(November 28, 2022)
The NIS 58 billion defense budget set for the IDF in the coming year is expected to allow the Israeli military to focus on the threats posed by Iran across the region, with some NIS 3.5b. designated specifically for this.
Archiv: US Central Command (Centcom)
US working with Saudi Arabia on strategic military plans, general says
(December 23, 2022)
The strategy documents, which have not yet been publicly confirmed by Saudi officials, will codify “the kingdom’s strategic vision for national security and regional security,” the general said. Kurilla called the decision “a critical step” in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s military modernization plans.
Why it matters: The Biden administration is leveraging the Pentagon’s know-how to help the kingdom meet its security goals in a bid to rebuild trust, even as the White House says it is reevaluating US relations with Riyadh.
10 workers martyred in a terrorist attack in al-Taym oil field in deir Ezzor
Deir Ezzor,SANA- 10 workers were killed and 2 others injured in a terrorist attack that targeted 3 buses carrying workers in the al-Taym oil field in Deir Ezzor, SANA reporter reported .
Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources, Bassam Tohme, said in a telephone conversation with the Syrian channel that the Syrian people are suffering from an oil crisis, and the American occupation, through its mercenaries and terrorist groups, wants to cut off the available oil part that secures the minimum needs of the Syrian people, and therefore they carried out this blatant attack on cars Shifts of workers of al-Tayyem field at al-Furat Company.
CENTCOM conducts three helicopter raids in Syria and detains six ISIS operatives
(December 20, 2022)
U.S. forces conducted three helicopter raids in eastern Syria that resulted in the detention of six Islamic State operatives, according to a Tuesday statement from U.S. Central Command.
The three raids occurred “over the last 48 hours,” and one of the ISIS fighters detained was identified as al Zubaydi, whom CENTCOM described as “an Islamic State Syria Province Senior Official involved in the planning and facilitation of ISIS attacks in Syria.”
US and Syrian allies capture five ISIS operatives in six raids this week
(December 16, 2022)
The two allied forces resumed operations on Dec. 8, and since then, they „have conducted six partnered operations, resulting in the detention of five ISIS operatives involved in planning attacks on detention facilities holding ISIS fighters and on the Al Hol camp,“ Col. Joe Buccino, a spokesman for CENTCOM, said in a statement referring to the Syrian refugee camp.
(…)
The Syrian Democratic Forces thwarted a suicide bombing attempt at the camp in late September, though four ISIS fighters were killed in the incident. Weeks earlier, the SDF arrested “dozens of ISIS operatives” while conducting security operations at the refugee camp, and a CENTCOM spokesperson said at the time that the arrests led to the “dissolution of a major ISIS facilitation network both within the camp and throughout Syria.”
McChrystal raus, Petraeus degradiert: Die “Warlord AG” Afghanistan bekommt einen neuen Geschäftsführer
(23.06.2010)
Der Präsident der Republik USA, Barack Obama, zitiert seinen Afghanistan-Kommandeur Stanley McChrystal erst nach Washington, um ihn dort zu feuern. Angeblich geht es um harsche Worte gegen die zivile Regierung im „Rolling Stone“. Am gleichen Tag erscheint ein Bericht des Kongress-Unterausschusses für Nationale Sicherheit und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten, welcher unter der Überschrift „Die Warlord AG“ minutiös belegt, dass die Militärs des von den USA angeführten Nordatlantikpaktes jeden einzelnen Versorgungstransport in ihre Besatzungszone von Kriegsfürsten bewachen lassen, Milizen finanzieren und dass diese Gelder eine „signifikante potentielle Quelle für die Finanzierung der Taliban“ darstellen.
Dann stellt sich der Präsident in die mittwöchentliche Abendsonne – sein Generalstabschef Michael Mullen darf am Rande stehen – und verkündet die Degradierung seines bisherigen Militärdiktators David Petraeus vom Chef des Zentralkommandos zum Nachfolger seines bisherigen Untergebenen McChrystals in Afghanistan.
Pentagon opens sweeping review of clandestine psychological operations
(September 19, 2022)
The measure, known as Section 1631, allows the military to carry out clandestine psychological operations without crossing what the CIA has claimed as its covert authority, alleviating some of the friction that had hindered such operations previously.
“Combatant commanders got really excited,” recalled the first defense official. “They were very eager to utilize these new authorities. The defense contractors were equally eager to land lucrative classified contracts to enable clandestine influence operations.”
After Congress passed Section 1631 allowing the military to conduct covert online propaganda, the Pentagon created droves of accounts spreading fake news against designated enemies, including one claiming Iran was harvesting organs in Afghanistan
(20.09.2022)
Fighting between U.S. troops and militias draws scrutiny to Syria role
(27.08.2022)
President Biden’s order to strike targets belonging to Iranian-backed groups reflects a decision to act — “to protect and defend the safety of our personnel, to degrade and disrupt the ongoing series of attacks against the United States and our partners, and to deter the Islamic Republic of Iran and Iran-backed militia groups from conducting or supporting further attacks on United States personnel and facilities,” the president said in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
Since Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla took over U.S. Central Command in April, there has been a push to ensure that Iran cannot carry out attacks against U.S. forces and assets with impunity, according to a person familiar with planning, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
US carries out strike against Iran-backed groups in eastern Syria
„At President (Joe) Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces conducted precision airstrikes in Deir el-Zor, Syria today. These precision strikes are intended to defend and protect U.S. forces from attacks like the ones on Aug. 15 against U.S. personnel by Iran-backed groups,“ a statement by the U.S. Central Command said.
Revealed: US spy operation that manipulates social media
(17 Mar 2011)
The discovery that the US military is developing false online personalities – known to users of social media as „sock puppets“ – could also encourage other governments, private companies and non-government organisations to do the same.
The Centcom contract stipulates that each fake online persona must have a convincing background, history and supporting details, and that up to 50 US-based controllers should be able to operate false identities from their workstations „without fear of being discovered by sophisticated adversaries“.
Pentagon, CENTCOM Deny Reports US Refueling Planes Took Part in Israel Iran-Strike Drill
(23.05.2022)
According to Buccino, the fuel tankers simulated refueling two US F-15s and four Israeli F-16s. The timing of the refueling exercise was coincidental, Buccino said.
“There is no direct US military involvement in that exercise,” Buccino said, referring to “Chariots of Fire.”
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Rob Lodewick also denied that the Department of Defense was “directly participating” in the exercise, according to the report.
“A small number of personnel from across US Central Command are observing portions of the exercise,” Lodewick added.
Report: In 1st, US refuelers to take part in major Israeli drill for strike on Iran
(17.05.2022)
According to the unsourced report, the US Air Force will serve as a complementary force, with refueling planes drilling with Israeli fighter jets as they simulate entering Iranian territory and carrying out repeated strikes.
The unprecedented Israel- US aerial collaboration in a drill simulating a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities is seen as a potential message to Iran amid long-stalled negotiations in Vienna over a return to the 2015 nuclear deal, a possibility Israel has repeatedly voiced its objection to, warning it would lead to “a more violent, more volatile Middle East.”
Israeli military to hold large-scale drill simulating widescale strike on Iran
(17.05.2022)
Gantz is slated to meet with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, on Thursday at the Pentagon in Washington. Meanwhile, Michael Kurilla, head of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), arrived in Israel on Tuesday for his first official visit.
US raid in Syria resulted in multiple deaths, including civilians, residents say
„U.S. Special Operations forces under the control of U.S. Central Command conducted a counterterrorism mission this evening in northwest Syria. The mission was successful. There were no U.S. casualties. More information will be provided as it becomes available,” Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement.
Gen. McKenzie again says he is responsible for drone strike that killed 10 civilians but seems to defend decision to fire, citing similar intel for other successful strikes. Still a lot of questions about what transpired before strike, including civilian casualty estimates.
It happened in my area of responsibility, so I’m the responsible officer for that strike,” McKenzie said during a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
McKenzie said he was under “no pressure” and “no one in my chain of command below me was under any pressure to take that strike.”
Five takeaways from the Senate’s hearing on Afghanistan
Austin said military officials had discussed “a range of possibilities,” but no one planned for the possibility the Afghan government would collapse as quickly as it did.
“We certainly did not plan against a collapse of the government in 11 days,” Austin told lawmakers in response to a lawmaker question.
Secretary of Defense & Joint Chiefs Chair and Others Testify on Afghanistan Withdrawal
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chair General Mark Milley, and General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, testify on the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Raab rejects US claims Britain indirectly to blame for Kabul attacks
(31.08.2021)
“We coordinated very closely with the US, in particular around the Isis-K threat, which we anticipated although tragically were not able to prevent, but it is certainly right to say we got our civilians out of the processing centre by Abbey gate, but it is just not true to suggest that other than securing our civilians inside the airport that we were pushing to leave the gate open.
“In fact, and let me just be clear about this, we were issuing changes to travel advice before the bomb attack took place and saying to people in the crowd, about which I was particularly concerned, that certainly UK nationals and anyone else should leave because of the risk.”
US military ‚blames BRITAIN for making Kabul suicide attack death toll worse‘: Leaked Pentagon papers say airport gate had to be kept open for UK evacuees – as questions grow over how many were killed by panicked troops firing on civilians
(30.08.2021)
The British Ministry of Defence declined to respond to allegations they were to blame for keeping the gate open, but said in a statement: ‚Throughout Operation Pitting we have worked closely with the US to ensure the safe evacuation of thousands of people.
Report reveals US decision to keep open Kabul airport gate before attack
(30.08.2021)
The Pentagon criticised the leaking of the call details reported in Politico, telling the news website: “This story is based on the unlawful disclosure of classified information and internal deliberations of a sensitive nature.
“As soon as we became aware of the material divulged to the reporter, we engaged Politico at the highest levels to prevent the publication of information that would put our troops and our operations at the airport at greater risk. We condemn the unlawful disclosure of classified information and oppose the publication of a story based on it while a dangerous operation is ongoing.”
Exclusive: Pentagon prepared for ‘mass casualty’ attack at Kabul Airport hours before explosion
(30.08.2021)
Commanders calling in from Kabul relayed that the Abbey Gate, where American citizens had been told to gather in order to gain entrance to the airport, was “highest risk,” and detailed their plans to protect the airport.
“I don’t believe people get the incredible amount of risk on the ground,” Austin said, according to the classified notes.
On a separate call at 4 that afternoon, or 12:30 a.m. on Thursday in Kabul, the commanders detailed a plan to close Abbey Gate by Thursday afternoon Kabul time. But the Americans decided to keep the gate open longer than they wanted in order to allow their British allies, who had accelerated their withdrawal timeline, to continue evacuating their personnel, based at the nearby Baron Hotel.
Afghanistan: Children among civilians killed in US drone attack
The United States’s Central Command (CENTCOM) said it was aware of “reports of civilian casualties” following the drone attack, which it said hit “multiple suicide bombers” who were preparing to attack the ongoing evacuations at the Kabul airport.
Kabul: US-Militär fliegt Luftangriff gegen IS
Das US-Militär hat nach eigenen Angaben in der afghanischen Hauptstadt Kabul einen Luftangriff durchgeführt, um eine „unmittelbare Bedrohung“ für den Flughafenbetrieb durch Terroristen abzuwenden.
Nach Anschlag in Kabul: US-Drohnenangriff gegen den IS
Luftaufnahme des US-Verteidigungsministeriums | picture alliance/dpa
Nach Anschlag in Kabul US-Drohnenangriff gegen den IS
Stand: 28.08.2021 04:30 Uhr
Die Antwort der USA kam schnell: Als Reaktion auf den Anschlag am Flughafen von Kabul hat die US-Armee einen Drohnenangriff auf einen mutmaßlich Beteiligten der Terrormiliz IS geflogen.
US conducts military strike against ISIS-K planner
Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, said in a statement that military forces conducted an “over-the-horizon counterterrorism operation today against an ISIS-K planner” in the Nangahar Province of Afghanistan.
ISIS-K is based in the Nagarhar and Kunar provinces east of Kabul, according to NBC News.
Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and other defense contractors received $445.5 billion from the Pentagon this year alone. All of them have been convicted or reached settlements for misconduct. Fraud is the business model of the military industrial complex.
McChrystal raus, Petraeus degradiert: Die „Warlord AG“ Afghanistan bekommt einen neuen Geschäftsführer
(23. Juni 2010)
Am Montag, den 22.Juni, veröffentlichte die Washington Post auf ihrer Webseite den neunundsiebzig Seiten langen Bericht des „Unterausschusses für Nationale Sicherheit und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten“ mit dem Titel „Warlord, Inc.: Extortion and Corruption Along the U.S. Supply Chain in Afghanistan“, für den der Leiter des Ausschusses, der Republikaner John F. Tierney (D-Mass.), verantwortlich zeichnete (1, 2).
Der „Unterausschuss für Nationale Sicherheit und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten“ ist ständiger Teil des „Ausschuss für Aufsicht und Reform der Regierung“ des Repräsentantenhauses.
Die Veröffentlichung des Berichts fällt mit den Machtkämpfen um die Kompetenzen der CIA, der Geheimdienste des US-Verteidigungsministeriums und den eigenmächtigen Spionagediensten des US-Militärs (wie diejenigen des General Petraeus) um die Kontrolle der Oberhoheit in den besetzten Gebieten zusammen, in denen sich Geschäfte mit Hilfe korrupter Politiker in mehrfacher Milliardenhöhe abwickeln lassen – die Möglichkeiten zum Geldverdienen reichen von der Opiumproduktion, den Rüstungsgeschäften und Waffenhandel, Lizenzen für die Ausbeutung der Rohstoffe, Aufträge für die Bauunternehmen bis hin in alle Bereiche des öffentlichen Lebens einer Gesellschaft. Es geht um die reine Ausbeutung eines Landes.
David Petraeus‘ bright idea: give terrorists weapons to beat terrorists
(2.9.2015)
Former CIA director David Petraeus is advocating giving arms to members of al-Nusra Front, an al-Qaida off-shoot, to beat Isis. That is madness
Petraeus zu afghanischer Armee: „Sie hatten plötzlich keine Rückendeckung mehr“
US-Präsident Biden und die Bundesregierung werfen der afghanischen Armee fehlenden Kampfwillen vor. Dem widerspricht im Interview mit STRG_F der ehemalige General und Ex-CIA-Chef Petraeus. Er verteidigt die afghanischen Soldaten.
General David Petraeus tells Biden it was premature to leave Afghanistan because Al Qaeda was always ‚going to come back‘ and the Afghan forces were ’not sustainable‘
– Petraeus commanded forces in Afghanistan and Iraq and helped formulate ‚counterinsurgency‘ strategies
– He criticized Biden’s decision to pull out of Afghanistan in a New Yorker interview
– Disagreed with decision to pull out liaison, special forces trainers, contractors
– Said it began an epidemic of ’surrender‘ for the Afghans
– Called departure ‚premature‘ but didn’t say how much more time was needed
– Warned Al Qaeda could reemerge
– Acknowledged ‚overbuilt‘ nation-building aspects, but said it was necessary for a hand-off
– Biden said the U.S. could not fight when Afghans were unwilling to do so
– ‚To say that the Afghans won’t fight for their country needs an asterisk‘
McChrystal raus, Petraeus degradiert: Die „Warlord AG“ Afghanistan bekommt einen neuen Geschäftsführer
(23. Juni 2010)
Am Montag, den 22.Juni, veröffentlichte die Washington Post auf ihrer Webseite den neunundsiebzig Seiten langen Bericht des „Unterausschusses für Nationale Sicherheit und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten“ mit dem Titel „Warlord, Inc.: Extortion and Corruption Along the U.S. Supply Chain in Afghanistan“, für den der Leiter des Ausschusses, der Republikaner John F. Tierney (D-Mass.), verantwortlich zeichnete (1, 2).
Der „Unterausschuss für Nationale Sicherheit und Auswärtige Angelegenheiten“ ist ständiger Teil des „Ausschuss für Aufsicht und Reform der Regierung“ des Repräsentantenhauses.
Die Veröffentlichung des Berichts fällt mit den Machtkämpfen um die Kompetenzen der CIA, der Geheimdienste des US-Verteidigungsministeriums und den eigenmächtigen Spionagediensten des US-Militärs (wie diejenigen des General Petraeus) um die Kontrolle der Oberhoheit in den besetzten Gebieten zusammen, in denen sich Geschäfte mit Hilfe korrupter Politiker in mehrfacher Milliardenhöhe abwickeln lassen – die Möglichkeiten zum Geldverdienen reichen von der Opiumproduktion, den Rüstungsgeschäften und Waffenhandel, Lizenzen für die Ausbeutung der Rohstoffe, Aufträge für die Bauunternehmen bis hin in alle Bereiche des öffentlichen Lebens einer Gesellschaft. Es geht um die reine Ausbeutung eines Landes.
Israeli Jets Escort US B-52s during Mideast Flyby in Warning to Iran
Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Tuesday, March 2, that Israel intends to develop a “special security arrangement” with the reactionary regimes of Arab Gulf states, who share common concerns over Iran. This comes after i24 News reported that Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain have discussed expanding cooperation against their common enemies. “We will continue to confront any threat, along with our new and veteran partners, chiefly the US, so that Iran will not be able to develop nuclear capacity,” Gantz said.
Israel’s security cabinet to meet Wednesday over Iran issue: report
The meeting comes amid US State Secretary Antony Blinken’s latest remark to NBC that Tehran could enrich enough uranium to produce a nuclear bomb in a “matter of weeks.”
Gen McKenzie appreciated the gracious hospitality and expansive discussions on regional security with Defense Minister Gantz and IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Kochavi last week. @Israel_MOD @IDF
How CENTCOM Chief McKenzie manufactured an Iran crisis to increase his power
(15.01.2021)
Almost immediately after taking command at CENTCOM in March 2019, McKenzie launched his campaign of political manipulation. By requesting additional forces to contain a supposedly urgent Iranian threat, McKenzie triggered the dispatch of an aircraft carrier strike group and a bomber task force to the Middle East. A month later, he told reporters he believed the deployments were “having a very good stabilizing effect,” and that he was in the process of negotiating on a larger, long-term U.S. military presence.
As a result of his maneuvering, McKenzie succeeded in acquiring 10,000 to 15,000 more military personnel, bringing the total in his CENTCOM realm to more than 90,000. The rapid increase in assets under his command was revealed in a Senate hearing in March 2020.
CENTCOM chief arriving in Israel for talks with Kochavi on Iran
McKenzie’s arrival – he is scheduled to spend one day in Israel – is the first high-level visit by a top American official since Joe Biden was sworn in as president last week.
Heim in den Verantwortungsbereich
(18. März 2010)
Nun, die Situation in Asien ist für viele Europäer verwirrend. Das liegt daran, dass viele Europäer nicht mehr wissen, wo Asien liegt. Asien beginnt am Ende Sibiriens und endet am Nil. Nun befassen wir uns mit den geostrategischen Grundlagen des US-Militärs. Das hat sich die Welt in den „Vereinigten Kampf-Kommandaturen“ („unified combatant commands) in „Verantwortungsbereiche“ aufgeteilt. Zum Verantwortungsbereich („area of responsibility“) des Europakommandos („Eucom“) gehören bislang auch drei Länder Asiens: Syrien, der Libanon und Israel. Ebenso natürlich die israelisch besetzten Gebiete, sowie der Gazastreifen.
Das möchte General David Petraeus, Chef des Zentralkommandos (Centcom), und damit u.a. direkter Vorgesetzter der US-Kommandeure in den eroberten Ländern Irak und Afghanistan, gerne ändern. Um den Zusammenhang nun denkbar ausreichend zu erläutern: dazwischen liegt der Iran.
Trump Orders Military Shift to Spur Israeli-Arab Cooperation Against Iran
President Trump has ordered that the major U.S. military command for the Middle East be expanded to include Israel, in a last-minute reorganization of the American defense structure that pro-Israel groups have long advocated to encourage cooperation against Iran, U.S. officials said Thursday.
NEW: Trump ordered the Pentagon to reorganize its command structure and put Israel in US CENTCOM, in a nod to Israel’s long wishes and another last minute policy decision it will be hard for Biden to undo.
Exclusive with @mgordonwsj and me
Saudi, UK, U.S. Naval Forces Conduct Mine Countermeasures Training
(02.12.2020)
Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF), Royal Navy and U.S. Navy forces participated in mine countermeasures (MCM) interoperability training in the Arabian Gulf, Nov. 9-12.
Sorry, Iran: USS Nimitz Aircraft Carrier Strike Group Back in the Persian Gulf
(02.12.2020)
Tensions in the region have been seen as extraordinarily high following the assassination of Fakhrizadeh, which Tehran has blamed on the United States and Israel. However, Commander Rebecca Rebarich, a spokesperson for the U.S. Fifth Fleet, told the AFP news agency that the return of CSG 11, under the command of Rear Adm. James A. Kirk, was not related to a specific threat but was part of regional security.
USAF F-16s move from Germany to UAE
(16.11.2020)
Although CENTCOM did not offer specific information about the move, the UAE base has been the center of operations for planes patrolling the Persian Gulf to monitor activities by Iran’s military.
Message to Iran: B-52 bombers deployed to Middle East
(22.11.2020)
U.S. Central Command said the U.S. Air Force B-52H “Stratofortress” aircrews conducted the mission on „short notice“ to „deter aggression and reassure U.S. partners and allies.“
“The ability to quickly move forces into, out of and around the theater to seize, retain and exploit the initiative is key to deterring potential aggression,“ said Lt. Gen. Greg Guillot, 9th Air Force commander.
US Commander Confirms Troop Cut Plans in Iraq, Afghanistan
McKenzie also offered an update on the Afghanistan drawdown, saying that the current level of 8,600 wound be down to 4,500 by late October. This figure was roughly announced in the past, but details show that they’re still on track for that.
US to draw down to 3,000 troops in Iraq
The United States will withdraw more than 2,000 troops from Iraq this month, the top U.S. general in the region said Wednesday.
Gen. Frank McKenzie, the commander of U.S. Central Command (Centcom), announced the reduction from roughly 5,200 troops to 3,000 troops during a visit to Iraq.
Readout of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley’s Meeting with Chief of the Israeli General Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley met with Chief of the Israeli General Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi today in Israel during a trip to the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
The two leaders discussed the current security environment throughout the Middle East.
King receives US CENTCOM commander
His Majesty King Abdullah on Saturday received Commander of the US Central Command Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr., and discussed the strategic partnership between the two countries, especially military and security cooperation.
Army chief, US CENTCOM discuss cooperation, region
During the meeting, which was attended by the US military attaché and a number of senior officers, they discussed regional and international developments and aspects of joint military cooperation to serve the armed force of the two countries.
2 Carriers to Stay in Gulf Region as Warning to Iran, General Says
He also said that the U.S. is in the process of moving Patriot anti-missile batteries into Iraq, adding it will be „some days“ before they became operational.
US Commandos to Serve as ‘Main Force’ During Afghanistan Withdrawal
Centcom commander Gen. Frank McKenzie says that the plan is to shift combat duties to US special forces.
US-Kommandos sollen als Hauptstreitmacht beim Rückzug aus Afghanistan dienen
Laut Centcom-Kommandeur General Frank McKenzie ist geplant, die Kampfverpflichtungen auf die US-Spezialeinheiten zu verlagern.
Pentagon chief meets Saudi Arabia’s deputy defence minister
On landing in Riyadh on Monday, he met the head of US Central Command, which is responsible for military operations in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
Media darling Pete Buttigieg was in unit that worked with the CIA in Afghanistan
While official records linking the ATFC to the CIA do not appear widely in available government documents, their collaboration is an open secret. One early report by the Association of Former Intelligence Officers, an advocacy organization for the US intelligence community, noted “the cell has about two-dozen members drawn from the Drug Enforcement Administration, US Central Command, the Treasury Department and the CIA. The FBI is expected to join soon.”
Global news wire Agency France-Presse characterized ATFC as “a multi-agency organization currently comprising about 30 specialists on loan from the Department of Drug Enforcement, Department of the Treasury, Department of Justice, Department of Defense’s CENTCOM, the CIA and the FBI.”
US forces step up Islamic State operations in Syria | January 26, 2020 – „The tempo is coming back,“ General Kenneth „Frank“ McKenzie jnr, who heads US Central Command,
In Syria, U.S. steps up Islamic State operation, but for how long, no one knows
“The tempo is coming back,” Gen. Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie Jr., who heads U.S. Central Command, said during a visit to a constellation of tiny American outposts in eastern Syria.
American troops in Syria, like those in neighboring Iraq, shifted their focus from anti-extremist operations to force protection after a Jan. 3 strike in Baghdad killed Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, Iran’s most influential military figure.
Ending America’s Endless War in Afghanistan
We are now in a position to seal a United States-Taliban agreement that would lead to intra-Afghan negotiations and move the conflict into the political realm. We should not miss this opportunity.
The war has exacted an overwhelming cost: 1,892 American military personnel killed in action and 20,589 wounded, about a trillion dollars spent, the psychological and emotional impact on veterans and their families, and similar material and human costs to our allies. And there is the devastating cost paid by the people of Afghanistan: Of the 147,000 killed in the war since 2001, more than 38,000 have been civilians. This long war must end.
Eine absehbare Eskalation
(6. Juni 2017)
Es ist wahrscheinlich, dass spätestens im Zuge dieses so „überraschenden“ Umzuges der Bundeswehr über Europol der Datentausch deutscher Polizeidienststellen mit den Todesschwadronen des Joint Special Operations Command und deren in Jordanien basierter Operation „Gallant Phoenix“ beginnt, von der die Bundesregierung im Mai noch sagte, sie würde sie „prüfen“ bzw gar nichts sagte. Der Datentauschring würde in Deutschland alle Landeskriminalämter, das Bundeskriminalamt, und damit über weitere Datentauschpraktiken praktisch alle Polizeibehörden und Regierungsbehörden in Deutschland umfassen, natürlich auch den Bundesnachrichtendienst, und sich über die weiteren Hierarchien wie Europol und das Pentagon mindestens über den Einflussbereich von U.S.-Europakommando (bzw „Europäischer Union“) und U.S.-Zentralkommando erstrecken.
Bereits im Frühjahr 2016 hatte die U.S.-Regierung das deutsche Militär zum Vorsprechen bei der Merkel-Gabriel-Regierung geschickt, um dieser anzubieten die Bundeswehr an „einer kleinen militärischen Einheit“ zu beteiligen“, zur „Beobachtung ausländischer Dschihadisten“.
Im November 2016 hatte die U.S.-Regierung unter Barack Obama über die „Washington Post“ verkündet, die „Eliteeinheit“ J.S.O.C. agiere nun offiziell global und werde vom Schlaginstrument regionaler Militärkommandos gegen „hochrangige Ziele“ dahingehend aufgewertet eine
„eine neue multibehördliche Geheimdienst- und Handlungsstreitmacht zu führen“.
Trump, Netanyahu Discuss Iran in Phone Call Following U.S. Military Visits to Israel
In recent weeks, several high-ranking U.S. military officials either visited Israel or met with their counterparts in the Israeli military. These meetings mainly revolved around the issue of Iran and the growing tensions over Tehran’s activities in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
US worried Israel may attack Iran to save Netanyahu
(27.11.2019)
According to Harel, Israel is afraid that the US will desert the Iran issue while America is worried Israel may carry out a unilateral attack against Tehran, forcing Washington into a war.
Harel warned that it is impossible to separate the internal Israeli chaos from the Iran issue; in particular with regards to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s indictment and his failure to form a government.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Milley visited Israel, met IDF chief Kochavi
(25.11.2019)
The general’s trip comes as part of a series of visits by several high ranking military chiefs including the head of the US Air Force Gen. David Goldfien, USAFE (United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa) Commander Gen. Jeffery L. Harrigian and the Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) Gen. Kenneth McKenzie.
Pentagon DELETES files about Osama bin Laden raid after transferring them to CIA where they can’t be made public
(08.07.2013)
– Military files about the Navy SEAL raid on Osama bin Laden’s hideout have been purged from Pentagon computers
– Associated Press requested information on the raid some 20 times in 2011 but requests were rejected
– A line in an inspector general’s draft report states the files were purged from the defense department to another government department to prevent certain information about the raid being made public
– The sentence was removed from the final report released weeks ago
Admiral William McRaven: der Letzte der Viererbande
(17.11.2013)
Auf dem U.S.-Luftwaffenstützpunkt McDill Air Force Base in Tampa in Florida residiert noch unangefochten der Herrscher über die grösste geheime internationale Schattenarmee – mächtiger als der U.S.-Präsident als Oberkommandierender der U.S.-Streitkräfte mitsamt seinem Verteidigungsminister – wo er seine Befugnisse unkontrollierbar immer weiter ausbaut.
DOD Statement on Deployment of Additional U.S. Forces and Equipment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
At the request of U.S. Central Command, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper authorized the deployment of additional U.S. forces and the following equipment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:
US to deploy additional troops, aircraft, missile systems to Saudi Arabia
Defense Secretary Mark Esper had authorized the deployment last month at the request of U.S. Central Command and informed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the country’s defense minister of the action earlier Friday.
US commander discussed Iranian threats with Saudi counterpart
U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said its commander, Vice Admiral Jim Malloy, visited Riyadh to discuss Iran with his Saudi counterpart, Vice Admiral Fahad al Ghofaily, over the weekend.
Pakistan: CENTCOM chief visits Tarbela Dam
United States Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander General Kenneth F McKenzie Jr accompanied by US Ambassador to Pakistan Paul Jones on Saturday visited the Tarbela Dam
Trump says he canceled peace talks with Taliban over attack
Trump said he had planned a secret meeting with the Taliban’s “major leaders” on Sunday at a presidential compound in Camp David, Maryland. Trump said he also planned to meet with Afghanistan’s president.
Persischer Golf: U.S. und E.U. bereiten „Koordination“ ihrer Streitkräfte vor
Vor der Entsendung der im Vorfeld in „Operation Sentinel“ und „Force Generation“ formal aufgeteilten Streitkräfte von U.S.A. und E.U. in den Persischen Golf, spricht sich U.S.-Verteidigungsminister Mark Esper heute in Paris bezüglich deren „Koordination“ ab. Diese wird bereits seit Juli im Zentralkommando (Centcom) operativ vorbereitet.
Bahrain joins U.S.-led coalition safeguarding Persian Gulf shipping
The confirmation came after Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, chief of CENTCOM, and other top U.S. commanders met with Bahrain’s king in the capital, Manama. Bahrain is the headquarters of the U.S. Fifth Fleet.
Persischer Golf: Merkel-Regierung organisiert Marine-Kriegskoalition der E.U.
Wie prognostiziert: die Bundeswehr-Marine wird in den Persischen Golf entsandt. Dieser ist bereits seit 2015 offizielles Einsatzgebiet der Bundeswehr in der internationalen Kriegskoalition, deren Mandat der Bundestag Ende Oktober erneut verlängern wird.
Iran crisis: Britain could ask Russia and China to join fight as tensions rocket in Gulf
(28.07.2019)
The move was suggested after a summit on Thursday between military chiefs from the US, UK, Europe and the UAE in Florida, where US admirals failed to persuade Britain to join its Sentinel operation.
Schutz für Öltransporte: Strategische Manöver um Nadelöhr im Golf
Auch ein NATO-Einsatz wäre theoretisch möglich. Dagegen spricht aber ebenfalls, dass alle Mitgliedsstaaten zustimmen müssten. „Es gab bislang keine Anfrage für einen NATO-Einsatz im Golf“, so NATO-Generalsekretär Jens Stoltenberg am Mittwoch.
U.S. und E.U. teilen Kriegskoalition gegen Iran formal auf um den Bundestag zu passieren
Einen Tag vor dem Militärtreffen beim U.S.-Zentralkommando der Kriegskoalition hatte der Auswärtige Ausschuss bei einer am 24. von der Regierung in Berlin anberaumten Sondersitzung aktiv oder passiv durch Schweigen kollektiv zugestimmt
Bei ihrem Treffen im U.S.-Zentralkommando, an dem offensichtlich auch Vertreter des Bundeswehr-Generalstabs („Einsatzführungskommando“) teilnahmen, wurde nun die Kommandostruktur in der Kriegskoalition taktisch aufgeteilt, in die bereits laufende, vom U.S.-Zentralkommando (Centcom) geführte „Operation Sentinel“ und eine von der E.U.-geführte „Force Generation“.
A Major Conventional War Against Iran Is an Impossibility. Crisis within the US Command Structure
And US Central Command’s Forward headquarters is still located in Qatar despite the fact that two years earlier on May 23, 2017, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, was accused by Saudi Arabia and the UAE of collaborating with Iran. It is unclear who gave the order to impose the embargo on Qatar. Saudi Arabia would not have taken that decision without consulting Washington. Visibly, Washington’s intent was to create an Arab NATO Alliance (An Arab Block) directed against Iran “to do the dirty work for us”.
Making Centcom great again
What Centcom officers were worried about is that they would take a back seat to the European and Pacific commands. In fact, there’s a clear, if unstated, pecking order among the commands, retired Col. Kevin Benson, a former director of the Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies, notes. ‘The three most important commands are in Europe, which is Eucom, the Pacific, which is Pacom and now, because of Iran, the Middle East – which is Centcom. Southcom, the Southern Command, is almost always last in priority.’
.@realDonaldTrump Your Iran strategy has been ill-advised and short-sighted. Change course now. Return to the Iran nuclear agreement before it’s too late. Put aside your pride and political calculations for the good of our country. Do the right thing.
Trump Approves Strikes on Iran, but Then Abruptly Pulls Back
It was not clear whether Mr. Trump simply changed his mind on the strikes or whether the administration altered course because of logistics or strategy. It was also not clear whether the attacks might still go forward.
Asked about the plans for a strike and the decision to hold back, the White House declined to comment, as did Pentagon officials. No government officials asked The New York Times to withhold the article.
Report: Trump Approved Military Strikes Against Iran but Pulled Back After Planes Were in Air
U.S. President Donald Trump approved military strikes against Iran in retaliation for downing of American global hawk drone but pulled back after planes were in the air and ships were in position, according to a report by the New York Times citing administration officials.
The report claimed the order to halt attacks on Iranian radar and missile batteries came after intense debate at the White House among top security officials and congressional leaders.
Want War With Iran? Ask Congress First
From the U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor in 1898 to the U.S.S. Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin in 1964, maritime incidents, shrouded in the fog of uncertainty, have lured the United States into wars on foreign shoals. Which is why cooler heads must prevail — and Congress must be consulted — as American and Iranian forces inch closer to open conflict in and around the Strait of Hormuz.
‚We are there to deter aggression‘ — Pompeo addressed CENTCOM on Iran mere moments before Shanahan announced his departure
(19.06.2019)
Pompeo, who arrived in Tampa on Monday, met with Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr. and Army Gen. Richard Clarke, commanders of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command respectively, to align the Government’s efforts in the Middle East, according to Central Command.
The meeting focused on deterrence plans against Iran after U.S. officials blamed the country for two recent oil tanker attacks in the Gulf of Oman.
Drohnen-Abschuss über dem Iran: US-Armee bestreitet Grenzverletzung
Den USA ist dieser Punkt besonders wichtig: Washington widerspricht dem Vorwurf, das Militär habe die iranischen Grenzen verletzt. Es habe vor dem Abschuss keine Provokation von US-Seite gegeben, erklärte Navy Captain Bill Urban vom Central Command.
Strait of Hormuz: US confirms drone shot down by Iran
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said the aircraft had violated Iranian airspace, and that the incident sent a „clear message to America“.
But the US military insisted the drone had been over international waters at the time, and condemned what it called an „unprovoked attack“ by the IRGC.
US sending 1,000 additional troops to Middle East amid Iran tensions
„In response to a request from the US Central Command for additional forces, and with the advice of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and in consultation with the White House, I have authorized approximately 1,000 additional troops for defensive purposes to address air, naval, and ground-based threats in the Middle East,“ acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said in a statement.
Bomber Task Force Participates in Joint Exercise with Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group
ARABIAN SEA
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress, assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron and part of the U.S. Central Command Bomber Task Force, and the Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, attached to the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group conducted joint operations in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, June 1.
(…)
During the exercises, CVW-7 and the 20th EBS conducted several joint training evolutions designed to improve operational tactics in several warfare areas. Exercises included air-to-air training, flying in formation, and simulated strike operations in defense of a national asset.
US builds intermilitary relationship with RSAF
Royal Saudi Air Force F-15C Eagles fly in formation with U.S. Air Force F-15Cs in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, June 2, 2019. The flight was conducted as part of a larger effort to continue building military-to-military relationships and interoperability
I condemn yesterday’s attacks on vessels in the Gulf of Oman. UK’s assessment concludes that responsibility for the attacks almost certainly lies with Iran. These latest attacks build on a pattern of destabilising Iranian behaviour and pose a serious danger to the region
Iranian boat fired missile at US drone prior to tanker attack, US official says
In the hours before the attack on the two tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, the Iranians spotted a US drone flying overhead and launched a surface-to-air missile at the unmanned aircraft, a US official told CNN.
The missile missed the drone and fell into the water, the official said.
Japanese oil tanker owner disagrees with US military that a mine caused blast near Iran
„We received reports that something flew towards the ship,“ Yutaka Katada, president of Kokuka Sangyo, said at a press conference Friday. „I do not think there was a time bomb or an object attached to the side of the ship,“ he said, adding that a projectile landed above the waterline. (…)
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!
Rocket Hits Green Zone in Baghdad as Tensions Flare Between U.S. and Iran
The heavily guarded compound was already on a heightened state of alert after nonemergency personnel there and at the United States Consulate in the northern city of Erbil were ordered last week to leave.
The order came after the Trump administration announced that new intelligence indicated a heightened risk that Iranian forces or proxies were considering an imminent attack on American forces or interests in the Persian Gulf or Iraq.
Two U.S. Warships Enter Persian Gulf Without Incident
A U.S. team that includes special operations personnel were part of a group sent to determine the origin of the attacks.
CENTCOM corrects British general: US forces in Iraq and Syria on heightened alert for Iranian attacks
„There’s been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria,“ Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika, a deputy commander for the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, told reporters at a Pentagon news briefing. „We are monitoring the Shia militia groups carefully and if the threat level perceives to go up them we will raise our force protection levels accordingly.“
But after being pressed by reporters on the matter, Ghika engaged in verbal gymnastics to try to say he was on the same page as the White House by saying the coalition monitors a range of possible threats and it raises and lowers security levels appropriately.
Saudi crown prince holds quiet meeting with head of U.S. Central Command
(14.04.2019)
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met quietly Monday with the head of U.S. Central Command, Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie, and the two men discussed continued “cooperation” between the two nations in fighting terrorism, according to Riyadh’s state-run news agency.
Bomber task force completes first CENTCOM mission as Iran warns US forces to leave region
(13.05.2019)
B-52H Stratofortress aircraft assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron from Louisiana’s Barksdale Air Force Base took off from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, U.S. Air Forces Central Command said in a brief statement Monday. Additional bombers in the task force had been deployed to an unspecified base in the Middle East.
“They’re here to defend our forces and interests,” said Lt. Col. Christine Millette, a spokeswoman for Air Forces Central Command. Millette did not provide further mission details.
Lou Dobbs to Trump: Why Not Threaten Military Strikes Against Iran’s Oil Industry?
Fox Business host and Trump whisperer Lou Dobbs appeared to nudge President Trump toward threatening Iran with military strikes on Tuesday night, saying the president shouldn’t get involved in a ground war but instead make it clear that he’ll turn the nation’s oil industry into “dust.”
Cotton: US could win war with Iran in ‚two strikes‘
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a prominent foreign policy hawk, voiced confidence in a new interview that the U.S. could win a war with Iran, saying it would take „two strikes.“
„Yes, two strikes,“ he told Margaret Hoover of „Firing Line“ when asked if the U.S. could win a war against Iran. „The first strike and the last strike.“
Skeptical U.S. Allies Resist Trump’s New Claims of Threats From Iran
As the Trump administration draws up war plans against Iran over what it says are threats to American troops and interests, a senior British military official told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday that he saw no increased risk from Iran or allied militias in Iraq or Syria.
A few hours later, the United States Central Command issued an unusual rebuke: The remarks from the British official — Maj. Gen. Chris Ghika, who is also the deputy commander of the American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State — run “counter to the identified credible threats available to intelligence from U.S. and allies regarding Iranian-backed forces in the region.”
US-Flugzeugträger in Nahost: Alles nur ein Bluff?
So zumindest deuten es mehrere US-Experten. Die Politikanalytikerin Becca Wasser von der Denkfabrik „Rand Corporation“, die das US-Verteidigungsministeriun berät, schrieb: Es würden routinemäßig Flugzeugträger in die Region entsandt, um den Iran abzuschrecken.
Das Verteidigungsministerium habe in letzter Zeit die Anwesenheit von Flugzeugträgern variiert, um unvorhersehbar zu wirken.
Konflikt mit dem Iran: USA verlegen Flugzeugträger in Nahen Osten
Wie der Sicherheitsberater des Weißen Hauses, John Bolton, mitteilte, werden der Flugzeugträger „USS Abraham Lincoln“ sowie eine Bomberstaffel vom Mittelmeer in den Nahen Osten verlegt.
Den genauen Ort der Stationierung ließ er offen. Bolton sprach lediglich von einer Verlegung in die Region, für die das Streitkräftekommando CENTCOM zuständig ist – dieses Gebiet reicht von Syrien im Westen bis Pakistan im Osten.
New US ambassador to Saudi Arabia arrives in Riyadh
Trump nominated Abizaid, who led the US Central Command during the Iraq war, for the position in November 2018. He was approved by the Senate in April.
US Marine Corps General McKenzie replaces retiring Votel as CENTCOM Commander
Newly promoted General Kenneth F. McKenzie on Thursday, March 28 took over the leadership of United States Central Command, which oversees U.S. military operations in the Middle East including the conflicts in Syria and Afghanistan. At a ceremony led by Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, McKenzie pledged to continue the work done by his predecessor, General Joseph Votel, who is retiring.
Sold to an ally, lost to an enemy
(6.2.2019) The US shipped weapons and secrets to the Saudis and Emiratis. Now, some are in the hands of fighters linked to al Qaeda and Iran.
The Pentagon Ups the Ante in Syria Fight
(30. März 2015) Also in Jordan is a U.S.-led multinational effort named Operation Gallant Phoenix, aimed at tracking the foreign fighter flow into Iraq and Syria. Begun as an initiative under Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), which controls the military’s most elite special operations units, and JSOC’s higher administrative headquarters, U.S. Special Operations Command, it has expanded to include participation by U.S. Central Command and U.S. European Command, said the senior special operations officer. Although sometimes referred to as the “foreign fighter task force,” Gallant Phoenix doesn’t have troops of its own to send out on raids or direct assaults and instead passes on the information it receives to allied countries.
America’s Black-Ops Blackout: Unraveling the Secrets of the Military’s Secret Military
(7. Januar 2014) As Special Operations Command chief Admiral William McRaven put it in SOCOM 2020, his blueprint for the future, it has ambitious aspirations to create “a Global SOF network of like-minded interagency allies and partners.” In other words, in that future now only six years off, it wants to be everywhere.
(…)
While Congressional pushback has thus far thwarted Admiral McRaven’s efforts to create a SOCOM satellite headquarters for the more than 300 special operators working in Washington, D.C. (at the cost of $10 million annually), the command has nonetheless stationed support teams and liaisons all over the capital in a bid to embed itself ever more deeply inside the Beltway. “I have folks in every agency here in Washington, D.C. — from the CIA, to the FBI, to the National Security Agency, to the National Geospatial Agency, to the Defense Intelligence Agency,” McRaven said during a panel discussion at Washington’s Wilson Center in 2013. Referring to the acronyms of the many agencies with which SOCOM has forged ties, McRaven continued: “If there are three letters, and in some cases four, I have a person there.“
Obama Gives Commanders Wide Berth for Secret Warfare
(25. Mai 2010) Gen. Stanley McChrystal, at the time the director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, advised President Obama to allow combatant commanders more latitude to combat terrorism using task forces. Coming from McChrystal, it was a surprising endorsement of a policy that would shift responsibility for unconventional warfare from JSOC, which he had commanded, to the combatant commanders.
U.S. Is Said to Expand Secret Actions in Mideast
(24. Mai 2010) The order, which an official said was drafted in close coordination with Adm. Eric T. Olson, the officer in charge of the United States Special Operations Command, calls for clandestine activities that “cannot or will not be accomplished” by conventional military operations or “interagency activities,” a reference to American spy agencies.
While the C.I.A. and the Pentagon have often been at odds over expansion of clandestine military activity, most recently over intelligence gathering by Pentagon contractors in Pakistan and Afghanistan, there does not appear to have been a significant dispute over the September order.
A spokesman for the C.I.A. declined to confirm the existence of General Petraeus’s order, but said that the spy agency and the Pentagon had a “close relationship” and generally coordinate operations in the field.
The Special Ops Command That’s Displacing The CIA
(1. Dezember 2009) The military at large has also felt the growing influence of JSOC. Indeed, General Stanley McChrystal, now the top military commander in Afghanistan, led JSOC from 2003 to 2008. McChrystal’s extensive special operations in Iraq, credited as crucial in the country’s stabilization, earned both him and JSOC wide support in the military and in Washington. In his high-powered role in Afghanistan, McChrystal is increasingly turning to his old command. Spencer Ackerman reports that JSOC’s current leadership is „playing a large and previously unreported role in shaping the Obama administration’s Afghanistan and Pakistan strategy.“ That new influence includes strategic decision-making and direct involvement in the more traditional warfare conducted by the conventional military. Ackerman writes:
„In his Afghanistan review, McChrystal said that a key goal for him would be to increase coordination between his NATO command and the independent command of JSOC, which suggested that the dichotomy between using Special Operations Forces for counterterrorism and conventional forces for counterinsurgency was eroding.“
“General” McChrystal got fired like a dog by Obama. Last assignment a total bust. Known for big, dumb mouth. Hillary lover!
U.S. Halted Some Raids in Afghanistan
(9. März 2009) According to senior military officials, the stand-down was ordered by Vice Adm. William H. McRaven, the head of the military’s Joint Special Operations Command, which oversees the secret commando units.
The rising civilian death toll in Afghanistan has soured relations between American commanders and the Afghan government led by President Hamid Karzai, who has vocally criticized the raids.
The stand-down began in mid-February, and the raids have since resumed. It is unclear, though, whether the Special Operations missions are being carried out with the same frequency as before the halt.
Retired four-star Admiral William McRaven, the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command from 2011 to 2014 (which included the OBL mission), just issued the following statement to CNN in response to POTUS attacking GEN McChrystal on twitter:
Ret. admiral defends McChrystal on Trump claim
Ret. Admiral William McRaven came to the defense of Ret. General Stanley McChrystal after President Trump took shots at the general on Twitter following the comments McChrystal made on Trump during an ABC interview.
Preparing the Battlefield
(Juli 2008) The covert operations set forth in the Finding essentially run parallel to those of a secret military task force, now operating in Iran, that is under the control of JSOC. Under the Bush Administration’s interpretation of the law, clandestine military activities, unlike covert C.I.A. operations, do not need to be depicted in a Finding, because the President has a constitutional right to command combat forces in the field without congressional interference. But the borders between operations are not always clear: in Iran, C.I.A. agents and regional assets have the language skills and the local knowledge to make contacts for the JSOC operatives, and have been working with them to direct personnel, matériel, and money into Iran from an obscure base in western Afghanistan. As a result, Congress has been given only a partial view of how the money it authorized may be used. One of JSOC’s task-force missions, the pursuit of “high-value targets,” was not directly addressed in the Finding. There is a growing realization among some legislators that the Bush Administration, in recent years, has conflated what is an intelligence operation and what is a military one in order to avoid fully informing Congress about what it is doing.
Commandos See Duty on U.S. Soil In Role Redefined by Terror Fight
(23. Januar 2005) As part of the extraordinary army of 13,000 troops, police officers and federal agents marshaled to secure the inauguration, these elite forces were poised to act under a 1997 program that was updated and enhanced after the Sept. 11 attacks, but nonetheless departs from how the military has historically been used on American soil.
These commandos, operating under a secret counterterrorism program code-named Power Geyser, were mentioned publicly for the first time this week on a Web site for a new book, „Code Names: Deciphering U.S. Military Plans, Programs and Operation in the 9/11 World,“ (Steerforth Press). The book was written by William M. Arkin, a former intelligence analyst for the Army.
The precise number of these Special Operations forces in Washington this week is highly classified, but military officials say the number is very small. The special-missions units belong to the Joint Special Operations Command, a secretive command based at Fort Bragg, N.C., whose elements include the Army unit Delta Force.
Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal hits Trump as immoral, dishonest
(30.12.2018) Retired four-star Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal on Sunday criticized President Donald Trump for his approach to the presidency in a wide-ranging interview that saw the former top commander of the US and international forces in Afghanistan label Trump as dishonest and immoral.
„I don’t think he tells the truth,“ McChrystal told ABC’s Martha Raddatz on „This Week.“ When asked if he thought Trump was immoral, McChrystal responded: „I think he is.“
„Verlogen“: Ex-US-General kritisiert Trump heftig für Syrien-Abzug
(31.12.2018) Nun hat sich auch Ex-General Stanley A. McChrystal kritisch zu Trumps Plänen geäussert. Der ehemalige Kommandant der US-Streitkräfte in Afghanistan bezeichnete Donald Trump und dessen Entscheidung als „unmoralisch und verlogen“.McChrystal hatte sich schon früher negativ über den Präsidenten geäussert. Ex-Admiral William McRaven, der die Operation gegen den Terroristen Osama Bin Laden verantwortete, hatte Trump mehrfach öffentlich kritisiert. Trump nannte ihn darauf einen „Hillary-Clinton-Fan“ und „Barack-Obama-Unterstützer“ und sagte, die Operation gegen Bin Laden habe viel zu lange gedauert. McChrystal nahm McRaven anschließend in Schutz und stellte das Vertrauen in Trump infrage.
Who Is U.S. Bombing in Syria? Government, Activists Accuse Coalition of Attacking Army Instead of ISIS
(3.12.2018) Nevertheless, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based monitor with ties to the Syrian opposition, appeared to corroborate the government with its own account published Monday. The report claimed that about 15 missiles had been fired from Al-Tanf, where the U.S. base was located, toward pro-government positions.
John Abizaid: Former Commander, U.S. Central Command
In his civilian studies, he earned a Master of Arts degree in Area Studies at Harvard University, and was an Olmsted Scholar at the University of Jordan in Amman, Jordan.
Trump to nominate retired Army general as U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia
The White House said Trump has chosen John Abizaid, who as a four-star Army general led the U.S. Central Command during the Iraq war, to be Washington’s
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.
1. SDF retreats from a minor ISIS attack opening its path towards the Iraqi border. 2. SDF suspends anti-ISIS operation. Sounds like a plan to give ISIS new momentum to act in Iraq where it can help the U.S. to gain leverage over its new government. cc @ejmalrai
Turkish Newspaper: ISIS In Syria Receives Weapons Directly From US-led Coalition
A commander in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) confirmed to Yeni Safak that the U.S. had handed over weapons to ISIS in the town of al-Mansurah, west of the city of Raqqa, and in the area of al-Tanaf, near the border with Iraq.
According to the commander, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the US-led coalition formed a group of Kurds and Arabs to facilitate the delivery of weapons to ISIS terrorists. The PPK and the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) played a key role in the process.
Syrian Army seizes US-made weapons left behind by Daesh in Deir Ezzor (photos)
A SANA reporter said that during the combing operation to cleanse the liberated areas from the terrorist remnants, the authorities uncovered a cache containing 450,000 bullets of US-made medium-caliber machine guns from Daesh’s remnants in the Al-Mayadeen area.
Below are a number of photos that were captured by SANA of the weapons cache that was seized by the Syrian military this week:
To the #American people: Imagine a #Syrian General with his soldiers occupying part of your sovereign homeland. What is General Joseph #Votel doing in #Tanf area in #Syria? #FromSyria
The Pentagon Used To Hide US Troops In Syria. Now It’s Posting Videos Of Them On Twitter.
(3.10.2018) A few years ago it would have been jarring to see the US military presence in Syria promoted as if it were Afghanistan. But overlapping and intentionally vague statements about what exactly US troops in Syria are doing, how many of them are doing it, and how long they are planning to be there have seemed to lull much of the country into accepting that they are there long term.
Department Of Defense Press Briefing By General Joseph Votel via teleconference from Tampa, Florida, on Operations in the Central Command Area of Responsibility
(4.10.2018) In Syria, we will remain with our partners to ensure the defeat of ISIS and provide an opportunity for a negotiated political resolution of the Syrian conflict and humanitarian crisis, consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254.
Recent pledges of more than $300 million in new funding for stabilization and humanitarian aid from our coalition partners is a welcome start to consolidating our military gains.
US Sends More Diplomats to Coalition-Controlled Areas of Syria: What’s Behind the Move?
Defense Secretary James Mattis announced on Oct. 2 that the number of US diplomats in Syria had doubled. No specific number was mentioned, but the move was motivated by the need to intensify the diplomatic effort, with “the military operations becoming less.” Under the label of “Syria,” the secretary was referring to more than a quarter of the country, with an estimated population of 1.5 million to two million people. This territory is controlled by the US-supported and Kurdish-dominated SDF and its political wing, the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC).
Military Brass Tells Congress It Has No Idea What Saudi Arabia Is Doing With U.S. Bombs in Yemen
(14.3.2018) Warren followed up by describing an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition that struck civilians in February. The attack, in the northern Yemen town of Saada, killed five civilians. Medical staff who rushed in to help survivors were hit in a follow-up attack, Warren noted. (This is known as a “double-tap” airstrike.)
“General Votel, when you receive reports like this from credible media organizations or outside observers, is CENTCOM able to tell if U.S. fuel or U.S. munitions were used in that strike?”
“No, senator, I don’t believe we are,” he replied.
End U.S. support for this misbegotten and unwinnable war
ON AUG. 9, an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen struck a bus packed with young boys in the northern village of Dahyan, killing at least 51 people, including 40 children, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross. As Saudi spokesmen defend this horrific massacre — one called the bus a “legitimate military target” — Trump administration officials are being pressed by members of Congress …
CentCom’s Votel: U.S. will stay in Syria to fight ISIS and keep an eye on Iran
(22.5.2018) In March, President Donald Trump said he would be pulling U.S. troops out of Syria „very soon.“ But they’re still there, and will stay there, to defeat what’s left of the so-called Islamic State, says the man in charge of military efforts in the region.
Despite the commander-in-chief’s comments, Army Gen. Joseph Votel said it didn’t require much pushback to convince Trump to stay the course.
ISIS 2.0: Islamic State Launches Massive Attack in Syria, Resurging in Iraq
(24.7.2018) Seven months after routing ISIS from large swaths of Iraq and Syria, the Department of Defense says a coalition of 77 nations and numerous international organizations remains determined to keep the terror group from resurfacing.
Analysis: The Islamic State’s push for a new caliphate
(16.8.2018) According to findings by the Lead Inspector General of Operation Inherent Resolve, the United States-led military coalition against the Islamic State, the terror group is much larger than previously thought and still poses a significant threat.
Admiral William McRaven: der Letzte der Viererbande
(17.11.2013) In den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika findet diese Strategie des unkontrollierbaren Tötens ihren vorläufigen Höhepunkt mit den Visionen des Chefs des U.S.S.O.C.O.M., Admiral McRaven (Vortrag vom Frühjahr 2013 am Woodrow Wilson Center „U.S. Special Operations 2020“). Dieser Mann ist, wenn ihm nicht durch die eigene Regierung Einhalt geboten wird, im Prinzip der mächtigste Kriegsfürst auf diesem Planeten.
Dem mit der C.I.A. eng verbandelten Admiral wird in Kürze alles ohne Rechenschaftspflicht wegen der Geheimhaltung im Rahmen der nationalen Sicherheit zur Verfügung stehen: Geld ohne Ende, die Elite der Elite der eigenen sowie ausländischer Spezialeinsatzkommandos (auch deutscher), ein Strom von Informationen von internationalen detaillierten Daten über fast jeden Ort und Bürger dieses Planeten durch befreundete Geheimdienste, die neuesten Errungenschaften militärischer Techniken, Einbindung des Heimatschutzministeriums, staatlicher und nichtstaatlicher Behörden und vieles mehr. Für die Bewilligung des dazu benötigten Kapitals sorgen die Profiteure im U.S.-Senat und Kongress.
Eine Kontrolle ist so gut wie unmöglich, da alle Aktivitäten und Informationen als „Top secret“ eingestuft sind. Dem Präsidenten können zur „legalen“ Absegnung der Einsätze Märchen serviert werden oder laufen ohne jegliches Wissen darüber im Geheimen ab.
Russia-U.S. Syria Deal Hits Trouble as Post-Summit Tensions Grow
The U.S. “has not fulfilled its own promises” made in Helsinki to remove opposition forces to enable a buffer zone on Syria’s border with Israel, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. The Defense Ministry accused the U.S. of sabotaging the agreement after a senior American commander, General Joseph Votel, said that his country’s military won’t cooperate with Russian forces beyond a de-confliction hotline to avoid unintended clashes.
King receives US officials
(20.6.2018) His Majesty King Abdullah II on Wednesday received United States Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, John C. Rood, and Commander of United States Central Command, Gen. Joseph Votel, to discuss bilateral relations and developments in the region.
Syrian state media says U.S. struck army base, U.S. denies
“We have no operational reporting of a U.S.-led coalition strike against pro-Syrian regime targets or forces,” Captain Bill Urban, a spokesman for U.S. Central Command, told Reuters.
Another Pentagon spokesman, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “We have no information to substantiate those reports.”
As of 9:57 p Pentagon has declined comment on the incident or whether US assets are involved. @CENTCOM earlier said it wasn’t aware of any action near Hama and hasn’t gotten back to me on further questions about the incident and any US involvement.
Remarks by President Trump and Amir Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani of the State of Qatar Before Bilateral Meeting
AMIR AL THANI: I’m very happy and honored to be here, and thanks for this invitation. Our relationship between Qatar and the United States has been more than 45 years. It’s a very strong, solid relationship. Our economic partnership is more than $125 billion, and our aim and goal is to double it in the next coming years.
Our military cooperation is very solid, very strong. As everybody know, that the heart of fighting terrorism is from Al Udeid Base. And, thank God, it’s been a very successful campaign against the terrorist groups around our region.
Lately, before I come here, I was in Tampa. I visited the CENTCOM, and we met with the generals. And it was a very important visit, and it shows how strong our cooperation is between the armed forces.
Of course, we speak today and we see the suffering of the Syrian people. And me and the President, we see eye to eye that this matter has to stop immediately. We cannot tolerate — with a war criminal, we cannot tolerate with someone who killed more than half a million of his own people. And this matter should end immediately.
Thank you very much, Mr. President.
Trump says ‘it’s time’ to leave Syria; Votel says we’re staying
At almost the exact same time that President Donald Trump said at the White House Tuesday that the U.S. will soon be departing Syria, his top commander for forces there said the U.S. is in for the long haul.
In a speech before the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington the commander of U.S. Central Command, Gen. Joseph Votel, said that the next steps in Syria require “stabilizing these areas, consolidating gains, getting people back into homes, [and] addressing long term issues of reconstruction.”