Updates on Libyan war/Stop NATO news: August 30, 2011

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NATO Coordinated, Commanded Assault On Libyan Capital: Russian Analysts

165 Days Of Bombing: 20,751 NATO Sorties, 7,848 Combat Flights

NATO Intensifies Bombardment Of Sirte

NATO To Continue Military Operations In Libya: Spokesperson

NATO Faces “Catastrophic Success” In Libya

NATO Libyan War Rhetoric “Beyond Most Cynical Propaganda”: Russian Envoy

Irene’s Devastation And NATO’s Bombs

NTC: NATO Ensured Victory, Must Stay In Libya

Obama Doctrine: U.S. Libyan War Tactics Model For Syria, Others

Under Fire From Atlanticist Forces, German Foreign Minister Endorses NATO Bombing

Report: Algeria Closes 1,000-Kilometer Stretch Of Border With Libya

European Union Imposes Oil Embargo On Syria

Iraq: NATO Trains Federal Police In Crowd And Riot Control, Oil Police

August Deadliest Month For U.S. In Ten-Year Afghan War

French, Lithuanian NATO Warplanes Collide During Training Exercise

Beginning Of New War: NATO Complicit In Attacks On Pakistani Posts

Thaci: New Deal With NATO “Biggest Success Since Independence”

Top NATO Military Commanders Inspect Kosovo Flashpoint

U.S. Establishes Squadron To Train Air Forces For African Conflicts

After Baltic States, Scotland: U.S. Warship Enters Arctic Circle

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NATO Coordinated, Commanded Assault On Libyan Capital: Russian Analysts

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/08/30/55396761.html

Voice of Russia
August 30, 2011

NATO help obvious in Tripoli assault
Konstantin Garibov

-[T]roops of the French Foreign Legion landed outside the Libyan capital 24 hours before the assault began. Those were professional mercenaries who survived Afghanistan and Iraq, with NATO commanders only needing Libyan rebels for a mob scene. The latter were instructed to fire in the air and gleefully wave flags of Gaddafi’s predecessor in front of Qatar TV cameras.

Advisers and military instructors from France, Great Britain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates started patronizing the Libyan opposition right after the coalition launched its campaign in that country. They trained up to 200 militants who helped task force soldiers occupy Tripoli. Now they are hunting for Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, his family members and associates.

It took the coalition three months to prepare this campaign titled Operation Mermaid Dawn, according to Britain’s The Daily Telegraph. Writing that assault teams were trained in Benghazi by officers of the British MI6 Secret Intelligence Service, the newspaper confirmed the UK task force’s leading role in the Tripoli attack. British media also declassified the involvement of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in the operation. Dozens of bloggers, in their turn, said that troops of the French Foreign Legion landed outside the Libyan capital 24 hours before the assault began. Those were professional mercenaries who survived Afghanistan and Iraq, with NATO commanders only needing Libyan rebels for a mob scene. The latter were instructed to fire in the air and gleefully wave flags of Gaddafi’s predecessor in front of Qatar TV cameras.

Rebels would never have been able to seize Tripoli without the assistance of the NATO command, as well as European and Arab mercenaries, believes associate editor of the Independent Military Review Viktor Litovkin.

“The militarily inexperienced opposition force was poorly equipped, scattered and weakly governed. In other words, it appeared as a wild guerilla mass having no idea about tactics and strategy. Without NATO instructors in their ranks and the support of NATO aircraft and navy, the rebels would definitely have failed. So, we witnessed NATO member states engaged in military activities on one of the sides in the civil war,” Viktor Litovkin said.

Now it is known for certain that the hunt for Muammar Gaddafi is guided by servicemen of Great Britain’s 22nd Special Air Service regiment (22 SAS). Deputy Chairman of the military political analysts association Alexander Peredzhiyev does not rule out that the coalition resorted to every means available.

“A considerable role in the Tripoli occupation and the triumph of rebel forces was played by their negotiations with Gaddafi followers. I assume we are dealing with the corruption of top-ranking officials loyal to the Colonel. The lingering NATO operation in Libya prompted the need of taking specific measures. Therefore, I believe, Western instructors and advisers provided with much authority and financial assets decided to buy victory using the rebels’ hands,” emphasized Alexander Peredzhiyev.

This view of the Russian military expert confirms, in particular, confessions of an opposition member who said rebels were suddenly joined by a commander of troops defending Tripoli during the assault. Mohammed Eshkal, who has been harboring grievance against Gaddafi for some 20 years, is said to have come to terms with the National Transitional Council and yielded the city to the opposition.

The Western media also found information that Operation Mermaid Dawn was carried out not only in Tripoli but also in the Qatar-based special pavilions where the rebels’ triumphant entry into the capital city was shot, cut and edited. These videos were broadcast by Arab TV channels at a high price to veil the West’s direct involvement in the fall of Tripoli.

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165 Days Of Bombing: 20,751 NATO Sorties, 7,848 Combat Flights

http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_08/20110830_110830-oup-update.pdf

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
August 30, 2011

NATO and Libya
Allied Joint Force Command NAPLES, SHAPE, NATO HQ

Over the past 24 hours, NATO has conducted the following activities associated with Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR:

Air Operations

Since the beginning of the NATO operation (31 March 2011, 06.00GMT) a total of 20,751 sorties, including 7,848 strike sorties, have been conducted.

Sorties conducted 29 AUGUST: 120

Strike sorties conducted 29 AUGUST: 42

…

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NATO Intensifies Bombardment Of Sirte

http://www.timeslive.co.za/africa/2011/08/30/nato-ups-strikes-on-sirte

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
August 30, 2011

Nato ups strikes on Sirte
Nato jetfighters have intensified strikes in Sirte, the hometown of the fugitive Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, says the alliance

In a daily briefing, Nato said its strikes targeted several military facilities in Sirte, as rebels are awaiting the result of negotiations to enter the city without fighting.

Nato said Tuesday it had carried out 120 sorties, including 42 strikes, over Sirte the previous day.

They targeted three command and control facilities, four radars, one surface-to-air missile system and 22 armoured vehicles.

…

Sirte is located on the Mediterranean coast between the capital Tripoli and the eastern city of Benghazi.

…

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NATO To Continue Military Operations In Libya: Spokesperson

http://en.rian.ru/world/20110830/166305234.html

Russian Information Agency Novosti
August 30, 2011

NATO to continue Libya mission ‘to protect civilians’

Brussels: The NATO operation in Libya is still necessary and will continue as long as threats to civilians remain, NATO Spokesperson Oana Lungescu said on Tuesday.

“The NATO mission is important, it has been effective, and it’s still necessary…,” she said.

…

Once NATO’s job is done, it is for others to take over the lead in supporting Libya, she continued, adding that NATO expected the United Nations to take the leading role.

The NATO secretary general will travel to Paris on Thursday, September 1 to take part in a senior level meeting on Libya, Lungescu said…

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NATO Faces “Catastrophic Success” In Libya

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90780/7584150.html

Jiefang Daily
Translated by People’s Daily Online
August 30, 2011

NATO faces ‘catastrophic success’ in Libya
By An Huihou

-Going against the trend of the times, maintaining blind faith in the use of force, imposing the threat of force and even interfering militarily have not only become increasingly difficult but also do harm to others and themselves. As Western countries have repeatedly failed to take lessons from their blind moves, it is no wonder they has embarked on the path of decline.

The Libya war situation recently underwent dramatic changes. The French and British defense ministers stressed at the end of July that the Libyan opposition could not defeat the government forces or capture Tripoli, the capital of Libya, on its own. However, certain media outlets revealed in mid-August that the Libyan opposition was expected to capture the capital before the end of August, according to a NATO schedule.

As it turned out, the opposition forces entered Tripoli on Aug. 21. There are two main reasons for the sudden victory of the opposition forces. First, Western countries not only launched air strikes and provided a large amount of weapons to the opposition forces but also sent ground troops to Libya. According to recent media reports, France, the United Kingdom and Italy had dispatched special forces to Libya to help the opposition troops finally win the ground war. Second, Western countries reportedly bought out almost all senior officials of the Qaddafi regime. In brief, Western countries planned and directed the opposition forces’ capture of Tripoli.

However, the NATO’s victory in Libya is just a miserable victory. First, in order to reduce civilian casualties, the United Nations Security Council authorized NATO to establish a no-fly zone in Libya. However, the military operations of NATO have enlarged the civil war, led to tens of thousands of casualties of innocent civilians, made countless people homeless, and caused severe property damage and a huge humanitarian disaster.

NATO’s arming of the Libyan rebels and use of land forces in Libya both violated the Security Council’s resolution, which prohibited both actions. In order to overthrow the Qadafi administration, foster a pro-West government and further control Libya, western countries will use any methods. Fair or foul, they do not care. Therefore, they have already failed in morality and justice.

Second, several of the strongest Western countries joined forces, spent a lot of money and manpower, and bombed Libya for five months, but they ultimately still had to adopt illegal actions and command the Libyan rebels to take the capital. It could fully reflect the rudeness, brutality and selfishness of the Western countries. In addition, their actions not only failed to demonstrate their powerful strengths but also revealed their weakness, fragility and incapacity.

U.K.-based The Times reported that NATO is generally using the term “catastrophic success” to describe the opposition’s victory. The relationship among various factions of Libya’s opposition is indeed complicated. Although they have made collective actions to achieve the goal of overthrowing Qaddafi’s regime, it is very difficult for them to remain united in the post-Qaddafi era. Instead, they are very likely to divide and even cause new conflicts to arise. Furthermore, it is very difficult for Qaddafi’s tribes to accept the cruel facts, including the loss of their dominant position, authority and interests.

The international community is universally worried that Libya will likely become a second Iraq or Somalia, and some even forecasted that Libya would likely be divided into three parts. The war and the inevitable future chaos caused by war will make the Libyan people the biggest victim and affect regional and global peace and stability. The Western countries will unlikely obtain the rewards that they are coveting.

Western countries have launched the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq over the past decade and have participated in the Libyan war in 2011. Although they have all met the goals of regime change, have they really achieved victories? The Iraq war waged by the United States is not worth the costs and has become one of the major reasons behind the fall of the United States from its hegemonic position, which is already a consensus in the international community.

The Afghan war has lasted as long as 10 years, putting those who launched the war into a dilemma. The Libyan war is no exception and can never become a model for Western powers’ successful interference in the internal affairs of other countries. The “gunboat diplomacy” era has long passed, and resolving political differences through negotiations has become the trend of the times.

Going against the trend of the times, maintaining blind faith in the use of force, imposing the threat of force and even interfering militarily have not only become increasingly difficult but also do harm to others and themselves. As Western countries have repeatedly failed to take lessons from their blind moves, it is no wonder they has embarked on the path of decline.

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NATO Libyan War Rhetoric “Beyond Most Cynical Propaganda”: Russian Envoy

http://rt.com/politics/libya-cynical-propoganda-rogozin-425/

RT
August 30, 2011

NATO’s rhetoric on Libya ‘most cynical propaganda’ – Rogozin

The criticism of NATO voiced at an international conference in the Czech Republic is a sign of the growing discontent with the Alliance’s policy both in Europe and in the US, stated Russia’s NATO Ambassador Dmitry Rogozin.

­“I think the ‘Prague wave’, which has reached us, I mean the wave of stinging commentaries regarding NATO, indicates that the Alliance is running a serious risk of undermining its unshakeable reputation as an honest broker in matters of war and peace,” Rogozin told Interfax on Tuesday.

His comments came at the end of a conference titled “Central Europe, EU and New Russia,” a forum organized by the independent Czech think-tank Fontes Rerom and the European movement, an international association aimed at promoting civil society. It was attended by representatives of ten European countries and the US. The Russian delegation was led by the lower house vice-chairman Aleksandr Babakov.

Rogozin said that during the conference many Europeans spoke of NATO as a “police” or even a “criminal” organization. The Russian politician noted that the current mood has been gaining ground since the start of the military operation in Libya.

“Western intellectuals are strongly disappointed with the Alliance’s actions in Libya, as well as the policies of some specific member states,” Rogozin stated, adding that the rhetoric of some NATO representatives concerning Libya is “absolutely outrageous, going beyond the most cynical propaganda.”

Their commentaries suggest that “dozens of thousands of bombs dropped on Libya hit the targets so accurately and gracefully that not a single hair stirred on the heads of ordinary Libyan citizens as the bombs flew over them,” Rogozin said.

The Russian ambassador to NATO believes that saying such things inevitably draws criticism in the West even from politicians who have been traditionally loyal to NATO.

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Irene’s Devastation And NATO’s Bombs

http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/Irene+devastation+NATO+bombs/5326725/story.html

Victoria Times Colonist
August 30, 2011

Letter:
Irene’s devastation, and NATO’s bombs

After watching Mother Nature’s wrath, in the form of hurricane Irene, wreak havoc on U.S. cities, I switched news channels to watch how NATO’s wrath, in the form of fighter jets, had wreaked havoc on ancient cites like Tripoli and Sirte in Libya.

Despite so many NATO member countries being in a steep economic decline, they are always financially willing and able to wage war and cause destruction in foreign lands – even while their own infrastructures crumble into neglectful disrepair due to lack of funds.

Parts of Tripoli, founded by Phoenicians in the seventh century BC, lie in ruins as the world’s press cameramen lead us through the rubble, with little said about NATO’s changing role. It had quietly and quickly morphed from implementing a United Nations and Arab League-sanctioned no-fly zone to protect anti-government rebels into a bombing onslaught to decimate all sites Moammar Gadhafi controlled. Tripoli and other cities weren’t devastated by the small machine-guns and rocket-propelled grenades launched from the rebels’ pickup trucks; the depredation came from the military might of NATO.

Have things really changed that much since Phoenician times?

Bernie Smith
Parksville

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NTC: NATO Ensured Victory, Must Stay In Libya

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/163189-nato-must-extend-stay-ntc.html

Peninsula (Qatar)
August 30, 2011

Nato must extend stay: NTC

-“We effectively conducted 23,000 flights and destroyed 5,000 military targets in Libya. Nato forces participated in field operations which were accurately led round the clock and the week.”

DOHA: Libya’s National Transitional Council has urged Nato to continue with its presence in the country saying that it fears that a defiant Colonel Muammar Ghadafi might do something unexpected.

Nato is mandated by the UN Security Council to stay in Libya until September 27.

Addressing a meeting of chiefs of staff of the armed forces of the countries that participated in anti-Gaddafi military operations in Libya, Mustafa Abdul Jalil, NTC Chairman, said yesterday that…“Libyan rebels couldn’t have achieved victory without the support of Nato and international alliance forces,” Jalil said.

The rebels were no match for Ghadafi’s forces since he had massive wealth and military might, he added.

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The meeting was held to discuss the current situation in Libya after the end of Gaddafi’s rule. Nato was represented at the meet.

Major general Hamad bin Ali al Attiya, chief of staff of the Qatari armed forces, the Libyan Minister of Defense Jalal al Digheily and the representative of Libyan rebels, Abdul Hakim Belhaj, were in attendance.

The meeting discussed Nato’s views and position on the ongoing events in Libya and the general military situation in the country.

Major-General Hamad bin Ali al Attiyah, also said that Nato’s stay in Libya was needed.

“The ongoing developments and field indicators in Libya require Nato to provide military and security support…,” he added.

The speech of Jalal al Digheily, the Libyan Minister of Defense, thanked Qatar, the Emirates, Jordan and Sudan for providing support to the rebels.

“War is still going on to defeat Gaddafi, his sons and aides and the sleeper cells, the so called “revolutionary committees”…,” he said.

“We are still in need of the Nato’s logistic and military support to achieve our goals,” he said.

Admiral Samuel Le Claire, commander of the Nato military operations in Libya, congratulated the NTC.

“We effectively conducted 23,000 flights and destroyed 5,000 military targets in Libya. Nato forces participated in field operations which were accurately led round the clock and the week,” he said.

“We are committed and authorized to continue the military operation till September 27, 2011. We hope the vision will be obvious during the upcoming weeks and we will discuss the suitable ways to support Libya after the end of military operation,” he said.

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Obama Doctrine: U.S. Libyan War Tactics Model For Syria, Others

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/29/world/africa/29diplo.html

New York Times
August 29, 2011

U.S. Tactics in Libya May Be a Model for Other Efforts
By Helene Cooper and Steven Lee Myers

-[T]he very fact that the administration has joined with the same allies that it banded with on Libya to call for Mr. Assad to go and to impose penalties on his regime could take the United States one step closer to applying the Libya model toward Syria…[A]dministration officials say that the coordinated approach to calling for Mr. Assad’s ouster and imposing financial penalties on the Syrian government show that they are already applying the Obama doctrine there.

WASHINGTON: It would be premature to call the war in Libya a complete success for United States interests. But the arrival of victorious rebels on the ***shores of Tripoli*** last week gave President Obama’s senior advisers a chance to claim a key victory for an Obama doctrine for the Middle East that had been roundly criticized in recent months as leading from behind.

Administration officials say that even though the NATO intervention in Libya, emphasizing airstrikes.., cannot be applied uniformly in other hotspots like Syria, the conflict may, in some important ways, become a model for how the United States wields force ***in other countries where its interests are threatened***.

“We’ve resisted the notion of a doctrine, because we don’t think you can impose one model on very different countries; that gets you into trouble and can lead you to intervene in places that you shouldn’t,” said Ben Rhodes, the director for strategic communications at the National Security Council.

Even so, he said, the Libya action helped to establish two principles for when the United States could apply military force to advance its diplomatic interests even though its national security is not threatened directly.

Mr. Obama laid out those principles on March 28, when he gave his only big address on the Libya conflict, in a speech at George Washington University that in many ways established the principles of the Obama doctrine.

During that speech, Mr. Obama said that America had the responsibility to stop what he characterized as a looming genocide in the Libyan city of Benghazi (Principle 1). But at the same time, he said, when the safety of Americans is not directly threatened but where action can be justified — in the case of genocide, say — the United States will act only on the condition that it is not acting alone (Principle 2).

And so, with Libya, the United States used its might — providing crucial cruise missiles, aircraft, bombs, intelligence and even military personnel — but it did so as part of the larger NATO coalition, led by the French and the British and including Arab nations.

…

In fact, American officials argued, the Libya strategy worked in large part because it was perceived as an international effort against a brutal dictator and “not a U.S. go-it-alone approach,” as one senior administration official put it.

“ ‘Made only in the U.S.A.’ would have risked it becoming Qaddafi versus the U.S.A.,” the official said.

…

For now at least, the administration and its allies in the Libya action have stopped far short of threatening military force in Syria. Still, the officials argue that creating the broadest possible diplomatic pressure — what Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton last week called an “international chorus of condemnation” — could ultimately have an effect and, if Mr. Assad continues his violent crackdown on dissenters, lay the foundation for more aggressive action.

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[T]he very fact that the administration has joined with the same allies that it banded with on Libya to call for Mr. Assad to go and to impose penalties on his regime could take the United States one step closer to applying the Libya model toward Syria. While military intervention in Syria is highly unlikely, administration officials say that the coordinated approach to calling for Mr. Assad’s ouster and imposing financial penalties on the Syrian government show that they are already applying the Obama doctrine there.

…

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Under Fire From Atlanticist Forces, German Foreign Minister Endorses NATO Bombing

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/europe/news/article_1659724.php/Under-fire-over-Libya-Westerwelle-commends-NATO-bombing

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
August 29, 2011

Under fire over Libya, Westerwelle commends NATO bombing

Berlin: Facing calls to resign and derision in the media, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle slackened Monday his stubborn defence of Germany’s refusal to intervene militarily in Libya.

Through a spokesman, Chancellor Angela Merkel declared confidence in Westerwelle. But media suggested he might not last as minister, after a furore over Westerwelle’s refusal to concede that the ouster of Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi did require military force.

‘We are pleased that the reign of the Gaddafi regime is at an end,’ Westerwelle told a conference in Berlin of 200 German ambassadors.

‘Precisely because we assessed the opportunities and risks differently, we respect France and our allies for applying Resolution 1973.’ French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe was in the room as a guest at the Berlin meeting.

Germany’s UN ambassador abstained at Westerwelle’s direction on March 17 when the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1973, authorizing force to deny Gaddafi air superiority.

The abstention upset allies and was criticized by many Germans. A former foreign minister, Joschka Fischer, a Green, has called the abstention Germany’s biggest diplomatic blunder in six decades.

Last week, Westerwelle held fast, arguing that economic sanctions, not force, had been a major factor in ousting Gaddafi.

His refusal to admit that events had proved him wrong revived Westerwelle-bashing, which had gone quiet in the media after he gave up his leadership of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) in May.

Steffen Seibert, Merkel’s spokesman, said, ‘The chancellor and her foreign minister are working in full confidence with one another.’

Asked if she was now concerned about Westerwelle’s future, he said, ‘She is not worrying.’

In a newspaper guest article on Sunday, Westerwelle yielded a little, writing, ‘We are the glad that the Libyans managed, with help as well from the international military operation, to oust the Gaddafi regime.’

The new FDP leader, Philipp Roesler, disowned Westerwelle’s views by expressly praising the NATO intervention, but rebuffed calls to sack the minister. To avoid fanning the flames, the FDP cancelled a Berlin news conference set for Monday.

Media commentators said the FDP seemed concerned that dumping Westerwelle would hit its vote share in two state elections next month.

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Report: Algeria Closes 1,000-Kilometer Stretch Of Border With Libya

http://en.rian.ru/world/20110830/166290016.html

Russian Information Agency Novosti
August 30, 2011

Algeria partially closes border with Libya – paper

Cairo: Algeria has closed a 1,000-km stretch of its border with Libya and put troops and police there on high alert, an independent Algerian newspaper said.

Al-Watan newspaper said that troops, police and customs officials received relevant orders late on Monday.

The Algerian Foreign Ministry said earlier that wife and three children of fugitive Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi had arrived in Algeria despite the warning issued by Western powers that countries neighboring with Libya should not give refuge to Gaddafi family members or loyalists.

The whereabouts of Col. Gaddafi, who ruled the country for 40 years, remain unknown since rebels seized control over his headquarters in the capital, Tripoli, almost a week ago.

Algeria has not yet recognized Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) as a legitimate power in conflict-torn North African state.

Algerian authorities have repeatedly called against international interference in the domestic conflict in Libya.

Algeria fears that the instability in Libya may be used by al-Qaeda to strengthen its positions in the neighboring countries.

Algerian media have reported on several occasions that there were many criminals and members of radical Islamist groups among the Libyan rebels.

…

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European Union Imposes Oil Embargo On Syria

http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/08/30/55396732.html

Voice of Russia
August 30, 2011

EU imposes oil embargo on Syria

The European Union member states have agreed to impose an embargo on imports of Syrian oil by the end of next week to mount pressure on President Assad for a tough crackdown on anti-government protests in Syria.

The move comes next after a similar decision was made by the US earlier this month.

Syria exports around 95% of its crude oil to the EU.

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Iraq: NATO Trains Federal Police In Crowd And Riot Control, Oil Police

http://www.aco.nato.int/nato-training-missioniraq-completes-three-courses-for-the-iraqi-security-forces-in-camp-dublin-and-taji.aspx

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
August 30, 2011

NATO Training Mission-Iraq completes three courses for the Iraqi Security Forces in Camp Dublin and Taji

BAGHDAD: In the last week, the NATO Training Mission in Iraq scored three more achievements in its endeavour to assist the Iraqi Security Forces: the completion of the first Federal Police Crowd and Riot Control course, with all Iraqi instructors, and the fifth Oil Police Basic course, both of which took place at Camp Dublin, and the conclusion of the second Unit Instructor course at Taji.

One hundred policemen graduated from the first Crowd and Riot control course, 221 graduated the fifth Basic Oil Police course and 35 Army NCOs completed the second Unit Instructor course.

…

Background: The NATO Training Mission in Iraq (NTM-I) was established in 2004…The aim of NTM-I is to assist in the development of Iraqi security forces training structures and institutions…

The activities of the mission are coordinated with Iraqi authorities and the US-led Deputy Commanding General Advising and Training (DCG (A&T)) who is also dual-hatted as the Commander of NTM-I. NATO has an enduring commitment to Iraq.

NTM-I advises and supports the Defence University for Military Studies, National Defence College, War College, and the Defence Language Institute with the other institutions in Baghdad. Other cooperation projects for NATO in Iraq are out-of-country training courses for Iraqi nationals at NATO schools as well as the Iraqi Police (Iraqi Federal Police and Oil Police) training led by Italian Carabinieri.

Currently, NTM-I is a small tactical force of NATO/PfP personnel, representing 14 member nations (as at August 2011): Albania, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine (Partner for Peace), UK, USA.

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August Deadliest Month For U.S. In Ten-Year Afghan War

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/08/30/501364/main20099087.shtml

CBS News/Associated Press
August 30, 2011

Deadliest month yet for U.S. in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan: Sixty-six U.S. troops have died in Afghanistan so far this month, making August the deadliest month for American forces in the nearly decade-long war.

Nearly half of the troops killed died on Aug. 6 when the Taliban shot down a Chinook helicopter in eastern Afghanistan. That was the single deadliest event of the war and sent the monthly total soaring, according to a tally by The Associated Press.

The 30 American service members — most of them elite Navy SEALs — were aboard the helicopter as it flew in to help Army Rangers who had come under fire. Most of the SEALs who died were from the same unit that killed bin Laden, although none of the men took part in that mission.

Aside from the 30 killed in the crash in Wardak province, southwest of Kabul, 23 died this month in Kandahar and Helmand provinces in southern Afghanistan, the main focus of Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces. The remaining 13 were killed in eastern Afghanistan.

The deadliest month for American forces until now was July 2010 when 65 were killed.

…

In addition to the 66 Americans killed so far this month, the NATO coalition suffered the loss of two British, four French, one New Zealander, one Australian, one Polish and four other troops whose nationalities have not yet been disclosed.

So far this year, 402 international service members, including 299 Americans, have been killed in Afghanistan.

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French, Lithuanian NATO Warplanes Collide During Training Exercise

http://en.rian.ru/world/20110830/166300964.html

Russian Information Agency Novosti
August 30, 2011

NATO’s French, Lithuanian warplanes collide in midair, no casualties

VILNIUS: A NATO French Air Force Mirage fighter and a Lithuanian L-39 Albatross trainer collided during an exercise in Lithuania on Tuesday, Defense Ministry spokeswoman Ruta Putnikeke said.

The Lithuanian plane fell and the pilot ejected safely on a lake, Putnikeke said.

The French fighter landed without further incident.

The crash took place around 7:30 GMT near Lake Rekyva not far from Lithuania’s Siauliai airbase.

“We regret the incident. We do not know all the circumstances yet. We can only say with relief that there have been no human casualties,” Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius said.

“Unfortunately, such things happen sometimes.”

Lithuania joined NATO in 2004.

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Beginning Of New War: NATO Complicit In Attacks On Pakistani Posts

http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=111606

Pakistan Observer
August 29, 2011

It was NATO’s raid not Afghans

The attack from across the border in Chitral on Saturday once again highlighted the fact that some sinister campaign is in the offing to further pressurize and destabilize Pakistan. Though different accounts of the casualties are being given, officials have admitted the killing of 25 security personnel and the capture of two border posts by militants who simultaneously attacked seven check posts.

The attack by about 300 armed men is being given a new colour in that it was carried out by Afghan-based militants but one thing is for certain, that this was done with the backing of occupation forces in Afghanistan.

NATO and US forces are deployed all along the border with Pakistan and with sophisticated intelligence gadgets it is not possible for a big group of people to cross the Durand Line without their knowledge.

Cross-border raids from Afghanistan started in April this year and so far about 75 troops and civilians have been killed in at least six such attacks. Some people argue that the incursions were planned and executed by militant leader Fazlullah who is reportedly hiding in Kunar and Nooristan provinces, but one is certain in saying that he cannot maintain a sanctuary there without the backing of anti-Pakistan intelligence agencies.

It was an organised military-like operation which one cannot be imagined conducted by a stray group of militants and it is also totally unacceptable that they have the capability to fight for long hours or capture Pakistani posts.

In the past, too, similar attacks were carried out and the matter was raised with the Afghan government and the NATO command.

We are of the considered opinion that this type of attack from the Afghan side are indicators to the beginning of a new war. It is therefore essential that the security posts along the Afghan border must be beefed up with the additional deployment of manpower and armaments so as to give a fitting response to the aggressor.

At the same time we would impress upon the government that the incident should not be taken as routine and a diplomatic protest is lodged because it hurt the sovereignty of Pakistan and President Asif Ali Zardari must raise it with President Obama, urging him to direct the American forces to stop all types of incursions from the Afghan side of the border.

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Thaci: New Deal With NATO “Biggest Success Since Independence”

http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n258123

Focus News Agency
August 29, 2011

Kosovo PM announces deal with NATO on border posts

-”This is a new beginning for Kosovo.”
Under the agreement, the disputed crossings would be named military security zones and manned by NATO’s KFOR troops, and would effectively remain closed for security reasons, [Thaci] added.

Pristina: Kosovo prime minister Hashim Thaci on Friday announced he had reached a deal with NATO over two disputed border posts, which could settle the crisis that has engulfed Kosovo’s majority Serb north, AFP reported.

The government in Pristina “has reached an agreement for preserving the newly established situation at the border,” Thaci said.

“Kosovo has finally managed to establish full control on its borders,” he added.

“This is the biggest success we have achieved since the declaration of independence of the republic of Kosovo,” he said of the deal, which he had initially rejected.

“This is a new beginning for Kosovo.”

Under the agreement, the disputed crossings would be named military security zones and manned by NATO’s KFOR troops, and would effectively remain closed for security reasons, he added.

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Top NATO Military Commanders Inspect Kosovo Flashpoint

http://www.aco.nato.int/admiral-stavridis-and-admiral-di-paola-visit-nato-forces-headquarters-in-kosovo-kfor.aspx

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
August 30, 2011

Admiral Stavridis and Admiral Di Paola visit NATO Forces Headquarters in Kosovo (KFOR)

Admiral James G. Stavridis, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander U.S. European Command, together with Admiral Giampaolo di Paola, the Chairman of the Military Committee of NATO, visited KFOR Headquarters and troops in Kosovo on August 29, 2011.

Both Admirals were welcomed by Major General Erhard Bühler, Commander KFOR, at KFOR Headquarters in Film City in Pristina. Gen Bühler briefed them about the general situation in Kosovo and the developments in the North of Kosovo after the recent unrest in July when a Crossing Point in the North was attacked and part of the infrastructure destroyed.

When Admiral Stavridis was asked about this incident during a radio interview with Radio KFOR he said, “Anytime people resort to violence it’s a mistake and it does not move us forward. So I condemn the [ethnic Serbian] violence in the strongest terms. I am very happy that our KFOR forces were able to help restore order and I look forward to a continuing dialogue so that we can resolve problems like this without violence.”

After the visit to the Headquarters, the delegation went to the troubled Crossing Point to look at the situation on the ground and visit the KFOR and EULEX units who are now patrolling the area.

Major General Bühler, who is completing one year in Command of KFOR and leaving the mission in a few weeks, was thanked by the SACEUR for his outstanding commitment and expert crisis management during the last weeks. “I think General Bühler has done an excellent job. One thing that we look for always is that he has been able to maintain a safe and secure environment.”

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U.S. Establishes Squadron To Train Air Forces For African Conflicts

http://www.stripes.com/news/squadron-established-to-train-air-forces-in-africa-1.153604

Stars and Stripes
August 29, 2011

Squadron established to train air forces in Africa
By John Vandiver

-The formation of an Africa-focused squadron is yet another sign that the military is looking to do more in Africa. In recent months, AFRICOM has added an Africa-focused Navy Special Warfare Unit, and the Marines have authorized a task force focused on training militaries to counterterrorist groups across the northern part of the continent and around the Horn of Africa.

STUTTGART, Germany: A squadron of airmen with key skill sets, including air traffic control and civil engineering, is preparing for a mission to train air forces in Africa to deliver supplies and large numbers of troops into conflict zones.

The New Jersey-based 818th Mobility Support Advisory Squadron was established in April and is expected to become operational later this year in support of U.S. Africa Command, according to Air Force officials.

The squadron, which operates under the 621st Contingency Response Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, will provide training in loading peacekeepers onto aircraft, setting up air traffic control and using aerial intelligence gathering tactics, officials said.

“It is going to be very useful. We’ve struggled in the past a little bit by not having assigned forces,” said Col. David Poage, director of plans and strategy for the 17th Air Force, based in Ramstein, Germany. “It’s a step in the right direction.”

While not formally assigned to AFRICOM, the squadron has been formed to conduct missions primarily in Africa, with a focus on building the air mobility capacity of African militaries, Poage said. The training, which doesn’t involve flight instruction, covers the support skills required to deliver resources and personnel to remote locations.

Though missions have yet to be doled out, the main focus will likely be on lending assistance to nations that have militaries taking part in United Nations and African Union peacekeeping missions, such as the current AU mission in Somalia, Poage said.

…

The formation of an Africa-focused squadron is yet another sign that the military is looking to do more in Africa. In recent months, AFRICOM has added an Africa-focused Navy Special Warfare Unit, and the Marines have authorized a task force focused on training militaries to counterterrorist groups across the northern part of the continent and around the Horn of Africa.

…

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After Baltic States, Scotland: U.S. Warship Enters Arctic Circle

http://www.eucom.mil/english/fullstory.asp?article=USS-Carr-Departs-Edinburgh-Arrives-Tromso

United States European Command
August 30, 2011

USS Carr Departs Edinburgh, Arrives in Tromso
Ensign Brian T. Lance, USS Carr (FFG 52) Public Affairs

EDINBURGH, Scotland: The guided-missile frigate USS Carr (FFG 52) departed Edinburgh, Scotland, Aug. 26, concluding a four-day port visit that was part of U.S. 6th Fleet efforts to build maritime global partnerships with European nations, and improve maritime safety and security.

…

Following their visit to Edinburgh, Carr passed into the Arctic Circle and arrived in Tromso, Norway, Aug. 28, for a two-day visit…

For many Carr Sailors, this was their first visit north of the Arctic Circle…

Carr is homeported out of Norfolk, Va., and is on a three-month deployment supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility.

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