiles,” the Russian ambassador explained.
Q: Is this statement of Prime Minister Putin a “warning” to the Serbian authorities?
A: Serbia has the right to join any organization. We will respect the decision you make on your own, but we are counting on Belgrade to respectfully approach our thoughts that NATO accession would pose a threat to Russia’s security. I personally think that it is necessary to explain to Serbia what would happen if there was a threat to Russia’s security from its territory. We have been cooperating for 800 years and such a question never appeared. On the contrary, we fought wars against joint enemies and it is not quite clear for what reason weapons pointed against Russia could be deployed in Serbia.”
Q: The NATO forces in Kosovo and Metohija are effectively already in a part of the Serbian territory. How does Moscow assess their presence after Kosovo’s self-proclaimed independence?
A: The Kosovo territory is a part of Serbia in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 1244. NATO’s military base is there despite Belgrade’s wishes. This means contrary to international law, and unlawfully. Russia sees it that way.
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3. General Petraeus Praises Georgia’s Military Role In Afghanistan
http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=23290
Civil Georgia
March 30, 2011
Gen. Petraeus Praises Georgian Troops in Afghanistan
Tbilisi: General David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, said the Georgian troops in Afghanistan “have been integral to the growing success of our efforts to improve security and stability” in Helmand and Nimruz provinces.
In a letter sent to the Georgian Minister of Defense, Bacho Akhalaia, the U.S. general praised Georgian troops for “effective interactions with the Afghan people”, which, he said, had led to increased confidence in both NATO-led forces and Afghan government.
The text of letter was released by the Georgian Ministry of Defense on March 30.
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“Your troops are truly courageous in conducting these foot patrols, which place them at greater risk of insurgent attacks,” the U.S. general writes.
Musa Qala in north of the Helmand province has seen some of the fiercest fighting in previous years….
With the latest death reported on March 14, the total number of Georgian soldiers killed in Afghanistan, since joining the NATO-led operation in November, 2009, increased to seven.
Georgia first deployed a company-sized unit in Afghanistan in November, 2009 and increased its contribution to the NATO-led forces to about 950 soldiers in April, 2010 after sending a battalion in Helmand.
In February the Georgian parliament approved the government’s proposal to send to Afghanistan a team of artillery instructors to train the Afghan military.
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4. U.S. Navy To Expand Role In Black Sea: Top NATO Military Commander
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-03/31/c_13805896.htm
Xinhua News Agency
March 31, 2011
U.S. Navy to widen activity area in Black Sea region: admiral
TBILISI: The U.S. Navy has planned to widen its activities in the Black Sea region by involving 14 countries in its envisaged military training drills this year, Georgian media reported on Wednesday.
Quoting four-star U.S. admiral James Stavridis, the Georgian television broadcaster Rustavi2 said that the chief of the U.S. European Command said on March 30 in his testimony in Congress that the Marine Operative-Tactic Corps would widen the area of its activities in the Black Sea region to include 14 countries.
There are six countries surrounding the Black Sea and they are Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey and Georgia.
The admiral explained to Congress that the widening of the activity area aims at training partner states for the Afghanistan peace mission.
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5. U.S. Flies Drones Over Black Sea, Trains Georgian Military
http://rustavi2.com/news/news_text.php?id_news=40916&pg=1&im=main&ct=0&wth=
Rustavi2
March 30, 2011
US widens the area of its mission in Black Sea
The Marine Operative-Tactic Corps of the United States is widening the area of its activities in the Black Sea region, the commander of U.S. European Command, Admiral James Stavridis, announced in his testimony to Congress this morning.
The admiral said in 2011 the operative and tactical groups of the Navy have drafted a military training plan in which 14 countries of the Black Sea region were involved. The enhancement of the area aims at training the partner states for the Afghanistan peace mission.
Stavridis said US Marine forces have already conducted the first mission of drones in the Black Sea; however, he did not specify the date of the operation.
When questioned by Senator John McCain about military cooperation with Georgia, Admiral answered that American instructors continued to train Georgian soldiers, but denied that the US was supplying Georgia with weapons.
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6. U.S. Imposes New Sanctions On Belarus For Cooperation With Iran
http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=16099917&PageNum=0
Itar-Tass
March 30, 2011
USA imposes sanctions on Belarusian energy company for cooperation with Iran
WASHINGTON DC: The United States has imposed sanctions on the Belarusian state energy company, Belarusneft, for cooperation with Iran, the Department of State announced on Tuesday.
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7. Missile Defense Agency Grants Lockheed $789 Million For 28 THAAD Missile Interceptors
Lockheed Martin
March 30, 2011
Lockheed Martin Awarded $789.8 Million THAAD Production Contract
DALLAS: Lockheed Martin has received a production contract totaling $789.8 million to produce the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System for the Missile Defense Agency.
The contract includes $694.9 million and for the production of 48 THAAD interceptors, six THAAD launchers, four fire control units and additional support equipment. An option for additional launchers in the amount of $94.8 million was also award for a total value of $789.8 million. These components will be employed by THAAD Batteries 3 and 4 for the U.S. Army. Delivery to Batteries 3 and 4 will be completed in 2013.
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Since 2005, the THAAD development program has completed 11 flight tests, with seven intercepts in seven attempts. THAAD is the only missile defense system with the operational flexibility to intercept in both the endo- and exo-atmospheres to provide versatile capability to the warfighter.
Two THAAD batteries have been activated at Fort Bliss, Texas. The first THAAD Battery (A-4 ADA Battery) was activated in May 2008. In October 2009, the U.S. Army activated the second THAAD Battery (A-2 ADA Battery). Unit training for this Battery began earlier this year.
A key element of the nation’s Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), THAAD is a Missile Defense Agency program, with the program office located in Huntsville, Ala. The Agency is developing the BMDS to defend the United States, its deployed forces, friends and allies against ballistic missiles of all ranges and in all phases of flight.
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8. Missile Defense Agency Awards Raytheon $323 Million For Next-Generation Missile For NATO Missile Shield In Europe
http://azstarnet.com/business/local/article_2b75c55c-5b0f-11e0-9a59-001cc4c03286.html
Arizona Daily Star
March 30, 2011
Raytheon gets $312M contract for new missile interceptor
By David Wichner
Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems has been awarded a $312 million contract for the Standard Missile-3 Block IB, a next-generation missile interceptor that is a key part of a planned missile shield for Europe.
The contract from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency provides funding to complete the development phase of the SM-3 Block IB program and deliver 24 developmental missile rounds to the MDA, said Wes Kremer, SM-3 program director for Raytheon.
The contract is a key milestone in preparation for the first SM-3 Block IB flight test, expected later this year.
“Development is ramping up here, and our first flight test is in late summer,” Kremer said.
The work will be performed in Tucson for completion in June 2013. Earlier this month, Raytheon was awarded a separate, $75 million contract for engineering development of the SM-3.
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Adapted from the Standard Missile series of ship-defense missiles, the SM-3 is part of the seagoing Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system. The current Block IA version is deployed on U.S. and Japanese cruisers equipped with the Aegis missile-launching system.
The SM-3 is a key part of the the Obama administration’s “phased adaptive approach” to missile defense. The approach, unveiled in 2009 and approved by NATO last year, scrapped plans to deploy large, ground-based interceptors in Europe in favor of the sea-based and land-based versions of the Aegis system.
As part of the first phase of that program, a U.S. Navy cruiser equipped with SM-3 Block IA missiles sailed to the Mediterranean Sea earlier this month for a six-month deployment.
The Block IB missile, which adds important targeting capabilities, is planned for use with the second phase of the missile-defense plan, which includes deployment of the SM-3 Block IB by 2015.
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9. Russia To Deploy Arctic Brigade This Year
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-03/30/c_13805613.htm
Xinhua News Agency
March 30, 2011
Russia to deploy Arctic brigade in 2011
MOSCOW: Russia is going to deploy a special motorized infantry brigade in its Arctic sector in 2011, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.
The brigade will be deployed in the Kola Peninsula in the western part of Arctic but would be responsible for operations in the whole Arctic region, Interfax news agency reported.
The new Arctic brigade will be created on the grounds of an existing motorized infantry brigade and will be based in the town of Pechenga near Russia-Norway border.
The brigade will be armed with ordinary weapons, special clothing and equipment designed for use in Arctic conditions. The Defense Ministry said the experience of Norwegian and Finnish Arctic forces have been studied during the preparation for the brigade’s deployment.
Earlier, Russia’s Security Council approved the fundamental principles of the national Arctic policy until 2020. This document envisioned deployment of the armed forces in the region, capable to maintain security in various military-political conditions.
On Wednesday, the Russian Parliament’s upper house, the Federation Council, has ratified the agreement with Norway on the Barents Sea delimitation, which establishes a sea delimitation line dividing the disputed area approximately into two equal parts.
I used excerpts from your piece: Libyan War And Control Of The Mediterranean from VoltaireNet with links to the original. See: LIBYA: THE INTENT OF WAR http://notionalvalue.blogspot.com/2011/03/libya-intent-of-war.html
Keep up the good works and the fight!!!
“peace mission” “missile shield ” to protect Europe from what? “accidental” bombing of Chinese embassy? Georgia????, Raytheon/Lockheed Martin win again, need to pay no taxes for the profits from their work for world peace.
Smile, things could be worse. So I did, and they were.