Archive for the ‘The Political Circus’ Category
MILNEWS.ca Highlights – May 15, 2019
Domestic Operations
Big Honkin’ Ship Document Leak Case
- “Commons apologizes to Mark Norman as opposition MPs press for committee probe”
- “House of Commons offers all-party apology to Vice Adm. Mark Norman over failed prosecution”
- “By unanimous consent, it was resolved, — That the House recognize Vice-Admiral Mark Norman for his decades of loyal service to Canada, express regret for the personal and professional hardships he endured as a result of his failed prosecution, and apologize to him and his family for what they experienced during their legal conflict with the government.” (House of Commons, Journals No. 416 – May 14, 2019)
- “La Chambre des communes présente des excuses au vice-amiral Mark Norman”
- “Trudeau leaves House before motion for Mark Norman apology unanimously passes”
- “House Of Commons Agrees To Apologize To Admiral Norman, But Trudeau Skipped Out Before The Motion Passed” (Spencer Fernando blog)
- “No cover-ups on Norman, just let the committee meet”
- “Now that Vice Admiral Mark Norman’s court case is done, the question arises: what next? VAdm Norman has said that he looks forward to returning to duty and Canada’s Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jonathan Vance has suggested that he is ready to welcome him back …” (Col. Ted)
F-35 Tug o’ War
What’s Canada Buying?
#OpREASSURANCE/Russia-Baltics-Cold War 2.0
- “Turkish top diplomat on S-400 deal with Russia: No delays, it’s a fait accompli”
- ” ‘Die Hard’ battalion conduct UAS training in Poland” (Pentagon info-machine)
- “Putin, Pompeo discuss New START, US withdrawal from INF — Kremlin”
- “Pompeo Leaves Russia With Arms Control Plan, Hope for Improving Relations”
- “Don’t meddle in next election. U.S. foreign minister visits Russia”
- “What Did Pompeo Discuss With Putin in Russia?”
- “Russia’s intelligence chief seeks restart of cooperation with US intelligence services”
- “Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s remarks and answers to media questions at a joint news conference following talks with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Sochi, May 14, 2019” (RUS MFA info-machine)
- “Travel to Brussels, Belgium and Sochi, Russia, May 12-14, 2019” (USA State Dept info-machine)
- “Putin Says He Senses Trump Genuinely Wants to Repair Ties With Russia”
- “Russian Orthodoxy Shaping Moscow’s Nuclear Policies”
- “Massive Data Breach Exposes Russian Officials’ Passports – Reports”
- “Russia to upgrade T-72 main battle tanks for Belarus” “Russia ready to modernize Belarusian combat helicopters”
- “Over 70 armies use Belarusian defense products”
#OpIMPACT/Middle East
- “US orders non-essential embassy staff to leave Iraq amid Iran tensions”
- “U.S. State Department Evacuates Diplomats From Iraq as Iran Tensions Mount”
- “US Partially Evacuating Embassy in Iraq Amid Escalating Tensions With Iran”
- “Spain pulls frigate from U.S. Gulf mission amid differences over Iran”
- “US Military Beefing Up Arsenal to Counter Potential Iran Attack”
- “President calls report of sending 120,000 troops in Iranian conflict ‘fake news’, says he’d send more”
- “CENTCOM corrects British general: US forces in Iraq and Syria on heightened alert for Iranian attacks”
- “U.S-Iran Tensions Escalate” (Congressional Research Service, 14 May 2019)
- “Iraq Set to Buy Russian S-400 Air Defence Systems – Ambassador”
- “Iraq to purchase Russia’s S-400 missile systems”
- “7 kids of Nordic IS couple killed in Syria return to Sweden”
#OpPRESENCE/#MLI-Africa
- “Mali : Trois civils assassinés dans le cercle de Bankass”
- “Mali – Escalation of violence and displacement in Mali (DG ECHO, UN, media) ( ECHO Daily Flash of 15 May 2019)” (European Commission's Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations)
- “Extrémisme : le Mali appelle l’UE à renforcer son soutien au Sahel”
- “Niger ambush: Militants kill 17 soldiers near Mali”
- “Niger Loses 17 Soldiers in Ambush Near Mali Border”
#CHN/Pacific Rim
- “Beijing Readies 2 New Aircraft Carriers”
- “China to soon commission 1st homemade aircraft carrier: reports” (CHN Communist Party media)
- “Wikipedia blocked in China ahead of Tiananmen Square anniversary”
- “Internet Researchers Claim Wikipedia Inaccessible in China”
- “Cambodian defence ministry denies Chinese naval base rumour” (CHN mil media)
- “Donald Trump expected to sign executive order this week paving way for US telecoms ban on Huawei”
Way Up North
- “The Next ‘South China Sea’ Is Covered in Ice — The State Department will soon have a permanent presence in Greenland for the first time since the 1950s …”
- “Russia’s Two-Pronged Approach to Militarizing the Arctic”
Internal Security
Veterans & Helping Veterans (or Not?)
- “DND data shows thousands given antimalarial drug that veterans are suing the feds over”
- ” ‘Veterans probably won’t vote Liberal for a very long time’ Norman case reflects Grits failed promises to vets, say advocates”
Other Military News
- “Canadian Armed Forces plane grounded after laser shone into the cockpit”
- “Canadian military flight aborted in Nova Scotia after laser flashed into plane’s cockpit”
- “A futuristic first on Operation CARIBBE” (The Maple Leaf)
- “Canadian Forces Base Suffield biologist is on a mission to maintain ecology in military training areas” (DND info-machine)
MILNEWS.ca Highlights + #UKR Update – May 9, 2019
What’s Canada Buying: F-35 Tug o’ War
Big Honkin’ Ship Document Leak Case
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- “John Ivison: New evidence that exonerated Mark Norman may date from Stephen Harper’s time as PM”
- “MV Asterix delivers for the Royal Canadian Navy and breach of trust charge is dropped” (Quotulatiousness blog)
- “Dropping the Norman charges spares the Liberals another scandal. For now”
- “From the comments: ‘This whole episode calls for an independent inquiry.’ Readers voice support for Vice-Admiral Norman”
- “The fall guy could be the general who suspended Mark Norman”
- “Information from former Conservative cabinet ministers helped put an end to Norman case”
- “What you need to know about the Vice-Admiral Mark Norman case”
- “Norman returning to active duty after Crown says his actions were ‘inappropriate,’ not criminal”
- “L’arme secrète du vice-amiral Mark Norman”
- “Prosecution of Mark Norman is over, but questions the affair raised remain”
- “The state is a powerful foe, and it almost crushed Mark Norman”
#CANinIRQ/Mid East – Op IMPACT
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- “Can Canadian soldiers stop the next Iraq insurgency?”
- “Pentagon Watchdog says Iraqi forces need longer-term assistance for intelligence against ISIS”
- “DOD IG: US, Coalition Aircraft Facing Interference, Limited ISR Capability in ISIS Fight” (Air Force Magazine)
- “Lead Inspector General for Operation Inherent Resolve I Quarterly Report to the United States Congress I January 1, 2019 – March 31, 2019 > Department of Defense Office of Inspector General” (USA DoD Lead Inspector General Reports)
- “Iraq to hang ISIS member who raped Ezidi woman, killed Iraqi soldiers”
- “Russian fighter jet made a dangerous pass ahead of U.S. MQ-9 Reaper aircraft (over SYR)”
- “Erdoğan Claims Turkey Only NATO-Member Country to Fight Islamic State on the Ground in Syria” (polygraph.info, fact-checking site)
#LVA/Europe – Op REASSURANCE/Cold War 2.0
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- “Deceased Albanian sergeant’s body repatriated home”
- “Russians, Opposition Figures Sentenced Over Role in 2016 Montenegro Coup Attempt”
- “Finland sees rise in ‘total objectors’ to military, civilian service”
- “Russian whales with military training could be harassing boats, Norwegian fishermen and scientists say”
- “British minister at Spring Storm: I’m quite impressed with Estonia’s forces”
- “Latvia to publish additional KGB filing system and other documents”
- “Younger Russian Speakers in Estonia May Not Be as Integrated as Many Think”
- “Research: Russian-linked disinformation may have reached 241 million Europeans”
- “Half of European voters may have viewed Russian-backed ‘fake news’ “
- “241m Europeans ‘may have received Russian-linked disinformation’ “
- “Critical flaws found in latest Russian submarines”
- “Russia agrees to grant Poland access to Kaczynski’s aircraft”
- “Tank Wars Are Coming: How the U.S. Army Plans to Fight Russia or China”
- “Was Hitler’s Invasion of Russia Defensive, to Foil an Attack by Stalin?” (pro-RUS site)
#UKR – Op UNIFIER
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- “JFO: МAP – 09.05.2019” (UKR NSDC)
- “Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 8 May 2019”
- “Summary of the squad “The Essence of Time” for May 6-8″ (pro-RUS site, with maps, in Russian)
- “One KIA, four WIA amid 11 enemy attacks in Donbas in past 24 hours – JFO HQ” (UKR media)
- “Ukrainian forces fire 116 rounds of ammunition at DPR over 24 hours, destroy house in Zaitsevo – JCCC” (pro-RUS rebel info-machine)
- “Kiev forces violate ceasefire four times over 24 hours” (pro-RUS rebel info-machine)
- “Donbas War: One Ukrainian serviceman died and four more wounded” (UKR media)
- “One Ukrainian soldier killed, four wounded in Donbas amid 11 enemy attacks in past day” (UKR media)
- “Day in Donbas: Four attacks by pro-Russian militants during the day” (UKR media)
- “JFO: Ukraine reports four enemy attacks in Donbas May 9” (UKR media)
- “Ukraine’s FM: Italy’s court to hear Ukrainian serviceman case on May 17” (UKR media)
- “Armed Forces ready to resist Russia’s attempts to worsen situation in eastern Ukraine – Deputy NSDC secretary” (UKR media)
- “War lessons give Ukraine grounds for fight against Russian aggression – Poroshenko” (UKR media)
- “Can the ‘Donbass Experience’ Help Kyiv Deal With ‘Hybrid’ Threats?” (Jamestown Foundation)
- “U.S. can impose sanctions on Russian due to issuance of passports to Donbas citizens, – Volker” (UKR media)
- “DNR starts receiving application for illegal issuance of Russian passports” (UKR media)
- “Kyiv: Ukraine will not recognize Russian passports issued to residents of DPR and LPR” (UKR media)
- “Ukrainian PM raises issue of calling Russia to account for issue of Russian passports to Donbas residents before Canadian FM” (UKR media)
- “Ukraine calls on foreign partners to expand sanctions against Russia in response to ‘passport aggression in Donbas'” (UKR media)
- “President together with veterans honored memory of the victims on the occasion of the 74th anniversary of the victory over Nazism in the Second World War” (UKR Pres info-machine)
- “Poroshenko: descendants of victors over Nazism now defending freedom, civilized choice of Ukrainian people against Russian aggression” (UKR media)
- “Zelensky: contribution of Ukrainians in victory over Nazism huge, no one has right to privatize this victory” (UKR media)
- “Zelensky: We honor, bow before all those who fought against Nazism, died for Ukraine during World War II” (UKR media)
- “Pushilin offers best Victory Day wishes to DPR residents, thanks WWII veterans for heroism” (pro-RUS rebel info-machine)
- “Young Army activists, Donchanka rifles, quad bikes, legendary T-34 tank: Victory Day parade in Donetsk” (pro-RUS rebel info-machine)
- “Pasechnik extends best Victory Day wishes to LPR residents at Lugansk parade” (pro-RUS rebel info-machine)
- “Kremlin created Immortal regiment as action of propaganda, – Vice Prime Minister” (UKR media)
- “Putin did not congratulate Poroshenko and Zelensky on Victory Day” (UKR media)
- “Can Zelensky Heal the Deep Divisions in Ukraine Left Behind by Poroshenko?” (World Politics Review)
- “Volker: High-level US delegation to attend Zelensky inauguration” (UKR media)
#CHN/Pacific Rim
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- “Chinese court delays ruling on Canadian Robert Lloyd Schellenberg’s death penalty appeal”
- “China holds appeal hearing for Canadian sentenced to death”
- “Hong Kong Teahouse Huddle With HSBC Is Key to Huawei CFO Case”
- “China Mobile’s Bid to Offer US Phone Service Rejected”
- “US blocks China Mobile from offering service in America on national security concerns”
- “US coastguard to play bigger role in curbing Beijing’s ambitions in the South China Sea”
- “Taiwan breaks ground on shipyard that will self-build submarines”
- “Pentagon Warns of Chinese Military Spying”
- “China will build string of military bases around world, says Pentagon”
The Koreas
#MLI – Op PRESENCE/Africa
Way Up North
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- “China and Russia should cooperate in the Arctic” (CHN Communist Party media)
- “What is the real price of Russia’s Arctic dream?”
- “(RUS) Navy is building a new major depot for Arctic operations”
- “The Arctic: Who owns it?”
- “Why is the US so far behind in the Arctic? Clues emerge at congressional hearing”
Sexual Assault/Harassment in the CF
Other Military News
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- “Thunder Bay hosts annual search and rescue exercise with Royal Canadian Air Force”
- “Canada Army Run moving to War Museum”
- “La Course de l’Armée du Canada déménage!”
- “A good question … (Scheer) he must persuade Canadians that increased defence spending is both wise and necessary; he must have a plan that makes sense to our allies, too; and he must enunciate a coherent plan that will not be ridiculed by the press and the public …” (Col. Ted)
- “Positioning Canada in a Messy World” (CGAI report)
- “The Strange Case of Chrystia Freeland and the Failure of the ‘Super Elite’” (pro-RUS think tank)
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MILNEWS.ca Highlights – May 7, 2019
What’s Canada Buying?
- “U.S. officials have warned the Trudeau government that its plan to hold an open competition to replace its aging CF-18s is incompatible with Canada’s obligations as a member of the F-35 stealth-fighter program. The warnings are in two letters sent to the government last year that were obtained by defence analyst Richard Shimooka and released in a report published by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute think-tank …”
- “Trump administration claims Ottawa’s jet procurement plan is unfair to F-35, says report”
- “Trump may have given Trudeau the excuse he needs to ditch the F-35 once and for all”
- “U.S. threatens to pull F-35 from jet competition over industrial requirements”
- “F-35 : le «contenu canadien» contesté à Washington”
- “The Catastrophe: Assessing the Damage from Canada’s Fighter Replacement Fiasco” (Macdonald-Laurier report, PDF)
- Big Honkin’ Ship Document Leak Case
- “Andrew Leslie set to testify for the defence in Mark Norman’s breach of trust trial”
- “The roots of the Mark Norman trial — For over a decade multiple governments bungled efforts to replace the navy’s supply ships. It all led to the current case now haunting the Liberals …”
- “There’s beauty in a clearly defined chain of command”
Way Up North
- “Washington plans to send U.S. Navy through Northwest Passage”
- “Mike Pompeo: Canada’s Claim To Northwest Passage ‘Illegitimate’ “
- ” Pompeo says Canadian claim to Northwest Passage is ‘illegitimate'”
- “La revendication canadienne sur le passage du Nord-Ouest est «illégitime», selon Pompeo”
- “China military expanding reach into Arctic region, Pentagon says”
- “US warns Beijing’s Arctic activity risks creating ‘new South China Sea’ “
- “China’s Arctic ambitions threaten the West, Pompeo warns in Europe”
- “China military expanding reach into Arctic region, Pentagon says”
- “US warns Beijing’s Arctic activity risks creating ‘new South China Sea’ “
- “Pentagon warns of risk of Chinese submarines in the Arctic”
- “Admiral: The US Is ‘Operating Blind’ In the Arctic”
- “NORTHCOM: Arctic now America’s ‘first line of defense’ “
- “Pompeo: Russia is aggressive in Arctic, China’s work there also needs watching”
- “Pompeo, in Finland, Calls China Claims to Arctic ‘Lawlessness’ “
- “US warns China, Russia against ‘aggressive behaviour’ in Arctic”
- “Vanguards of the Thawing Arctic”
- “Inside the West’s Plans for Arctic War Against Russia”
- “China planning to expand military presence in Arctic”
- “China says to play constructive role in Arctic”
- “Pompeo calls out Canada, China, Russia over Arctic policy”
#LVA/Europe – Op REASSURANCE/Cold War 2.0
- “This Is Where Russia and NATO Could Start a War (And You Likely Never Heard Of It)”
- “Lithuania–Poland border” (includes Suwalki Gap) (Wikipedia)
- Suwalki Gap (globalsecurity.org)
- “Albanian Soldier on NATO Mission Killed in Mine Explosion in Latvia”
- “Official: NATO Soldier Killed, 2 Injured as Mine Explodes at Army Base in Latvia”
- “Albania Army Officer Accidentally Killed in Latvia”
- “Is Russia Really Cutting Its Military Spending?”
- “An Armed Forces Officer has been killed and two others were injured by the explosion of some ammunition during the combat operations in NATO’s mission to Latvia …” (Albanian MoD, in Albanian)
- “How Much Did Orthodox Church Help Revive Russia’s Military and Nuclear Complex?” (Russian Military Reform blog)
#MLI – Op PRESENCE/Africa
- At least 18 civilians were killed in two related attacks last week in central Mali, the United Nations MINUSMA peacekeeping mission said, as the death toll from fighting between local hunters and herders climbs …”
- “Malijet Massacre d’Ogossagou : Le Rapport de la Mission d’Enquête Spéciale des Nations Unies épingle les chasseurs traditionnels”
- “MALI : LA MINUSMA PRÉOCCUPÉE DE LA FORMATION DU NOUVEAU GOUVERNEMENT”
- “New cabinet appointed in Mali”
- “GICS Report: Survival and Expansion, the Islamic State’s West African Province”
#CHN/Pacific Rim
- “China ramping up military operations for potential invasion into Taiwan”
- “Satellite Images Reveal Construction Of China’s Third Aircraft Carrier”
- “PLA on high alert to safeguard national sovereignty: spokesperson” (CHN mil media)
- “Images show construction on China’s third – and largest – aircraft carrier”
- “China Rejects US Military Passage in South China Sea”
- “China warns US ships to leave sea” (CHN mil media)
- “The Pentagon’s 2019 China Report” (Federation Of American Scientists analysis)
- “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2019” (USA DoD, PDF)
The Koreas
- “North Korea fires first missile into the sea since 2017”
- “False Analogies: North Korea’s History of Missile Test Moratoria” (38 North)
- “DPRK Firing Drill: Message to the Blue House” (38 North)
Internal Security
- “Latvia offers Canada help in ‘likely’ election interference”
- “Canada needs a plan to deal with hostile cyber campaigns”
- “Canada pressures US to help resolve dispute with China over arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou”
- “Mosque security a top priority as Toronto Muslims prepare for Ramadan”
- “The Trudeau regime is misleading Canadians” (Col. Ted)
Veterans & Helping Veterans (or Not?)
- “First of possibly one thousand suits … filed … by soldiers and veterans forced to take mefloquine on deployment”
- “Hiring Veterans For Public Service Positions” (Veterans Ombudsman)
Other Military News
- “Canadian Army Command Team completes trip to visit soldiers overseas” (DND info-machine, via NZ OSINT)
- “L’équipe de commandement de l’Armée canadienne conclut sa visite auprès de soldats déployés outremer — Le lieutenant-général Jean-Marc Lanthier, commandant de l’Armée canadienne, et l’adjudant-chef Stu Hartnell, sergent-major de l’Armée canadienne, ont conclu aujourd’hui leur visite auprès des soldats déployés dans le cadre de l’opération PRESENCE au Mali et de l’opération REASSURANCE en Lettonie …”
- “Exercise MAPLE RESOLVE 19: Canadians and Allies train for complexities of modern conflict” (DND info-machine)
- “Shedding the weight: Project aims to lighten the load with updated soldier clothing and equipment”
- “Education-to-employment pathways for Canadian Armed Forces members”
- “Minister Harjit S. Sajjan to Host General Ngô Xuân Lịch, Vietnam’s Minister of National Defence” (DND info-machine)
- “A ceremony was held to commemorate a new headstone for a fallen soldier — Today would have been his 48th birthday but instead his family gathered by his grave, under the warm spring sunshine almost twenty five years since his passing to replace a less accurate head stone. He was only twenty three, serving with Canadian forces in Rwanda, when corporal Scott Fraser smith died by suicide …”
- “Canada liberated the Netherlands. Now guess who has the better-equipped military today?”
