Daily Archives: 12. November 2018
Moscow shows it’s back in the ‘Great Game’ by hosting Taliban-Afghan peace talks
Sitting between Afghan representatives and their Taliban rivals, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov played the roles of mediator and experienced hand in Afghanistan’s conflicts.
Russia hosted the landmark talks almost 30 years after it pulled out of Afghanistan in disgrace, ending a decade-long Soviet occupation that was seen as another chapter in what historians called the “great game” by world powers to hold away over Afghanistan and nearby areas.
Afghan peace programs in 17 years a failure: Survey
The survey’s findings were released at a conference titled “The peace process in Afghanistan” in Kabul.
The survey by the Afghan Institute for Strategic Studies was completed in 10 months during which 2000 people were interviewed in all the country’s 34 provinces as well as Taliban militants.
Lawsuit: US Military Contractor DynCorp Accused of “Enslaving” American Employees in Kuwaiti Tent Cities
(24.10.2018) DynCorp’s old habits of treating human beings as commodities remain as ingrained as ever, largely thanks to the fact that the company has never been held accountable for its crimes against its workers as well as countless children.
Pentagon rejects request for additional military resources in Persian Gulf
It also comes as Defense Secretary James Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, are engaged in high-level classified discussions with senior commanders around the world about how to allocate military resources for the next two years, officials say.
Military contractor received $1.6 billion to advise Afghans but results unknown
(31.10.2018) The U.S. government’s Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) found that since 2010, the U.S. Department of Defense has awarded four contracts, worth $1.62 billion U.S., to DynCorp International to provide contract advisors at Afghan MOD and MOI. Two of these contracts, worth $421 million, are ongoing and expected to end in November 2018.
And the results?
Mehr als 100 Tote bei Gewaltwelle in Afghanistan
Die meisten Opfer seien Sicherheitskräfte. Der Attentäter habe die Bombe an einem Polizeikontrollpunkt in der Nähe einer Schule gezündet, teilte das Innenministerium mit. Dort demonstrierten Hunderte Angehörige der schiitischen Volksgruppe der Hasara für mehr Schutz der Regierung vor Angriffen der Taliban. Zu dem Anschlag bekannte sich zunächst niemand.
Profitable Spenden
Allein 2017 gelang es den 50 größten deutschen Unternehmen in den USA, ihren Absatz um rund sieben Prozent zu steigern. Industrievertreter sprachen in diesem Zusammenhang von einem „Hammerjahr“.
Rot-Rot wappnet sich gegen Terror
(31.10.2018) Mit dem neuen Polizeigesetz werden die Befugnisse der Behörden stark ausgeweitet
Body-Cam Video Of Daniel Shaver Shooting | Los Angeles Times
GRAPHIC FOOTAGE: Daniel Shaver was fatally shot by Arizona police on Jan. 18, 2016, in the hallway of the hotel where he was staying. Philip Mitchell Brailsford, the officer who killed Shaver, was acquitted of murder charges on Dec. 7, 2017.
A Celebration of Killing and Dying
I realized what being a Marine actually entails, that as a young man I underwent, perhaps endured is better, a profound life-altering experience, Marine Boot Camp, during which everything I was, embraced, stood for, and held sacred, was brutally and methodically destroyed, with the resultant void filled with the values, “virtues,” and abilities appropriate to the role I was about to assume.
How the US military is using ‘violent, chaotic, beautiful’ video games to train soldiers
(7.3.2017) As part of a study, we interviewed 15 current and former members of the U.S. military who were between 24 and 35 years old to understand the role violent first-person shooter games played in their recruitment and training.
The majority of interviewees told us it was important to stay in the mindset of a soldier even when not on duty. To them, first-person shooters were the perfect vehicle for doing this.
Eine Feier des Tötens und Sterbens
Der 10. November ist der 242. Geburtstag des United State Marine Corps. Es ist eine Zeit der Feierlichkeiten, in der aktuelle und ehemalige Marines die geschichtsträchtige Geschichte und die glorreichen Traditionen des Zweiges des Militärs anerkennen, in dem sie so stolz gedient haben…
Ich weiß wenig über das Leben von Ian David Long, dem jüngsten aus der Fülle der Amokschützen dieser Nation. Was ich weiß, ist, dass er ein Produkt der Marine-Ausbildung war, durchdrungen von den Verhaltensweisen und Werten eines Kriegers, verstärkt durch die Schrecken des Schlachtfeldes, um schließlich zwölf Fremden das Leben zu nehmen und dann sein eigenes zu beenden.
Pentagon and CIA enlist video games
(10.3.2003) With “Full Spectrum Warrior,” currently in testing at Fort Benning, Ga., squad leaders learn how to command nine soldiers in complex, confusing urban warfare scenarios. The game isn’t not about sprinting, “Rambo”-like, through alleys with guns blazing.
“It’s not really about shooting at things,” Macedonia said. “Learning how to shoot your weapon is easy. The challenging thing is leading.”
The game the Institute for Creative Technologies has been working on with the CIA for about a year — at a cost of several million dollars — will let agency analysts assume the role of terror cell leaders, cell members and operatives.
“Our analysts would be accustomed to looking at the world from the perspective of the terrorists we are chasing, and learn to expect the unexpected,” CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield said.
Gut sein in Red Dead Redemption 2 heißt trotzdem, böse zu sein
Es ist ein Theaterstück über den Tod des Westernhelden, gespielt von Figuren, die um ihr eigenes Schicksal nicht wissen. Rockstar schafft es damit, eine sehr reale Geschichte zu erzählen: Ein Leben zu leben, das nicht den eigenen Vorstellungen entspricht. Bis einem kurz vor dem Tod klar wird – ich war nie das, was ich sein wollte.
Dreht Seehofer noch eine Pirouette?
NDR Info: Horst Seehofer hat seinen Rückzug angekündigt. Wie genau lief das ab?
Nikolaus Neumaier: Er ist gestern etwas beleidigt nach Hause gefahren und wird sich diese Woche noch einmal erklären. Durchgesickert ist aber schon, dass es einen Sonderparteitag im Januar oder Februar geben soll.
Seltsam. Herr #Haldenwang hat #Maaßen mehr als einmal vertreten und wohl auch seinen Führungstil nie hinterfragt. Nun soll er mit gleicher „Ideologie“ das Amt übernehmen, anstatt eine interne Unsersuchung des @BfV_Bund anzustreben? Wie kann das vertrauensvoll sein? @BMI_Bund
Neubesetzung der Leitung des Bundesamtes für Verfassungsschutz (BfV): Thomas Haldenwang soll neuer Präsident werden
Bundesinnenminister Seehofer wird dem Bundeskabinett vorschlagen, Herrn Thomas Haldenwang, den bisherigen Vizepräsidenten, zum Präsidenten des Bundesamtes für Verfassungsschutz zu ernennen. Herr Haldenwang folgt damit Herrn Hans-Georg Maaßen, der vergangene Woche in den einstweiligen Ruhestand versetzt wurde.
NASA unveils new goals for Moon, Mars, including space privatization
(1.10.2018) These certainly mean more dollars headed toward research and development; while the original Apollo and other missions were government-funded and ultimately fell under the purview of the military (indeed, one of the primary stated goals of the Gemini and Apollo programs was to lessen the „Missile gap“ between the United States and the Soviet Union), this new concept relies heavily on private investment, corporate involvement and funding, and the eventual mining and financial rewards of „exploration and use“ of the lunar and Mars surfaces.
Space Station May Be Stranded; Here‘s When U.S. Rockets Can Get There
(11.10.2018) Russia grounded all space flights after a Soyuz rocket failure Thursday, putting the International Space Station at risk and adding pressure on Boeing (BA) and SpaceX to get their rockets ready for NASA service.
Soyuz Rocket‘s Launch-Abort Close Call Highlights Poor Space-Policy Decisions (Op-Ed)
(16.10.2018) One of the cornerstones of the current space policy is to somehow „privatize“ or „commercialize“ the ISS by 2024-2025 and to use the „savings“ from that privatization to help fund the program. The idea of operating the ISS profitably is so preposterous that I don‘t feel a need to comment further here. Besides, from where is the funding to come before 2024-2025?
What this look back shows is consistently poor policy decisions going back at least 14 years. What will happen to NASA and U.S. spaceflight in the coming years?
China Fails First Attempt at Privatized Satellite Launch
(30.10.2018) A Beijing-based company called Landspace built the ill-fated three-stage rocket known as the Zhuque-1. The company took to a short blog post to admit the first and second stages of the craft did not reach orbit due to the third stage‘s failure.
“Before Zhuque carrier rocket was launched, its mission was already completed,” the company said in the post on Saturday. However, the company didn‘t give out more details about the mishap.
This circulated at @Boeing @NASA and #USA back when I was on @Space_Station Program. I left #ISS in 2002 and it was well before that – late ‘90’s? – but do not know the source. My recollection is it emerged as “commentary” during discussions re: Shuttle privatization.
(4.9.2018)
How The International Space Station Could Operate Commercially
(14.3.2018) Printing organs for people on the transplant list could be a viable ISS business too. Sometime this year, Techshot will send up its 3D space biofabrication lab to the ISS to test organ printing in microgravity.
Currently, stomachs and other pliable organs can be printed on earth with the help of a supporting structure. However, a more complex organ like a heart can‘t be printed because it would be damaged by gravity when the support scaffolding is removed.
Copeland also said that stem cells have been developed faster in microgravity vs. on earth.
NASA’s leader wants to privatize the International Space Station. It’s a remarkably terrible idea.
(9.6.2018) Since taking office as NASA’s administrator in April, Jim Bridenstine (previously a member of Congress from Oklahoma with no scientific background) has pushed this scheme, most recently in an interview this week with the Washington Post.
NASA’s new administrator says he’s talking to companies about taking over operations of the International Space Station
(5.6.2018) “We’re in a position now where there are people out there that can do commercial management of the International Space Station,” Bridenstine said in his first extensive interview since being sworn in as NASA administrator in April. “I’ve talked to many large corporations that are interested in getting involved in that through a consortium, if you will.”
ESA’s space vision presented at Paris Peace Forum
ESA astronaut Claudie Haigneré attended the Paris Peace Forum this weekend, presenting the Agency’s vision for engaging humankind in multilateral cooperation for space exploration with peaceful objectives.
Unser System: Das Ende der zivilen Europäischen Weltraumfahrt
(21. Juli 2008) Frankreichs Präsident Sarkozy plant die Kontrolle der Europäischen Weltraumagentur ESA durch die EU. Die Hintergründe sind kommerziell-militärischer Natur, sowie eine strategische Anbindung an die USA.
ESA director general argues for more collaboration as EU ramps up investment in own space agency
(6.6.2018) The EU has clashed with the head of the independent European Space Agency (ESA) over the bloc’s plans to take greater control over the continent’s space programmes, in a move that could cut the UK out of key decisions.
EU Agency for the Space Programme
The EU Agency for the Space Programme is a proposed future agency of the European Union, based on the existing European GNSS Agency.
Spannungen zwischen ESA und EU
Darum geht es unter anderem bei den Verhandlungen zum neuen Rahmenprogramm der EU, mit dem die EU-Forschungsstrategie der nächsten Jahre festgelegt wird, sagt der Generaldirektor der Europäischen Weltraumorganisation ESA, Jan-Dietrich Wörner. „Die Frage ist, wer hat das Sagen bei neuen Programmen und wer macht was, da muss man schon genauer hinsehen. Das sind einfach zwei unterschiedliche Welten, die miteinander kooperieren.“
Österreich feiert 100 Jahre Republik
„Jeder weiß, wie die Geschichte der Ersten Republik verlaufen ist, und dass über all die Jahre der Zweifel virulent blieb, ob dieses Ding denn lebensfähig ist“, sagte Van der Bellen. „Nicht von ungefähr war Karl Renner, der Ausrufer der Ersten Republik, der Ausrufer der Zweiten Republik – im Jahr 1938 war auch er für den Anschluss. Daran erkennt man schon, wie schwach das Selbstbewusstsein dieser Ersten Republik war.“
Jeremy Corbyn holds meeting with head of MI6 for the first time amid fears a collapse in Brexit negotiations could cause another snap election
(10.11.2018) According to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Younger invited Mr Corbyn to MI6‘s headquarters in Vauxhall, south London for an ‚acquaintance session‘.
A Whitehall source told the paper: ‚The feeling was that the time had come for Mr Corbyn to become acquainted with the workings of the intelligence establishment.‘
Jeremy Corbyn meets head of MI6 for first time amid snap election fears
(9.11.2018) The Labour leader recently met with Alex Younger, the Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service, during which the importance of the agency’s work and the severity of the threats facing Britain were made clear to him.
A Whitehall official with knowledge of the meeting said: “The feeling was that the time had come for Mr Corbyn to become acquainted with the workings of the intelligence establishment.”
BBC The Andrew Marr Show 11/11/2018
Andrew‘s guests are education secretary Damian Hinds MP, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry MP, chief of defence staff General Sir Nick Carter, director Danny Boyle and pianist Alexis Ffrench. Reviewing the papers are Sir Harold Evans from Reuters, The Guardian‘s Anushka Asthana and The Sun columnist Jane Moore.
Sunday Shows Round-Up: Labour MPs On *That* Corbyn Brexit Interview And What No-Deal Means For The Military
But the Labour leader received backing from his shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who appeared on the BBC’s Andrew Marr show to insist that the party would not be part of the “deeply anti-democratic forces out there”.
“If we have had a referendum and that is the result, then we ought to proceed on the basis of good faith and we will do our best to try and deliver a Brexit that is good for the country,” she said.
Emily Thornberry says “there are some deeply undemocratic forces” out there trying to stop Brexit. #Marr
Brexit latest: More Labour chaos as Emily Thornberry says second referendum is still on table… days after Jeremy Corbyn said leaving EU could not be stopped
Labour created more confusion over its Brexit policy today as Emily Thornberry insisted the option of campaigning for a second referendum remains on the table just days after Jeremy Corbyn said leaving the EU “could not be stopped.”
Emily Thornberry contradicts Jeremy Corbyn and insists Labour could still back Final Say Brexit referendum
Mr Corbyn has angered Labour MPs and supporters by arguing Brexit cannot be stopped – and by going on to reject the growing calls for a fresh public vote.
But Ms Thornberry said: “If we don’t have a general election then, yes, of course all the options remain on the table and we would campaign for there to be a people’s vote – but there are several stages before we get that.”
Brexit: Jo Johnson insists Theresa May can be forced into Final Say referendum
Warning Britain “stands on the brink of the greatest crisis since the Second World War”, he became the ninth Conservative MP to demand she “give the public the final say”.
The call came after the number of signatures on The Independent’s petition for a Final Say referendum cleared one million in just over three months.
Over 5 million @UKLabour supporters who voted #Leave in #EURef cannot trust @wesstreeting or any Labour MP, except four honourable exceptions Kate Hoey, John Mann, Frank Field and Graham Stringer. All the rest are opportunists willing to dump Brexit for a GE. #BrexitBetrayal
(22.10.2018)
We asked a Merseyside Labour MP why he voted to help Theresa May stay in power
„I voted last night knowing that two thirds of Labour constituencies in the country voted to leave.
„One reason for that was that people in Westminster and Whitehall and in elite groups don‘t wish to listen to them.
„I wanted to make sure that those two thirds of Labour constituencies had a voice.“
The veteran MP has angered some of his Merseyside Labour colleagues after also voting to help hard-line Tories like Jacob Rees Mogg score a decisive victory preventing the UK from joining the EU‘s VAT regime.
WW3 WARNING: Russia risk ‚ESCALATING‘ as UK defence unprepared for ‚modern world‘ threats
BRITAIN needs new tools to counteract the „escalating“ risk Russia poses on the country as 1945 institutions no longer provide security against the modern world threats, warned Defence Chief Sir Nick Carter.
British Armed Forces are on standby for ‚every scenario‘ in the event of a no-deal Brexit, defence minister reveals
Defence minister Tobias Ellwood revealed contingency plans are being made in case Government negotiations with the European Union collapse.
His comments came after the head of the British Army, chief of the defence staff General Sir Nick Carter, told yesterday‘s Andrew Marr Show that the military was ‚thinking hard‘ about what no deal might involve.
Top forces general Sir Nick Carter says troops ‚ready to help‘ with no-deal Brexit
General Sir Nick Carter, chief of the defence staff, revealed that the army was „thinking hard“ about the implications of a no-deal Brexit amid dire warnings about disruption to food and medicine supply chains.
But he denied reports that troops could be involved in doling out medication to hard-to-reach communities in the event of Britain leaving without a deal.
Brexit timetable thrown into turmoil as Theresa May is forced to cancel planned cabinet meeting to approve her deal
A government source conceded that an outline deal might not be ready by Tuesday – making it increasingly unlikely that a special EU summit to sign it off can be held in November, as hoped.
Boris Johnson: My brother is right – Mrs May‘s deal is the biggest statecraft failure since Suez
I really can’t believe it but this Government seems to be on the verge of total surrender. With every day that passes we seem to be getting more craven. We have already agreed to hand over £40bn for nothing – and certainly not a trade deal – in return.
We have agreed to become the punk of Brussels, signing up not just to their existing rulebook but to huge chunks of future regulation – even though we will have no say in drafting that legislation. We have agreed against all promises that the European Court of Justice will have a say in the enforcement of that regulation in the UK.
Theresa May‘s Brexit plans will leave Britain in ‚captivity‘, Boris Johnson warns as he calls for a Cabinet mutiny
BORIS Johnson has urged Theresa May’s Cabinet to stage a mutiny to thwart her Brexit plans.
He said the PM is “on the verge of total surrender” and ready to make Britain “the punk of Brussels”.
Kremlin stays mum on comments by Blair-era MI6 chief ‘regretting helping Putin win power’
(1.10.2018) The Times’ Monday issue published an interview with Richard Dearlove, then chief of the Secret Intelligence Service in 1999-2004, who said he regretted that he had helped organize Tony Blair’s visit to Russia’s St. Petersburg where he attended a premier at the Mariinsky Theatre alongside Vladimir Putin just a few weeks before the presidential polls in Russia.
Der Tipp kam aus London: Britischer Geheimdienst ließ Putins Spion in Österreich auffliegen
Ein hoher Bundesheeroffizier meint, dass die Briten die Information wohl sehr gezielt den Österreicher übermittelt haben dürften, um die Bundesregierung, die sich zum Missfallen zahlreicher westlicher Staaten auf Kuschelkurs mit dem Kreml befindet, auf Distanz zu den Russen zu bringen.
People’s Choice Awards: ‘Avengers: Infinity War’, ‘Shadowhunters’ Among Top Honorees – Full Winners List
The ceremony also added 13 new categories including “The Revival Show of 2018”, “The Reality Show of 2018”, “The Bingeworthy Show of 2018”, and “The Reality TV Star of 2018”. The telecast was followed by a special live episode of Busy Tonight where the Dynasty was revealed as Revival Show of 2018.
The People’s Choice Awards is the only major awards show voted on entirely by the public for fan favorites in movies, music, television, and pop culture.
Krieg nach innen, Krieg nach außen – und die Intellektuellen als „Stützen der Gesellschaft“ ?
Mit dem Symposium „Trommel für den Krieg“ 2014 und dem Kongress „Krieg um die Köpfe“ 2015 hat sich die NGfP eingehend mit den institutionellen und psychologischen Vorbereitungen zu Kriegen und die Rechtfertigung von Kriegen aus angeblicher Verantwortung heraus,beschäftigt. Wir wollen erneut die von der Mehrheit der
Bundestagsabgeordneten angemahnte stärkere Beteiligung Deutschlands an Kriegseinsätzen und die ausgeweitete deutsche Waffenproduktion, die zunehmenden Feind-Erklärungen nach außen und nach innen, thematisieren und in ihren Zusammenhängen, ihren Ursachen und Auswirkungen, verstehen.
Letztlich geht es um die Zementierung der bestehenden Macht- und
Reichtumsverhältnisse. Dafür wird das innenpolitische Klima mit allen Mitteln nach rechts gedrückt, werden demokratische Errungenschaften gekippt, soziale Sicherheiten abgebaut, Kontrollen der staatlichen Apparate über Bord geworfen, wird
ein Klima des Verdachts und des Misstrauens
untereinander geschaffen.
Hamas Gives Up Control of Gaza Border Crossings
(1.11.2017) The Islamic militant group Hamas on Wednesday handed over control of Gaza‘s border crossings with Israel and Egypt to the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, taking the first tangible step toward implementing a reconciliation deal with the rival Fatah movement.