MILNEWS.ca News Highlights – 2 Apr 11

• Libya Ops: “NATO’s operational commander is warning forces attacking civilians in Libya that they would be “ill-advised” to continue such activities. Lt. Gen Charles Bouchard, a Canadian now heading the international operation, says the transition of command from the U.S. had been “seamless with no gaps.” …. Gen. Bouchard said he was “aware” of news reports citing a Tripoli-based Italian Catholic bishop who said that 40 civilians died when a building collapsed during a bombing in the Buslim district of Tripoli. “We are investigating and we will report the details once the investigation is completed,” Bouchard told reporters via videolink from his headquarters in Naples, Italy. “My investigation is to ascertain whether or not NATO forces were involved in this incident,” he said ….”
• If you think it’s LOTS safer in northern Afghanistan than it used to be, you might want to think again.  Canada condemns the violence there here. Meanwhile, still no word where Canada’s training mission will be placing troops in Afghanistan (other than not in Kandahar).
• Flit’s Bruce Ralston disses Michael Yon’s defence of U.S. soldiers charged with assassinating and mutilating Afghan civilians.
• F-35 Tug o’ War (1) – “At least one Ottawa diplomat is privately worried about further price jumps in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, adding another voice to the chorus of governments already expressing concern. The diplomat was responding to a slew of recent news highlighting the price uncertainty around the F-35. Several countries have delayed their purchases until later in the decade, while two national budget watchdog groups have recently concluded that the original cost estimates are far too low. On condition of anonymity, the diplomat said his country is definitely worried about the situation as a result of recent developments. The international JSF program, now expected by a the US Government Accountability Office to cost all participating countries more than $1 trillion after $23 billion in increases since 2007, is exposed to uncertainty due to its dependence on a global supply chain and big orders from over a dozen United States allies ….”
• F-35 Tug o’ War (2) - “…. Canada is ruled by a minority regime which places top priority on war making at the expense of the people. When we go to the polls on May 2, Canadians should send the message to all parties in Parliament that the shocking fighter jet purchase plan is a scandal and must be scrapped immediately.”
• “Two Somali-Canadian women who vanished from Toronto in early January travelled to Somalia and are believed to have joined Al Shabaab, say community members who fear the increasing appeal of this outlawed terrorist group among youth. “No one knows what happened . . . how they were brainwashed,” said Mohamed Gilao of Dejinta Beesha, a Rexdale-based organization that helps Somali-Canadians. “It’s very, very worrying.” It is the first known case of women being recruited by Al Shabaab in North America, sending shock waves through Toronto’s Somali community. Their disappearance is particularly troubling for those still reeling from news of the Tuesday night arrest of Mohamed Hersi, 25, at Pearson airport before boarding a flight for Cairo ….”
• “Canadian troops could be complicit in the deaths of innocent civilians if the government proceeds with weak recommendations in the international treaty to ban cluster munitions, says Canada’s former lead negotiator. Earl Turcotte resigned last month from Foreign Affairs after nearly 30 years in the public service, the last decade of which was dedicated to disarmament issues. Turcotte broke his silence and told The Canadian Press in an exclusive interview Friday that he was removed as the government’s chief negotiator in part because he ran afoul of his superiors after senior U.S. officials complained he was too aggressive in cluster bomb treaty negotiations ….”
• What’s (a NATO country) Buying? A bit more than a year ago, Canada said it was looking for mobile labs to test bits of IED to help figure out where they came from (PDF of screen capture here if link doesn’t work).  This week, we hear “Allen-Vanguard Corporation announced (Thursday) that it has just completed the delivery of its first field deployable laboratory for a NATO military customer that provides complete forensic and biometric, technical and tactical intelligence against IEDs ….” (PDF) – copy of news release also available here if link doesn’t work.

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