Monthly Archives: April 2017

More British troops could be on their way to Afghanistan as part of a Nato plan to increase force numbers to help the countrys embattled government fight a resurgent Taliban.

International military officers have watched with alarm as Kabuls territorial control has slipped to little more than half the war-racked nation, according to US estimates, amid accusations that Russia is supplying arms to the Taliban.

In an interview with a German newspaper, Jens Stoltenberg, Nato secretary general, said the challenging security situation meant the alliance was weighing a plan to increase the number of personnel in its Resolute Support mission beyond the current level of 13,000.

Nato will make its decision by June on any troop increase and on whether to lengthen deployments which currently run for a year, he was quoted by the Welt am Sonntag newspaper as saying.

He added that Nato could become more engaged in Jordan and Tunisia, calling both "islands of stability" in an unstable region.

The British deployment to Afghanistan amounts to about 500 personnel.

They are mostly deployed to provide security around the capital Kabul but also include special forces commandos.

The UK keeps troop levels under constant review in line with Nato needs but it is understand that the Ministry of Defence has not yet received any formal request for an increase.

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More British troops could be on their way to Afghanistan as Nato considers mission boost - Telegraph.co.uk

President Donald Trumps recent reversal on his prior criticisms of NATO was not a reversal, Vice President Mike Pence argued on Sunday, falsely claiming that Trump successfully forced the alliance to change.

He didnt change on NATO, Pence said on NBCs Meet the Press. NATO changed.

During his campaign, Trump called the alliance obsolete, but as president, hechanged his tune. Yet Pence insisted it was Trump who convinced NATO to shift its priorities.

I mean on the international scene, heres a president whos said that NATO had to change, that our NATO allies had to begin to step up to begin to share the burden of the cost of our common defense. And they are, Pence said. Theyre also changing the mission of NATO to focus more on terrorism.

Pences claim resembled a similar suggestion by White House press secretary Sean Spicer, who attributed Trumps reversal to the world shifting toward Trumps position, rather than the other way around.

If you look at whats happened, its those entities or individuals in some cases or issues evolving toward the presidents position, Spicer said earlier this month. NATO is moving toward what he has been calling for.

When host Chuck Todd mentioned to Pence that NATO and its priorities have been evolving for years, under multiple U.S. presidents, not simply as a result of Trump, Pence blamed the gale-force wind of the establishment here in Washington, D.C. and the media for not focusing on the presidents relentless effort to keep his promises to the American people.

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Mike Pence Claims Trump Didn't Change His Stance On NATO Rather, NATO Changed - Huffington Post

Wall Street Journal (subscription)

Estonia Leads the Way in NATO's Cyberdefense Wall Street Journal (subscription) TALLINN, EstoniaA hotel conference room in the Baltic republic of Estonia recently became the front line in a rehearsal for cyberwarfare, in an exercise that tested the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's readiness to repel hackers. Last week ...

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Estonia Leads the Way in NATO's Cyberdefense - Wall Street Journal (subscription)

Danielle Ryan is an Irish freelance writer, journalist and media analyst. She has lived and traveled extensively in the US, Germany, Russia and Hungary. Her byline has appeared at RT, The Nation, Rethinking Russia, The BRICS Post, New Eastern Outlook, Global Independent Analytics and many others. She also works on copywriting and editing projects. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook or at her website http://www.danielleryan.net.

This weeks vote by Montenegros parliament to ratify the protocol for the tiny Balkan nations admittance into the NATO alliance was a cruel irony.

Less than 20 years ago, during the Kosovo War, when the country was still part of Serbia, NATO jets were pounding Montenegro with depleted uranium bombs. Those bombs caused long-term damage to the nations health, which doctors today have linked to increases in systemic cancers among the population. Unsurprisingly, there remains some deeply anti-NATO feeling in the country today and NATO membership is a hugely divisive issue.

Nonetheless, Montenegros government decided to forgo a referendum on NATO membership, denying the countrys citizens any say in the matter.

Why Montenegro?

American lawmakers have been enthusiastically anticipating Montenegros arrival into the alliance, but it has little to do with the country being of any significant military value because Montenegro delivers absolutely nothing to NATO in terms of military strength. The countrys 2,000 troops are hardly a big draw, though its location is strategically significant and would give NATO almost full control of the Adriatic Sea, given that Italy, Croatia and Albania are already members).

The country is also unlikely to be facing down any major military threats from which it would need NATOs protection. Nor are there any legitimate reasons to claim that Montenegro has any value to the US in terms of its national security interests.

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The reasons for Montenegros ascension into NATO are therefore largely symbolic. Admitting the tiny Adriatic country as the blocs 29th member sends the message that the US-led alliances open door policy remains in place. Its an opportunity to convey that the US sphere of influence is ever-expanding and limitless. Its the geopolitical equivalent of Washington sticking its tongue out at Russia and making childish noises to confirm its superior level of coolness. In other words, as one analyst noted, NATO is adding new members the way people add Facebook friends that deliver zero value or relevance to their lives, but the higher the number, the more popular you look.

Indeed, the Washington-based conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation argued in a recent paper that Montenegros membership would send a message of strength to Russia. If thats the best reason they can come up with to justify adding a militarily insignificant new member to a military alliance, its a pretty weak case.

When the US Senate was debating Montenegros membership, avid warmonger and notoriously delusional senator John McCain accused Senator Rand Paul ofworking for Putin simply because he was against the country joining the bloc. This kind of baseless outburst only confirms that the likes of McCain and other pro-NATO expansionists have no real arguments to fall back on if they can only meet legitimate disagreements with accusations of working for Putin.

Shift to the West?

There is a clear temptation in Western reports to explain the move by Montenegros parliament as a shift to the West for the country, but it is hardly so straightforward.

The opposition Democratic Front alliance believes that the government wont allow a referendum on the issue because they would lose. This is not unlikely. Polls have shown that Montenegrins are deeply divided over whether to enter NATO. Anti-NATO members of parliament boycotted the vote and several hundred people showed up outside to protest it, chanting treason! and thieves!. One banner seen in photographs read: Nato killers, you have blood on your hands. The opposition say they will freeze the countrys membership if they win the parliamentary elections in 2021.

Montenegro is a notoriously corrupt country. Former prime minister Milo Djukanovic who ruled the country for 25 years (save a few short interruptions) has been accused of using the country as his own personal ATM and of muzzling the press. In 2009, he was implicated in a cigarette smuggling ringthat reportedly laundered $1 billion in profits, but was never charged. In 2015, he earned himself the title man of the year in organized crime by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.

Djukanovic called the October 2016 election a referendum on NATO membership but the vote which sealed the nations fate regarding NATO membership was marred with serious allegations of fraud. One opposition leader called it the most fraudulent we've ever had. At the time, the EU called for an investigation, though in reality Brussels and Washington turned a blind eye given that the election results suited their own agenda. Similarly, the media werent overly interested the previous year when Montenegrins took to the streets to protest the pro-EU/NATO government.

The value placed on anti-corruption protesters around the world seems to be decided based more on their value to Western geostrategic interests than anything else. If those Montenegrins had been protesting a government regarded as friendly with Moscow, there would have been no end to the coverage and no doubt, some American officials would have shown up in Podgorica to show their support.

Blaming Russia

Djukanovic stepped down and was replaced as prime minister by his ally Dusko Markovic after his party won the October election. Djukanovic has been eager to portray NATO membership and Russian influence as the biggest issue facing Montenegro. On election day, he announced there had been an attempted coup and Russian plot to assassinate him, with the aim being to prevent Montenegros entry into NATO.

Opposition parties say this coup was a fabrication; an attempt to rally support as people went to the polls. Knowing how well anti-Russian sentiment plays in the West these days, perhaps he thought a fake Russian plot would be a good way to get some attention.

Its unlikely however, that Moscow sees the minuscule addition of Montenegros 2,000 troops as reason enough to assassinate a foreign leader to prevent it from happening particularly when Vladimir Putin is already busy running rings around the rest of the world and hacking everything with an electric current.

Of course, Russia is not exactly delighted about Montenegro joining NATO Moscow is against NATO expansion in general but Putin is hardly quaking in his boots over this particular addition to the Western social club.

Given that NATO found itself without purpose in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union, it has struggled to maintain its relevance. This is why it engages in hair-brained and disastrous humanitarian interventions in countries like Libya. It is also why NATO perpetuates the ridiculous notion of Russia as an existential threat to the Western world. NATOs goal is to perpetuate its existence and stay relevant. Everything it does is in pursuit of this goal.

Adding members like Montenegro purely in an attempt to antagonize Russia is foolish. It serves only to confirm to Moscow that Washington disregards its interests and security which ironically, could cause more instability to NATO than any benefit gleaned from adding Montenegro.

Then again, for all the talk NATO does about security and stability, it seems to benefit most from exactly the opposite.

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

Continued here:
NATO mission creep on road to Russia reaches Montenegro - RT

NORFOLK

The Norfolk NATO Festival parade on Saturday is the only one of its type in the United States, and will pay tribute to the 28 nations that make up the military alliance.

One of the voices heard over loudspeakers at the parade will belong to Air Force Command Chief Master Sgt. Jack Johnson Jr., who will help explain to spectators the floats representing each country.

Johnson is the senior enlisted leader at NATOs Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, which is NATOs only headquarters in North America.

Johnsons grandparents and parents lived in Norfolk, and he remembers walking the citys streets as a child before his father was assigned to Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, where he also would be assigned later in his own career.

He considers Hampton Roads his home even after being stationed around the world. He said being chosen to serve as a master of ceremonies to talk about a city he loves as part of an international organization is an honor that would have made his grandparents proud.

The following are excerpts from an interview with Johnson that have been edited for length and clarity.

Q. Youre an emcee at Saturdays NATO Festival Parade. What does that entail?

A. This is a big honor. Two years ago I was the grand marshal. I mustve done something right because Im going to get the opportunity to emcee. So Ill narrate. As our floats and folks are coming across, I get a chance to kind of explain to the audience the significance ... of the floats and those that are passing before us.

Q. Many people are unfamiliar with NATOs Allied Command Transformation. What does the command do?

A. As everyone is fixed on today and all the global challenges that we have, youve got to have an organization out there who is looking at the challenges of tomorrow, and thats what we do. ... We work with local NATO agencies around the world. We work with not just the 28 nations that are a part of NATO, but we work with probably another 20-plus in addition to that of partner nations, non-governmental organizations, governmental organizations, industry, academia, centers of excellence, training. Quite frankly, we take the best and the brightest minds and the best that there is to offer and we take that and look at how do we ensure we have the capability and the ability to meet tomorrows challenges.

Q. Whats the most challenging aspect of working with 28 member nations?

A. I dont know if I would say I really have that many challenges because our job here as strategic thinkers and critical thinkers is to always keep our minds open to everything I mean to absolutely everything. So if you come in with a narrow focus on what you believe is the right direction, then its not consistent with what we call transformation future operations because every thought matters.

Q. Whats the most enjoyable part of working with people from so many countries and cultures in Norfolk at NATO?

A. I absolutely love Hampton Roads, the Peninsula and the surrounding area, and its very easy for us to take certain things for granted. And then someone else from a different nation comes in and youre looking at your own community through the eyes of others and their eyes are bright, their eyes are big, and they talk about how great the communities are, how good the schools are, they talk about the different volunteer opportunities they have. ... I love to listen to them as they talk about the region that I love through their lenses.

Q. What do you wish more people in Hampton Roads knew about NATOs presence here?

A. Amongst the more than 2,000 staff members and to include their families, that theyre a part of our community. They are your neighbors, they are your volunteers, they are in your schools. They are contributing immensely to the Hampton Roads area, not just economically, but theyre broadening their understanding of the world.

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5 questions with NATO's enlisted leader in Norfolk ahead of NATO ... - Virginian-Pilot