Updates on Libyan war/Stop NATO news: September 27, 2011
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Sirte: Fleeing Civilians Accuse NATO Of Massacre, Genocide
193 Days Of Bombing: 24,040 NATO Sorties, 8,975 Strike Sorties
Canada Extends Libyan War Mission To End Of Year
Russia Blasts NATO For Ignoring, Undermining United Nations
U.S. Global Missile Shield Affects World Strategic Balance: Russia
Afghan Officials: NATO Forces Kill 19 Civilians
Afghan War: NATO Triples Size Of Air Base Near Iranian Border
Pentagon Deploying 800 More Trainers To Afghanistan
U.S., NATO Withdrawal To Stabilize Afghanistan: Russian Official
Pakistan Warns U.S. Against Unilateral Actions
Cuban Foreign Minister At United Nations: New U.S., NATO Military Doctrines More Aggressive Than Ever, Target Entire Planet
Four NATO Soldiers, Seven Serbs Injured In Kosovo Clash
Kosovo: NATO Removes Roadblocks, Tear Gases Serbs, Who Erect New Roadblocks
U.S. To Sell Iraq 18 F-16 Warplanes
U.S. Drone Crashes In Somalia
Drones Make War Too Easy
Israel: Top NATO/EUCOM Military Chief In Secretive Talks
U.S., Turkey Agree On Delivery Schedule For Predator Drones
Missiles, Cyprus: Top NATO Commander Arrives In Turkey From Israel
Turkish F-16s Bomb Northern Iraq
Bulgaria Provides Legionaries For NATO, EU Operations Abroad
Clinton, Georgian Counterpart Plan Further Development Of Strategic Partnership
U.S.-Polish Missile Deployment Agreement In Force
New U.S. Air Force Missile To Disable Enemy Electronics
“Enemy Airfield”: Largest Dutch War Games In 15 Years
Clinton, Georgian Foreign Minister Discuss NATO Integration
EU’s Eastern Partnership Conference Begins In Two Days
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Sirte: Fleeing Civilians Accuse NATO Of Massacre, Genocide
The Australian/The Times
September 28, 2011
Civilians accuse NATO of massacre in Sirte raids
The civilians pouring out of the besieged city of Sirte accused NATO of genocide yesterday as rebel forces called in reinforcements and prepared for a fresh assault on Muammar Gaddafi’s home town.
Long lines of civilian vehicles were leaving after a night of NATO air attacks on the town. Rebel forces fighting for the National Transitional Council added artillery and mortar fire.
The people leaving the town, many looking scared, said conditions inside Sirte were disastrous. They made claims which, if verified, are a challenge for NATO – which operates under a UN mandate to protect civilians – saying the NATO bombing raids hit homes, schools and hospitals.
“It was worse than awful,” said Riab Safran, 28, as his car was searched by rebel fighters outside Sirte. His family had slept on the beach because the houses were being bombed, he said. “They hit all kinds of buildings – schools, hospitals,” he said.
He could not distinguish between the NATO bombs and the rebels shells, he said, but believed it was a NATO bomb that destroyed his home on Saturday.
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Residents said power and water had run out and petrol was 88 Libyan dinars ($72) a litre. The water shortage has produced an epidemic of diseases, according to medical staff at a clinic in the town of Harawa, 40km east of Sirte.
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Additional reporting: AP
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193 Days Of Bombing: 24,040 NATO Sorties, 8,975 Strike Sorties
http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2011_09/20110927_110927-oup-update.pdf
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
September 27, 2011
NATO and Libya
Allied Joint Force Command NAPLES, SHAPE, NATO HQ
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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 24,040 sorties, including 8,975 strike sorties, have been conducted.
Sorties conducted 26 SEPTEMBER: 102
Strike sorties conducted 26 SEPTEMBER: 34
…
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Canada Extends Libyan War Mission To End Of Year
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/09/26/ottawa-extends-libya-military-mission
Toronto Sun
September 26, 2011
Ottawa extends Libya military mission
By Jessica Murphy
OTTAWA: Canada’s involvement in the NATO mission in Libya has been extended another three months.
Following a day of debate in the House of Commons, MPs voted 189-98 to keep Canada’s hand in the military mission in the North African country.
In a speech to the House, Defence Minister Peter Mackay argued it’s no time to ease pressure as Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s forces make their final stand and that Canada’s armed forces have played a key role…over the past six months.
“Canada was in at the start,” he said. “We should be there until job is done.”
Canada joined the mission last March and extended it for three months in June, with only Green Party Leader Elizabeth May opposing Canada’s continued military involvement.
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NATO, which is heading the UN mandated mission, okayed a 90-day extension of the mission in Libya last week.
Fighting is still ongoing in Gadhafi’s hometown of Sirte and in other parts of south-central Libya.
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Meanwhile, at the UN on Monday, Libya’s de facto prime minister, Mahmoud Jibril, called on NATO to continue its mission…
-With files from Reuters
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Russia Blasts NATO For Ignoring, Undermining United Nations
http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/09/27/56829408.html
Voice of Russia/Russian Information Agency Novosti
September 27, 2011
Lavrov criticizes the West for ignoring UN
In his interview to “Russia 24” TV channel, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sharply criticized NATO for violating UN Security Council’s resolutions.
“This is the first time in history that UN’s resolutions are being ignored so outwardly,” Mr. Lavrov said. “Such actions undermine the UN’s authority.”
The UN Security Council’s resolution # 1970 introduced a total ban on supplying arms to any of the Libyan warring sides, Mr. Lavrov reminded. However, several countries, both European and Arab ones, have sold weapons to Libyan rebels.
There is also evidence that some Western instructors have trained Libyan oppositionists, and some servicemen from Western special forces have fought in the Libyan opposition’s formations, the Russian minister said.
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U.S. Global Missile Shield Affects World Strategic Balance: Russia
http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/09/27/56833667.html
Voice of Russia/Itar-Tass
September 27, 2011
Missile defense factor affects global stability – Lavrov
The deployment of missile defense elements in various parts of the world changes the configuration of international security, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday.
“This is a serious matter and verbal declarations that the buildup of global missile defense opportunities will not jeopardize strategic stability are not enough,” he said.
Mr. Lavrov called for legal guarantees that the missile defense potential will match the stated goals and will not disturb global or regional balances. This equally applies to Europe and the Asian-Pacific region.
The missile defense factor is beginning to influence the strategic situation, the Russian minister said.
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http://en.rian.ru/world/20110927/167190601.html
Russian Information Agency Novosti
Septmber 27, 2011
Strategic missile defense affects global security – Lavrov
The deployment of strategic missile defense systems in various parts of the world will alter the international security configuration, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday.
“Statements to the effect that the build-up of global missile defense capabilities will not undermine the foundations of strategic stability are not enough,” Lavrov told the 66th session of the UN General Assembly in New York. “The issue is far too serious.”
He reiterated Russia’s position on the issue, saying “solid legal guarantees are needed that the missile defense potential will measure up to the declared goals and not violate global and regional balances.”
“This is relevant both for Europe and the Asia-Pacific region where the missile defense factor has started affecting the strategic situation.”
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said earlier in the day that no progress had been made in Russia-U.S. talks on the projected deployment of a U.S. missile defense system in Europe. NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said last week he expected Russia and NATO to agree on missile defense at the alliance’s summit in Chicago due on May 20-21, 2012.
Russia has maintained a strong opposition to the deployment of missile-defense systems near its borders, claiming they would be a threat to its own nuclear deterrent.
NATO says it needs the shield, which will be eventually deployed in the Mediterranean, Poland, Romania and Turkey, to counter the potential threat of missile attacks from the Middle East, particularly Iran.
Russia and NATO agreed to cooperate on the so-called European missile shield during the NATO-Russia Council summit in Lisbon in November 2010. NATO insists there should be two independent systems that exchange information, while Russia favors a joint system with full-scale interoperability.
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http://www.itar-tass.com/en/c32/234721.html
Itar-Tass
September 27, 2011
No progress at Russia-US missile defense negotiations
TASS-TVCHEBARKUL, Chelyabinsk region: There is no progress at the Russia-U.S. missile defense negotiations, and the United States continues the rapid implementation of its plans, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said on Tuesday.
“No breakthroughs have been made. The American partners continue to implement their plans in the deployment of the European segment of the U.S. missile defense network,” he said.
The opinion that a NATO missile defense network is being created in Europe is erroneous, he said. “In fact, the Americans are fulfilling their own plans in Europe. Alas, these works are far ahead of the [missile defense] dialog of Russia, the United States and NATO,” he said.
Russia is ready for compromises but they must be reasonable, the deputy minister observed. “There is a certain red line, the questions of defense, and any compromises are impossible there,” he said. The Russian Defense Ministry has computed “the entire range of military and technical measures to deter threats close to the Russian borders,” he said.
Russia keeps explaining its proposals, including the sectorial defense, to the partners, among them Romania and Turkey, but to no avail, Antonov said.
“I would not say that the reset policy has come into a deadlock. I think our American and NATO partners realize that stubbornness will lead to nothing. We need solutions, we need a search. We clearly declare our problems and say why the implementation of the American plans causes our concerns, and we offer solutions. They smile at us and carry on their plans,” he said.
Earlier this month Russian military strategy expert Alexei Arbatov has called ‘a political mistake’ the deployment of the U.S. missile defense system in Europe in disregard of the opinion of Moscow.
“Such actions cannot be taken without coordination with Russia,” he told reporters on September 20.
“The U.S. course is absolutely destructive,” said Arbatov, who heads the International Security Center of the World Economy and International Affairs Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. “In fact, the Americans suggest that no matter what Russia may say they will implement their plan [of the missile defense network deployment], which has been coordinated with NATO.”
The course of U.S. President Barack Obama is practically similar with the position of the George W. Bush administration, he said. “This applies not only to missile defense but also to other aspects of the relations with Russia,” the expert noted.
The U.S. agreements with Bucharest (the deployment of an interceptor missile base by 2015) and Ankara (the deployment of a NATO missile warning radar station) “have no strategic role, because U.S. missiles based in Romania will never be able to intercept Russian intercontinental missiles, especially those based on submarines,” Arbatov said.
The expert said that the Russian aerospace defense program for the period until 2020 was a reply to the U.S. global missile defense initiative.
He does not think that the U.S. “may be interested in the new arms race, which is a suicidal act of self-exhaustion, but it wants to get on Russia’s nerves.”
Russian Permanent Representative to NATO, Presidential Envoy for Missile Defense Interaction with the Alliance Dmitry Rogozin said two weeks before West European leaders hoped that the election campaigns in the United States and Russia would have no effect on the missile defense dialog.
He told Itar-Tass on September 16 he had been visiting European capitals in the past month to listen to the response of European leaders to the message President Dmitry Medvedev sent early this year to spell out Russian ideas and concerns in the missile defense project.
“Certainly, I cannot disclose these answers fully, but I would like to say that European leaders hope for mutual understanding of Russia and the United States in the missile defense issue. They also hope that the election campaigns, which have begun in the United States and Russia, will have no effect on the missile defense dialog and will not narrow the space for maneuver in the search for consent,” he said.
“West European members of NATO are not interested in the construction of ballistic missile interception sites in Europe. Actually, they agree only to the first and second phases of the missile defense project [that is the protection from tactical missiles of the medium and shorter range]. That plan is focused on the creation of a missile defense perimeter in Southern Europe, including the deployment of Aegis BMD-equipped ships in the Mediterranean Sea. The USS Monterey has been on mission there since March 2011. The construction of a radar station in Turkey and a base in Romania also belong to this phase. As for the third and fourth stages [the protection from intercontinental ballistic missiles], the need to deploy such systems in Northern Europe, among them the missile interceptor base in Poland, is not quite obvious to West European states,” he said.
The U.S. has a different view and pushes “not only the first two stages of the missile defense project but also the third and fourth stages of ballistic defense,” he said.
Washington and Warsaw put the cart before the horse with their agreement to deploy a missile interceptor base in Poland, Rogozin said. “The missile interceptor base in Poland is a part of the third and fourth phases of the deployment of the missile defense network in Europe aimed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles,” he said.
“The agreement of the United States and a number of East European countries presents the other European NATO members with a fait accompli. That is being done at the time when the diplomatic influence on states suspected of a wish to breach the non-proliferation regime has not been exercised fully. We are witnessing an attempt to accelerate the missile defense project and to put the cart before the horse, a large geopolitical horse,” Rogozin said.
“As for the Russian position at the negotiations, it is subject to evolution. That is what the craft of diplomacy is about – one finds solutions in the balance of possibilities, the junction of interests and the coincidence of views. First of all, NATO has its zone of responsibility and Russia has its zone. They must not clash. Secondly, we continue to insist on the signing of a legally binding treaty, which will lift Russia’s subjective concerns related to the missile defense plans of the United States,” Rogozin said.
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Afghan Officials: NATO Forces Kill 19 Civilians
http://en.trend.az/regions/world/afghanistan/1937024.html
Trend News Agency
September 26, 2911
US-led forces kill 19 Afghan civilians
Afghan officials say at least 19 civilians have been killed during a military operation carried out by US-led forces in troubled eastern Afghanistan, Press TV reports.
The head of the provincial council of Afghanistan’s eastern province of Nuristan said on Monday that the deadly operation had been conducted by foreign forces last Wednesday.
Similar operations by US-led troops in the eastern provinces of Wardak, Logar and Paktia left at least 12 people dead and injured several others on Sunday.
In another deadly incident on Sunday, five Afghan people were killed in a US-led airstrike, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said.
Hundreds of civilians have lost their lives in US-led airstrikes and ground operations in various parts of Afghanistan over the past few months, with Afghans becoming more and more outraged over the seemingly endless number of deadly assaults.
Civilian casualties caused by NATO attacks have been a major source of tension between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the US-led military alliance.
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Afghans have held several protests against NATO over the issue of civilian casualties.
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Afghan War: NATO Triples Size Of Air Base Near Iranian Border
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Operations
September 26, 2011
Shindand Air Base rising on the wings of national efforts, international support
What provides the capability for combat forces to travel greater distances by acting as a conduit to the resupply of soldiers, ammunition, equipment and fuel? What system can move forces faster and farther than their own means can carry them? And what can destroy targets no longer in range of army and naval units? An air force, and in the Herat Province, Afghanistan, work is fervently underway to develop a premier air base to execute these missions.
“Shindand has come a long way over the past year, and will continue to develop immensely,” said Capt. Gregory Ward, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officer in charge of engineering and advisor at Shindand.
The air base has already tripled its original size, becoming the second largest air installation in Afghanistan next to Bastion Field in Helmand Province. So far, eight miles of fence line has expanded the base by 2,900 acres to make room for new living and working areas for 3,000 personnel.
In July, Shindand also saw the opening of a strategic taxiway which allowed for simultaneous traffic of fixed-wing aircraft, greatly improving mission capabilities. And, this August, a 112,000 square meter rotary-wing apron was opened to park dozens of UH-60 Blackhawks, CH-47 Chinooks and AH-64 Apache helicopters. Growth does not stop there: a myriad of construction projects are currently in progress to support the burgeoning air base, its airmen and support personnel.
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When it comes to training, NATO and Afghan forces have learned from history, and understand that it takes more than just the building of facilities and the providing of equipment to create an air force…
“We won’t finish building the Afghan air force until about 2016,” said Lt. Gen. William B. Caldwell, IV, NTM-A commander…
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“From a sleepy forward operating base in the middle of nowhere, Shindand has grown into an air base that will support the Afghan National Army and Afghan Air Force for years to come,” said Captain Ward.
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Pentagon Deploying 800 More Trainers To Afghanistan
Associated Press
September 26, 2011
US commander says 800 more US trainers heading to Afghanistan by March
WASHINGTON: The number of American military trainers in Afghanistan will increase by 800 by next March, a jump of nearly 25 percent in the U.S. commitment there, the top commander in charge of training said Monday.
Lt. Gen. William Caldwell, who heads NATO’s training mission in Afghanistan, told Pentagon reporters that even as the number of combat troops begins to drop, more trainers are needed…
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Caldwell said NATO and the U.S. expect that it would cost up to $6 billion annually to support and train the Afghan forces after 2014…
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U.S., NATO Withdrawal To Stabilize Afghanistan: Russian Official
http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/09/27/56812870.html
Voice of Russia/Interfax
September 27, 2011
Western troop withdrawal will stabilize Afghanistan – Russian anti-drug chief
The withdrawal of Western coalition troops from Afghanistan will stabilize the situation in the country, chief of Russia’s federal drug control agency Viktor Ivanov has told reporters.
He said that the escalation of tension in Afghanistan is in direct proportion to the number of foreign troops deployed there.
Moscow is concerned over massive drug flows from Afghanistan to Russia.
Ninety percent of Afghan heroin is smuggled into the Russian territory, mostly through Kyrgyzstan.
Russia and Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement on cooperation to curb drug trafficking.
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Pakistan Warns U.S. Against Unilateral Actions
The Nation
September 27, 2011
America warned against any unilateral action
ISLAMABAD – Amid heightened tension, the United States is making hectic diplomatic efforts to win back Pakistan’s crucial cooperation for secured NATO supplies as well as safe withdrawal of its overstretched troops from Afghanistan by 2014.
This has transpired after a flurry of interactions of senior US military officials and diplomats with Pakistani authorities ostensibly as a damage control exercise after some key US government functionaries launched efforts to make Pakistan a scapegoat largely to cover up its decade-long failure in Afghanistan.
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In response to a question relating to the statement of US Senator Lindsey Graham that ‘all options are on table against Pakistan’, [US Embassy spokesperson Mark] Stroh said that this was in line with the statements of other US functionaries that Pakistan needs to take actions against those using its soil and attacking US forces in Afghanistan. “The US reserves the right to take action when its troops are targeted and attacked in Afghanistan,” the spokesperson said without naming Haqqani Network.
Although there was no Foreign Office input about the meeting, it was learnt that [ Foreign Secretary] Salman Bashir told the US envoy that any aggression or unilateral action against Pakistan would be disastrous for both the countries…
However, some sources were of the view that US has been seeking Pakistan’s cooperation in a meaningful engagement with some of the resistance groups in Afghanistan to ensure safe withdrawal of international troops.
This stems from the US fears that the rate of casualties of its troops would increase manifoldly in the course of withdrawal as the pace of insurgency in Afghanistan was on an gradual increase. These notions have been reinforced after the recent attacks on the US Embassy in Kabul as well as the local NATO Headquarters. Moreover, the US is seeking to ensure that NATO/ISAF logistic supplies through Pakistan remain unhindered till withdrawal of the international forces from Afghanistan by 2014.
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Cuban Foreign Minister At United Nations: New U.S., NATO Military Doctrines More Aggressive Than Ever, Target Entire Planet
Radio Cadena Agramonet
September 26, 2011
Cuban FM Slams Most Recent US and NATO Doctrines
-Rodriguez said it was unacceptable that the UN remain impassive at such practice and warned over the danger that that the military intervention strategy in Libya could also be applied in other cases.
This new change of regime operations model shows that the current US and NATO military doctrines are ever more aggressive than the previous ones, and that the so called “Euro-Atlantic periphery” comprises the entire planet.
Havana, Cuba: “The current US and NATO military doctrines are ever more aggressive than the previous ones,” Cuban Minister for Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla denounced on Monday during the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The Cuban diplomat slammed the warlike policy imposed in the world by Washington and western powers through the so-called Atlantic Alliance, exemplified in the military intervention in Libya and the growing threat against Syria.
Rodriguez said that as early as February 21 of this year, Commander in Chief Fidel Castro “had warned that NATO was irremissibly preparing a war against Libya.”
He said that since then, “Cuba has been engaged indefatigably not in the defense of a government, but of a principle: the assassination of thousands of innocent people with the dubious objective of protecting other civilians is something unacceptable.”
“History has eloquently shown that peace can not be imposed either by war or by force,” Rodriguez went on to add.
He also noted that prior to the war against Tripoli, NATO imposed on the Security Council a dubious resolution supporting the attack.
Rodriguez said it was unacceptable that the UN remain impassive at such practice and warned over the danger that that the military intervention strategy in Libya could also be applied in other cases.
This new change of regime operations model shows that the current US and NATO military doctrines are ever more aggressive than the previous ones, and that the so called “Euro-Atlantic periphery” comprises the entire planet.
He cited the re-deployment of the Fourth Fleet, the installation of military bases and the sending of troops and military means to intervene anywhere in the region; the coup d’etat against Venezuela in 2002, followed by an oil coup; the sedition in Santa Cruz, Bolivia; the military coup in Honduras and the attempted coup in Ecuador fit perfectly well in the new strategy.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez defined the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America and the merging Community of Latin American and Caribbean States as mechanisms of integration of the region.
In the face of a growing and universal threat of a war, a new distribution of the world and climate change, Rodriguez called on the South to act together as an indispensable condition to be safe.
Rodriguez also called on the General Assembly to avoid military action against Syria and accused the United States and Europe of waging wars to secure huge reserves of oil and water and confiscate financial assets in times of global economic and social crisis.
The Cuban foreign minister referred to the history of crimes of fascism against the Jewish and reiterated that Cuba only harbors fraternal feelings towards the Israeli people, while condemning the occupation on the part of Tel Aviv’s government of Palestinian territories.
“The General Assembly has the inescapable moral, political and legal obligation to ensure the recognition of an independent Palestinian State, with the boundaries established before 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital, as a full member of the United Nations Organization,” he stated and went to add: “It should do so with or without the approval of the Security Council, with or without the US veto, with or without new peace negotiations.”
Rodriguez urged President Barack Obama to make use of the power vested on him by the U.S. constitution to release the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters unfairly sentenced to harsh terms.
He recalled that Cuba condemned the 9/11 terrorist attacks and noted that meanwhile, Gerardo Hernandez, Rene Gonzalez, Antonio Guerrero, Ramon Labañino and Fernando Gonzalez were sentenced for having monitored Miami-based anti-Cuba groups.
“Once again, with all due respect, I urge President Obama to make use of his prerogatives to set them free as an act of justice or as a humanitarian gesture which will be highly appreciated by their children, wives, mothers, fathers and all of our people,” he said.
Likewise, he referred to the U.S. economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed against Cuba for nearly 50 years now, which has brought about losses valued at 975 billion dollars.
However, he reiterated the Cuban government’s willingness and interest in moving towards normalizing relations with Washington.
Rodriguez also referred to the current Cuban efforts to update the domestic economic model “so that our economy is more efficient and our socialism is better, in order to conquer all the justice and be able to fully preserve our independence.
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Four NATO Soldiers, Seven Serbs Injured In Kosovo Clash
Voice of America News
September 27, 2011
4 NATO Peacekeepers Wounded in Kosovo Border Fight
Four NATO peacekeepers have been wounded in a fight at a Kosovo-Serbia border crossing after weeks of tensions in the region.
Seven Serbs were also hurt in Tuesday’s violence, which erupted when international forces began taking down Serb barricades at the disputed border point. Witnesses say NATO troops fired rubber bullets…at Kosovo Serbs, who threw stones toward the soldiers at the checkpoint.
Earlier this month, ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo blocked roads leading to the border to protest a decision to put Kosovo customs officials at the crossing points in Brnjak and Jarinje.
Pristina, with the support of the [NATO] peacekeepers and the European Union, has moved to extend its government control in northern Kosovo. Ethnic Serbs in that area have refused to recognize Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence.
Belgrade considers Kosovo a part of Serbia and says it will not support the presence of Kosovo officials at the border crossings.
…
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Kosovo: NATO Removes Roadblocks, Tear Gases Serbs, Who Erect New Roadblocks
ADN Kronos International
September 27, 2011
Kosovo: NATO removes roadblocks, Serbs erect new ones as tensions rise
Belgrade: Nato forces stationed in Kosovo began removing barricades in northern Kosovo overnight and local Serbs erected new ones as tensions flared again Tuesday at one of two border crossings at the centre of a two-month-old dispute.
Nato’s KFOR force used teargas to disperse local Serbs holding a vigil at the roadblocks and arrested several people at the Jarinje border crossing with Serbia. One man had to be treated in hospital for his injuries, Serbian media reported.
The crisis broke out two months ago when Kosovo’s ethnic Albanian dominated government sent special police and customs officers to take over two border crossings with Serbia, Brnjak and Jarinje, amid a trade dispute.
Belgrade opposes Kosovo’s independence, declared by majority Albanians in 2008 and local Serbs, who form the majority of the population in the north, don’t recognise Pristina’s authority and object to Kosovo police and customs officers being placed at border crossings with Serbia.
A local Serb leader Branko Ninic said KFOR blocked all local roads in the north, cutting off several villages and making it impossible for people to reach work and children to go to school. Serbian television said the situation was tense with sirens sounding in the northern town of Leposavic early Tuesday and local Serbs massing at the disputed border crossings.
Ninic described KFOR’s action as “another provocation” ahead of a new round of European Union-sponsored talks between Belgrade and Pristina which were due to resume in Brussels on Tuesday.
Belgrade has accused KFOR and the EU mission in Kosovo (EULEX) of siding with majority Albanians and of overstepping its “status neutral mandate” as defined by the United Nations Security Council.
Pristina and Belgrade negotiators reached an agreement on customs seals to be used on border crossings with Serbia, but the two sides failed to reconcile their differing interpretations of who should control the crossings.
The crisis broke out in late July when Kosovo prime minister Hashim Thaci controversially sent special police to Kosovo take over two northern border crossings with Serbia from KFOR and European Union police.
Kosovo police seized the border crossings to enforce a ban on imports from Serbia. Kosovo’s government imposed the ban in July in retaliation for Serbia’s blocking of Kosovo imports.
Serbia is expecting to become an official candidate for EU membership in October, but EU officials have said it must first establish “good neighbourly relations” with Kosovo and resolve the crisis in the Serb-populated north.
Kosovo’s independence has been recognised by more than eighty countries, including the United States and 22 out of 27 EU members so far.
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U.S. To Sell Iraq 18 F-16 Warplanes
http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/09/27/56780481.html
Russian Information Agency Novosti
September 27, 2011
Iraq to purchase F-16s
The Government of Iraq has signed a contract for the purchase of 18 multi-purpose F-16 fighters from the Americans who are supposed to leave their country before the end of this year.
The total cost of the transaction and the amount of money already paid for the combat aircraft has not been reported.
According to some reports, the amount of the Iraq contract is about $3 billion.
Negotiations between the U.S. and Iraq on the purchase of the F-16s have been ongoing for several years.
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U.S. Drone Crashes In Somalia
http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2011/09/26/alleged-us-drone-crashes-in-somalia/
Voice of America News
September 26, 2011
Alleged US Drone Crashes in Somalia
An alleged U.S. spy drone has crashed in the Somali city of Kismayo, which is controlled by the militant group al-Shabab.
Witnesses in Kismayo told VOA that the unmanned drone crashed Sunday near the airport of the southern Somali city.
An al-Shabab website says the drone belongs to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. It says the drone carried large cameras with long-distance lenses attached.
There are conflicting reports from witnesses and al-Shabab itself whether the drone was shot down or crashed on its own.
Last week, The Washington Post reported that the U.S. is expanding a drone surveillance program in east Africa and the Arabian peninsula to gather intelligence and attack al-Qaida-linked militants in Somalia and Yemen.
The report said the U.S. is building a new installation for the drones in Ethiopia and has already flown drones over both Somalia and Yemen from a base in Djibouti.
The U.S. has used drones to attack al-Shabab targets in Somalia in the past. The militant group is battling the Somali government and controls large sections of southern and central Somalia.
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Drones Make War Too Easy
http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/sep/24/drones-make-war-too-easy/?newswatch
Youngstown Vindicator/McClatchy-Tribune
September 24, 2011
Drones make war too easy
By John B. Quigley
-If some other country were sending pilotless aircraft over Nebraska to shoot and kill people they regard as threats, the Nebraska citizenry might not be too happy.
COLUMBUS: Armed pilotless drone aircraft are the weapon of choice these days in our military forays into the Middle East.
President Obama approved use of drones in Libya last spring. He said they have “unique capabilities.” A target is identified through intelligence sources. The information is sent to the command center. Someone sitting in front of a computer screen fires a missile.
Drones can fly low. Gen. James Cartwright of the Joint Chiefs of Staff explained that for Libya, their “ability to get down lower” gave them better visibility, thereby getting a better bead on a target. And of course with no pilot the only risk is loss of the aircraft.
We are also now using drones in Yemen to target insurgents. In Pakistan we have been using them even longer.
But there is a downside. Drones, say critics, make war too easy. If a president doesn’t have to be concerned about putting our youth “in harm’s way,” it becomes much easier to go to war. Congress may lose control.
The information about the whereabouts of a “militant” may or may not be accurate. Last year the U.N. official responsible for tracking extrajudicial executions questioned the drone killings as arbitrary executions. When a drone attack occurs, typically the U.S. officials claim that those killed were “militants,” while local officials often claim that civilians were hit.
Killing without trial
Killing with drones means killing without a trial. But going back to the 1960s, the United States has signed on to human rights treaties that outlaw arbitrary killing. Drone killings skirt these safeguards. No indictment. No judge or jury. No defense.
But, says the Obama administration, in war one can kill without a trial. The drone killings are premised on the “militants” being participants in the “war on terror,” even though Obama avoids that Bush-era term.
If some other country were sending pilotless aircraft over Nebraska to shoot and kill people they regard as threats, the Nebraska citizenry might not be too happy. Negative reaction to our drone attacks has been strongest in Pakistan, where drones are regarded as a terror weapon. Residents of certain regions in Pakistan say they never know when a missile might fall on them out of the sky.
John B. Quigley is a professor of law at at Moritz College Law, Ohio State University. Distributed by MCT Information Services.
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Israel: Top NATO/EUCOM Military Chief In Secretive Talks
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Article.aspx?id=239676
Jerusalem Post
September 27, 2011
EUCOM chief visits Israel for talks with Gantz
By Yaakov Katz
-Next spring…the two armies will hold a massive ground forces exercise in spring of 2012 called “Austere Challenge,” which will seek to increase inter-operability between the IDF and the US Army.
The drill, which is unprecedented in its size, will include the establishment of US command posts in Israel and IDF command posts at EUCOM headquarters in Germany – with the ultimate goal of establishing joint task forces for the event of a future large-scale conflict in the Middle East.
Commander of the United States European Command (EUCOM) Admiral James Stavridis visited Israel on Monday for high-level talks with IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz.
Stavridis has visited Israel a number of times in recent years since Israel is under the jurisdiction of EUCOM, as opposed to the United States Central Command, which is responsible for American military operations throughout the Middle East.
The IDF and the US Embassy in Tel Aviv refused to comment on the visit, which for some reason was held under a media blackout. Stavridis met with a number of top IDF officers including OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Yair Golan and OC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Tal Russo.
Stavridis’s visit came a month after Lt.-Gen. Mark Hertling, commander of the US Army in Europe, visited Israel. Talks with Stavridis were expected to focus on US-Israeli military cooperation, which includes a number of major military exercises that will be held over the coming year.
Next spring, for example, the two armies will hold a massive ground forces exercise in spring of 2012 called “Austere Challenge,” which will seek to increase inter-operability between the IDF and the US Army.
The drill, which is unprecedented in its size, will include the establishment of US command posts in Israel and IDF command posts at EUCOM headquarters in Germany – with the ultimate goal of establishing joint task forces for the event of a future large-scale conflict in the Middle East.
Shortly before Austere Challenge, scheduled for May, EUCOM and the IDF will also hold the Juniper Cobra missile defense exercise, which will include the Arrow 2 and Iron Dome systems as well as America’s THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) and the ship-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. The exercise is expected to include the actual launching of interceptors from these systems.
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U.S., Turkey Agree On Delivery Schedule For Predator Drones
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-257859-us-turkey-agree-on-delivery-schedule-for-predators.html
Zaman
September 25, 2011
US-Turkey agree on delivery schedule for Predators
Ankara: Turkey is expecting the delivery of Predators in June 2012, the Turkish defense minister said a day after the country’s prime minister announced that Turkey has agreed with the US on a deal involving the transfer of US-engineered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that could prove crucial in combat…
“We have agreed in principle [on the delivery of Predators]. Negotiations will continue,” Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was quoted as saying by the Cihan news agency on Saturday in New York, where the Turkish leader was visiting on the occasion of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly. Erdoğan also noted that Turkey had offered to either purchase or lease the drones and that the two countries were still settling the details regarding the delivery of the Predators.
Following up on the agreement, Turkish Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz told reporters on Saturday that the drones to be received from the US would be delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in June of next year, reported the Anatolia news agency.
“These [Predators] are UAVs with better qualities and features than the Herons,” Yılmaz said, and added that the Turkish-made Anka would also be ready for the TSK around the same time, as an alternative to Israeli-made Herons.
Turkey was disappointed by Israel’s failure to return six Herons it had sent to the country for maintenance, as it relies heavily on spy aircraft for surveillance missions that gather data on the activities of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) across the country’s borders in the Southeast.
Yılmaz did not give any details on the number of Predators the US would deliver to Turkey but acknowledged that Ankara had presented a request for the UAVs in line with the TSK’s needs. The minister added that the US and Turkey have been strategic partners and are cooperating in combating terrorism, which necessitated that both “support each other with no conditions or prejudice.”
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Missiles, Cyprus: Top NATO Commander Arrives In Turkey From Israel
http://en.trend.az/regions/met/turkey/1937312.html
Trend News Agency
September 27, 2011
Senior NATO commander visits Turkey
A. Isgandarov
Baku: A senior NATO commander arrived in Ankara on Monday evening for a previously unannounced visit, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has said, Today’s Zaman reported.
James Stavridis, commander of the United States European Command (USEUCOM) and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), came to Ankara for a “routine visit,” Foreign Ministry officials said. He is due to have talks with Turkish officials on Tuesday, but there was no information regarding who he was schedule to meet with.
Stavridis arrived in Turkey right after talks in Israel. The NATO commander had talks with Israeli Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz and other top military officials, but there was no information about what was discussed in meetings there.
Turkish media speculated that Stavridis is expected to discuss the planned deployment of US radar on Turkish soil as part of a NATO-backed missile defense program…A row between Turkey and Greek Cyprus over gas and oil exploration rights in the Eastern Mediterranean and the future status of a NATO base in the western Turkish province of İzmir are also expected to be discussed in Stavridis’ talks in Ankara.
After Nicosia began working to develop the shelf near the shores of the island, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara will explore for oil and gas in the exclusive economic zone of Northern Cyprus along with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Erdogan and President Dervis Eroglu of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) signed in New York on Wednesday an agreement on the delineation of the continental shelf between two countries in the East Mediterranean.
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Turkish F-16s Bomb Northern Iraq
http://en.trend.az/regions/met/turkey/1937161.html
Trend News Agency
September 27, 2011
Turkish Air forces strike Kandil Mountain
A. Tagiyeva
Baku: The Turkish Air Force struck blows on Monday night in the Kandil Mountain in northern Iraq, the Sabah newspaper reported.
F-16 aircraft bombed Kurdish separatist positions in the Kandil Mountain within two hours.
…
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Bulgaria Provides Legionaries For NATO, EU Operations Abroad
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=132411
Sofia News Agency
September 26, 2011
Bulgarian Military Set to Complete NATO Interoperability Program
Bulgaria’s military is completing its program for interoperability with NATO forces, Defense Minister Gen. Anyu Angelov and Head of Defense Gen. Simeon Simeonov have announced.
Gen. Simeonov presented at a news conference Monday a report for the completion of the so-called “Program for the Accession of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria to NATO” and about Bulgaria’s cooperation with the Allied Joint Force Command based in Naples, Italy.
The Program in question has been implemented in order to increase the interoperability of the Bulgarian armed forces with those of Bulgaria’s NATO allies.
To mark the completion of the Program, the Commander of the Allied Joint Force Command Naples, US Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, will arrive in Bulgaria on Tuesday for the signing of a joint declaration with the Bulgarian Head of Defense, Gen. Simeonov.
…
“The Plan for the Development of the Armed Forces does not need to have substantial modifications at the moment. In early 2012, the Plan will be analyzed since there will be reorganization and restructuring of the military detachments of the Bulgarian Army,” the Defense Minister explained.
Angelov also revealed information about his participation in the latest informal meeting of EU Defense Ministers in Wroclaw, Poland.
He said the meeting was marked by the efforts of the Polish EU Presidency to find common ground among the various positions of the 27 EU member states in three areas: the planning and management of EU military operations withing the Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP); the future of EU missions abroad, and especially of the EUFOR Althea mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and the increase of the role of the so called EU battle groups.
The Polish EU Presidency has marked out the closer integration with respect to EU Common Security and Defense Policy as one of its major priorities.
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Clinton, Georgian Counterpart Plan Further Development Of Strategic Partnership
http://en.trend.az/regions/scaucasus/georgia/1937007.html
Trend News Agency
September 26, 2011
US Secretary of State, Georgian FM discuss bilateral relations
N. Kirtskhalia
Tbilisi: The U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze discussed in Washington Georgian-American relations.
According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, the sides discussed the possibility of a Georgian-American meeting within the Charter on strategic partnership.
“The sides agreed to hold talks within the Charter with the participation of all four groups,” Georgian Foreign Ministry said.
Now a venue of the meeting within the Charter is being specified. If it is decided to hold such a meeting in Tbilisi, then Clinton’s visit to Georgia will be scheduled. Clinton will head the U.S. delegation.
Clinton and Vashadze discussed the further deepening of Georgian-American relations. The U.S. Secretary of State reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia.
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U.S.-Polish Missile Deployment Agreement In Force
Voice of America News
September 24, 2011
U.S.-Polish Missile Defense Agreement In Force
Defensive system is designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles before they reach their targets
President Barack Obama announced approximately two years ago plans to pursue a new approach to missile defense in Europe – one that provides more comprehensive protection for NATO Allies and forces…
…
“To put it simply, our new missile defense architecture in Europe will provide stronger, smarter, and swifter defenses of American forces and America’s Allies,” said President Barack Obama on September 17, 2009. “It is more comprehensive than the previous program; it deploys capabilities that are proven and cost-effective; and it…enhances the protection of all our NATO Allies.”
In October 2009, Poland was the first country to commit, in principle, to host a land-based missile defense base on its territory. Poland was also first to conclude negotiations and sign a basing agreement in July 2010. Now with the Polish ratification process complete, the two countries issued a statement announcing that they are ready to take the next step…
“The United States and Poland are pleased to jointly announce that the Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement of 2008 and its Amending Protocol of 2010 on deployment of the land-based SM-3 system within Poland has entered into force, effective September 15, 2011.”
The Standard Missile-3, or SM-3 interceptor which will be deployed in Poland was originally mounted on U.S. naval ships. It is a…system designed to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles before they reach their targets. It is composed of a network of sensors for target detection and tracking; interceptors which will destroy incoming missiles by colliding with them; and a command and control system.
According to the joint statement, the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense system will be deployed by 2018 at the Redzikowo Base.
“This base,” notes the statement, “represents a significant contribution by our two nations to a future NATO missile defense capability.”
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New U.S. Air Force Missile To Disable Enemy Electronics
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/09/26/new-air-force-missile-could-disable-enemy-electronics/
InnovationNewsDaily.com
September 26, 2011
New Air Force Missile Could Disable Enemy Electronics
Modern armies rely on a wide range of electronics to help detect their enemies, coordinate their forces and aim their weapons. Today, knocking out those electronics requires sophisticated jamming aircraft, targeting the people using the electronics or the tech-frying side effects of a nuclear blast. But in the future, disabling enemy electronics may only take a single rocket totally harmless to humans, thanks to a new microwave missile developed by the U.S. Air Force.
The missile showed its ability to take aim at many targets and locations during a first flight test at the Utah Test and Training Range at Hill Air Force Base earlier this year. Upcoming tests could demonstrate its disabling power with high-power microwaves capable of burning out the electronics of even the most sophisticated air defenses, command and control centers, fighter jets and drones.
That first test of the Counter-electronics High-powered Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP) was recently unveiled by Boeing and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory.
…
The three-year, $38 million program could deploy up to five prototype missiles, according to the Air Force solicitation issued in December 2008. A fully functional missile would have the capability to take out multiple targets and take multiple shots with high-power microwaves by itself.
…
The missiles might even help knock out swarms of enemy drones or manned aircraft before they ever get off the ground. It’s unclear if they could also target such aircraft in flight.
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“Enemy Airfield”: Largest Dutch War Games In 15 Years
http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/public-join-major-dutch-army-exercise
Radio Netherlands
September 26, 2011
Public to join in major Dutch army exercise
The Dutch armed forces are holding the largest military exercise in the Netherlands for 15 years.
Dubbed Falcon Autumn, the exercise will be taking place chiefly in the rural eastern province of Drenthe until 7 October.
Unusually, civilians will also be able to join in the exercise. They may be approached by military patrols, and participate at checkpoints in various locations where soldiers will be inspecting cars.
Falcon Autumn will involve 2500 military personnel, and 400 ground vehicles and attack ortransport helicopters. The climax will take place on Wednesday when a combined air and ground attack will be staged at motorsport racetrack playing the role of an enemy airfield.
It is the first operation in years to involve the entire Dutch airborne brigade, as at least one battalion has always been in action overseas.
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Clinton, Georgian Foreign Minister Discuss NATO Integration
http://rustavi2.com/news/news_text.php?id_news=43251&pg=1&im=main&ct=0&wth=
Rustavi 2
September 27, 2011
Grigol Vashadze met with Hillary Clinton
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Grigol Vashadze, met with the US Secretary of State Mrs. Hillary Clinton in Washington on Monday to discuss the issues of cooperation in the framework of the US-Georgia Partnership Charter.
The sides agreed that a omnibus meeting would be held soon but the venue of the meeting has not been specified. If the sides decide to hold the meeting in Tbilisi, apparently, US Secretary of State will visit Georgia.
`We discussed the issues tied with Georgia`s integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures, how our relations with NATO should develop and how shall we continue cooperation in the security sector with the United States,` Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergi Kapanadze said.
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EU’s Eastern Partnership Conference Begins In Two Days
http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=155959
Azeri Press Agency
September 27, 2011
Eastern Partnership summit program was announced
Victoria Dementieva
Baku: The program of Eastern Partnership summit of heads of states and governments of EU countries and the Eastern Partnership countries, which will be held in Warsaw on September 29-30, was known.
APA reports that leaders of delegations will attend a dinner on September 29. Two plenary sessions will be held next day. The leaders of member countries and EU officials will discuss prospects of the Eastern Partnership.
The negotiations on signing association agreements with every country, visa facilitation will be highlighted during the summit. Then the summit’s final declaration will be adopted and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, EU President Herman Van Rompuy, Chairman of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso will hold joint press conference.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was also invited to the summit.
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Just a comment:
Albanians became ethnic majority in Southern Serbian Province of Kosovo through decades of three-pronged strategy:
-Overpopulation with highest natality rate in the world relying on Serbian welfare state system,
-Heavily and persistently lobbying foreign aggressive interventionists and
-Systematically ethnically cleansing native Christian population displacing them from their ancestral homes.
I am sure Washington would welcome Mexican majority in South-western states to seek autonomy, followed by the full declaration of Independence, right?!
Mexican people have far more right to the lands in questions than Albanians in Southern Serbia ever had!!!
What goes around, comes around.