Updates on Libyan war/Stop NATO news: August 31, 2011

====

France’s Military Reintegration Boosts NATO, Pentagon

Pentagon Sending Military Aid, Boats To Libya’s Neighbors

NATO’s Endless Air War In Libya: 20,980 Sorties, 7,886 Strike Missions

Canada Ready To Extend Libyan War Role To End Of Year, Beyond

Report: CIA Recruited 1,500 In Afghanistan To Fight In Libya

Former Nigerian President Condemns NATO’s Invasion Of Libya

Italian Oil Giant Signs Agreement With National Transitional Council

Pentagon Arms Azerbaijan, NATO Allies, North African Nations

Pakistan: NATO Blamed For Taliban Attack That Killed 37

“Hard Decade Of War” Obama Hails 5 Million “9/11 Generation” Troops

CSTO Troops Can Be Used To Thwart “Color” Coups: Belarus

Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts

NATO Standards: Pentagon Holds Joint Military Drills In Bulgaria

Bulgarian NATO Experience Applied To Serbia

Bulgaria And Israel To Conduct Joint Military Exercises

Joschka Fischer: “Strong, United Europe” Must Ally With U.S. Against China

“Whites Unite”: Romanian President Calls For United States Of Europe

Ukraine: Polish, Ukrainian Troops Train For Global NATO Missions

Georgian, French Troops To Train Afghan Counterparts

AFRICOM: Security Threat To Namibia, African Continent

====

France’s Military Reintegration Boosts NATO, Pentagon

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-30/french-embrace-of-nato-s-power-is-a-huge-step-forward-for-the-world-view.html

Bloomberg News
August 30, 2011

French Embrace of NATO’s Power Is a Huge Step Forward for the World: View

-Acting through NATO gave France access to U.S. capabilities such as air-to-air refueling, intelligence collection and long-range drones that the French and other European allies lack. NATO’s partnerships in the Middle East made it easier for nations such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to join the anti-Qaddafi coalition.

The government of France has concluded that its national security can best be served through active leadership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. We agree.

With the U.S. displaying increasing ambivalence toward the alliance, the evolving French position couldn’t come at a better time. France had kept its distance from NATO since President Charles De Gaulle pulled out of the alliance’s unified military command in 1966. De Gaulle argued that NATO was dominated by the U.S. and the U.K., and that France needed an independent defense policy to maintain its status as a great power. Subsequent French presidents from both the Gaullist and Socialist parties sought to build a European Union defense capability as a competitor to NATO, free of U.S. influence.

President Nicolas Sarkozy’s decision in 2009 to rejoin NATO’s military structure was the first indication that policy was changing. It now appears that Sarkozy has concluded that NATO is central to the future of France and Europe.

Sarkozy, along with Britain’s prime minister, David Cameron [led] NATO’s successful support for the rebels who overthrew the regime of…Muammar Qaddafi. Acting through NATO gave France access to U.S. capabilities such as air-to-air refueling, intelligence collection and long-range drones that the French and other European allies lack. NATO’s partnerships in the Middle East made it easier for nations such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to join the anti-Qaddafi coalition.

Ironically, it was President Barack Obama’s decision to cede leadership of the Libya operation to the French and British that showed the government in Paris that it could use NATO to achieve its goals, much as the U.S. has done in the past.

The new French view of NATO could have enormous consequences for the West’s ability to act in concert…In an era of declining military budgets, Europe can no longer afford to waste money building an EU defense structure that duplicates NATO’s capabilities. Greater French involvement will have the added benefit of strengthening the trans-Atlantic partnership.

Libya demonstrated that the most important U.S. national security relationship is with Europe…From a U.S. perspective, the strengthening of Europe’s commitment to NATO is good news indeed.

====

Pentagon Sending Military Aid, Boats To Libya’s Neighbors

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pentagon-sending-military-aid-boats-to-countries-neighboring-libya/2011/08/30/gIQAS0U7pJ_story.html

Associated Press
August 30, 2011

Pentagon sending military aid, boats to countries neighboring Libya

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon is sending more than $25 million in military equipment, small boats and other support to Tunisia and Malta, two nations that flank Libya and are key allies in the tumultuous region.

The funding, detailed in documents obtained by The Associated Press, is part of a $44 million Pentagon aid package…

====

NATO’s Endless Air War In Libya: 20,980 Sorties, 7,886 Strike Missions

http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_08/20110831_110831-oup-update.pdf

North Atlantic Treaty Organization
August 31, 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 20,980 sorties, including 7,886 strike sorties, have been conducted.

Sorties conducted 30 AUGUST: 109

Strike sorties conducted 30 AUGUST: 38

….

====

Canada Ready To Extend Libyan War Role To End Of Year, Beyond

http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2011/08/should-canada-extend-its-mission-in-libya.html

CBC News
August 31, 2011

Should Canada extend its mission in Libya?

Canada’s contribution to the NATO-led air mission in Libya is scheduled to end Sept. 27, although Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is keeping the option of extending Canada’s mission past that date.

“This is quickly coming to an end. It’s not over yet. Canada will obviously be there in theatre to support the Libyan people,” Baird told host Evan Solomon on CBC’s Power & Politics.

“Canadian Forces, as long as our NATO allies are on this UN-sanctioned mission, are there…,” he said.

Canada’s contribution to the mission was extended once before. In June, the House voted 294-1 to extend the mission, with Green Party Leader Elizabeth May being the lone member of Parliament to vote against.

At the time of the vote, then NDP Leader Jack Layton said his party would only support one extension to the mission.

…

NATO continues to hit targets within Libya even after the deposition of Moammar Gadhafi. On Tuesday, NATO flew 38 strike sorties, hitting six tanks and more than a dozen armed vehicles, as well as radar installations and other facilities.

====

Report: CIA Recruited 1,500 In Afghanistan To Fight In Libya

http://nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/31-Aug-2011/CIA-recruits-1500-from-MazareSharif-to-fight-in-Libya

The Nation (Pakistan)
August 31, 2011

CIA recruits 1,500 from Mazar-e-Sharif to fight in Libya
By Azhar Masood

ISLAMABAD: The Central Intelligence Agency of the United States recruited over 1,500 men from Mazar-e-Sharif for fighting against the Qaddafi forces in Libya.

Sources told The Nation: “Most of the men have been recruited from Afghanistan. They are Uzbeks, Persians and Hazaras. According to the footage, these men attired in the Uzbek-style of shalwar and Hazara-Uzbek Kurta were found fighting in Libyan cities.”

When an Al-Jazeera reporter pointed it out he was disallowed by the ‘rebels’ to capture images.

Sources in Quetta said: “Some Uzbeks and Hazaras from Afghanistan were arrested in Balochistan for illegally traveling into Pakistan en route to Libya through Iran. Aljazeera’s report gave credence to this story. More than 60 Afghans, mainly children and teenagers, have been found dead after suffocating inside a shipping container in southwestern Pakistan in an apparent human smuggling attempt.

More than 100 illegal immigrants were discovered 20km from the border town of Quetta last week inside the container, which had been locked from the outside.

Aljazeera having a dubious record, gave a human touch to this story as most of the men who intruded inside Pakistan from Afghanistan were recruits for the Libyan rebels’ force.

The sources said: “The CIA funded Libyan rebels with cash and weapons.” In a report the New York Mayor’s TV Channel Bloomberg said, “Leaders of the Libyan rebels’ Transitional National Council flew to Istanbul seeking legitimacy and money. They will leave with the official recognition of the US and 31 other nations. As for the cash, they will have to wait.”

The decision to treat the council as the “legitimate governing authority” in Libya is a key step to freeing up some of the government’s frozen assets for rebels seeking the ouster of Muammar Qaddafi. Still, obstacles such as existing United Nations sanctions won’t disappear overnight.

“We still have to work through various legal issues, but we expect this recognition will allow the TNC to access various forms of funding,” said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

At stake are about $34 billion in frozen Libyan government assets that are held by the US institutions and as much as $130 billion more held around the world. Speaking via phone from Istanbul, Transitional National Council spokesman Mahmoud Shammam put the total in excess of $100 billion globally.

Qaddafi, in an audio message broadcast to supporters in the town of Zlitan, said the Libyan people “will never give up” in the fight to prevent him being ousted, the Associated Press reported. “The Libyan people will persevere,” he said.

In the coming weeks, US officials will consult with the TNC and international partners on the most effective and appropriate method of making additional significant financial assistance available, according to a Treasury official who was not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.

Shammam said the TNC needs $3 billion to cover the budget for six months. The council is seeking loans secured by the Qaddafi regime’s assets abroad as a means of funding, he said.

Recognition may lawfully allow nations to buy state-owned oil from the TNC, which controls the oil-rich eastern part of the country. Italy’s Eni SpA and France’s Total SA are the top oil companies operating in Libya, a former Italian colony.

How much money the Benghazi-based government can get, and when, may be more tied to politics than the law.

“The legal issues are in the eye of the beholder,” said Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington. “If Obama and Clinton want to go slow in paying out the money, their lawyers can invent plenty of legal issues to justify the chosen pace.”

The US envisions a “short timeframe” for releasing some of the Libyan government assets frozen by the US, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

President Barack Obama signed an order on February 25 freezing any US assets of Muammar Qaddafi, his family and members of his regime in Libya. As a practical matter, most of the frozen $34 billion is tied up in complicated property interests, including ownership interests in non-publicly traded companies or real estate, according to the Treasury official.

The mechanics of how the US will unfreeze assets still has to be worked out. The United Nations sanctions against Libya remain in place, a hindrance to efforts to get money to the rebels.

The UK and France, which led the campaign to unseat Qaddafi, yesterday didn’t commit any financial contributions.

Recognition of the council “will allow some countries to unfreeze some money,” French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said. Libyan frozen assets in France total $250 million, he said.

Other nations have already found the means to act.

Italy will open a credit line to rebels using frozen assets as collateral, and will provide them with 100 million euros ($141 million), Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said yesterday. Another 300 million euros will be released in two weeks and in total, Italy will release 400 million euros, he said, describing the money as loans.

The council is expecting $100 million from Turkey within three days, Shammam said.

The main criterion for international law for the recognition of a rebel group as the government of a state is its effective control over the territory.

…

The military campaign against Qaddafi will continue “indefinitely” until he steps down, UK Foreign Secretary William Hague told reporters yesterday in Istanbul.

====

Former Nigerian President Condemns NATO’s Invasion Of Libya

http://allafrica.com/stories/201108301071.html

Concord Times (Sierra Leone)
August 29, 2011

Libya: Obasanjo Slams Nato Intervention in Libya
Mohamed Massaquoi
29 August 2011

Freetown: Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has strongly condemned the invasion of NATO forces in Libya, noting that the attack on “the brother, leader and former chairman of the African Union, Muammar Gaddafi” was wrong and uncalled for.

Mr. Olusegun Obasanjo was addressing newsmen at State House in Freetown last Friday during a snap visit to President Ernest Bai Koroma in acknowledgement of his Golden Jubilee Award presented to him during the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations on April 27, 2011…

Asked what he made of the current political predicament facing the people of Libya, Mr. Obasanjo said: “It is obligatory for leaders to respect their people and create an enabling atmosphere for good governance, but the NATO intervention in the conflict in Libya is wrong because it will take a long time to address the damages caused.”

…

====

Italian Oil Giant Signs Agreement With National Transitional Council

http://www.ogj.com/articles/2011/08/eni-libyas-national-transitional-council-sign-agreement.html

Oil & Gas Journal
August 30, 2011

Eni, Libya’s National Transitional Council sign agreement
By Eric Watkins

Los Angeles:Italy’s Eni SPA said it signed a memorandum of understanding with Libya’s National Transitional Council (NTC) that aims at strengthening cooperation between them.

Under the terms of the agreement, Eni and NTC said they are committed to “creating the conditions for a rapid and complete recovery of Eni’s activities in Libya.”

The two sides also said they are committed to “doing all that is necessary to restart operations on the Greenstream pipeline, bringing gas from the Libyan coast to Italy.”

Eni and NTC, referring to the joint declaration signed on May 31 by the Italian government and NTC, said Eni has begun providing a first supply of refined petroleum products to NTC…

Eni also said it will also provide “technical assistance to assess the state of facilities and energy infrastructure in Libya and to define the type and extent of operations required to…restart activities.”

The agreement came as rebel-held Zawiya refinery near Tripoli, which has been shut down since the beginning of Libya’s rebellion in February, will soon resume operations…

“After tomorrow, it will be operational,” said Zawiya operations manager Mohammad Aziz, who added that the refinery will start processing stored crude first amid hopes of receiving new supplies from southern fields in two days.

Meanwhile, a tank at Waha Oil Co.’s Es-Sider oil terminal was reported to have been damaged during fighting between rebels and forces loyal to Libya’s embattled leader Moammar Gadhafi.

“One tank is on fire now, and we expect it will be damaged completely,” said an oil worker who added that no one was working in the terminal, which has a storage capacity of 6.3 million bbl of crude.

Waha Oil is owned by Libya’s National Oil Corp. in a joint venture of ConocoPhillips, Marathon, and Hess Corp. Waha Oil operates four main oil fields: Waha, Dahra, Samah, and Gialo.

The Es-Sider terminal stores oil produced from Sirte basin fields operated by Total SA and Eni.

====

Pentagon Arms Azerbaijan, NATO Allies, North African Nations

http://en.trend.az/regions/scaucasus/azerbaijan/1924738.html

Trend News Agency
August 31, 2011

Pentagon sending military aid to Azerbaijan

A $44 million Pentagon military aid package included nearly $10 million for Azerbaijan, The Associated Press reported with reference to documents obtained by the agency.

The aid aimed at improving the counterterrorism capabilities of the naval special forces includes small boats, engines, diving gear and training.

The Pentagon is sending more than $25 million in military equipment, small boats and other support to Tunisia and Malta.

Lithuania and Hungary were also included in the funding plan.

…

The first package approved earlier this year was for about $43 million and was directed at NATO and other allies in the Afghanistan war. A second package for $145.4 million was directed largely at North African nations…

Initially, military leaders have planned to spend at least $150 million of the fund on aid to Yemen…

====

Pakistan: NATO Blamed For Taliban Attack That Killed 37

http://www.dardistantimes.com/content/attack-chitral0-2scouts-backed-nato-local-residents23

Dardistan Times
August 30, 2011

‘Attack on Chitral Scouts backed by NATO’ local residents
Gul Hamad Farooqui

CHITRAL: The attack on the peaceful scenic Chitral valley of Pakistan, in which 37 people died, is now being hinted to be backed by NATO forces in Afghanistan. An eyewitness of the incident has revealed that the attack at Arandu on Saturday was monitored and supported by NATO and Afghan security forces. Sources told that gunship helicopters and jet fighters were seen around the area during the attack on Chitral Scouts. Some local residents claimed that they witnessed heavy shelling and bombardment. They claimed that helicopter gunships and jet planes were flying over the Pakistan side of the border and it was also revealed that the ammunition was dumped near the border by NATO forces.

“We have already informed the provincial and federal authorities that NATO fighter jets and helicopter gunships do tour our airspace over the border outposts.” A district official told this scribe in Chitral, on the condition of anonymity.

Local residents expressed their fear over the presence of NATO forces in the close proximity of the Arandu border.

Major Gen. Athar Abbas, the spokesperson of ISPR, while talking to a British media source, claimed that the TTP’s [Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan's] absconders from Sawat and Bajur have reorganized in the Kunar province of Afghanistan to hit back at the nearest Pakistani regions. He wondered why and who is putting them there. When asked why not a ‘hot pursuit’, he appeared to refrain, terming it ‘a delicate issue’. However, he clearly claimed that the insurgents in Kunar were getting support to carry out cross-border attacks.

It is pertinent to recall that Chitral is a very peaceful tourist region in Pakistan and bloodshed like that on Saturday has never been normal to the local residents.

Gul Hamad Farooqui has contributed to this story from Arandu, Chitral, Pakistan.

====

“Hard Decade Of War” Obama Hails 5 Million “9/11 Generation” Troops

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-08/31/c_131085052.htm

Xinhua News Agency
August 31, 2011

Obama salutes “9/11 generation” of U.S. veterans to kick off 9/11 observance

WASHINGTON: U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday paid tribute to “9/11 generation” of veterans and service members, thousands of whom have died in the past decade of war…

“Today we pay humble tribute to the more than 6,200 Americans in uniform who have given their lives in this hard decade of war. We honor them all,” Obama said in a speech to the 93rd annual convention of the American Legion in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“Most profoundly, we see the wages of war in those patriots who never came home. They gave their all, their last full measure of devotion, in Kandahar and the Korengal and Helmand, in the battles for Baghdad and Fallujah and Ramadi,” he said, referring to the wars the U.S. launched in Iraq and Afghanistan…

Obama said that the nation also salutes the 5 million American servicemen and servicewomen for giving what he called “the extraordinary decade of service” in the past 10 years.
…

====

CSTO Troops Can Be Used To Thwart “Color” Coups: Belarus

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-08/30/c_131085032.htm

Xinhua News Agency
August 30, 2011

CSTO troops may be used to prevent coups: Lukashenko

MINSK: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko Tuesday said that members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) are weighing the possibility of using its troops to foil coups.

“What I mean is not only the use of the organization’s Collective Operative Reaction Force in the event of interference by states outside the CSTO, but also interference by other states within the CSTO,” he said at a meeting with CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha here.

“It will be important support for countries that are members of the CSTO because no one will unleash a war on us, but many people can’t wait to commit a constitutional coup,” Lukashenko said.

He stressed CSTO countries must protect integrity and independence of the CSTO member states.

The CSTO, founded in May 1992, is an intergovernmental military alliance, whose members include Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

—————————————————————————

http://news.belta.by/en/news/politics?id=653072

Belarusian Telegraph Agency
August 30, 2011

Astana summit adopts fundamental decisions on CSTO development

MINSK: The CSTO informal summit in Astana in August was a real breakthrough, CSTO Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha told media after his meeting with Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on 30 August. Belarus is currently presiding over the CSTO.

Nikolai Bordyuzha praised the summit for adoption of important decisions on the future development of the organization.

In his words, the heads of state “agreed to use collective rapid response forces for the sake of protecting the constitutional order in a particular CSTO member state.”

The agreement to strengthen the collective rapid response forces both in quantity and quality is meant for the implementation of the collective rapid response forces armament program.

According to Nikolai Bordyuzha, the presidents agreed to enhance the level of joint cooperation against drug trafficking from Afghanistan.

The CSTO Secretary General also said that there are plans to set up a special coordination body “to analyze the situation with information security, information networks that were used for destabilization of the situation in
several CSTO member states.”

“We have discussed a lot of issues at today’s meeting. There have been certain instructions which are to be implemented by the time the next CSTO summit is held. In December the CSTO heads of state will consider draft
decisions on the positions outlined in Astana,” he added.

====

Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts

Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts

====

NATO Standards: Pentagon Holds Joint Military Drills In Bulgaria

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=131625

Sofia News Agency
August 30, 2011

Ambassador, Defense Minister Watch US-Bulgaria Military Drills

-The Novo Selo Training Ground is one of the four Bulgarian military facilities used by the United States under an intergovernmental agreement, which also provides for the stationing of 2,500 US soldiers in Bulgaria, and up to 5,000 for up to a month during their rotation.

Bulgaria’s Defense Minister, Anyu Angelov, and the Defense Head, Gen. Simeon Simeonov, are watching Tuesday a stage of the Bulgaria-US military drills.

The Watchful Guard 2011 exercise is held between August 20th and September 2nd at the Novo Selo training ground. 104 servicemen from Military Police, instructors and military policemen from the Tennessee National Guard, and employees from the Special Police Forces Directorate at the Interior Ministry are taking part.

The joint drills of Bulgarian and American military police and special police forces will also be watched Tuesday by US Ambassador in Sofia, James Warlick, the Chief Secretary of the Interior, Kalin Geogriev, and the Land Forces Commander, General-Major, Stefan Vasilev.

The drills aim at better preparation and readiness of military police in carrying out standard operational procedures and compliance with NATO standards.

As part of the Bulgarian-US military cooperation and partnership, Bulgaria is paired with the state of Tennessee (which is similar to Bulgaria in size and population) under the State Partnership Program of the US Department of Defense.

The Novo Selo Training Ground is one of the four Bulgarian military facilities used by the United States under an intergovernmental agreement, which also provides for the stationing of 2,500 US soldiers in Bulgaria, and up to 5,000 for up to a month during their rotation.

====

Bulgarian NATO Experience Applied To Serbia

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=131537

Sofia News Agency
August 26, 2011

Borisov, Tadic Cordially Excited by Bulgarian-Serbian Military Drills

Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has promised to do all he could in order to get Serbia admitted to the EU after talks with Serbian President Boris Tadic during joint military drills.

The state leaders of Bulgaria and Serbia Borisov and Tadic attended together Friday the joint anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) drills of the Bulgarian and Serbian armed forces in Shabla (taking place August 24-26, 2011) together with Bulgarian Defense Minister Anyu Angelov and his Serbian counterpart Dragan Sutanovac.

…

“These military drills are a sign of the close relations between the Serbian and the Bulgarian military. I want to congratulate Boyko Borisov on the results [Bulgaria] achieved as member of NATO and the EU,” Serbian President Tadic stated in Shabla, as quoted by BGNES.

“We would like to use Bulgaria’s experience about its NATO and EU achievements. I hope that with this military exercise we have contributed even more to the stability on the Balkans,” he added.

….

The 2011 Bulgarian-Serbian anti-aircraft military training near Shabla is taking place for a second year in a row – after it first started in 2010.

The drills feature units from the Bulgarian Air Force, the Bulgarian Navy, the Bulgarian Army and the Bulgarian Border Police as well as an AAA brigade from the Serbian Air Force.

The weapons used and tested in the AAA drills included MiG-29 and Su-25 fighter jets and anti-aircraft surface-to-air missile complexes SA-2 Volhov, SA-3 Neva, SA-6 Kub, SA-8 Osa, SA-7 Strela 2M.

…

====

Bulgaria And Israel To Conduct Joint Military Exercises

http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/08/25/1144367_bulgarias-cabinet-approves-israel-military-co-operation-agreement

Sofia Echo
August 25, 2011

Bulgaria’s Cabinet approves Israel military co-operation agreement

The Cabinet in Sofia has approved a draft of an agreement between Bulgaria’s and Israel’s defence ministries on military co-operation in conducting joint military drills and training, Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) said.

The agreement regulates the interaction between the two countries in the planning of the joint drills, the status of the armed forces on the territory of the host country…

It is expected that the conducting of joint military drills with Israel would improve the training of Bulgarian military units operating in multinational environments, BNR said.

====

Joschka Fischer: “Strong, United Europe” Must Ally With U.S. Against China

http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/30/the-world-needs-a-strong-united-europe/

CNN
Project Syndicate/Institute for Human Sciences
August 30, 2011

The world needs a strong, united Europe
By Joschka Fischer

Editor’s Note: Joschka Fischer, Germany’s foreign minister and vice-chancellor from 1998 to 2005, was a leader in the German Green Party for almost 20 years.

BERLIN: Slowly, word is getting round – even in Germany – that the financial crisis could destroy the European unification project in its entirety, because it demonstrates, quite relentlessly, the weaknesses of the eurozone and its construction. Those weaknesses are less financial or economic than political.

…

At the beginning of the crisis, in 2007-2008, the eurozone’s fundamental flaws could have been corrected had Germany been willing to support a joint European crisis response. But German officials preferred to maintain national primacy – and thus a confederational approach to Europe.

…

Across the Atlantic, America’s fiscal crisis and weak economic growth will force it to reduce its global military commitments. Moreover, the US will orient itself increasingly towards the Pacific rather than the Atlantic. For Europeans, with our turbulent eastern and southern neighborhoods, this presents an additional security challenge for which we are materially and intellectually unprepared. Even today, Europe’s military weakness is working to undermine the transatlantic relationship.

An additional threat to the transatlantic alliance arises from the emerging new world order. The coming years, indeed decades, will be characterized by an increasingly aggressive US-Chinese dualism as China becomes stronger and America’s weakness persists. While this rivalry will have a military component, as evidenced by China’s enormous military buildup, it will manifest itself primarily in terms of economic, political, and normative spheres of influence. East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific will play the central role here.

But China will try to draw Europe into this new global game. Indeed, it has already begun to do so. The recent visits by Prime Minister Wen Jiabao to Europe’s crisis countries, to which he offered generous loans and assistance, made this strikingly clear. And America’s weakness, the growing dependence of European (especially German) exports on the Chinese market, and the enticements of the Far East more generally, will nurture a new and promising Eurasian perspective as Transatlanticism declines.

European illusions about Asia will no longer be directed at Russia, which, apart from its natural resources, will simply have nothing to offer. No, this time, the temptation will spring from China, which well understands Europe’s significance in its emerging geopolitical contest with (and against) the US.

As with Germany vis-à-vis France, here, too, Europe must stand unwaveringly by its transatlantic partner to avoid putting itself in great jeopardy. The two foundations of Europe’s seven decades of peace are cracking. Repairing them requires nothing less than pressing ahead, at long last, toward a strong, united Europe.

====

“Whites Unite”: Romanian President Calls For United States Of Europe

http://www.actmedia.eu/2011/08/23/top+story/president+basescu+on+the+united+states+of+europe%3A+crises+call+for+bold+measures+/35287

ACTmedia
Romanian News Agency
August 23, 2011

President Basescu on the United States of Europe: Crises call for bold measures

-’I am not sure that today’s politicians have the power to convince the people that setting up the United States of Europe will not affect their culture, traditions or the personality of each nation. I do not believe that the current generation of politicians could convince people. It sounds awful to say that the Value Added Tax will no longer be established by the national governments, but by some people in Brussels. It sounds extremely awful to any Romanian, and yet we will have to take this pill if we want Europe to be a viable construction against the globalisation process.’
-’Over the past ten years, the EU has been constantly losing competitiveness to China, the US and other big economic powers. When you have no economic power you cannot be a military power either. It would be useless to attack Libya because you will lose the war. Security is a fundamental thing but there is no providing security without money, which can only be generated by a highly performing economy.’

President Traian Basescu said on Monday evening that the idea of establishing the United States of Europe (USE) has already been discussed, pointing out that crises call for bold measures, and adding that he is not sure that today’s politicians can convince the people that a USE will not affect their culture or traditions.

‘The idea of the United States of Europe is no new solution. It has already been raised and discussed. Churchill is one of the last prominent politicians to suggest it, but even before him there were others. This is nothing original, nothing new under the sun. Yet, this is a time of economic crisis where there are risks of recession returning. I say risks because we have not reached that stage, but there are risks nonetheless, and I mean crises call for bold measures,’ Basescu told the TVR public television channel in an interview.

He added that a politician would be hard pressed saying how quick the United States of Europe could be established, but national governments have proved they can be ‘vanquished’ by markets, by the will of investors.

‘The global system will sweep away all that is lacking strength. The states now have to see how to put up with the negative effects of globalisation,’ Basescu added.

He pointed out in the same context that Romania does not give up on its objective to accede to the Eurozone in 2015.

‘We want to become a part of this European family, and the creation of a government of the Eurozone is something said differently than I said. It is clear that a government of the Eurozone will first of all take care of monetary policies, which will still be managed by the European Central Bank, and of the tax policies of each member state,’ Basescu explained.

…

‘I am not sure that today’s politicians have the power to convince the people that setting up the United States of Europe will not affect their culture, traditions or the personality of each nation. I do not believe that the current generation of politicians could convince people. It sounds awful to say that the Value Added Tax will no longer be established by the national governments, but by some people in Brussels. It sounds extremely awful to any Romanian, and yet we will have to take this pill if we want Europe to be a viable construction against the globalisation process,’ Basescu added.

Last week at Sulina, Basescu said that the European Union has been constantly losing competitiveness to China and the US and that a decision should be taken in the next two-three years whether or not the United States of Europe will be created.

‘Over the past ten years, the EU has been constantly losing competitiveness to China, the US and other big economic powers. When you have no economic power you cannot be a military power either. It would be useless to attack Libya because you will lose the war. Security is a fundamental thing but there is no providing security without money, which can only be generated by a highly performing economy. A fragmented economy with differing policies in 27 states does not make us economically competitive. As Europeans, we need economic performance and security, and these two fundamental things cannot be achieved otherwise than by fundamental political decisions. And I repeat the idea that we have to decide quickly, in the next two-three years, whether or not to create the United States of Europe,’ Basescu told a summer school camp of overseas Romanian students at the Danube Delta resort of Sulina.

====

Ukraine: Polish, Ukrainian Troops Train For Global NATO Missions

http://www.nrcu.gov.ua/index.php?id=148&listid=151656

National Radio Company of Ukraine
August 30, 2011

Ukrainian-Polish exercises “Cossack Steppe – 2011″ start in Mykolaiv

Ukrainian-Polish exercises “Cossack Steppe – 2011″ start at a military training ground “Wide Field” in Mykolaiv. The aim of the exercises – organization of peacekeeping operations in the conditional conflict zone by joint Ukrainian-Polish units.

Training will continue to September 8, the press service of the Defense Ministry informs.

The idea of holding these exercises was initiated in 1996 during a meeting of Defence Ministers of Ukraine, Poland and the UK.

Since then exercises are alternately held in the territories of these countries.

====

Georgian, French Troops To Train Afghan Counterparts

http://en.trend.az/news/politics/1924586.html

Trend News Agency
August 31, 2011

Georgian, French gunners to train Afghan counterparts
N. Kirtskhalia

Tbilisi: Eleven French gunners will leave for Afghanistan in a few weeks, where, together with Georgian militaries in the Georgian zone of responsibility, Afghan military will train to handle the 122 B30 guns.

Training will last for five months.

The French Embassy said this will be the second time that joint training of Afghan militaries will coincide with Georgian and French gunner training operations.

“This is an example of a successful cooperation between military departments of the two countries,” the Embassy said.

The Georgian soldiers’ company serves in Afghanistan in France’s zone of ​​ responsibility. Another battalion serves in the U.S. zone of responsibility.

====

AFRICOM: Security Threat To Namibia, African Continent

http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=40385&title=Security%20threat%20called%20AFRICOM

New Era (Namibia)
August 31, 2011

Security threat called AFRICOM
by Kamati kaTate

You might not know or heard about AFRICOM. If you saw the name once, you might have dismissed it thinking AFRICOM is a new company to sell cement like Afrisam. Some might conclude that since it has a ‘com’ at the end, maybe it is something online.

These are wrong conclusions. At the end of this column, you will know what AFRICOM is, its activities and why it is a security threat.

AFRICOM, standing for Africa Command, was established by blood-covered former US President George W. Bush and his Secretary of Defence Robert Gates. You will notice that Robert Gates has continued with his duties under Obama who misled many of you except me. The idiots believed AFRICOM’s raison d’être is terrorism in Africa. I would not expect you to know AFRICOM’s mission statement since many of you don’t read.

Allow yourself an education as I make it known that the AFRICOM mission statement is “United States Africa Command, in concert with other U.S. government agencies and international partners, conducts sustained security engagements through military-to-military programs, military-sponsored activities, and other military operations as directed to promote a stable and secure African environment in support of U.S. foreign policy.” Meaning AFRICOM is a fundamental tool of US foreign policy.

We will return to it later. It’s ok that you didn’t know, even your leaders, many without education, didn’t know. AFRICOM is headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart in Germany and is led by General Carter Ham.

Why and how is AFRICOM a security threat to Africa? Firstly, its mission suggests so. In a 2009 journal article on Contemporary Security Policy, Laurie Nathan exposes four key fundamental principles as regards to AFRICOM. The author correctly argues that AFRICOM, in undermining state sovereignty, will “alter the regional balance of power, and be divisive and destabilizing…It would undermine the unity and collective decision-making.” AFRICOM was to be located in Africa, General Ham probably plans to locate it in countries such as Botswana and Namibia with pro-western leadership.

Locating AFRICOM in Africa is a military opportunity for America to overthrow African governments and to attack countries seen as anti-American. Since African and American interests never gel, it would mean that AFRICOM would pursue American interesta, on African soil, at the expense of African interests. Those with a sharp medulla oblongata know that AFRICOM is undermining the African Union (AU) and its Peace and Security Council which deals with peace and security on the continent. We might as well sell the AU to Americans.

I had mentioned American foreign policy. In this domain, Nathan (2009) sees American foreign policy in light of its “unsympathetic attitude to the liberation movements, its unwavering support for Israel despite the illegal occupation of Palestine, its exceptionalism in relation to the International Criminal Court, and its long history of unilateralism, aggression, and disdain for international law…pursues its own interests at the expense of others, and is willing to deploy force offensively to advance those interests.” So if AFRICOM is to achieve its mission statement we discussed earlier, Africa must support and embrace the above as discussed by Nathan.

As your teacher, I need to share recent information made available to us by Wikileaks.

A communication cable dated on Monday, 11 January 2010, at 17h30 UTC, indicates a meeting of AFRICOM Commander’s with French officials on Aqim and other African Security Threats. The meeting, held in Paris, was attended by President Sarkozy’s Diplomatic Advisor Jean-David Levitte, Sarkozy’s Military Advisor, Admiral Edouard Guillaud; they and others briefed then-U.S. AFRICOM Commander General William E. Ward. Wikileaks has also revealed to us how AFRICOM planned the assassination of legendary Robert Mugabe and the fall of his government through the so-called Operation Shumba. (Damn bastards, may God bless Zimbabwe.)

AFRICOM Commander General Ward visited Namibia in early 2010.

Reading his report was so disgusting in many ways. He referred to my country as “Southwest Africa.” Clearly Americans still use lenses of Cold War geopolitics.

General Ward met with Health Minister Dr. Kamwi, and they apparently discussed how AFRICOM “could help the Namibian military and U.S. country team efforts to assist in health related issues.” At a meeting with the Ministry of Safety and Security, they discussed supporting the then “upcoming Namibian police visit to Ramstein Air Base in Southwestern Germany.”

The American was dignified with a fifteen minute appearance on Good Morning Namibia, with Kazembire Zemburuka, in order to brainwash, hypnotize and shower us with American propaganda. General Ward met Education Minister Abraham Iyambo to discuss the school AFRICOM will build in northern Namibia. Lastly and shockingly, he met with the then-Defence Deputy Minister Lempy Lucas. He said “it was very gratifying to hear Ms. Lucas praise our bilateral relationship and her wish to see Africa Command play a greater role in military-to-military relations in the future.”(what?). A close friend said General Ward met significant others not mentioned.

These cosmetic initiatives are not genuine, the devil’s initiatives are never genuine. These are attempts to win the hearts and the minds of the Namibian people.

What is in it for them anyway? Also monitor and analyze the work of MCA very closely.

There is no good devil, the good devil is the dead one.

This is enough for today, add me on Facebook for a more robust engagement of these issues.

‘Shaamonathana omuti nomuti’ – We shall meet again

• Kamati kaTate is a Community Mobilizer whose area of interest is observing Politics as both an art of the possible and as a medium of distribution of resources as to who gets what, when, where and how. kamatikatate@gmail.com

====

Advertisement