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  • Iraq Prison Abuse Scandal Fast Facts | CNN

    Iraq Prison Abuse Scandal Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here’s some background information about the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal which took place during the Iraq war.

    Abu Ghraib prison was a US Army detention center for captured Iraqis from 2003 to 2006. An investigation into the treatment of detainees at the prison was prompted by the discovery of graphic photos depicting guards abusing detainees in 2003.

    The facility was located 20 miles west of Baghdad on 280 acres.

    At the height of the scandal, the prison held as many as 3,800 detainees.

    Most of the detainees lived in tents in the prison yards.

    The abuses took place inside the prison in cell blocks 1A and 1B.

    Eleven US soldiers were convicted of crimes relating to the Abu Ghraib scandal. Seven of those were from Maryland-based 372nd Military Police Company. A number of other service members were not charged but reprimanded.

    November 2003 – A detainee dies during an interrogation at Abu Ghraib.

    January 2004 – Spc. Joseph M. Darby discovers photos on a CD-ROM of Iraqi prisoners being abused. He reports the abuse to superiors, prompting an investigation.

    April 4, 2004 – Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba releases his report to Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez about misconduct in the 800th Military Police Brigade.

    April 28, 2004 – “60 Minutes II” broadcasts graphic photos of Iraqi detainees being humiliated and tortured.

    April 30, 2004 – The New Yorker publishes an article by Seymour Hersh reporting details in the Taguba report on the abuses at Abu Ghraib.

    April 30, 2004 – Taguba’s report detailing his investigation of the 800th Military Police Brigade is released.

    Taguba’s report states that the following abuses happened in this incident:
    – Punching, slapping and kicking detainees; jumping on their naked feet.
    – Videotaping and photographing naked male and female detainees.
    – Forcibly arranging detainees in various sexually explicit positions for photographing.
    – Forcing detainees to remove their clothing and keeping them naked for several days at a time.
    – Forcing naked male detainees to wear women’s underwear.
    – Forcing groups of male detainees to masturbate themselves while being photographed and videotaped.
    – Arranging naked male detainees in a pile and then jumping on them.
    – Positioning a naked detainee on a box, with a sandbag on his head, and attaching wires to his fingers, toes, and penis to simulate electric torture.
    – Writing “I am a Rapest (sic)” on the leg of a detainee accused of rape, and then photographing him naked.
    – Placing a dog chain or strap around a naked detainee’s neck and having a female soldier pose for a picture.
    – A male MP guard having sex with a female detainee.
    – Using military working dogs (without muzzles) to intimidate and frighten detainees, and in at least one case biting and severely injuring a detainee.
    – Taking photographs of dead Iraqi detainees.

    May 4, 2004 – Gen. George W. Casey Jr. announces that in the past 16 months, the US Army has conducted more than 30 criminal investigations into misconduct by US captors during both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

    May 5, 2004 – US President George W. Bush records interviews with Al Arabiya and US-sponsored Al-Hurra networks expressing his disgust with the mistreatment of Iraqi detainees.

    May 6, 2004 – During a joint news conference with King Abdullah II of Jordan, Bush expresses remorse “for the humiliation suffered” by Iraqi prisoners at the hands of US troops.

    May 6, 2004 – The Justice Department announces that it is looking into three suspicious deaths of detainees, two in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, and the involvement of the CIA and contractors in the deaths.

    May 7, 2004 – US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld testifies before the Senate and House Armed Services Committees. “These events occurred on my watch…as Secretary of Defense, I am accountable for them and I take full responsibility…there are other photos – many other photos – that depict incidents of physical violence towards prisoners, acts that can only be described as blatantly sadistic, cruel and inhuman.”

    May 10, 2004 – Bush views some of the photos at the Pentagon and announces his firm support for Rumsfeld.

    May 12, 2004 – Rumsfeld testifies before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee.

    August 24, 2004 – An independent commission headed by former US Secretary of Defense James Schleslinger reports that what took place at the prison was due largely to “sadism” on the part of officers working the night shift, but that responsibility for the mistreatment of prisoners went higher up the chain of command, back to Washington, DC.

    August 25, 2004 – The Fay-Jones report on the Abu Ghraib scandal finds 44 instances of abuse, some of which amounted to torture.

    February 15, 2006 – A new set of graphic photographs and video from Abu Ghraib are aired on the Australian television network SBS’s program “Dateline.” The photos are reportedly from the same period in 2003 that the previous photos were shot, not new incidents.

    June 1, 2006 – Sgt. Santos Cardona, an Army dog handler, is found guilty of two of five counts against him, including aggravated assault and unlawfully using his dog to threaten detainees. He is sentenced to 90 days hard labor and a reduction of rank. He must also forfeit $600 of pay per month for a year.

    September 1, 2006 – Control of Abu Ghraib is handed over to the Iraqis after all of the detainees are transferred elsewhere.

    February 2008 – A documentary about the Abu Ghraib scandal by Oscar-winning director Errol Morris, “Standard Operating Procedure,” debuts at the Berlin Film Festival.

    June 30, 2008 – Former detainees of Abu Ghraib prison file a lawsuit against CACI Premier Technology, a military contractor who supplied the army with interrogators.

    February 21, 2009 – Abu Ghraib reopens after major renovations which include a new gym, barber shop, sewing room, outdoor recreational areas, a library, and computer room. Its name is changed to Baghdad Central Prison.

    September 2009 – Saleh et al v. Titan Corporation et al, a federal class action lawsuit alleging abuse at Abu Ghraib by civilian contractors from CACI International is dismissed by a federal appeals court.

    2012 – Defense contractor Engility Holdings Inc. agrees to pay 71 former detainees at Abu Ghraib and other sites $5.28 million to settle a lawsuit filed in 2008.

    April 2014 – Iraq closes the prison due to security concerns.

    March 20, 2015 – US District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein orders the Defense Department to release photos that show detainees being abused in detention centers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    January 18, 2017 – Hellerstein rules that the government must release an estimated 2,000 additional photos of prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib and other military facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    August 23, 2019 – The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals allows a 2008 lawsuit filed by former detainees against CACI Premier Technology to move forward. The court denied CACI’s request to immediately appeal a lower court’s ruling that the company can be sued and is not immune from civil suit as a government contractor.

    June 28, 2021 – The US Supreme Court denies CACI Premier Technology’s petition, clearing the way for the 2008 lawsuit to proceed.

    Spc. Megan Ambuhl
    372nd Military Police Company
    October 30, 2004 – As part of a plea deal, Ambuhl pleads guilty to one charge of dereliction of duty. She is discharged from the Army without prison time.

    Sgt. Javal S. Davis
    372nd Military Police Company
    February 1, 2005 – Pleads guilty as part of a plea agreement.
    February 5, 2005 – Is sentenced to six months in a military prison.
    Late May 2005 – Is released after serving approximately three months.

    Pfc. Lynndie England
    372nd Military Police Company
    May 2, 2005 – England pleads guilty to reduced charges as part of a pretrial agreement.
    May 4, 2005 – A mistrial is declared after she pleads guilty but then states that she did not know her actions were wrong.
    September 21, 2005 – England’s second court-martial trial begins at Fort Hood, Texas.
    September 26, 2005 – England is found guilty of four counts of maltreating detainees, one count of conspiracy and one count of committing an indecent act.
    September 27, 2005 – Is sentenced to three years in prison and given a dishonorable discharge.
    March 2007 – Is released from military prison after serving half of her 36-month sentence.
    2009 – Her biography, “Tortured: Lynndie England, Abu Ghraib and the Photographs that Shocked the World,” is published.

    Staff Sgt. Ivan “Chip” Frederick II
    372nd Military Police Company
    October 20, 2004 – Pleads guilty to conspiracy, dereliction of duty, maltreatment of detainees, assault, and committing an indecent act under a plea agreement.
    October 21, 2004 – Is sentenced to eight years in prison and also sentenced to a forfeiture of pay, a dishonorable discharge and a reduction in rank to private.
    October 1, 2007 – Is paroled after serving approximately three years in a military prison.

    Spc. Charles Graner
    372nd Military Police Company
    January 14, 2005 – Graner is found guilty of nine of 10 counts under five separate charges.
    January 15, 2005 – Graner is sentenced to 10 years in prison, downgraded to the rank of private with loss of pay, and receives a dishonorable discharge.
    August 6, 2011 – Graner is released from prison.

    Spc. Sabrina Harman
    372nd Military Police Company
    May 16, 2005 – Is found guilty on six of the seven charges for her role in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal.
    May 17, 2005 – Sentenced to six months in prison. Harman is demoted to private, and receives a bad conduct discharge after she finishes the sentence.

    Lt. Col. Steven L. Jordan
    Director, Joint Interrogation and Debriefing Center during the fall of 2003. Jordan is the only officer charged with prisoner abuse.
    April 28, 2006 – Charged with eight counts, including disobeying an order, dereliction of duty, cruelty, false statements, fraud and interfering with an investigation.
    August 28, 2007 – Acquitted of charges that he failed to control soldiers who abused detainees, but is found guilty of disobeying a general’s command not to talk about allegations of abuse at the prison. On August 29, he is sentenced with a reprimand.
    January 10, 2008 – Cleared of all wrongdoing, and the conviction and reprimand are removed from his record.

    Brig. Gen. Janis Karpinski
    Commander of the Army Reserve’s 800th Military Police Brigade, in charge of all 12 Iraqi detention facilities, including Abu Ghraib.
    May 5, 2005 – She is demoted from brigadier general to colonel by President Bush after an extensive investigation and is cited for two of four allegations against her, dereliction of duty and shoplifting. The probe clears her of “making a material misrepresentation to an investigating team” and “failure to obey a lawful order.”

    Col. Thomas Pappas
    Commander of the 205th Military Intelligence Brigade.
    May 2006 – Reprimanded, fined, and relieved of command after using muzzled dogs inside interrogation rooms.

    Lt. Col. Jerry L. Phillabaum
    Commander, 320th MP Battalion.
    April 2004 – He is reprimanded and relieved of command of the 320th Military Police Battalion for his role in the scandal.

    Spc. Jeremy Sivits
    372nd Military Police Company
    May 19, 2004 – Sivits pleads guilty as part of a pretrial agreement with prosecutors that leaves him open to testify against other soldiers charged in the scandal. He is sentenced to a year of confinement, discharge for bad conduct, and is demoted.

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  • Colorado House committee defeats bill to repeal anti-BDS law on PERA investments

    Colorado House committee defeats bill to repeal anti-BDS law on PERA investments

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    Colorado’s public pension program must continue divesting from companies that economically boycott Israel after a state House committee rejected a bill that would have repealed the requirement.

    The 10-1 bipartisan defeat of HB24-1169 late Monday in the House Finance Committee came after hours of emotional and tense testimony. The discussion often spiraled into support or condemnation for Israel and its months-long military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

    More than 100 people testified for or against the measure, which would have repealed a 2016 state law that requires the Public Employees Retirement Association to divest from companies that participate in the BDS movement. That movement promotes boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel as a way of protesting the country’s treatment of Palestinians.

    Only three companies have been flagged under the law, according to PERA. It applies only to international companies. The law costs roughly $10,000 a year to administer.

    Just one member of the Democrat-controlled finance committee, Rep. Lorena Garcia, an Adams County Democrat, voted to advance the bill. The measure was sponsored by Rep. Elisabeth Epps, a Denver Democrat. She was reprimanded by House leadership last month for, among other things, disrupting House proceedings and joining pro-Palestinian protesters seated in the House’s gallery during the November special session.

    Nearly 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza during Israel’s war with Hamas, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched the war in response to Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attacks, which killed 1,200 people and included the taking of about 250 hostages, some of whom are still being held.

    Epps told fellow lawmakers Monday that she repeatedly had been told the legislature had no business weighing in on international affairs, but she argued that the 2016 anti-BDS law did just that.

    “There is a particularly insidious criticism that is made of folks who are protesting a range of issues,” she said. “The central element of that criticism is that we’re not doing it right. … If you want to petition your pension board to do an economic boycott, that’s not right either. That can’t be how we continue to do business here.”

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    Seth Klamann

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  • Ukraine vows more self-reliance as war enters third year

    Ukraine vows more self-reliance as war enters third year

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    Ukrainians have questions

    On the anniversary of Putin’s aggression, however, uncertainty and irritation were undisguised in Kyiv. Ukrainians wanted to know why Western sanctions on Russia are not working, and why Moscow keeps getting components for its missiles from Western companies. Why Ukrainians have to keep asking for weapons; and why the U.S. is not pushing through the crucial new aid package for Ukraine.

    “We are very grateful for the support of the United States, but unfortunately, when I turn to the Democrats for support, they tell me to go to the Republicans. And the Republicans say to go to the Democrats,” Ukrainian MP Oleksandra Ustinova said at a separate Kyiv conference on Saturday. “We are grateful for the European support, but we cannot win without the USA. We need the supply of anti-aircraft defenses and continued assistance.”

    “Why don’t you give us what we ask for? Our priorities are air defense and missiles. We need long-range missiles,” Ustinova added. 

    U.S. Congressman Jim Costa explained to the conference that Americans, and even members of Congress, still need to be educated on how the war in Ukraine affects them and why a Ukrainian victory is in America’s best interests.

    “I believe that we must, and that is why we will decide on an additional aid package for Ukraine. It is difficult and unattractive. But I believe that over the next few weeks, the US response will be a beacon to protect our security and democratic values,” Costa said.

    The West is afraid of Russia, Oleksiy Danilov, Ukraine’s security and defense council secretary, told the Saturday conference.

     “The West does not know what to do with Russia and therefore it does not allow us to win. Russians constantly blackmail and intimidate the West. However, if you are afraid of a dog, it will bite you,” he said.

    “And now you are losing not only to autocratic Russia but also to the rest of the autocracies in the world,” Danilov added.

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    Veronika Melkozerova

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  • The Navy Softens Their Stance On Marijuana

    The Navy Softens Their Stance On Marijuana

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    With recruitment down, the US Navy is taking a softer approach to marijuana

    Their motto used to be “see the world, join the Navy”, but enticing young people to be part of the armed forces have been tough the last few years. Only 23% of young people between 17 and 24 even qualify to join the military. Even fewer have expressed the desire to enlist, officials said.  Also, Gen Z is changing what they want in a career, they would rather see the world on their own terms.  Additionally, Gen Z has a different approach to life regarding drinking and drugs.  They have drifted away from alcohol and embraced marijuana – especially gummies and vaping. They are a key part of the California sober movement.

    RELATED: The Most Popular Marijuana Flavors

    In response to changes and to be competitive with every almost every other business/opportunity, it seems the Navy softens their stance on marijuana. The are no longer immediately kicking out recruits who arrive at boot camp at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Illinois, with detectable amounts of marijuana in their system.

    Photo by skeeze via Pixabay

    The Navy increased drug positives 68% from 3,367 in 2021 to 5,661 in 2022. This increase is due to the rise in THC use (nearly 80% of all positives): including both the delta-8 variant (CBD; testing began in 2021) and the traditional delta-9 variant (cannabis).

    Rear Adm. James Waters, director of the Navy’s military personnel plans and policy division made a statement. “The service has expanded the authority to grant waivers for any recruits who initially test positive for THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana.”

    “If they fail the test and own up — ‘Yes, I smoke marijuana ‘– we do an evaluation of the young person to make sure there’s not something else going on,” Waters said. “But we trust that through the process of boot camp that we have an opportunity to bring them along with our culture.”

    RELATED: How To Be Discreet When Using Weed

    The Navy maintains a zero tolerance policy for active duty drug use. They state it is based on both federal law and no test can adequately test someone’s fitness for duty based on the amount of THC in their system.

    The currently philosophy is THC consumption is not a moral issue (right or wrong). Instead, it  is incompatible with the Navy’s mission to prepare to fight and win anytime, anywhere.

    In September of 2022, the Air Force and Space Force announced a new pilot program that would grant certain applicants who test positive for THC, the main psychoactive component in marijuana, a chance to retest and possibly join the ranks.  By December, the Air Force Recruiting Service granted waivers to 43 applicants who tested positive for THC.  This was a larger than expected.

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    Terry Hacienda

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  • Zelenskyy offers Trump a tour of Ukraine’s front line

    Zelenskyy offers Trump a tour of Ukraine’s front line

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    “This is Russia’s war against any rules at all,” Zelenskyy said, to applause from the auditorium, adding:” If you do not manage to act now, Putin will make the next years catastrophic for other countries as well.”

    Zelenskyy’s appearance in Munich is part on an ongoing campaign to strengthen Kyiv’s ties with its Western allies. Before coming to Munich, he was in Berlin and Paris to sign security agreements, adding to a similar pact with the United Kingdom.

    Although Russia has more ammunition, the war is also causing problems, forcing it to plead for help from ramshackle dictatorships. “For the first time in Russian history, Russia bowed to Iran and North Korea for help,” said Zelenskyy.

    Despite problems like ammunition shortages and retreats from cities like Avdiivka, Zelenskyy insisted that Ukraine can prevail in the war against Russia, especially if its allies give it more arms and ammunition.

    “We can get our land back, and Putin can lose,” he said, adding: “We should not be afraid of Putin‘s defeat and the destruction of his regime. It is his fate to lose — not the fate of the rules-based order to vanish.”

    Antoaneta Roussi contributed reporting.

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    Joshua Posaner

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  • AARDVARK Tactical’s PROJECT7 Launches P7 Saves Initiative, Celebrates First Save

    AARDVARK Tactical’s PROJECT7 Launches P7 Saves Initiative, Celebrates First Save

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    LA VERNE, Calif., February 15, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    PROJECT7 Armor is proud to announce the launch of its new P7 Saves Initiative. This project celebrates the resilience of law enforcement and military personnel who survive critical incidents in the field while wearing PROJECT7 products. The program will highlight the inspiring survival stories of the men and women PROJECT7 was founded to protect.  

    P7 Saves launches with the story of Jordan Robison, a San Bernardino, California, police officer who survived multiple gunshot wounds from a 10mm Glock during a vehicle takedown of an attempted murder suspect in August 2021. Robison was hit seven times, with five rounds hitting outside the coverage of his PROJECT7 Scalable Entry Vest. Robison was struck once in each arm (fracturing both), once in the shoulder, once in the abdomen below his armor, and once in the leg, shattering his femur. Two rounds were stopped by his armor, with one deflecting off his cummerbund creating a grazing wound to his side and the second in the center of his rifle plate directly over his abdominal aorta.  

    After multiple surgeries and intensive physical and occupational therapy, Robison was released from the hospital to continue his road to recovery. Today, Robison is retired from law enforcement and working toward becoming a physician’s assistant. His goal is to work in the same hospital that treated him. 

    Robison’s survival was due in large part to the heroic actions of his team members. This is especially true for Officer Chris Shipley, who treated Robison with his own tourniquet despite also being shot in the leg, and medic Spence Brumbaugh who kept Robison alive during transport, giving the trauma team precious time to save Robison once he arrived at the hospital.

    Reflecting on the experience, Robison said, “If I had to say one thing to the people who trained me, to all the people I’ve worked with over the years, to the people who made my armor, to the doctors who actually saved me — from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

    AARDVARK CEO and founder of PROJECT7 Jon Becker summed up the experience saying, “Jordan is the first save for PROJECT7. When we set out to build PROJECT7, we knew that, eventually, someone’s life would depend upon our armor. That is why we chose the best possible ballistic partner in Safariland and it’s what inspired us to build the best possible armor system. It is hard to express how grateful we are that Jordan is alive and healthy to experience the rest of his life.”

    Jordan Robison’s story is a real-world example of PROJECT7’s purpose. To celebrate this occasion, PROJECT7 released a short documentary of his story, which can be found at https://aardvarktactical.com/p701/.

    About PROJECT7: 

    PROJECT7 is the culmination of years of research and development geared toward producing the ultimate integrated tactical armor systems. PROJECT7 is sold exclusively to sworn military, law enforcement, and federal agents through our sole-source distribution partner AARDVARK Tactical. 

    Source: AARDVARK Tactical

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  • Donald Trump just did Europe a favor

    Donald Trump just did Europe a favor

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    OK, now what?

    The truth is, Europe only has itself to blame for the morass. Trump has been harping on about NATO’s laggards for years, but he hardly invented the genre. American presidents going back to Dwight D. Eisenhower have complained about European allies freeloading on American defense.

    What Europeans don’t like to hear is that Trump has a point: They have been freeloading. What’s more, it was always unrealistic to expect the U.S. to pick pick up the tab for European security ad infinitum.

    After Trump lost to Biden in 2020, its seemed like everything had gone back to normal, however. Biden, a lifelong transatlanticist, sought to repair the damage Trump did to NATO by letting the Europeans slide back into their comfort zone.  

    Even though overall defense spending has increased in recent years in Europe — as it should have, considering Russia’s war on Ukraine — it’s still nowhere near enough. Only 11 of NATO’s 31 members are expected to meet the spending target in 2023, for example, according to NATO’s own data. Germany, the main target of Trump’s ire, has yet to achieve the 2 percent mark. It’s likely to this year, however, if only because its economy is contracting.

    The truth is, Europe was lulled back into a false sense of security by Biden’s warm embrace. Instead of going on a war footing by forcing industry to ramp up armament production and reinstating conscription in countries like Germany where it was phased out, Europe nestled itself in Americas skirts.



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    Matthew Karnitschnig

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  • White House condemns Trump’s ‘unhinged’ NATO comments

    White House condemns Trump’s ‘unhinged’ NATO comments

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    The frontrunner for the Republican nomination shows no signs of easing hostile stance towards military alliance.

    The White House has condemned Donald Trump’s comments suggesting the United States should not help NATO protect allies from a potential Russian attack as “unhinged”.

    The former United States president, who appeared to be talking about a previous meeting with NATO leaders during his latest political rally in South Carolina on Saturday, claimed he had spoken with the president of “a big country” about allies rushing to defend each other.

    “Well sir if we don’t pay, and we’re attacked by Russia – will you protect us?” he recounted the leader as saying.

    “I said: ‘You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent?’ He said: ‘Yes, let’s say that happened.’ No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay.”

    “Encouraging invasions of our closest allies by murderous regimes is appalling and unhinged – and it endangers American national security, global stability and our economy at home,” said White House spokesperson Andrew Bates.

    President Joe Biden, who is seeking re-election in November, has empowered the alliance since taking office in 2021, making sure NATO is now “the largest and most vital it has ever been”, Bates added.

    “Rather than calling for wars and promoting deranged chaos, President Biden will continue to bolster American leadership and stand up for our national security interests – not against them,” he said in a statement.

    The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a military alliance of 29 European and two North American countries, has a provision in its statute that says it must defend any member that is attacked.

    This is not the first time the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the upcoming presidential elections has criticised the alliance.

    When president, Trump threatened to pull the US out of NATO. He also suggested he could cut Washington’s funding of the organisation, and repeatedly complained that the US pays more than it should.

    With the war in Ukraine showing no signs of stopping, concerns have mounted over the ramifications of a potential Trump victory in November.

    Kyiv is desperately seeking funding to drive its war effort. The European Union agreed earlier this month to dedicate an additional 50-billion-euro ($54bn) aid package to Ukraine, however, Biden’s bid to win approval for a US aid package is bogged down amid domestic political spats.

    NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg last month said he did not believe a second Trump presidency would jeopardise US membership in the military bloc.

    The official, who has been pushing member states to boost military spending, said European allies were increasing their military contributions and “moving in the right direction”.

    Since the start of the Ukraine war in February 2022, US aid to Ukraine has totalled around $75bn, according to Stoltenberg, who said other NATO members and partner states combined have provided more than $100bn.

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  • Coast Guard Station Toledo officer in charge relieved of duties

    Coast Guard Station Toledo officer in charge relieved of duties

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    TOLEDO, Ohio — The officer in charge of the Coast Guard Station Toledo, Chief Petty Officer Robert Holm, was “permanently relieved of duties” Jan. 25, 2024, according to a press release from the Ninth Coast Guard District.

    What You Need To Know

    • The officer in charge of the Coast Guard Station Toledo, Chief Petty Officer Robert Holm, was “permanently relieved of duties” Jan. 25, 2024

    • This was due to a “loss of confidence in Holm’s ability to command the station”

    • Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Parker is in interim command of the station until a permanent command is chosen

    • Another military facility in Ohio saw a leader stripped of their command late last year

    Following an investigation, Rear Admiral Jon Hickey, the Coast Guard’s Ninth District commander, “effected the permanent relief due to a loss of confidence in Holm’s ability to command the station,” the release reads.

    The investigation, according to the release, concluded that Holm did not meet “personal qualification requirements” and did not “properly administrate unit programs.”

    Chief Warrant Officer Christopher Parker is in interim command of the station until a permanent command is chosen, the release notes. Meanwhile, Holm is now temporarily assigned to the Marine Safety Unit Toledo.

    Another military facility in Ohio saw a leader stripped of their command late last year.

    In December, Col. Christopher Meeker was relieved of command of the 88th Air Base Wing at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, also due to a “loss of confidence in his ability to lead.”

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    Cody Thompson

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  • US aid ‘indispensable’ for defense of Ukraine, Scholz says

    US aid ‘indispensable’ for defense of Ukraine, Scholz says

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    Citing the EU’s decision to allocate more funding for Ukraine at the extraordinary European Council summit last week, the German chancellor urged the U.S. Congress to do its part to defend Ukraine by green-lighting the further aid proposed by Biden.

    Scholz said congressional approval of the aid package would “send the right message to the Russian president that his hopes are in vain, that he simply has to wait long enough for the support of Ukraine’s friends in Europe, North America and elsewhere to wane.”

    NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, meanwhile, said the defense alliance needs to improve its military capabilities and be prepared for a decades-long conflict with Russia.

    If Russian President Vladimir Putin “wins in Ukraine, there is no guarantee that Russian aggression will not spread to other countries,” Stoltenberg warned in an interview with German newspaper Welt Am Sonntag.

    “We have to prepare ourselves for a confrontation that could last decades,” he said. “We need to restore and expand our industrial base more quickly so that we can increase deliveries to Ukraine and replenish our own stocks,” Stoltenberg said.

    Germany’s Scholz, asked about the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and Israel’s planned offensive in Rafah, said that the Israeli government needed to conduct military operations in a balanced manner. “I have already said it very precisely: the type of warfare must meet the demands that Israel makes on itself, but which are also imposed by international law,” Scholz said.



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    Aitor Hernández-Morales

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  • Demands for Canada to stop supplying weapons to Israel grow louder

    Demands for Canada to stop supplying weapons to Israel grow louder

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    Montreal, Canada – Human rights advocates are accusing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government of misleading the public over weapons sales to Israel, which have come under greater scrutiny amid the deadly Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

    At issue is legislation that prohibits the government from exporting military equipment to foreign actors if there is a risk it can be used in human rights abuses.

    But regulatory loopholes, combined with a lack of clarity over what Canada sends to Israel, have complicated efforts to end the transfers.

    Dozens of Canadian civil society groups this month urged Trudeau to end arms exports to Israel, arguing they violate Canadian and international law because the weapons could be used in the Gaza Strip.

    But in the face of mounting pressure since Israel’s war on Gaza began on October 7, Canada’s foreign affairs ministry has tried to downplay the state’s role in helping Israel build its arsenal.

    “Global Affairs Canada can confirm that Canada has not received any requests, and therefore not issued any permits, for full weapon systems for major conventional arms or light weapons to Israel for over 30 years,” the department told Al Jazeera in an email on Friday.

    “The permits which have been granted since October 7, 2023, are for the export of non-lethal equipment.”

    But advocates say this misrepresents the total volume of Canada’s military exports to Israel, which totalled more than $15m ($21.3m Canadian) in 2022, according to the government’s own figures.

    It also shines a spotlight on the nation’s longstanding lack of transparency around these transfers.

    “Canadian companies have exported over [$84m, $114m Canadian] in military goods to Israel since 2015 when the Trudeau government was elected,” said Michael Bueckert, vice president of Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East, an advocacy group.

    “And they have continued to approve arms exports since October 7 despite the clear risk of genocide in Gaza,” Bueckert told Al Jazeera.

    “Unable to defend its own policy, this government is misleading Canadians into thinking that we aren’t exporting weapons to Israel at all. As Canadians increasingly demand that their government impose an arms embargo on Israel, politicians are trying to pretend that the arms trade doesn’t exist.”

    Lack of information

    While Canada may not transfer full weapons systems to Israel, the two countries enjoy “a consistent arms trade relationship”, said Kelsey Gallagher, a researcher at Project Ploughshares, a peace research institute.

    The vast majority of Canada’s military exports to Israel come in the form of parts and components. These typically fall into three categories, Gallagher explained: electronics and space equipment; military aerospace exports and components; and finally, bombs, missiles, rockets and general military explosives and components.

    But beyond these broad categories, which were gleaned by examining Canada’s own domestic and international reports on weapons exports, Gallagher said it remains unclear “what these actual pieces of technology are”.

    “We don’t know what companies are exporting them. We don’t know exactly what their end use is,” he told Al Jazeera.

    Global Affairs Canada did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s question about what “non-lethal equipment” the government has approved for export to Israel since October 7.

    “What does this mean? No one knows because there’s no definition of that and it really could be quite a number of things,” said Henry Off, a Toronto-based lawyer and board member of the group Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR).

    Human rights lawyers and activists also suspect that Canadian military components are reaching Israel via the United States, including for installation in fighter jets such as the F-35 aircraft.

    But these transfers are difficult to track because a decades-old deal between Canada and the US – 1956’s Defence Production Sharing Agreement – has created “a unique and comprehensive set of loopholes that are afforded to Canadian arms transfers to the US”, said Gallagher.

    “These exports are treated with zero transparency. There is no regulation of, or reporting of, the transfer of Canadian-made military components to the US, including those that could be re-transferred to Israel,” he said.

    The result, he added, is that “it is very difficult to challenge what are problematic transfers if we do not have the information with which to do so”.

    Domestic, international law

    Despite these hurdles, Canadian human rights advocates are pressuring the government to end its weapons sales to Israel, particularly in light of the Israeli military’s continued assault on Gaza.

    Nearly 28,000 Palestinians have been killed over the past four months and rights advocates have meticulously documented the impact on the ground of Israel’s indiscriminate bombing, and its vast destruction of the enclave. The world’s top court, the International Court of Justice, also determined last month that Palestinians in Gaza face a plausible risk of genocide.

    Against that backdrop, eliminating weapons transfers to Israel is effectively a demand for “Canada [to] abide by its own laws”, said Off, the Toronto lawyer.

    That’s because Canada’s Export and Import Permits Act obliges the foreign minister to “deny exports and brokering permit applications for military goods and technology … if there is a substantial risk that the items would undermine peace and security”.

    The minister should also deny exports if they “could be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws” or in “serious acts of gender-based violence or serious acts of violence against women and children”, the law states.

    Meanwhile, Canada is also party to the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a United Nations pact that bans transfers if states have knowledge the arms could be used in genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other violations of international law.

    But according to Off, despite a growing list of Israeli human rights violations since October 7, Canada “has been approving the transfer of military goods and technology that might fuel” them.

    Late last month, Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights wrote a letter to Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly demanding an immediate end to the transfers. The group said it would consider next steps, including possible legal action, if action is not taken.

    ‘It takes a village’

    Still, Canada insists that it maintains one of the strongest arms export control regimes in the world.

    Asked whether his government intends to end arms transfers to Israel, Trudeau said in Parliament on January 31 that Canada “puts human rights and protection of human rights at the centre of all our decision-making”.

    “It has always been the case and we have been consistent in making sure that we are responsible in the way we do that. We will continue to be so,” the prime minister said.

    Gallagher, at Project Ploughshares, told Al Jazeera, however, that Canada maintains “a level of permissibility” in choosing which countries it chooses to arm, including Israel.

    “More than [27,000] Palestinians killed, the vast majority civilians; much of the Gaza Strip absolutely destroyed,” he said, referring to Israel’s offensive. “This is obviously an operation that is not being conducted within the bounds of international humanitarian law, which should be colouring the risk assessment performed by Canadian officials.”

    Destroyed houses in the Al Bureij refugee camp, Gaza, on February 7, 2024 [Mohammed Saber/EPA]

    And while Canadian weapons exports to the Israeli government pale in comparison to other countries – notably the US, which sends billions of dollars in military aid to Israel annually – Off said, “Any difference is a difference.”

    “It takes a village to make these instruments of death and it should make a difference if we cut off Canada’s contributions,” he told Al Jazeera, adding that the pressure on Canada also sends a message to other countries “potentially aiding and abetting Israel’s slaughter of Gaza”.

    “If you send arms to countries committing serious violations of international humanitarian law, you will be held to account.”

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  • AARDVARK and Combined Systems, Inc. Announce New Partnership

    AARDVARK and Combined Systems, Inc. Announce New Partnership

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    LA VERNE, Calif., February 8, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    AARDVARK is excited to announce a new partnership with Combined Systems, Inc. for the sale and distribution of Combined Tactical Systems Less-Lethal Products and Penn Arms Launchers. This partnership represents a brand shift in AARDVARK’s less-lethal product offerings as it follows a move from a 25-year exclusive brand partnership with another manufacturer.

    Speaking about the new agreement, AARDVARK CEO Jon Becker said, “We are very happy to announce this new agreement and to begin transitioning our clients to CSI. CTS and Penn Arms are the industry leaders in less-lethal and we are looking forward to working with Paul Ford and his team to improve the less-lethal programs for our clients.”

    Paul Ford, CSI’s VP of Sales and Marketing, summarized the partnership by saying, “CSI is thrilled to announce our partnership with Aardvark Tactical. We have been competitors for many years and it is exciting to finally be working together. We look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead. We are confident that together we will deliver exceptional service and value to our law enforcement and corrections customers.” 

    This partnership is the latest development in AARDVARK’s continued efforts to provide tactical operators with the protection they need. For more information, and to view the full product catalog, visit https://shop.aardvarktactical.com/pages/cts. 

    About AARDVARK:

    Founded in 1987, AARDVARK is a leading manufacturer, distributor, and system integrator specializing in the protection of tactical operators from Local, State, Federal, and Military Units. AARDVARK is headquartered in La Verne, California.

    About CSI:

    Founded in 1981, Combined Systems, Inc. (CSI) is the recognized leader in the design, manufacture, and marketing of security products for the global defense and law enforcement markets. As the premier supplier of less-lethal munitions and launching systems, CSI manufactures products for riot control, police tactical teams, corrections officers, and military units. CSI’s blue-chip customer base includes the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy, and a majority of the U.S. law enforcement, as well as foreign military and security forces around the world.

    Source: AARDVARK

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  • 5 Marines aboard helicopter that crashed outside San Diego are confirmed dead, military says

    5 Marines aboard helicopter that crashed outside San Diego are confirmed dead, military says

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    SAN DIEGO — 

    Five U.S. Marines aboard a helicopter that went down during stormy weather in the mountains outside San Diego are confirmed dead, a Marine commander said Thursday.

    It was the second fatal crash for Marines in Southern California involving a Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion, a heavy lift helicopter, in the last six years. The Marines said an investigation into the latest crash is underway.

    Authorities say the aircraft vanished late Tuesday while returning to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego after a routine training mission to Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nev., northwest of Las Vegas. The helicopter was flying into treacherous weather in California, which had been inundated with three days of relentless rain.

    “It is with a heavy heart and profound sadness that I share the loss of five outstanding Marines from 3d Marine Aircraft Wing and the ‘Flying Tigers,’” Maj. Gen. Michael J. Borgschulte, commander of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, said in a statement.

    The names of those killed will not be released until 24 hours after next of kin are notified, officials said.

    “To the families of our fallen Marines, we send our deepest condolences and commit to ensuring your support and care during this incredibly difficult time,” Borgschulte said. “Though we understand the inherent risks of military service, any loss of life is always difficult.”

    Those aboard the flight were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, according to the Marines.

    In a statement, President Biden said he and First Lady Jill Biden “extend our deepest condolences to their families, their squadron, and the U.S. Marine Corps as we grieve the loss of five of our nation’s finest warriors.” He also thanked the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary-Civil Air Patrol, and other federal, state, and local agencies for helping in the search and recovery efforts.

    “Our service members represent the very best of our nation — and these five Marines were no exception,” Biden said. “Today, as we mourn this profound loss, we honor their selfless service and ultimate sacrifice — and reaffirm the sacred obligation we bear to all those who wear the uniform and their families.”

    As the Marines were flying back to their base Tuesday night, visibility was poor because of snow, rain and gusty winds, according to meteorologist Philip Gonsalves with the National Weather Service in San Diego. Those conditions would have been in play for most of the night and into the morning, Gonsalves said.

    The craft was discovered Wednesday morning near Pine Valley, in the Cuyamaca Mountains an hour’s drive from San Diego. The Marines said an effort to recover the remains of the five has begun.

    The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection received word about the missing helicopter at 2:20 a.m. Wednesday and began the search in the area of Lake Morena, but their efforts were hampered by heavy snow and mud, officials said.

    In 2018, four Marines died in a helicopter crash 15 miles west of El Centro. The crew flew out of a base in Twentynine Palms as part of a training exercise on April 3 on the same type of heavy-lift helicopter that was reported missing Wednesday, according to a news release from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

    Two years after the crash, the families of the four Marines sued the manufacturers who supplied parts to the military. A Marine Corps investigation into the crash ruled out pilot error and pointed to a bypass valve as the root cause of the crash, the news outlet Marine Corps Times reported when the lawsuit was filed.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.



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    Nathan Solis, Jon Healey

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  • Amnesty calls for war crimes probe over Myanmar military bombing of church

    Amnesty calls for war crimes probe over Myanmar military bombing of church

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    The January attack in Sagaing killed 17 villagers, including two children, as they attended a Sunday service.

    Myanmar’s military should be investigated for war crimes over an air attack last month that killed 17 villagers, including two children, as they attended a Sunday church service, Amnesty International has said.

    Amnesty said photo and video analysis, as well as interviews with witnesses, indicated the Myanmar air force had dropped bombs on three locations near the St Peter Baptist Church in Kanan village on the morning of January 7.

    The village is in the Sagaing region, not far from Myanmar’s border with India.

    At least 20 people were injured.

    The damage is “consistent with air strikes”, the rights group said in a statement on Thursday. “The combined photo and video evidence indicates at least three impact locations, with craters consistent with aircraft bombs of approximately 250kg each.”

    The Myanmar military has previously denied responsibility for the attack, claiming no aircraft were operating in the area at the time.

    But Amnesty said a review of video taken during the strikes showed the “distinctive swept-wing silhouette of an A-5 fighter jet flying over the village”, noting that only the military flies the China-made aircraft. Moreover, satellite imagery from the Tada-U airbase near Mandalay showed active A-5 operations on the airfield while plane spotters had reported the takeoff, flight and landing of an A-5 consistent with that morning’s attack on Kanan.

    “The Myanmar military’s deadly attacks on civilians show no signs of stopping,” said Matt Wells, the director of Amnesty’s crisis response programme. “These attacks must be investigated as war crimes and the UN Security Council should refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The perpetrators of these crimes under international law must be brought to justice.”

    The bombing caused widespread damage to buildings in the village [Courtesy of Amnesty International]

    Myanmar was plunged into crisis three years ago when the generals seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi triggering mass protests that evolved into armed resistance after the military responded with brutal force.

    At least 4,485 civilians have been killed since the coup, and violence has become increasingly widespread.

    Sagaing has been notorious for brutal assaults by the military, which has launched air attacks and burned villages as part of its long-held strategy known as “four cuts” that aims to separate its opponents from their potential civilian supporters.

    At the time of the church attack, Kanan village was under the control of a unit of the People’s Defence Force (PDF), an anti-coup armed group established by the National Unity Government of lawmakers removed in the coup and pro-democracy activists.

    ‘Toothless statements’

    There are growing calls for the international community to do more to address the deteriorating situation in Myanmar where the United Nations estimates at least 2.6 million people have been forced from their homes by the fighting and millions are in need of humanitarian assistance.

    Although the United States and its allies have imposed some sanctions, the response has largely been left to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional grouping that Myanmar joined in 1997.

    ASEAN agreed to the so-called Five Point Consensus to end the violence at an emergency meeting with Myanmar army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in April 2021, but the military regime has ignored the agreement and the bloc has done little to make it comply.

    “The crisis in Myanmar is escalating rapidly and the Myanmar people urgently need support and protection from the UN Security Council,” Marzuki Darusman, a member of the Special Advisory Council on Myanmar (SAC-M) and former chair of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar, said in a statement on Wednesday following a closed-door session of the council.

    Before the meeting, nine members of the 15-member council issued a statement calling on the military to end its attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure and free all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi.

    “It is simply not good enough for the Security Council to issue toothless statements and defer to an even more toothless ASEAN. The junta must face justice for its deplorable acts,” Darusman added.

    The exterior of the St Peter Baptist Church in Kanan after the attack. The windows have been blown out
    Attacks on religious buildings are war crimes under international law [Courtesy of Amnesty International]

    Fellow SAC-M member Chris Sedoti said the Security Council should have referred Myanmar to the ICC long ago.

    “If it can’t, or won’t, then others must act to finally bring the perpetrators of grave international crimes in Myanmar to justice through the ICC or a special tribunal,” said Sedoti, who was also part of the fact-finding mission.

    In 2018, the mission called for the investigation and prosecution of Min Aung Hlaing and his top military leaders for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes over its treatment of several ethnic and religious minorities in Rakhine, Kachin and Shan states, including the mostly Muslim Rohingya.

    The SAC-M was set up after the coup by a group of international independent experts to support the people of Myanmar in their fight for justice and accountability.

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  • Military helicopter with 5 Marines on board goes missing en route to California

    Military helicopter with 5 Marines on board goes missing en route to California

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    The helicopter was en route from Nevada to California Tuesday night.

    ByLuis Martinez

    Wednesday, February 7, 2024 3:05PM

    Helicopter with 5 Marines on board goes missing en route to San Diego

    Search and rescue crews are looking for a missing helicopter with five Marines aboard, the U.S. Marine Corps said.

    ABCNews

    California search and rescue crews are looking Wednesday for a missing helicopter with five Marines aboard, the U.S. Marine Corps said.

    The CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter was “reported overdue” to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Tuesday night. The helicopter departed from Creech Air Force Base near Las Vegas and was en route to Miramar, in the San Diego area.

    FILE – In this Oct. 10, 2009, file photo a U.S. military helicopter, the CH-53E Super Stallion, airlifts humanitarian aid to be dropped in affected regions around Pariaman.

    Wong Maye-E

    The Marines have asked for help from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and Civil Air Patrol.

    The sheriff’s department said it received a call at 1:50 a.m. and sent its own helicopter to search, but the helicopter wasn’t able to reach the area due to the atmospheric river storm hitting the region. The sheriff’s department said it has now sent off-road vehicles to navigate the rough terrain.

    Firefighters responded to the point where the helicopter was last known, and nothing was found, Cal Fire officials said.

    This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

    Copyright © 2024 ABC News Internet Ventures.

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    ABCNews

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  • Iran says US-British strikes in Yemen are ‘fueling chaos and disorder’ in Mideast

    Iran says US-British strikes in Yemen are ‘fueling chaos and disorder’ in Mideast

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    Iran on Sunday denounced U.S. and British air strikes on Yemen as “fueling chaos and disorder” and risking an escalation of the war in the Middle East.

    Washington and London, with support from partner nations, on Saturday launched a fresh round of air and missile strikes on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen in retaliation for the group’s continued attacks on international shipping. A day earlier, U.S. long-range aircraft bombarded Iranian military and proxy targets in Iraq and Syria.

    Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Nasser Kanani, claimed that the strikes contradict U.S. and U.K. policy of wanting to avoid an escalation in the conflict.

    These attacks are “in clear contradiction with the repeated claims of Washington and London that they do not want the expansion of war and conflict in the region,” Kanani said, according to AFP. He added that further attacks on Houthi rebels in Yemen would constitute a “threat to international peace and security.”



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    Hans von der Burchard

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  • Yemen: US and EU ignored our warnings about Houthis to court Iran for nuclear deal

    Yemen: US and EU ignored our warnings about Houthis to court Iran for nuclear deal

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    “We have been saying this a long time,” he said on a visit to Brussels. “I have been here three times before and always we said if we didn’t do this … the Houthis will never stop. The Houthis have an ideology, have a project. Iran has a project in the region and unfortunately, the others do not respond.”

    He expressed frustration that the EU and U.S. spent years pouring their diplomatic energies into wooing Tehran for a nuclear deal, rather than exerting more pressure on the Islamic Republic to stop supporting their Houthi allies, fellow Shi’ite Muslims who were seeking to impose what he labeled a “theocratic, totalitarian” police state.  

    The idea behind the nuclear talks was that Tehran should limit its nuclear ambitions in return for sanctions relief, but an accord proved out of reach.  

    No one paid attention

    Bin Mubarak noted international momentum for action — which has included U.S. and British strikes on Houthi targets — did not finally come about “because of what [the Houthis] did to the Yemenis. They killed thousands of Yemenis. Not because of the atrocities they committed, raping women … jailing women … Just look at what Houthis did. No one is paying attention.”   

    He explained Western diplomacy toward Iran was supposed to have focused on three elements: the nuclear program, Tehran’s support for regional proxies, and its ballistic missile program. The fixation on the first, to the detriment of the other two, means the West is now facing an adversary in Yemen that has been very well armed by Iran, bin Mubarak complained.  

    “[Iran’s] Shahed drones, the first time we started hearing the European Union talking about it, they were being used in Ukraine. But before that, for years, we were saying Iran is supplying Houthis and drones are attacking Yemeni people. No one was believing [it],” he continued, adding that Houthi drone strikes stopped Yemeni oil exports in October 2022.    



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    Christian Oliver

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  • Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 708

    Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 708

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    As the war enters its 708th day, these are the main developments.

    Here is the situation on Thursday, February 1, 2024.

    Fighting

    • A Russian bomb hit a hospital in northeastern Ukraine, forcing the evacuation of dozens of patients, smashing windows and damaging equipment. Volodymyr Tymoshko, head of the Kharkiv regional branch of the national police, said the bomb made a direct hit on the hospital in the town of Velykyi Burluk, northeast of Kharkiv, and a second bomb landed nearby. Four people were slightly injured.
    • Ukraine’s air defences shot down 14 out of 20 drones launched by Russia in an overnight attack that injured one person and damaged commercial buildings. The air force said the Iranian-made Shahed drones and three Iskander missiles targeted five Ukrainian regions in the south and the east.
    • Russia said it destroyed 20 missiles launched by Ukraine over the Black Sea and the Crimean peninsula, which Moscow invaded in 2014 and then annexed.
    • Ukraine’s air force commander Mykola Oleshchuk said its forces struck the Belbek military airfield in Crimea. He did not go into detail.

    Politics and diplomacy

    • Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war. Russia’s Defence Ministry said 195 of its soldiers were freed, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 207 people, including some civilians, had been returned to Ukraine.
    • German Chancellor Olaf Scholz told his country’s parliament that he would rally European partners to deliver support for Ukraine that was “so huge” it would weigh on Russian President Vladimir Putin. His comments came ahead of a key European Union summit on 50 billion euros ($54bn) of funding for Ukraine that is being blocked by Hungary.
    • Victoria Nuland, the United States acting deputy secretary of state, visited Kyiv and said she was encouraged by Ukraine’s strengthening defences and that Moscow should expect some “surprises” on the battlefield. A US military aid package for Ukraine is being held up in Congress by Republicans who want to link it to policy changes at the US border. Nuland said she was confident it would be adopted.
    • The International Court of Justice (ICJ) rejected much of a case filed by Ukraine that accused Russia of bankrolling separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine a decade ago, saying only that Moscow had failed to investigate alleged breaches.
    • Boris Nadezhdin submitted his bid to run for the Russian presidency in March’s election after delivering 105,000 signatures backing his campaign to the Central Election Commission (CEC). The 60-year-old has emerged as a prominent critic of the Kremlin and promised to end the war in Ukraine.

    Weapons

    • The EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell admitted that the EU’s promise to supply Ukraine with one million artillery shells by March would fall short, with just over half that number expected to be delivered by that deadline. The remaining 155-mm artillery shells are likely to be delivered by the end of the year, Borrell said.

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  • U.S. F-16 Crashes off South Korea, Again

    U.S. F-16 Crashes off South Korea, Again

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    Amid an “in-flight emergency,” a U.S. F-16 fighter jet crashed in waters off South Korea’s west coast Wednesday morning, the U.S. Air Force said in a statement, adding that the pilot had “ejected safely” and was transported conscious to a medical facility for assessment.

    “We are very thankful to the Republic of Korea rescue forces and all of our teammates who made the swift recovery of our pilot possible,” Matthew C. Gaetke, commander of the 8th Fighter Wing, said in the statement. The 8th Fighter Wing, which was the first overseas unit to receive the F-16 platform in 1981, operates from Kunsan Air Base, about 115 miles south of Seoul.

    “Now we will shift our focus to search and recovery of the aircraft,” Gaetke said. Information on the cause of the emergency would not be made available until investigation has concluded, the statement said.

    This is the second time in less than two months that the U.S. Air Force has experienced incidents with its F-16s. In December, another F-16 fighter jet from the 8th Fighter Wing crashed into the Yellow Sea off South Korea’s southeastern coast, with the pilot also having ejected safely before the crash. At the time, Gaetke ordered a two-day pause on flights for investigation and recovery of the aircraft. It’s unclear if that investigation has concluded.

    Last May, another F-16 pilot ejected safely before the aircraft crashed into farmland near Osan Air Base.

    Wednesday’s accident also comes months after a U.S. Osprey aircraft crashed off Japan’s coast in November, killing all eight men on board. Ospreys remain grounded since the crash, and Congress has launched an oversight investigation into the program.

    Jan. 20 marked the 50th anniversary of the first F-16 flight. Since 1974, the aircraft has been used in “every major American conflict,” including to “maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula,” according to the 8th Fighter Wing. 

    “The fight is evolving, the threat is evolving, and fortunately, so is the F-16,” Gaetke said earlier this month. 

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    Koh Ewe

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  • Macron: ‘Whatever America decides,’ Europe must back Ukraine

    Macron: ‘Whatever America decides,’ Europe must back Ukraine

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    Macron’s comments come as European nations grapple with the looming consequences of Donald Trump’s potential return to the White House, with the NATO-skeptic ex-president on track to win the Republican nomination. In the U.S., further military aid for Ukraine is also stalled in Congress, with Republican lawmakers reluctant to continue funding Kyiv. Ukraine has been fending off Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion for almost two years now.

    “This is a decisive and testing moment for Europe. We must be ready to act to defend and support Ukraine whatever it takes and whatever America decides,” Macron said during a speech at Sweden’s Military Academy Karlberg.

    Ahead of a key European summit this week focused on Ukraine, Macron also said the EU will have “to accelerate the scale” of its support, given that the costs “of a Russian victory are too high for all of us.”

    EU leaders are hoping to agree on a €50 billion aid package for Ukraine at a European Council summit this Thursday, but fears are growing that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will use his veto to block the funds for Kyiv.

    Macron is currently on a two-day visit to Sweden to discuss partnerships in areas from energy to defense. French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu and his Swedish counterpart Pål Jonson are expected to sign letters of intent on air defense and air surveillance systems.

    France and Sweden are among the very few European countries with a wide-ranging defense industry that can also manufacture their own fighter jets — France’s Rafale by Dassault Aviation, and Sweden’s JAS 39 Gripen made by Saab.

    “We both have a very strong model in terms of production,” Macron told the audience, listing equipment, weapons, missiles and ammunition. Cyber and space, he added, are “clearly two areas of conflictuality for the future where there’s a lot to do together.”

    The partnership between the French and Belgian armies — dubbed CaMo — is a model that could be replicated between France and Sweden, Macron added.



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    Clea Caulcutt and Laura Kayali

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