U.S.A. Foreign Policy & Defense

[oxmox 73]

Diplomacy of de-escalation ?

US might deploy missiles in Europe to counter Russia (Associated Press, June 4th)

The Obama administration is weighing a range of aggressive responses to Russia's alleged violation of a Cold War-era nuclear treaty,

including deploying land-based missiles in Europe that could pre-emptively destroy the Russian weapons.

This "counterforce" option is among possibilities the administration is considering as it reviews its entire policy toward Russia in light of Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine, its annexation of Crimea and other actions the U.S. deems confrontational in Europe and beyond.

The options go so far as one implied — but not stated explicitly — that would improve the ability of U.S. nuclear weapons to destroy military targets on Russian territory.

It all has a certain Cold War ring, even if the White House ultimately decides to continue tolerating Russia's alleged flight-testing of a ground-launched cruise missile with a range prohibited by the treaty.

Russia denies violating the treaty and has, in turn, claimed violations by the United States in erecting missile defenses.

It is unclear whether Russia has actually deployed the suspect missile or whether Washington would make any military move if the Russians stopped short of deployment. For now, administration officials say they prefer to continue trying to talk Moscow into treaty compliance.

The standoff speaks volumes about the depths to which U.S.-Russia relations have fallen. And that poses problems not only for the Obama administration but also for the NATO alliance, whose members in eastern Europe are especially leery of allowing Russian provocations to go unanswered.

The U.S. and its Western partners have tried to use economic and diplomatic leverage against Putin on a range of conflicts, including Ukraine. But they also recognize that Moscow still plays an important role in international affairs, including the nuclear talks with Iran that are among President Barack Obama's highest foreign policy priorities.

One of Carter's nuclear policy aides, Robert Scher, testified in April that "counterforce" means "we could go about and actually attack that missile where it is in Russia." Another Pentagon official, Brian McKeon, testified in December that this option involved potential deployment in Europe of ground-launched cruise missiles.

http://news.yahoo.com/us-might-deploy-missiles-europe-counter-russia-185508867.html

Edited June 5, 2015 by oxmox

[oxmox 73]

Of course general unilateral actions and annexation of territories exist in the US history (heck most of US territory is annexed from the 13 colonies). But we were talking about the nowadays US exterior policies.

Check the Afghan official stance in a lot of matters, like their recognition of Crimea as part of Russia (one of the few countries), etc.

(RT) Afghanistan welcomes Russian business – Afghan president

(Sputnik News) Lavrov: Russia Ready to Work With Afghanistan on Curbing Drug Production

Russia and the US have agreed for US Army cargo to be transited through Russian territory which significantly eases the process of delivering military equipment to Afghanistan.

If you follow the article it says, there was a cooperation between the USA and Russia aswell Afghanistan. This did actually lead to a transit route for the US Army through Russian territory.

The USA were not the only ones who did try to buy influence and Iran is mentioned but the US did blame them and covering their own activities. The NYT writes that it is not clear if the US is getting that for what they are paying for.

Anyway, the US did play a significant role and tried hard to buy influence on the Government in Afghanistan. Corruption is also needed sometimes in politics and in business to succeed or to be just a possible player in such a corrupt system.

With Bags of Cash, C.I.A. Seeks Influence in Afghanistan (New York Times, 2013)

For more than a decade, wads of American dollars packed into suitcases, backpacks and, on occasion, plastic shopping bags have been dropped off every month or so at the offices of Afghanistan’s president — courtesy of the Central Intelligence Agency.

All told, tens of millions of dollars have flowed from the C.I.A. to the office of President Hamid Karzai, according to current and former advisers to the Afghan leader.

The United States was not alone in delivering cash to the president. Mr. Karzai acknowledged a few years ago that Iran regularly gave bags of cash to one of his top aides.

“The biggest source of corruption in Afghanistan,†one American official said, “was the United States.â€

---> At the time, in 2010, American officials jumped on the payments as evidence of an aggressive Iranian campaign to buy influence and poison Afghanistan’s relations with the United States. What they did not say was that the C.I.A. was also plying the presidential palace with cash — and unlike the Iranians, it still is.

Like the Iranian cash, much of the C.I.A.’s money goes to paying off warlords and politicians, many of whom have ties to the drug trade and, in some cases, the Taliban. The result, American and Afghan officials said, is that the agency has greased the wheels of the same patronage networks that American diplomats and law enforcement agents have struggled unsuccessfully to dismantle, leaving the government in the grips of what are basically organized crime syndicates.

The cash does not appear to be subject to the oversight and restrictions placed on official American aidto the country or even the C.I.A.’s formal assistance programs, like financing Afghan intelligence agencies.

.....The C.I.A. then kept paying the Afghans to keep fighting. For instance, Mr. Karzai’s half brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, was paid by the C.I.A. to run the Kandahar Strike Force, a militia used by the agency to combat militants, until his assassination in 2011.

It is not clear that the United States is getting what it pays for. Mr. Karzai’s willingness to defy the United States — and the Iranians, for that matter — on an array of issues seems to have only grown as the cash has piled up.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Edited June 6, 2015 by oxmox

[mistyronin 1181]

the US did play a significant role and tried hard to buy influence on the Government in Afghanistan. Corruption is also needed sometimes in politics and in business to succeed or to be just a possible player in such a corrupt system.

Of course, I agree with you on that. The US tries to influence a lot of countries with economic deals, military pressure, investing insane amount of money on them, and stuff like that.

Even in a lot of documentaries US officials explain explicitly how they payed warlords to fight on their side.

But A-Stan and Iraq Govs are far, far, far away from being puppets of the US (neither the European countries, nor practically any country in the World).

[oxmox 73]

Of course, I agree with you on that. The US tries to influence a lot of countries with economic deals, military pressure, investing insane amount of money on them, and stuff like that.

Even in a lot of documentaries US officials explain explicitly how they payed warlords to fight on their side.

But A-Stan and Iraq Govs are far, far, far away from being puppets of the US (neither the European countries, nor practically any country in the World).

Like you notice I avoid this term, same counts for Hitler comparisons which can be similar problematic/polemic. Btw, even Hillary Clinton had to backpedal in comparing Hitler with Putin because it is untenable, it would also downplay the actions of the Hitler regime.

Afghanistan is not really sovereign until nowadays, it is dependant. And this wont change quickly.

The democratic process in this country is just a big show, a public deceit also to us. Performed as if any democracy would exist in this country.

Donkey voting boxes

-->

The decision of the President, in this case it was Karzai which was everyones darling in the US, was rather not decided by voting boxes and colored finger paints because a higher percentage is illiterate. The decision did lie in the hand of the Warlords......

Edited June 6, 2015 by oxmox

[mistyronin 1181]

Like you notice I avoid this term, same counts for Hitler comparisons which can be similar problematic/polemic.

Putin is not Hitler, it would be a trivialization of the history of the Third Reich, BUT he copied his playbook in certain policies (for example the Third Reich expansionism, his love for nature and his take on repression of freedom, control of the main press and propaganda).

Both of their countries also share a similar background (Chaos in Germany after losing the 1st World War, chaos in Russia after losing the Cold War).

Afghanistan is not sovereign because it's not even a country (understood as in the modern political way), it's a medieval clash of warlords with high influences from Pakistan, Russia, the US and Iran.

Edited June 6, 2015 by MistyRonin

[oxmox 73]

When it comes to the mentioned souvereignty of Afghanistan it is about foreign influence and dependancy.

Edited June 6, 2015 by oxmox

[oxmox 73]

Obama visits Bavaria

Brez´n, Weißwurst & Bier and Brass Music in front of world politics.

"I have to admit that I forgot to bring my lederhosen but I'm going to see if I can buy some while I'm here," a smiling Obama told locals who were swigging beer and munching on 'weisswurst,' or traditional Bavarian sausage, and pretzels. He said also, "There is never a bad day for a beer and weisswurst".....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HNnqniGqBs

english:

Obama jokes, swigs beer with Bavarians at start of G7 trip

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/07/us-g7-summit-obama-lederhosen-idUSKBN0ON0IF20150607

[mistyronin 1181]

Seems that Putin's belligerent and expansionism policies against their neighbors are starting to fruition.

(Al Jazeera) US poised to station heavy weaponry in eastern Europe

The Pentagon is poised to deploy battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and other heavy weapons for as many as 5,000 troops in several Baltic and eastern European countries, the New York Times has reported.

[mistyronin 1181]

I know there's a lot of interest to know what kind of porn Osama Bin Laden watched, but unfortunately the C.I.A won't declassify it.

(Vice News) Releasing Osama Bin Laden’s Porn Stash: The Public's Heroic Battle with the CIA Continues

In addition to his library of English-language books on topics such as international law, voting irregularities, and the Illuminati, Osama bin Laden also had a pretty substantial porn collection.

But the CIA won't release bin Laden's stash of porn, which Navy Seals apparently seized during a raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan four years ago. That's because, unbelievably, it's located in an "operational file," which is exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

[mistyronin 1181]

Get ready for the Pentagon's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride month!

"During Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, we celebrate the proud legacy LGBT individuals have woven into the fabric of our Nation, we honor those who have fought to perfect our Union, and we continue our work to build a society where every child grows up knowing that their country supports them, is proud of them, and has a place for them exactly as they are."

(US Dept. of Defense) LGBT Pride Month

(Gallup) LGBT Percentage Highest in D.C., Lowest in North Dakota

The percentage of U.S. adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) ranges from 1.7% in North Dakota to 5.1% in Hawaii and 10% in the District of Columbia,

Edited June 14, 2015 by MistyRonin

[TheMightyKovacs 6]

I know there's a lot of interest to know what kind of porn Osama Bin Laden watched, but unfortunately the C.I.A won't declassify it.

(Vice News) Releasing Osama Bin Laden’s Porn Stash: The Public's Heroic Battle with the CIA Continues

I'm actually really interested as to what he was watching. Not that I want to watch it...or anything...

[mistyronin 1181]

(Vice News) Pentagon Unleashes Behemoth Bible Laying Out the Laws of War for US Soldiers

The Department of Defense (DoD) has published a manual covering the laws of war. The behemoth of a book is set to be the US military's bible of what's legal and what's not in warfare across land, air, sea, and anywhere else you can get to fighting.

The 1,204-page tome covers hundreds of possible scenarios commanders in the field might face, from the "Human Treatment of Detainees" to how to tackle "Ruses of War and Other Lawful Deceptions." It helpfully informs commanders which weapon systems are legal (standard guns, rockets, etc.), which fall into a gray area (nukes, cluster bombs, depleted uranium), and which are definitely illegal (lethal chemical weapons, biological weapons, and "blinding lasers").

[sudayev 27]

Get ready for the Pentagon's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride month!

(US Dept. of Defense) LGBT Pride Month

http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2015/0615_pride/banner03.jpg

(Gallup) LGBT Percentage Highest in D.C., Lowest in North Dakota

[mistyronin 1181]

(Reuters) U.S. to pre-position tanks, artillery in Baltics, eastern Europe

Carter said the Baltic states - Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia -- as well as Bulgaria, Romania and Poland had agreed to host the arms and heavy equipment. Some of the weaponry would also be located in Germany.

The U.S. decision to stage heavy equipment closer to Russia's borders will speed deployment of rotating U.S. forces as NATO steps up exercises in Europe following Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region last year.

Neighboring NATO countries, especially the former Soviet Baltic states with their Russian minorities, fear Russia could stir unrest there. Moscow denies any such intention.

(US Army) US tanks flown across Europe for training

M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks were flown, via a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III, from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to Burgas, Bulgaria, where they were transported to Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, June 20 - 22.

This is the first time heavy-armor equipment has been flown by the U.S. Air Force in Europe since the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. The tanks will be used to conduct training at the Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria.

(IB Times) NATO May Station 40,000 Troops In Europe, Mostly Near Russian Border; US To Supply Aircraft, Weapons

NATO may include around 40,000 troops in its rapid response Spearhead Force. Most of the troops are going to be stationed close to Russian borders in Eastern Europe.

The proposal would mark a significant increase in the number of NATO troops in the region, as there were just 4,000 troops there in 2014. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that NATO defense ministers would decide to increase the capacity to as many as 40,000 troops. The present strength of the NATO Response Force is 13,000.

Stoltenberg previously said in Brussels that Russia’s “nuclear saber-rattling†was dangerous and destabilizing. “This is something which we are addressing, and it's also one of the reasons we are now increasing the readiness and preparedness of our forces,†Stoltenberg said, as Russia Today reported.

Edited June 23, 2015 by MistyRonin

[mistyronin 1181]

How does the World sees the US? According to the polls made by the Pew Research Center which is a nonpartisan American think tank based in Washington:

Global Opposition to U.S. Surveillance and Drones, but Limited Harm to America’s Image

Seems that most of the World countries see the US as a positive power.

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable view of the U.S.?

[oxmox 73]

Revealed: Why America Needs New, Super Usable Nuclear Weapons (The National Interest, June 23rd)

This week, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a prominent international relations think tank in Washington, DC, released a new report entitled: “Project Atom: A Competitive Strategies Approach to Defining U.S. Nuclear Strategy and Posture for 2025–2050.â€

In the report, Clark Murdock argues that the United States should develop and deploy more low-yield tactical nuclear weapons to deter adversaries from engaging in low-level nuclear aggression.

The thinking of the proposal is that America’s unmatched military power encourages potential adversaries to use nuclear weapons to offset their conventional inferiority.

“Since most U.S. nuclear response options are large, ‘dirty,’ and inflict significant collateral damage,†Murdock writes, “the United States might be ‘self-deterred’ and not respond ‘in kind’ to discriminate nuclear attacks.â€

Nor is such a scenario far-fetched. Indeed, since at least 2000, Russia’s official defense posture has included a policy of “de-escalation†nuclear strikes. That is, Moscow’s official declaratory policy is that if it is faced with an overwhelmingly conventionally superior foe, it will use low-level nuclear strikes to “de-escalate†the conflict.

Indeed, using a Pentagon computer model, Lieber and Press estimated that a U.S. counterforce strike against China’s ICBM silos using high-yield weapons detonated at ground blast would kill anywhere between 3-4 million people. Using low-yield weapons and airbursts, this figure drops to as little as 700 fatalities.

Predictably, however, Murdock’s recommendation has some very vocal detractors. Kingston Reif, the Director of Disarmament and Threat Reduction Policy at the Arms Control Association, told Think Progress of Murdock’s recommendation: “There’s a number of reasons why this idea doesn’t make sense…. “[i don’t think that] Russia and China would understand its use to control escalation and not part of a campaign to change regimes in those countries.â€

Ultimately, it is unlikely that such a radical change in America’s nuclear forces will come under the Obama administration. However, these issues are something that the next American president will likely have to grapple with.

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/revealed-why-america-needs-new-super-usable-nuclear-weapons-13168

[srbknight 925]

The second escaped New York state prisoner, David Sweat, has been shot by police and taken in custody near the Canadian border, officials confirmed.

Sweat was shot in the town of Constable 30 miles away from the prison from which he escaped, just shy of the Canadian border, Franklin County Sheriff Kevin Mulverhill told reporters. The fugitive was then hospitalized in the town of Malone.

Source:Russia Today

( http://rt.com/usa/270283-second-escaped-prisoner-arrested/ )

[mistyronin 1181]

The second escaped New York state prisoner, David Sweat, has been shot by police and taken in custody near the Canadian border, officials confirmed.

I'm afraid I fail to see the connection of that event with the subject of US Foreign Policy and Defense. Was he a soldier or similar?

[oxmox 73]

Industrial Espionage....

New WikiLeaks Documents Reveal:

NSA Spied On Top French Companies (TechCrunch, June 29th)

Following last week’s eavesdropping reports, WikiLeaks shared new documents with Libération and Mediapart. This time, the new documents reveal that the NSA was spying on France’s best performing companies for economic intelligence purposes.

According to an economic espionage order, the NSA intercepted all French corporate contracts and negotiations valued at more than $200 million in many different industries, such as telecommunications, electrical generation, gas, oil, nuclear and renewable energy, and environmental and healthcare technologies.

A second economic espionage order called “France: Economic Developments†shows that information was then shared with other U.S. agencies and secretaries, including the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of Commerce, the Federal Reserve and the Secretary of Treasury. Eventually, this data could have been used to help sign export deals.

According to France’s IT security agency Anssi, the NSA could have spied on at least a hundred French companies, including most public CAC40 companies. Airbus filed a complaint for intelligence gathering earlier today.

The second document also states that the NSA could share this information with its closest allies — the U.K., Canada, New Zealand and Australia. It’s unclear whether the NSA is still actively spying on French companies. Today’s news is particularly interesting as it proves that the NSA is not only a geopolitical intelligence agency. It also plays an important role when it comes to economic intelligence.

http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/29/new-wikileaks-documents-reveal-nsa-spied-on-top-french-companies/

[srbknight 925]

I'm afraid I fail to see the connection of that event with the subject of US Foreign Policy and Defense. Was he a soldier or similar?

he is killed by police and that is part of law & enforcement also part of Defense !

[mistyronin 1181]

he is killed by police and that is part of law & enforcement also part of Defense !

I'm not sure in Serbia. But in most of the World, Defense relates to all the military matters and defense towards foreign threads, hence no law & order nor any domestic stuff (it was said in the first page of the thread).

To clarify:

Defense / military is managed by the ministries of defense (Dept. of Defense in the US).

Foreign Policy is managed by the ministries of Foreign Affairs / Exteriors (Dept. of State in the US).

Police / law enforcement is managed by the ministries of interior or justice (Dept. of Justice in the US).

What we talk in this thread are matters concerning the Ministries / Dept. Defense and Foreign Policies :)

- - -

EDIT: In Serbia works as the rest of the World. You also have an Interior Ministry that manages the law enforcement and a Defense Ministry that manages the foreign defense / military.

(Wikipedia) Law enforcement in Serbia

The Serbian Police (Serbian: Полиција / Policija) is the civilian police force of Serbia. The Serbian Police is responsible for all local and national law enforcement. It is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The General Police Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has 15 organizational units and 27 Regional Police Directorates

Edited June 30, 2015 by MistyRonin

[srbknight 925]

I'm not sure in Serbia. But in most of the World, Defense relates to all the military matters and defense towards foreign threads, hence no law & order nor any domestic stuff (it was said in the first page of the thread).

To clarify:

Defense / military is managed by the ministries of defense (Dept. of Defense in the US).

Foreign Policy is managed by the ministries of Foreign Affairs / Exteriors (Dept. of State in the US).

Police / law enforcement is managed by the ministries of interior or justice (Dept. of Justice in the US).

What we talk in this thread are matters concerning the Ministries / Dept. Defense and Foreign Policies :)

- - -

EDIT: In Serbia works as the rest of the World. You also have an Interior Ministry that manages the law enforcement and a Defense Ministry that manages the foreign defense / military.

(Wikipedia) Law enforcement in Serbia

Well take look on our police it's better armed than some armies including armored vehicles apc's ifv's heavy arms etc. it can be categorized as an part of defense !

[Degman 73]

Well take look on our police it's better armed than some armies including armored vehicles apc's ifv's heavy arms etc. it can be categorized as an part of defense !

Jez. Of course that every possible unit will be defending it's country from foreing occupants, but in the peace time law enforcement (any kind of it) is not considered to be a part of defense. By that logic, I can write about regular citizens of USA in here cos they would be defending their homes in case of war. Ministry of Interior is not Ministry/Department of Defense, no matter what vehicles and weapons it has and is not to be categorized as part of the defense other than in extraordinary times (war).

[mistyronin 1181]

(Al Jazeera) US and Cuba to announce plan to open embassies

Announcement expected on Wednesday will be a major step in ending decades of hostilities between the Cold War foes.

[Nicholas 5]

(Al Jazeera) US and Cuba to announce plan to open embassies

I'm glad to hear this. Hopefully the trade embargo as well as travel restrictions can be completely removed.