http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/national/0\
1-Jan-2013/nato-copter-violates-pakistani-airspace


The Nation
January 1, 2013


Nato copter violates Pakistani airspace


North Waziristan: A Nato helicopter gunship violated the border limits of
Pakistan and flew in the Ghulam Khan area of North Waziristan for about five
minutes on Monday, government sources said.

Meanwhile, two mortar shells were also fired from across the Afghan border,
which hit Miranshah. No loss of life was, however, reported.
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http://paktribune.com/news/11-NATO-tankers-gutted-in-Nangarhar-fire-256155.html


Pakistan Tribune
Agencies
January 1, 2013



11 NATO tankers gutted in Nangarhar fire


JALALABAD: Nearly a dozen NATO fuel tankers were destroyed in an overnight fire
in the eastern province of Nangarhar, officials said on Monday.

The blaze broke out on Sunday evening in a market place near the customs
department on the Jalalabad-Torkham highway, police said.

Seven tankers were completely gutted and another four comprehensively damaged in
the fire, police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal told Pajhwok Afghan News.

It took three hours for firefighters to bring under control the situation, he
added.

Mohsin, director of Kabul Bahar Transportation Company, said the fire started
after a blast in the market.

"There were 11 tankers, seven of them were full of fuel and the two were empty,"
he said, putting the losses at $1 million.

A Taliban spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, claimed responsibility for the fire
incident. More than 10 US supply tankers were destroyed in the attack, he said.
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http://www.flonnet.com/stories/20130111292605300.htm



Frontline
December 29, 2012-January 11, 2013


Imperial stamp
John Cherian



The West, led by the United States, seems even more determined to effect a
regime change in Damascus, despite evidence of the crucial role being played by
Al Qaeda-affiliated groups in the ongoing fighting in Syria. In the second week
of December, U.S. President Barack Obama recognised the main Syrian opposition
coalition group, “the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and
Opposition Groups”, as “the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian
people”. Britain, France and the Gulf monarchies had already given the Syrian
umbrella opposition group the “stamp of legitimacy”.

The Syrian opposition, which is far from united, was arm-twisted by their
sponsors — the rich Gulf monarchies and the West — to come together on the
same platform, at a meeting in Qatar in November. In another meeting held in
Marrakesh, Morocco, in the second week of December, representatives from over
100 countries, including the Gulf monarchies, the U.S., Britain and France,
assembled under the “Friends of Syria” banner and reaffirmed their support
for the Syrian armed opposition.

President Obama, while bestowing the imperial stamp of recognition on the Syrian
opposition, said he expected the parties to act in a more cohesive manner and to
“commit themselves to a political transition that respects women’s rights
and minority rights”. Washington’s recognition of the opposition coincided
with the U.S. State Department’s blacklisting of the Jabhat al Nusra Front, an
Al Qaeda affiliate, which is doing much of the fighting in Syria and has been
involved in the suicide attacks that have resulted in the death of hundreds of
innocent civilians.

The Al Nusra Front has claimed credit for 40 suicide attacks since November
2011. The U.S. State Department labelled the Al Nusra Front as a “terrorist
group” having very close links with Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI). A State Department
official accused Al Nusra of staging more than 600 attacks in major city centres
all over Syria “in which numerous innocent Syrians have been injured or
killed”.

U.S. officials have been saying that radical Islamists are planning to take
control of the opposition. The West has tried to rectify matters by
restructuring the command of the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA). The new
command structure includes senior figures who have ties to the Muslim
Brotherhood but are people with whom the West hopes it “can do business”.
However, many rebel fighters have rejected the new military command imposed on
them by the West. Muslim Brotherhood officials in Syria told the Western media
that the terrorist label given to Al Nusra was unjustified and that the “only
terrorist in Syria was Assad”.

“Islamists in control”

The fact of the matter, according to most observers, is that the Islamists are
already in control and are also doing the bulk of the fighting. Yet, the West
has found it opportune to give the motley opposition group the stamp of
legitimacy along with even more funding and sophisticated arms. The Obama
administration, it seems, has not learned any lessons from the recent Benghazi
episode. In Libya, the Islamist groups armed and funded by the West played a
crucial role in the overthrow of the government led by Muammar Qaddafi. It was
one such group that was responsible for the assassination of the U.S. envoy to
Libya. Al Nusra, although it now figures in Washington’s terror list, is a
member of the rebel Syrian National Coalition that the U.S. has recognised.

The recognition has also been interpreted as an “open declaration of war”
against Syria by the West. Many North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
countries have pledged to supply more heavy weapons and trainers to the rebel
groups. There are reports that the U.S. is on the verge of supplying weapons
like the SA-7 missiles for the first time. The missile can shoot down planes.
Almost on cue, the opposition fighters declared in the second week of December
that Damascus International Airport was a legitimate military target and that
civilian planes should no longer fly to the Syrian capital.

“Psychological warfare”

Patriot missiles supplied by the U.S. and its allies are on the verge of being
deployed on Turkey’s border with Syria. The Syrian government described the
move as part of the “psychological warfare” the West was carrying out
against it and stressed that it would not impact its determination to wipe out
the terror groups. All this seems to be a prelude to the establishment of a
“no-fly zone” over parts of Syria. The Patriot missiles are to be deployed
ostensibly to stop incoming missiles, but their real purpose seems to be to deny
the Syrian Air Force the ability to fly in the northern part of the country.
This will in effect create a no-fly zone where the rebel groups can operate in
relative freedom. Russia’s ambassador to NATO, Alexander Grushko, criticised
the deployment of Patriot missiles on Syria’s borders. He said it was proof
that NATO “was getting involved in the conflict after all” on the pretext of
“provocations or some
  incidents on the Turkey-Syria border”.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed “surprise” over
Washington’s official recognition of the Syrian opposition. He said Washington
was apparently betting on a military victory for the rebels. Lavrov went on to
add that the Obama administration had seemingly reneged on the road map agreed
to earlier in the year in Geneva, which had envisaged a negotiated end to the
conflict. As of now, the key Western countries involved in the regime change
mission, like the U.S., France and the United Kingdom, have said they will not
be putting “boots on the ground” in Syria. They will instead continue
training the armed groups in Turkey. French papers have reported that France has
sent military officers into Syria to assess the situation on the ground. “The
main task was to know who controls the battlegrounds around Damascus”, Le
Figaro reported. In any case, blatant military intervention inside Syria,
without United Nations authorisation,
  will be difficult to sell to the international community.

Chemical weapons

Before giving formal recognition to the rebels, Washington raised the bogey of
the Syrian government’s imminent use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) on
its own people. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said a desperate government
in Damascus could resort to chemical weapons onslaughts to save itself, while
Obama sanctimoniously warned of a “red line” on chemical weapons, saying
that its use would not be tolerated. The Western media were full of stories of
how the government in Damascus was preparing to wage “chemical warfare” on
its own people. The stories were sought to be bolstered by references to the
1982 massacre in the Syrian city of Hama where more than 10,000 people died when
the army put down an armed rebellion. The stories appearing in the Western media
alleged that the Syrian government used chemical weapons at that time. Western
reporters who were on the ground then, like the veteran correspondent Robert
Fisk, have said that
  there was no truth in these allegations. Fisk said Syrian troops had resorted
to heavy-handed measures in Hama after the Muslim Brothers briefly took over the
city and massacred government sympathisers and their families.

Allegations that Saddam Hussein was on the verge of unleashing WMDs on his own
people were a prelude to the invasion of Iraq. A chemical weapons expert, Jean
Pascal Zanders, senior research fellow at the European Union Institute for
Security Studies, has said that the Syrian chemical weapons threat “is being
ratcheted up to justify military intervention in the not-too-distant future”.
The Syrian government, on its part, has pledged that it will never, under any
circumstance, use chemical weapons on its own people. At the same time, Damascus
has warned the international community that the Al Nusra-led militants have
seized a factory, the Saudi-Syrian Chemicals Co., near the city of Safira and
they now may have the ability to engage in chemical warfare and put the blame on
the government.

Human tragedy

The insurgency, fuelled mainly by West and its Gulf allies, has already claimed
the lives of over 40,000 people. Half a million Syrians have become refugees.
The prices of essential goods have escalated dramatically and hunger stalks a
land that was until recently self-sufficient in food. The state-run factories
producing bread have been pillaged by the rebels in cities like Aleppo. Half of
Syria’s 88 public hospitals have been damaged by the fighting, leading to
shortages of life-saving drugs and essential medicines like insulin.
Pharmaceutical factories that met 90 per cent of the country’s drug needs now
produce only one-third of what they were producing until last year. Many of the
factories were directly targeted by the opposition fighters. The other factor
that has led to an acute shortage of medicines is the punitive economic
sanctions imposed by the West, which prevent the import of raw materials.

These developments have only made the average Syrian even more sceptical about
the armed rebel groups that have descended on the country like locusts.
According to reports, the support for President Bashar al-Assad among the common
people remains steadfast. Even those opposed to the government are having second
thoughts about the opposition. Mohammed Zein, a 64-year-old vegetable vendor,
told the Al Jazeera channel: “Our country is being destroyed. If this is
revolution, I don’t want it. I have to stress that I am not a supporter of the
regime because they used to oppress us. But now we are being oppressed a hundred
times more.”

According to the British paper Daily Telegraph, the majority of the people in
Damascus are still solidly behind Assad. “One of the reasons that Bashar
al-Assad has not been toppled like the Arab Spring dictators of Libya, Egypt,
Tunisia and Yemen is that he has a strong base of support,” a recent article
in the paper stated.

The military situation, according to a senior Syrian diplomat based in New
Delhi, is still very manageable. He said the government so far had only deployed
less than 10 per cent of the armed forces to combat the insurgency. Another
senior Arab diplomat, also based in Delhi, said the government in Damascus would
face no serious threat for another two years. “However, public alienation will
increase if the fighting continues beyond that period,” he predicted.

Many governments in the region are still firm in the belief that there is no
alternative to the present government in Syria at the present juncture. Most
observers believe that if the government in Damascus falls, the entire region
will implode into a cycle of sectarian violence.
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http://www.todayszaman.com/news-302751-us-house-of-representatives-approves-tran\
sfer-of-missile-frigates-to-turkey.html


Today's Zaman
January 1, 2013


US House of Representatives approves transfer of missile frigates to Turkey


The US House of Representatives has approved a bill seeking permission to give
guided missile frigates to Turkey, Thailand and Mexico.

The bill was submitted to and passed by the House of Representatives on Monday.
It authorizes President Barack Obama to grant the US military permission to
provide guided missile frigates to these three countries.

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs, introduced the bill to the House on Dec. 11, 2012.

The motion requires Senate approval before it will come into effect. If Obama
acts on the motion, Turkey will be given two guided missile frigates, the USS
Halyburton (FFG-40) and the USS Thach (FFG-43).

During her speech to the House of Representatives, Ros-Lehtinen underlined NATO
member Turkey's critical role with regards to the Syrian conflict and its joint
efforts with the US in fighting pirates in Somalia and Aden. She said to grant
the frigates to Turkey is a must.

The bill, however, has elicited a harsh reaction from the Washington-based
Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC), which lobbied to prevent the
provision of the naval vessels to Turkey.

The council stated that the bill is another example of the US giving
preferential treatment to Turkey in defense deals, adding that the bill should
not pass and the US should stop this preferential treatment.

Turkey seeks Sidewinder air-to-air missiles from US

Turkey has also asked to purchase 117 air-to-air missiles and the associated
equipment from the US to strengthen its air defense capabilities.

A statement released by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency on Dec. 24
said the agency notified Congress recently of a possible sale to Turkey of
Sidewinder missiles and the associated equipment, parts, training and logistical
support at an estimated cost of $140 million.

Turkey requested the sale of 117 AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder Block II All-Up-Round
Missiles, six AIM-9X-2 Block II Tactical Guidance Units, six dummy air training
missiles, 130 LAU-129 Guided Missile Launchers, containers, missile support and
testing equipment, provisions, spare parts, personnel training and training
equipment, publications and technical data and other logistical support.

The statement reiterated that Turkey is a partner of the US in ensuring peace
and stability in the region and that it is vital to US national interests to
assist its NATO ally in developing and maintaining strong and ready self-defense
capabilities that will contribute to an acceptable military balance in the area.

The agency assured Congress that the proposed sale of these weapons to Turkey
will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

According to US law, the administration needs to notify Congress of the sale of
arms to other countries and seek authorization. If the proposed sale is to a
NATO member country, Congress has 15 days to reject the sale or it will be
automatically authorized.

Turkey had earlier sought to buy armed drones from the US to be used in its
fight against [the] Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).., but the request was
controversial and some in Congress rejected the sale of the aircraft to Turkey,
possibly due to Ankara's deteriorating relations with Israel, a close US ally.
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http://rt.com/news/russian-navy-major-exercise-211/


RT
January 2, 2013


Russian Navy to hold biggest war games in decades


The four major Russian Navy fleets will hold a joint exercise in late January in
the Mediterranean and Black seas. It will be the biggest such event in decades.

Commands for the Northern, Baltic, Black Sea and Pacific fleets have been
preparing for the exercises since December of last year, the Russian Defense
Ministry has announced. Warships detached for the event are currently sailing to
those regions.

“The primary goal of the exercise is to train issues regarding formation of a
battle group consisting of troops of different branches outside of the Russian
Federation, planning of its deployment and managing a coordinated action of a
joint Navy group in accordance with a common plan,” the ministry’s
information department explained.

The exercise will include several scenarios, including the loading of amphibious
troops from an unprepared coast in the Northern Caucasus onto transport vessels.

The announcement comes days after the launch of the nuclear-powered submarine
Vladimir Monomakh, the third Borei-class strategic submarine cruiser produced in
Russia. The vessel, armed with Bulava ICBMs, will become part of the country’s
nuclear deterrence force after completing sea trials.

The Russian Navy's five fleets each have their own headquarters. The strongest,
the Northern fleet is based in Severomorsk in north-west of the country. The
Baltic fleet is based in Kaliningrad, the western Russian enclave on the coast
of the Baltic Sea.

The Black Sea fleet is based in Sevastopol, Ukraine, from which Russia rents a
naval base. The Pacific fleet is based in Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East.
The Caspian flotilla is the smallest in the Russian Navy, but is the strongest
naval force in the enclosed Caspian Sea.

Warships from the four main fleets conduct joint naval drills on a regular basis
to streamline command and control for  operations. Groups of ships detached from
different fleets also often sail for joint missions in the high seas. The patrol
in the Mediterranean in August 2012 drew worldwide attention amid rumors that
the ships would become involved in the Syrian civil war.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://en.rian.ru/military_news/20130102/178543197/Russia_to_Hold_Large-Scale.ht\
ml


Russian Information Agency Novosti
January 2, 2013


Russia to Hold Large-Scale Mediterranean, Black Sea Naval Drills



MOSCOW: Russia will hold large-scale naval drills in the Mediterranean and Black
Seas in late January with the involvement of warships from the Northern, Baltic,
Black Sea and Pacific Fleets, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press office
reported on Wednesday.

“The Russian Navy’s drills of this scope will be held for the first time
over the past few decades and are designed to improve control, ensure and
practice multiservice force interaction of the fleets in the far-off maritime
zones,” the press office said.

The drills will be held in line with the Russian Armed Forces’ 2013 combat
training plan and will aim to “practice the issues of establishing a
multiservice grouping of forces (troops) outside Russia, planning its use and
conducting joint actions as part of a united naval grouping based on a common
plan,” the press office said.

The naval task forces from the Russian Fleets are currently heading towards the
designated areas of the naval exercises.

The drills will also simulate operations to load marine troops and paratroopers
from the rough coast of the North Caucasus onto amphibious ships and will help
the Navy’s personnel acquire necessary marine practice skills during the
performance of “combat training missions in the Black and Mediterranean
Seas,” the press office said.
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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-01/03/c_124176851.htm


Xinhua News Agency
January 3, 2013


5 killed in U.S. drone strike in NW Pakistan



ISLAMABAD: At least five people were killed in a U.S. drone strike launched in
the wee hours of Thursday in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of South
Waziristan, reported local media Dunya.

According to the local media reports, the strike took place at about 0:30 a.m.
local time when two of the four U.S. drones flying over the area fired four
missiles at a house suspected of being a militant hideout in the Angoor Ada area
of South Waziristan bordering Afghanistan.

Details about the identities of the killed are not immediately known.

This is the first U.S. drone strike launched in 2013.

Last year a total of 39 U.S. drone strikes (counted on daily basis) were
launched in Pakistan, mostly in its northwest tribal area of North Waziristan,
leaving at least 274 killed.
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http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9107132421



Fars News Agency
January 2, 2013


Foreign Military Intervention in Syria: Red Line for Russia


TEHRAN: Russia opposes any development in Syria which occurs as a result of
foreign military intervention and doesn't want to come out of the Syrian scene
empty-handed, a senior Iranian legislator said on Wednesday.

"Causing developments through military intervention and remaining empty-handed
in the developments in Syria are Moscow's red line," member of the parliament's
National Security and Foreign Policy Commission and Russia Expert Mehdi Sanayee
told FNA.

Noting that the deployment of Russian ground forces in Syria is seen as the new
step in the Syrian crisis, he said, "Russia tries to prove on the international
scene that it is committed to its strategy, which is opposition to and
confrontation against foreign military intervention and unilateral moves in
Syria and to show that it has not surrendered on them."

He referred to Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks a few weeks ago which
were deemed to hint a change in Moscow's position on Syria, and said now Russia,
by deploying ground forces in Syria, wants to announce that it is committed to
its previous strategy.

His remarks came after the huge landing ship Novocherkassk of the Russian Black
Sea fleet left its port in Novorossiysk city on Sunday heading towards thw
Eastern Mediterranean to the technical support base at Tartus, the Syrian
national port.

The Novocherkassk is the third such craft dispatched since Friday to Tartus. An
unnamed official in the Russian general staff told the Interfax news agency that
several military vehicles and one naval infantry unit have joined the
Novocherkassk on Saturday.

Also, Russia's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Alexander Lukashevich late December
rejected media reports that President Bashar Assad's resignation is the
precondition for any future negotiations over the Syrian crisis.

"No one has set any preconditions for (Assad's) resignation. There's no such
condition in the agreed-upon Geneva communiqu�," the Russian foreign ministry
official was quoted as saying by Voice of Russia.
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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-01/04/c_124178254.htm


Xinhua News Agency
January 3, 2012


Obama signs defense authorization act



WASHINGTON: U.S. President Barack Obama has signed the National Defense
Authorization Act of the 2013 fiscal year, the White House said on Thursday.

According to the White House, Obama signed the bill while vacationing in Hawaii.
In a statement, Obama said while he supports the vast majority of the provisions
contained in the act, he does not agree with them all, including Congress'
refusal to let the Pentagon retire unneeded ships and aircraft, as well as
limits on the military to transfer detainees at the Guantanamo detention
facility.

The president also complained that certain provisions in the bill could
"interfere with my constitutional authority to conduct the foreign relations of
the United States," and said his administration would interpret and implement
these provisions in a manner that "does not interfere with my constitutional
authority to conduct diplomacy."

The sweeping bill covers the Pentagon's cost of ships, aircraft, weapons and
military personnel as well as the war efforts in Afghanistan. It consists of 528
billion dollars for the Defense Department's base budget, 17 billion dollars for
defense and nuclear programs in the Energy Department and 88 billion dollars for
overseas war costs.

The measure also tightens sanctions on Iran, increases security for U.S.
diplomatic missions after the attack on U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and
contains language regarding the conflict in Syria, requesting the Pentagon to
report to Congress on possible military options.

The budget also has two controversial sections relating to arms sales to Taiwan
and the Diaoyu Islands, which are China's inherent territories. The two clauses
are both written as "sense of Senate, " which means they have no binding power
over the president.

The bill passed the Congress amid chaos over the fiscal cliff negotiations late
last year, and was delivered to the White House over the weekend. Obama took it
with him to Hawaii when he left town after clinching the fiscal cliff deal.
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http://www.stripes.com/news/gen-allen-offers-troop-level-options-for-post-2014-a\
fghanistan-1.202711


Stars and Stripes
January 3, 2013


Gen. Allen offers troop level options for post-2014 Afghanistan



WASHINGTON: The top American commander in Afghanistan has submitted military
options to the Pentagon that would keep 6,000 to 20,000 U.S. troops in the
country after 2014, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

A senior military official told the Times that Gen. John Allen offered Defense
Secretary Leon Panetta three plans with troop levels of 6,000, 10,000 and
20,000. Each included a probable risk factor — the lower the number of troops,
the higher the likely risk factor, the Times cited an unnamed official as
saying.

...

With 6,000 troops, officials told the Times, the mission would largely be
Special Operations commandos hunting down insurgents. There would be limited
logistical support and training for Afghan forces. With 10,000 troops, the
United States would expand training; with 20,000 troops, the Obama
administration would add some conventional Army forces to patrol in limited
areas.

It was unclear whether President Obama had studied the options, the Times
reported officials as saying, although they added he was expected to discuss
them at the White House next week when Afghan President Hamid Karzai visits.

The NATO combat mission is set to end Dec. 31, 2014, when the Afghan Army and
the police are to have full responsibility for their country’s security. But,
the Times noted, the Obama administration has been debating the size and mission
of a residual American force.

The help is sorely needed. According to a recent assessment that covers April
through September 2012, the Pentagon found that just one of the Afghan Army’s
23 brigades could operate without air or other military support from the United
States or its NATO partners.

The Times reports that defense officials are saying that Allen’s
recommendations did not include options for the pace of withdrawals of the
remaining 66,000 troops in Afghanistan, although American officials say he wants
to keep a large majority — perhaps as many as 60,000 — through the end of
the fighting season next fall...

Allen’s recommendations come as he and Panetta are soon due to leave their
jobs. Allen is to be replaced in February by Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., and
Panetta is expected to step down after Obama nominates a successor. Panetta’s
successor is less clear; former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel’s name has been
the most prominent, though other Pentagon officials’ names have also
circulated.

Allen, who is under investigation for a series of e-mails he exchanged with a
socialite in Tampa, Fla., Jill Kelley, is to become the NATO supreme allied
commander in Europe, but his nomination is delayed as the investigation
continues.

Pentagon officials told the Times on Wednesday that he had long planned to leave
Afghanistan in February, and that the inquiry had not accelerated his departure.
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http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/753491.shtml


Global Times
January 3, 2012


Reality forces Washington to take new military approach in East Asia
By Li Jie


====

[T]he US will focus on using economic blockades in daily practice. But whenever
it feels it necessary, the US will send nuclear-powered Nimitz Class Aircraft
Carriers, F-22 Raptor Fighter, B-2 Stealth Bomber and X-47B air vehicles to the
first and second island chains and carry out precise long-range attacks.

The variation and combination of the two theories will generate more complex
situations than a single theory does, and will bring an even more negative
effect to the Chinese navy.

====


For a long time, the Air-Sea Battle (ASB) concept has prevailed in the US. It
seems that this concept has grown mature enough to be implemented. However, the
US's economic condition and military superpower status have declined since 2007.

The ruthless reality is that the US can do nothing without enough money, not to
mention employ advanced air, sea and space weapons.

Even the US itself has realized that the concept is already out of date.

Nowadays, due to the growing strength of East Asian countries, US aircraft
carriers and operational aircraft dare not patrol at will at the first island
chain, specifically the first chain of major archipelagos outside the East Asian
continental mainland coast. Their patrol is at most a show.

As senior US officials and experts seek a way out, T. X. Hammes, a retired US
Marine Corps colonel, recently published an article, "Offshore Control is the
Answer," in Proceedings Magazine under the US Naval Institute.

According to Hammes, "Offshore control would deny China the use of the sea
inside the first island chain, at the same time defend those islands, and
dominate the air and sea outside that theater."

Another viewpoint in the article, which is also favored by senior US officials,
is to create "a stand-off military campaign focusing on a war of economic
strangulation rather than on penetrating Chinese airspace to physically destroy
its infrastructure."

This, according to Hammes, would force China to fight in ways where the US has
the greatest military strength while China has the least.

This actually goes beyond the ASB concept, stresses the geopolitical advantages
of the US, and seeks to "maximize the effectiveness" of the block and control
ability of the US air, sea and land forces, aiming to contain a rising China and
using the least cost to bring the most impact.

Maybe the "offshore control" theory is not as terrifying as imagined. But what's
worrying is the US may combine the "offshore control" theory with the ASB
concept.

The US may also improve one theory and make the other a supplement, which means
it may develop offshore theory at the first island chain, and utilize the
updated ASB concept outside this area.

In other words, the US will focus on using economic blockades in daily practice.
But whenever it feels it necessary, the US will send nuclear-powered Nimitz
Class Aircraft Carriers, F-22 Raptor Fighter, B-2 Stealth Bomber and X-47B air
vehicles to the first and second island chains and carry out precise long-range
attacks.

It is not difficult to see that in the next 10 years, as the US's tide of war
recedes, its national defense budget will be cut by as much as $489 billion.

The US, with its declining national strength, can only bow to reality. The
variation and combination of the two theories will generate more complex
situations than a single theory does, and will bring an even more negative
effect to the Chinese navy.

The author is a researcher with China Navy Research Institute.
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http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/chp-deputy-questions-government-on-claims-of-tu\
rkish-pilots-in-syria.aspx?pageID=238&nID=38341&NewsCatID=338


Hurriyet Daily News
January 4, 2013


CHP deputy questions government on claims of Turkish pilots in Syria


ISTANBUL: Republican People's Party deputy Lütfi Baydar has asked members of
the government to respond to Syrian media claims that Turkish pilots were caught
after trying to infiltrate a military airport, daily has Hürriyet reported.

Baydar identified nearly 10 Turkish pilots in his official parliamentary
question and asked Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu to clarify the situation.

Baydar also asked whether or not there were any Turkish officials who have been
killed in Syria.

High-ranking sources in Turkey's Foreign Ministry denied reports made by Syrian
daily Al-Watan on Dec. 31, 2012, that said four Turkish pilots were arrested
while trying to sneak into the airfield.

...
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http://rt.com/news/us-troops-turkey-patriot-345/


RT
January 4, 2013


US Patriot missile battery crews arrive in Turkey


====

Critics of the Patriot deployment say that they can be used to create a no-fly
zone in Syria, protecting rebels from government airstrikes. A NATO-imposed
no-fly zone in Libya in 2011 eventually led to the downfall of the country’s
longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi.

====


A group of 27 US troops has arrived in Turkey to operate NATO Patriot
surface-to-air (SAM) missile batteries. At least six of those will be deployed
along the country’s border with Syria.

The troops arrived in the southeastern province of Gaziantep on Thursday and
were taken to a local hotel by Turkish security forces, local media reported.

Their first task will be to survey the sites where the Patriot missiles are to
be deployed, after they are fully delivered.

The US, Germany and the Netherlands agreed to supply the SAM systems after
Turkey made the request to its NATO allies. Ankara said it needed the weapons to
protect itself from a possible attack from Syria.

The six Patriot batteries are to be deployed near the cities of Adana, Gaziantep
and Kahramanmaras, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in December.

The batteries will be operated by troops of their respective countries: The US
and Germany are sending about 400 troops each, while the Netherlands will have
around 360 soldiers manning their Patriot SAMs.

The batteries, consisting of a command post, a radar and up to eight launchers,
are expected to arrive in Turkey in late January.

Turkey’s southern neighbor is engulfed in an almost two-year-long armed
conflict, as rebels seek to overthrow the government in Damascus. Ankara, once
an ally of Syria, has turned into a vocal supporter of the opposition forces.

Critics of the Patriot deployment say that they can be used to create a no-fly
zone in Syria, protecting rebels from government airstrikes. A NATO-imposed
no-fly zone in Libya in 2011 eventually led to the downfall of the country’s
longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi.
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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-01/04/c_132080463.htm


Xinhua News Agency
January 4, 2013


Dutch Patriot missiles to leave for Turkey on Monday


THE HAGUE: Dutch Patriot missile defense systems will leave the Netherlands for
Turkey On Jan. 7 to support the NATO operation Anatolian Protector, the Dutch
Ministry of Defense confirmed to Xinhua on Friday.

The Patriot missile defense systems will be boarded for transport on Monday.
“They will be transported by ships from the port of Eemshaven, so it will take
a while,” captain Paul Vledder, spokesman of Operations at the Ministry of
Defense, told Xinhua. “The systems are expected to arrive in Turkey on Jan.
22.”

On Jan. 8, around 30 Dutch and 20 German quartermasters will leave from
Eindhoven airbase for Turkey. They will prepare the locations where the Patriot
units will be installed.

“They will do logistics activities, preparing food, explore the systems
locally and make sure that the troops will be able to immediately get to work
after their arrival,” Vledder explained.

The main force of about 270 Dutch troops will depart on Jan. 21. The costs of
the mission, which will last up to one year, are estimated at 42 million euros
(54 million U.S. dollars).

...

The Netherlands, Germany and the United States all promised to send two Patriot
systems. The Dutch are stationed in Adana, the Germans in Kahramanmaras and the
Americans in Gaziantep.

It is the third time that the Netherlands sends it Patriot systems to Turkey. In
1991 and 2003 the Dutch Patriots were used to protect Turkey against possible
attacks by Saddam Hussein’s Iraq.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=101232


World Bulletin
January 4, 2013



German army ready to ship Patriot system to Turkey
The Patriots will be loaded on ships on Tuesday, said that fleet's
spokesperson's office, adding that the soldiers, who would operate the Patriots,
would leave for Turkey later


The German army completed its preparations to ship Patriot air defense system to
Turkey within the scope of Turkey's request from NATO.

German army's air defense missile fleet stated on Friday that general logistic
activities to deploy the system to Turkey had been completed, and the Patriots
would be sent to German port of Travemunde on Sunday.

The Patriots will be loaded on ships on Tuesday, said that fleet's
spokesperson's office, adding that the soldiers, who would operate the Patriots,
would leave for Turkey later.

Patriots are expected to be ready for function in February.

Turkey requested Patriots from NATO to boost its air defense capabilities
against...Syria.
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======================================================================

http://www.mod.gov.ge/en/news/1631


Ministry of Defence of Georgia
January 4, 2013


Telephone Conversation between Colonel Irakli Dzneladze and Gen. Dempsey and
Admiral Stavridis


A telephone conversation has been arranged between the Chief of Joint Staff of
the GAF [Georgian Armed Forces] Colonel Irakli Dzneladze and the Chairman of the
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), Gen. Martin Dempsey. Admiral James G.
Stavridis, Commander U.S. European Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander
Europe also talked with Colonel Irakli Dzneladze.

The high-ranking military officials expressed their deepest condolences over the
death of Sergeant Giorgi Kikadze who had participated in the ISAF mission. They
asked the Chief of JS of the GAF, on behalf of the United States army and
European Command, to extend their sympathy to the family members of the deceased
military serviceman.

During a telephone conversation, Gen. Martin Dempsey and Admiral James G.
Stavridis outlined the contribution provided by Georgia to the international
mission in Afghanistan as well as Georgian military`s bravery and high
professionalism. The sides also talked on the cooperation with respect to the
international missions.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.mod.gov.ge/en/news/1630


Ministry of Defence of Georgia
January 3, 2013


Telephone Conversation with Leon Panetta


A telephone conversation was held between Defence Minister of Georgia Irakli
Alasania and the United States Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta. Leon Panetta
expressed his deepest concern over the death of Sergeant Giorgi Kikadze and
asked his Georgian counterpart, on behalf of the US government, to extend
condolences to the family members of the deceased Georgian military servicemen.

US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta once more outlined that the USA supports
and praises Georgia’s contribution in international operations...

During the telephone conversation the sides talked about issues related to
US-Georgian bilateral cooperation in international operations. As Irakli
Alasania stated, Georgia is a reliable partner of the United States.

Georgian peacekeepers will continue fulfilling its duties in the ISAF until the
end of 2014 and render assistance to Afghan National Security Forces in
post-ISAF period.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://en.trend.az/regions/scaucasus/georgia/2105100.html


Trend News Agency
January 4, 2012


U.S., Georgian defence ministers discuss cooperation on international missions
N. Kirtskhalia



Tbilisi: Georgia will assist the National Security Forces of Afganistan in the
post-ISAF period after 2014.

According to the Georgian Defence Ministry, this was stated by Defence Minister
Irakli Alasania in a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of Defence Leon
Panetta.

The U.S. Defence Secretary reiterated that his country supports and values
Georgia's contribution towards international operations...

During a telephone conversation the sides discussed issues of cooperation on
international missions.

Georgia sent a total of 175 peacekeepers to Afghanistan in November 2009. Since
April 2010 the Georgian peacekeeping corps in Afghanistan has reached 925 and
since October 2012, 1500 servicemen.

The majority are serving in an extended Georgian battalion under U.S. command in
Helmand Province. The rest are deployed in Kabul under French command. During
their period of stay in Afghanistan, 19 Georgian peacekeepers were killed and
more than 30 wounded.
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======================================================================

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/baltic_news/?doc=10438


Baltic Course
January 4, 2013


Lithuanian contingent began standby in NATO Response Force


====

The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a highly ready and technologically advanced
multinational NATO force, one of the core combat instruments of the Alliance.
The NRF is made up of military units which are committed by allies and maintain
high readiness in their home countries for a set period of time prepared to
deploy into an operation theatre in case a decision to activate the NRF was
made. Once the decision is made, the NRF is capable of deploying within five
days.

====


Vilnius: On January 1, 2013, an approximately 200-strong Lithuanian contingent
began standby in the NATO Response Force (NRF). Lithuanian service members were
delegated by the Lithuanian Air Force, Juozas Vitkus Engineer Battalion,
Lithuanian Special Operations Forces and the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas
Battalion, reports LETA/ELTA Ministry of National Defence.

An Airport Terminal Maintenance Unit formed by the Lithuanian Air Force will
conduct standby in the NATO Response Force for a third time. This year the
Lithuanian Air Force has committed its C-27J Spartan transport aircraft to the
all-year-round readiness NATO Response Force. Previously service members of the
Lithuanian Air Force were assigned to complete duty in the NRF in the second
semester of 2008 and in 2011.

In case of deployment of the NATO Response Force into an operation theatre, the
1st Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal
Company of the Juozas Vitkus Engineer Battalion composed of two sections and a
command group will be ready for duty. If such a necessity occurred, EOD
specialists would carry out standard explosive and IED neutralisation
operations, reconnaissance and clearance of explosives in a contaminated area.
In the past the Juozas Vitkus Engineer Battalion provided General Engineer and
Explosives Ordnance Disposal platoons for NRF.

The Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Battalion will also commit its 2nd Company
for the year-long standby in NRF in 2013 which will act as a Force Protection
Company in case the NATO Response Force is activated.

The NATO Response Force (NRF) is a highly ready and technologically advanced
multinational NATO force, one of the core combat instruments of the Alliance.
The NRF is made up of military units which are committed by allies and maintain
high readiness in their home countries for a set period of time prepared to
deploy into an operation theatre in case a decision to activate the NRF was
made. Once the decision is made, the NRF is capable of deploying within five
days.

The NATO Response Force initiative was announced at the Prague Summit in
November 2002. The decision to use the NRF is made by the North Atlantic
Council. From October 2005 to February 2006, elements of the NATO Response Force
were used for the first time in Pakistan after a devastating earthquake...
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======================================================================

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=146584


Sofia News Agency
January 4, 2013


NATO Starts Deploying Patriot Missiles in Turkey


NATO has started deploying Patriot missiles in Turkey Friday to defend against
threats from neighbouring Syria, according to the US military's European Command
(Eucom).

Approximately 400 US personnel and equipment from the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air
Defense Artillery (3-2 ADA) based at Fort Sill, Okla., will continue to flow
into Turkey over the next several days by US military airlift.

The troops will man two Patriot batteries supporting NATO's mission there.
Additional equipment will be moved by sea, arriving later this month.

The deployment of six Patriot batteries, including two each from Germany and the
Netherlands, is in response to Turkey's request to NATO. The forces will augment
Turkey's air defense capabilities...along the Alliance's border.

NATO recently approved Turkey's request for Patriot missiles...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://english.ruvr.ru/2013_01_04/NATO-confirms-it-deploys-air-defense-systems-i\
n-Turkey/


Voice of Russia
January 4, 2013


NATO confirms it deploys air defense systems in Turkey


NATO has officially confirmed that on Friday, it started to deploy the first
batteries of the air defense systems Patriot in Turkey, near the border with
Syria.

This information was published on the website of the US military command in
Europe.

Several NATO servicemen and some parts of the equipment have already come to the
military air base Incirlik in the Turkish province of Adana.

In late November, Turkey asked NATO to equip it with Patriot systems in order to
defend itself from a possible air attack from Syria.

On December 4, NATO decided to satisfy this request.

In total, 6 Patriot systems will be deployed on the Turkish-Syrian border.

Voice of Russia, RIA
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======================================================================

http://www.lithuaniatribune.com/26004/denmark-to-take-over-natos-baltic-air-poli\
cing-mission-from-czech-republic-201226004/



Baltic News Service
December 27, 2012


Denmark to take over NATO’s Baltic air policing mission from Czech Republic


Danish troops with F-16 fighter jets are set to replace Czech troops currently
protecting the airspace of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as of the next year.

Four US-made fighter jets of the Royal Danish Air Force will land at the
Lithuanian Air Base in Siauliai on Jan. 2 and the rotation ceremony will take
place on Jan. 3, the Ministry of National Defense said on Thursday.

Danish troops will protect the Baltic airspace for the fourth time already.

Czech troops with fighter jets JAS-39C “Gripen” have been guarding the
Baltic airspace since late August.

Lithuania and other Baltic states don’t have air policing assets. Based on the
decision by the North Atlantic Council, since March 2004, when the Baltic States
joined NATO, the 24/7 task to police the airspace of the Baltic States has been
conducted on three-month rotation from Lithuania’s First Air Base in
Zokniai/Siauliai International Airport.

Troops from Belgium, Denmark, the Czech Republic, the UK, Spain, the US, Poland,
Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, France, Romania, Turkey and Germany have
guarded the Baltic airspace.
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======================================================================

http://www.eucom.mil/article/24545/u-s-patriots-troops-arrive-in-turkey-to-suppo\
rt-nato-deployment


United States European Command
January 4, 2013


U.S. Patriots, Troops Arrive in Turkey to Support NATO Deployment
EUCOM Public Affairs


STUTTGART, Germany: U.S. personnel and equipment began arriving at Incirlik Air
Base today to support NATO’s Patriot battery deployment to Turkey.

Approximately 400 U.S. personnel and equipment from the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air
Defense Artillery (3-2 ADA) based at Fort Sill, Okla., will continue to flow
into Turkey over the next several days by U.S. military airlift.  The troops
will man two Patriot batteries supporting NATO’s mission there. Additional
equipment will be moved by sea, arriving later this month.

The deployment of six Patriot batteries, including two each from Germany and the
Netherlands, is in response to Turkey's request to NATO. The forces will augment
Turkey’s air defense capabilities...

“Turkey is an important NATO ally and we welcome the opportunity to support
the Turkish government’s request in accordance with the NATO standing defense
plan,” said Navy Vice Adm. Charles Martoglio, U.S. European Command deputy
commander.

Martoglio said the Patriot batteries will fall under NATO command when set up is
complete and the systems are operational in the next several weeks...

“It’s good to be in Turkey. We believe the measure of deterrence that we can
add makes our Soldiers’ time away from friends and families back home
worthwhile. Protecting our allies is what this alliance is all about,” said
U.S. Army Major Brian Carlin, there to support the mission.

The duration of the deployment will be determined by the contributing nations in
coordination with Turkey and NATO.
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======================================================================

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-01/05/c_132082480.htm


Xinhua News Agency
January 5, 2013


Georgia pledges continued contribution to Afghan mission


====

The South Caucasus country so far has lost 19 soldiers in Afghanistan.

The U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, which has now turned into a NATO-led ISAF
operation, has become the longest military conflict in U.S. history.

====



TBILISI: Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili on Saturday pledged
continued contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force
(ISAF) in Afghanistan.

Ivanishvili made the pledge after attending the funeral for a Georgian soldier
who had been found dead after missing for 10 days in Afghanistan in December
last year.

Describing the participation as "a source of pride for our country," he stressed
that "we should further strengthen our role in this process in the future,
because it is important for our country's international image."

...

Georgia is now the largest non-NATO troop contributor to ISAF, with a total of
1,560 Georgian servicepersons in Afghanistan, mostly deployed in the Helmand
province.

The South Caucasus country so far has lost 19 soldiers in Afghanistan.

The U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, which has now turned into a NATO-led ISAF
operation, has become the longest military conflict in U.S. history.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=25619



Civil Georgia
January 5, 2013


Ivanishvili: Georgia Should Remain Committed to ISAF


Tbilisi: Georgia should continue its participation in the NATO-led operations in
Afghanistan, PM Bidzina Ivanishvili said on Saturday.

He made the remarks while speaking with journalists after attending a funeral
service for Sergeant Giorgi Kikadze, who went missing in the Helmand province
last month and whose body was found on December 29. Defense Minister Irakli
Alasania, as well as U.S. ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland, also attended
the funeral in Rustavi.

“Of course the fact that a Georgian soldier dies in Afghanistan triggers
questions, but I want to explain it again to the society that our troops’
contribution to global security is of course a source of pride for our country
and not only we can’t say no to it, but we should further strengthen our role
in this process in the future, because it is important for our country’s
international image...,” Ivanishvili said.

Georgia has lost total of nineteen soldiers in Afghanistan since joining ISAF
mission in November, 2009, eight of them in 2012.

Georgia has almost doubled its contribution to NATO-led operations in
Afghanistan in October to over 1,560 soldiers, becoming the largest non-NATO
contributor to the ISAF operation.
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http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-01/06/c_132084064.htm



Xinhua News Agency
January 6, 2013



16 killed in U.S. drone strike in NW Pakistan


ISLAMABAD: At least 16 people were killed and seven others injured when U.S
drones fired a number of missiles at different targets in Pakistan's northwest
tribal area of South Waziristan on Sunday, reported local media Geo.

Three militant hideouts were also destroyed in the strike.

According to the local media reports, five U.S. drones were involved in the
attack and an estimated eight to ten missiles were fired at different targets in
the Babar Ghar area of South Waziristan, which is home to militants of the Hakim
Ullah Mehsud group of the Pakistan Taliban and Haqqani network.

Fire erupted following the strikes on houses in the area, local media quoted
residents in the area as saying, adding that many killed were burnt beyond
recognition.

The identities of the killed and injured are not immediately known.

...

Sunday's U.S. drone strike is the third of its kind in Pakistan in the new year.
On Thursday, in the wee hours, U.S drones fired four missiles at a target in
South Waziristan, leaving at least ten militants killed, including an important
Taliban commander Mullah Nazir. Later in the day, U.S. drones launched another
strike in North Waziristan, killing at least four militants.

Following the strikes, thousands of tribesmen staged a rally in protest against
the U.S. drone strike in Waziristan on Saturday and Pakistan's foreign office
spokesman also condemned the strikes.

However, the U.S. side has turned a deaf ear to the protests and condemnation
and continues to press ahead with its drone strikes in Pakistan's northwest
tribal areas of North and South Waziristan along the border with Afghanistan.

...
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http://rt.com/news/morales-us-plot-bolivia-483/


RT
January 7, 2013


Bolivia slams US over 'irrefutable evidence' of meddling


Bolivia has “concrete evidence” that the US is plotting to destabilize the
Latin American nation, Minister Juan Ramon Quintana said. Proof of US
“harassment” of the Bolivian government will be handed over to President
Obama, he added.

The Bolivian government is “scrupulously following” US activity in Bolivia,
Minister for the Bolivian Presidency Quintana said in a press conference.

“There is so much evidence to hand over to the President of the USA to say to
him: Stop harassing the Bolivian government, stop politically cornering and
ambushing us!” Quintana stressed. He added that investigations into
drug-trafficking and human rights abuses would reveal a “permanent battle”
waged by the US to impede progress in Bolivia.

“In the offensive against the government there are no visible subjects...What
we’re seeing are the political machinations of the US Embassy,” which seeks
to damage the image of the Bolivian government, Quintana said.

The country's US ambassador was ejected in 2008 after being accused of plotting
against the Bolivian government by President Evo Morales. The US quickly
followed suit, removing its Bolivian ambassador.

A charge d’affaires now heads the American embassy in La Paz; both nations
signed a deal in 2011 that would pave the way for the reinstatement of the
ambassadors. However, diplomatic relations between the two countries have yet to
be normalized.

...A damning report released by the American government last year ranking
Bolivia, along with Venezuela and Burma, as “failing demonstrably during the
previous 12 months to adhere to their obligations under international
counternarcotics agreements."

President Morales denied the findings, accusing the US of hypocrisy and calling
the illicit drugs trade with Latin America the US’ “best business.”

A thorn in the US’ side

Bolivia has been a thorn in the US’ side because of its anti-neoliberal and
anti-imperialist policies, pioneered by President Evo Morales; the US also could
not permit challenges to its policies in the heart of Latin America, Minister
Quintana said in an interview with state radio station El Pueblo.

“What we have been fighting since 2006 and what we will continue to fight is a
war against Bolivian progress,” he said, adding that the political objective
of the US was to dismantle the “process of rebellion” by any means
necessary.

Bolivia is currently led by Evo Morales, the country’s first indigenous
leader, who is a close ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Ecuadorian
President Rafael Correa. The three leaders...have often been critical of what
they criticize as the US overstepping its authority in Latin America.

Ecuadorian President Correa spoke out over the weekend, voicing concerns of a
possible CIA plot to remove him in the run-up to governmental elections in
February. He cited a report written by a Chilean journalist, which described an
alleged US plot to destabilize the region.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://rt.com/news/ecuado-correa-cia-attack-429/


RT
January 6, 2013


Ecuadorian president warns of possible 'CIA attack' before elections


Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has said the CIA may try to kill him prior to
upcoming elections. Citing reports of a plot to “destabilize the region,”
Correa said the threats were “credible,” given the history of US involvement
in Latin America.

Correa alluded to reports by Chilean journalist Patricio Mery Bell, who
allegedly passed on information to the Ecuadorian government that President
Correa’s life was “under threat” by a CIA plot.

“There are many cases of [the CIA] interfering” in Latin American affairs,
Correa said during a campaign tour in the coastal province of Guayas. “These
are credible [reports] because this has happened before in Latin America.”

...

Although Correa...warned that agencies such as the CIA often follow their own
agenda and maintain links with organizations representing the extreme right in
the countries in which they operate.

Bell first voiced his concerns for the safety of President Correa three months
ago when he released a report claiming the CIA sought to “destabilize”
Ecuador. He said that the threat to Correa’s life would be at its height from
January 15 and onwards, as Correa applies to run for another presidential term.

“We will have to be three times more vigilant with President Correa,” Bell
said in an interview with publication El Ciudadano. Bell maintained that
although he was not a staunch supporter of Correa, it was his duty as a Latin
American citizen to warn of the alleged $88-million CIA plot to destabilize the
Ecuadorian government.

The journalist believes that this money will be divided amongst extremist
anarchist, leftist and hardline conservative groups, in the hopes of
discrediting Correas.

Bell claimed in his report that the main motives behind the CIA plot were the
closing of the US Manta military base, hailed as a victory for Ecuadorian
national sovereignty, and the granting of asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian
Assange.

President Correa...has reduced poverty and increased stability and the overall
standard of living in Ecuador during his presidency, winning popularity amongst
the country’s poorest as well as the educated middle class.

Correa will run for reelection against six other candidates when campaigning
begins on January 15. Ecuadorians will vote for the next president and vice
president on Sunday, February 17.

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http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=25622


Civil Georgia
January 7, 2013



93 Georgian Soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan in 2010-2012


Tbilisi: A total of 93 Georgian soldiers have been wounded in 2010-2012 while
serving in Afghanistan, according to the Georgian Ministry of Defense.

The information was obtained by the Tbilisi-based Institute for Development of
Freedom of Information (IDFI) from the MoD under the freedom of information act
and released on January 4.

The MoD usually does not release information about the incidents in which
Georgian soldiers sustain injuries, and the precise number of Georgian
servicemen wounded in action in Afghanistan remained unclear until now. The most
recently when Civil.ge tried to obtain this information was in November, 2012
but the MoD at the time declined the request.

20 Georgian servicemen were wounded in 2010, when Georgian soldiers were first
deployed in Helmand province; 44 more were wounded in following year and 29
soldiers were wounded as of November 26, 2012.

Georgia joined the ISAF mission in November 2009 with the deployment of about
170 soldiers in Kabul. In April, 2010 Georgia increased its contribution by
sending a battalion to Helmand province and in October, 2012 Georgia almost
doubled its presence in Afghanistan to over 1,560 soldiers after sending one
more battalion to Helmand province.

Georgia has lost a total of nineteen soldiers in Afghanistan, eight of them in
2012.

The most recent casualty was last month after the dead body of missing Sergeant
Giorgi Kikadze was found in the Musa Qala district of Helmand province on
December 29.

PM Bidzina Ivanishvili said after attending a funeral service for Sergeant
Kikadze in the town of Rustavi on January 5 that Georgia should continue its
participation in the NATO-led operations in Afghanistan.

...

President Saakashvili spent New Year’s Eve with the Georgian troops in Helmand
province telling them that their “mission was of historic importance”.

Last month the MoD announced about the plan to increase salaries of the Georgian
soldiers serving in Afghanistan starting from January, 2013.

After this announcement, President Saakashvili said while visiting Afghanistan
that he was intending to initiate legislative amendments envisaging additional
social benefits in a form of pension for the soldiers, who served in
Afghanistan, and their families.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-01/07/c_132086723.htm


Xinhua News Agency
January 7, 2013


93 Georgian soldiers wounded in Afghanistan between 2010-2012

 

TBILISI: Ninety-three Georgian soldiers were wounded during 2010-2012 while
serving in Afghanistan, a Tbilisi-based institute has reported.

The information was released last week by the Institute for Development of
Freedom of Information. The Georgian Defense Ministry previously said 19
soldiers have died in Afghanistan so far.

The South Caucasus country started to contribute troops to the NATO-led
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in November 2009.

There are now 1,560 Georgian soldiers serving in Afghanistan, making the country
the largest non-NATO troop contributor to ISAF.

Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili pledged Saturday a continued contribution.

"I want to explain it again to the society that our troops' contribution to
global security is of course a source of pride for our country...we should
further strengthen our role in this process in the future," he said.

President Mikheil Saakashvili visited Georgian troops in the Afghan province of
Helmand on the eve of the New Year.
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http://www.defensie.nl/english/latest/news/2013/01/07/48202089/Patriots_travel_i\
n_convoy_to_Eemshaven


Ministery of Defence (The Netherlands)
January 7, 2013


Patriots travel in convoy to Eemshaven


Escorted by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, 2 Dutch Patriot units left for
the port of Eemshaven near Delfzijl today, to be shipped to Turkey. A total of
150 vehicles and 130 trailers will transport the missile defence materiel via
the A50 and the A28 to the seaport. As part of Operation Anatolian Protector,
the systems will protect our NATO Ally against Scud missile attacks from Syria.

The military personnel of the Defence Ground-based Air Defence Command started
their 300-kilometre road journey at their home base, the ‘Luitenant-generaal
Best’ Barracks in Vredepeel. The 2 Patriot air defence systems, including
radar stations and launch installations, will move in 6 convoys of 25 vehicles
and around 20 trailers each. At the port of Eemshaven, the materiel will be
loaded onto a cargo ship and then travel, accompanied by 5 military personnel,
to Turkey, where it is expected to arrive on 22 January.

Chief of Defence General Tom Middendorp was there to see the military personnel
off. “By baring our teeth, in a military sense”, he said, “we prevent the
use of even more violence. It may sound contradictory...”

Tomorrow, some 30 Dutch and 20 German quartermasters will leave from Eindhoven
Air Base to make preparations for the mission. The main force of around 270
Dutch military personnel will follow on 21 January.

...

The Netherlands, Germany and the United States will each cover a sector, sending
2 Patriot systems each. The Dutch will be going to Adana, which with 2.1 million
inhabitants is the largest city in southern Turkey.
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http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2013-01/07/content_16090019.htm


China Daily
January 7, 2013



Sino-Russian stable relations
Victor Larin*


====

In the extreme instability of the modern world, we all see what is happening in
Europe, Africa, South Asia and even North America, stable and strategic
relations between Russia and China have a special value. They are important not
only for our two countries but also to the world.

In the international arena China is a close friend and partner, at least up
until now, especially in the face of, if not a common enemy, a shared
aggravator, the US' desire to dominate forever and everywhere. That is the basic
approach of the US' policies, which go against the interests of China and
Russia.

====



I would like to evaluate the relations between Russia and China in 2012 in the
context of the last 10 years and their projection into the future, as well as
looking at them through the prism of global problems, on the one hand, and the
interests of Russia, on the other.

Sino-Russian bilateral interaction has two solid foundations: The first is the
relationship in the sphere of "high politics", that is between the heads of
state and top-level officials. The second is cross-border and inter-regional
relations.

For two decades the relationship based on the foundation of high politics has
continually demonstrated a very high political standard, sometimes to the
detriment of practical results. It was a sign of the strength of this foundation
that Vladimir Putin visited China soon after he was re-elected as Russian
president.

Since the 1990s, Russia and China have successfully coordinated their approaches
to key issues concerning the modern world order and major international issues.
Russia and China have repeatedly demonstrated that they have similar approaches
to addressing the key issues concerning the world order and major international
problems, as well as the ability to defend their interests. The two countries
hold the same or similar positions on global issues such as the UN Security
Council reform, global economic governance, climate change, food security and
energy security and addressing regional hot-spot issues including the tension on
the Korean Peninsula, the Iranian nuclear issue, Syria and Afghanistan.

Although the "new security architecture", proclaimed by both sides in September
2010 might look fairly abstract to others, it could become a very strong pillar
of Russia-China relations in the coming decades. "The higher the level of
cooperation between our countries, the calmer our region is," said Sergei
Shoigu, the Russian defense minister, during a meeting of an intergovernmental
commission on military cooperation. I totally agree with him. In the extreme
instability of the modern world, we all see what is happening in Europe, Africa,
South Asia and even North America, stable and strategic relations between Russia
and China have a special value. They are important not only for our two
countries but also to the world.

Experts like to discuss the potential contradictions between Russia and China in
Central Asia, but it is clear to me that their common desire is to prevent the
United States strengthening its influence in the region, as well as the spread
of radical Islam, and this far outweighs the potential for conflict between
them.

As for Russia, the "China threat" well-marked in shaping Moscow's policy toward
China and bilateral relations, disappears when it comes to international
affairs. In the international arena China is a close friend and partner, at
least up until now, especially in the face of, if not a common enemy, a shared
aggravator, the US' desire to dominate forever and everywhere. That is the basic
approach of the US' policies, which go against the interests of China and
Russia.

The second foundation of Russia-China cooperation, cross-border and
inter-regional relations, have little to do with interstate cooperation at the
highest level, but are fueled by the vital interests of the people and
businessmen living on both sides of very long border between the two countries.

I think it would be wrong to assess Sino-Russian relations on the basis of
economic results only. Although economic relations are certainly important,
especially for Russia, they are not the major issue. The major issue for Russia
and China today is a peaceful and secure common border, peace and stability in
the border regions - the Korean Peninsula and Central Asia - and the development
of the peripheral border areas.

The current economic potential of Russia does not permit a fast growth in trade
and the development of industrial cooperation. What is important now is to
create a favorable legal, political and psychological environment for bilateral
relations. We must abandon the pursuit of trade growth figures as almost the
sole criterion for the successful development of relations. Nobody sets targets
for the assessment of economic relations between China and the US or Japan, yet
they are prospering.

Effective cooperation between the two countries can occur in the areas where
their national interests coincide - global, regional and national security,
regional stability and the development of adjacent areas - not in ephemeral
illusions and desires. Pragmatism should be the basis for this cooperation. In
the near future if China is faced with some serious challenges, a friendly
Russia will help China to stand up to them. Russia, in turn, can secure the
security of its eastern borders only with the friendly relations with China, and
it needs its consumer, commodity and labor markets.

So the emphasis should be on political and cultural relations, rather than trade
growth in order to create an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding.

While the leaders of the two countries demonstrate a high level of political
trust between them, the idea of deep political confidence between two countries
and peoples still does not have either a strong administrative and political
framework nor broad support among the Russian and Chinese bureaucracies and
populations. Distrust toward Beijing itself and its policies in particular are
deeply rooted among the Russian political and business elite as well as ordinary
people. The idea of a "China threat" is alive. Horror stories about the future
of Chinese expansion in Russia are rampant on the Russian Internet and work
against strengthening ties. Moreover, Russia still lacks a deep understanding of
the role and place of China in its vague plans and amorphous strategies.

Attempts to compare the relationship between China and the US and Russia and the
US to Russia and China are counterproductive. All three have their own history,
their own specificity, contradictions and future. Although one thing they
probably do have in common is their pragmatism. The difference is that
mercantile economic interests dominate Sino-US relations, while common national
security problems and a similar vision of the present and future world order are
the cornerstone of relations between Russia and China.

The contradictions certainly exist. Contradictions, differences in interests,
different visions of the issues and problems necessarily present in relations
between states. Those who say they do not see any are either hypocrites or
excessively naive. Unfortunately, there are serious historical and cultural
reasons for strategic mistrust between the two nations. They are considerably
more serious than the Chinese migration to Russia, which is still a lot of talk,
but which, by and large, is not a significant problem today for Russia. Very
deep cultural differences and ways of thinking, as well as historical memories
are among the reasons for mistrust. There is no need to turn a blind eye to
them, we must accept them, take them into account and seek to overcome them.

I do not anticipate any drastic change in bilateral relations. I'm waiting only
for Russia to finally prepare itself to reap the benefits and meet the
challenges of China's rise and so most effectively use China's rise in its own
interests without compromising the interests of China itself.

State support is needed to create large breakthrough projects, primarily in the
area of the Northeast China and Pacific Russia. For example, the construction of
high-speed rail lines between Harbin and Ussuriysk and Vladivostok and
Khabarovsk, where Ussuriysk will be a pairing point.

Democracy and human rights are of great value, but they cannot be imposed by
force on the rest of the world, especially when the West is trying to force its
own interpretation of them on others. Especially when the West repeatedly
demonstrates a lot of flaws and problems in its own manifestation of this
interpretation.

*The author is director of Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences.
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======================================================================

NATO Must be stopped immediately. The NATO REGIME is not democratic and
no referendum was held for the Patriot deployment to attack Syria. The REGIME
of David Cameron has well under 30% support and was never properly elected.
The LEADER of the ConDem REGIME supports other REGIMES with arms sales:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/david-cameron-defends-selling-arms-14188\
27

British Trade Unions have had enough and toppling the ConDem REGIME is now
the first priority for most trade unions. By striking the RMT Union can stop the
UK and this includes the Royal Navy as RMT controls supplies at the Royal
Fleet Auxillary. The REGIME in the UK is very evil and dissent is punishable
by long prison sentences.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/16/facebook-riot-calls-men-jailed

Several MI6 agents have been disciplined for speaking out and one was found
in a bidybag in his own bathtub. Apparently his cat closed the body bag.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17865736

Several government figures have been disposed of like Robin Cook who was
against NATO invasion before he was summarily executed on a mountain.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Cook

Please let me know how serious people are about toppling the ConDem REGIME.

http://www.dw.de/germany-deploys-patriot-missile-defense-to-turkey/a-16504911


Deutsche Welle
January 8, 2013


Armed Conflict
Germany deploys Patriot missile defense to Turkey


The deployment of Patriot anti-missile systems from Germany to its NATO-partner
Turkey has gotten underway. Germany has also sent an additional convoy of
soldiers to help set up the defense system.

In the early morning hours on Tuesday, a ship carrying two Patriot anti-missile
systems set out from the northeastern German seaport L�beck-Travem�nde for
Turkey. A separate convoy of German soldiers was expected to fly later in the
day from the Dutch city of Eindhoven, along with Dutch troops, where they will
prepare for the defense systems' arrival in several weeks.

Germany, the Netherlands and the US agreed to deploy the defense systems in
reponse to a request for NATO assistance...along its border with Syria. They are
the only three members of the Western military alliance that have the most
advanced models of the Patriots, which are designed to intercept enemy missiles
or aircraft.
DW.DE

...

NATO approved the military assistance in early December...



"Turkey is a NATO member, it is obvious that we will stand by our allies," said
[German Chancellor Angela] Merkel.

Germany has said it plans to deploy just under 400 troops in the coming weeks.

kms/rg (dpa, AFP, Reuters)
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http://praguemonitor.com/2013/01/08/czechs-leave-nato-mission-turkish-syrian-bor\
der


Czech News Agency
January 7, 2013


Czechs to leave for NATO mission on Turkish-Syrian border


Prague: Four Czech military specialists will leave for a NATO mission on the
Turkish-Syrian border on Thursday to protect Turkey against the Syrian regime,
server Lidovky.cz wrote Monday.

Signallers from north Moravia will ensure connection between the operation
command and units.

The Czechs will leave for Turkey with Slovaks and Poles from the 3rd NATO
communication battalion.

Soldiers from several NATO countries will take part in the mission. U.S., German
and Dutch Patriot missile systems will be deployed to protect the Turkish border
land.

Four three-month rotations of specialists are planned for this year. It is
expected that NATO will ask the Czech Republic to participate in each of them,
the server wrote.

The signallers' mission is yet to be approved by the government.

Government spokesman Michal Schuster said the point is not on the agenda of the
government's Wednesday meeting, Lidovky.cz wrote.
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http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/754537.shtml


Global Times
January 8, 2013



Assad's peace plan ignored by big powers



Syrian President Bashar al-Assad delivered a rare TV address in Damascus Sunday,
his first since June.

Assad set out a peace plan involving a reconciliation conference and a
referendum on a national charter, which shows that the president has a very
clear aim for both his country and himself: He will never make any concession to
give up power or go into exile. This is exactly in line with his speech one year
ago which called for reform under his leadership.

Assad's speech was soon dismissed by opposition leaders, who have repeatedly
said they will accept nothing but Assad's departure.

There is currently no united opposition group in Syria, and different groups
have different political demands. Within these groups, there are extremist armed
forces.

During his speech, Assad insisted that Syria would not negotiate with people
with "terrorist" ideas. If they, formed by Syria's own people, want to change
the country's political order, they should be united as a whole and draw a line
with outside terrorists, and not try to achieve their goals by making use of
outside forces. Currently, those involved in military clashes are mainly radical
armed groups from outside.

Some say that the main divergence between the Syrian government and opposition
is whether Assad should remain in power. Nonetheless, things are not that
simple.

The fundamental reason for the Syrian crisis is the fight between different
religious sects. Assad belongs to the Alevi sect, a historically persecuted
minority sect of Islam. If Assad's regime is overthrown but the political status
of the Alevi sect is not resolved, the Syrian crisis will not end.

During his speech, Assad dismissed the Syrian opposition movement as puppets
manufactured by the West. The US Department of State said his peace plan was
"detached from reality." The reality is that the Syrian crisis cannot be
resolved without dialogue with the West. Assad will find it impossible to
realize his goal if he refuses to communicate with opposition groups backed by
the Arab League and the West.

Due to the complexity of opposition groups within Syria, if the crisis is to be
resolved militarily, the result will benefit no one. Therefore, all sides should
try to find an opportunity for political solutions.

Meanwhile, the parties concerned, including the Arab League, the US and Russia,
can help solve the crisis rather than become agents of Syria and turn the crisis
into a war among themselves.

The article was compiled by Global Times reporter Wang Wenwen based on an
interview with Yin Gang, a researcher at the Institute of West Asian and African
Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
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http://www.stripes.com/news/europe/decades-of-german-pacifism-yield-to-bigger-mi\
litary-role-1.203001


Stars and Stripes
January 6, 2012


Decades of German pacifism yield to bigger military role


====

BERLIN: When Chancellor Angela Merkel hosted a recent reception for military
families, she greeted parents, wives and children whose loved ones were spending
their holidays in Afghanistan, Lebanon, Kosovo and off the Horn of Africa.
German deployments overseas, Ms. Merkel said, “will soon encompass the entire
globe.”

New York Times
January 5, 2013

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/world/europe/germany-moves-closer-to-accepting\
-military-role.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

====



BERLIN: Germany's military business is the world’s third-biggest arms exporter
behind the United States and Russia, and the European nation is gearing up to
increase the number of troops deployed around the world, The New York Times
reported.

Already, German troops are deployed to countries including Afghanistan, Lebanon,
Kosovo and off the Horn of Africa.

Germany is sending weapons not only to NATO members and allies like Israel, the
Times reported, but increasingly to the Middle East and other parts of the
globe.

Recently, members of Parliament debated whether to add to the nearly 6,000 war
across the border in Syria [other troops in Afghanistan, the Balkans and
elsewhere?], the Times reported, by sending up to 400 soldiers to Turkey, where
NATO forces would operate two Patriot missile batteries to help protect from a
potential escalation of the civil war in Syria.

“For decades, we Germans have benefited from the fact that our partners gave
us the feeling of reliable security,” the Times quoted Thomas de Maizière,
Germany’s defense minister, as saying during a parliamentary debate last
month. “Now we are in a position and have the duty, even, to make our impact
felt.”
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http://presstv.com/detail/2013/01/08/282439/nato-seeks-an-excuse-for-war-on-syri\
a/


Press TV
January 8, 2013


US-led NATO seeks an excuse to wage war on Syria: James Jatras
Interview with James Jatras, ex-Senate foreign policy analyst


Video at URL above


====

Let us be clear. They know exactly the kind of forces that they are supporting.
The United States has a long history of supporting radical Sunni forces ever
since the Afghan jihad against the Soviet Union, in Kosovo, in Bosnia and in
Libya.

====


A prominent analyst tells Press TV that the US-led NATO forces and their
regional puppets are seeking an excuse to wage a war on the Syrian nation.


The Netherlands is shipping two Patriot missile batteries to Turkey, following a
similar move by the United States and Germany. The shipment is part of a NATO
contingent of Patriot missile batteries to be stationed on Turkey’s border
with Syria. Ankara claims the Patriots are needed to protect Turkey against the
spillover of the conflict in Syria. The Dutch military will also deploy 360
soldiers to operate the batteries. The arrival of the troops will begin on
Tuesday. The United States and Germany have sent two such batteries and 400
troops each to the southern Turkish border region.

Press TV has conducted an interview with James Jatras, ex-Senate foreign policy
analyst from Washington D.C., to shed more light on the issue at hand. Jatras is
joined by two additional guests on Press TV’s News Analysis program: Bruce
Gagnon, political commentator from Maine, and Huseyin Bagci, professor of the
Middle East University from Ankara. What follows is an approximate transcription
of the interview.

Press TV: Mr. Jatras, what is going to be the use of these Patriot missiles and
how real is the threat of a serious spillover [of the Syrian armed crisis to
neighboring countries]?

The Dutch defense chief says it is very real!

Jatras: I think it is very real. One of the real dangers here has always been
the fact that because Turkey borders Syria; unlike, for example, the situation
in Libya, which did not border a NATO country; there is always the danger that
those forces in Washington, in the Obama administration and in the other NATO
capitals that want to intervene militarily in Syria can manufacture some sort of
an incident which will then be packaged as a Syrian attack on Turkey, invoking
Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty [NATO] and then justifying a military
response.

There was some danger of this if you recall some months ago when there was an
incident regarding Turkish [fighter] aircraft off the coast of Syria; so I think
that that danger exists.

I think it is something ironic that these missile batteries are being deployed
in Turkey to “defend” Turkey from Syria as if Turkey were the target of
Syrian aggression rather than the other way around; that Syria, an
internationally recognized state and government, is the target of radical,
terrorist Sunni jihadists supported by the Obama administration, Saudi Arabia
and Turkey.

Press TV: Iran and Syria and Russia, they have described this move as
provocative. The Syrian president has said that Turkey is trying to provoke the
situation.

First of all, would you describe it as such at a time when Turkey is saying that
its borders have become unsafe, that it is seeing shells land inside Turkey and
there is also of course the allegations that Syria is using Scud missiles and
even allegations that it could use chemical weapons?

Jatras: Of course it is a provocation. Again there is a certain absurd irony
here, that Turkey says the step is necessary because its border has become
unstable.

Why has its border become unstable? Because the Erdogan government is supporting
military aggression against its neighbor, Syria, that it is allowing these armed
radical groups, supported and armed and funded by the NATO countries, by Saudi
Arabia and by Turkey to operate from its territory against its neighbor.

I think that there is a very real threat that the purpose of having these
batteries there is precisely to provoke a response, which could be done from the
Turkish side of the border, that will then cause a response from the Syrian side
and then they can say: Ah! See there! Now Syria has committed aggression against
Turkey, NATO must respond.

I think that this is a very real danger and I think that it is also a danger
within the Obama administration, with some voices who want to intervene in Syria
and some that do not.

Press TV: James Jatras, President Assad was saying that we have to understand
that the fight or the conflict is not between the government and the opposition,
so to speak; it is basically between the Syrian people, he said, and its
enemies.

But let our viewers see your description, right now, of the conflict. Who is on
each of the sides? And why cannot there be a negotiated solution?

Jatras: I think that there can be a negotiated solution but there needs to be a
change in the position of the Western powers.

Look! I think it is overstated for President Assad to say it is between Syria
and whoever he wants to call the opposition and say that it is not a civil war.

Of course it is a civil war and in fact looked at the other way round, the
Western powers want to say the “rebels” are the Syrian people fighting an
oppressive government.

Well, there are people who support that government; it is a civil war. I think
it [there] must be a Syrian solution but the first thing is that the Western
powers have got to take off the table the non-negotiable demand that Bashar
al-Assad must leave office; because he is not going to do that. There should be
a negotiation with the support of outside powers for an open-ended negotiation
with all sides to figure out Syria’s future.

But this is a badly divided country, [one cannot] just divide and say this side
is the people and these sides are the enemy. It does not work that way in a
country like Syria.

I think Assad would back off of that if the Western powers would back off of
their demand that he must leave office.

Press TV: Mr. Jatras a lot of people are saying that when we look at it from the
outside, it looks like the West and these regional countries are asking
President Assad to leave, but what are they leaving the Syrian nation with?

With militants that include al-Qaeda, that do not even follow the same policy?
So what is the prospect?

Jatras: Let us be clear. They know exactly the kind of forces that they are
supporting. The United States has a long history of supporting radical Sunni
forces ever since the Afghan jihad against the Soviet Union, in Kosovo, in
Bosnia and in Libya.

We think if we sponsor these forces we can moderate them and help them become
less radical. It is the most absurd and foolish and dangerous policy imaginable.
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