Russia is trying to legitimize the Taliban in order to undermine the United States and NATO, the top U.S. general in Afghanistan said Thursday.

The Russian involvement this year has become more difficult, Gen. John Nicholson told the Senate Armed Services Committee. First, they have begun to publicly legitimize the Taliban. This narrative that they promote is that the Taliban are fighting Islamic State and the Afghan government is not fighting Islamic State and that, therefore, there could be spillover of this group into the region. This is a false narrative.

I believe its intent is to undermine the United States and NATO, he later added.

Nicholson was testifying about the current situation in Afghanistan, which he called a stalemate that he needs a few thousand more troops to break.

Among the challenges in the country are the actions of external actors such as Pakistan, Iran and Russia, Nicholson said.

He said Russia's meddling in Afghanistan started in 2016 and continues to increase.

In addition to spreading a narrative that the Taliban is fighting the Afghan branch of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Russia has also organized a series of meetings to discuss the future of Afghanistan without inviting the Afghan government, Nicholson said.

Afghanistan is trying to work with all of its neighbors and all of the stakeholders, he said. They've reached out to the Russians about this. And we believe, that a peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan should be Afghan-led.

Nicholson also alluded to reports about Russia supporting the Taliban more directly.

Nicholsons comments on the difficulty Russia poses in Afghanistan come as President Trump has talked about wanting to mend relations between Moscow and Washington.

Senators from both parties have been critical of Trumps position on Russia, and Nicholsons testimony could add fuel to their arguments against improving relations with Moscow.

After hearing Nicholsons testimony, Sen. Bill NelsonBill NelsonSenate to hold FCC oversight hearing Top commander: Russia 'legitimizing' Taliban to undermine US, NATO Overnight Tech: Trump, Intel tout B investment | GOP chairwoman wants FCC to take first swing at net neutrality | AT&T beefs up its lobbying MORE (D-Fla.) said Trump should know that Russia has been cozying up to the Taliban.

I think we better let President Trump know that, he said.

Nicholson replied: Yes, sir.

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Top commander: Russia 'legitimizing' Taliban to undermine US, NATO - The Hill

The destroyer Porter and a P8-A Poseidon sub hunter on Wednesday kicked off the at-sea portion of a Romanian-hosted exercise with NATO forceson Russia's doorstep.

Exercise Sea Shield is an annual maritime drill designed to get the countries used to working together in the event of a conflict, according to a Navy release.

We've already strengthened our interoperability through the in-port planning phase of Sea Shield 2017, and Porter in particular is looking forward to the operational phase at sea, said Cmdr. Andria Slough, the Porters skipper. Advanced exercises like Sea Shield provide us with an opportunity to work across all warfare areas, ultimately improving our combined readiness and naval capability with our Black Sea allies and partners.

Porter is based in Rota, Spain, and the P-8A is from Patrol Squadron 45 based in Jacksonville, Florida.

The U.S. forces are joining NATO Standing Maritime Group 2. Countries involved in the exercise include Bulgaria, Romania, Canada, Greece, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine.

The Russian defense minister released a statement last week calling on NATO to keep the exercises contained and to not challenge the Russian Federation.

We hope that the drills will be conducted in the safest possible environment without challenges towards the Russian Federation, said Segey Shoigu, according to the state-funded news agency Russia Today. In any case, we are ready for such challenges.

The annexation of Crimea was a wake-up call for NATO, which has shifted its focus to confronting the high-end threat posed by Russia after years of low-end counter-piracy and counter-terror missions.

"It used to come naturally 25 years ago," Hudson said. "We used to do big, complex NATO exercises in all environments, but the world has changed. We haven't been doing as many of those in the last 10, 15 years. But I think Ukraine has told us we need to up our game and I think that's the plan in the near future."

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US Navy kicks of military drills with NATO on Russia's doorstep - NavyTimes.com

The NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellenceon Wednesday released its first major revision to its influential Tallinn Manual, the closest thing there is to a rulebook for nation-led cyber operations.

Like the original 2013 manual, the new version is the result of a study by NATO to gauge consensus opinions from international law experts on what types of cyber statecraft are acceptable.

Let me assure you, the manual will sit on the desk of every legal advisor in every ministry of defense and every ministry of foreign affairs in the entire world, Director and General Editor Michael Schmitt saidat a press briefing before its launch at the Atlantic Council headquarters in Washington.

Both manuals pull together law originally developed to cover fields ranging from armed conflicts to outer space to extrapolate the likely legal consequences for cyber operations. But while the first draft covered war-like cyber attacks between nations, the new draft adds legal analysis of peacetime operations.

The book compiles the expertise of dozens of international law experts who huddled to determine which issues had a clear legal consensus. Dozens more, including current government representatives, provided non-voting advice.

The Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence was founded by NATO nations to support the missions of the group and its member nations. It is not, however, a component of NATO.

The new book comes after a variety of new nation-led attacks begin to reshape how politicians view the prospect of cyber warfare.

Many U.S. lawmakers have argued that the breach at the Office of Personnel Management should be considered something beyond run-of-the-mill espionage. Espionage is considered legal by international law, but the immense scope of the breach has led some to wonder if the breach was a special circumstance beyond what was acceptable.

That is not correct as a matter of law, said Schmitt, who had personal information stolen in the breach.

Espionage is espionage is espionage. It doesnt matter if you steal one document or five million files. Espionage is not unlawful under international law.

But the experts could not reach a consensus on the Democratic National Committee breach that impacted last year's presidential race.

Espionage is often prosecuted as a violation of national laws. The authors agreed that if Russia in fact stole and distributed the files, it was definitely in violation of U.S. laws, and that if Russia coerced voters, it would be in violation of the international laws. But they differed on which jurisdiction the attacks would fall under.

The new manual, caution Vihul and Schmitt, is not legal doctrine, but instead an analysis of the legal standing of various activities under current laws. But they say it will work as a tool to guide nations on how solid their footing might be in the international community to make different arguments.

---

Correction 2/9, 1:51 pm: The original version of the story did not properly differentiate NATO from the NATO Centre of Excellence.

Read more:

NATO-affiliated group releases new guide for international cyber laws - The Hill

MOSCOW Moscow is ready to renew cooperation with the United States and other NATO powers to reach mutual goals in Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, a Russian Foreign Ministry official, said in an interview with the state TASS agency published on Thursday.

Kabulov said Russia was concerned about insurgents' activity in Afghanistan and it was not the best time for Washington to withdraw troops from there.

"The situation with security in this country is deteriorating, while Afghan national security forces are unable to stand against armed opposition due to a number of reasons," Kabulov said.

"In such circumstances a hasty departure of foreign military servicemen could have unpredictable consequences and destroy those minimal positive results that were achieved in recent years."

(Reporting by Andrey Ostroukh; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

HOUSTON/CARACAS Venezuela's state-run oil company, PDVSA, has fallen months behind on shipments of crude and fuel under oil-for-loan deals with China and Russia, according to internal company documents reviewed by Reuters.

VILNIUS The Baltic states will press the United States and NATO to take additional security measures in the region ahead of a large Russian military exercise planned for September, Lithuania's president said on Thursday.

CHARTRES, France Chartres has in past decades been a bellwether for France's presidential elections, but ahead of this spring's poll the signal from this white-collar city appears to be blurred by a scandal that has fed into a wave of anti-establishment feeling.

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Russian foreign ministry says ready to cooperate with NATO in Afghanistan: TASS - Reuters

Trump, who was outspoken on the campaign trail about the role -- and upkeep -- of the security pact, spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Sunday night.

During the call, the two leaders "reconfirmed the importance of the Alliance in troubled times," according to a statement from NATO.

Trump and Stoltenberg specifically discussed NATO allies meeting their defense spending commitments, the role of the organization in defeating terror, and the potential for a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian conflict.

"The Secretary General recalled NATO's consistent policy of strong defense and dialogue with Russia," the statement reads. "The Secretary General and President Trump looked forward to the upcoming NATO summit in Brussels in late May to discuss these issues."

The White House confirmed that Trump would attend the summit.

Last month, in a joint interview with the Times of London and the German publication Bild, Trump accused the organization, which was founded in 1949 as a bulwark against Soviet expansionism, of being "obsolete."

In the interview, which took place prior to his inauguration, Trump restated his campaign-trail doubts about the transatlantic alliance.

"I said a long time ago that NATO had problems," he said.

"Number one, it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago.

"Number two, the countries weren't paying what they're supposed to be paying," adding that this was unfair to the United States.

Only five of NATO's 28 members -- the US, Greece, Poland, Estonia and the UK -- meet the alliance's target of spending at least 2% of GDP on defense.

At a press briefing following the calls, White House press secretary Sean Spicer was asked about the disconnect between Mattis' comments and his boss'.

"The President is very clear that as it's structured now, in terms of the output of NATO, he doesn't feel as though it's doing what its mission was set up to do or that it's being particularly effective," Spicer said at the time.

Sunday's call came after EU leaders met in Malta last week, where they denounced the incoming President's recent attacks on Europe as they met for a summit to debate the future of the union.

EU leaders have been rattled by Trump's comments on Europe and the NATO transatlantic alliance. Along with calling the alliance "obselete," he has voiced his support for Britain's departure from the EU and criticized European refugee policies.

French President Francois Hollande hit out at Trump as Hollande arrived at the informal summit on the future of the EU in Malta.

"There are threats, there are challenges," he said. "What is at stake is the very future of the European Union."

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Trump commits to NATO summit

Few outside of the NATO community realize that one of the alliance's two strategic commands is located not in Europe, but in Norfolk, Virginia. Stood up as NATO began to reorient itself in response to the threats and challenges of the 21st century, Allied Command Transformation, or ACT, is now nearing its 15th anniversary in Norfolk. Today, ACT is charged to look to the future and help the alliance develop new capabilities, forces and doctrine for emerging challenges. But now is the time to consider ACTs future in light of new political realities in America and the worsening security situation in Europe.

For starters, ACT should move to Washington to be closer to American decision-makers and to be able to more effectively draw on the discussions and the decisions being made at the Pentagon. In addition, it is more crucial than ever that American leaders are reminded of NATO's importance on a near-daily basis. What better way than to have a strategic NATO command right next door to the White House, Congress, the State Department and the Pentagon?

All of this matters because of the role of ACT inside NATO. The two major commands in NATOs relatively light organization deal with two different sides of NATOcurrent operations and preparing for the future. Located in Mons, Belgium, NATO Allied Command Operations handles the coordination of the numerous ongoing international operations under a NATO flag. NATO countries also provide forces for other operations such as Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria. ACT, on the other hand, is tasked with the business development side of the alliance. ACT is a somewhat overlooked node in a powerful network for the United States and the allianceand, because of the way the alliance works, also for U.S. national interests.

The organization behind NATO is relatively smallonly a few thousand people. NATO as an organization does not have significant military assets. The member states have control with their own armed forces and can choose to use them under a NATO hat or in an ad hoc coalition of the willing.

Through NATO, allied nations learn how to modernize their armed forces and invest for future capabilities and through training and regular standardization they develop common ways for operating together. The resulting interoperability means that NATO militaries are prepared to deploy and contribute to military operations also outside of NATO, such as in Operation Inherent Resolve. ACT plays a crucial role in this effort.

A move to Washington should not mean that NATO departs the Norfolk area. Instead, NATO should leave behind a planning cell that could provide the beginnings of a structure that could support U.S. reinforcements across the Atlantic in times of crisis. A linkage could be made with U.S. Fleet Forces Command, which is responsible for providing U.S. naval forces to the various geographical combatant commands.

Its time to bring NATO to Washington, both as a constant reminder of the alliance's importance to U.S. decision-makers and to energize ACTs purpose for being: transforming NATO toward tackling the many security challenges of the 21st century. And President Donald J. Trump should welcome having a strategic NATO command as a next-door neighbor.

Magnus Nordenman is the director of the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at the Atlantic Council. Henrik Breitenbauch is the director of the University of Copenhagens Centre for Military Studies and is a nonresident senior fellow with the Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security at the Atlantic Council.

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Let's bring NATO to Washington - DefenseNews.com

President Donald Trump has repeatedly complained that the United States carries too much of the economic and military burden in NATO. He has even gone so far as to call the European alliance obsolete and to suggest that his administrationmight not fulfill the treatys Article 5 obligationthat commits NATO countries to come to the defense of any member that is attacked (Note: administration officials have repeatedly sought to reassure NATO allies that we remain committed to the collective defense of Europe, and Trump has contradicted himself on this score).

Many think this provocative rhetoric is just a ploy to get our NATO allies, who habitually underspend on defense and free-ride on Americas security guarantees, to pay more of their fair share of the burden. At the Washington Posts Monkey Cage blog, Andrea Gilli argues this approach is unlikely to jolt NATO allies into spending more on defense, though. Among other reasons, most NATO allies face financial and political constraints to increasing military expenditure in part becauseU.S. security assuranceshave freed up state funds in Europe for other priorities, including a robust system of social services. And since cutting welfare benefits is typically a political non-starter, we shouldnt necessarily expect NATO countries to boost defense spending due to Trumps abrasive rhetoric.

But the historical record seems to contradict Gillis argument. According to the RAND Corporation, Europe has historically spent between 43 percent and 78 percent of U.S. spending on defense. The ratio reached its peak in 1980, and then again in 2000 - years that were at the tail end of periods of defense budget cuts. And according to the RAND report, one of the the most successful techniques in getting NATO allies to share more of the burden was threats by Congress to withdraw its troops from Europe.

The only period of signficant real growth in European defense spending was during the 1970s; otherwise European defense expenditure has been remarkably flat in real terms

Historically, efforts to create incentives or to manage the burden-sharing problem have taken four different approaches. The first approach (1966 to the mid-1980s) was based on the threat of U.S. troop withdrawals. With a series of resolutions and amendments from1966 to 1975, Senator Mike Mansfield sought to use the threat of U.S. troop withdrawals to force Europe to contribute more and to lessen U.S. costs. As noted, that effortplus other factors relating to economic growth and the Soviet threatmay have had a positive effect: European defense spending grew by 44 percent between 1970 and 1984.

Certainly other factors contributed to this period of growth in NATO burden sharing - higher rates of economic growth, increased perceptions of the Soviet threat, defense budget cuts as we withdrew from Vietnam, etc. But U.S. threats to pare back its commitment to the region seem to have had a significant impact.

That said, European defense spending may never reach the levels that the Trump administration, or for that matter the Washington foreign policy community generally, would prefer. And while U.S. security guarantees are surely one reason for this, it also may be the case that European countries arent boosting defense spending levels because they dont face any major threats. Increasing defense spending to 2 percent of GDP or higher wont do much about the terrorism problem European countries face. And the supposed geopolitical threat from Russia, meddling in Georgia and Ukraine aside, is consistently exaggerated.

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Encouraging NATO Burden Sharing: What Works? - Cato Institute (blog)

Thank you very much.

President Dodon, welcome to NATOs Headquarters. And thank you for the very intensive and positive discussion that we had today. The Secretary General regrets very much that he could not greet you today in person, but he is not feeling well today.

Nevertheless, he looks forward to future opportunities and also asked me to convey that NATOs message here with regard to your country, to Moldova, is very clear. NATO respects the sovereignty of all nations. We firmly believe that every nation has the right to set its own course. To choose its own alliances. Or to choose not to align with anyone.

NATO fully respects Moldovas constitutional neutrality. Our Individual Partnership Action Plan recognises that Moldova is constitutionally neutral and does not wish to join the NATO Alliance. This document is on the website of the Moldovan Foreign Ministry so our cooperation is transparent to all.

But neutrality is not the same as isolation. And NATO works closely with other neutral countries such as Switzerland and Austria.

Moldova is a close partner to NATO. And I appreciate Moldovas contribution to our KFOR mission in Kosovo. This supports peace in the Western Balkans, it gives Moldovan troops valuable practical experience, and it shows that Moldova is a responsible contributor to international security.

Neutrality is built upon a foundation of strong institutions and good governance. NATO is helping Moldova in both areas.

We provide Moldovan civilian and military personnel with training and education to help fight corruption in the defence sector.

We helped Moldova to build a strong professional military education system, with Bachelors and Masters degrees, and other professional courses.

So far, 350 Moldovans have graduated from these courses, and 275 Moldovans are currently enrolled in studies.

NATO is committed to improving the lives of ordinary Moldovan people. NATO has spent 4.5 million euros on destroying dangerous pesticides, anti-personnel mines, surplus munitions and dangerously stored rocket fuel.

Almost 1,300 Moldovans have attended NATO courses on topics including logistics, border security and emergency planning. And last year, NATO paid for a new cyber defence laboratory at the Technical University of Moldova, to provide training in cyber defence.

Many of these programmes are civilian and not military in nature. All of them help to make Moldova safer and more secure. And everything that NATO does has been requested by the government of Moldova.

This year, a new NATO Liaison Office will open in Chisinau. This is not a military base, but a small diplomatic mission staffed only by civilians. There will be no NATO troops in Moldova.

NATO has long had liaison offices of this kind in other partner countries, such as Russia, Ukraine and Georgia.

As requested by the Moldovan government, the Office will facilitate our support for Moldovas ongoing reforms. It will also increase transparency about what NATO is and what it does with Moldova, which we think will be very interesting and we hope also beneficial to the Moldovan public.

Mr President, NATO fully supports a stable, secure and neutral Moldova. It is important that Moldova continues its democratic reforms notably on fighting corruption and strengthening the judiciary.

And it is important that Moldova remains committed to the values shared by all European democracies.

So thank you again sir for coming here today. Its a great honour to welcome you once again to the NATO Headquarters.

Moldova can count on the friendship of NATO. And now we look forward to hearing your remarks.

Thank you.

Q: Mr. President. I have a question to you. In 1991, 1992 you were 15 years old, when the Russian Federation having an army on your country took the international engagement to withdraw this army and 25 years after that the army was never withdrew and you are now the President of this country and you are now the Supreme Commander of the country and you are now speaking about neutrality of the country. What would you do to have a real neutral country? What would you do to make Russia to take out this army and to keep international commitments? The second part of my question is we have an other Russian army coming every day to each house of Moldovan citizens through tens of Russian TV stations, much more than needed and much more that any other country brings TV station and information to us and you and your party are part of this process, controlling and broadcasting a Russian TV station to Moldova. What as a president would you do for the informational security of your country? And third part of my question is you now are the president of the smallest, the poorest, the most vulnerable and very corrupt country in Europe and you and our country we are neighbours with the biggest, the most transparent military bloc in the world. How would you benefit from this neighbourship to make your country stronger, more transparent, less corrupt and richer? Thank you.

[APPLAUSE]

IGOR DODON (President of the Republic of Moldova): [Interpreted]. You can clap again, Ill wait. Lets start with the first or the third point, lets start with the third point. Nobody will not makeorder in our country, will not fight corruption if we are not doing it. Representatives of so called independent mass media that you represent, you brought to the government corrupt politicians who are now in prison. You are the ones who gave that good reputation to all those democratic governments in the past that have stolen from the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, so that is why as citizens of this country will make war in our country.

Regarding the first point. I will do everything possible that the Republic of Moldova is a neutral state, should not, should not have troops from other states, doesnt matter from which countries. That is why for this it is necessary to find a political solution to the Trandniestrian issue. I am firmly convinced that now we have a window of opportunity. It is not such a big window, two, two and a half years, three years to find a political settlement, but believe me as soon as we find a political solution the issue of Russian army in Moldovan territory will be solved.

And regarding the Russian TV stations broadcasting in Moldova. Im not sure where you are staying here in Brussels but here in Brussels on TV I saw that they have Russian TV channels. That here in the centre of Europe, in the capital of the European Union are broadcasted freely, we do not have to impose to the citizens what to watch. It is not the issue of the propaganda that you so call it, the issue is within the country amongst the corrupt politicians. We should not hide after certain frustrations, behind certain frustrations that certain people have. That is why rest assured all the things will be resolved and we will fight for it. Thank you if you have other questions.

Q: [Interpreted]. Opening, so do I understand correctly the opening of the NATO Liaison Office will not take place? And the second question is whom will it bother from the external forces for this office not to be opened in Moldova?

IGOR DODON: [Interpreted]. I think that the opening of the NATO Liaison office in Chisinau is not beneficial to the majority of Russian, of Moldovans in my country. I do not care what others are saying from outside, I only care about neutrality and safety of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova. In my opinion opening this liaison office in Moldova will not ensure security of Moldovan citizens. This is my personal opinion and I express this issue. It is a provocation who, which was done by the governing coalition that did it before I became president regarding opening or not opening the liaison office, this is, this is of concern to NATO and the Government of the Republic of Moldova but in the eventual, if this NATO office will be opened in Moldova we will come back to this issue in the future and well only take into consideration the opinion of Moldovan population.

Q: [Interpreted]. First of all I would like to know also the position of the NATO official, NATO representative regarding the opening or not opening of the liaison office in Chisinau. Also I have a question for Mr. President Dodon. Mr. President before coming here to Brussels you made a very good statement in Chisinau, you said that Moldova has to cooperate absolutely with everybody in the interest of the Republic of Moldova. In relation to this statement that you made, if a strong well trained army including with NATO expertise is or isnt in the interest of the Republic of Moldova? And one addition, I wanted to ask you whether its true or not that you blocked this days the participants, participation of Moldovan army men at international military exercises organized within the framework of partnership for peace?

ROSE GOTTEMOELLER (NATO Deputy Security General): I will just reemphasise the points that I made in my opening remarks and that is that this year a new NATO Liaison Office will open in Chisinau. I want to underscore this is not a military base but a small diplomatic mission that will be staffed only by civilians, including by the way by Moldovan nationals. There will be no NATO troops in Moldova. NATO has long had liaison offices of this kind in several capitals including in Moscow, including in Kiev, including in Tbilisi. So this is from our perspective something that will be good for Moldova. For one thing we see it as an opportunity to really present a clear and a solid picture to the Moldovan public who may have some questions about the NATO alliance, may not understand exactly what NATO is all about. We see it as a good platform to provide good information to your public about what NATO is and what it is not. It is a defensive alliance and we are working with Moldova according to the priorities that your government extends and says you need help with, for example in the area of military education and training. And so thats been a very, very successful area of our joint cooperation and we hope it will continue in an even more reemphasised and reinvigorated way going forward.

IGOR DODON: [Interpreted]. Regarding the two questions that you addressed. Yes I do consider that the Republic of Moldova should cooperate with everybody, absolutely, inclusive with NATO, including NATO and I mentioned this today that there have been certain programs that have beneficial for Republic of Moldova. For example the elimination of the pesticides et cetera but this does not mean that the presence of foreign soldiers on the territory of Republic of Moldova or participation of our youth, our soldiers in places where there are shootings and the war risks will be accepted by me. Yes these days I did not sign the detachment of a unit to participate in such an international exercise. First of all we need to appoint a Minister of Defence, a professional Minister of Defence and then see what we do next. There is such a request on my desk, Ive asked additional arguments and tomorrow when I come back I will see what are the arguments to participate in certain exercises in Romania, probably you are referring to this one yes? I did not sign right now, after I get back to Chisinau I will determine whether I will sign the detachment of the military unit to this exercise or not.

Regarding cooperation I am not against cooperation with the west and with the east in the interest, as long as it is in the interest of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova.

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NATO - Opinion: Joint press point with NATO Deputy Secretary ... - NATO HQ (press release)

President Trump spoke with Turkey's president Tayyip Erdogan about their countries' shared commitment to the fight against terrorism abroad and NATO during a phone conversation Tuesday.

The two leaders discussed the "close, long-standing relationship between the United States and Turkey and their shared commitment to combatting terrorism in all its forms," the White House said in a statement. Turkey has been a critical ally on the front-lines in the fight against ISIS, contributing ground troops on the battlefield in Syria.

Trump also reiterated the U.S.'s support of Turkey as a "strategic partner and NATO ally, and welcomed Turkey's contributions to the counter-ISIS campaign," the White House added.

The Trump administration's tune on NATO has differed than that of Trump's rhetoric during much of the presidential campaign, when he questioned the country's role in NATO, saying that the U.S. was contributing an unfair amount of money compared to other member nations.

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As president, the Trump White House has said Trump has repeatedly assured NATO allies of U.S. support for the alliance. He has done this while at the same time encouraging allies to meet their treaty obligation on defense spending minimums pegged at at least 2 percent of any country's GDP.

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Nordstrom dropped Ivanka Trump's fashion line following pressure from a left-leaning campaign.

02/08/17 2:23 PM

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Trump talks NATO, terrorism with Turkey - Washington Examiner

By Andrius Sytas and Andrea Shalal | RUKLA, Lithuania

RUKLA, Lithuania Germany and NATO on Tuesday underscored their commitment to beefing up the defense of eastern Europe's border with Russia as the first of four new batallions under the North Atlantic alliance's banner arrived in Lithuania.

In moves agreed last year under former U.S. President Barack Obama, NATO is expanding its presence in the region to levels unprecedented since the Cold War, prompted by Russia's annexation of Crimea and accusations - denied by Moscow - that it is supporting a separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The German-led battle group of 1,000 troops in Lithuania will be joined this year by a U.S-led deployment in Poland, British-led troops in Estonia and Canadian-led troops in Latvia. They will add to smaller rotating contingents of U.S troops.

Doubts about the U.S. commitment to NATO have surfaced since the election of President Donald Trump, who has described NATO allies as "very unfair" for not contributing more financially to the alliance.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Europe realized it needed to strengthen defense cooperation and was doing more to solve its own problems.

She also said U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis reassured her about Washington's commitment to NATO in a recent telephone call.

"After what we discussed, I have no doubt about his deep conviction in the importance of NATO and the commitment of the Americans within NATO to what we have agreed," she said at a welcoming ceremony at Lithuania's Rukla military base, 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the Russian border.Von der Leyen is due to hold her first meeting with Mattis in Washington on Friday.

In a phone call on Sunday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Trump agreed to meet alliance leaders in Europe in May.

Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite said the German battalion was arriving "(at) the right place and at the right time," adding she hoped the troops' stay would be peaceful.

A NATO official said the NATO forces would participate in a major exercise in eastern Europe in June. A second official said it would include a simulated nuclear attack.

There are no end dates for stay of the new contingents, which will rotate every six months partly to comply with NATO's 1997 promise to Russia to avoid "permanent stationing of substantial combat forces" in Central and Eastern Europe.

German officials said the battalion in Lithuania, which includes over 200 tanks and other ground vehicles, will be fully formed by June 2017, including troops from Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway and Luxembourg.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Andrius Sytas; editing by John Stonestreet)

CAIRO/WASHINGTON Friendly phone calls, an invite to the White House, a focus on Islamic militancy and what Donald Trump called "chemistry" have set the tone for a new era of warmer U.S.-Egyptian ties that could herald more military and political support for Cairo.

COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh More than 1,000 Rohingya Muslims may have been killed in a Myanmar army crackdown, according to two senior United Nations officials dealing with refugees fleeing the violence, suggesting the death toll has been a far greater than previously reported.

LONDON British foreign minister Boris Johnson has given up his U.S. citizenship, a U.S. Treasury Department list showed on Wednesday, a move the New York-born politician had said he would make.

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NATO troops deploy in Lithuania, underscoring commitment to defense - Reuters

Russian troops were placed on 'combat alert' amid massive NATO exercises currently underway in eastern Europe

VLADIMIR Putin has ordered his army and air force to prepare for a time of war during a check of the countrys armed forces.

Russias defence ministry confirmed the measures during a snap check that included its massive S-300 and S-400 missile defence systems.

Getty Images

Reuters

Reuters

AP:Associated Press

EPA

Minister Sergey Shoigu said: "As part of a snap combat readiness check of the Aerospace Force, units of the Aerospace Forces antiaircraft missile and radio-technical troops have arrived at the designated areas," TASS reported.

"Upon their arrival at the new positions, the crews of radar stations, S-300 and S-400 antiaircraft missile systems carried out maintenance work on their military hardware and went on combat alert.

"As the combat crews of radar stations and antiaircraft missile systems detect unidentified aerial targets, air defense patrol fighter jets will be scrambled to classify them or notionally destroy them."

The warning is a likely a response to the massive NATO operations currently underway in eastern Europe.

Germany and NATO this week underscored their commitment to beefing up the defence of eastern Europe's border with Russia as the first of four new batallions under the North Atlantic alliance's banner arrived in Lithuania.

In moves agreed last year under former President Barack Obama, NATO is expanding its presence in the region to levels unprecedented since the Cold War, prompted by Russia's annexation of Crimea and accusations that it is supporting a separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The German-led battle group of 1,000 troops in Lithuania will be joined this year by a U.S-led deployment in Poland, British-led troops in Estonia and Canadian-led troops in Latvia.

EPA

AP:Associated Press

AP:Associated Press

Reuters

They will add to smaller rotating contingents of U.S troops.

Doubts about the US commitment to NATO have surfaced since the election of President Donald Trump, who has described NATO allies as "very unfair" for not contributing more financially to the alliance.

German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said Europe realised it needed to strengthen defence cooperation and was doing more to solve its own problems.

She also said U.S. Secretary of Defence James Mattis reassured her about Washington's commitment to NATO in a recent telephone call.

"After what we discussed, I have no doubt about his deep conviction in the importance of NATO and the commitment of the Americans within NATO to what we have agreed," she said at a welcoming ceremony at Lithuania's Rukla military base, 62 miles from the Russian border.

Reuters

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Vladimir Putin orders Russian Air Force to be prepared to launch attacks at ANY MINUTE as fears over World War III ... - The Sun

What does US President Donald Trump think about NATO? Twice during his election campaign he rubbished it publically, saying it was obsolete. Yet this month, when he met UK Prime Minister Therese May, he told her he supported NATO 100 percent.

A few influential people have argued that it is indeed obsolete. One of them was William Pfaff, the late, much-esteemed columnist for the International Herald Tribune. Another is Paul Hockenos, who set out his views in a seminal article in World Policy Journal. Their words fell on deaf ears. Former US President George H.W. Bush saw it differently, and wanted to see the Soviet Union more involved in NATOs day-to-day work.

His successor Bill Clinton had another agenda, one that turned out to be dangerous, triggering Moscows current hostility toward the West: To expand NATO, incorporating one by one Russias former East European allies. His successors continued that approach, with Barack Obama raising a red rag to a bull by calling for the inclusion of Ukraine and Georgia.

NATOs job, as British Secretary-General Lord Ismay said in 1967, was to keep the Russians out, the Americans in and the Germans down. It certainly succeeded with the latter two.

To some extent, it did find a role after the Berlin Wall came down. It led humanitarian interventions in Bosnia in 1995 and against Serbia in 1999. In 2003 it deployed troops into Afghanistan. At one time the NATO-led force rose to 40,000 for 40 countries, including all 27 NATO allies.

Nevertheless, some of us do not see these as great successes. Most historians who have examined the evidence are convinced that the late Soviet leader Joseph Stalin had no intention of invading Western Europe. World War II was won, the Soviet Union had a ring of friends around its borders, and Germany was divided. The allies had been an invaluable help, and the Soviets did not feel threatened by their former comrades in arms.

So often overlooked is that the Soviet Union bore the brunt of defeating Germany, and lost by far the most fighting men and civilians. Thorough searches by Western historians through Soviet archives, opened under President Boris Yeltsin, have revealed that Moscow had no plans to invade Europe.

Yes, it is. The EU should take over most of NATOs role: Doing more of what it has done in Georgia and stabilizing the Balkans, making use of its massive soft power, and thus undergirding world security.

Jonathan Power

Today, despite its deployments in the former Yugoslavia and Afghanistan, NATO is not a truly multilateral institution of equals. The Europeans do not initiate military action (with the exception of Libya, which led to the overthrow and killing of President Muammar Qaddafi). It is the Americans who do that, and the Europeans follow, whatever their reservations.

Moreover, obeying the US rather than following their own convictions in the former Yugoslavia, they did not seek UN Security Council permission, and then are angry that Russia followed suit with its grabbing of Crimea.

NATO has no relevance to the problems that truly occupy Europe today. Its hands are tied in Ukraine; it has nothing to contribute to the massive refugee crisis; it cannot help deal with the fact, as an EU study concluded, that there will be an increase in tensions over declining water supplies in the Middle East that will affect Europes security and economic interests; nor can it do anything to contribute to the fight against global warming, in the long run the most severe threat that confronts humanity.

Regarding the war on terrorism, there is little NATO can do as a combined action force. At home, each government deals with the issue itself. In the fight against Al-Qaeda and Daesh in Syria and Iraq, the Americans, Brits, French and Russians battle them in their own way.

In Afghanistan, NATO troops are losing territory to the Taliban year by year, and the poppy crop provides ever-more heroin to subvert Europe and Asia. It is difficult to believe that otherwise sensible men and women in NATO countries believe they should have stayed on in Afghanistan after their original target Al-Qaeda, the source of the Sept. 11 attacks was driven out of Afghanistan and dealt a severe body blow.

This was not in their UN mandate, and it has led to Americas longest war with no end in sight. It is a fruitless cause, and the defeat of the Taliban by these means should never have been attempted. NATO countries should have limited themselves to building schools, hospitals, clinics, water supplies, sanitation systems and roads.

The EU should take over most of NATOs role: Doing more of what it has done in Georgia and stabilizing the Balkans, making use of its massive soft power, and thus undergirding world security. Yes, NATO is obsolete.

Jonathan Power is a British journalist, filmmaker and writer. He was a foreign affairs columnist for the International Herald Tribune for 17 years.

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Is NATO obsolete? - Arab News

Secretary of Defense James Mattis travelled to Asia to calm nerves in Tokyo and Seoul. Americas Asian allies have been unnerved by President Donald Trumps dismissive rhetoric about alliances based on cost/benefit grounds, and his decision to dump the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. Americas European allies are also deeply unsettled by Trumps bad-mouthing of NATO and his inclination to view alliances as business transactions. Part of SecretaryMattiss and Secretary of State Rex Tillersons job descriptions areto help a President who shoots from the lip and whose understanding of geopolitics is skin deep.

SecretaryMattiss domestic audience is no less important than his interactions with foreign leaders. Much of the American public could use a refresher course on the value of alliances. Alliances are one important way in which the United States separates itself from other major powers. Russia has Belarus. China has North Korea and Pakistan. The United States has alliance partners that span the globe. These partners benefit from U.S. defense ties, while Washington benefits from their geography, bases, expeditionary forces, and military capabilities. Forward-deployed U.S. forces provide visible bonds of common purpose. It would be senseless to loosen these bonds when Russia and China are flexing their muscles and uncertainties abound about Americas direction. Backtracking would invite risk-taking, and risk-taking could invite crises and clashes, whoseoutcomes could alter power balances in Asia and Europe.

The Pentagon is already taking steps to reaffirm and strengthen the NATO alliance. It is rotating the presence of U.S. air, ground, and sea-based forces in Europe. It is conducting bilateral and multilateral training exercises with allied forces. Military equipment is being prepositioned in the Baltics and elsewhere. Infrastructure is being improved. These and other measures are being carried out under the aegis of the Pentagons European Reassurance Initiative. The Obama Administration requested $3.4 billion in fiscal 2017 for these initiatives quadrupling funding fromthe previous fiscal year. One clear indicator of the Trump Administrations thinking and Congressional intentions toward NATO will be whether this $3.4 billion investment in collective security is slashed or increased. Follow the money as well as Trumps rhetoric.

Another step the Trump Administration and the Congress can take to strengthen NATO is to recommit to the Open Skies Treaty first envisioned by President Eisenhower and negotiated during the George H.W. Bush Administration. President Bush challenged Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev to prove that he truly supported openness, or glasnost, by agreeing to accept cooperative overflights with planes carrying approved, commercially available sensors. These arent spy missions, since everyone knows the flight plans and the sensors use unclassified technology. Gorbachev agreed, as did the rest of the Warsaw Pact and NATO. The Treaty permitting cooperative aerial overflights from Vancouver east to Vladivostok was signed in 1992. It took a decade to revise implementing procedures to reflect the dissolution of the Soviet Union and to secure the necessary ratifications. Since 2002, more than 1,000 cooperative missions have been flown an extraordinary testament to the foresight of Presidents Bush and Eisenhower.

What began as a symbol of openness has now become an effective means of reassuring allies and states around the periphery of Russia. The most useful aspect of the Open Skies Treaty is the ability of states to ride-share. This allows the United States Air Force to operate with friends and allies on board while overflying Russia. The United States is allowed 21 cooperative over-flights of Russia under the terms of the Treaty. The Air Force has partnered with Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Canada, Italy and others. This list might usefully be expanded to signify solidarity in these troubled times.

Whats not to like? Some critics simply dont like treaties, and they are working diligently to dismantle them. One reason in this case is that opponents object to the Treatys openness the very reason for its negotiation because itcould facilitate Russian spying. But the United States can exercise a veto over any new, unclassified sensors carried on cooperative over-flights. Another reason is that Russia isnt entirely cooperative about Open Skies flights especially over parts of Ukraine, Georgia, and Kaliningrad the heavily armed Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania. The answer here is to keep pressing for full compliance, not to forfeit the benefits of the Treaty.

The biggest impediment to reaping the Treatys benefits lies with the U.S. Air Force. Open Skies isnt its priority. The two U.S. monitoring planes are old and prone to mechanical difficulties in sharp contrast to new Russian planes. A new Boeing 737 costs around $50 million; the Air Forces requirements could double this number, so two new Open Skies planes would cost around $200 million. By adding these funds to the European Reassurance Initiative, SecretaryMattis and Members of Congress can clearly demonstrate Americas commitment to European friends and allies.

Note to readers: An earlier version of this piecewas published atBreaking Defense on 2/7/17.

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A Simple, Unthreatening Way to Shore Up NATO - ArmsControlWonk.com

Trump, who was outspoken on the campaign trail about the role -- and upkeep -- of the security pact, spoke with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg Sunday night.

During the call, the two leaders "reconfirmed the importance of the Alliance in troubled times," according to a statement from NATO.

Trump and Stoltenberg specifically discussed NATO allies meeting their defense spending commitments, the role of the organization in defeating terror, and the potential for a peaceful resolution to the Ukrainian conflict.

"The Secretary General recalled NATO's consistent policy of strong defense and dialogue with Russia," the statement reads. "The Secretary General and President Trump looked forward to the upcoming NATO summit in Brussels in late May to discuss these issues."

The White House confirmed that Trump would attend the summit.

Last month, in a joint interview with the Times of London and the German publication Bild, Trump accused the organization, which was founded in 1949 as a bulwark against Soviet expansionism, of being "obsolete."

In the interview, which took place prior to his inauguration, Trump restated his campaign-trail doubts about the transatlantic alliance.

"I said a long time ago that NATO had problems," he said.

"Number one, it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago.

"Number two, the countries weren't paying what they're supposed to be paying," adding that this was unfair to the United States.

Only five of NATO's 28 members -- the US, Greece, Poland, Estonia and the UK -- meet the alliance's target of spending at least 2% of GDP on defense.

At a press briefing following the calls, White House press secretary Sean Spicer was asked about the disconnect between Mattis' comments and his boss'.

"The President is very clear that as it's structured now, in terms of the output of NATO, he doesn't feel as though it's doing what its mission was set up to do or that it's being particularly effective," Spicer said at the time.

Sunday's call came after EU leaders met in Malta last week, where they denounced the incoming President's recent attacks on Europe as they met for a summit to debate the future of the union.

EU leaders have been rattled by Trump's comments on Europe and the NATO transatlantic alliance. Along with calling the alliance "obselete," he has voiced his support for Britain's departure from the EU and criticized European refugee policies.

French President Francois Hollande hit out at Trump as Hollande arrived at the informal summit on the future of the EU in Malta.

"There are threats, there are challenges," he said. "What is at stake is the very future of the European Union."

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Trump commits to NATO summit appearance - CNN

Trump has offered varying stances on NATO during his campaign and presidency, calling the membership obsolete and ill-prepared to confront modern-day threats. His remarks Monday signaled he would maintain US backing for the partnership while continuing to press other countries to meet its budget requirements.

"We strongly support NATO," Trump said at the headquarters of US Central Command in Florida. "We only ask that all of the NATO members make their full and proper financial contributions to the NATO alliance, which many of them have not been doing. Many of them have not been even close. And they have to do that."

NATO expects its members to commit to spending 2% of their gross domestic products on defense. Only five of the 28 countries that belong to NATO have met that goal.

Trump has long criticized the shortfalls, suggesting the US was subsidizing other nations' security at the expense of its own. But since taking office, he's avoided the harsh rhetoric he used on the campaign trail questioning the alliance's relevance.

On Sunday, Trump spoke by phone to NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg from his Florida estate. In the conversation, the White House said the President discussed the United States' "strong support" for the group, while also covering "how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments."

Trump's defense secretary, James Mattis, has spoken favorably of NATO as well.

In his remarks at MacDill Air Force Base on Monday, Trump painted a dark picture of global security, warning against terrorist attacks and committing to provide ample resources to American forces.

"We're going to be loading it up with beautiful new planes, and beautiful new equipment," Trump said of the military installation, which also houses the US Special Operations Command. "You've been lacking a little equipment. We're going to load it up. You're going to get a lot of equipment. Believe me."

"Radical Islamic terrorists are determined to strike our homeland as they did on 9/11, as they did from Boston to Orlando to San Bernardino and all across Europe," Trump told enlisted servicemen and women on the base.

He also suggested that the media was downplaying terror threats.

"All over Europe, it's happening. It's gotten to a point where it's not even being reported. And in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it. They have their reasons, and you understand that," Trump said, without explaining his allegation.

White House spokespeople didn't immediately provide examples or an explanation for Trump's remarks.

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Trump salutes NATO with vow of strong support - CNN

Michael Flynn "is expected to recommend Montenegro's accession into NATO to Trump in the coming days," a senior administration said. | Getty

White House national security adviser Michael Flynn will recommend that President Donald Trump support allowing the small Balkan nation of Montenegro to join NATO, POLITICO has learned despite strong opposition from Russia.

The move will be a major test of the new administration's policy toward Moscow, which considers any further eastward expansion of the Western military alliance a provocation.

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Other NATO countries and the U.S. Senate widely support granting membership to the nation of 650,000 people, which once was part of the former Yugoslavia. Montenegro's leaders have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of fomenting instability inside the country to erode support for joining the alliance including alleged plots by pro-Russian movements last year to attack the parliament and assassinate the prime minister.

But Flynn, one of Trump's key advisers, "is expected to recommend Montenegro's accession into NATO to Trump in the coming days," a senior administration official said Monday in response to questions.

Trump, who criticized NATO as outdated during the campaign, has praised Putin and vowed to improve relations between Washington and Moscow. Now Montenegro will have an outsize role in revealing how much he is willing to back up the Cold War-era alliance at the expense of his budding relationship with the Russian leader.

What Russia has done against Montenegro is a unique case, said Jorge Benitez, a senior fellow and NATO expert at the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank that supports the expansion. "No NATO candidate country has ever faced such a dire attack or threat in the process of finishing its membership into the alliance.

Trump could block the bid under NATO's rules, which require unanimous support from all members. Some supporters of Montenegro's application fear he will oppose extending NATO's defense guarantee to yet another small European country.

We've defended other nations' borders, while refusing to defend our own, Trump said in his inauguration speech. From this day forward, it's going to be only America first.

But in recent days his administration has taken steps that seem to demonstrate that advisers who push a stronger commitment to NATO and a tougher line against Moscow are having an influence.

Nikki Haley, Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, announced last week that the United States would not lift sanctions against Russia over its 2014 invasion of Ukraine. On Thursday, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called for a referendum on NATO membership, if Russia refuses to pull its forces out of the Crimea peninsula.

Montenegro, which broke away from a state union with Serbia to become independent in 2006, would become the third NATO member in the Western Balkans, behind Croatia and Albania, which both joined in 2009.

Twenty-three of 28 governments in the alliance have voted in favor of its bid and only the United States, Canada, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands have yet to weigh in. If all NATO members approve Montenegro's membership it will be up to Montenegro's own parliament to ratify the accord.

NATO accession is a highly controversial issue in Montenegro. An opinion poll conducted in December 2016 has only 39.5 percent of Montenegrins in favor of NATO membership and 39.7 against. Other opinion polls have suggested similar margins.

Russia has long seen the region as a sphere of influence and has sought to prevent it from falling under the sway of Western powers. Russia has been accused of bankrolling anti-NATO and anti-European Union political voices throughout the region, including Montenegros Democratic Front, a stridently anti-NATO party that won 20 percent of the vote in parliamentary elections last fall.

The party accuses the Montenegrin government of using the NATO issue in order to distract from systemic governmental corruption.

In turn, Montenegrin Foreign Minister Srdjan Darmanovi has accused the Democratic Front of being a Russian proxy. A flood of Kremlin cash went not only to DF and its campaign, but also to media outlets and NGOs that ardently opposed NATO membership, Darmanovi wrote in an article for the Journal of Democracy last month.

In October, Montenegros special prosecutor announced that 20 members of a Russian nationalist terrorist cell had been arrested on charges of trying to destabilize the country. Exactly what happened is not yet clear, but the apprehended suspects told Montenegrin authorities about an alleged plot to seize the country's parliament building and assassinate Prime Minister Milo ukanovi.

Neboja Kaluerovi, Montenegro's ambassador to the United States, is adamant that the nation's preparations over the last seven years for NATO eligibility have transformed the country into a strong Western ally.

It helped bring about our institutions. It helped bring about our democracy. It helps bring stability and security to the whole region, he said in an interview.

Wide majorities of both parties in the U.S. Senate whose treaty authority would require its assent agree.

Senators on both sides of the aisle see Montenegro's bid as a test of resolve against the increasingly belligerent behavior by Russia, which U.S. intelligence agencies have also accused of trying to influence U.S. presidential election by hacking and leaking the emails of Democratic officials and supporters of Hillary Clinton.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted in favor of the treaty with Montenegro on Jan. 11. The panel's chairman, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), predicts at least 98 senators will vote in favor.

Were trying to figure out how to make it happen," Corker told POLITICO. "It will pass 98-2 or 99-1, but getting it on the floor right now is difficult.

Russia hawks like Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) worry a great deal that Russia will try to destabilize Montenegro before it becomes a full NATO member and has become one of the loudest voices pushing for a full Senate vote as soon as possible.

"Were doing everything we can to get that up, I promise you. he said.

I want to send a clear signal to our friends in Montenegro and to the Russians about how we feel, so I hope we can vote quickly, added Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The sooner the better.

Because adding a nation to NATO is a treaty measure, support from two-thirds of senators is required to secure passage. But the Constitution delegates the power to negotiate treaties to the president and Trump could refuse to relay the ratification to NATO, indefinitely stalling the process.

Advocates for delay include Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who has raised concerns about the United States committing to defend another country in which Russia has a strong interest. He blocked a Senate attempt to vote on the treaty in December.

I think that many are referring to this as a provocation to Russia, and also, I think NATO is too big already," Paul told POLITICO. "I think we should think long and hard if whether or not we are willing to go to war if Montenegro has a skirmish with somebody that surrounds them. Ultimately, joining NATO is not necessarily a benign thing.

I think there needs to be a debate about how big NATO needs to be, he added. We pay for basically the defense of the world. If we let Montenegro in, are they going to provide for their defense or are we going to provide for their defense?

Kaluerovi insists the government's desire to join the Western alliance should not be interpreted as a sign of aggression against Russia, but rather a desire to be part of the Western world.

The two pillars of our foreign policy since the day of regaining our independence have been NATO integration and EU integration processes, he said. Simply, we belong to this part of the world.

We are doing that not against anybody, but because we think it is in our favor, he added.

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Flynn to recommend Trump back NATO membership for Montenegro - Politico

US military hardware, including M1A2 Abrams battle tanks and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, have arrived in the northern Estonian town of Tapa as part of continued US efforts to counter the alleged Russian threat.

More than 50 units of US military equipment, including four battle tanks and 15 infantry fighting vehicles, were delivered to Tapa, the Estonian Defense Forces said in a statement. The personnel of the Charlie Company of 68th Armored Regiment's 1st Battalion from the US Army 4th Infantry Division arrived in the town two days earlier, on January 30.

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The company commander, Captain Edward Bachar, said that the US troops would take part in the Estonian Independence Day parade. Earlier, Bachar also said that his company would begin its expert marksmanship training this week.

The unit would replace a paratrooper company of the 173rd Airborne Brigade's 503rd Infantry Regiment, which was deployed to Estonia in September. The paratrooper company would then go back to its permanent base in Italy.

"The movement of equipment and troops into and around Europe marks the beginning of a continuous rotation of armored brigade combat teams from the United States as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve," the US Defense Department said in a statement, commenting on the move.

"Atlantic Resolve is a demonstration of continued US commitment to collective security through a series of actions designed to reassure NATO allies and partners of America's dedication to enduring peace and stability in the region in light of the Russian intervention in Ukraine, it added.

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The deployment marks a new phase of the Operation Atlantic Resolve, which began in April 2014, following the Crimean referendum to split from coup-stricken Ukraine and join Russia. Atlantic Resolve is perceived by Washington as a demonstration of continued US commitment to the collective security of Europe in the view of alleged Russian assertiveness.

In January, 2,800 pieces of US military hardware, including US Abrams tanks, Paladin artillery, Bradley fighting vehicles and 4,000 troops arrived in Europe as part of the operation. These forces subsequently moved to Poland to participate in military drills in late January, and then were deployed across seven countries, including the Baltic States, Bulgaria, Romania and Germany. A headquarters unit is stationed in Germany.

In July 2016, NATO members agreed to the biggest reinforcement since the Cold War, posting four multinational battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

In addition to American troops going to Poland, NATO members Germany, Canada and Britain are also contributing to the significant NATO forces buildup in Eastern Europe and are sending battalions of up to 1,000 troops each to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

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Apart from the military buildup on Russian borders, the US and NATO strategy also includes conducting continuous, enhanced multinational training and security cooperation activities with US and NATO partners in eastern Europe. Since the Operation began, these military exercises have been conducted in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

In mid-January, Estonia and Lithuania also signed agreements with the US regulating the status and deployment framework of American soldiers and hardware on the territory of the two Baltics states, which were dubbed first of its kind.

The agreements provided a legal framework for the presence of US military personnel and their family members in the two Baltic States, as well as the use of the local military sites by American troops. They also enable a range of joint defense-related activities.

While NATO members continue to point toward perceived Russian aggression, calling it a source of instability, Russia has consistently denied that it poses any kind of threat. Moscow has also expanded its own military training and increased its strategic capabilities in areas such as Kaliningrad, its western exclave.

Russia also tried to ease tensions by proposing enhanced cooperation with NATO on multiple levels in August. The proposal covered such fields as combatting terrorism and cooperation to avoid incidents at sea and in the air in border areas with NATO countries.

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US tanks, infantry fighting vehicles arrive in Estonia amid NATO buildup on Russian borders - RT

President DonaldTrumpon Monday vowed to allow into the United States people who "want to love our country," defending his immigration and refugee restrictions as he made his first visit to the headquarters Monday for U.S. Central Command.

Trumpreaffirmed his support for NATO before military leaders and troops and laced his speech with references to homeland security amid a court battle over his travel ban on people from seven majority-Muslim countries. He did not directly mention the case now before a federal appeals court after a lower court temporarily suspended the ban.

"We need strong programs" so that "people that love us and want to love our country and will end up loving our country are allowed in" and those who "want to destroy us and destroy our country" are kept out,Trumpsaid.

"Freedom, security and justice will prevail,"Trumpadded. "We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism and we will not allow it to take root in our country. We're not going to allow it."

Trumptouched upon various other alliances in his remarks, noting, "we strongly support NATO."

Trump'scomments follow his conversation Sunday with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. A White House statement said the two "discussed how to encourage all NATO allies to meet their defense spending commitments," as well as the crisis in Ukraine and security challenges facing NATO countries.

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Trumponce dismissed the trans-Atlantic military alliance as "obsolete," and he would decide whether to protect NATO countries against Russian aggression based on whether those countries "have fulfilled their obligations to us."

Earlier,Trumpsat down for lunch with a room full of troops in fatigues from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, as well as senior members of his White House staff.

Trumpmade small talk with some of the soldiers, discussing everything from football to military careers.

"Gonna make it a career?"Trumpasked one person.

"C'mon, you have to stay," he urged another.

Trumpalso hailed Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady, saying he "cemented his place" in football history after his fifth Super Bowl win Sunday.

Trump, who is also commander in chief of the U.S. military, stopped at the base on the way back to Washington after his first weekend away from the White House.Trumpspent the weekend at his estate in Palm Beach, Florida, with first lady MelaniaTrump, who had not appeared in public since shortly after her husband took office.

At MacDill, the president is to be briefed by CENTCOM and SOCOM leaders, join troops for lunch and deliver a speech. Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Michael Flynn,Trump'snational security adviser, were expected to attend the meetings.

Trumpmet with Florida Gov. Rick Scott before the flight to Washington.

CENTCOM oversaw a recent raid by U.S. special operations forces on an al-Qaida compound in Yemen, the first military operation authorized byTrump. A Navy SEAL, Chief Special Warfare Operator William "Ryan" Owens, 36, of Peoria, Illinois, was killed, making him the first known U.S. combat casualty underTrump.

Three other U.S. service members were wounded in the operation. More than half a dozen suspected militants and more than a dozen civilians were also killed, including the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical cleric and U.S. citizen who was targeted and killed in 2011 by a U.S. drone strike.

Trumptraveled to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware last week to be present when Owens' remains were returned to his family.

During his weekly address last Friday,Trumppaid tribute to Owens as a "brave and selfless patriot."

"We will never forget him. We will never ever forget those who serve. Believe me,"Trumpsaid.Trumpalso talked in the address about his responsibility to keep the American people safe, and mentioned the executive order he signed late last month suspending the U.S. refugee program as well as travel to the U.S. by citizens of seven mostly Muslim countries.

The executive order has been met with challenges in federal court and protests around the country.

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Trump Talks Immigration, NATO at MacDill Air Force Base - Fox Business

President Donald Trump pressedthe North Atlantic Treaty Organizations general secretary on how to encourage member nations to pay more for their defense while expressing strong support from the U.S. for the alliance, according to a readout of the call released by the White House.

During a call on Sunday with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Trump agreed to join in a meeting of NATO leaders in late May and discussed the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukranian border, according to the readout.

Photographer: Armend Nimani/AFP via Getty Images

Intense fighting has taken place between government troops and pro-Russian separatists near Ukraines Russian border during the past week, the latest episode in a crisis that began when Russia annexed Crimea in March 2014.

Trump has repeatedly questioned the value of NATO, the military alliance forged in 1949 as the cornerstone of the Wests defense, which he has referred to as obsolete.

Hes recently adopted a more conciliatory tone. Trump called the alliance very important in an interview in January, and U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May said Trump was 100 percent behind NATO after their January meeting in Washington.

The U.K. provides the second-largest contribution to NATO, after the U.S. While the alliance agreed since 2014 that its members should spend 2 percent of gross domestic product on defense, few of its 28 members do, and Trump has demanded that member nations to pay their fair share toward its costs.

NATO was established after World War II to protect western democracies against the Soviet Union. A key tenet is that an attack on any alliance member is considered an attack on all. And thats what Trump has questioned.

Keep up with the best of Bloomberg Politics.

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The parties agreed to continue close coordination and cooperation to address the full range of security challenges facing NATO, the readout of the call with Stoltenberg said.

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Trump Speaks of 'Strong Support' for NATO in Call With Leader - Bloomberg

NATO launched a new training programme in Iraq on Sunday (5 February 2017), teaching Iraqi security forces to counter Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). Around 30 enlisted soldiers are participating in the first five-week course. ''NATO's training and capacity building in Iraq is strengthening the country's ability to fight ISIL and provide for its own security,'' said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

NATO Allies are supplying protective equipment to Iraqi security forces as part of their training. The new counter-IED training scheme will run alongside NATO-run courses in Iraq on civil-military cooperation.Since January 2017, NATO advisers have been working in the country, overseeing training activities and working with the Iraqi authorities to reform their security institutions. NATO has been training Iraqi security forces in several areas, including counter-IED, explosive ordnance disposal and de-mining in neighbouring Jordan. At the Warsaw Summit in July of last year, Allies agreed to expand this training into Iraq itself.

The Secretary General stressed that training Iraqi forces is an important part of NATOs contribution to the fight against terrorism, which includes AWACS surveillance support to the Coalition against ISIL. "The best weapon we have in the fight against terrorism is to train local forces," said Mr. Stoltenberg, adding that "a more effective Iraqi military means a safer Iraq, and a more stable Middle East."

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NATO - News: NATO launches training effort in Iraq, 05-Feb.-2017 - NATO HQ (press release)