NATO

[John Fedup]

As the NATO meeting gets underway perhaps the first item up should be Turkey's removal. The infighting as of late between members doesn't make for a very promising future. I wonder how many members would ignore an article 5 call?

Exclusive: U.S. defense chief calls on Turkey to stop holding up NATO readiness plan

 

[John Fedup]

Another less than honest excuse article for our failing commitment to meet the 2% GDP number which Canada signed on to back in 2014. While the remark about recruitment is correct perhaps more decent kit would increase interest. Our poor procurement operation is no excuse, it should have been a priority 5 years ago so the forces could efficiently renew badly needed kit. Trump’s quote that Canada will get there quickly (wrt 2% GDP), well as the leading complainer about fake news, he just let out a big fake news story with that quote.

Analysis: NATO's defence budget formula is flawed — and Canada isn't going to meet its target

 

[John Fedup]

This article suggests that 5G expenditures should count towards the 2% GDP goal. Not a bad idea as it will be something of value to the alliance and politically it is an easy sell to electorates not to mention keeping Huawei at bay.

NATO Should Count Spending on Secure 5G Towards Its 2% Goals

 

[ngatimozart]

This article suggests that 5G expenditures should count towards the 2% GDP goal. Not a bad idea as it will be something of value to the alliance and politically it is an easy sell to electorates not to mention keeping Huawei at bay.

NATO Should Count Spending on Secure 5G Towards Its 2% Goals

I see that HRH The Princess Royal was amongst a group of leaders overheard laughing at POTUS's expense during a reception at Buck House. Macron, Trudeau Jnr and Merkle were in the group, plus a couple of others who were no named. According to the MSM she also didn't stand alongside HM The Queen and HRH POW to formally receive POTUS & FLOTUS. The Princess Royal is most definitely her fathers daughter, even when her mother gives her the hairy eyeball.

 

[John Fedup]

Not good form but understandable. IMHO Trump will likely get a second term so everything is going downhill and why be nice to a guy that will probably throw you under the bus.

 

[kato]

This article suggests that 5G expenditures should count towards the 2% GDP goal. Not a bad idea as it will be something of value to the alliance and politically it is an easy sell to electorates not to mention keeping Huawei at bay.

I would see that kinda thing more as a carrot approach for Europe based on the current discussion there on whether to permit Huawei or not. So far both Germany and France are in favour of permitting Huawei (with many other EU members waiting on final decisions of these), and there's open lobby warfare in the two countries pro/anti Huawei going on. Sometimes getting a bit nasty, like German Minister of Economy Altmeier basically saying a week ago that China is no worse than the US on espionage.

 

[John Fedup]

This article discusses the possible consequences of the current pandemic. It is from. UK author but it applies to most Western nations. The collapse of oil prices will hurt ME and Russian acquisitions no doubt.

It will be interesting to see how Canada and NZ defence plans change. Canada’s cutbacks will likely be vastly more drastic. As for other NATO members, probably less too but with falling declines in overall GDP and minimal defence cuts, some might be able to claim 2%.

Defence spending and plans: will the Covid-19 pandemic take its toll? | Free IISS analysis

That the Covid-19 pandemic will have an impact on defence ministries is beyond doubt, but can governments and defence ministries find a way to deal with the possible effects on military spending and resource allocations?

www.iiss.org

 

[John Fedup]

Here’s the daily laugh. His performance at DND is hardly a reason for selection. The contraction of Canada’s GDP should get us closer to 2% on defence spending though assuming no big cuts.

Top NATO job coming open but Liberals are silent on whether Gen. Vance's name will be submitted

The position of NATO’s senior military officer is coming open but it’s unclear whether the Liberal government will submit the name of Canada’s top soldier,…

ottawacitizen.com

 

[ASSAIL]

Here’s the daily laugh. His performance at DND is hardly a reason for selection. The contraction of Canada’s GDP should get us closer to 2% on defence spending though assuming no big cuts.

Top NATO job coming open but Liberals are silent on whether Gen. Vance's name will be submitted

The position of NATO’s senior military officer is coming open but it’s unclear whether the Liberal government will submit the name of Canada’s top soldier,…

ottawacitizen.com

Maybe they should submit Mark Norman’s name. His integrity seems much more secure than Vance’s.
Naturally Trudeau would support Norman

 

[John Fedup]

Adm. Norman would be a good choice but I doubt he would accept any offer from junior and understandably so.

 

[ASSAIL]

Adm. Norman would be a good choice but I doubt he would accept any offer from junior and understandably so.

I’m afraid my sarcasm wasn’t more eloquently put.

 

[ngatimozart]

I’m afraid my sarcasm wasn’t more eloquently put.

More likely the depths not understood by civvies.

 

[OPSSG]

US President Donald Trump Makes a Choice

1. If the American troops directed by US President Donald Trump to leave Germany are removed from Europe entirely, the drawdown is a blow to solidarity within the NATO alliance. The top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee slammed news of the planned drawdown, calling it "petty and preposterous" and a "favor" to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "This order is petty and preposterous. It's another favor to Putin and another leadership failure by this administration that further strains relations with our allies," Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island told CNN in a statement.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1272999904944816130

2. US President Donald Trump has confirmed plans to withdraw 9,500 American troops from bases in Germany. “There will still be 25,000 soldiers in Germany, that’s no small number,” said Richard Grenell, who earlier this month formally resigned as ambassador to join Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign. Grenell, the former US Ambassador to Germany, was criticized by Democrats and career intelligence officials as the least-experienced and most overtly political official to serve as the Director of National Intelligence. In his 3 months there, Grenell has overseen two controversial firings of top career officials, a re-structuring of several parts of ODNI, a deeply acrimonious relationship with overseers in US Congress and the declassification of documents.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1273028997220204545

3. “No one should be surprised that Donald Trump is pulling troops and bringing them home. There has been a lot of discussion,” the outgoing ambassador said, adding that the withdrawal of troops was also discussed at the NATO summit in Dec 2019. According to Grenell, troops are also to be withdrawn from Japan and South Korea.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1274321080610467844

4. European politicians at every level are grappling with the consequences: Mayors in economically weak regions are worried about losing income when the GIs leave, Germany's foreign minister is worried about the further deterioration of relations with the US and military planners in Brussels are pondering the implication for Europe's own security architecture.

 

[John Fedup]

I doubt a new US administration have much enthusiasm to keep troop levels at present levels. The huge annual deficits are pushing US debt levels to absurd levels. Europe will be forced to do more on their own, maybe even more if the UK and the EU can't agree on a smooth exit. There won't be much political support for UK troops in Europe if the UK ends up with an ugly exit.

 

[ngatimozart]

I doubt a new US administration have much enthusiasm to keep troop levels at present levels. The huge annual deficits are pushing US debt levels to absurd levels. Europe will be forced to do more on their own, maybe even more if the UK and the EU can't agree on a smooth exit. There won't be much political support for UK troops in Europe if the UK ends up with an ugly exit.

Are there any Pommy troops in Europe now? I thought that they were pulled out ages ago. Boris has told the EU that the Poms will be gone at the end of the year deal or no deal. I think that the Euros are playing hardball and Boris is not having a bar of it.

Interestingly enough we are in FTA negotiations with the EU at the moment and someone leaked their offer about 10 days ago. They were offering nothing that we didn't already have and were demanding that we abide by some of their rules.

 

[t68]

Are there any Pommy troops in Europe now? I thought that they were pulled out ages ago. Boris has told the EU that the Poms will be gone at the end of the year deal or no deal. I think that the Euros are playing hardball and Boris is not having a bar of it.

Interestingly enough we are in FTA negotiations with the EU at the moment and someone leaked their offer about 10 days ago. They were offering nothing that we didn't already have and were demanding that we abide by some of their rules.

I have been looking for info on this, but unlike the UK/EU everything is playing in the media but I cant seem to find anything on ours or NZ except the general blah blah we are having talks, do you have any links you can throw my way by chance via a pm or something in off topic

 

[Shanesworld]

There was a logistics base somewhere in Germany that a brit lmech infantry used last year for a move across Europe but in terms of teeth arms pretty sure they are all back in the UK as Catterick, Tidworth and Edinburgh had some changes to make room. Then they downsized anyway.

 

[Hone C]

Are there any Pommy troops in Europe now? I thought that they were pulled out ages ago.

Most of those based in Germany have returned to the UK, although there are a few locations still manned, Training areas, AT centres, etc.
Aside from the sovereign bases on Cyprus and at Gibraltar, the main UK defence presence is OP CRABIT, the Battlegroup in Estonia.

 

[ngatimozart]

I have been looking for info on this, but unlike the UK/EU everything is playing in the media but I cant seem to find anything on ours or NZ except the general blah blah we are having talks, do you have any links you can throw my way by chance via a pm or something in off topic

OT. No, however the Pommy negotiators are Kiwis on loan from the NZG because the Poms have no FTA negotiators, not needing them since 1973. They'll be no easy push over.

 

[kato]

Most of those based in Germany have returned to the UK, although there are a few locations still manned, Training areas, AT centres, etc.

185 soldiers, 65 civilians remaining.

Only significant location is the Sennelager Training Grounds which the British Army retains. Other than that there are two related depot sites (co-use of a German ammo depot and a vehicle depot which might be closed in 2023) as well as a platoon-sized embedded detachment with a German battalion that forms NATO's sole amphibious engineer capacity. Plus a ski lodge in Bavaria.