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Armed democracy: NATO greatest achievement for Europe
At the 30th NATO summit, following the U.S. and Russia's withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, NATO leaders, reiterating future threats, divided the world into East and West military poles.
NATO, while stating a security strategy, continued to regard Russia as a threat to the security of Atlantic and euro area, just like it was during the Cold War. The organization also claimed that cyber operations, terrorist acts and those effective state and non-state actors that are not aligned, should be confronted as factors that have challenged the world order.
NATO's strategy has shifted from the level of security concerns over Russia and global challenges to the level of preparedness for possible military confrontation. NATO seeks to provide the ground and facilities for further deterrence, faster defense and increased capacities of the rapid reaction forces to counter possible attacks, especially in the field of terrorism and cyber-terrorism.
Although NATO, at a recent meeting, referred to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as a defensive coalition that does not threaten any country, its field of activity indicates that the nature of the treaty is tied to war.
NATO achievement and threats to Europe
NATO plays a key role in creating armed democracy in Europe, and is also a serious threat to the continent's security.
After the end of WWII, when capitalism and communism were two dominant ideologies in international relations, the U.S., with a greed for Europe's scientific and industrial resources, entered the green continent that was tired of devastating wars. With the Marshal Plan, the U.S. chose Europe as its strategic ally to confront the Soviet Union.
Constant security is the condition for strategic partnership. Therefore, beside the Marshal Plan, only NATO-backed armed democracy could guarantee constant security for long-term strategic partnership between the U.S. and Europe.
By dictating this kind of democracy to Europe in the form of preserving values and mutual interests, the U.S. has taught European leaders and nations to stop fighting each other and join the U.S. to achieve global goals and counter communism.
By its policy, the U.S. strategic goal was to promote public knowledge in Europe. It also sought to support those policies and organizations that, on the one hand, could guarantee peace and security in Europe, and on the other persuade European nations to cooperate with the U.S. at international and trans-national level, in the context of a new order after the World War II.
In the process of reinforcing NATO, democracy expanded alongside NATO's military goals in leftist Europe. European people slowly became familiar with ballot boxes, and, by benefiting from common interests in the economic system of capitalism and neo-liberalism, they agreed with the arms race with the Soviet communist system. Therefore, a great miracle happened in transatlantic relations and developments, and yesterday's enemies became today's friends and strategic partners.
In fact, armed democracy was NATO achievement for European countries. The democracy has so far worked out very well, to the point that the cruel and criminal European countries now present themselves great supporters of human rights and environment!
Leninism and Stalinism, racism, fascism, apartheid, genocide, crematoria and cruel killings during Africa and India's colonization, appalling events in WWI and WWII, brutal killings in Srebrenica and Bosnia are only a small part of Europe's history.
After WWII, Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg signed the Brussels Pact in 1984 and formed the Western Union Defense Organization (WUDO) in response to German threats and expansionism by the Soviet Union in eastern and central European countries.
The U.S. government, which had won the approval of the Congress to accept military commitments outside its borders in response to the Soviet intervention in the Czech coup, joined the Brussels Pact along with Canada on April 4, 1949. Finally, the U.S. and 11 European countries founded the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Washington against Russia and Germany.
Following France's defeat in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam, the Soviet Union, which considered Germany as its enemy, seized the opportunity and offered Collective Security Treaty to the U.S., Britain and France in 1954, and requested NATO membership, which was rejected by all three countries.
A few months after NATO's negative response, due to its hostility with Russia, NATO accepted Italy's membership on April 4, 1949, and Germany's on May 9, 1955, in order to prevent Moscow from taking advantage of European political and security conflicts.
With Germany joining NATO, the Soviet Union established the Warsaw Pact five days later, using the military facilities of Eastern European countries, which practically triggered the Cold War.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, during the presidency of Boris Yeltsin, Moscow sent a letter to NATO secretary-general on December 21, 1991, asking for membership in the military bloc, which once again rejected by NATO.
Constant security, an achievement of constant threat
The serious threat to Europe's constant security is to be examined as European countries have not played an important role in maintaining and establishing durable security over the last half a century, but they reached such level of security due to the security interests created by the U.S. and NATO.
Since the Cold War, European countries have been the victims of possible nuclear conflict between the U.S. and Russia. Therefore, given the U.S. and Russian withdrawal from the INF Treaty and stationing new nuclear missiles by these countries in the green continent, Western Europe will be once again the first victim and target in a possible U.S.-Russian conflict.
In other words, the security of European countries is provided and guaranteed in the absence of the U.S.-Russian conflict, which is a constant threat at the same time of being constant security.
In the wake of widespread commitments to NATO, coupled with transatlantic relations, without NATO's support, most European states are vulnerable in the face of Russian military power due to the lack of a professional army.
In case European countries distance themselves from the U.S., even if they spend a sum more than their defense expenditures within NATO, they will not be able to form an army with deterrence capability.
In fact, European states have strategic partnerships in the context of governments and interdependencies. According to history, European nations certainly will not be friends, if not enemies.
It is nearly five decades that Europe has been trying to form an independent army to defend itself, but political disputes between European countries have prevented it from being realized. This is a pain that Europe always suffers from.
From our partner Tehran Times
Trump is sending NATO east – the Middle East
The assassination of General Qassem Soleimani and Iran's retaliatory strike against US bases in Iraq brought the situation in the region to a head with President Donald Trump initially urging NATO to participate more actively in Mideast affairs and later proposing to expand NATO's membership to include Middle Eastern nations, albeit without specifying any concrete candidates.
"I think that NATO should be expanded, and we should include the Middle East. Absolutely," Trump told reporters, adding that "contending that North Atlantic military alliance should take over for the US in the region "because this is an international problem."
The White House owner even proposed a new name: NATO-ME (from Middle East).
All this is taking place amid Washington's rising tensions with Iraq, which "allowed itself" to be outraged by the US drone attack on the Baghdad airport. As to Washington, it has long stopped looking at Iraq as an independent actor, ever since it ousted Saddam Hussein destroying the fragile balance of power in the region and effectively making Iran a regional superpower. And all this time, Iraq has been desperately trying to maintain its territorial integrity. Whether it will eventually succeed in doing this is a big question though.
So, the US drone attack on the Baghdad airport and Iran's retaliatory missile strikes against bases in Iraq housing US troops, "sparing" as they were, resulted in the Iraqi parliament's demand to withdraw all foreign troops currently stationed in the country. Donald Trump saw this as a sign of "disrespect" for the United States (as if ordering a missile strike on a foreign country's airport is a show of respect) and is poised to slap Baghdad with tough sanctions. In addition, due to his predilection for measuring everything with money, Trump added that the US forces would not leave Iraq until Baghdad fully repaid the cost of the air base built there by the United States.
As for Trump's idea (NATO-ME), we have already seen something similar happening before. In 2008, there was much talk going on about creating, under US auspices of course, a new bloc of eight regional states, namely Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Egypt and Jordan – the so-called Middle East Strategic Alliance, MESA, or "Arab NATO." Conceived by Washington, the alliance was to create a common front against terrorism, including Iran, which the US views as the main sponsor of terrorism. The idea fell through though, as Qatar has business, almost allied, relations with Iran; Oman actively cooperates with Tehran; Kuwait, mindful of its Gulf neighbors' onetime failure to help it against the Iraqi aggression, chose to stay out of it. Egypt likewise refused to join in.
Almost two years on, these eight countries' position remains pretty much the same. Moreover, NATO itself is going through hard times: some of its members continue to honor the provisions of the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran; in Syria, Americans, British, French, and other allies act as part of a coalition that exists outside NATO's fold; Emmanuel Macron talks about the "brain death of NATO," and that's not to mention Turkey. As for the European Union, it is now suffering from a kind of foreign policy impotence and is showing little interest in NATO affairs.
Even though Donald Trump said that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was "delighted" with the prospect of the bloc's expansion to the Middle East, NATO's leading European members do not seem too eager to "get into" this region. First, because "getting out" of there won't be easy, and secondly, because they are eager to keep doing business with Iran. It looks like NATO neophytes from Eastern Europe will be the only ones to once again respond to Washington's call to show how true they are to the values of the "free world," and, of course, to Washington. This leaves Britain the only NATO "oldie" the US can count on.
At the January 6 meeting of the NATO Council, the participants urged the US and Iran to show maximum "restraint" and reduce bilateral tensions. Jens Stoltenberg said that nobody needs a new conflict, apparently because he knows that no effective military assistance from the Arab countries will be forthcoming. Indeed, the Saudi-led Peninsular Shield Force, created in 1984 as a military arm of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), proved unable to repel the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. In Yemen, the Sunni coalition is equally unable to defeat the Shiite rebels. The results of the Arab-Israeli wars also speak for themselves. All this meaning that if necessary, it is the Europeans who will have to fight. But the Arab sheikhs have the money.
In a nutshell, Trump's idea is to have European soldiers do all the fighting in the Middle East, and finance the military operations with Arab money (Trump never tires of complaining about NATO allies not contributing enough to the Alliance's funding, and apparently doesn't expect them to pay more).
"And we can come home, or largely come home and use NATO … now the burden is on us, and that has not been fair," Trump said.
Just like that – simple and clear. Besides, this is exactly what the "average" American, who will go to the polls this fall to choose the country's next president, wants to hear.
From our partner International Affairs
Challenges to Eurasian Security in the Coming Decade
Confrontation between Russia and the USA/NATO
There is no reason to believe that the worsening relations between Russia and the West, a process that began six years ago following the Ukrainian crisis, will be rectified in the near future. The current conflict is largely due to the fact that, since Donald Trump's 2016 presidential victory, Russia has become the bogeyman of the US domestic political agenda and is believed by the president's opponents to be a partial factor in his election. Irrespective of who wins the 2020 US presidential election, the new president will continue to feel the inertial anti-Russian pressure from the establishment and the media. The most we can hope for is a cessation of further confrontation and any actual improvement in bilateral relations should not be expected until the mid-2020s.
The US position influences that of European countries, which have been so far mainly following in the footsteps of Washington's policy, despite individual initiatives to improve relations with Russia (for example, by French President Emanuel Macron). In terms of security, this trend is manifested in European remilitarization, for the first time since the end of the Cold War. What is particularly inconvenient for Russia is that this process involves a return to Europe by US troops, which had all but left the continent by the mid-2010s. This time, US forces are being deployed not in Western Europe but right on the border with Russia, in the Baltics and Poland, the new NATO members that need protection from Moscow's "revanchist aspirations". These developments naturally find strong support among local politicians that have been exploiting anti-Russian rhetoric for decades.
It would be fair to say that Moscow's worst fears about the consequences of NATO's eastward expansion have materialized and that the previous agreements, including the promise enshrined in the NATO-Russia Founding Act that the Alliance would not deploy significant forces on the territories of new member states, are turning into a farce. Even though US troops are rotated seamlessly, without any intervals, Washington explains this away as temporary deployment of individual units, implying no violation of the standing agreements. This effective long-term deployment allows the US military to explore the hypothetical war theatre and conduct joint exercises with allies; long-term depots are being set up for weaponry and military equipment that would only require personnel for combat deployment.
Fortunately, despite all the belligerent rhetoric, it is difficult to imagine, even in the distant future, an intentional military confrontation that would be consciously approved by the two countries' leaders: the price of the conflict escalating would be too high. Yet, in a crisis, the high level of militarization in the contact zones between the two blocs, especially involving a large number of actors representing other countries, could result in accidental skirmishes fraught with severe consequences.
Regular meetings between Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of Russia's Armed Forces and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (who doubles as the commander of the US European Command) serve as very positive signals. These events are rarely covered by the general media and the topics discussed are not publicized, but both sides regularly emphasize the importance of this dialogue. It would be no exaggeration to say that the two officers are perhaps the most senior representatives of the Russian and US military-political leadership who meet in person and on a regular basis. It appears extremely important not only to preserve this channel of communication (in fact, it would probably be best for such contacts to be as low-profile as possible, pointedly professional and distanced from politics) but also to develop its potential to include a dialogue between military experts at the regional level or a permanent hotline for resolving potential conflict situations in the Baltic region. Similarly, conducive to resolving crises would be the preservation of the Treaty on Open Skies and other transparency measures (observer missions during exercises and mutual notifications about planned drills and missile launches).
Belarus as an island of stability
Belarus has long remained an island of stability and security on the post-Soviet territory. It happily avoided the numerous nationalist and separatist conflicts that erupted following the USSR's collapse. In fact, Belarus strives to pose as an honest broker in regional conflicts: the Minsk format and the Minsk agreements have become world-class brands (Minsk is not to blame for the hiccoughs in implementing them). It would be highly desirable for this state of affairs to continue into the next decade.
Yet one cannot be entirely certain that this will, indeed, happen. The Russian-US confrontation is stimulating Washington's interest in the situation in Belarus and reducing Moscow's tolerance for Minsk's multi-vector foreign policy. The upcoming changes in the country are also a factor adding unpredictability: the political reforms currently being discussed imply a greater role for parliament and political parties.
With these processes afoot, it is not surprising that the US Congress holds conferences on how best to educate Belarusian youth, who are supposed, in the future, to choose Western values, and how to indoctrinate them with detailed talks about the threat Russia poses to their country's sovereignty. Equally unsurprisingly, authoritative analytical centres, such as the RAND Corporation, publish reports on the possibility of providing international security guarantees to Belarus, which, following a hypothetical regime change, is expected to leave the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and thus face the threat of Russian intervention.
The only hope that Belarus will not become the next battlefield for internal and external actors stems from the fact that, at least in this sense, the country has successfully survived the previous several decades. It is, however, evident that Russia will perceive the potential threats associated with Belarus very painfully and certain forces might attempt to take advantage of this.
Moldova and Transnistria: continuing freeze
Transnistria can be described as a textbook post-Soviet example of a frozen, unresolved conflict. The territory is entering the new decade with its status still unrecognized, which complicates economic and social development; it is in a diplomatic dispute with Moldova over the presence of a small Russian peacekeeping force on its soil and its relations with Ukraine have worsened owing to the latter's contradictions with Russia.
Unlike the other long-standing conflicts, however, the probability of the Transnistria situation escalating into an open confrontation remains extremely small. On the contrary, Moldovan President Igor Dodon's Socialist Party, which concentrated power in its hands after the grey cardinal Vladimir Plahotniuc was overthrown, intends to resolve the Transnistrian problem by reintegrating the territory as an autonomous region within the federal state.
This scenario is supported by Russia and might be of interest to the EU, on which Moldova depends economically. On the other hand, it has many opponents, including unionists, who support unification with Romania. Given that Romania is actively developing its military might and gradually becoming a key NATO member in the south of the Alliance's "eastern flank", the prospects of that country integrating Moldova are worrying Moscow.
So far, the unionists' chances of making Moldova part of Romania appear even less realistic than the prospects of the Transnistrian conflict being resolved through federalization of Moldova. Yet the confrontation might aggravate the situation, if not to the level of the tragic 1992 events.
Ukraine: a tangle of contradictions
Ukraine is likely to remain the key area of conflict in the post-Soviet space in the coming decade owing to the huge associated tangle of contradictions, including the political confrontation between Russia and the USA, the economic standoff between the EU and the EAEU, unresolved Soviet-era issues and even more ancient ideological constructs.
The key security challenges for Russia concerning Ukraine will be posed by the need to secure freezing the conflict in the east of that country, provide for Crimea's security, facilitate reliable navigation in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, maintain control over the Kerch Strait, and prevent deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine. Even in the best-case scenario (which we may be observing at the moment, because the situation could certainly be much worse), these issues cannot be entirely resolved in the foreseeable future; they will continue to demand Russia's attention and resources.
Georgia on the periphery of focus
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, partially recognized Transcaucasian territories, are somewhat in between Donbass and Transnistria in terms of the situation there. On the one hand, the likelihood of direct military conflict over those territories is extremely small thanks to the presence of Russian troops. On the other hand, their status still poses a problem. Considering the way the status issue was exploited during the Russian-Georgian political confrontation in the summer of 2019, one would have thought that the August 2008 war had taken place merely a few months previously, and the information that Russia had "occupied 20% of Georgian territory" was being presented as fresh and shocking news.
It is possible that, in the coming decade, as internal problems in Georgia intensify or if the international situation takes a favourable turn, the Georgian authorities and media (not necessarily those currently in power: Georgia is known for its frequent changes of power with subsequent reprisals of predecessors) will once again exploit the "Russian aggression" narrative.
The USA will continue to view Georgia as part of the notional defensive perimeter, and joint military exercises will be held there regularly. In reality, however, Georgia, which is separated from the closest NATO member nations by the Black Sea, will remain on the periphery of the focus. One good example here is Exercise DEFENDER Europe 20, planned for the spring of 2020, which will practice new, more Cold War-like scenarios involving the defence of NATO's eastern flank. Georgia, although formally a participant in the drill of nearly 40,000 NATO troops mainly deployed in Poland and the Baltic states, will only be involved in airdropping a small multinational force.
Armenia and Azerbaijan: a powder keg
Another hotspot in Transcaucasia is the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Unlike other territorial disputes that sprouted up as the Soviet Union was collapsing, this one cannot possibly be frozen: clashes between special forces and exchanges of fire between border guards on the frontier between the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) and Azerbaijan take place several times a year. The April 2016 major aggravation, known as the four-day war, resulted in heavy losses (without delving into the parties' diametrically opposed accounts of the losses incurred by themselves and the adversary, it can be stated with certainty that there were more than 100 fatalities) and the border getting reshaped to the benefit of Azerbaijan.
The parties to this conflict continue to militarize actively. Moreover, owing to the serious differences in economic potentials, Azerbaijan's capabilities are much greater: the country is procuring significant quantities of advanced UAVs, armoured vehicles, multiple-launch rocket systems and even theatre missiles. Azerbaijan mainly buys its weaponry and military equipment from Israel, Turkey, Belarus and Russia. Armenia often criticizes Russia and Belarus for their active military cooperation with Azerbaijan, presenting it as nothing short of betrayal on the part of fellow CSTO members. There is, however, no doubt that Azerbaijan would find alternative ways to acquire such weapons and friendly relations with Russia are among the key factors in containing the conflict.
The same applies to the presence of a Russian military base in Armenia and deliveries of Russia-made weapons to that country at internal Russian prices and with use of preferential loans. In particular, Armenia has taken delivery of Russian Iskander missile systems (obviously to balance the procurement by Azerbaijan of Israeli site defence missile systems, which could prove effective against the Armenian Scuds) and will soon receive a small batch of Su-30SM fighters, which, given the specifics of the local theatre of operations, cannot be described as anything but a status purchase.
The domestic political agenda in both Armenia and Azerbaijan, their irreconcilable positions, regular clashes and the militarization of the parties to the conflict leave no hope of any speedy settlement. An optimistic scenario, and Russia's objective, would be to maintain a balance and good relations with both parties and make sure that no significant conflicts break out in the coming decade.
Central Asia: Region X
Central Asia does not attract as much media attention as Ukraine or the Baltic states, which is a fundamental mistake. Russia's "soft underbelly" may well become a source of bad news in the coming decade.
The future of Afghanistan presents the greatest challenge in the region. US troops will leave the country sooner or later, whether commanded out by President Trump or his successor. The USA is already too tired of this war, which will inevitably end with the Taliban staying and Washington leaving. The conflict continues exclusively for the sake of bargaining over withdrawal terms that would help the Americans save face. The process will not necessarily have catastrophic consequences: the Taliban may yet integrate successfully into the existing Afghan state and, as the Americans would like it to, join the fight against groups loyal to the Islamic State (which is banned in Russia). Most likely, however, the civil war will continue between different groups.
This creates additional risks for the post-Soviet states. The Taliban may have so far stayed mostly within the borders of Afghanistan. Still, the same cannot be said of other radical Islamist groups, which might either step up their activity against the background of the chaos in the country or seek new areas of operation, should they be squeezed out of Afghanistan. Central Asian countries, which cannot boast consistent stability, might become their new targets.
This instability, which stems from internal economic and religious problems, the difficult transition of power and generational change within the local elites, could, in and of itself, foster civil and even inter-state wars. For this reason, Central Asia, where outbreaks of violence are virtually inevitable, will become the main field of activity, perhaps even a battlefield, for the CSTO.
From our partner RIAC
Rising Geopolitical Tensions Boost Military Spend on Electronic Warfare Equipment
The emergence of stealth and low observable aircraft along with Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) systems has made integrated air defense networks very complex and difficult to counter. Additionally, the development of new missile-seeker technologies for surface-to-air missiles poses a serious threat to aircraft as they bypass existing missile-detection systems. The presence of these new threats is driving the demand for modern electronic warfare (EW) systems that are sensitive enough to detect and engage targets before they are visually seen. A recent analysis of the global military airborne electronic warfare market forecasts the sector to rake in revenues over $30.8 billion between 2018 and 2028, with $21 billion worth of addressable opportunities arising from the planned and forecasted procurement of EW equipment.
"Many countries will be modernizing their aging fleets through upgrade or replacement programs in the next 10 years," said Ryan Pinto, Research Analyst, Aerospace and Defense at Frost & Sullivan. "With an increased focus on EW systems, this modernization phase will provide opportunities to replace their existing EW capabilities with modern systems that can counter new threat environments."
Frost & Sullivan's latest research, Global Military Airborne Electronic Warfare Market, Forecast to 2028, investigates the potential of military electronic warfare (EW) equipment in today's volatile geopolitical climate. The report explores the trends influencing electronic warfare and the factors driving sector growth, and offers a segment-wise analysis of the global electronic warfare market. The research also provides detailed revenue forecasts and identifies promising opportunities for growth in the sector.
With Russia demonstrating its advanced electronic warfare capabilities in Ukraine and Syria, China has refocused its efforts toward showcasing similar capabilities in the Pacific. The two countries see EW as an important force multiplier during a conflict. This has made bridging the EW capability gap a major priority for the US and NATO countries to maintain their advanced capabilities and remain competitive. New threats in the EW domain will drive new research and procurement programs.
"There is a growing need for indigenization and collaborative production, especially in emerging markets such as Saudi Arabia and India," noted Pinto. "Defense majors will have to vary their market strategy accordingly to access emerging opportunities in these markets."
Companies operating in this sector can also foster growth by:
Offering more robust EW systems that would enable assets to conduct hybrid EW and CW tasks simultaneously.
Developing faster signal processing and miniaturization to increase the sensitivity of jammers.
Integrating AI and neural networks to enable quicker reactions, faster identification, and effective suppression.
Reducing the size of EW payload to enable horizontal integration of multiple payloads.
Global Military Airborne Electronic Warfare Market, Forecast to 2028, is a part of Frost & Sullivan's Aerospace & Defense Growth Partnership Service program, which helps organizations identify a continuous flow of growth opportunities to succeed in an unpredictable future.
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Pakistan Closes Border With Afghanistan After Temporary Opening
Pakistan closed its two main border crossings with Afghanistan on March 9 after thousands of people rushed to cross the border during a two-day reopening.
Islamabad closed its Torkham and Chaman crossings on February 16 after a series of suicide attacks in Pakistan that killed dozens of children, soldiers, and police officers.
Pakistan's government claims that the attacks were carried out by militants who were crossing into the country from Afghanistan.
The Associated Press news agency quoted border management officials Fayyaz Khan and Irfan Toor as saying that the two crossings, major trade and commerce points between the countries, would be shut indefinitely.
With reporting by AP, Dunya News, and Reuters
More Than 20,000 Cross Into Afghanistan During Two-Day Pakistan Border Reopening
Pakistan's border police say more than 20,000 Afghans and Pakistanis have crossed into Afghanistan since March 7 since Pakistani authorities temporarily reopened two main crossings that were closed after a series of militant attacks.
The figures on the number of people making the crossing during the temporary reopening was announced on March 8 by Faiz Khan, a Pakistani official at the Torkham crossing into eastern Afghanistan.
Khan said thousands more people were waiting late on March 8 at Torkham and the Chaman crossing into Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar -- hoping to cross into Afghanistan before the two-day opening was set to end.
Islamabad closed its Torkham and Chaman crossings on February 16 after a series of suicide attacks in Pakistan that killed dozens of children, soldiers, and police officers.
Islamabad claimed that the attacks were carried out by militants who were crossing into Pakistan from Afghanistan.
With reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
Journalism Watchdog Opens Center For Women Journalists In Afghanistan
Reporters Without Borders has launched a center to protect women journalists in Afghanistan, the second-most dangerous country for female reporters after Syria.
The center will lobby for better working conditions and rights for women reporters, including combating discrimination in the workplace. It will also work to change perceptions that journalism is no job for a woman.
"We want to support women journalists both in war zones and within the news organizations for which they work, to defend both their rights and their physical safety," the center's president, Farideh Nikzad, said.
The biggest challenges are security and sexual abuse in the workplace, Nikzad said.
"By protecting women journalists, we are defending media freedom in Afghanistan," the group's secretary-general, Christophe Deloire, said.
The country currently has some 300 to 400 women journalists, mainly in the big cities.
They find themselves caught between Taliban militants on the one hand and their own families on the other, who often do not consider the job to be a suitable profession for a woman.
Four women journalists have been killed by relatives since 2002 for this reason, while 13 women media workers have been killed by outside forces since 2001, the center said.
With reporting by AFP
At Least Two Dead In Attack On Kabul Military Hospital
At least two people have been killed after gunmen attacked a military hospital close to the U.S. Embassy in the Afghan capital and engaged security forces inside the building, officials and witnesses say.
General Dawlat Waziri, a Defense Ministry spokesman, said an unknown number of gunmen entered the Sardar Mohammad Daud Khan Hospital on March 8 after an explosion and gunfire.
The 400-bed military hospital is located near two civilian hospitals in the Wazir Akbar Khan area of Kabul.
It is also located across the road from the heavily fortified U.S. Embassy.
"The attackers are in the second and third floors of the hospital, and right now a gunbattle is under way," Waziri said.
"So far two dead bodies and nine wounded people have been transported at the neighboring Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan hospital," Qamaruddin Sediqi, a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Health, said.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani condemned the attack during a speech on the occasion of the International Women's Day, calling it "an attack on all Afghan people and all Afghan women."
No insurgent group immediately claimed responsibility for the ongoing assault, which comes as the Taliban ramp up attacks even before the start of their annual spring offensive.
The area around the hospital, near a busy traffic intersection, was blocked off by security forces. Afghan helicopters circled over the area.
The NATO-led Resolute Support mission said it was ready to assist Afghan security services.
The attack comes just a week after dozens were killed and wounded in a series of Taliban attacks on a police building and an intelligence service compound in Kabul.
Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP
Afghan 'Special Immigrant' Family Released After 5-Day Detention In U.S.
An Afghan family of five detained in Los Angeles last week after traveling to the United States on "special immigrant" visas was released on March 6, government officials said.
Lawyers for the family said that it was still not clear why the father, mother, and their three sons were taken into custody at Los Angeles International Airport on March 2, interrogated, and held for some 40 hours.
But attorney Robert Blume portrayed the detention as a mistake by U.S. immigration authorities, saying: "The government swung and missed on this one. They just got it wrong."
The family on arriving in Los Angeles was scheduled to board a connecting flight to the state of Washington where they planned to resettle. Instead, they were detained by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The International Refugee Assistance Project said in its court filing to seek the family's release that the couple and their children were granted "special immigrant visas" in return for work the father had performed for the U.S. government in Afghanistan that put the family's lives at risk.
In order to qualify for that program, applicants go through a difficult and lengthy vetting process that often takes more than five years and requires letters of recommendation from senior U.S. military officers or U.S. government officials in Afghanistan.
During the weekend, a federal judge had issued a temporary order blocking federal authorities from deporting the family back to Afghanistan or removing them from California.
The federal judge's order also had called for a March 6 hearing on their case.
U.S. immigration officials have tightened their border security checks for incoming foreign travelers since President Donald Trump on January 27 issued an executive order that temporarily barred entry into the United States of citizens from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
But that original order -- which called for "extreme vetting" of arriving migrants -- was later blocked by U.S. federal judges.
The detention on March 2 of the Afghan family, whose name was not released, came despite the block on Trump's executive order, and despite the fact that Afghanistan was not one of the seven countries listed under the executive order.
On March 6, Trump signed a revised executive order that freezes the issuance of new visas for citizens from six predominantly Muslim countries – Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen.
The revised order, due to come into effect on March 16, says valid pre-existing visas would still be honored for individuals from those six countries.
With reporting by AP and Reuters
Five Afghan Policemen Killed In Taliban Attack
At least five members of the Afghan security forces were killed early on March 5 when their checkpoint was attacked in northeastern Kunduz Province, an Afghan official said.
A large group of Taliban fighters attacked the post near the city of Kunduz, provincial police chief General Abdul Hamid Hamid said.
Meanwhile, 18 insurgents were killed and three injured in the Imam Sahib district of Kunduz Province, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
"The key terrorists killed in the operation were involved in planning and implementing several terror attacks in Kunduz Province," said the statement.
A district police chief was also killed when his vehicle was blow up by a bomb in northern Faryab Province. Another policeman was injured in the explosion in the evening on March 4. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
In another incident in Faryab Province, a local security forces commander was also killed when insurgents attacked a police checkpoint.
Afghan forces now face mounting pressure from a resurgent Taliban amid record casualties and mass desertions as the militants escalate attacks across the country.
Based on reporting by AP
At Least Eight Civilians, Including Children, Killed In Afghanistan
At least eight Afghan civilians, including four children, have been killed in an attack in the western Farah Province, Afghan officials says, although it was immediately unclear whether they died in a military air strike or a roadside bomb blast.
Muhammad Naser Mehri, spokesman for the provincial governor, said on March 4 the incident late on March 3 was a roadside bomb explosion that took place in the Bala Buluk district.
But family members of the victims say they were hit by an air strike.
One resident, a 30-year-old mother of four named Salima, said two of her children were killed and a third wounded in an air strike.
Dawlat Waziri, a Defense Ministry spokesman, said an investigation of the incident was under way.
"We are aware of the allegations made by the local people, right now an investigation is going on into the incident in Farah," Waziri said.
At least 22 other people were wounded in the attack, according to local hospital officials.
Farah's Bala Buluk district has been the scene of several recent clashes between Afghan security forces and armed insurgents.
Based on reporting by AP and dpa
Explosion, Gunfire In Afghan Capital; Taliban Claims Responsibility
A gunbattle broke out between security forces and an unknown number of attackers in Kabul, shortly after a loud blast was heard in the western part of the Afghan capital, a police official has said.
Fighting was under way near a district police headquarters located close to a military training school, said the official, who declined to give his name because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
At least two gunmen were firing on the military school and the police headquarters in Kabul's sixth district.
A spokesman for the Taliban claimed responsibility for the ongoing violence, saying militants had attacked three targets in Kabul and caused heavy casualties. He provided no further details.
No official word on casualties was available.
The explosion was large enough to be heard on the other side of the city.
Last month, a suicide bomber killed at least 20 people outside the Supreme Court in Kabul. The extremist group Islamic State claimed responsibility for that attack.
With reporting by Reuters and dpa
Afghan Officer Shoots 11 Fellow Police In 'Insider' Attack, Officials Say
An Afghan police officer fatally shot 11 of his colleagues as they slept at a checkpoint in the southern province of Helmand, officials have said.
Omer Zwak, a spokesman for the provincial governor, said the officer turned his rifle on fellow police in the attack late on February 27 in Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital.
Zwak said the attacker seized his victims' guns and ammunition and fled the scene in a police vehicle -- presumably to join the Taliban, which claimed responsibility for the attack.
"Insider" attacks in which Afghan soldiers and police turn their guns on their colleagues or on international troops have been a major problem during the 15-year-old war in Afghanistan.
Afghan security forces battling a resurgent Taliban are struggling to tackle such incidents as they also face record-high casualties and mass desertions.
Lashkar Gah is one of the few areas in Helmand currently held by the government.
Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Putin And Rahmon Agree To Bolster Tajik-Afghan Border Security
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said in the midst of a three-nation tour of Central Asia that he has agreed with Tajikistan's president to jointly bolster security along the Tajik-Afghan border.
Putin told reporters in Dushanbe on February 27 after his talks with President Emomali Rahmon that "Tajikistan is a key country" for regional security in Central Asia.
Putin said he and Rahmon agreed to "step up joint efforts to defend the Tajik-Afghan border, using capacities of the Russian military base located in Tajikistan."
He also said Russian forces are based in Tajikistan "to provide security for both Tajikistan and the southern frontiers of the Russian Federation."
About 7,000 troops from Russia's 201st Motor Rifle Division are stationed at three facilities in Tajikistan that are considered part of a single Russian base.
One facility is near Dushanbe, and the other facilities are in the southern cities of Kulob and Qurghon-Teppa.
Earlier on February 27, Putin met in Almaty with Kazakhstan's president, Nursultan Nazarbaev, where he praised Kazakhstan's role at recent talks in Astana aimed at finding a resolution of Syria's six-year war.
'Exemplary Ties'
Putin said Kazakhstan "has played a positive role, not only as a host and organizer of the event, but had, in fact, influenced the positive results of the Astana gathering."
Nazarbaev said that a quarter-century after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia is now Kazakhstan's "No. 1 economic and political partner."
Nazarbaev said Moscow and Astana have "established exemplary ties that should be between friendly neighboring countries."
The 76-year-old Nazarbaev has been in power since before the Soviet collapse in 1991.
In late January, Nazarbaev said he would delegate some of his sweeping powers to parliament and the cabinet.
Those moves have raised questions about an eventual transition of power in the oil-rich, tightly controlled country.
Russia is vying for influence in Central Asia with China, which also borders Kazakhstan and has been increasing its regional influence in recent years.
Putin is scheduled to complete his two-day visit to Central Asia with a visit to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on February 28.
With reporting by TASS, Interfax and RIA
Senior Taliban Commander Killed In Northern Afghanistan
Afghan officials and the Taliban say a senior commander of the militant group has been killed in northern Afghanistan.
Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on February 27 that Mullah Abdul Salam Akhund was killed in a "special operation." He gave no details.
Defense Ministry spokesman Dawlat Waziri said Akhund was killed along with nine other Taliban militants.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed Akhund's death in a statement, saying he was killed by a U.S. air strike in the Dashti-e-Archi district in the northern province of Kunduz.
Akhund, the commander of Taliban forces in the northern province of Kunduz, had been declared dead several times in the past only to reappear.
A U.S. military spokesman told Reuters that an American warplane had conducted an air strike in Kunduz on February 26 but said there was "no confirmation of the results."
Taliban militants have briefly seized control of the provincial capital, Kunduz City, for two consecutive years, in a major embarrassment to the Kabul government.
Akhund's death is a blow to the Taliban as the militants prepare their annual spring offensive against government forces.
With reporting by Reuters
Ten Afghan Police Officers Killed In Ambush, Officials Say
Afghan officials say 10 police officers and the wife of a police commander have been killed in an attack in the northern province of Zawzjan.
Mohammad Reza Ghafori, spokesman for the provincial governor, said the officers were ambushed on February 24 as they were coming out of a mosque in the Darzab district.
A local police commander was among the dead and his wife was also killed when she rushed to the scene, Ghafori added.
Brigadier General Rahmatullah Turkistani, the provincial police chief, said four militants were killed and six others wounded in retaliatory firing.
Ghafori blamed the attack on Islamic State (IS) militants, but the Taliban claimed responsibility.
IS-linked militants have been active in eastern Afghanistan, but have recently begun operating in the north of the country as well. The Taliban frequently target officials and security forces across Afghanistan.
Based on reporting by AP, dpa, and Pajhwok
Thousands Protest In Kabul Against Pakistan's Cross-Border Shelling
KABUL -- Thousands of activists rallied in downtown Kabul on February 23, protesting Pakistan's cross-border rocket shelling last week.
The protesters gathered around the Eidgah Mosque in the Afghan capital, chanting slogans condemning Pakistan as "an enemy of Afghanistan."
During antiterrorist operations on February 17, Pakistan's military and law enforcement agencies fired missiles, some of which landed on Afghan territory.
On February 18, Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry summoned Pakistani Ambassador Abrar Hussain to protest the shelling.
The ministry also expressed concerns over the recent arrests of more than 100 Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Islamabad's decision to shut down the border between the two nations "to prevent terrorists' cross-border activities."
Afghanistan's government also demanded that Pakistan hand over terrorists operating on its soil and close tens of training camps for suspected terrorists.
Germany Deports Third Planeload Of Rejected Afghan Asylum-Seekers
A plane carrying a third group of at least 18 Afghan asylum-seekers rejected by Germany left for Kabul late on February 22.
Police said around 250 people gathered at the airport to protest the deportations, which German opposition parties and rights groups have criticized, arguing that most of Afghanistan is not safe for return.
"There are no secure areas in Afghanistan," said Nadine Kriebel of the Bavarian Refugees' Council, which organized the rally. "We want to lodge a protest against these indiscriminate deportations."
In the past, the majority of Afghans whose asylum bids were declined were allowed to remain in Germany due to the security threat in their country. But Berlin, which participates in NATO forces in Afghanistan, decided last year to designate parts of the country safe for return.
The government said the group deportations are supposed to send a signal to Afghans that Germany only accepts a small number of asylum bids from their country.
Peter Altmaier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, defended the deportations on Deutschlandfunk radio.
"Those who have no claim to asylum from any conceivable point of view - where the courts have determined that they do not face the threat of persecution - must expect to be repatriated," he said.
Based on reporting by AFP and dpa
Afghan Vice President's Bodyguards Questioned In Abuse Case
Bodyguards of Afghan Vice President Rashid Dostum who are wanted over allegations of torture and abuse have been questioned by the authorities after weeks of refusing to cooperate, officials say.
Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on February 22 that seven bodyguards were being questioned by officials of the Attorney General's Office. It wasn't immediately clear if the seven bodyguards were willingly cooperating with the authorities.
Dostum, a powerful ethnic Uzbek warlord with decades of experience in Afghanistan's turbulent politics, faces accusations that he ordered members of his personal militia to seize and detain Ahmad Ishchi, a former ally. Dostum has denied the accusations.
Ishchi says he was severely beaten and sexually abused for days, prompting demands from Western allies of the government for an investigation and trial.
The case has caused embarrassment to President Ashraf Ghani, who has faced heavy pressure from Western allies to act against his unruly vice president.
Dostum's powerful position within Afghanistan's Uzbek community has made it difficult to replace him.
The bodyguards' questioning comes after days of rising tensions within Ghani's fragile national-unity government. Armed troops blocked the streets around Dostum's Kabul residence, apparently to try to force him to hand the men over.
However, Dostum's chief of staff Babur Farhamand said it was not clear why security forces had been stationed around the vice president's heavily fortified residence.
Based on reporting by Reuters and Tolonews.com
Grenade Attack On Afghan Home Kills 11 Members Family
Provincial officials in eastern Afghanistan say 11 members of an Afghan family have been killed by a grenade attack on their home.
Authorities say the dead were all civilians and the victims included women and children.
Sarhadi Zwak, the spokesman for the governor of Laghman Province, told RFE/RL that unknown gunman late at night on February 19 threw two hand grenades into the family's home in the province's Baad Pakh district.
Zwak said 10 of the family members were killed inside their home.
Health official Abdul Latif Qayyomi said the 11th family member died while being rushed to a hospital in neighboring Nangarhar province.
Three other relatives were wounded by the blasts.
The attack took place in an area known as Marwat Kace, which is to the north of the main highway between Kabul and Jalalabad.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
With reporting by AFP
U.S. Defense Chief Nears Recommendation On Afghan Troop Levels
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis says he will make recommendations soon to President Donald Trump on whether to increase the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Mattis said on February 19 the president had been "rightfully reticent" on the matter, as he was waiting for input from his generals on the situation in Afghanistan, where the war is entering its 16th year.
"We are putting our thoughts together now," Mattis told reporters during a visit to Abu Dhabi. "It shouldn't take too long."
He added that Trump "is open to my advice on it, but first of all I've got to formulate where I stand, so this is the normal collection of ... information."
Mattis said he spoke for several hours by video conference on February 19 with General John Nicholson, the top American commander in Afghanistan.
Nicholson told the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month he needs a few thousand more troops to train and advise Afghan forces.
Nicholson didn't provide an exact number, but he called for greater flexibility in setting U.S. troop levels. He did say that America's longest-ever war was stuck in a "stalemate."
Mattis met with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Munich on February 18.
He was scheduled to fly to Kabul on February 19, but bad weather forced him to postpone the trip.
U.S. troop levels in the country are limited to 8,400 after former President Barack Obama insisted on reducing the presence and handing security responsibility to Afghan forces.
Meanwhile, Mattis did not directly address the role of Russia in Afghanistan, which as the Soviet Union fought a war in Afghanistan in the 1980s.
General Nicholson had told U.S. senators that Moscow was giving the Taliban encouragement and diplomatic cover in order to undermine U.S. influence and to defeat NATO.
Mattis said he needs to "assess what the other countries in the region are doing in Afghanistan to help or hinder us in our efforts. We are still sorting that out."
With reporting by AP and AFP
ICRC Calls For Immediate Release Of Abducted Workers In Afghanistan
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for the immediate release of two staff members abducted during an ambush in northern Afghanistan last week that killed six workers.
The aid workers were in a convoy carrying supplies to areas hit by avalanches when they were attacked in the northern province of Jowzjan on February 8.
"We call on the abductors' sense of humanity and request the immediate, safe and unconditional release of our colleagues and to avoid taking any action that could endanger their lives," Monica Zanarelli, ICRC chief in Afghanistan, said in a statement released on February 18.
"We do not want the agony and heartache of this tragedy to deepen," she added.
No group claimed responsibility for the attack, but provincial Governor Mawlawi Lutfullah Azizi said he suspected Islamic State (IS) gunmen were behind it.
IS militants have made limited inroads in Afghanistan, but have carried out increasingly deadly attacks.
The killings come after a Spanish worker of the ICRC was abducted in northern Afghanistan in December and released less than a month later.
Neither the ICRC or Afghan officials said how he was freed or who was behind the abduction.
After the attack, the ICRC, which has been working in Afghanistan for three decades, said it was putting its nationwide operations on hold, although it added there were no plans to withdraw staff.
With reporting by AFP
Pakistan Shuts Another Border Crossing After Shrine Massacre
Pakistani authorities have shut down a second key border crossing into Afghanistan in the aftermath of a deadly suicide bombing that killed dozens of Sufis worshiping at a popular shrine.
The closing late on February 17 of the Chaman border crossing in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan Province is seen as an effort to pressure Kabul to act against militants who Pakistan says have safe haven in Afghanistan.
A February 16 attack at the Lal Shahbaz Qalander shrine in the city of Sehwan killed 88 people and wounded more than 100. The bombing was claimed by the Islamic State (IS) extremist group.
Pakistan closed the border at the Torkham crossing hours after the bombing, a senior army official said.
Torkham connects Pakistan to Afghanistan's Nangarhar Province and Chaman is located near Spin Boldak in Kandahar.
Pakistani security forces have launched nationwide operations against alleged terrorists since the shrine bombing and claim to have killed more than 100 in that effort.
Media reports say Pakistani troops have targeted camps belonging to Jamaat-ul Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, near the Afghan border.
In Kabul, the Afghan government on February 18 summoned Pakistani Ambassador Abrar Hussain to protest recent shelling by Pakistani forces in Afghanistan's eastern provinces.
Kabul reportedly expressed concern over the closure of the Torkham and Chaman border crossings and requested that they be reopened.
Based on reporting by AP and DunyaNews
Trump Said To Favor Afghanistan Veteran Harward As Security Adviser
U.S. President Donald Trump favors giving the job of White House national security adviser to Vice Admiral Robert Harward, White House officials have said.
Reuters reported that Harward, a former deputy commander of U.S. Central Command, has been offered the job.
Harward would replace Michael Flynn, who was ousted from the post on February 13 after revelations that he had discussed U.S. sanctions on Russia with the Russian ambassador to the United States before Trump took office.
Losing his national security adviser so soon after taking office is an embarrassment for the new Republican president, who has made national security a top priority.
Harward, who went to school in Tehran before the shah was toppled in 1979, did a tour on the National Security Council under former Republican President George W. Bush, working on counterterrorism.
He also has combat experience on Navy SEAL teams and served in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Harward now works as an executive for defense contractor Lockheed Martin, with responsibility for its business in the United Arab Emirates in the Middle East.
Based on reporting by AP and Reuters
Official: Suicide Attack Kills Four In Northwestern Pakistan
A suicide bomber has killed four people, including two police officers, and injured four in an attack targeting the administrative headquarters of a tribal region in the country's northwest.
Local officials told RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal that two suicide bombers tried to enter a compound of the local political administration in Ghalani Tehsil in the Mohmand tribal district on February 15.
When they were stopped at the main entrance, one of the attackers blew himself up while the other was killed in an exchange of fire with the security forces.
No one immediately claimed responsibility of the attack.
Earlier this week, a suicide bombing killed 13 in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore.
A breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban — the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar or Freedom Movement -- claimed responsibility for that attack.
The breakaway faction is based in the Mohmand area -- part of rugged, lawless regions along the Afghan border that have long served as safe havens for local and Al-Qaeda-linked foreign militants.
Pakistan has waged several offensives against Islamic militants in recent years.
With additional reporting by AP
Rights Group Says Pakistan Forcing Afghan Refugees To Return Home
Pakistan is forcing hundreds of thousands of Afghan refugees back to their homeland, which is still wracked by violence and poverty, a human rights group said.
"The exodus amounts to the world's largest unlawful mass forced return of refugees in recent times," a Human Rights Watch report said on February 13.
Pakistan cited security concerns for seeking Afghan refugees' return to their homeland, particularly after several brutal attacks by militants in Pakistan's northwest, which the government linked to insurgents hiding in neighboring Afghanistan.
At its peak in the 1980s, Pakistan sheltered an estimated 5 million Afghan refugees as Afghan guerrilla fighters battled invading Russian troops. Today there are still 1.3 million registered Afghan refugees living in Pakistan, making Pakistan host of the world's largest protracted refugee population.
Last year, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani told refugees in Pakistan to come home, promising them shelter and opportunities. About 380,000 registered Afghan refugees returned to their homeland along with an estimated 250,000 unregistered refugees.
Pakistan said refugees who returned did so voluntarily, and it extended the deadline for refugees to return to the end of this year. But Human Rights Watch said it should be extended through 2019.
Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters
Protesters In Germany Rally In Support Of Afghan Refugees
Several thousand people took part in demonstrations across Germany to protest the forced return of Afghan refugees whose bids for asylum have been rejected.
"The people who are forced to return cannot live their lives in safety there," organizers in Hamburg said of the situation in Afghanistan.
"A life in dignity is inconceivable under these conditions," they added.
The largest demonstrations were reportedly in Berlin and the western city of Dusseldorf, where an estimated 2,000 people took to the streets in each city. A Hamburg demonstration drew about 1,500.
The Refugee Council of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) said the demonstrations aimed to encourage the NRW interior minister to push for a nationwide halt to deportations to Afghanistan.
Organizers said about 12,000 refugees have been ordered to leave Germany for Afghanistan.
Based on reporting by dpa and Deutsche Welle
Six Killed, 20 Wounded By Taliban Suicide Bomber In Helmand Province
Provincial officials in Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand say a child and five members of Afghanistan's national security forces were killed on February 11 by a Taliban suicide car bomber in the provincial capital of Helmand.
According to the office of Helmand Province's governor, 20 people were injured in the attack.
Five of the injured were Afghan soldiers and 15 were civilians -- including four women, three children, and eight men.
Omar Zwak, a spokesman for Helmand's governor, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that the suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden car near a branch of Kabul Bank in Lashkar Gah and detonated the explosives.
Zwak said the attack occurred next to an Afghan army vehicle as soldiers arrived at the bank to collect their pay.
The Taliban declared responsibility for the suicide bombing and claimed the casualty toll was higher than the official statements from Helmand officials.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yosuf Ahmadi claimed on Twitter that the total number of dead and would was 39 soldiers and officers.
With additional reporting by by middleastpress.com, Reuters, dpa, and Tolo News
Afghan President, Trump Discuss Security Matters During Call
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has discussed security matters in the region in a phone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Afghan Presidential Office said on February 9 that Ghani and Trump exchanged views on fighting the threat of terrorism in Afghanistan and surrounding countries.
It added that Trump said he will meet soon with his Afghan counterpart, without providing details.
The United States has some 8,400 troops in Afghanistan on a mission to support and train Afghan security forces.
More than 2,200 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion to overthrow the Taliban government.
With reporting by RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan
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text:
Here's the scenario:
I live and work in New York City.
On November 1, 2017 I get granted 80,000 ISO's that vest over four years (with a one year cliff). The strike price is $3.
On November 1, 2018 I've vested 20,000 of the options. Again, my strike price is $3. The FMV has grown from $3 to being $5 now.
Instead of paying cash out of pocket to exercise my vested options, I opt to utilize the following clause in the option agreement:
"Payment of the Exercise Price can be done by surrendering of other Shares which (i) shall be valued at its Fair Market Value on the date of exercise, and (ii) must be owned free and clear of any liens, claims, encumbrances or security interests, if accepting such Shares, in the sole discretion of the Administrator, shall not result in any adverse accounting consequences to the Company."
1 - What is the maximum # of shares I can own without spending any cash out of pocket?
2 - What will my tax liability be?


text:
The Quaker City, or, The Monks of Monk Hall: A Romance of Philadelphia Life, Mystery, and Crime
The Quaker City, or, The Monks of Monk Hall: A Romance of Philadelphia Life, Mystery, and Crime
George Lippard The Quaker City is one of the most important popular novels in American history. The fact that it was long forgotten, surviving only as an underground classic, in no way diminishes its significance. Today, with noncanonical literature and "bottom-up" history attracting widespread attention, we have a fresh opportunity to appreciate the many facets of Lippard's powerful, disturbing novel.
The publication of The Quaker City was a landmark event in popular culture. When it appeared in 1845, it sold 60,000 copies in its first year and 10,000 copies annually during the next decade. The most popular American novel before the appearance of Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852), it went through some twenty-seven American printings in four years and was pirated in Germany and England, where it appeared under different titles. Its fierce social satire and suggestive eroticism made it an instant succes de scandale. It became, as Lippard boasted, "more attacked, and more read, than any work of American fiction ever published." By 1848 Godey's Lady's Book could say of Lippard: "This author has struck out on an entirely new path, and stands isolated on a point inaccessible to the mass of writers of the present day. He is unquestionably the most popular writer of the day, and his books are sold, edition after edition, thousand after thousand, while those of others accumulate, like useless lumber, on the shelves of the publishers."
Like certain other best-sellers of the period, such as Harriet BeecherStowe


text:
Dumpster art created to trigger recycling
Students now have a visual reminder to recycle, and it's a big one.
Two students, Bailey Broussard and Zainab Mariah, have painted two recycling dumpsters located behind the Mary and John Gray Library, to communicate sustainability and "trigger" students to recycle.
"Students have so many ways to get information on social media, but we thought we needed to put something in front of them," said Alicen Flosi, instructor and director of sustainability. "The dumpsters are a great big thing in front of them right where they see them that reminds them to recycle."
Broussard and Mariah were the winners of the "Dumpster Art Contest," sponsored by Waste Management in support of LU's sustainability efforts. Both students, who consider themselves hobby artist, entered the contest last spring by submitting their sketched plans to make the dumpsters beautiful and representative of the 2020 Earth Day theme, "Protect our Species."
Both winners received cash awards and all of the paint, paint brushes and supplies needed to decorate the dumpsters.
Broussard, a fifth-year corporate communications major, entered the contest to combine two things she's passionate about – recycling and painting.
"I love the environment and have always painted," said Broussard, who painted the City of Beaumont's traffic utility box at College and Lindberg. "I have my own whimsical style but hope my painting makes people think about how they can be environmentally friendly."
Broussard's dumpster features bees and giant honeycombs. "To me it says, 'Big Red goes green, and 'save the bees,'" said Broussard.
Mariah, a sophomore chemical engineering major originally from Dubai, chose to feature two species near extinction, the panda and the dodo bird on her dumpster.
"I painted the Earth submerged in water that is filled with trash," said Mariah. "The waters in the ocean have been polluted and that affects the species. That's the message I hope people will perceive when they see the box and I hope it makes people think about how actions affect the environment."
Around the campus there are 15 recycling containers easily identified with by a yellow top and recycling information displayed on the front. The containers specific to recycling are strategically placed next to solid waste containers, according to Holly Slott, a liaison between Waste Management and LU.
"LU is doing a good job of recycling, but we hope this project triggers students to recycle more," said Slott. "It is so easy when hustling and bustling to classes and you have your lunch trash with you to just throw it in a trash container. Hopefully when students see the dumpsters, it will trigger them to say, 'Oh, I have a brown paper bag. I need to put that in recycling.' The dumpsters are there to create awareness to help everyone get in the habit of recycling."
LU's recycling program is one of the sustainability efforts of the LU Green Squad, an organization for everyone in the Lamar University community – students, staff and faculty. The organization helps with recycling, planning green events on campus and spreading the word about sustainability.
"We're planning another big Earth Day, a basketball green day, a baseball green day and possibly a dorm contest," said Flosi. "There are a lot of opportunities this year for involvement and for helping Big Red go green."


text:
Send by e-mail to email@example.com; by fax to 770-532-0457; or mail to The Times, P.O. Box 838, Gainesville, GA 30503. Please include full name, hometown and phone number. Letters must be confirmed before being considered for publication. They should be limited to one topic on issues of public interest and may be edited for content and length. Letters forwarded from other sources or those involving personal matters, business disputes, poetry, expressions of faith or memorial tributes may be rejected. You may be limited to one letter every two weeks. Letters and articles submitted may be published in print, electronic or other forms. Letters, columns and cartoons express the opinions of the authors and not The Times.
In his Tuesday column, Ted Oglesby wrote, concerning Barack Obama, "never mind that he is surely the least experienced, least accomplished, least prepared, and least qualified in our history."
This remark is stated as if it is an absolute fact, yet Mr. Obama spent the same number of years in his state legislature, and the same number of years in Congress in Washington as did another president. That was Abraham Lincoln, certainly one of our greatest leaders.
Perhaps Mr. Oglesby has some type of meter that tells him who is more and less experienced, qualified, prepared and accomplished. Or, perhaps this is just his opinion, but he would like to represent this as fact.
Edward Kelly
Difference with Obama is not based on race
I want to comment on Michael Jackson's letter because he seems to be assuming that those of us who did not vote for Barack Obama did so due to his skin color.
Hall County tends to lean to the conservative side and has for a long time. Having "only 24 percent of voters vote for Barack Obama" was consistent with past elections.
Mr. Jackson says he overheard people saying "someone is going to assassinate him." I hope no one wants to assassinate President Obama. If they do, they have a real problem and I hope any plans will be stopped by our police.
Keep in mind there were radio personalities and movie stars asking for the assassination of President Bush and no one seemed to care. That is no different and should not have been tolerated either, but it was by many Americans because he is a conservative.
I don't like for anyone to threaten or be nasty towards our president. Disagreeing with him is different and very much American.
I think the "negativity" which Mr. Jackson spoke of comes from the "change" President Obama has promised. Those of us who have lived within our means, saved and obeyed laws don't like the fact that our taxes are going to be raised to "bailout" other people's homes and credit cards. Plus, there is talk of amnesty for the 20 million Mexicans who came here illegally and cost us billions of dollars a year. The government has done us, the American citizen, wrong and we are tired of it.
Phrases like "spread the wealth" are offensive to me. I am a very generous person and I believe as Americans we should be able to chose who we want to help out either through charities or individuals who are in need. The government should not be taking our hard earned money through force and giving it to whoever they see worthy. With this new "spread the wealth" attitude, how long will it be before there are no productive people left?
We already have 40 percent of Americans who pay no federal taxes. The top 1 percent pays more than 40 percent of federal taxes, yet only makes 19 percent of the money. Mr. Obama doesn't think that is enough, I think it's wrong.
I don't blame Mr. Obama for this change in attitude from "self reliance" to "government dependence." It has been slowly working towards this for years. We have had many in Congress who have kept themselves in power by promising people that "the rich will pay." Do you realize the definition of "rich" has changed many times over this election cycle? You may now be "rich."
Congress has an approval rating of about 9 percent. That's less than Mr. Bush and he was the only one catching heat.
Mr. Jackson is right in saying "it's not about color anymore, it's what can you do for your country."
The best thing we can all do is be self reliant Americans. That is the principle this great nation was founded on and it is the only one that will keep us free and prosperous.
I wish our new president well and I truly hope he does great things with his time in office.
Kellie Weeks
Hall's SPLOST is just another tax increase
I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some relief. Tax relief, that is.
I agree with Kevin Jarrard and hope that folks recognize SPLOST VI for what it is: a tax hike.
And referring to the $53 million water and sewer portion of the tax, I think it's interesting that the current commission chief called sewer service on Ga. 365 the "sewer to nowhere" during his bid for election.
I think I'll vote against SPLOST VI, or get some Gas-X. Either would have the same effect.
Rick Chapman
New requirements to serve as president
Proposed additional requirements to qualify for election as president of the United States.
Section 1 of Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution states that a president must: Be a natural born citizen of the United States; be at least 35 years old; and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years.
In addition, the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that a president may not serve more than two terms of four years each, even if they have only served as president for two or more years of one of those terms.
Here are proposed additional requirements:
Education: A masters degree majoring in world history, political science, economics, law or related fields from an established U.S. university. That should include courses in public speaking or debate. A broadly based education is preferable over one that is highly specialized. Overall GPA: 3.0 or higher.
Pass a civil service exam with grade presented for public review and comparison with grades of other candidates.
Served successfully in a senior public office, preferably governor of a state.
Served successfully in the military, preferably in a command position with combat experience.
Humanitarian experience, demonstrated concern by actively working with an established organization to provide relief, training, jobs, education, etc. to the underprivileged.
No evidence of racial intolerance. The only race is human.
Squeaky clean criminal record.
Pass a drug test.
A role model for Americans: no philandering, no scandals of any kind.
Religious, demonstrated long term belief in a divine creator. We didn't just create ourselves.
Fiscally responsible with public funds and personal debt. Excellent credit scores.
Charismatic and acceptable as the face of the nation to the rest of the world. (This is not quantifiable, but something every voter should consider.)
William H. Leagan


text: Do you like reading? Yeah, I think there are lots of people that admit that reading is their favorite hobby. You can prove it anywhere you go in public space, you will find reading people easily. Yeah, it maybe in the airport while waiting the turn to board, many people


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Large Black Sage/ Mugwarts - Love Smudge 8"-10"
Black Sage also referred to as Mugworts and sometimes known as "The Dream Stick" or "The Love Smudge"
Approximately 8" - 10"
Used to encourage dreams, Black sage is an herb of introspection and inner healing. When burned before bedtime, it aids in restful sleep and pleasant dreams. Mugwort is also associated with lust and fertility. Clean your house, declutter and then light the smudge stick and waft it about, as if cleansing the air. It is instantly effective. Mugwort Smudge is also used for protection, by hanging the plant over doorways either in whole branches or crushing the leaves and flowers to put in a sachet. Mugwort Smudge Bundles can also be used to repel insects by hanging the plant around the home. Place sachets of Mugwort leaves in closets or bureau drawers to keeps moths away from your clothes.
Black sage has a wonderful sweet herbal smell, and can be burned for many wonderful purposes.
To use, light one end of the herb stick and blow it out to produce fragrant smoke. Waft the smoke throughout the space you want to cleanse - or over yourself to cleanse negativity and other unwanted energies.
This handcrafted Elle James smudge stick is unique because as you clear your environment of negative energy, you also replace the freshly cleared area with positive energy brought forth from the rose petals and lavender.
Always use caution while smudging, hold a fire proof dish under your smudge stick to prevent falling embers from hitting the floor. Also remember to open windows while smudging in order to release negative energy from your space.


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Located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Design Vetica is an interactive agency dedicated to web design and media production. A small studio made up of young designers and developers in the heart of Vancouver. They specialize in providing elegantly designed, high quality, database-driven websites.
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Russia quashes US claims of the former breaching arms treaty
Russia dismissed the United States's claims that the former is violating a major Cold War treaty limiting mid-range nuclear arms, from which the US is planning to withdraw.
"Groundless accusations are again being repeated," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
Her statement comes after US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, declared Russia in "material breach" of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty.
US unhappy with Russia's deployment of Novator missiles
The Trump administration has complained of Russia's deployment of Novator 9M729 missiles, which the US says fall under the treaty's ban on missiles that can travel distances of between 310 and 3,400 miles (500 and 5,500 km).
Pompeo said US would withdraw if Russia doesn't dismantle missiles
Pompeo, during a meeting with fellow North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) foreign ministers on Tuesday, said the US would withdraw from the deal within 60 days if Russia doesn't dismantle the missiles.
He said there was no reason why the US "should continue to cede this crucial military advantage" to rival powers.
NATO said it was now "up to Russia" to save the treaty.
Zakharova says there's no proof to support the US's statement
Meanwhile, Zakharova said there was no proof to support the US's position and described the treaty as a "cornerstone of global stability and international security". Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said facts had been distorted to camouflage the US's true goal of withdrawing from the treaty.
What is the INF Treaty?
Signed in 1987 by the then United States President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty resolved a crisis over Soviet nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles targeting Western capitals.
But it was a bilateral treaty between the US and the then Soviet Union, so it puts no restrictions on other major military actors like China.
Trump wants to talk to Xi, Putin over the issue
In October, President Donald Trump sparked global concern by declaring the United States would pull out of the treaty and build up the US's nuclear stockpile "until people come to their senses".
But on Monday, the US leader said he wants talks with his Chinese and Russian counterparts Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin "to head off a major and uncontrollable Arms Race".
Russia's alleged meddling in 2016 US elections strained US-Russia ties
US-Russia ties are under deep strain over accusations that Russia meddled in the 2016 US presidential election. The two states are also at odds over Russian support for Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria's civil war, and the conflict in Ukraine.


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Projects per year
Recent external collaboration on country level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots.
Jeremy Ash
- Monash Indigenous Studies Centre - Lecturer
Person: Academic
John Bradley
- Monash Indigenous Studies Centre - Associate Professor
Person: Academic
Liam Brady
Person: Research
Projects 2000 2023
Reconnecting the Histories of Papuan, Oceanic and Australian Seascapes
Skelly, R.
Australian Research Council (ARC)
1/01/20 → 31/12/22
Project: Research
Investigating the impacts and future of land rights and land restitution
Kearney, A. J. & Bradley, J.
22/07/19 → 21/07/22
Project: Research
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Archaeological Predictive Model Design and Development
Birkett-Rees, J., Russell, L. & David, B.
23/05/19 → 23/05/20
Project: Research
Research Output 1983 2019
Research Output per year
Aboriginal marine subsistence foraging flexibility in a dynamic estuarine environment: The late development of Tin Can Inlet (southeast Queensland) middens revisitedSmith, T. & McNiven, I., 2019, In : Queensland Archaeological Research. 22, p. 1-38 38 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
A Holocene record of savanna vegetation dynamics in southern lowland Papua New GuineaRowe, C., David, B., Mialanes, J., Ulm, S., Petchey, F., Aird, S., McNiven, I. J., Leavesley, M. & Richards, T., 2019, (Accepted/In press) In : Vegetation History and Archaeobotany. 14 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
An AfterwordRussell, L., 2019, Labour Lines and Colonial Power Indigenous and Pacific Islander Labour Mobility in Australia. Stead, V. & Altman, J. (eds.). Acton ACT Australia: ANU E Press, p. 309-312 4 p.
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (Book) › Other › peer-review
2017 Faculty of Arts Prize for an outstanding thesis
Ben Gunn (Recipient), 2018
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
2017 Mollie Holman Doctoral Medal (Monash University)
Ben Gunn (Recipient), 2018
Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)
2018 Monash University Honour Roll 'Recognising Academic Leadership.'
Lynette Russell (Recipient), 28 Nov 2018
Prize: National/international honour
Activities 1996 2019
Activities per year
Ancestors Word SymposiumJacinta Walsh (Organiser)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
Southern CirculationsRachel Standfield (Invited speaker)
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Contribution to conference
Space and Bodies, Walls and StringLynette Russell (Contributor)
Activity: Community Talks, Presentations, Exhibitions and Events › Public lecture/debate/seminar
Press / Media
"Recognising the role Indigenous Australians made in recording our natural history" ABC Radio National interview
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Profile/Interview
Court house redevelopment
Charity Edwards, Tom Morgan, Matthew Bird & Duane Hamacher
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Article/Feature
"Elephant Man" BBC radio interview
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Profile/Interview


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Tender texts
Download GAEB
OVENTROP-"Combi 3"
Brass fitting, body nickel plated. Valve disc made of brass with EPDM O-ring seal. Brass protection cap with additional soft seal.
The single fittings are used for radiators with two pipe distributors. For presetting, isolating, draining and filling of the radiator.
The "Multiflex" fitting is suitable for radiators with integrated distributor of the following manufacturers:
Agis, Alarko, Arbonia, Baykan, Bemm, Biasi, Borer, Bremo, Caradon-Stelrad, Celikpan, Concept, Cöskünöz, DEF, Delta, Demrad, DiaNorm, Dia-therm, Dunaferr, DURA, Ferroli, HM-Galant, Henrad, Hoval, Hudevad, IMAS, Itemar, Jugoterm, Korado, Manaut, Quinn, Purmo, Radson, Runtal, Schäfer, Starpan, Stelrad, Superia, TermoTeknik, Thor, US-Steel, Vasco, VEHA, Zehnder, Zenith
Material: Brass
Surface: nickel plated
max. operating pressure
: 10 bar
max. operating temperature
Item no.: 1016575
Manufacturer: Oventrop GmbH & Co. KG
Subject to technical modifications without notice.
Download GAEB


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Connect with your Social Network
Connect with your Social Network
Note: This is a FREE plan listing. URL links and full descriptions are NOT allowed. More info here
Here at Raffles Trading Ltd, we deliver a complete design, supply and installation service where customers can choose from an extensive selection of premium quality products at fair, competitive prices.


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Mervue News
National Equine Conference 2016
National Equine Conference 2016 "Opportunities to Grasp" Great information being shared by a panel of expert speakers at the Equine Conference in Lyrath today. Speakers…READ MORE
Madrid international Horse Fair 2016
Our partners Brina all set up at Madrid international Horse Fair 2016.READ MORE
EuroTier 2016
It was great to meet so many of our existing customers and partners at EuroTier 2016 in Hannover this November. Thank you to also to…READ MORE


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Blasters and Holster for Jango FettProduct # RU5089
Product Includes
- Two Toy Blasters
- Two Holsters
Purchase Product
Product Description
This Jango Fett blasters & holster set will add a great touch to your Star Wars costume. The vinyl holster replicates Jango's from the films. The belt fits around the waist while the two holsters with adjustable straps secure to the sides with Velcro. The plastic guns make a realistic blasting sound from the movie when the trigger is pressed (Note: guns need two AA batteries each which are not included). Make your Jango Fett costume the best with this accessory!
Attention Customer
State laws prohibit the sale of toy guns within the states of New York and California. In compliance with this law we are unable to ship this item to these states.
Attention Customer
This product has restrictions that limit the countries that we can ship to. This product cannot be shipped to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden or United Kingdom.
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- Padme Amidala Deluxe Womens Costume


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