Europe at the Crossroads

MUNICH/BERLIN(Own report) – The organizers of the Munich Security Conference (MSC), one of the world’s most important military policy conferences, are urging that the EU’s transformation into a war alliance be accelerated. The European Union of states should be able to take on “missions,” similar to the 2011 military operation against Libya, at any time, according to a recent report by the Munich Security Conference, the McKinsey management consulting firm and the elite Hertie School of Governance. Not only drastic increases in the military budgets are being demanded of the EU members, but, above all, investments in modern military equipment. The authors of the report not only emphasize the harmonization of European weapon system standards but are also demanding that EU-states invest more in research, and to a growing extent, involve universities, branches of civilian industries and so-called start-up enterprises. According to the MSC Chairman, the German diplomat Wolfgang Ischinger, these are “essential” decisions, because it is “unsustainable” for the EU to continue to rely on US “protection.”

The Militarization of the US Goes Beyond Police Departments: Report

The report “The Militarization of America” examines government expenditures by 67 federal agencies between 2006 and 2014 and found that they spent US$1.48 billion stockpiling guns, ammunition and other military-style equipment.

“The recent growth of the federal arsenal begs the questions: Just who are the feds planning to battle?” American Tranparency’s Adam Andrzejewski, the author of the report, recently wrote in Forbes.

Russia Says Will Retaliate if U.S. Weapons Stationed on Its Borders

It’s important to note that Iskander missiles are nuclear capable. If they’re deployed in Kaliningrad (and some reports said they already have been), which is strategically between Poland and Lithuania, they will have checkmate. Anything in Europe can be reached within five to seven minutes or less.

 

MOSCOW/WARSAW (Reuters) – A plan by Washington to station tanks and heavy weapons in NATO states on Russia’s border would be the most aggressive U.S. act since the Cold War, and Moscow would retaliate by beefing up its own forces, a Russian defense official said on Monday.

The United States is offering to store military equipment on allies’ territory in eastern Europe, a proposal aimed at reassuring governments worried that after the conflict in Ukraine, they could be the Kremlin’s next target.

Poland and the Baltic states, where officials say privately they have been frustrated the NATO alliance has not taken more decisive steps to deter Russia, welcomed the decision by Washington to take the lead.

Exclusive: Saudi Arabia building up military near Yemen border – U.S. officials

(Reuters) – Saudi Arabia is moving heavy military equipment including artillery to areas near its border with Yemen, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, raising the risk that the Middle East’s top oil power will be drawn into the worsening Yemeni conflict.

The buildup follows a southward advance by Iranian-backed Houthi Shi’ite militants who took control of the capital Sanaa in September and seized the central city of Taiz at the weekend as they move closer to the new southern base of U.S.-supported President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

China Seeks Weaker Export Controls on Military Equipment

The Clintons helped the Chinese modernize and eventually become on par with American military might, whereas the Obamas will aid them in surpassing American military might. The USA is in grave danger but sadly most Americans are too busy worrying about how their favorite NFL team will perform next Sunday afternoon.

Rep. Frank Wolf (R., Va.) seems to have finally awakened from his sleep to the threat within this case, but is still only “surprised” — yet doesn’t know this has been going on for decades.

Additional sources on the Clinton-China connection:

Source 1

Source 2

China asks Obama administration to loosen controls on exports of high-tech military goods and lift all sanctions

China has supplied the Obama administration with a detailed list of space, military, and defense technology controls that it wants changed, and an interagency review is underway to meet some of Beijing’s demands, according to U.S. officials.

The Chinese government list of U.S. defense and dual-use civilian-military trade controls and policy changes was sent recently to the Commerce Department in preparation for an upcoming meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT).

The request includes lifting all sanctions imposed by Congress after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre; permitting transfers of 15 Black Hawk engines for helicopters sold in the 1980s prior to those sanctions; and the lifting of U.S. sanctions on five Chinese companies involved in past illicit arms sales to Iran, and other rogue states, according to officials familiar with internal reports.

Pakistan Enters Strategic Alliance with China

This is a very important development in global geopolitics and it has very unfavorable implications for the USA, India and their allies. As you read about this, ask yourself if you heard or read anything about this extremely-important event on what are called “news” TV channels in the USA.

Pakistan, which has been called an “ally” of the USA in the “war on terrorism” has just thrown in its lot with China and dumped the USA as an ally. In truth, I don’t think the Pakistani-American alliance has actually existed for some time, but both nations were willing to pretend it was an alliance as long as Pakistan did a few favors for the USA (such as allowing the USA to supply its troops in Afghanistan via an arduous overland route via Pakistan) in exchange for billions of dollars from the USA–which were likely fantasy dollars turned into real dollars by the legerdemain of the US Federal Reserve Board. The US-Pakistani alliance, like a really bad marriage, is now coming apart. Pakistan has a new ally and partner–Communist China. The Pakistan’s leader declared to the Chinese leader that the new Chinese-Pakistani friendship is “higher than the Himalayas and deeper than the deepest sea in the world, and sweeter than honey.” That language is so affectionate I think these two nations “ought to get a room.”

Panama: North Korean ship had more hidden arms containers

A Panamanian official announced Wednesday that more containers of suspected weapons have been found aboard a ship seized last week that was bound for North Korea from Cuba.

Panamanian Security Minister Jose Raul Mulino told the Reuters news agency that authorities found two new containers in addition to the two that were previously discovered under thousands of tons of sugar.

Acting on intelligence it hasn’t publicly described, Panama seized the rusting, 34-year-old North Korean freighter Chong Chon Gang on July 11 as it headed toward the Caribbean entrance of the Panama Canal on its way to the Pacific and its final destination of North Korea.

Cuba Admits to Sending Weapons to North Korea

A follow-up from a previous post where Panama had stopped a ship bound for North Korea, from Cuba. Little do people know, Cuba already has nuclear missiles (once again) planted within its territory. They are reinstalled. See the original story by clicking here.

Cuba’s Foreign Ministry on Wednesday confirmed that it sent missiles and other military equipment to North Korea aboard a ship that was seized by Panamanian government authorities.

In a statement, the Cuban ministry said the ship, the Chong Chon Gang, and its 35-member crew were detained.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that said vessel sailed from a Cuban port to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, mainly loaded with 10,000 tons of sugar,” the statement said.

India and South Korea :Strategic ‘Partners’ With Long term Goals

India and South Korea share remarkable common interests – all the more remarkable considering how far apart they are geographically, in area, popula­tion, average income, living conditions and climate. And then consider how different are Indians and Koreans in ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, religious beliefs and influences. It’s hard to imagine two such important na­tions and societies with so little in common, yet so close­ly bound by security and economic considerations.

Yes, appearances can be extremely de­ceiving in a fast-moving high-tech world in which potentially cataclysmic military pressures, on top of domestic political power struggles and the need for trade and commerce, outweigh so much else. After considering all the differences, just look at all India and South Korea have in common.

Russia going back to Afghanistan? Kremlin confirms it could happen

Almost a quarter century after Soviet troops left Afghanistan in defeat, Russia may return to the country by establishing “maintenance bases” for Russian-made military equipment after NATO winds down its operations there next year, defense ministry officials have confirmed.

While Continuing to Back Damascus, Moscow Tries to Carry on with Ankara

Syria itself is a proxy country for the Soviet Union against the Western powers. If it can control countries in the Middle East, it can control the world’s oil flow. While not all of the world’s oil comes from the Middle East, it is taking advantage of the Western world’s naïveté in thinking it has to depend mostly on these countries for supplies, not its own vast reserves of domestic energy such as shale in Colorado or in Canada. Arms exporting, as noted within the article plays a huge role as well. Russia is ranked number four in the world under this category, and second in terms of export value. Nevertheless, here is The Jamestown Foundation on the strategic importance of both Syria and Turkey according to Russia:

Russia has been an unwavering supporter of President Bashar al-Assad and one of the prime suppliers of weapons to the Syrian military. Moreover, Russia and China have used their veto power in the UN Security Council to prevent sanctions and an arms embargo against Damascus. The Russian authorities reacted angrily to the plane’s interception. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the Turks of endangering the lives of the passengers, of not allowing Russian diplomats to meet the reported 17 Russian passport-holders on board while the plane was searched, and demanded explanations (Interfax, October 11).

Turkey finds ‘illegal cargo’ on Syrian plane

From the “passenger” plane that Turkey recently forced down:

Turkish state media reported Thursday that a Syrian passenger plane grounded by Turkish military jets was carrying radio receivers and possibly “missile parts.” Syria hit back saying the interception amounted to “piracy.”

Iran To Produce Its Own Missile Systems

On April 17, Iran celebrates the day of its army. This year, this day was celebrated by a military parade.

Iran’s Defense Minister General Ahmad Vahidi says that the military equipment, which was shown at the parade, is evidence that Iran is capable of repelling any aggression.

The minister also announced that Iran is going to produce its own analogues of the Russian missile system SS-300.

Full article: Iran To Produce Its Own Missile Systems (Eurasia Review)