MILNEWS.ca Highlights – February 22, 2020

• Internal Security
• “Send in the army? Why one expert says that would be a ‘ludicrous’ response to rail blockades”
• “Trudeau says rail barricades ‘need to come down now,’ rules out sending in soldiers to restore rail service”
• “PM urges patience, promises reconciliation in face of anti-pipeline blockades”
• “Blocages ferroviaires : « Les barricades doivent être démantelées », dit Trudeau”
• “Was Trudeau dragging his heels on the blockades, or giving himself room to manoeuvre?”
• “Fin de siège à Saint-Lambert (QC)”
• “Gitxsan man resigns from military after RCMP enforces pipeline order”
• “Canadian PM proclaims indigenous “barricades must now come down” ” (World Socialist Web Site)
• “Why do authorities hesitate to do the right thing?”
• “Who and What’s Behind the Blockades Disrupting Canada’s Rails”
• “Reconciliation at the End of a Gun: The Wet’suwet’en and the RCMP”
  

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• “Supreme Court of Canada to hear federal appeal in Via Rail terror case”
• Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada v. Chiheb Esseghaier, et al. – SCC Cases (Lexum)
• Supreme Court of Canada – SCC Case Information – Summary – 38861
  

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• “Case of alleged RCMP secret-leaker, Cameron Ortis, could head behind closed doors”
  

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• “Alleged Canadian neo-Nazi pleads not guilty to weapons charges in U.S. court”
• “Patrik Mathews, accused neo-Nazi, pleads not guilty to U.S. weapons charges”
• Former CAF member: “‘These groups are real and cannot be ignored’: Vigilance key to fighting hate, says former white supremacist”
  

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• “U.S. government analyst with Canadian ties pleads guilty to leaking weapons systems intel to journalists”
• “Defense Intelligence Agency Employee Arrested for Leaking Classified Information to Journalists” (USA Department of Justice)
  

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• “Why Canada can’t let Huawei build a 5G network”
  

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• What’s Canada Buying?
• “Canada’s CP-140 Aurora MPA Upgraded to Block IV Takes First Flight”
• “Canada Needs New Aircraft, Could The F-35 Fit The Bill?”
• “The Canadian military is investigating potential problems with brakes on its new armoured vehicle fleet which may have contributed to a number of incidents, including where one of the 18-tonne vehicles hit a car near Petawawa …”
  

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• Veterans & Helping Veterans (or Not?)
• “Ombudsman calls for national consultations, plan for supporting veterans”
• “Government needs a plan for backlog of veterans’ aid applications: ombudsman”
• “Inquiry judge tackles bureaucracy that prevented officials from sharing veteran’s history”
  

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• Other Military News
• Supp (B) budget adjustments: Mo’ DND money sought for capital investments, Heyder/Beattie class action settlements, Op REASSURANCE/Op PRESENCE  – The Parliamentary Financial Cycle (Library of Parliament)
• “Canada nearly lost 2018 UN mission because it didn’t have enough women in uniform”
• “Nova Scotia could see limited internet voting for military with proposed changes”
• “Minister of National Defence to attend 2020 Allied Winter Sports Camp for Ill and Injured Military Members and Veterans” (DND info-machine)

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MILNEWS.ca Highlights – December 20, 2019

• #IRQ-Middle East/#OpIMPACT
• “Reservist joins Op IMPACT with ‘a strong sense of duty’” (DND info-machine)
• “Iraqi Catholics scrap Christmas Eve mass as protests persist”
• “Iraq: protesters burn SpecOps HQs, attempt to storm govt building”
• “Iraq’s top cleric calls for quick formation of government”
• “Iraq’s top Shiite cleric urges elections to end crisis”
• “Iraq Cries Out for Unity”
• “Ex-(UK) soldier charged with Syria (Kurdish)-related terrorism offences”
• “Russia Recruits Syrian Kurds to Replace U.S.-Led Forces – VOA”
• “Russia has been working to establish a new military force in the Kurdish-majority, northeastern part of Syria with the aim to deploy those troops and hardware to areas along the Syria-Turkey border, local sources told VOA. The military force reportedly would replace a U.S.-backed, Kurdish-armed group that Turkey claims are terrorists …”
• “US gets hold of frequencies of Russian S-400 air defense systems in Syria”
• “US military seized the frequencies of Russian S-400 in Syria” (in Russian)
• “Intel: Pentagon refuses to put timeline on Syria mission”
• “The War Trade: How Italy Sold Armoured Vehicles To Russia + Their Deployment With Syrian Army Militias”
• “Russia fails to get U.N. approval for Syria cross-border aid deliveries (only) from Turkey”
• “Security Council Rejects 2 Draft Resolutions Authorizing Cross-Border, Cross-Line Humanitarian Access in Syria” (UN info-machine)
• “Russia, China veto UNSC resolution co-drafted by Kuwait on aid delivery to Syria”
  

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• #CHN/Pacific Rim
• “China says Trudeau wasting time asking for Trump’s help on detainees”
• “China says Justin Trudeau wasting time asking for Trump’s help on Canadian detainees”
• “China says case of detained Canadians turned over to prosecutors”
• “Beijing unlikely to back down over South China Sea despite growing international pushback”
• “China military’s new Shandong aircraft carrier set to have smaller fighter jet force than expected”
• “China is becoming an Atlantic sea power, says US military analyst”
  

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• The Koreas/#OpNEON
• “Sohae Satellite Launch Facility: Activity at Test Stand, but No Evidence of Pre-Launch Preparations” (38 North)
• ” “The silence … makes me concerned” — Diplomats anxious about North Korean silence ahead of Kim Jong Un’s ‘Christmas gift’ “
• “Countries in Region Say Few North Koreans Remain as UN Deadline Nears”
• “US Watching North Korea for ‘Christmas Gift’ Missile Launch”
• “Pentagon Hopeful for Diplomatic Reboot With North Korea”
  

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• Russia-Baltics-Cold War 2.0/#OpREASSURANCE
• “A Michigan man (with Canadian citizenship) who has been imprisoned in Russia on spying charges for nearly a year has lost his job with an automotive parts supplier in a corporate restructuring, a move his brother has denounced. Paul Whelan was arrested Dec. 28, 2018, in a Moscow hotel while visiting for a friend’s wedding. The Russian government charged him with espionage and has repeatedly extended his detention while he awaits trial on charges that carry a sentence of up to 20 years. Whelan has denied the charges …”
• “US Man Jailed in Russia on Spying Charges Loses Job”
• “Iron Wolf: (UK) Army Reservists Join Lithuania’s Largest Military Exercise” (UK MoD info-machine)
• “Russia Honors Two of Britain’s ‘Cambridge Five’ Spies”
• “Does Putin Plan to Change the Constitution and Stay in Power?”
  

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• Way Up North
• “Amid arctic sovereignty questions, Canadian Rangers still see few credible reports of unusual activity”
• “Air Force special operators exercise with Norwegian soldiers in Arctic” (USAF info-machine)
• “Russia’s electronic warfare testing with new frigate causes radio- and radar disturbances in northernmost Norway”
• “Podcast: China as a ‘near-Arctic’ state”
• “Norway helps pay for transporting old Russian navy nuclear waste”
• “Gazprom to Build the World’s Northernmost Petrochemical Plant in the Arctic”
  

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• #Afghanistan
• “Joshua Boyle : Judge dismisses charges against ex-Afghan hostage”
  

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• Internal Security
• “Man who attacked military recruiting centre not a one-man terrorist group, appeal court rules” – “Appeal Court finds mentally ill ‘lone wolf’ who attacked Canadian soldiers not a terrorist” – R. v. Ali, 2019 ONCA 1006 (Ontario Court of Appeal)
• “Most cases of extremist conduct in Canadian military don’t end in discipline, says document” 
• “Exclusive: Canada police prepared to shoot Indigenous activists, documents show” – ” ‘Lethal Overwatch Is Req’d’: Canadian Police Mulled Shooting Indigenous Land Defenders – Report”

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• What’s Canada Buying?
• “Canada’s first Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue aircraft was formally accepted in Spain on December 18 …” (CAF info-machine via FB)
• “…As our economy weakens, Canada cannot afford further punishment from the USA for not doing what we should have done, years ago … which includes fast-tracing the purchase of a new fifth-generation, American made fighter to replace our ancient CF-18s.” (Col. Ted)
• “CAE to Provide German Navy with NH90 Sea Lion Training”
  

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• Sexual Assault/Harassment in the CF
• “A navy officer deserts his ship, haunted by sexual abuse that derailed Olympic dreams”
  

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• Other Military News
• “Contractors to help (RCAF) manage shortage of experienced pilots, technicians”
• “Minister Sajjan Visits Troops in Europe and the Middle East” (DND info-machine)
• “Le ministre Sajjan rend visite aux militaires en Europe et au Moyen‑Orient”

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MILNEWS.ca Highlights – December 16, 2019

• #IRQ-Middle East/#OpIMPACT
• ” ‘Deploy before Christmas’: Edmonton-based helicopter squadron heads back to Iraq”
• “Violence in Iraq isn’t stopping Canada’s training mission there, says general”
• “On Monday, Canada’s newly-appointed ambassador to Iraq, Ulric Shannon, visited Erbil, where he met the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), Masrour Barzani, as well as Safeen Dizayee, Head of the KRG’s Department of Foreign Relations. The Prime Minister and the Canadian ambassador “discussed recent developments in Iraq and the Middle East and their impact on the Kurdistan Region,” a statement on the KRG website read …” (Kurdish media)
• “Stop propping up brutal Baghdad regime”
• “Erdogan accuses Russia and US of violating agreements on Kurds”
• “Turkey Boosts Military Presence In Northeast (SYR)” (pro-RUS site)
• “Senior US official says foreigners involved in Iraq protest arrests”
• “Pentagon chief urges Iraq to stop attacking bases housing U.S. forces”
• ” Iraq warns against ‘escalation’ in wake of attacks on US military bases “
• “Iraq warns against ‘escalation’ after strikes on US interests”
  

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• #MLI-Africa/#OpPRESENCE
• “UN probing Montreal lobbying firm’s possible role in Sudanese troop deployment in Libya”
• “Unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Mali revealed in new report” (UN info-machine)
• “West Africa ‘shaken by unprecedented violence’, UN envoy tells Security Council”
• “Islamic State claims responsibility for Niger attack”
  

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• Russia-Baltics-Cold War 2.0/#OpREASSURANCE
• “Turkey may close Incirlik air base for US in case of sanctions on Ankara — Erdogan”
• “Erdogan threatens to close American military bases in Turkey”
• “Ankara: Turkey wants to buy Patriot missile systems from the US”
• “Turkey plans to purchase Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems from the United States – Turkey plans to purchase American anti-aircraft missile systems”
• “Turkey intends to purchase another batch of Russian S-400 missile systems”
• “The US and NATO are preparing for Russia to go after troops in the field and at home”
• “Russia Developing Nuclear Arms Beyond U.S. Arsenal, Strategic Command Says”
• “First (RUS) regiment equipped with Avangard system to assume combat duty by year-end”
• “Russian Strategic Missile Forces to test-launch 6 ICBMs in 2020 — commander”
• “Launch of a Glonass-M satellite from Plesetsk” (Russian strategic nuclear forces blog)
• “Russia’s Sarmat Missile Could Be Armed With Next-Gen Hypersonic Combat Units – Military”
• “Simulated attacks repelled with Iskander missile system in southern Russia” (RUS state media)
• “NATO: Russia increases its present in Norwegian Sea and North Atlantic”
• “NATO records Russia’s largest submarine activity since end of Cold War”
• “NATO Summit: Kremlin’s Unfulfilled Hopes” (Warsaw Institute)
  

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• #CHN-#RUS Nexus?
• “Unpacking the China-Russia ‘alliance’ ” (Brookings Institute)
• “Why Russian Military Expenditure Is Much Higher Than Commonly Understood (As Is China’s)”
• “Defense technology cooperation between Russia, China reached several bln dollars per year” (RUS state media)
  

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• #CHN/Pacific Rim
• “The China committee is a victory for Canadians … and a problem for Beijing”
• “Japan’s defence chief hits out at Beijing on South China Sea, military build-up”
• “Beijing protests after US expels two Chinese diplomats who drove onto military base”
• “US-China tech war’s new battleground: undersea internet cables”
• “China leads world in successful orbital launches” (CHN mil media)
• “Aerial early warning, reconnaissance training boosts PLA Navy’s capability in S. China Sea” (CHN mil media)
• “Angela Merkel faces revolt over Huawei as German lawmakers seek full ban”
  

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• The Koreas/#OpNEON
• “Resumed North Korean ICBM Testing: Possible Technical Objectives” (38 North)
• “North Korea’s Sohae Satellite Launching Station: More Activity at the Vertical Engine Test Stand” (38 North)
• “North Korea’s Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Site: Some Personnel Remain Onsite” (38 North)
• “Trump says he’ll be ‘disappointed’ if North Korea has something ‘in the works’ on nuclear program”
• “U.S. tells North Korea over nuclear talks: ‘You know how to reach us’ “
• “U.S. Calls on N.Korea to Return to Talks”
• “US envoy urges N. Korea to return to nuclear talks”
• “China, Russia propose easing North Korea sanctions”
• “North Korea’s Sohae Satellite Launching Station: Post-Engine Test Activity Observed” (38 North”
  

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• #Afghanistan
• Fmr CAN aid chief for AFG: “Why we still need a review of Canada’s role in Afghanistan”
• “Canada’s war in Afghanistan was complicated, but it was no failure”
• “Parents of Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan say a memorial is more important than an inquiry”
  

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• Way Up North
• “Arctic features prominently in new Canadian defence marching orders”
• “Canadian NORAD Region hosts first Arctic Airpower Seminar” (RCAF info-machine)
• “Earth’s Magnetic North Pole Continues Drifting, Crosses Prime Meridian”
• “How US Army engineers keep things working at the US’s northernmost military base in the world”
• “Russian N-powered icebreaker ends test run”
  

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• Internal Security
• “Canada has a secret program that grants visas to war criminals, terrorists, security threats”
• “Abdulahi Hasan Sharif Sentenced To 28 Years For Edmonton Van Attack”
• “18 ans pour l’attaque lors d’une soirée d’appréciation envers les militaires à Edmonton”
  

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• What’s Canada Buying?
• “Lockheed Martin awarded $18M for F-35 support for Australia, UK, Canada”
• Wanted: Answer to the question ” What’s firing a .50 cal sniper rifle doing to snipers’ heads?”
• Wanted: “… The Department of National Defence (DND) has a requirement for the provision of seven (7) complete EED-L2 kits …”
• Wanted: “… DND has a requirement for 21 wrist worn physiological monitoring devices …”
  

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• Veterans & Helping Veterans (or Not?)
• “Veterans Affairs Canada announces funding to support homeless and at-risk Veterans — Good Shepherd Refuge Social Ministries to receive nearly $400,000 from the Veteran and Family Well-Being Fund to ensure Veterans achieve their housing, health and social goals …” (VAC info-machine)
  

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• Other Military News
• “Canada transfers command of Standing NATO Maritime Group Two”
• “In a ceremony held at the Taranto Naval Base in Italy, command of Standing NATO Maritime Group Two (SNMG2) was transferred to Rear Admiral Paolo Fantoni of the Italian Navy, on Monday, December 16, 2019. The outgoing commander, Canada’s Commodore Josée Kurtz, had commanded the group for a six-month planned rotation which began in June, 2019 …” (NATO info-machine)
• “Le Canada transfère le commandement du 2e Groupe maritime permanent OTAN”
• “Sajjan given mandate to modernize NORAD, buy fighter jet fleet”
• “The 2019 Mandate Letter to Minister of Defence: Some Reactions” (Saideman’s Semi-Spew blog)
• “Canada ‘very fortunate’ to have Vance as defence chief, minister says”
• “Slower-than-expected economic growth to help Canada’s defence spending numbers”
• “Priorities for Canada’s National Defence Go Beyond Just Spending More”
• “Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan to Visit Europe and the Middle East” (DND info-machine)
• “Symposium hosts unprecedented number of air chiefs from across Indo-Pacific … Nations represented included Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, the Philippines, South Korea, the Republic of Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam …”
• “Capt. Terrance Birch appeared in a Cornwall courtroom on Thursday, Dec. 12 to face criminal charges for illegally wearing military medals he was not entitled to. Birch came under scrutiny in August when Stolen Valour Canada accused him of wearing four military service medals he allegedly did not earn, including the Special Service Medal, Centennial Medal, Canada 125th Medal or the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal …”
• “New Junior Canadian Ranger Patrol for Pikangikum”
• “100,000 letters and counting for “Write the Troops” “

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Ministers’ Marching Orders Issued

The latest Ministers’ Mandate Letters have been published online (more on what mandate letters are all about here – deals with provincial affairs, but the role is the same).

Here’s the Defence Minister’s priorities as laid out in his letter …

“… As Minister of National Defence, you will continue to ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces are an agile, multi-purpose and combat-ready military, operated by highly trained, well-equipped women and men, supported by their Government and by fellow Canadians. This responsibility is rooted in the continued implementation of Strong, Secure, Engaged: Canada’s Defence Policy.

I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory and Cabinet processes to deliver on your top priorities. In particular, you will:

• Ensure the Canadian Armed Forces have the capabilities and equipment required to uphold their responsibilities through continued implementation of Strong, Secure, Engaged, including new procurements and planned funding increases.

• Reinforce Canada’s commitment to our bilateral and multilateral defence partnerships in order to defend Canadian sovereignty, protect North America and enhance international security:

  • Work with the Minister of Foreign Affairs to ensure that any deployment of the Canadian Armed Forces aligns with Canada’s national interest, our multilateral commitments and the Government’s policy objectives;

  • Continue Canada’s strong contributions to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and work with the United States to ensure that the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) is modernized to meet existing and future challenges, as outlined in Strong, Secure, Engaged;

  • Work with the Minister of Foreign Affairs to expand Canada’s support for United Nations peace operations, including with respect to new investments in the women, peace and security agenda, conflict prevention and peacebuilding;

  • Ensure the continued effectiveness of Canadian Armed Forces deployments, including Operation IMPACT in the Middle East, Operation NEON in the Asia-Pacific, NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia, the NATO Mission in Iraq and Operation UNIFIER in Ukraine; and

  • Expand Canadian defence cooperation and training assistance, in particular by drawing on the expertise of the Canadian Armed Forces to help other countries at greater risk of disasters due to climate change.

• Work with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement to manage the competitive process to select a supplier and enter into a contract to construct Canada’s fighter aircraft fleet.

• Work with the Minister of Public Services and Procurement on the renewal of the Royal Canadian Navy Fleet, continuing the revitalization of the shipbuilding industry, creating middle class jobs and ensuring Canada’s Navy has the modern ships that it needs.

• Support the Minister of Public Services and Procurement to bring forward analyses and options for the creation of Defence Procurement Canada, to ensure that Canada’s biggest and most complex National Defence and Canadian Coast Guard procurement projects are delivered on time and with greater transparency to Parliament. This priority is to be developed concurrently with ongoing procurement projects and existing timelines.

• Work with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Northern Affairs and partners through the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework to develop better surveillance (including by renewing the North Warning System), defence and rapid-response capabilities in the North and in the maritime and air approaches to Canada, to strengthen continental defence, protect Canada’s rights and sovereignty and demonstrate international leadership with respect to the navigation of Arctic waters.

• Continue to improve support for the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces and to ensure a workplace characterized by professionalism, inclusion and valuing diversity:

  • Work with senior leaders of the Canadian Armed Forces to establish and maintain a workplace free from harassment and discrimination;

  • Create a new $2,500 tax-free benefit every time a military family relocates, to help with retraining, recertification and other costs of finding new work; and

  • Achieve the goal of 25 per cent of Canadian Armed Forces members being women by 2026.

• With the support of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, introduce a new framework governing how Canada gathers, manages and uses defence intelligence, as recommended by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians.

• Work with the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence to strengthen partnerships between the Department of National Defence and Veterans Affairs Canada to overhaul service delivery and reduce complexity …”

Here’s the priorities of the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence from his letter…

“… As Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, you will continue to ensure that the Government lives up to its sacred obligation to our Veterans and their families. You will continue to ensure that Veterans receive the respect, support, care and economic opportunities that they deserve. This includes working with the Minister of National Defence to ensure a seamless transition for Canadian Armed Forces members to Veterans Affairs Canada programs and services.

I will expect you to work with your colleagues and through established legislative, regulatory and Cabinet processes to deliver on your top priorities. In particular, you will:

• Create a new rapid-response service staffed by social workers, case management counsellors and peer support workers.

• Ensure that every single Canadian Veteran is directly offered a conversation with a support worker to make sure they know about the help available to them and how to access it.

• Provide Veterans with a new benefit of up to $3,000 in additional free counselling services before a disability claim is required.

• Implement a system of automatic approval for the most common disability applications.

• Work with the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion to create national employment and training support services to provide career counselling, job matching and other employment help tailored to the needs of military and policing families.

• Build new, purpose-built accessible and affordable housing units, with a full range of health, social and employment supports for Veterans who need extra help.

• Conclude contribution agreements to support the creation of the Centre of Excellence on Chronic Pain and ensure that the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research can continue to respond to the unique health needs of military members, Veterans and their families.

• With its contribution agreement in place, ensure funding to help the Juno Beach Centre continue to deliver its mandate to preserve the legacy of all Canadians who served during the Second World War.

• Deliver a higher standard of service and care, and ensure that a “one Veteran, one standard” approach is upheld.

• Continue to streamline the current suite of benefits with the goal of reducing overlap and administrative burden, and further improving Veterans Affairs Canada’s performance, as well as the client experience for Veterans, both as they transition to civilian life and as their needs change throughout their lives.

• Improve transparency and communications so that Veterans and their families have clarity about and predictability of available benefits and services …”

Let’s see how well things go, then …

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MILNEWS.ca Highlights + #UKR Update – October 29, 2019

• What’s Canada Buying?
• “Saudi Arabia is $3.4B behind on its payments for Canadian LAVs”
• “Conservative senators plan to press again for details of Vice-Admiral Mark Norman’s settlement”
  

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• #CHN/Pacific Rim
• “Beijing says Canadian military participation at Chinese sports competition more proof it’s not losing global support”
• “DISGRACE: By Having Canada Participate In Military Sports Competition In Beijing, Trudeau Hands China A Big Propaganda Victory” (Spencer Fernando blog)
• “Canada’s new ambassador to China gets to meet detained pair, but warned he faces uphill struggle to repair relations”
• “Canada’s new ambassador to China leads 1st consular visits with Spavor, Kovrig”
• “L’ambassadeur de Chine rencontre les Canadiens emprisonnés”
  

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• #HongKong
• “Beijing must have role if Hong Kong sets up inquiry into police handling of protests, says writer Ren Yi”
• “HK police shows restraint as those around the world use force to clamp down on protests” (CHN Communist Party media)
• “Hong Kong Leader Says Expects City to Record Negative Growth in 2019”
• “Hong Kong Pro-Democracy Activist Officialy Barred From November Local Elections”
  

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• #Afghanistan
• So, which is it?
• “US welcomes China’s offer to host talks between Taliban and Afghan government”
• “US ignores China’s Afghan peace initiative” (CHN Communist Party media)
  

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• #IRQ-Middle East/#OpIMPACT
• “Iraq’s Sadr calls on rival to join him in ousting PM”
• “18 protesters killed in Iraq as pressure on government mounts”
• “Main Backers Of Iraqi Premier Drop Support Amid Protests”
  

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• “Russia says Kurdish withdrawal in northeast Syria complete: TASS”
• “Shoygu: The armed groups completely withdrew from the border line between Syria and Turkey” (SYR state media)
• “(USA) House OKs bill punishing Turkey for Syria move”
• “UN expects verification of al-Baghdadi’s death from regional authorities”
• “(USA SecDef) Esper: Baghdadi Death Provides Warning to Terrorists” (CENTCOM info-machine)
• “KRG: Baghdadi death significant, but fight against ISIS not over”
• “What might study of gangsters possibly say about the Islamic State’s search for a new leader?” (In Moscow’s Shadows blog)
• “German SDF fighter killed in Turkish airstrike”
• “Deep inside an overcrowded ISIS lockup in Syria”
• “UN Chief: Drafting New Syria Constitution Is Step to Peace”
  

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• Russia-Baltics-Cold War 2.0/#OpREASSURANCE
• “Key Features of Russia’s Grom 2019 Nuclear Exercise”
• “A Change of Weaponry — What Lithuania’s Experience with Information Warfare Tells Us …”
• “German Role in Developing Soviet Nuclear Program Revealed in Newly Declassified Documents”
  

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• #UKR/#OpUNIFIER
• “Opening ceremony Multinational Command and Staff Exercice “Maple Arch — 2019” was held in Zhytomyr … The exercise is supported by the Armed Forces of Canada in concert with military personnel of the Armed Forces of Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine, with the participation of international partners from nine countries: Georgia, Bulgaria, Canada, Lithuania, Poland, Northern Macedonia, Romania and Montenegro …” (UKR MoD)
  

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• “OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) Daily Report 256/2019 issued on 29 October 2019”
• “JFO News. Security situation UPD for 7 AM (29 Oct 2019)” (UKR MoD)
• JFO: МAP – 29.10.2019 (UKR NSDC)
• “Weekly Update from the OSCE Observer Mission at Russian Checkpoints Gukovo and Donetsk based on information as of 29 October 2019”
• “Developments in “DNR” and “LNR”: 09 – 28 October 2019 (Newsletter 66)” (Civicmonitoring.org, German NGO)
  

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• “Invaders keep shelling Ukrainian troops, using banned projectiles” (UKR media)
• “Kiev army fires 50 rounds at DPR over 24 hours, damage recorded – JCCC” (pro-RUS rebel info-machine)
• “Day in Donbas: No casualties among Ukrainian soldiers” (UKR media)
• “Ukrainian army fires 60mm mortars towards Petrovskoye village – JCCC” (pro-RUS rebel info-machine)
• “Day in Donbas: 16 shellings, no casualties reported” (UKR media)
• “Russian-led troops launch 16 attacks on Ukrainian troops in Donbas” (UKR media)
• “Militants continue violating the ceasefire, occupants demonstrate their unwillingness to stick to the Minsk agreement, – JFO HQ” (UKR media)
  

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• “Minesweepers of NATO member countries arrive in Odesa docks” (UKR media)
• “NATO ships have arrived to Odessa” (UKR MoD)
  

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• “NATO Council to pay two-day visit to Ukraine” (UKR media)
  

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• “Press Statement of Special Representative Sajdik on the occasion of the renewal of disengagement of forces and hardware in Zolote” (OSCE)
• “Beginning of disengagement at Zolote disengagement area” (OSCE)
• “The JFO Staff: the process of the withdrawal of forces from both sides has started at 12 p.m. at the 2 area near Zolote -4 settlement in Luhansk region” (UKR MoD)
  

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• “Ukrainian Troops Withdrawing from Eastern Town” (Reuters, via RUS independent media)
• “OSCE envoy confirms resumption of Zolote disengagement process” (UKR media)
• “Starting today, disengagement launched in Zolote” (UKR media)
• “JFO command announces start of disengagement of troops near Zolote-4” (UKR media)
• “JFO confirms reciprocal disengaging forces and weapons near Zolote” (UKR media)
• “Disengagement of forces near Zolote in Luhansk region to last three days – Ukraine’s Defense Ministry” (UKR media)
• “Disengagement of forces in Zolote to last three days, – Joint Operation Forces HQ” (UKR media)
• “Joint Forces Operation HQ confirms beginning of disengagement in Zolote” (UKR media)
• “Ukraine’s Foreign Minister announces start of disengagement of forces in Zolote, to be followed by Petrivske” (UKR media)
• “LPR and Ukraine begin elimination of violations of the disengagement agreement in Zolotoye demilitarized zone, October 29, 2019” (pro-RUS rebel info-machine)
• “OSCE Representative: Troop Withdrawal In Eastern Ukraine A ‘Big Step Forward’ ” (USA govt funded media)
• “Russian presidential aide calls Donbass disengagement good news” (pro-RUS rebel info-machine)
• “Disengagement of forces, hardware begins in Zolotoye area” (pro-RUS rebel info-machine)
• “Petrivske to become next area of forces’ disengagement, – Olifer” (UKR media)
  

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• “Govt postpones enactment of new rules for crossing contact line in Donbas” (UKR media)
  

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• “Anti-Terroristic Operation veterans in Zolote did not violate law, – Minister of Internal Affairs” (UKR media)
  

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• “No to surrender: Another protest near Presidential Office in Kyiv” (UKR media)
  

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• “Press Statement of Special Representative of OSCE Chair in Ukraine and in Trilateral Contact Group (TCG) Sajdik after regular Meeting of TCG in Minsk” (OSCE)
• “Trilateral contact group on Ukraine in session in Minsk” (BLR state media)
• “OSCE envoy Sajdik announces preparations for another major swap of Donbas war prisoners” (UKR media)
  

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• “Parliament approves bill on granting combatant status to volunteer soldiers” (UKR media)
  

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• “Russian Media Claim U.S. B-52 Simulated Bombing Raid on Crimea” (polygraph.info, fact-check site)
  

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• “Ukrainian foreign minister: Zelensky ready to meet with Putin” (UKR media)
• “Zelensky ready for meeting with Putin — Ukraine’s foreign minister” (RUS state media)
  

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• “President Zelenskiy Makes Ukraine Investment Pitch in Shadow of War Zone” (USA govt funded media)
  

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• “Taylor: Ukraine’s steps towards reintegration of Donbas require international support” (UKR media)
• “Ukraine, World Bank establish fund for international support of Donbass” (RUS state media)
  

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• Way Up North
• “Moscow Pressing for International Recognition of Expansive Arctic Claims”
• ” Russia is finding new islands in the Arctic, while the US is still trying to figure out how to get up there”
  

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• Internal Security
• “Feds step up court fight to protect spy-related info in official-secrets case — The federal government is ramping up its court fight to keep a lid on documents detailing clandestine Canadian surveillance efforts …”
  

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• Veterans & Helping Veterans (or Not?)
• “A Canadian organization is building tiny house communities for homeless veterans”

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MILNEWS.ca Highlights – October 24, 2019

• Internal Security
• “Top Canadian police intelligence official charged with leaking secret info gets bail”
• “RCMP security violations: Cameron Ortis granted bail with long list of conditions”
• “RCMP Official Accused Of Leaking Secrets Freed With Strict Bail Conditions”
• “L’espion présumé à la GRC, Cameron Ortis, a été libéré sous caution”
  

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• #CHN/Pacific Rim
• “Trudeau needs to be bold to end China-Canada deadlock: analysts” (CHN Communist Party media)
• “Why Canada election candidates dodged Hong Kong protest ‘minefield’ ahead of Justin Trudeau’s win”
• “China beefs up assistance to veterans in need” (CHN mil media)
• “Defense chief stresses peace through cooperation at forum” (CHN mil media)
• “Russian-Chinese Military ‘Alliance’ Both More and Less Than It Appears”
  

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• #HongKong
• “China dismisses reports of Carrie Lam replacement plans for Hong Kong”
• “Hong Kong protesters should be mindful of the fate of Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo”
  

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• The Koreas/#OpNEON
• “Korea Scrambles Fighter Jets as Russian Warplanes Enter Air Defense Zone”
• “US hostility causes peace talks’ deadlock: NK general” (CHN Communist Party media)
• “Defectors Send Flyers to N.Korea to Denounce World Cup Qualifier Fiasco”
  

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• #IRQ-Middle East/#OpIMPACT
• “Statement by Save the Children two weeks after the escalation in northeast Syria … We call on the Canadian government to take urgent steps to support the movement of the children and women in these camps to safety. This must include ensuring humanitarian access, and taking immediate steps towards repatriation.” (Save the Children info-machine)
• “Kurdish Fighters Say They Have Withdrawn From Northern Syria”
• “Turkey trying to establish “Turkmen belt” on the border — The Turkish state is using different groups to occupy Syria …” (Kurdish media)
• “Russia, Turkey reach deal to remove Kurdish YPG from Syria border”
• “Russia And Turkey Reach Deal To Force Out Kurds In Northern Syria”
• “Kremlin says U.S. betrayed Kurds in Syria, tells Kurds to withdraw or be mauled”
• “Erdoğan threatens to ramp up assault on Kurds in Syria ‘safe zone’ “
• “Russia warns Syrian Kurdish YPG must pull back or face Turkish army”
• “Nearly 180,000 displaced by northeast Syria fighting as needs multiply: UN refugee agency” (UN info-machine)
• “Pentagon chief visits Iraq as U.S. troops withdraw from Syria”
• “Defense secretary says troops in Syria will ‘temporarily’ go to Iraq before returning to US”
• “GIs must keep moving, Iraq military says”
• “Iraq: U.S. troops withdrawing from Syria can’t stay in Iraq”
• “KRG president reiterates gratitude to US forces amid controversial Syria withdrawal”
• “Iraq’s Sustained Protests and Political Crisis” (ISW Blog)
  

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• Russia-Baltics-Cold War 2.0/#OpREASSURANCE
• “NATO Defence Ministers will meet in Brussels this week (24-25 October 2019) to address key issues for the Alliance. Ahead of the two-day meeting, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg outlined the topics for discussion, including NATO missions and operations, increasing the readiness of NATO forces, progress towards fairer-burden sharing, and the resilience of telecommunications systems …” (NATO info-machine)
• “Latvia receives Husky mine detection vehicles”
• “Belarus faces no threat from the West, R. Karoblis assures” (LTU MoD)
  

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• What’s Canada Buying?
• “Why Canada May Choose to Buy 88 F-35 Fighters”
  

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• Other Military News
• “Fallen Hamilton soldier Nathan Cirillo remembered 5 years after deadly attack”
• “Vigil held to honour soldiers who die in Canada in non-combat roles”

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MILNEWS.ca Highlights – October 21, 2019

• Internal Security
• “Une sécurité renforcée au parlement d’Ottawa, cinq ans après la fusillade du 22 octobre 2014”
• “Police watchdog releases more details about shooting at Calgary military parade”
• “Driver who drove toward Calgary parade still in hospital with gunshot wound”
• “Police charge man, woman shot by officers during Calgary military parade”
  

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• #Hong Kong
• “Hong Kong Canadians question alleged pro-Beijing backing for prominent Liberal candidate”
• “HK NGO mulls nominating city’s police for next year’s Nobel Peace Prize” (CHN Communist Party media)
• “Hong Kong leaders apologize for water cannon use at mosque”
• “China accuses West of double standard over Hong Kong protests after disorder in streets of Barcelona and London”
• “Hong Kong Protesters Set up Roadblocks, Clash with Police”
• “Hong Kong Leader, Police Chief Apologize to Muslims Over Spraying of Kowloon Mosque”
  

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• #CHN/Pacific Rim
• “US delegates at Beijing security forum set to face tough time over stance on Hong Kong, ‘provocation’ in South China Sea”
• “U.S. not out to “decouple” from China, defence official says in Beijing”
• “US is instigating colour revolutions, China’s Defence Minister Wei Fenghe says”
• “Chinese military always a force for peace and justice” (CHN mil media)
• “Senior military official stresses China’s adherence to peace, justice” (CHN mil media)
• “Chinese, Australian armies conclude joint training exercise” (CHN mil media)
  

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• The Koreas/#OpNEON
• “China and South Korea to work together for denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula”
  

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• #IRQ-Middle East/#OpIMPACT
• “Turkish offensive should pressure feds to act on repatriation of Canadian citizens in Kurdish-controlled ISIS detention camps, says expert”
• “Iraq will not receive foreign terrorists detained by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) that did not fight on the country’s soil, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said on Sunday …”
• “The Kurdistan Region of Iraq Is Struggling to Survive”
• “Islamic State Attack Kills 2 Security Forces Near Northern Iraqi Oil Fields”
• “KRG (in IRQ) takes in 5,000 Syrian refugees fleeing Turkish onslaught, expects more”
• “U.S. troops leaving Syria for western Iraq as Kurds look to withdraw amid cease-fire”
• ” ‘America is running away’: Syrian-Kurds throw potatoes at departing U.S. troops”
• “Syrian Protesters Picket Retreating U.S. Troops: ‘Tell Your Children That the Children of the Kurds Were Killed by the Turks’ “
• “U.S. Considers Plan to Stay in Syria While Troops Withdraw Into Iraq”
• “Syria: In shift, Trump says ‘small’ number of US troops to stay”
• “US uses helicopters to transport Isis terrorists, claims Syrian state news agency”
• “US occupation continues to transport hundreds of Daesh terrorists from Syria to Iraq” (SYR news agency)
• “(SYR) Army continues moving to deploy forces in al-Jazira region to confront Turkish aggression” (SYR news agency)
• “Russia ready to mediate between Kurds, Damascus: Sergey Lavrov”
• “German defense chief recommends international security zone in Syria — he current situation in Syria “requires a stronger European initiative,” said Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer in an interview …”
• “Iran against Turkey’s plans to establish military posts in Syria: spokesperson”
• “Invasion turque au Rojava”
• “Stop calling the PKK/PYD ‘Kurds’ ” (Turkish media)
• “ISIS Reaps Gains of U.S. Pullout From Syria”
• “Is ISIS Back?” (OilPrice.com)
  

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• Russia-Baltics-Cold War 2.0/#OpREASSURANCE
• “Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, wants more than control over a wide swath of Syria along his country’s border. He says he wants the Bomb …”
• “Congress calls on US to scout nuclear alternatives to Turkey base”
• “On October 22, Vladimir Putin will hold talks with President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan” (Kremlin info-machine)
• “Turkey’s nuclear future”
• “US moves troops, tanks into Lithuania in message to Russia”
• “Russia to Conduct Open Skies Observation Flight Over U.S. with Tu-154-ON Aircraft”
  

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• #CHN-#RUS Nexus?
• “The Russo-Chinese alliance emerges”
  

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• Way Up North
• “Russia says new data supports its claims to extended continental shelf in Arctic Ocean”
• “Rosneft builds base in Arctic”
• “Russia Willing to Pay to Lure Shippers to the Arctic”

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• What’s Canada Buying?
• Wanted:  “The Department of National Defence has a requirement for the provision of Accomodation Services within a 15 mile radius of MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida …”

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