Messages In This Digest (14 Messages)

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1.: Obama Administration Consolidates Asian NATO To Counter China

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:08 pm (PST)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60C56I20100113?type=politicsNews

Reuters
January 13, 2010

U.S., eyeing rising China, to bolster Asia links
Phil Stewart and Jim Wolf

-"We will remain engaged and active throughout the region, supporting our allies and expanding our leadership in this vitally part of the world," said David Shear, a deputy assistant secretary of state, in testimony before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.
-The Pentagon's top civilian official for the region said the United States saw risks that China might "one day calculate it has reached the tipping point in the Taiwan Strait and issue an ultimatum."
-Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, said China's new military capabilities "appear designed to challenge U.S. freedom of action in the region."

WASHINGTON: The United States aims to expand its involvement in East Asia amid concerns that China may use its growing military clout to coerce its neighbors or move against Taiwan, officials told Congress on Wednesday.

The renewed concerns voiced by Obama administration and U.S. military officials included cyber-attacks originating in China and came as Google threatens to quite China over censorship and hacking, heightening Sino-U.S. frictions.

"We will remain engaged and active throughout the region, supporting our allies and expanding our leadership in this vitally part of the world," said David Shear, a deputy assistant secretary of state, in testimony before the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee.

President Barack Obama's administration, which has sought to partner with China in tackling global issues, has also angered Beijing by clearing arms sales to Taiwan and by slapping tariffs on Chinese tires and steel products.

China claims sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan and has vowed to bring it under its rule, by force if necessary.

The Pentagon's top civilian official for the region said the United States saw risks that China might "one day calculate it has reached the tipping point in the Taiwan Strait and issue an ultimatum."

There are "risks that China may use its military to exercise coercion against its neighbors; and risks that misunderstanding or miscommunication between the United States and China could lead to confrontation, crisis, or conflict," said Wallace Gregson, an assistant secretary of defense.

Admiral Robert Willard, head of the U.S. Pacific Command, said China's new military capabilities "appear designed to challenge U.S. freedom of action in the region."

They also could be used to "enforce China's influence over its neighbors -- including our regional allies and partners," Willard said in written testimony.

CYBER-THREAT

Google, the world's top search engine, said it will not abide by censorship and may shut its Chinese-language google.cn website because of attacks from China on human rights activists using its Gmail service and on dozens of companies,

"U.S. military and government networks and computer systems continue to be the target of intrusions that appear to have originated from within" China, Willard said without referring to Google.

He warned that while most of the cyber-attacks focus on prying out data, "the skills being demonstrated would also apply to wartime computer network attacks."

Efforts to bolster U.S.-Chinese military dialogue have so far failed to create sufficient transparency in Chinese military activities, the officials said.

One example was a missile defense test this week by China, which held an exercise aimed at destroying missiles in mid-air. China did not give any advanced notice to the United States, they said.

"I'm not aware that we received any notification until after the test," Gregson said, adding that the United States by contrast would typically publish public warnings of missile defense tests, available to mariners, pilots and others.

Willard said China was seeking to deploy its first aircraft carrier, an important way to project power far beyond its shores. China purchased an unfinished former Soviet Kuznetsov class aircraft carrier in 1998 and began renovations in 2002.

"I expect this carrier to become operational around 2012," Willard said.

(Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell; editing by Mohammad Zargham)
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2.: New Year Deadly For NATO Troops In Afghanistan

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:09 pm (PST)

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2010-01/14/content_12811431.htm

Xinhua News Agency
January 14, 2010

January proves deadly for NATO-led forces in Afghanistan
by Abdul Haleem

KABUL: January has proved deadly for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan as over 20 soldiers have been killed since the beginning of the year 2010.

Most of the dead soldiers over the past two weeks were Americans, according to statements released by ISAF.

In the latest fatalities, a U.S. soldier was killed Wednesday during an engagement with insurgents in eastern Afghanistan.

Another U.S. soldier succumbed to his injuries as a result of abomb strike on Wednesday in southern Afghanistan.

Six foreign soldiers including three Americans were killed on Monday, the deadliest single day for Nato troops this month.

According to ISAF, bomb strikes had left two service members dead on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

A Taliban purported spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told media by telephone from undisclosed location that the militants targeted and killed four French soldiers on January 5 in Kapisa province, 80 km north of the Afghan capital Kabul.

So far this month, 22 NATO soldiers including 14 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan and the death toll of the Nato troops totaled 25 in January 2009.

There are more than 113,000 NATO-led troops including over 68,000 Americans stationed in Afghanistan to help stabilize the country after the U.S.-led invasion overthrew Taliban regime in 2001.

U.S. President Barack Obama has ordered deploying additional 30,000 American troops in a bid to defeat Taliban which vowed that the troop surge would incur more casualties to NATO-led forces.
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3.: Liberia: U.S. Marines Arrive To "Mentor" Nation's Armed Forces

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:09 pm (PST)

http://www.apanews.net/apa.php?page=show_article_eng&id_article=115678

African Press Agency
January 14, 2010

Liberia-US-Military cooperation
US military personnel arrive to nurture relationship with Liberian army

Monrovia (Liberia): Sixty-one United States military personnel have begun arriving in Liberia in a bid to further strengthen the military-to-military relationship between the Liberian and United States governments, APA learns here Wednesday.

According to a defense ministry press statement issued in Monrovia, the visit is part of the US government´s support to Liberia´s ongoing reform of the security sector.

The US military personnel, comprising largely of US Marines, are expected to mentor and advise the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) personnel in all aspects of their military occupational specialities.

The mentoring program which is part of the Liberian Defense Sector Reform, is a consolidation of a previous mission carried out by US contractors, and marks an important milestone in the history of the AFL in conducting their own training exercises, while the US assumes advisor and mentorship role.

The US government has been providing support to Liberia´s armed forces and the Defense Sector Reform since 2006, through a State Department funded Liberia Security Sector Reform (SSR) program.

The military-to-military effort is a program coordinated through Liberia´s Ministry of National Defense with the assistance of the United States government, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and partner nations of the Defense Support Group (DSG) for Liberia.
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4.: Warfighting Training For U.S. Horn Of Africa Task Force

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Thu Jan 14, 2010 3:09 pm (PST)

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=57519

U.S. Department of Defense
American Forces Press Service
January 14, 2010

Exercise Trains Next Horn of Africa Task Force
By John J. Kruzel

WASHINGTON: Trainers at the joint U.S. military command that coordinates troop deployments are wrapping up an exercise to prepare forces for duty in the Horn of Africa.

Warfighters and civilians participating in the training are getting a sense of the challenges they will face as the next headquarters staff at Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa during a realistic training exercise at U.S. Joint Forces Command´s Joint Warfighting Center in Suffolk, Va.

Known as the Mission Rehearsal Exercise, the Jan. 9-15 program recreates a realistic and relevant training regimen tailored to the Horn of Africa, said Army Brig. Gen. Sanford Holman, vice commander of the Joint Warfighting Center.
....
The week-long mission-rehearsal exercise is the fifth for Joint Forces Command since the mission began in 2002....Holman said the training takes into account lessons learned from past exercises and deployments.

"We are concerned not only with the warfighter of today, but also the one for tomorrow," he said....

Trainers from the warfighting center, as well as interagency and coalition partners and current and former task force staffers, are conducting the training to prepare forces who will deploy to Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa in Djibouti this spring under the command of Navy Rear Adm. Brian L. Losey.
....
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5.: U.S., NATO Try To Drag China Into Afghanistan-Pakistan Debacle

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:44 am (PST)

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/thinktank/2010-01/15/content_9328913.htm

China Daily
January 15, 2010

Say no to NATO use of the Wahan Corridor
By Han Dongping

-US and CIA activities in the world have become the biggest threat to world peace and the survival of the planet earth. The US military leaders at one time threatened to bomb Pakistan back to the Stone Age, a threat it has also used against China in the past. I teach environmental politics, so I know the environmental impact caused by war and military spending. I sincerely believe that American military spending and military operations around the world are actually hurting the fundamental interests of the American people as well as the people who are directly affected by the US military operations.

As US and its allies stepped up its military operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, they also began to realize that the task they are faced with there is almost impossible to complete. I argued in a different article that there was no way the US and its allies would be able to win in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The reason is very simple. The people in Pakistan and Afghanistan are too tough for the US and its allies to conquer.

First, Taliban forces and other anti-American elements in Pakistan and Afghanistan are at home in the harsh natural environment of the remote mountainous regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. But American soldiers and its allies, who are more used to modern comfortable conditions at home, are out of their element in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Second, The Taliban and other anti-US forces in Pakistan and Afghanistan can sustain its resistance at a relatively low cost with their simple weapons and technology. The cost of Americans´ high tech warfare, on the other hand, is much higher. The American government estimates the cost of maintaining one soldier in Afghanistan for one year to be one million dollars. As the US federal and state governments struggle with budget shortfalls amid the ongoing financial crisis, it is clear that it will be hard for the US and its allies to sustain its military operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan for very long.

As the American government begins to see its precarious situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan, they have tried to drag China into its mess in Afghanistan and Pakistan by asking China to allow them to use the Wahan corridor for its military operations. I hope that the Chinese government can detect American intentions in this strategy, and that it is wise enough to deny America´s request to use the Wahan corridor.

Afghanistan and Pakistan are both Chinese neighbors, and they are strategically important for China´s national security. China should never support outside forces to mess with its neighbors´ internal affairs, particularly when it is almost certain that the outside forces will be defeated in the end. The US forces and its allies will have to leave Afghanistan and Pakistan sooner or later, but the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan will always be there. China should not alienate them hotheadedly.

More importantly, the US military operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan have multiple objectives. One of its undisclosed objectives is to threaten the security of China´s western borders, to disrupt one of China´s most important strategic allies, Pakistan, and to enable India, China´s traditional rival, to strengthen its military and political positions in the subcontinent of South Asia. China has no reason to help US and its allies to undermine China´s strategic interests in that area.

The US, as the only superpower in the world, has several hundred bases throughout the world. According to the United Nations´ calculation, the US has fought more wars than any other country in the world since the end of WWII, and it also supported one of its most important allies in fighting the second most wars since WWII.

As a result, US and CIA activities in the world have become the biggest threat to world peace and the survival of the planet earth. The US military leaders at one time threatened to bomb Pakistan back to the Stone Age, a threat it has also used against China in the past. I teach environmental politics, so I know the environmental impact caused by war and military spending. I sincerely believe that American military spending and military operations around the world are actually hurting the fundamental interests of the American people as well as the people who are directly affected by the US military operations.

American people always support their own troops. In that mindset, it is very hard for the American people to see that they are actually the victims of their government´s own military operations in the world.

They can not see that the best way to support one´s troops is to keep them out of harm's way. The American people need to ask themselves some very profound questions. Why does the US need military bases in so many countries outside its own territory?

What do the American people gain from such an extensive military presence in the world? Why do American servicemen have to make the ultimate sacrifice in so many wars, in Korea, in Vietnam, in Iraq, and now in Pakistan and Afghanistan?

It would be very hard for the American people to realize the stupidity of stationing troops abroad. Therefore, the world can not expect the US to withdraw its military forces back to the US voluntarily. The only option left for the world is to drive some good sense into the heads of American leaders by forcing the US to withdraw from its overseas military establishments and operations.

For the sake of world peace, protecting our environment, and its own self-interests, China should refrain from allowing the US and its allies to use the Wahan corridor for its military operations and other resistance forces in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Dongping Han is Professor of History and Political Science at Warren Wilson College, NC.
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6.: NATO's "Core Values": Article 5 Against Russia

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:50 am (PST)

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=4454543&c=EUR&s=TOP

Dedense News
January 15, 2010

Norway Minister: NATO Must Revisit 'Core Values'
By GERARD O'DWYER

-"From the Norwegian side, we have emphasized in particular that the concept should focus on NATO's core tasks. The alliance's ability to defend all the member states according to the North Atlantic Treaty Article 5 must continue to be fundamental."
-Mutual assistance in case of armed attack is the foundation-stone upon which NATO is built.

HELSINKI: NATO needs to revert to its "core values" of protecting member states and supporting their national defense strategies, said Grete Faremo, Norway's recently appointed defense minister, during a debut address to the Oslo Militaere Samfund (the Oslo Military Society).

Norway is actively lobbying NATO to return to its core values during the organization's current "self-reflection process," which forms part of NATO's revision of its "strategic concept," Faremo said.

"NATO's current strategic concept dates from 1999. A lot has happened since then," Faremo said. NATO has become somewhat side-tracked by international military and political activities in recent years and needs to refocus on its "original establishment goals," the minister said.

Norway's strategic view is that NATO must remain a defensive alliance and the primary organization for the handling of the allies' security challenges. The alliance's importance as a forum for dialogue between the United States and Europe must be maintained, Faremo said.

"From the Norwegian side, we have emphasized in particular that the concept should focus on NATO's core tasks. The alliance's ability to defend all the member states according to the North Atlantic Treaty Article 5 must continue to be fundamental," Faremo said.

NATO must be able to give member countries the "confidence inherent in a collective defense," said Faremo. Mutual assistance in case of armed attack is the foundation-stone upon which NATO is built.

"All member countries must feel that their basic security interests are safeguarded," she stressed.
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7.: Russian Interior Ministry: West Trains Terrorists On Georgian Bases

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:53 am (PST)

http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=21886

Civil Georgia
January 15, 2010

Russian Official: `Terrorist Trained in Georgia´

Tbilisi: The Russian Deputy Interior Minister accused Georgia of harboring militant groups. The allegation comes two weeks after the Russian Federal Security Service claimed that militants in Russia´s North Caucasus were receiving funding including from Georgia.

"Terrorist groups are trained at military bases in Georgia by foreign instructors to carry out terrorist acts on the territory of Russian Federation," RIA Novosti news agency reported quoting Russia´s Deputy Interior Minister Arkady Yedelev as saying at a meeting with police officials in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia, on January 14.

He said that Russia´s North Caucasus republics of Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia were the potential targets of the attacks.
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8.: U.S. Tries To Salvage Anti-Russian Caspian Energy Projects

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Fri Jan 15, 2010 5:57 am (PST)

http://en.rian.ru/world/20100115/157555760.html

Russian Information Agency Novosti
January 15, 2010

U.S. envoy in Azerbaijan to discuss energy supplies to Europe

Baku: A U.S. special energy envoy arrived in Azerbaijan to discuss energy cooperation on Friday, the U.S. embassy announced.

Special Envoy of the U.S. Secretary of State for Eurasian Energy Richard Morningstar will meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and other state and government officials to discuss cooperation and the diversification of oil and gas transportation routes from the region to European and global markets.

During his previous visits to Azerbaijan, Morningstar said the United States backed the Nabucco gas pipeline project and other initiatives guaranteeing energy security in Europe and the long-term development, independence and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

Nabucco aims to pipe gas from Turkey to Austria, diversifying current natural gas suppliers and delivery routes for Europe and lessening European dependence on Russian energy. The project is backed by several EU states and the U.S. and is seen as rival to the planned Russian South Stream pipeline.

Nevertheless, Azerbaijan maintains close links with Russia and has doubled natural gas supplies to Russia to 1 billion cubic meters a year from 2010.

The contract raised concerns in Europe, which looks to Azerbaijan as a potential contributor to Nabucco.
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9.: NATO Troops Fire On Afghan Crowd, Wound At Least Five

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:05 am (PST)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60E2K420100115

Reuters
January 15, 2010

NATO, Afghan troops fire on Afghan crowd wounding five
Peter Graff

KABUL: At least five Afghan civilians were wounded when a combined force of Afghan troops and U.S. Marines opened fire on a crowd at the gate to a military base in Helmand, Afghanistan's most volatile province, NATO said on Friday.

The incident, which took place on Wednesday but was not reported until Friday, was the second demonstration to turn violent in two days in Helmand's Garmsir district, suggesting mounting civil unrest in a part of the country where U.S. Marines under NATO command made major advances last year.
....
ISAF is manned in the area by U.S. Marines.
....
Lieutenant-Colonel Todd Breasseale said both Afghan troops and the U.S. Marines subsequently fired at the crowd. An investigation was under way to determine which force's bullets had struck each the five people who were wounded.

Civilian casualties caused by NATO troops are one of the most emotive issues in Afghanistan's eight-year-old conflict.

The incident came a day after another violent demonstration in Garmsir. During that earlier demonstration, U.S. Marines say they fired only at a sniper, who had shot into their base. Afghan officials say Afghan troops killed eight protesters and wounded 13 who were trying to storm a government building.
....
Dawood Ahmadi, spokesman for Helmand governor Gulab Mangal, said Wednesday's demonstration had taken place outside a base where U.S. and Afghan officials were discussing the unrest from the day before.
....
(Additional reporting by Hamid Shalizi; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani)
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10.: German Envoy Inspects Armenian Troops Slated For Afghanistan

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:10 am (PST)

http://www.panarmenian.net/news/eng/?nid=41648

PanArmenian.net
January 15, 2010

German Ambassador to Armenia received Armenian peacekeepers

-"The decision on Armenian peacekeepers´ cooperation with ISAF forces was interesting from political viewpoint as well. After the trainings in Kosovo and Iraq Armenia became greatly experienced, and I am hopeful that trainings in Germany will be productive as well."

German Ambassador to Armenia Hans Jochen Schmidt received Thursday Armenian peacekeepers who are going to take part in ISAF security operations in Afghanistan.

Welcoming the guests, Ambassador said, "I am very happy to receive you prior to your three-week trainings in Germany. The decision on Armenian peacekeepers´ cooperation with ISAF forces was interesting from political viewpoint as well. After the trainings in Kosovo and Iraq Armenia became greatly experienced, and I am hopeful that trainings in Germany will be productive as well."

German diplomat also thanked Armenian peacekeepers for their willingness to participate in Kunduz [province] security operations.

Present at the meeting was the head of RA Armed Forces General Headquarters, Colonel General Yuri Khachaturov, other high-ranking servicemen and representatives from embassies accredited to Armenia.

The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is a NATO-led security and development mission in Afghanistan....

ISAF forces are conducting security and stability operations throughout the country together with the Afghan National Security Forces and are directly involved in the development of the Afghan National Army through mentoring, training and equipping.
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11.: Czech Republic: U.S. Continues Missile Shield Plans

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:12 am (PST)

http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20100114_1249.php

Global Security Network
January 15, 2010

Officials Talk Czech Involvement in U.S. Missile Defense

Senior U.S. and Czech officials on Wednesday discussed Prague's potential role in the updated U.S. plan for European missile defense, the Czech News Agency reported (see GSN, Nov. 25, 2009).

The meeting involved Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon and Czech First Deputy Defense Minister Tomas Pojar.

Declining to reveal specific information about the meeting, Pojar said participants were "discussing absolutely concrete questions concerning our mutual interest."

Gordon said the Czech Republic's possible involvement in the system was addressed in the meeting.

The Obama administration last fall scrapped its predecessor's plan to deploy a radar system in the Czech Republic and missile interceptors in Poland. It intends in coming years instead to field sea- and land-based versions of the Standard Missile 3 system....Washington has said, though, that it wants Prague and Warsaw to remain involved in the effort (Czech News Agency/Prague Daily Monitor, Jan. 13).
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12.: Saudi Air Strikes Killed 13 More In Northern Yemen

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:17 am (PST)

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=116193&sectionid=351020206

Press TV
January 15, 2010

Saudi airstrikes claim 13 lives in Yemen

Saudi airstrikes have claimed the lives of at least 13 people in the north of Yemen, Yemen's Houthi fighters have said.

According to the Houthis, Saudi warplanes carried out 12 attacks the details of which are yet to be released.

The raids come only a day after the Houthis said some four civilians were killed by Saudi forces.

Saudi Arabia launched its military attacks in Yemen in November after accusing the fighters of killing two of its border guards.

The fighters rejected the accusations saying that Riyadh launched the operations to help the Yemeni government in its crackdown on the country's Shias which began in August.

There are also reports that Saudi Arabia has used phosphorus bombs in Yemen.

The conflict in North Yemen began in 2004 between Sana'a and Houthi fighters. Relative peace had returned to the region until August 11, when the Yemeni army launched a major offensive, dubbed 'Operation Scorched Earth', against Sa'ada Province.

The government claims that the fighters, who are named after their leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, seek to restore the Shia imamate system, which was overthrown in a 1962 military coup.

The Houthis, however, say they are defending their people's civil rights, which the government has undermined under pressure from Saudi-backed Wahhabi extremists.

Civilians have been the main victims of the all-out war which has been fueled by foreign military intervention in the poorest Arab country in the region.

The United States has recently launched air raids against several targets in southern Yemen as part of what Washington claims are efforts to wipe out hundreds of al-Qaeda fighters operating in the country.

News and eyewitness reports, however, indicate that civilians, including women and children, have been the main victims of recent US air raids in Yemen.
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13.: Client At 3%: U.S. Readies New 'Rose-Orange' Scenario For Ukraine

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:21 am (PST)

http://en.trend.az/news/politics/foreign/1619286.html

Trend News Agency
January 15, 2010

Mikheil Saakashvili and Yulia Timoshenko speak over phone
N. Kirtskhalia

-Mikheil Saakashvili...told Timoshenko that Georgian MP Givi Targamadze is in Ukraine and expressed hope that Timoshenko will manage to meet with him.
It should be noted that Targamadze was in Ukraine during the Orange Revolution.

Georgia, Tbilisi: Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili and candidate for Ukraine's president Yulia Timoshenko spoke over the phone. The conversation was spread by the Youtube.com website.

Mikheil Saakashvili said Georgia is ready to support Ukraine. He told Timoshenko that Georgian MP Givi Targamadze is in Ukraine and expressed hope that Timoshenko will manage to meet with him.

It should be noted that Targamadze was in Ukraine during the Orange Revolution.

Yulia Timoshenko thanked Georgia's president for his support, as well as professional observers sent to Ukraine. She said she will do her best for Georgian observers to be released.

At the end of the conversation, Mikheil Saakashvili wished Timoshenko success.
===========================
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14.: Afghanistan: U.S.-NATO January Death Toll Reaches 23

Posted by: "Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff@yahoo.com rwrozoff

Fri Jan 15, 2010 6:25 am (PST)

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=116196&sectionid=351020403

Press TV
January 15, 2010

Powerful blast kills US soldier in Afghanistan

A powerful explosion, triggered by an improvised explosive device, has killed one more American solider in war-weary Afghanistan.

NATO said in a statement that the soldier died in the south of the country on Thursday.

The alliance did not identify the exact location of the blast.

The death brings to 23 the number of US-led troops to have been killed in the controversial war so far this year.

Much of the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar are gripped by violence and militancy.

However the violent battles between Taliban militants and US-led forces have spread to previously peaceful regions.

US President Barack Obama and his NATO allies have decided to send 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan

Deploying more soldiers to Afghanistan is expected to cause more troubles for Afghan civilians.

Civilians have been the main victims of the long-fought war as they are being killed both in violence-related incidents carried out buy militants and also by US-led operations, particularly indiscriminate air strikes.

Coalition forces play down the civilian deaths by referring to them as 'collateral damage.'
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