Monthly Archives: February 2017

Berkeley Riots: How Free Speech Debate Launched Violent Campus Showdown – RollingStone.com

Posted: February 7, 2017 at 8:00 am

Last week's riot at University of California Berkeley has raised some big questions about the future of the free speech movement. A divided campus which once incubated the ideals of the 1960s was sent into lockdown as it struggled to balance inclusive values with its legacy of fighting for the right to voice your opinion, however ugly it may be.

When the Berkeley College Republicans invited inflammatory Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos to speak on campus, over 100 faculty members signed letters of protest, urging the administration to cancel his visit, while an op-ed by veterans of the free-speech movement defended his right to speak. The university decided that the Berkeley College Republicans, a separate legal entity from the school itself, had the right to host Yiannopoulos but many in the community didn't agree with that decision, pointing to other schools that have successfully prevented his appearances.

The night Yiannopoulos arrived on campus, 1,500 people showed up to protest some carting a giant, homemade dove to symbolize their peaceful intentions. But just after sundown, the protests turned violent, as roughly 150 black-clad, anti-fascist radicals with clubs and shields lit fires, hurled Molotov cocktails, smashed windows and caused enough of a scene to achieve their objective: deny Yiannopoulos the opportunity to spread what they view as dangerous hate speech at the university's new Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union Center.

They were successful. But what does that mean for a campus uniquely tied to the idea that everyone even those holding ideas widely condemned and deemed to be offensive, ignorant or hateful has the right to say their piece?

University officials were disappointed by the events, quickly distancing themselves from the rioters. "It's not a proud moment for us," says Dan Mogulof, assistant vice chancellor of the university. "It was a sad day, given UC Berkeley's legacy, history and institutional values We want to provide a venue for speakers across the political spectrum."

Although it's difficult to determine the affiliations of the more militant protesters who used the "black bloc" tactic of wearing all black and masking their faces, in order to avoid police recognition and appear as a cohesive group they have been depicted as being from out of town and unrelated to the UC Berkeley community. YetRolling Stone spoke to one participant who said they graduated from the university and cited not only fears that a rising far right could bring about more "xenophobia, misogyny and [white] ethno-nationalism" but also anger and disappointment directly pointed at the university's administration.

"Shutting down the talk was successful," the protester, who asked to remain anonymous, saidin an email. "But it was also about sending a message to everyone else: We aren't about to allow white supremacist views to be normalized. It was about striking at the seemingly impervious confidence the far right has been boasting."

But it isn't just about blocking a single speaker. "It is really about making them understand the danger they pose by treating these insane neo-Nazi ideas cavalierly," the protester says. "People talk a lot about 'freedom of speech' and I think this fetish of speech misses the larger point. It is about ideas of freedom itself. Who has it, and who is denied it."

Lately, Trump supporters at UC Berkeley have had reason to be fearful. One, who told news cameras he was attacked by protesters, was seen bleeding from his eye. Another was pepper-sprayed by a masked individual after giving an interview to a local TV station. A day after the protest, two people were arrested for attacking a man walking near campus with a "Make America Great Again" hat. Video of an unconscious Trump supporter lying face down in the street and being struck in the head with what was described as a shovel circulated online.

"It's become evident that the black bloc is not just a matter of concern for local agencies," says Assistant Vice Chancellor Mogulof. "We've taken note of the tactics, weapons, discipline, organization and training. We will not be caught unprepared for them again."

The majority of protesters didn't engage in violence. Max Raynard, a Bay-Area native who attended the protests, witnessed students attempting to give water and medical attention to the Trump supporter with the eye wound. UC Berkeley says the next day students formed an ad-hoc group via social media to clean up campus.

But despite the majority's actions, university policies and widely condemned views of Yiannopoulos, the shut-down of the event brought a larger issue to light. "The whole point of the free-speech movement was to defend unpopular speech. There's no point in defending popular speech," says Jack Citrin, professor of political science and director of the Institute of Governmental Studies at the university. "This could have been a teaching moment for our students: that it is legitimate for people with views you find abhorrent to speak, and to debate them, and to do so with a superior argument. Instead, it ends up a moment where this provocateur gets exactly what he wanted."

Citrin, who received his PhD from Berkeley in 1970 and was passionate about the free speech movement as a student, says he was heartened by the chancellor's decision to resist pressure and allow the event to go forward. He argued much along the same lines as the op-ed written by the Free Speech Movement Archive Board of Directors. "If even a 10th of the 100 or so faculty who signed those pro-ban open letters showed up to ask this bigot tough questions or held a teach-in about what's wrong and unethical in his vitriol," read the op-ed,"they could puncture his PR bubble instantly, avoid casting him in the role of free speech martyr and prove that the best cure for ignorant and hateful speech is speech that unmasks its illogic, cruelty and stupidity."

Citrin believes the battle for free speech on college campuses is still raging, just in a new way. "I think the defense of free speech is a very real issue now," he says. "And that battle takes place in many forms, and includes demands for so-called 'safe spaces,' which I view as absurd. There's a whole range of issues that have arisen that has made the firm commitment to free speech in academia less secure."

These violent protesters, he says, claim to be liberal but don't believe in free speech. "This is a gift to Milo, and of course presents Trump with an opportunity to get on his horn." (The president tweeted at 3:13 a.m. "If U.C. Berkeley does not allow free speech and practices violence on innocent people with a different point of view NO FEDERAL FUNDS?" Experts quickly responded saying the president's ability to fulfill this threat was "unlikely.")

According to a statement put out by the university, there was one arrest (for failure to disperse) and six minor injuries the night of the protests. The school's early estimate is that $100,000 worth of damage was done to the area outside its new MLK Student Union building a popular study spot. A large diesel-fuel fire, started after protesters tipped over a light post and generator, was hot enough to be felt 20 or 30 feet away, scorch nearby steps, and thin out a couple of trees, students present at the protest told Rolling Stone.

Robert Borsdorf, a 20-year-old third-year art student at Berkeley spent part of the night documenting the protests on behalf of the art department, and another part of it wrestling with protesters who didn't want him to photograph their faces.

"I look over my right and this dude has a fucking mason jar," says Borsdorf. "He lit it and tossed it up at these cops. When I turn around, there's something going toward the cop and it exploded. It was insane."

The black-bloc protester who spoke to RSon condition of anonymity says they "took it pretty easy that night," and that they still believe in the tactics.

"In this case, with the goal being to absolutely shut down a central target, it made sense to employ these means to ensure that the University understands there are consequences for enabling fascism," the protester says. "The demonstration had less to do with stopping one particular right-wing narcissist than it did combatting the movement he is part of."

Peaceful activists, direct-action anarchists, conservative provocateurs, campus faculty and the UC Berkeley Police can't agree on much. But there is one topic where they do: The police presence and response to the protest was small and non-interventional. And that's not by mistake.

The notably muted response was not part of a conspiracy by administrators to allow protesters to stop the event despite suggestions on social media and from Yiannopoulos himself in interviews. Rather, it was the direct result of officials following the guidelines of the Robinson-Edley report, campus officials said. The report was drafted to suggest changes to protest-management on California universities after two clashes between protesters and police in November 2011. One, when protesters were pepper sprayed at UC Davis, and the other a violent beating of protesters at UC Berkeley. The report's findings prioritize student safety, and support more non-physical methods, like opening lines of communication and building trust.

But after the violent clashes, the lines of communication and bedrock of trust on campus can be hard to find. Mogulof recalled a phone call he received before the protests.

"I had a faculty member of the campus call me and say, 'You must ban him,'" he recalls. "I said, 'We're not allowed to do that, he is protected by the first amendment.' They say 'No, he's not.' So I say, 'Why do you believe that?' and they said, 'Because he's wrong.'"

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Activists Claim DIA Infringed On Freedom Of Speech – CBS Local

Posted: at 8:00 am

By Rick Sallinger

DENVER (CBS4) Protesters have asked a federal court judge to issue an injunction against the City of Denver and police after demonstrators were asked to leave Denver International Airport last month.

The response was strong and immediate to President Donald Trumps travel ban. Protestors rushed to airports around the country including DIA.

(credit: CBS)

But in Denver, police told the demonstrators that they needed to have obtained a permit seven days in advance of the protest.

They were addressed by a man with an airport badge on a megaphone who announced, You need a permit to conduct this activity on airport property.

And a Denver police officer told them, Stop doing anything that can be construed as Free Speech without a permit.

(credit: Darren OConnor)

Now some of those protesters have filed a lawsuit in federal court asking for the airport rule that requires a permit a week in advance to be lifted.

Civil Rights attorney David Lane is representing the protesters.

(credit: CBS)

Those protesters were out there the day that occurred and Denver expects them to wait seven days? The Supreme Court says thats unconstitutional, said Lane.

The protests continued inside DIA despite the request by police. Then, to avoid arrest, some demonstrators moved outside by the Westin hotel. The city insists its actions were within the law.

Travel ban protesters gathered Jan. 28 at Denver Intl Airport. (credit:: CBS)

DIA issued a statement, Denver police and the airport worked to balance the rights of individuals to express themselves with the need to protect passengers and airport operations.

Those who filed the lawsuit continued their protests at DIA. CBS4 Investigator Rick Sallinger asked them a question as they carried one of the signs they had at the protest.

(credit: CBS)

Are you a little worried about holding up this sign? asked Sallinger. Yes. Any minute DPD could arrive and take it, said one protester.

CBS4s Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.

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Stephen Colbert takes on atheist Ricky Gervais over existence of God – 9news.com.au

Posted: at 7:59 am

Comedian Ricky Gervaisdidnt hesitate to dive into a debate about the existence of God when challenged by Stephen Colbert, a practicing Roman Catholic, during an interview yesterday.

Gervais, an outspoken atheist, was appearing on ColbertsLate Showwhen the late-night talk show host posed the question Is there a God.

Why is there something instead of nothing? Colbert asked.

Gervais was quick to take the bait.

That makes no sense at all, he hit back.

Surely the bigger question is not why, but how? Why is irrelevant, isnt it?

When pressed by Colbert about how the world could exist without the help of a higher power, Gervais simply said he didn't believe anything played a role outside of science and nature.

The actor and writer went on to say he is actually an agnostic atheist because no one knows if theres a God.

Technically, everyones agnostic, he said.

An agnostic atheist is someone who doesnt know if theres a God or not, as no does.

Atheism is only rejecting the claim that there is a God.

You say theres a God. I say, can you prove that? You say no. I say I dont believe you, then.

Colbert then presented Gervais with the idea that he simply believes what hes being told by scientists, just as religious people believe what theyve read in the Bible.

Gervais came back with his own analogy.

Science is constantly proved all the time, he said.

If we take something like any fiction, any holy book, and destroyed it, in a thousand years time that wouldnt come back just as it was. Whereas if we took every science book and every fact and destroyed them all, in a thousand years theyd all be back, because all the same tests would be the same result.

Colbert ended the debate with a handshake, affectionately asking Gervais to come back on the show in the futureto discuss other controversial topics.

Nine Digital Pty Ltd 2017

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Immoral Uses of Biotechnology Even With Good Intentions Are Evil – National Catholic Register

Posted: at 7:58 am

Commentary | Feb. 6, 2017

Should Christians face unethical uses of biotechnology with despair and resignation or with hope and determination?

Ive spent the last decade writing and speaking about the remarkable and terrifying world of biotechnology from a Catholic perspective. Many times Ive felt like Frodo Baggins at the gates of Mordor, looking upon Mt. Doom with despair and dread.

Ive never felt this more acutely than in the past few months. A series of recent headlines have renewed my sense of hopelessness in the face of the never-ending assault on the dignity of human life by modern biotechnology.

The gloom began to settle when it was revealed that a Swedish scientist is editing the DNA of healthy human embryos.Fredrik Lanner,a developmental biologist, is using a new gene-editing technique called CRISPR to disable some genes in healthy human embryos to see how those genes affect development. He and his team are intentionally modifyingotherwise healthy IVFembryos so they cannot develop properly.

Anin-depth story byNPRreveals that while the reporter was observing thegeneticmanipulation of five donated IVF embryos, one didnt survive the thawing process and one perished after being injected with the experimental gene-editing tool. Of the three who survived, one continued to divide, but not for long.All of the embryos were to be destroyedbefore they are 15 days old,as the law in Sweden dictates. Lanner insists that his research is critical to understanding human development, which, in turn, will shed light on infertility and disease.

Lanners work makes many ethicists and scientists extremely nervous. Jennifer Doudna, the co-inventor of CRISPR, along with other heavy-hitting scientists,havecalled for a voluntary moratorium on any editing of human embryosfor fear that it will lead to the creation of genetically modified children. Marcy Darnovsky, of the left-leaning Center for Genetics and Society, explains why she and her group havebeen so vocal in their opposition to the modification of human embryos. She told NPR: The production of genetically modified human embryos is actually quite dangerous. ... When youre editing the genes of human embryos, that means youre changing the genes of every cell in the bodies of every offspring, every future generation of that human being. So these are permanent and probably irreversible changes that we just dont know what they would mean.

Then came the revelation that a U.S. doctor traveled to Mexico to create the first baby intentionally engineered to have three genetic parents. This technique, misnamed mitochondrial replacement or MR, seeks to eliminate the transmission of genetic disease through the mitochondria.Mitochondria are small but abundant organellesoutside the nucleusinthe cytoplasmof our cells that make energy. They have their own DNA called mtDNA. We inherit our mtDNA solely from our mothers. A woman who carries a deleterious mutation in her mtDNA cannot help but pass that on to her offspring.

There are various MR techniques that replace the mitochondria of a woman with mitochondrial disease with the mitochondria of a donor femalein the IVF process.Essentially, MR creates a genetically alteredembryo with the genetic material from three people, one man and two women.

MR had only undergone limited study in primates before getting approval in the United Kingdom for use in fertility clinics to make babies. Little is known about the complexcommunication between the DNA in the nucleus and the DNA in the mitochondria,and so there is little data on the effects ofa mismatch between the nuclear DNA and mtDNA.

Alsoin all MR, its the nucleus thats being moved from cell to cell, not the mitochondria which is why mitochondrial replacement is such a misnomer.This makes MR acousin to cloning, which also transplants the nucleus of one cell into anotherto make a new organism. MR brings with it many of the same risks.Scientists are concerned about the health of the resulting children.

In anopen letterto the U.K. Parliament, Dr. Paul Knoepfler, a vocal American stem-cell researcher, warned: Even if, hypothetically, this technology might help avoid some people from having mitochondrial disorders (and thats a big if), the bottom line is that there is an equal or arguably greater chance that it will tragically produce very ill or deceased babies.

MRis also a germ-line genetic modification, which means that any girl born with this technique will pass her genetic modification on to her children.

A recent review in Nature reveals that MR leaves a tiny percentage of mutant mitochondria behind, and sometimes the mutant mitochondria rapidly divide and overtake the healthy mitochondria. Shoukhrat Mitalipov, head of the Center for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy at the Oregon Health and Science University, reported a 15% failure rate where mitochondrial defects returned. Mitalipov told NPR, That original, maternal mitochondrial DNA took over, and it was pretty drastic. There was less than 1% of the original maternal mitochondrial DNA present after replacement with donor DNA and before fertilization, and yet it took over the whole cell later. University of California San Francisco professor Patrick OFarrell suggests that mutant mitochondria can resurge at any time in a developing three-parent child or even resurface in future generations.

For all these reasons, MR is not yet approved by the FDA in the United States,and may never be.So, when a Jordanian woman with mitochondrial disease wanted to have a child using MR, John Zhang, from the New Hope Fertility Center in New York City, had to perform the procedure in Mexico. He created five embryos,and, according toNewScientist.com,only one developed normally. That child is now 9 months old.

Zhang went to Mexico because, he said, there are no rules, and yet he insists he did the safe and ethical thingin the absence of any medical or ethical oversight. In an ironic twist, the couple is Muslim and so chose the MR technique that wouldnt destroy existing embryos.But it was clear that only male embryos would be transferred for gestation, because boys cant pass on the genetic modification. What happened to the other four embryos, however? Were they destroyed,discarded or frozen? If they were females, would they have been destroyed anyway to make sure they couldnt pass on any ill effects?

Darnovskycalledthis rogue experimentationand added, No researcher or doctor has the right to flout agreed-upon rules and make up their own. This is an irresponsible and unethical act.

Knoepflerrespondedto the news by remindingus that this is a living human experiment that is going to unfold over years and decades. It is also worth noting that this child is a genetically modified human being as a result of this technique.

Of course, these are happenings to despair of not only because of the sheer disregard for the sanctity of individual human lives, but because of the breakneck speed at which scientists are kicking ethical lines farther and farther down the road like a tin can. All the while, they insist that its for the good of humanity. I wonder: How can wetreatindividual members of the human species so callously and then, at the same time, say its for the good of the whole human race?

I fear there is no line we wont cross;no ethical boundary wewonttear down in the name of science.

On a daily basis, Im surrounded by science and scientists. Often, their response to this madness is that its going to happen anyway, and theres no way to stop it, which implies we must go along to get along all in the name of progress.

If I am Frodo, then they and the rest of society are Saruman giving in to the despair and making a deal with Sauron.In the film version of The Lord of the Rings, Saruman says to Gandalf: Against the power of Mordor there can be no victory. We must join with him, Gandalf. We must join with Sauron. It would be wise, my friend.

Gandalf replies, Tell me, friend, when did Saruman the Wise abandon reason for madness?

Indeed. When did science abandon reason for madness, ethics for recklessness?

So what shall we do? If wesuccumb to despair, we become like Saruman.

We always have prayer. Its time toadd human embryonic research and germ-line human genetic engineering to our list of life issues that we pray about.It doesnt matter whether we understand the finer points of the science or not.Praying for an end to abortion andassisted suicide is nolongerenough.

In addition to prayer, there are other things we can do. The first is to vote pro-life at every level of government, from city council to state assemblymen. Being pro-life isnt just about abortion, however. Its about protecting the sanctity of life from the beginning to the end. Pro-life legislators, even if they cannot overturn Roe v. Wade, can effect local and state laws and steer funding away from unethical research.

Secondly, we must fight for conscience rights for medical professionals. I envision a not-so-far-off world wheredoctorsare forced into making genetically engineered embryos and bringing these children to term simply because parents claim its their reproductive right to have the children of their design. Without conscience rights, unethical experimentation on the next generation will be rampant and unchecked.

We must, however, always have hope. Whenstaring downthe juggernaut that is modern biotechnology, I always remember Frodo Baggins.When he was faced with the seemingly impossible task of taking the One Ring to Mordor, instead of shying away because it was too hard, he said: I will take the Ring, though I do not know the way.

Rebecca Tayloris a

clinical laboratory specialist in molecular biology.

She writes about bioethics on her blog,Mary Meets Dolly.

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Trump salutes NATO with vow of strong support – CNN

Posted: at 7:55 am

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.

The White House insisted Monday that Trump's comments about the media failing to cover terror threats were "very clear."

Certain terror events "aren't exactly covered to a degree on which they should be," Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters aboard Air Force One, without giving any specific instances.

A White House official later released a list of 78 "major terrorist attacks," either executed by ISIS or ISIS-inspired, most of which it claims "did not receive adequate attention from Western media sources."

Those attacks took place from September 2014 to December 2016.

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‘Confrontational agenda’: Russian envoy blasts NATO border activities – RT

Posted: at 7:55 am

Moscows envoy to NATO has said the blocs recent moves and future plans aimed at boosting its military presence near Russian borders have no justification and have only served to heighten tensions.

In essence, by its preparations along our borders NATO tries to impose on us a confrontational agenda that has nothing to do with real needs in the security sphere, Aleksandr Grushko said in an interview with Interfax.

The official added that NATO commanders were not only following existing plans for a build-up of forces, but were also continuing to develop new measures that would ensure the increase of their military presence on the south-eastern periphery of the alliance, including the Black Sea region that Russia sees as especially sensitive.

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However, the envoy also noted that the Russian intelligence services and military were closely following these preparations and were updating their ability to respond to any potential threat accordingly.

Of course, all of this is being analyzed in detail in regard to the protection of Russias justified interests in the security sphere and to choosing the optimum military-political reply to any changes of situation in the security sphere, he said.

In mid-2016, Grushko ridiculed NATOs preparations for repelling a Russian attack on Poland, saying that there were no plans whatsoever to launch an assault and calling the whole idea of readying for non-existent threats absurd and dangerous.

Their policies dwell in surreal reality and the most dangerous thing is that now they start to implement these policies in the form of military planning and preparations on the territories adjacent to our borders, the envoy said in a televised interview.

Grushko also said that the myth of an alleged Russian threat had been invented in order to justify NATOs expansionist policies and to bring additional unity to the alliance and the Western political bloc in general.

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Trump to meet leaders of NATO, a group he called ‘obsolete’ – Chicago Tribune

Posted: at 7:55 am

President Donald Trump has agreed to meet the leaders of NATO at a summit in late May, the alliance said Monday -- an apparent first step in his efforts to push it to focus more on counterterrorism and for members to spend more on their militaries.

The announcement came amid doubts about Trump's commitment to NATO, an alliance he called "obsolete" days before his inauguration. Leaders of NATO's 27 other nations have been eager to speak to Trump to push for a robust and unambiguous backing at a time when those along the border with Russia are feeling increasingly vulnerable.

Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a phone conversation Sunday evening "where they reconfirmed the importance of the alliance in troubled times," NATO said in a statement. The date of the summit is not yet set, but a NATO official said it will most likely take place either immediately before or after a summit of leaders of the Group of Seven world powers on May 26 and 27 in Italy.

NATO began training Iraqi forces in their fight against the Islamic State on Sunday, a step alliance officials said would help prove their bona fides in the effort to fight terrorism. They also point out that the major focus of the alliance in the years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks was a military operation in Afghanistan dedicated toward rooting out al-Qaida.

More recently, the defense alliance has returned to its Cold War roots by focusing on Russia in the aftermath of the Kremlin's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and subsequent fueling of a war in eastern Ukraine.

But Trump has sought friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a break from bipartisan caution about the Kremlin that comes after U.S. intelligence assessments that the Russian government intervened in the U.S. elections to undermine Hillary Clinton's candidacy.

Trump on Sunday declined to condemn Putin's track record of violence against his opponents, telling Fox News interviewer Bill O'Reilly "you think our country is so innocent?"

Violence has surged in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks after an extended period of relative quiet. It remains unclear what if any response the Trump administration will take.

NATO said Monday that the conversation had included a discussion of "the uptick in violence in eastern Ukraine, and prospects for a peaceful settlement."

The White House said only that the two leaders "discussed the potential for a peaceful resolution of the conflict along the Ukrainian border."

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Bringing Montenegro into NATO Still Makes No Sense – The American Conservative

Posted: at 7:55 am

No matter the administration, NATO expansion never stops:

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.

Bringing Montenegro into NATO is a pointless move, but it is a relatively harmless one. The alliance gains nothing from making Montenegro a member, and it takes on one more security dependent that we already know wont pull its weight. Support for another round of expansion suggests that the new administration will be much more conventional in its support for NATO than Trumps campaign rhetoric sometimes hinted.

Besides the fact that Montenegro adds almost nothing to the alliance, accession does not have broad support in Montenegro:

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.

It doesnt make sense to take in a new alliance member when there is no consensus in that country in favor of belonging to the alliance. NATO shouldnt be adding new members in any case, but it certainly shouldnt be taking in a country that doesnt have a majority behind the idea of joining. At best, that will make Montenegro a half-hearted, grudging member, and at worst it makes it a real liability if there is a shift in public opinion against the alliance. I dont think letting Montenegro join NATO makes any sense, but it certainly shouldnt happen if it isnt what most people in Montenegro want.

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US tanks, infantry fighting vehicles arrive in Estonia amid NATO … – RT

Posted: at 7:55 am

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.

READ MORE:Lithuania & Estonia sign milestone deals on status of US troops on their soil

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 ... - RT

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Trump Pledges to Rebuild ‘Depleted’ Military in CENTCOM Speech – NBCNews.com

Posted: at 7:55 am

President Donald Trump pledged to reinvest in the "depleted" U.S. military and voiced support for NATO on Monday in an address at U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida.

"You've been lacking a little equipment, we're going to load it up. You're going to get a lot of equipment," Trump said.

Throughout the campaign, Trump pledged to grow the military while shrinking most other aspects of government. He told senior U.S. commanders that the military has been "depleted" and that the Navy "is at a point almost as low as World War I" -- a likely reference to the number of ships currently in use.

Trump pledged that the U.S. would remain committed to NATO after rattling European leaders by suggesting during the campaign that America could retreat from the alliance. But he warned other nations need to increase their contributions.

"We strongly support NATO," Trump said Monday. "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."

The president won applause for declaring he would keep out those who want "to destroy us and destroy our country," though he did not directly address his executive actions restricting travel from seven Muslim majority countries. He also accused the media of not reporting on terror attacks.

Trump opened his remarks by referencing the support he received from the military in 2016.

"I saw those numbers. And you like me and I like you," Trump said.

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Trump Pledges to Rebuild 'Depleted' Military in CENTCOM Speech - NBCNews.com

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