MILNEWS.ca Highlights – October 30, 2017

#CANvsISIL

• “Liberals opt to keep combat hospital in Iraq until next year”
• “Canada freezes Iraq military training over Kurdish tensions” – “Canada Temporarily Suspends Military Assistance to Iraqi Troops” – “Canada halts military aid to Iraqi forces, Peshmerga amid clashes” – “Canada suspends training in Iraq till situation becomes clear” – “Canada suspends special forces training and assistance mission in Iraq” – “Canada suspends military aid to Iraqis, Kurds amid outbreak of hostilities” – “Canadian special forces suspend Iraq training mission due to fighting between Iraqis and Kurds” – “Canadian special forces freeze training and assist program in Iraq” – “Canada Temporarily Suspends Military Assistance to Iraqi Troops” – “Canada Tells Special Ops Forces in Iraq to Stand Down Until Sides are Clear” –“Canada suspends training in Iraq till situation becomes clear”
• DND’s latest on Operation IMPACT

The Kurds

• “Barzani stepping down as president, remaining a Peshmerga” – “Barzani: I Will Remain a Peshmerga for Kurdistan” – “President Barzani Addresses the People of Kurdistan … On the issue of the Kurdistan Region Presidency, the President stated that he refuses to accept the parliamentary extension and will, therefore, step down as the President of the Kurdistan Region. President Barzani, in a letter to the Kurdistan Parliament earlier today, had asked for the powers of the President to be distributed among the other branches of the Kurdistan government …” (KRG info-machine) – “Kurdistan irakien: Massoud Barzani renonce à être président” – “Massoud Barzani resigns after Kurdistan independence vote backfires” – “Kurdish leader says he will step down in wake of failed bid for independence from Iraq” – “President of Iraq’s Kurdish region resigns, leaving many questions in his wake” – “Barzani: I refuse an extension to my Presidency term” – “Barzani Resigns as Iraq and Iran Threaten Kurdistan’s Border Crossings” (ISW) – “Iraqi Kurdistan’s Barzani will hand over presidential powers on November 1: official” – “President Barzani: There was a plan to destabilize Kurdistan” – “People of Kurdistan will be successful in achieving independence despite betrayal: Barzani”
• “Abadi calls for calm in Kurdistan as chaos follows Barzani’s speech”
  
• “Kurdistan Parliament Votes on Distribution of President’s Authority”
• “Kurds in Toronto protest in solidarity with Kurdistan against Iraqi, Shia attacks”
• “Iraq orders suspension of fighting against Kurdish forces”
• “Iraq’s Kurdish region reopens roads to Mosul”
• “Peshmerga, Iraqi forces extend ceasefire until agreement reached”
• ” Iraqi forces, Kurdish Peshmerga agree on ceasefire, Kurdistan says”
• “Peshmerga dig trenches to hamper Iraqi troops advance toward exit”
• “Deal with Kurds for Iraqi forces to deploy at key border post: official”
• “Iran to lift border curbs with Iraq’s Kurdish region in coming days: ISNA”
• “Macron welcomes ceasefire, negotiations for joint redeployment to disputed territories”
• “Iraqi PM cautions – surrender borders, avoid escalation of crisis”
• “Iraq And Kurdistan To Collaborate On Oil Production” – “Iraq Oil Stops Flowing From Kurd, Kirkuk Fields to Turkish Port” – “Iraq boosts southern ports oil export capacity to 4.6 mln bpd (CDN $7.7 million) -statement”

Cold War 2.0:  Russia/Baltics/Eastern Europe

• ” ‘Silver Arrow’ military drills wind up in Latvia”
• Commentary:  “What if Russia had Spec Ops on US Canadian Border? US Troops in E. Europe”
• “U.S. Commandos Are a ‘Persistent Presence’ on Russia’s Doorstep”
• “The Dignified Rant: From the Hulls of Navy Amphibs To the Shores of Latvia — The Atlantic Marines are raising the profile of the Marine Expeditionary Force–the air-ground team centered around a full ground division–in response to increased Russian threats to NATO. Good. Look to the Baltic Sea …”
• “Ka-27PS helicopters practised operating over Atlantic Ocean” (RUS MoD)
• “Russian inspectors to conduct observation flight over United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” (RUS MoD) – “US-Romania mission to conduct flight over Russia and Belarus” (RUS MoD)
• “Putin: Russia Ending Conscription” (Russian Defense Policy blog)
• “Over 100 ships ensure Russian Navy’s presence in World Ocean”
• “Putin Scheduled To Help Unveil Monument To Victims Of Repression During Soviet Era”
• “Russia and China discuss setting up cyber defense system for key infrastructure facilities”
• “ON TARGET: Blaming Russia doesn’t change history if it’s true”
• “In the Age of Post-Truth: Best Practices in Fighting Disinformation” (Warsaw Institute)
• “Defending the Information Space: the Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian Example” (Warsaw Institute)
  

Ukraine

• “NATO representative says the NATO-Ukraine commission meeting reportedly vetoed by Hungary was not planned”
• “U.S. envoy Volker to meet with Putin’s aide Surkov in Nov – Russian media”
• “Saakashvili: Ukrainian Government Must Heed Our Demands” – “Saakashvili Says Ukrainian Government Must Meet Protesters’ Demands”
• “Ukrainian radicals announce siege of Poroshenko’s Roshen facility in Vinnitsa” – “Activists start blocking Roshen enterprises in Vinnytsia and Yahotyn” – “Police probing blast at Roshen sweets shop in Kyiv as act of hooliganism”
• Updates from All Sides
• “ATO News: Situation Update, east of Ukraine as of morning, October 30, 2017” (UKR MoD)
• “Kiev forces violate ceasefire eight times over 24 hours”
• “Ukrainian army violates ceasefire 34 times over 24 hours – DPR Operations Command”
• “34 ceasefire violations by Ukrainian forces detected in DPR over day”
• “One Ukrainian serviceman wounded in Donbas over 24 hours”
• “Ukraine reports 1 WIA amid 15 enemy attacks in last day”
• “Ukraine reports 1 wounded serviceman amid 15 enemy attacks in past day”
• “Ukraine reports 20 shelling attacks on Ukrainian army, one wounded serviceman in past 24 hours – ATO”
• “Luhansk militants sentence 2 young football fans to 17 & 13 years for ’spying for Ukraine’ “
• “Oh, Those Russians …”  “Russian Defense Ministry: 1500 school students joint ‘Youth Army’ movement in Crimea” – “Fake: Europe Considering Russian Plan for Eastern Ukraine Conflict” (stopfake.org) – “Russia Field-Tested Hybrid Warfare In Ukraine. Why That Matters For U.S.” – “NATO Criticism of Russia’s Ukraine Policy Is Answered by Putin”
• “Video of Odesa military unit raid hit the internet” – “Police deny statement about attempted seizure of military unit in Odesa”
  
• “(OSCE’s) Alexander Hug: conflict in Donbass has unpredictable final”
• Really???  “Ukraine promises to send a volunteer battalion to Spain”
• Commentary:  “Don’t Send Arms to Ukraine”

Cold War 2.0:  The Koreas 

• “Anticipating war, North Korea conducts evacuation drills”
• “N. Korea vows to launch more satellites”
• “Kim Jong-un Orders All N.Korean Workers Out of China”
• “Talks Over New Korea-U.S. Wartime Command Put on Ice” – “U.S. Unwilling to Cede Wartime Command of S.Korean Troops”
• “Pence to military on North Korea: ‘Be ready’ “
• “Defense Secretary Mattis: North Korean Nuclear Threat Would Trigger ‘Massive Military Response’ “ – “Mattis Warns North Korea About Aggressive Nuclear Program” – “US Defence Secretary says nuclear North Korea unacceptable to Washington” – “North Korea Faces ‘Overwhelming’ Military Response From Trump, Mattis Warns In Seoul”
• “Nuclear-Capable B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber Heads To Pacific As Mattis Blasts ‘Outlaw’ North Korea”
• “S. Korean, U.S. defense chiefs in talks on N. Korea, alliance” – “Full text of ROK-U.S. Security Consultative Meeting Joint Communique”
• “Top nuke envoys of S. Korea, China to meet this week to discuss N.K. issue”
• “Stoltenberg: North Korean ICBMs can reach Europe, NATO can launch counter-attack”
• “Exercise HAEDOLI WALLABY — Australia and the Republic of Korea (ROK) will participate in Exercise HAEDOLI WALLABY, a bilateral anti-submarine warfare exercise, from 1–3 November 2017 …” (AUS MoD info-machine)
• “South Korean Hanwha Debuts KTSSM Missile, Known as Artillery Killer”
• “South Korea pursues new 120 mm mortar system”
• “Japan Ground Self-Defense Force acquires more Type 11 air defence systems”
• “Assessment of North Korea’s Illicit Trafficking Activities” (Divergent Options paper)

Mo’ Peacekeeping Coming?/Canada Into Africa?

• “Canadian peacekeeping proposals out of line with UN priorities: sources — Ottawa expected to unveil details of contribution at upcoming peacekeeping summit in Vancouver …”
• “25 Years after Somalia: How it Changed Canadian Armed Forces Preparations for Operations” (Canadian Military Journal)
• “Used to Afghanistan, Special Operators Suffer From Lack of Support in Africa”

Way Up North

• “Ice breaker reaches Victoria, ends coast to coast to coast voyage around Canada — The Polar Prince ice breaker docked in Victoria on Saturday, marking the end of a 150-day voyage exploring Canada’s coastline. The Canada C3 expedition from Toronto to Victoria via the Northwest Passage celebrated the country’s 150th birthday by travelling 23,000 kilometres and visiting 75 communities …”
• “Arctic season winding down but (CAN) Coast Guard continues to support industry and programs in the North”
• “Michael Byers & Emma Lodge, “China and the Northwest Passage” “ (downloadable deck)
• “(US) Coast Guard Releases Heavy Icebreaker Draft Request for Proposals”
• “The US Navy and Coast Guard are looking to play catch-up in the Arctic”
• “Nordic Air Chiefs sign letter, develop Arctic Challenge” (USAF info-machine)
• “Soft Securitization: Unconventional Security Issues and the Arctic Council” (The Arctic Institute)

Internal Security

• “CSIS says harassment complainants don’t deserve $35 million as Goodale calls bullying at spy agency ‘unacceptable’ “
• “Le Parti conservateur veut que le gouvernement garde à l’œil les Canadiens qui sont allés combattre pour l’État islamique et qui sont revenus au pays …”
• “Canadian officials won’t meet their deportation targets as asylum claims rise”  – “Winterized trailers soon to provide shelter to asylum-seekers at Quebec border”
• “Minister says 300,000 new immigrants a year is Canada’s ‘new normal’ “ – Col. Ted’s take:  “Good for the minister — The CBC News says, in a headline, that “Minister says 300,000 new immigrants a year is Canada’s ‘new normal'” and I say, good for the minister. We need new immigrants, lots of ’em … but …”
• ” ‘Putin’s Revenge’ holds lessons about foreign influence for Canada and its upcoming election”

What’s Canada Buying?

• F-35 Tug o’ War  Again with the problems of buying used … “Les avions de chasse usagés F/A-18 Hornet que le gouvernement Trudeau songe à acheter de l’Australie afin de combler le déficit de capacité qui guetterait les Forces armées canadiennes pourraient s’avérer un véritable gouffre financier à cause de la corrosion qui est apparue sur les appareils et l’affaiblissement structurel du fuselage …”
• “Public Works receives 6 expressions of interest in Sea Kings set for retirement”
• Wanted:  “ISTAR UAS Services Interim Capability — The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has a requirement for a service that will provide near real-time, beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) information to the CAF tactical units at sea and on land through Unmanned Aircraft System. Industry Days are scheduled to hold one-on-one sessions with industry from 14th to 16th November 2017 …”
• “2017 Science and Technology Call for Proposals to Enhance Defence and Public Safety”

Other

• “Deceased male identified as RMC cadet” – “Porté disparu depuis deux semaines, un élof du Collège militaire royal du Canada est retrouvé mort”
• “Future Airpower: Trends and Implications for Canadian Special Operations Forces Command”
• “Le commandant de l’Armée, Paul Wynnyk, à la Conférence des armées européennes”
• Colonel Ted on “Canada and China, and vital interests, and the global strategic environment”
• “Canadian Intelligence Corps name reinstated” – Col Ted on Int Branch Becoming Int Corps (again): “Where’s the beef?”
• “U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation presents award to RCAF team”

Remembering

• “Legion Launches Annual Poppy Campaign”
• “Indigenous veterans call ancestors back to Vimy”

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