23 May, 2023 18:41

(Tiny Napolean of) France ready to offer Ukraine security guarantees

With NATO membership off the table for now, Kiev is still looking to the West for backup

France is willing to enter security agreements with Ukraine to “prevent possible future aggressions,” the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. The statement lends credence to earlier reports that Western powers are considering entering a military pact with Kiev.

“France, together with its partners, is continuing to reflect on the best way to support Ukraine over the long term and in all areas,” read a statement on the ministry’s website. "France is ready to enter into agreements with Ukraine aimed at providing it with security guarantees that will help it defend itself in the long term and prevent potential future aggressions."

The ministry added that French officials discussed this plan with their British counterparts in March.

The statement came in response to a Wall Street Journal article on Monday, in which Polish President Andrzej Duda claimed that he and US President Joe Biden had discussed an “Israel-style” defense agreement with Ukraine when they met in Warsaw in February.

According to the newspaper’s sources, such an agreement – which would see Kiev’s Western backers commit to continuous arms transfers and military funding, without obligating themselves to fight against Russia – is“gaining traction” among NATO members.

An agreement could be signed after NATO’s upcoming summit in Lithuania in July, the sources added, stating that it would likely be modeled after the Ukrainian government’s ‘Kiev Security Compact’. Published in September, this document calls for “a multi-decade effort of sustained investment” by the West in Ukraine, as well as more NATO training missions and technology transfers for its military. (FUCK this shit all their money laundering, Russia should expose all of it now!)

The document makes no mention of a mutual defense clause, like Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, but does call for the provision of “iron-clad security guarantees” to Ukraine, “predominantly from NATO countries.”

NATO’s current position is that “Ukraine will become a member of the alliance,” however, the bloc’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, has refused to offer any timeline for this. Admitting Ukraine while hostilities with Russia are ongoing, or even with battle lines frozen by a ceasefire, would enter the US-led bloc into a state of war with Russia.

Asked about Ukraine’s prospects for NATO membership on Monday, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that there is a "whole range of requirements" and criteria that Kiev is currently unable to fulfill. As such, Kiev's membership is therefore not on the agenda for "anytime soon.”

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has insisted that NATO states offer his country full membership or nothing. “Ukraine will be uncompromising on this issue,” he said at a press conference with Duda last month. (Are you kidding me, Ukraine will be grateful, wtf are all these countries afraid of Ukraine? Getting in bed with the devil will never end well.)

https://www.rt.com/news/576791-france-security-guarantees-ukraine/

23 May, 2023 20:57

Pentagon loses a million F-35 parts

Investigators have found that the US military can’t account for missing fighter-jet components valued at $85 million

The US Department of Defense (DOD) has been unable to account for about 1 million missing spare parts for its F-35 Lightning II fighter jet, the costliest weapon system in the nation’s history, a government review has found.

The lost parts, which include such items as bolts, tires, and landing gear, are valued atabout $85 million, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported on Tuesday. Since 2018, the Pentagon has reviewed the circumstances surrounding only 2% of identified parts losses. (That’s nothing to the $11 trillion lost day before 9/11)

“Without DOD taking steps to ensure that these spare parts are accountable under a contract, the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) will be unable to either gain or maintain accountability over these spare parts and will not have data, such as locations, costs, and quantities, needed for financial reporting or to ensure that government interests are protected,” the GAO said.

The spare parts are stored around the world for use on the F-35 by the US military and allied nations that have purchased the aircraft, which is made by defense contractor Lockheed Martin. Because the Pentagon’s F-35 JPO lacks a process for tracking losses, Lockheed Martin hasn’t reported on over 900,000 additional spare parts valued at more than $66 million for review, the GAO said.

The GAO’s report marksjust the latest black eye for the $1.7 trillion F-35 program, which has been plagued by reliability struggles, including an issue with engine vibration that led to a global recall order in March. Only about 30% of America’s F-35 fleet is “fully mission capable” on any given day. US Air Force Lieutenant General Michael Schmidt warned last month that a thin supply of spare parts could jeopardize the ability of American forces to keep the aircraft in service during the country’s next major war.

The GAO report blamed the parts losses partly on the Pentagon’s failure to oversee components that are owned by the DOD and managed by contractors. DOD officials and the contractors haven’t reached an agreement on whether the parts should be categorized as government-furnished property, which hinders the processing of lost inventories.

As of last October, the Pentagon had over 19,000 spare parts globally that had been awaiting disposition instructions from the F-35 JPO – for as long as five years in some cases. The GAO said the DOD agreed with its four recommendations on beefing up accounting for the parts pool.

(Now the Pentagon is fucking with us and saying Fuck You to America!Meanwhile Congress is increasing the Military budgets!)

https://www.rt.com/news/576798-pentagon-loses-f35-parts-gao-report/

23 May, 2023 16:53

Details of British special forces global deployment revealed

Covert operatives took part in multiple foreign conflicts without any parliamentary approval or oversight, a newly published study has found

The UK has sent its special forces to 19 countries since 2011, according to a report by Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), a London-based charity that conducts research on global armed violence. The deployed British operatives trained foreign militants, carried out assassinations, and reportedly fought alongside child soldiers.

In a report published on Tuesday, AOAV stated that British operatives have been deployed to fight or surveil hostile forces in Algeria, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Iraq, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines,'Russia', Somalia, the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman, Sudan, Syria,Ukraine, and Yemen.

Some of these deployments were into locations in which British troops were already fighting, as was the case in Afghanistan and Iraq. However, UK Special Forces (UKSF) continued their operations in both countries long after regular forces withdrew. In Afghanistan, hundreds of civilian deaths were attributed to night raids by British and American special forces between 2009 and 2012.

While parliament authorized military action in Afghanistan and Iraq, UKSF have deployed to other active conflict zones without the assent of lawmakers. Three days before parliament voted against a deployment to Syria in 2013, UKSF and MI6 operatives were on the ground targeting Syrian air defense installations and calling in American airstrikes, the report stated. Within months, they were training anti-government militants while assassinating Islamic State fighters.

In Yemen, UKSF operatives conducted raids on Al Qaeda-linked militants, but, in some cases, fought alongside jihadists who had been recruited by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to attack Houthi rebels.Up to 40%of these jihadi forces, AOAV noted,were child soldiers.

Training missions and hostage rescue operations made up most of the rest of the deployments, while the UKSF operation in Russia focused on providing security for British athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Recently leaked Pentagon documents suggest that theUK has deployed 50 special forces personnel to Ukrainesince Russia launched its military operation last February. Prior to the leak, multiple media outlets reported the presence of British and American special forces in Ukraine, while one general told The Times last year that as many as 300 British commandos were conducting “discrete operations” alongside Kiev’s forces.

“The extensive deployment of Britain’s Special Forces in numerous countries over the past decade raises serious concerns about transparency and democratic oversight,” said AOAV Director Iain Overton. “The lack of parliamentary approval and retrospective reviews for these missions is deeply troubling.”

https://www.rt.com/news/576781-uk-special-forces-deployments/

>>18892510

tell me more, or can you post a link?

This guy is just embarrassingly stupid, and he's on the homeland committee

23 May, 2023 16:24

US lawmaker wants option to deploy military in Mexico

Texas Republican Dan Crenshaw has argued that drug cartels in the neighboring country pose a “clear and present danger”

Military intervention against drug cartels in Mexicoshould beamong the options under consideration by the US government, Congressman Dan Crenshaw has argued. The Republican from Texas insisted, however, that any such operation would have to be conducted in close cooperation with the Mexican authorities.

In an interview with TV channel FOX 26 Houston on Sunday, Crenshaw claimed that the Mexican government “does not have operational control of their side of the border.” (HOLY SHIT this guy is stupid, the USA has not had operational control of our side since Bidan walked in office, and the cartel has control inside our border.)

The politician argued that criminal groups were actually in control of the frontier, and estimated the total annual profits of cartels to be around $13 billion. Crenshaw also said that synthetic opioid fentanyl distributed by Mexican syndicates kills “tens of thousands of Americans a year.” (Once again wrong, 100,000+ annually dead, and a lot more than $13 billion, this guy not only lost his eye, he lost his brain)

The situation demands a “whole new government approach,” Crenshaw claimed, adding that the cartels should be treated as the “enemy of the state that they are.” (That saying is worn out and no one in our government work together!)

Asked whether he thought military action should be considered, the decorated Navy SEAL veteran said that keeping that option available should be a “big priority.”

Military steps in coordination with the Mexican authorities would “send a message to the cartels that they’ve crossed a red line with the fentanyl production,” Crenshaw stated. (God this guy is fucking stupid)

Washington would be working “with and through the Mexican government” if it took military action, the congressman added, asserting that “we have a clear and present danger, basically a para-military threat, right on our border, and we have to deal with it.” (Mexican government doesn’t do it, because all of them will be killed by the Cartel that day. The US should just close the border and guard our side, and kill anyone coming in that is cartel)

In March, Crenshaw posted a tweet in Spanish asking Mexican President Lopez Obrador why he had objected to a proposal put forward by the congressman in January.The document called for the authorization of the use of military force against drug cartels in Mexico.

Around the same time, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham argued that it was time to “put Mexico on notice” and suggested designating some cartels as “foreign terrorist groups.”

In an apparent response to those calls, President Obrador insisted that his administration was “not going to permit any foreign government to intervene in our territory, much less that a government’s armed forces intervene.”

Obrador argued that Mexico “does not take orders from anyone,” and described any suggestions of US military action in his country as “irresponsible.”

https://www.rt.com/news/576777-us-congressman-military-action-mexico-cartels/

23 May, 2023 22:31

‘Counteroffensive’ will begin ‘very soon’ – Ukrainian intelligenceKEK

Kiev is almost ready but needs more weapons, spy chief Budanov has said

Ukraine has the weapons it needs to start its much-anticipated “counteroffensive,”but actually defeating Russia will require more, the headof Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), Kirill Budanov, said in an interview on Tuesday.

“We already have the necessary minimum of weapons” for the attack, Budanov told the Japanese state broadcaster NHK. “I can only say that it will begin soon.”

To successfully pursue a long campaign against Russia, however,Ukraine needs even more, according to Budanov.

“We need a large stockpile of weapons and ammunition to successfully continue the operation,” he said. “We need more weapons.We need fighter jets. I hope the international community is ready to really help Ukraine.”

Kiev’s top spy added that he would pay close attention to the progress of military aid from the West after the G-7 summit in Hiroshima, where President Vladimir Zelensky made an appearance as a surprise guest.

Over the weekend, Zelensky acknowledged the loss of the Donbass fortress of Bakhmut, known by Russians as Artyomovsk. Kiev responded by launching a raid into Russia’s Belgorod Region, which garnered a lot of social media attention but achieved nothing of military importance.

Zelensky has assured his Western backers that the long-anticipated “counteroffensive” would be launched as soon as Kiev had accumulated the minimum of weapons and ammunition necessary for the effort, and that

Ukraine needed just a bit more time. Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba has sought to manage expectations as well.

Last week, Financial Times reported that Kiev has about “five months” to impress Washington, at which point President Joe Biden’s government will be under too much pressure to negotiate.

Multiple Western outlets and experts have warned that Russia’s air campaign targeting Ukrainian supply depots and troop concentrations has already affected the planned offensive, going so far as to describe it as a “game changer.”

Budanov waved off the campaign by telling NHK that Kiev had shot down 90% of the incoming missiles. He did not comment on last week’s destruction of the US-supplied Patriot air defense system in Kiev.

https://www.rt.com/russia/576800-ukraine-counteroffensive-very-soon-budanov/

House Republicans threaten teachers union head with subpoena over COVID-19 school closure docs

"Despite our continued and repeated reasonable accommodations, AFT continues to frustrate the Select Subcommittee’s investigation," Wenstrup wrote.

By Ben Whedon

Updated: May 23, 2023 - 3:58pm

The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic has warned American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten that she may face a congressional subpoena should the AFT fail to comply with its requests for documents related to COVID-19 school closures.

Specifically, the committee is seeking communications between Weingarten, the AFT, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention related to the agency's guidance on reopening schools. They further seek to understand what influence Weingarten and her group may have had on the agency in that matter.

"Despite our continued and repeated reasonable accommodations, AFT continues to frustrate the Select Subcommittee’s investigation. Unless an agreement can be reached soon, we will be forced to consider the use of compulsory process," Chairman Brad Wenstrup wrote in a Tuesday letter to AFT Counsel Michael Bromwich.

Wenstrup expressed a willingness to accommodate the AFT in order to secure voluntary cooperation, saying the committee would withdraw its request to interview Weingarten now, "without waiving any rights to seek her interview or testimony at a future date if needed."

File

Letter to the AFT

"As you know, Congress’ oversight authority is 'broad' and 'indispensable,'" he stated. "The only limit placed on this authority is a valid legislative purpose. Congressional investigators are not precluded from seeking follow up records should new information come to light, nor are they limited to unilateral relevance determinations made by a witness."

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/education/house-republicans-threaten-teachers-union-kingpin-subpoena-over-covid-19

May 23, 2023

Mr. Michael Bromwich

Counsel for the American Federation of Teachers

Dear Mr. Bromwich:

Pursuant to H. Res. 5, the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic (Select Subcommittee) is authorized to investigate “the societal impact of decisions to close schools, how the decisions were made and whether there is evidence of widespread learning loss or other negative effects as a result of these decisions” and “executive branch policies, deliberations, decisions, activities, and internal and external communications related to the coronavirus pandemic.”1

As part of this work, the Select Subcommittee is investigating whether non-governmental groups exercised undue influence of on U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) scientific guidance.2 The Select Subcommittee will follow the facts and make legislative recommendations regarding CDC organizational structure and, if necessary, changes to the process of agency guidance drafting, editing, and publication process.3

As you stated in your April 19, 2023, letter and as the President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Ms. Randi Weingarten, testified on April 26, 2023, the CDC consulted AFT leadership on the CDC’s February 2021 “Operational Strategy for K-12 Schools through Phased Prevention” (Operational Strategy).4 For that reason, and as outlined below, the Select Subcommittee has worked in good faith with your clients to obtain information necessary to further our legitimate legislative inquiry. Despite our continued and repeated reasonable accommodations, AFT continues to frustrate the Select Subcommittee’s investigation. Unless an agreement can be reached soon, we will be forced to consider the use of compulsory process.

>>18892791

kek…true that