Global News Post: NATO

Russia Warns Against NATO Missiles on Syrian Border

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<st1:city w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MOSCOW</span></st1:city><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti) - <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region>'s
Foreign Ministry cautioned Thursday against <st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region>'s
intention to deploy NATO Patriot missiles on its border with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"The militarization of the Turkish-Syrian border would be
an alarming signal," said ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich.
"It would do nothing to foster stability in the region."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"Our advice to our Turkish colleagues is to use their
influence on the Syrian opposition to draw them closer to dialogue, instead of
flexing their muscles and taking the situation down a dangerous path," he
added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Wednesday
that <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s
request to deploy the missiles would be considered soon. <st1:city w:st="on">Ankara</st1:city>
says the missile system is necessary to protect its border with conflict-torn <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">US Patriot surface-to-air missiles were last deployed to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region></st1:place>
in 1991 and 2003, during the two Gulf Wars.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Turkey</span></st1:country-region><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> has opened fire several times in recent
weeks across its border with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>
in retaliation for Syrian shelling, which killed five Turkish civilians in
October. It has also provided shelter to refugees fleeing the violence in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>
and has been one of President Bashar al-Assad’s harshest critics during the
almost 17-month revolt against his rule.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Tensions between <st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region> flared dangerously
this summer after <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Damascus</st1:city></st1:place>
shot down a Turkish fighter that had violated its airspace. <st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region> threatened retaliation if there was any
repeat of the incident, although it admitted the plane had mistakenly strayed
slightly into <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Lukashevich also denied Russian media reports that Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov was planning to meet on November 26 with the Syrian
opposition.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The Syrian conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives
since the start of an uprising against Assad in March 2011, according to
various Syrian opposition groups. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<st1:country-region w:st="on"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Russia</span></st1:country-region><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> - along with <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region>
- has drawn heavy Western criticism for its refusal to sanction UN sanctions
against Assad's regime, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city></st1:place>
sole remaining ally in the Arab world. <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city></st1:place>
said the proposed UN resolutions betrayed a pro-rebel bias and would do nothing
to bring peace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Putin vowed earlier this year not to allow a repeat of the “<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Libya</st1:country-region></st1:place>
scenario,” which saw the ouster and murder of long-time Libyan dictator Muammar
Gaddafi after a NATO military campaign.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Moscow</st1:city></st1:place>
has denied it is supporting Assad in the conflict and says it will respect the
will of the "Syrian people."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Russia Warns Against NATO Missiles on Syrian Border

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - Russia 's Foreign Ministry cautioned Thursday against Turkey 's intention to deploy NATO Patriot miss...

3 NATO Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

3 NATO Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan

Photo © BNA Kabul (BNA)--- Three NATO soldiers were killed by firing of Afghan military soldier in Afghanistan. This event occurred in ...

Putin Backs Russia’s Support of NATO Afghan Operation

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ULYANOVSK (RIA Novosti) --- Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed on Wednesday that Russia would continue its support of the NATO military operation to ensure order and security in the troubled Central Asian country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“NATO maintains a permanent presence in Afghanistan at present. We should help them. Let them keep fighting there," Putin said at a meeting with the personnel and veterans of Russia's Airborne Troops.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“That is in our interest. It's in our interest that we should have peace on our southern borders," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Flooded by Afghan heroin being smuggled through former Soviet Central Asian republics, Russia has cooperated with NATO in fighting the drug business in Afghanistan for years, helping to carry out raids on drug laboratories and training anti-drug officers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The president reiterated, though, that Russia would not send troops to take part in the military operation against Taliban fighters.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“I realize that, if something breaks out that requires the involvement of our Armed Forces and you - the paratroopers, you will be ready,” Putin said. “But it’s our job, the politicians, to prevent such events from occurring.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Russia has also made significant contributions to support NATO ground and air cargo transit into and out of Afghanistan and recently agreed to host a NATO transit hub in Ulyanovsk to facilitate NATO withdrawal from the war-torn country by 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In addition, Moscow signed a $367.5-million deal in 2011 with the U.S. Department of Defense for 21 Mi-17V5 transport/attack helicopters to expand the fleet of helicopters in service with the Afghan military.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Putin expressed concern over security in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of NATO troops from the country and urged NATO members to bring to a logical conclusion all the tasks that the Western coalition has committed to accomplish before the pullout.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“If they have made the commitment, let them follow through on it," the Russian president said.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Putin Backs Russia’s Support of NATO Afghan Operation

ULYANOVSK (RIA Novosti) --- Russian President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed on Wednesday that Russia would continue its support of the NATO m...

Six NATO Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Photo © BNA</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kabul (BNA): Six NATO soldiers were killed in Afghanistan yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The identities of these soldiers had not cleared but they were killed in a mine blast in the east of the country. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">NATO in a press statement to BNA confirmed the killing of these soldiers, but said nothing about the exact area of the incident.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is the bloodiest incident for NATO militants up to now.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With killing of these soldiers the casualties of NATO troops during the current year reaches to 303 soldiers in Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="direction: ltr; text-align: justify; unicode-bidi: embed;"><br />
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Six NATO Soldiers Killed In Afghanistan

Photo © BNA Kabul (BNA): Six NATO soldiers were killed in Afghanistan yesterday. The identities of these soldiers had not cleared but ...

Pakistanis Protest against NATO Supply Reopening

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Supporters of the Islami Jamiat Talaba shout slogans during a protest against the government for reopening the NATO supply route to Afghanistan in Karachi, Pakistan on 5 July 2012. Pakistan’s cabinet on 4 July 2012 approved the re-opening of supply routes to NATO troops in Afghanistan, after a suspension of more than seven months. The shipments were discontinued in Nov after 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed by a NATO airstrike in the north-western tribal region along the Afghan border. The decision was made after the US government complied with Islamabad’s demand to apologise for the soldiers’s deaths. Photo courtesy nation.com.pk ---NNN<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Pakistanis Protest against NATO Supply Reopening

Supporters of the Islami Jamiat Talaba shout slogans during a protest against the government for reopening the NATO supply route to Afgh...

Pakistan Starts Allowing NATO Supplies to Use Routes to Afghanistan

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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ISLAMABAD (NNN-PTI) -- Pakistan on Wednesday began allowing NATO supplies to move out from a port in Karachi, a day after it lifted a seven-month blockade of vital routes to Afghanistan in the wake of the much-sought US apology for the killing of 24 of its soldiers in a cross-border raid.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Authorities at Port Qasim, Pakistan's second busiest harbour, told the media that they had received instructions to allow the movement of NATO supplies after the payment of demurrage for the period when the goods were kept at the port.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Officials at the Chaman land border crossing in southwestern Balochistan province too told the media they had received instructions to prepare for the movement of NATO supplies to Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pakistan's Defence Committee of the Cabinet decided late Tuesday night to end the blockade of the supply lines after the US apologised for a cross-border NATO air strike that had killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November last year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a telephonic conversation with her Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar, reiterated America's "deepest regrets" for the NATO attack on November 26 last year, which had triggered a major diplomatic rift between the two countries.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"I offered our sincere condolences to the families of the Pakistani soldiers who lost their lives. We are sorry for the losses suffered by the Pakistani military. We are committed to working closely with Pakistan and Afghanistan to prevent this from ever happening again," Clinton said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Islamabad had shut the supply routes after the NATO attack last year.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The meeting of the Defence Committee of Cabinet (DCC) was chaired by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and attended by army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The DCC said a decision was made to reopen the supply lines to facilitate the transition and the transformation process in war-torn Afghanistan.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Pakistan has said that it would not allow the transportation of lethal equipment and that it would not charge any fees for the NATO supplies.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Official sources said a formal notification about the reopening of the supply routes is expected to be issued after a meeting of the federal Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Ashraf.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is the first Cabinet meeting being chaired by Ashraf since he succeeded former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani, who was disqualified by the apex court last month.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Over the past six months, Pakistani and American negotiators had haggled over the fees to be paid for NATO vehicles, with some reports suggesting that Islamabad had asked for 5,000 dollars for each truck. Pakistan had also insisted on an apology for the NATO attack. -- NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">  <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Pakistan Starts Allowing NATO Supplies to Use Routes to Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD (NNN-PTI) -- Pakistan on Wednesday began allowing NATO supplies to move out from a port in Karachi, a day after it lifted a sev...

6 NATO troops killed in Afghanistan

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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64kw41TV9hTAlWtJpc4Ru8FpRXSzm4ZGCsW1HnJGA5Oec9SGdhGmqSjjCykTXosz-rv2tFPFOGWK1xpcntDODUVTCITI1QlQaqK26vbrXS3oGFR9npbTZc5OfPaMXrTblZwEdMkwitSc/s1600/890602090856167d6e437c240c8755b2_XL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64kw41TV9hTAlWtJpc4Ru8FpRXSzm4ZGCsW1HnJGA5Oec9SGdhGmqSjjCykTXosz-rv2tFPFOGWK1xpcntDODUVTCITI1QlQaqK26vbrXS3oGFR9npbTZc5OfPaMXrTblZwEdMkwitSc/s320/890602090856167d6e437c240c8755b2_XL.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Photo © BNA<o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kabul, (BNA) - six international troops were killed in separate insurgency incidents in Afghanistan in the NATO-led coalition force said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said three soldiers killed in Faryab Provence blast in the north, one service member was killed by an improvised explosive device in the south of the country, one by a similar blast in the east and one by an insurgent attack in the east.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: HI; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">All sex incidents happened on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the last statement released on Wednesday. They did not give further details.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

6 NATO troops killed in Afghanistan

Photo © BNA Kabul, (BNA) - six international troops were killed in separate insurgency incidents in Afghanistan in the NATO-led coalitio...

12 NATO Soldiers Killed in Helicopter Crash in Kabul

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">ISLAMABAD  (NNN-KUNA) -- Twelve NATO soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed in Afghanistan on Friday, said the allied forces in a statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Twelve International Security Assistance Force "(ISAF) service members died following a helicopter crash in Kabul province Friday," said ISAF in a statement.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The cause of the crash is under investigation, however initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time of the crash, the statement added.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The nationalities of the victims were not immediately identified. -- NNN-KUNA<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

12 NATO Soldiers Killed in Helicopter Crash in Kabul

ISLAMABAD (NNN-KUNA) -- Twelve NATO soldiers were killed when their helicopter crashed in Afghanistan on Friday, said the allied forces in...

NATO Says Afghan Children Found Dead After Airstrike

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">By Sandra LeMaire</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NATO officials in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:place></st1:country-region> say coalition aircraft may have mistakenly killed several children during a bombing raid last week in the eastern part of the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Afghan President Hamid Karzai has condemned the air strikes and ordered an investigation after saying that eight children were killed on February 8.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NATO spokesman Brigadier General Carsten Jacobson said Monday coalition aircraft and ground forces attacked insurgents in Kapinsa province.  After the raid, NATO forces found several "young Afghans of varying ages" among the casualties. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Jacobson said the deaths of innocent people are a tragedy but insisted that so far, they are not yet certain how the children's deaths happened.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The issue of civilian casualties caused by coalition operations has long been a source of tension between President Karzai and NATO.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A United Nations report released earlier this month said more than 3,000 civilians were killed in 2011 - the worst death toll in the decade-long Afghan war.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Officials with the U.N. mission in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region></st1:place> said insurgents were responsible for 77 percent or 2,300 of Afghan civilian deaths and that the 410 deaths caused by foreign and local forces dropped by 4 percent.<span class="apple-style-span"> ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div>

NATO Says Afghan Children Found Dead After Airstrike

By Sandra LeMaire NATO officials in Afghanistan say coalition aircraft may have mistakenly killed several children during a bombing ra...

France Suspends Afghan Military Operations After Troop Deaths

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><b><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">France</span></i></b></st1:country-region><b><i><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> says it is suspending all training and joint operations in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:place></st1:country-region> after an Afghan soldier shot dead four French troops.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">President Nicolas Sarkozy also says he is considering an early withdrawal of French troops from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region></st1:place> if security conditions “are not clearly established,” following Friday's attack.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Afghan security officials said at least 16 other people were wounded in the assault in the eastern Afghan <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">province</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Kapisa</st1:placename></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet said the French troops were unarmed when the attacker opened fire during a training exercise at a base jointly operated by French and Afghan forces. The shooter has been apprehended.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Friday's incident is the latest of several attacks in which international troops have been killed by Afghan security forces.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In December, an Afghan soldier opened fire and killed two members of the French Foreign Legion in Kapisa. And earlier this month, an Afghan soldier shot and killed an American service member in Zabul province.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Friday's deaths bring the number of French troops killed in the Afghan war to 82. <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region> has about 3,600 soldiers serving in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region></st1:place>, mainly in the east, with all combat troops set to leave the country in 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">President Sarkozy said Friday that it was “unacceptable” that Afghan troops would attack French soldiers. He said Defense Minister Longuet and <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region>'s army chief of staff are traveling to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Kabul</st1:city></st1:place> Friday to determine the circumstances behind the attack and will report back on how to proceed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Afghan President Hamid Karzai expressed his condolences. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said it was a “sad day” for international troops in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region></st1:place> and the French people, but insisted such incidents are “isolated.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The New York Times on Friday cited a classified coalition report, which says such attacks are motivated by deep-seated animosity between the forces that are supposed to be allied. The report says ill will and mistrust run deep among civilians and militaries on both sides.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But NATO spokesman U.S. Lieutenant General Jimmie Cummings, Jr. said Friday that incidents where Afghan soldiers have wounded or killed coalition members are isolated cases and are “not occurring on a routine basis.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Cummings added “we train and are partnered with Afghan personnel every day and are not seeing any issues or concerns with our relationships.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile late Thursday, a coalition helicopter crashed in southern <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:place></st1:country-region>, killing six U.S. Marines.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A NATO spokesman said there was no insurgent activity reported in the area when the helicopter went down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background: white; font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The cause of the crash is being investigated.<span class="apple-style-span"> ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div></div>

France Suspends Afghan Military Operations After Troop Deaths

France says it is suspending all training and joint operations in Afghanistan after an Afghan soldier shot dead four French troops. Pre...

Pakistan Buries Troops Amid Fury Over NATO Strike

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Hundreds of angry protesters gathered outside the American consulate in <st1:city w:st="on">Karachi</st1:city> on Sunday, as <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:place></st1:country-region> held funerals for the 24 soldiers killed Saturday in a NATO cross-border airstrike in the country's northwest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Reporters near the consulate say at least 700 people were outside the heavily fortified compound shouting “Down with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>” and other anti-American chants.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile, the nation's army chief was among those attending funerals of the victims. Their coffins, draped in green and white Pakistani flags, are being airlifted to their respective hometowns.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NATO and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place> officials responded quickly to try to minimize the repercussions of the attack on the Pakistani military outposts. NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Sunday he has offered his condolences to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani for what he called the “tragic, unintended” deaths.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Rasmussen said he told the prime minister the deaths of the Pakistani troops was “as unacceptable and deplorable as the deaths of Afghan and international personnel.” He said he supports the NATO investigation that is under way.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Earlier Sunday, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region></st1:place>'s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar told U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton the air raid was not acceptable and demonstrated a complete disregard for human life. <st1:city w:st="on">Clinton</st1:city> responded by saying she was deeply saddened, and she promised to work with <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Pakistan</st1:country-region></st1:place> on the issue.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Pakistan</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> reacted swiftly to the airstrike by shutting down all NATO supply lines through its territory to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region> and ordering the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> to vacate an air base in southwestern <st1:place w:st="on">Baluchistan</st1:place> province within 15 days.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Prime Minister Gilani and top leaders said Saturday the Pakistani government “will revisit and undertake a complete review of all programs, activities and cooperative arrangements with US/NATO/ISAF.” They called for “strong and urgent action” against those responsible for the deadly incident.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Pakistan</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> also is reexamining its decision to attend a major <st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region> peace conference in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Bonn</st1:city></st1:place> next month. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Pakistan Buries Troops Amid Fury Over NATO Strike

Hundreds of angry protesters gathered outside the American consulate in Karachi on Sunday, as Pakistan held funerals for the 24 soldiers...

NATO Rules Out Syria Action

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">NATO says it has no intention of taking military action in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region>, after closing it's seven-month campaign to protect civilians in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Monday the alliance has ruled out any intervention in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">He condemned President Bashar al-Assad's deadly crackdown on dissent and urged the government to accommodate what he called the "legitimate aspirations" of the Syrian people.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Assad has warned the international community against intervening in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region>, saying any action would splinter the <st1:place w:st="on">Middle East</st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The United Nations says the death toll from seven months of anti-government protests has topped 3,000. ---VOA News</div></div>

NATO Rules Out Syria Action

NATO says it has no intention of taking military action in Syria , after closing it's seven-month campaign to protect civilians in Lib...

NATO chief makes unannounced visit to Libya

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</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">BRUSSELS</span></st1:city><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti)-NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen made an unannounced visit to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Libya</st1:country-region> on Monday, a NATO spokesman said in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Brussels</st1:city></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Rasmussen will hold talks with National Transitional Council (NTC) head Mustafa Abdel Jalil and other Libyan leaders in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tripoli</st1:place></st1:city>, the press service said. After the talks, Rasmussen and Abdel Jalil will hold a joint press conference.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NATO on Friday announced the end of Operation Unified Protector, which was imposed to protect civilians from Muammar Gaddafi's regime.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NATO is formally ending the mission on Monday, which it has hailed as one of its "most successful" yet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The no-fly zone and naval blockade imposed by NATO on March 31 will end at 11:59 pm Libyan time (21:59 GMT), as stipulated by a UN Security Council resolution approved last week that ends the mandate for military action.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Over the seven months, NATO aircraft carried out more than 26,000 sorties, including 9,600 strike sorties. The alliance also maintained a naval blockade of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> at the same time it facilitated delivery of 2,100 shipments of humanitarian aid.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 10.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;"><br />
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NATO chief makes unannounced visit to Libya

BRUSSELS (RIA Novosti)-NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen made an unannounced visit to Libya on Monday, a NATO spokesman said ...

Deadly Attacks Hit Afghanistan

Deadly Attacks Hit Afghanistan

Photo Credit: Bakhtar News Agency Afghan officials say a suicide car bomber has attacked a convoy of foreign troops in the capital, Kabu...

NATO will stop bombing Libya but won’t leave

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">By Yelena Suponina for RIA Novosti</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">NATO’s war in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> will come to an end on October 31, 2011. Preparations are currently underway. On Thursday, the UN Security Council passed a resolution announcing that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s air space will be open to both NATO aircraft and local airliners starting next Monday. This resolution ends the no-fly zone introduced by the Security Council in mid March, just two days before the war. The draft resolution, proposed jointly by <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Britain</st1:place></st1:country-region>, was unanimously approved.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The Security Council did not end the war<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Does this mean that the war in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> is over? Will NATO forces really leave? How can the Security Council make the decision to end a war it did not start?<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Let’s recall that Resolution 1973 of March authorized force against the Gaddafi regime but did not mention war as such.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Russia</span></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> still maintains that this document did not sanction combat operations and that the Western countries that started the war with the support of several Arab monarchies, particularly <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Qatar</st1:place></st1:country-region>, violated the resolution. <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region>’s Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said yesterday that the lessons of the events in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> must be learned. Western politicians, for their part, tell <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:city> not to play dumb – it allowed the resolution to pass with its abstention. Experts had no doubt that this would automatically lead to war.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Today I have seen for myself that it was not the Security Council and not <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region> that made the decision to end NATO’s military actions in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>. I saw firsthand in <st1:city w:st="on">Doha</st1:city> (the capital of the small but significant <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Qatar</st1:place></st1:country-region>) how such strategic plans are adopted.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Friends of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> set Oct. 31 deadline<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">As a political scientist, I was allowed to attend the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Doha</st1:place></st1:city> meeting of the Libya Contact Group (also called the Friends of Libya), which is now winding down. Established in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city> on March 29, ten days after the start of the war, it was initially involved in overthrowing the Gaddafi regime. Now it has embarked on building a new <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The new Libyan leaders have been meeting with high-ranking diplomats and military officials from allied countries in different cities of the world. <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s official representatives have not yet attended these meetings. On this occasion, the Friends of Libya gathered in one of the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Doha</st1:place></st1:city>’s finest hotels.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Libya</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> was represented by National Transitional Council (NTC) Chairman Mustafa Abdul-Jalil and some of his deputies and associates, including Defense Minister Jalal al-Digheili. The Islamist Abdul Hakim Belhadj is also considered to be a leader of the rebel military forces. A fierce struggle for the top spots in the new government is underway.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Crown Prince of Qatar, attended the opening of the meeting. On October 26, one day before the Security Council passed its resolution; they finalized their earlier agreement that NATO should officially announce the end of combat operations in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Libya</st1:country-region></st1:place>. The meeting was lead by Gen. Hamad bin Ali al-Attiya, Qatari chief of staff and a relative of the emir. He told me that they had also suggested the date – October 31.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">A new military coalition to help <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">It was only after the victors tied up the loose ends that the issue was submitted for a vote at the Security Council. Important political decisions are no longer made in the UN, no matter how much <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region> are trying to resist this or present it in a different light.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Some meticulous analysts have noted that at the very same meeting in Doha Libyan leader Abdul-Jalil declared for some reason that he would like NATO to continue its activities in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> “at least up to the end of this year.” Some commentators see this as a contradiction: the agreement was to wind down NATO involvement by the end of this month, and yet there is this suggestion that it could be extended.  <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">This is not a contradiction. Abdul-Jalil (a former justice minister in the Gaddafi government) is not well versed in big time politics. He said what was on his mind and what is actually happening on the ground. NATO forces will remain in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> at least to the end of this year and maybe even longer, even after adopting to the resolution. They will simply change the name of the operation and slightly alter the staff. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">This would no longer be a NATO operation but a mission of the Friends of Libya coalition. Gen. Hamad bin Ali al-Attiya told me that it “will consist of 13 or more countries,” led by <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Qatar</st1:place></st1:country-region>. The <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United Arab Emirates</st1:place></st1:country-region> will likely join. <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Britain</st1:country-region>, the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United States</st1:place></st1:country-region> and some other NATO members have already agreed to participate. So in reality NATO forces will continue to be geared towards <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>, although this won’t be so obvious to the public eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Moreover, the military officials that attended the meeting suggested to me that the aircraft of the partner countries may continue patrolling <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s air space. Libyans will be steadily adopting NATO standards in military training.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The allies are refining their mission as events develop. However, all participants in the meeting agreed that the war in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> was not yet over. The Libyans talked at length about Gaddafi supporters that were still fighting, and the inability of the new leaders to protect the country’s land and maritime borders or put an end to arms trafficking.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">To sum up, the war will continue for some time, and NATO will remain in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> for a long time to come, even though it has achieved its main goal – the Libyan opposition and its friends from several dozen Western and Arab countries have ousted Gaddafi. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 9pt;">Yelena Suponina is a Middle East scholar and a commentator for The <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:city> News. She filed this report for RIA Novosti from <st1:city w:st="on">Doha</st1:city>, the capital of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Qatar</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 9pt;">Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are the author’s and may not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti and Global News Post.<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div></div>

NATO will stop bombing Libya but won’t leave

By Yelena Suponina for RIA Novosti © flickr.com/isafmedia NATO’s war in Libya will come to an end on October 31, 2011. Preparations...

Gaddafi son threatens Libyan ‘traitors’ with revenge

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brqnetwork/5510824784/sizes/z/in/photostream/"><span style="text-decoration: none;">©</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none;"> flickr.com/brqnetwork</span></a></span><span style="font-size: 8.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">MOSCOW (RIA Novosti)- Seif al Islam Gaddafi, one of the killed Libyan dictator’s sons, has vowed to make the lives of “the traitors” who toppled his father “hell,” Arab media reported on Wednesday.</span></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">“In this historic moment, when some believe that everything is over… I would like to clearly state my goals and say: everything is just beginning,” the Al-Rai Al-Arabi news portal quoted him as saying.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Seif al Islam Gaddafi, who was the dictator's favorite and one-time heir apparent, on charges of committing crimes against humanity. The London-educated 39-year-old is the last member of Gaddafi’s immediate family who is believed to be in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Libya</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">In his statement, he called on his supporters to continue fighting for a “lost <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> and lost honor” and punish “criminals and murderers” involved in his father’s ouster and death.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Seif al Islam Gaddafi commanded troops loyal to his father in Muammar Gaddafi’s hometown of Sirte before the regime’s last stronghold fell to the ruling National Transitional Council forces last week. The ousted Libyan dictator, who was holing up in the town, died after being captured by opposition fighters, while his son managed to escape.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Conflicting media reports have suggested that Seif al Islam Gaddafi may be hiding in southern Libya, either in the area bordering Niger that is populated by tribes loyal to the Gaddafi clan, or in the Bao region near Libya’s borders with Chad and the Sudanese region of Darfur.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Some analysts have warned that the Libyan unrest may turn into a violent inter-tribal rivalry that would challenge the country’s unity after the death of dictator Gaddafi.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Acting Libyan leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil has urged NATO to continue its mission in the country until at least the end of 2011. NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said last week the alliance was planning to wind down its operations in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> by October 31, but U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta suggested on Tuesday the mission could continue beyond this date.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div></div>

Gaddafi son threatens Libyan ‘traitors’ with revenge

NATO may stay in Libya longer than planned - U.S. defense chief

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">MOSCOW</span></st1:city><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"> (RIA Novosti) - NATO may not end its mission in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> as early as planned, CNN quoted U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as saying on Tuesday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Last week, NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the alliance was planning to wind down its operation in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> by October 31. The preliminary decision was approved during a NATO council meeting on Friday, with the formal statement expected to be made this week.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">But Panetta told journalists during his visit to <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region> on Tuesday that <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s ruling National Transitional Council wanted NATO to extend its mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I noticed today that there were comments from some of the Libya leadership asking that NATO continue its mission during this interim as they are trying to establish some of their governance," CNN quoted the U.S. minister as saying.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The decision is up to NATO, he said, adding that the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United  States</st1:country-region> is looking at its long-term relations with <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s military.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said last week <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region> was introducing a resolution in the UN Security Council calling for an end to the no-fly zone over <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moscow</st1:place></st1:city> hopes that the resolution will be passed "in the next few days," he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The UN Security Council passed Resolution 1973 introducing a no-fly zone over <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> in March, a month after an uprising against Col. Muammar Gaddafi’s authoritarian rule broke out in the North African country. The resolution also authorized "all necessary measures" to protect Libyan civilians from attacks by pro-Gaddafi troops.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The U.S.-led military operation in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> began on March 19. NATO took over control of the operation on March 31.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Gaddafi, who had ruled <st1:country-region w:st="on">Libya</st1:country-region> for 42 years, was buried in a secret grave in the <st1:place w:st="on">Libyan desert</st1:place> earlier on Tuesday. He died after being captured alive by National Transitional Council fighters near his home town of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sirte</st1:place></st1:city> last week.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

NATO may stay in Libya longer than planned - U.S. defense chief

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) - NATO may not end its mission in Libya as early as planned, CNN quoted U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as sayin...

Gadhafi Death Marks End of NATO Mission

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Henry Ridgwell | <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">London</st1:place></st1:city><o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";"><span>  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">NATO's operations against Moammar Gadhafi's forces began in March, with French and British airstrikes on Libyan army positions.<span>  </span>And it was French warplanes that ultimately brought the mission to an end, bombing Gadhafi's convoy as it left his hometown of Sirte.<span>  </span>NATO officials say they were unaware the former Libyan leader was part of the convoy.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">With Gadhafi dead, NATO's Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen says the alliance planned to wind down the mission by October 31.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">"I am very proud of what we achieved, together with our partners, including many from the region," said Rasmussen.<span>  </span>"Our military forces prevented a massacre and saved countless lives. We created the conditions for the people of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> to determine their own future. Their courage and determination in the course of freedom is an inspiration to the world."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">President Nicolas Sarkozy of <st1:country-region w:st="on">France</st1:country-region> and Prime Minister David Cameron of <st1:country-region w:st="on">Britain</st1:country-region> had led the diplomatic push for a no-fly zone over <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> enforced by NATO.<span>  </span>Six months after the campaign began, they were the first world leaders to visit the newly liberated <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tripoli</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Reacting to Gadhafi's death, Sarkozy said it was time for a new chapter in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<span>  </span>"It's a war for freedom of the Libyans, for the Libyans," said Sarkozy.<span>  </span>"We have helped them. We will continue to help them as much as they ask us to. What is true is that the operation is coming to an end, of course. But it's really up to the Libyans to build their future."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Despite the elation expressed by many world leaders at the victory of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s rebel forces over Gadhafi, analysts say questions will linger over the nature of the NATO mission.<span>  </span>What began as a U.N.-backed campaign to protect civilians ended with regime change.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The U.N. and NATO are demanding an investigation into how Gadhafi met his violent death after being captured by Libyan fighters.<span>  </span>That will be debated in the coming days. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Ultimately, NATO commanders say they are satisfied. The overall mission has been accomplished and the alliance seems to be strengthened.---VOA NEWS<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

Gadhafi Death Marks End of NATO Mission

Henry Ridgwell | London NATO's operations against Moammar Gadhafi's forces began in March, with French and British airstrikes o...

NATO discusses possibility of halting operations in Libya

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">BRUSSELS (RIA Novosti)- NATO have been in discussions on the situation in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Libya</st1:country-region> on Friday in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Brussels</st1:city></st1:place> and are evaluating the ability of the National Transitional Council (NTC) in providing security in the country, a diplomatic source close to NATO said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">According to NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Admiral James Stavridis, the NATO Council at the ambassadorial level alliance of 28 countries may decide to cease Operation Unified Protector.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“I call on all Libyans to put aside their differences and work together to build a brighter future,” NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said. Rasmussen urged the NTC to show restraint in dealing with the defeated pro-Gaddafi forces.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Court for the <st1:state w:st="on">District of Columbia</st1:state> rejected the claim of the ten members of Congress to the government, in which the applicants claimed the participation of the <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region> armed forces in the NATO operations in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> was illegal.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The congressmen called strikes against targets in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> without declaring war unconstitutional. To declare war requires the consent of Congress. The congressmen said U.S. President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates were prohibited to make decisions regarding operations in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Libya</st1:country-region></st1:place> without a vote in Congress.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The court agreed with the arguments of the representatives of the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> government and Congress and has rejected the claim.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Gaddafi, 69, who had ruled <st1:country-region w:st="on">Libya</st1:country-region> for 42 years, was captured by National Transitional Council (NTC) soldiers near his home town of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Sirte</st1:city></st1:place> on Thursday. Later he was fatally shot.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

NATO discusses possibility of halting operations in Libya

BRUSSELS (RIA Novosti)- NATO have been in discussions on the situation in Libya on Friday in Brussels and are evaluating the ability of t...

UN diplomat delivers sobering report on Libya

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">UNITED NATIONS (RIA Novosti)- </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">A report by the UN special envoy to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Libya</st1:place></st1:country-region> has fueled concerns among UN diplomats over the effectiveness of the UN efforts to stabilize the situation in the country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Ian Martin, who heads the UN Support Mission to Libya (UNSMIL), briefed members of the 15-country Security Council via video-link on Thursday that the political situation and the security conditions in the war-torn country remained worrisome.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Russia</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">'s envoy to the UN Vitaly Churkin called Martin’s report “open and sobering.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The situation [in Libya] is far from stable, there are many security concerns, the fighting is still on, violations of human rights and international humanitarian law have been registered,” Churkin told reporters after a closed-door meeting of the UN Security Council.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">“The Libyan authorities clearly need support, an effective UN mission, and that is where the Security Council will concentrate its efforts in the next few months,” Churkin said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Key areas of the UN support to new Libyan authorities include the assistance in drafting constitution and organizing elections, the delivery of humanitarian aid, and the disbursement of unfrozen Libyan funds.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The UNSMIL was set up by the UN Security Council on September 17 with an initial period of three months to help restore public security and initiate economic recovery in the North African country.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Libyan rebels started a six-month military campaign, assisted by NATO, against the Gaddafi regime in mid-February. The international NATO-led military operation began on March 19 following a UN resolution on "targeted measures" to protect civilians.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Following months of fierce fighting that claimed hundreds of lives, the Libyan Transitional National Council has established control over most of the country’s territory, including the capital of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Tripoli</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Gaddafi loyalists, however, still maintain control of several Libyan towns, including Gaddafi’s home town of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sirte</st1:place></st1:city>, which has been a site of heavy fighting for the past few weeks.</span><span class="cr"><span style="background: white; color: #838383; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 4.5pt;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/crobj/3234064928/sizes/o/"><span style="color: #838383; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><br />
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UN diplomat delivers sobering report on Libya

UNITED NATIONS (RIA Novosti)- A report by the UN special envoy to Libya has fueled concerns among UN diplomats over the effectiveness of ...