Monthly Archives: March 2017

Various events took place at NATO Headquarters to celebrate International Womens Day (8 March) and to raise awareness of gender perspectives and the principles of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

Promotion of gender equality and inclusive security is our core business as a matter of both institutional excellence and operational effectiveness. Because it is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do, said Marrit Schuurman, the NATO Secretary Generals Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security. She was speaking at an event to launch registrations for the second edition of the solidarity run known as She runs, He runs, We run at NATO Headquarters.

Corporal Pellegrina Caputo was a guest speaker at the same event. Telling her inspirational life story as an active duty soldier of the Italian Armed Forces, a veteran, a survivor and also a Paralympic champion with many awards, she had a strong message in line with this years theme for International Womens Day, Be Bold for Change.

Women are part of the community and so the military. I always wanted to serve people and my country. That is why I returned after I recovered from my injuries back to active duty. I am happy I got the chance once again, she concluded. Corporal Caputo lost her left lower limb in a car accident during her deployment in the NATO-led Kosovo Force but returned to duty just two years later.

In the spirit of the motto of the day, Ambassador Schuurman later moderated an informal discussion on principles and personal stories of boldness and change. Civil society activists, who are also members of the Civil Society Advisory Panel on Women, Peace and Security, participated as did a representative of NATOs International Military Staff.

NATO ambassadors gathered the day before to discuss progress in implementing the action plan for the implementation of Resolution 1325 developed by NATO together with partner countries.

Diversity makes us stronger and more effective. We have made considerable progress, but further efforts have to be taken to sustain what has been already achieved but also ensure consistency, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

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International Women's Day at NATO: #BeBoldForChange - NATO HQ (press release)

Stars and Stripes

NATO forces harmonize the big guns Stars and Stripes A big goal of the exercise was to promote Artillery Systems Cooperation Activities, a software-based program used by five NATO nations to digitally communicate real-time, linking their field artillery and command and control systems. ASCA is a common ... and more »

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NATO forces harmonize the big guns - Stars and Stripes

Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan says he has ordered officials to look at how Canada calculates military spending compared to other NATO members, to ensure all allies are comparing apples to apples.

We have to be cognizant that different nations use a different formula, Sajjan told the House of Commons defence committee on Thursday.

So right now the deputy minister is working with our closest partners to look at exactly the formula that they were using so we can have a good comparison.

The comments come as Canada and other NATO allies are facing pressure from the Trump administration in Washington to increase the amount they spend on their militaries.

While all NATO members agreed in 2014 to work towards spending two per cent of their gross domestic product, or GDP, on defence, only five have reached that goal.

Canada is not one of them, and is actually near the back of the pack. It currently spends less than one per cent of GDP on defence, which ranks it 23rd among 28 NATO members.

Sajjan would not say whether the government will actual rolling in the spending on the coast guard or veterans programs like the U.S. and Britain, which would inch Canada closer to two per cent.

But at the same time, we do need to look at what our closest allies are actually using so that we can then compare apples to apples in terms of that commitment, he told The Canadian Press after the meeting.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared to all but dismiss the two per cent target during a visit to Germany last month, saying: There are many ways of evaluating ones contribution to NATO.

That is the message the government has repeatedly delivered to Washington, emphasizing Canadas military contributions to Latvia, Ukraine and Iraq in lieu of large spending increases.

Sajjan repeated it during and after his committee appearance, adding that the government would invest in what it believes the military needs to do its job rather than to meet a specific target.

We are going to invest in defence and what we need for outputs, he said. Thats how we conduct a defence policy review. Thats what makes it credible.

Defence analyst David Perry of the Canadian Global Affairs Institute said there is validity to the governments argument that spending alone isnt a good measure of a countrys contributions to NATO.

But the fact the government is reviewing the formula indicates it is at least a little concerned about how Canada compares to other NATO members, particularly given the messages coming out of Washington.

It is also another indication that the government is not planning to include any big injections of money into the military in the upcoming budget or its new defence policy, which is expected in the coming weeks.

If they were about to unleash a big increase to the budget, Perry said, youd kind of wonder whether or not theyd be going through the exercise of figuring out what to count.

Original post:
Officials to review how Canada, NATO members calculate defence spending - The Globe and Mail

He even cracked wise for a short moment, joking about the bond between the U.S. and Norway. Part of the Norwegian-American experience is to think about the past, and he's got nothing against going to Minot and eating lutefisk, he said, drawing laughs from a group of several dozen attendees.

"But I would also like people to know contemporary Norway," he said.

Dorum is a former member of Norway's Parliament, as well as a former justice minister and transportation and communications minister. The lion's share of his remarks Thursday were about Norway's relationship with NATO and Russia. He characterized Russia as a quiet, consistent threat with a military that's been revitalized by President Vladimir Putin. He traced Norway's relationship with Russia back through the Cold War and all the way to Norway's membership in NATO in the late 1940san alliance he described as critical and deeply dependent on the U.S. for credibility.

"During the Cold War, (Norway) was a peaceful place," he said. "But if there had not been peace, it would have been close to destruction."

NATO has been in the spotlight since Trump's election to the White House. The president previously called NATO "obsolete," though he since declared his support for the alliance. The president has continued to demand that member nations contribute more to the organization.

"We strongly support NATO," Trump said last month. "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."

Concerns about Trump's attitude toward NATO have been amplified by recent unsubstantiated reports of connections between his campaign and Russia and suggestions that Russia interfered in the presidential election.

Dorum offered a range of comments on the Trump administration on Thursday, both during his remarks and to the Herald in an interview after his presentation. He praised the credibility of key Trump appointments such as Secretary of Defense James Mattis and National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster.

He also said he thinks it's reasonable that NATO countries pay their fair share, and he made apparent reference to Trump's suggestion the U.S. "get along" with Russia.

"If it is possible, by some means, to lessen some tensions, that is good," Dorum said.

He said he's standing firm though that the NATO treaty agreementthat nations stand ready to support and defend one anotheris binding. Norway has to be able to count on the U.S. for support, he said.

"If you want some dialogue in addition to deterrence, that's fine with me," Dorum said. "But if you want to put dialogue instead of deterrence, that's dangerous. I'm a strong supporter of D and Ddeterrence and dialogue."

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Norwegian politico Odd Einar Dorum remarks on Trump, Putin, NATO at UND - West Fargo Pioneer

Russia has deployed a long-rangemissilethat threatensthe US and Natoand violates an international arms treaty, a senior American general has claimed.

Paul Selva, vice chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the House of Representatives' Armed Services Committee that Moscow hadintentionally deployed the weapon in order to threaten the West.

"The system itself presents a risk to most of our facilities in Europe and we believe that the Russians have deliberately deployed it in order to pose a threat to NATO and to facilities within the NATO area of responsibility," hesaid.

The deployment of theland-based cruise missile violatesthe spirit and intent of the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) between the US and Russia, Mr Selva added.

Russian leaders do not intend to return to compliance of the treaty, hesuggested, adding that US officials had raised the issue with Moscow.

His comments mark the first time US officials haveconfirmed media reports last month relating to the deployment of the nuclear-capable SSC-8 missiles, which is said to have taken place late last year.

During the Armed Services Committee hearing, US military officials also gave their support to the START agreement between America and Russia that seeks to reduce both countries stock of nuclear weapons.

Mr Trump appeared to question the value of the treaty after it was reported he had told Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, that the deal was not beneficial to the United States.

But military leaders told congressmen the treaty was needed to prevent an arms race.

"I have stated for the record in the past, now I'll state again that I am a big supporter of the New START agreement," said Air Force General John Hyten, the head of U.S. Strategic Command.

"The risk [of scrapping the agreement] would be an arms race, we are not in an arms race now."

Link:
Russia's deployment of nuclear-capable missile threatens Nato, senior American general says - The Independent