DTN News: World Top Stories / Headlines - News Dated October 21, 2010

DTN News: World Top Stories / Headlines - News Dated October 21, 2010 Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources

(NSI News Source Info) KOTTAKKAL, Kerala, India - October 21, 2010: Comprehensive daily news related to World Top Stories for the world of TODAY.

*Comprehensive daily news related to World Top Stories for the world of TODAY.

AFP News Headlines

Iraq auctions off gas fields

AFP - Yesterday, 12:27 pm

BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq awarded three gas fields at an international auction on Wednesday as it vies to become a major world player in a policy the oil minister said is key to boosting the war-ravaged economy. More »

• 

  Iran to open spy trial of US hikers on November 6

  AFP - Yesterday, 12:06 pm

  TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran will begin trying three American hikers on espionage charges on November 6, their lawyer told AFP on Wednesday, as US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said there was no basis for a trial. More »

• 

  Iraq auctions off three gas fields

  AFP - Yesterday, 10:34 am

  BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraq awarded to a Kazakh and Korean consortium the first and largest of three gas fields up for sale at an international gas auction on Wednesday that the oil minister said was key to boosting the economy. More »

• 

  Iraq energy industry 'key to boosting economy'

  AFP - Yesterday, 09:53 am

  BAGHDAD (AFP) - Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani opened an international auction of three gas fields on Tuesday, saying the energy sector could jump-start the economy by creating jobs and providing much-needed electricity. More »

• 

  Somali gunmen release British hostage

  AFP - Yesterday, 09:52 am

  MOGADISHU, Somalia (AFP) - Somali gunmen on Wednesday freed a Briton of Zimbabwean origin working for charity group Save the Children who they seized last week in a town in the central region of the war-torn country. More »

• 

  Rescuers try to reach Philippines storm survivors

  AFP - Yesterday, 09:11 am

  CAUAYAN, Philippines (AFP) - Typhoon Megi inched away from the Philippines on Wednesday after killing 19 people, as relief workers scrambled to deliver aid to remote towns that were devastated by the storm. More »

• 

  For Palestinian snake charmer pythons 'part of family'

  AFP - Yesterday, 08:29 am

  RAMALLAH, Palestinian Territories (AFP) - A lot of fathers would prefer their two-year-old daughters not to ride a giant Burmese python down the street like a pony -- but not Jamal Amwasi of Ramallah. More »

• 

  Philippine authorities try to reach Megi survivors

  AFP - Yesterday, 08:26 am

  CAUAYAN, Philippines (AFP) - Typhoon Megi inched away from the Philippines on Wednesday after killing 19 people, as relief workers scrambled to deliver aid to remote towns that were devastated by the storm. More »

• 

  Somali gunmen free Zimbabwean hostage

  AFP - Yesterday, 07:00 am

  MOGADISHU (AFP) - Somali gunmen who last week abducted a Zimbabwean working for British charity Save the Children released him early Wednesday, the hostage told AFP. More »

• 

  Seongnam set sights on AFC Champions League final

  AFP - Yesterday, 06:13 am

  SEONGNAM, South Korea (AFP) - Seongnam Ilhwa captain Sasa Ognenovski is confident the seven-time K-League champions can beat Saudi giants Al Shabab on Wednesday to book a place in next month's AFC Champions League final in Tokyo. More »

• UN Iraq envoy unhurt after bomb attack on convoyAFP -Yesterday, 04:06 am
• Saudi prince convicted of murdering servant in LondonAFP -Yesterday, 02:00 am
• Priests marrying helps Christianity in Iraq: bishopAFP -Tuesday, October 19 07:59 pm
• UN Iraq envoy escapes assassination attemptAFP -Tuesday, October 19 07:26 pm
• Egypt pulls plug on TV stations over 'religious hatred'AFP -Tuesday, October 19 06:52 pm
• New Gaza peace flotilla to have up to 20 boats: organisersAFP -Tuesday, October 19 06:40 pm
• Settlers damage Palestinian trees 'with impunity': studyAFP -Tuesday, October 19 06:02 pm
• Amnesty accuses Egypt of crackdown before electionAFP -Tuesday, October 19 05:41 pm
• Chavez backs Iran 'under any circumstances'AFP -Tuesday, October 19 05:29 pm
• Israel to put Dead Sea scrolls onlineAFP -Tuesday, October 19 05:07 pm

DTN News: Defense News / Latest Press Releases Dated October 21, 2010

DTN News: Defense News / Latest Press Releases Dated October 21, 2010 Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources

(NSI News Source Info) KOTTAKKAL, Kerala, India - October 21, 2010: Comprehensive daily news related to Defense News / Latest Press Releases for the world of TODAY.*Comprehensive daily news related to Defense News / Latest Press Releases for the world of TODAY

*Sources - Defense News, Defense-Aerospace.com

Sikorsky Plans To Build Two X2 Helo Prototypes

By KATE BRANNEN

Sikorsky Aircraft announced Oct. 20 that it will continue to develop its high-speed X2 technology and build two prototype light tactical helicopters for flight testing. ... full story 20 Oct 13:24 EDT (17:24 GMT)

Top Land Warfare Stories

• U.S. Takes Up Pakistan Military Wish-List In Talks
• U.S. Army Buys 45 Double V-Hull Strykers
• U.S. Army Looks to Lighten Troops' Load
• BAE-Iveco Team To Compete for S. African Truck Bid
• Efficiency Push Could Threaten U.S. JLTV
• Pakistani Taliban Destroys Some 40 NATO Vehicles
• U.S. Army to Set Out Tiered Requirements for GCV
• U.S. Army Recommends SLAMRAAM Termination
• Half Of Indian Air Force Equipment Called Obsolete

More Land Warfare stories

Europe »

BAE-Iveco Team To Compete for S. African Truck Bid

By ANDREW CHUTER

LONDON - BAE Systems has joined forces with Iveco Defence Vehicles to compete for a South African National Defence Force requirement to modernize its logistics capabilities with a new fleet of tactical trucks. ... full story 12 Oct 12:46 EDT (16:46 GMT)

Russia To Import 'Outdated' Arms: Minister

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

MOSCOW - Russia will import arms rather than buy outdated Russian models, the defense minister said Oct. 4, slamming the failure of the domestic defense industry to meet modern standards. ... full story 4 Oct 11:24 EDT (15:24 GMT)

German Conservative Parties Agree To End Conscription

By ALBRECHT MüLLER

BERLIN - The executive committees of Germany's Christian Democratic Party (CDU) and Christian Social Party (CSU) agreed to allow the end of military conscription. ... full story 29 Sep 16:22 EDT (20:22 GMT)

Americas »

Sikorsky Plans To Build Two X2 Helo Prototypes

By KATE BRANNEN

Sikorsky Aircraft announced Oct. 20 that it will continue to develop its high-speed X2 technology and build two prototype light tactical helicopters for flight testing. ... full story 20 Oct 13:24 EDT (17:24 GMT)

U.S. Takes Up Pakistan Military Wish-List In Talks

By SHAUN TANDON, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

WASHINGTON - The United States and Pakistan meet Oct. 20 in a new bid to smooth out an uneasy partnership, with Washington ready to offer fresh military assistance despite unease in India. ... full story 20 Oct 09:44 EDT (13:44 GMT)

U.S. Army Buys 45 Double V-Hull Strykers

By KATE BRANNEN

The U.S. Army is directing General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) to use the double V-hull design in the production of 45 more Stryker troop-carrying vehicles, according to an Oct. 13 contract announcement. ... full story 14 Oct 18:31 EDT (22:31 GMT)

Asia & Pacific Rim »

Pakistani Taliban Destroys Some 40 NATO Vehicles

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - More than 40 NATO vehicles were destroyed in two separate Taliban attacks in Pakistan on Oct. 6 as the militants stepped up their efforts to disrupt supply routes into Afghanistan. ... full story 6 Oct 14:36 EDT (18:36 GMT)

Half Of Indian Air Force Equipment Called Obsolete

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

NEW DELHI - Half of the weapons and equipment used by the Indian Air Force are obsolete and need urgent replacement, a top Indian defense official has said. ... full story 5 Oct 12:53 EDT (16:53 GMT)

U.S., Indian Minister Meet; Defense Deals Pending

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Indian defense chiefs met Sept. 28 amid efforts by Washington to step up arms sales to New Delhi and ease restrictions on hi-tech weaponry. ... full story 28 Sep 17:26 EDT (21:26 GMT)

Middle East & Africa »

U.S. Takes Up Pakistan Military Wish-List In Talks

By SHAUN TANDON, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

WASHINGTON - The United States and Pakistan meet Oct. 20 in a new bid to smooth out an uneasy partnership, with Washington ready to offer fresh military assistance despite unease in India. ... full story 20 Oct 09:44 EDT (13:44 GMT)

British Forces Hand Over Flashpoint Afghan District To U.S.

By DANNY KEMP, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

LONDON - British troops transferred responsibility for security in the Sangin district of southern Afghanistan to U.S. forces Sept. 20, leaving an area where Britain suffered its worst losses since the invasion. ... full story 20 Sep 10:55 EDT (14:55 GMT)

Iraq To Spend $13B On U.S. Arms, Equipment

By JIM MICHAELS, USA TODAY

BAGHDAD - Iraq is preparing to buy as much as $13 billion in American arms and military equipment, a huge order of tanks, ships and hardware that U.S. officials say shows Iraqi-U.S. military ties will be tight for years to come. ... full story 1 Sep 05:55 EDT (09:55 GMT)

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated October 20, 2010

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated October 20, 2010 Source: U.S. DoD issued No. 956-10 October 20, 2010 (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - October 21, 2010: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued October 20,

2010 are undermentioned;

CONTRACTS

NAVY

DCS Corp.*, Alexandria, Va., is being awarded an estimated $200,419,995 cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide weapons and systems integration support services to the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division’s integrated product teams and their associated weapons, including the F/A-18, EA-18G, AV-8B, H-1, Joint Strike Fighter, and unmanned aerial systems. The estimated level of effort is 2,754,100 man-hours. Work will be performed in China Lake, Calif. (90 percent), and Pt. Mugu, Calif. (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2015. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals as a 100 percent small business set-aside; two offers were received. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity (N68936-11-D-0001).

Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Inc., Pascagoula, Miss., is being awarded a $62,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee not-to-exceed modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-2222) for advance procurement of long lead time materials in support of Landing Platform Dock 27. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Miss., and is expected to be completed by August 2014. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

The DLT Solutions, Herndon, Va., is being awarded a $6,720,947 firm-fixed-price contract for database software licenses and technical support for the Office of Naval Intelligence. Work will be performed in Washington, D.C., and is expected to be completed by October 2011. Contract funds will expire before the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with five proposals solicited and three offers received. The Naval Inventory Control Point, Mechanicsburg, Pa., is the contracting activity (N00104-11-F-QA48).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Quality Distributors*, Tamuning, Guam, is being awarded a maximum $60,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity, total set-aside contract for full line food distribution for Guam area of responsibility. There are no other locations of performance . Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, federal civilian agencies, Guam public school system, and child development center. The original proposal was solicited on the Web with two responses. The date of performance completion is Oct. 23, 2012. The \ Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM300-08-D-3210).

*Small business

Update: Navy -- Harkins Builders, Inc., Marriottsville, Md., is being awarded a $41,610,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the design and construction of student quarters and student dining facility at Marine Corps Base Quantico. The new multi-story student dining facility will provide a dining facility and media center for students attending The Basic School. Contract also provides a new student officer quarters facility. The facility is a new multi-story building to support billeting for 250 Marine officers undergoing initial training at The Basic School. The contract contains two planned modifications which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative contract value to $47,201,589. Work will be performed in Quantico, Va., and is expected to be completed by August 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 32 proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N40080-11-C-0002).

DTN News: Pentagon Plans $60 Billion Arms Sale To Saudi Arabia

DTN News: Pentagon Plans $60 Billion Arms Sale To Saudi Arabia

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON, USA - October 21, 2010: The U.S. Defense Department notified Congress that it wants to sell to Saudi Arabia up to $60 billion in weapons to help confront threats from Iran and violent extremists. The proposed sale, which may be the largest to another country in U.S. history if all purchases are made, includes Boeing Co. F-15 fighter jets, attack helicopters and satellite-guided bombs, according to notices sent to Congress today. It also contains helicopters made by United Technologies Corp. and advanced radar from Raytheon Co.

Congress has until Nov. 20 to stop the sale before the Defense Department and companies proceed into more detailed talks with Saudi Arabia on contracts that, if executed, could extend a decade. Congress will review the proposed sale during its scheduled Nov. 15-19 post-election session.

The proposed sale “represents a powerful symbol of the robust strategic relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia,” Colin Kahl, deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, said in an interview. He said the Saudis instead could have bought equipment from Britain, France, Russia or China.

The sale reflects a common view of threats facing Saudi Arabia and the U.S. that undermine stability in the Middle East, the world’s biggest oil-producing region. The Obama administration has failed to persuade Iran to curb its missile and nuclear programs, and militant groups, including those linked to al-Qaeda, continue to operate in the region.

1992 Weapons Sale

Saudi Arabia’s last significant U.S. weapons purchase was for 72 F-15s in 1992, a transaction valued at as much as $9 billion. The final installment of those planes was delivered in November 1999. Saudi Arabia plans to upgrade and replace some of its older aircraft with new purchases, so the overall number of F-15s on the ground probably won’t increase, Kahl said.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil supplier, used F-15s and Apache helicopters in late 2009 to fight Muslim Shiite rebels who crossed the border from Yemen and seized territory inside the kingdom.

Separately, Yemen is battling al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, which is using its base in the country to carry out attacks on Saudi Arabia and Western targets, such as a failed December 2009 attempt to blow up a Detroit bound U.S. airliner.

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DTN News: India Mulls Boeing Globemaster III Deal

DTN News: India Mulls Boeing Globemaster III Deal

Source: DTN News / UPI

(NSI News Source Info) NEW DELHI, India - October 21, 2010: India and Boeing remained locked in negotiations for the former's purchase of as many as 10 military transport aircraft by Dec. 15.

India's indecision led to the cancellation of a previous contract for the purchase of A330-based refueling tankers from Airbus last December. The same program was rebid last month.

"On the basis of our experience, we are thoroughly analyzing and reviewing the situation," Barbara Kracht, vice president of communications at Airbus Military was quoted saying in Aviation Week.

Boeing is also said to have the request for proposals from the Indian government. It hasn't taken any decision yet. If it does agree, Vivek Lall, head of Boeing Defense Space and Security in India, was quoted saying, then the defense aerospace giant could offer a variant of the KC-767 Tanker Transport.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified the U.S. Congress that it may allow the sale of 10 Globemaster III aircraft to India. The sale is expected to reach about $6 billion.

The advanced airplanes are intended to replace India's aging fleet of Russian-made Ilyushin IL-76s. They were largely deployed by the United States in Iraq as well as Afghanistan.

Other defense companies vying for the contract include Russia's Ilyushin, with its Il-78 models, and Israel Aerospace Industries, which recently began flight trials of the single Boeing 767-200ER that it converted to a multi-mission tanker transport configuration for the Colombian air force.

As the second-largest U.S. defense contractor, Boeing is hoping to bid for $31 billion worth of military contracts in India as the government forges ahead with plans to boost its military might in the region.

It will be competing against defense industry giants including Lockheed Martin and other suppliers for a string of orders India is set to make in the coming years.

Analysts however anticipate the transport plane deal to be signed ahead of a visit to India by U.S. President Barack Obama next month.

Ties between India and the United States have expanded greatly since 2005 when the former U.S. president signed a civilian nuclear technology agreement with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

India announced plans recently to spend up to $30 billion on its military by 2012.

In recent months, also, it inducted a long-range, nuclear-tipped missile into its armed forces, unveiling, also, a defense spending budget spiked by 24 percent since last year.

The moves have Pakistan fretting, with leading officials billing India's drive a "massive militarization."

*THIS ARTICLE IS BEING POSTED FROM TORONTO, CANADA BY DTN NEWS ~ DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS, CONTACT:DTNNEWS@YMAIL.COM

DTN News: Indonesia TODAY October 21, 2010 - Indonesia Set To Continue Buying Arms From Russia

DTN News: Indonesia TODAY October 21, 2010 - Indonesia Set To Continue Buying Arms From Russia

Source: DTN News / RIA Novosti

(NSI News Source Info) JAKARTA, Indonesia - October 21, 2010: Indonesia will continue its military-technical cooperation with Russia, the country's defense minister said on Wednesday.

Purnomo Yusgiantoro spoke after an official transfer of three Russian-made Mi-35P combat helicopters to Indonesia.

"We will continue our military-technical cooperation with Russia," the minister said, noting the high quality and reliability of Russian-made military equipment.

With the addition of the three Mi-35s, the fleet of Russian-made helicopters in service with the Indonesian Armed Forces now comprises five Mi-35 attack helicopters and six Mi-17V5 multipurpose helicopters.

Under a $300 million contract, signed in 2007, Russia recently completed the delivery of three Su-30MK2 and three Su-27SKM fighters to Jakarta in addition to two Su-27SK and two Su-30MK fighters purchased in 2003.

"Our current priority is to create a full-size squadron of Su fighter jets comprising 16 aircraft," Yusgiantoro said.

There are several other prospective areas of military-technical cooperation both countries were eager to pursue, Yusgiantoro said, without elaborating.

According to media reports, Russia and South Korea are competing in the second round of a tender for the supply of two submarines to Indonesia.

Jakarta became one of Russia's main arms customers in 1999 when the United States tightened an embargo on arms sales to the country over alleged human rights violations.

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• Russia delivers three Mi-35M helicopters to Indonesia
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Multimedia

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DTN News: Germany TODAY October 21, 2010 - Police See Over 1,000 Militant Islamists In Germany

DTN News: Germany TODAY October 21, 2010 - Police See Over 1,000 Militant Islamists In Germany

Source: Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Charles Dick - Reuters

(NSI News Source Info) BERLIN, Germany - October 21, 2010: Germany is probably home to more than 1,000 potentially violent Islamists and the number of identified militants has risen constantly in the past few years, the Federal Crime Office (BKA) said on Wednesday.

The number of investigations into Islamic terrorism in Germany, where the 9/11 attacks on the United States were planned, has risen continually since 2001 according to the BKA. A total of 352 investigations were now under way, they said.

"Security officials in Germany believe there are more than 1,000 Islamists ready to commit violence," the BKA, a nationwide police agency, said in a statement for its autumn congress.

Authorities in the European Union's most populous state had classified 131 Islamists in Germany as "instigators" of terrorism and held files on a further 274 individuals deemed relevant, the BKA said.

Radical Islam has been under the spotlight in Germany again over the past few weeks since security officials said a plot to stage attacks in Europe had been disrupted thanks to information from a suspected German militant captured in Afghanistan.

Recent reports suggest a rise in Islamic militancy could be occurring in tandem with an increase in xenophobia.

A study by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, which is close to the centre-left opposition Social Democratic Party (SPD), showed 58 percent of those surveyed said Muslims' rights to practise their religion in Germany should be considerably limited.

The group agreeing with the statement "I don't like Arabs" rose from 44 percent in a 2003 poll to 55 percent this year, the study said. It also showed opinions once limited to the neo-Nazi scene were now spreading across German society more widely.

The BKA said potential for far-right violence had almost doubled from the 1990s on, and encompassed around 9,000 people.

Germany has been engaged in a very public debate about its Muslim population following a spate of disparaging remarks about immigrants made by Bundesbank board member Thilo Sarrazin.

Sarrazin was later removed from office, but a book he wrote addressing the role of immigrants has become a best-seller.

In what has been widely perceived as a sharp shift to the right on the issue, Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the weekend that multiculturalism had "utterly failed" in Germany.

(Reporting by Dave Graham; Editing by Charles Dick)

Related News

• Germany holds inflamed debate on Islam and migration Oct 18, 2010
• Merkel says German multiculturalism has failed Oct 16, 2010
• German Muslims must obey law, not sharia - Merkel Oct 6, 2010
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• Germany sees no immediate risk of terror attack Oct 4, 2010
• Merkel takes tough line on integration to party cheers Sep 25, 2010

DTN News: Afghanistan TODAY October 21, 2010 - McChrystal Sees Slower Pace For Kandahar Operation (DTN's Archive)

DTN News: Afghanistan TODAY October 21, 2010 - McChrystal Sees Slower Pace For Kandahar Operation (DTN's Archive)

Source: By Adam Entous and David Brunnstrom June 10, 2010 - Reuters

(NSI News Source Info) BRUSSELS- October 21, 2010: A long-awaited military campaign in the Taliban's birthplace Kandahar, due to begin in earnest this month, will now unfold more slowly than planned, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said on Thursday.

Citing shortcomings that set back the last big U.S.-led offensive in neighboring Helmand province, General Stanley McChrystal said he wanted more time to shore up Afghan support for the Kandahar campaign and to prepare local authorities to provide government services when security improves.

The decision to move more slowly on what has been billed as the biggest operation of the nearly nine-year-old war adds to doubt about what can be achieved by this year's end, when the White House is holding a review and demanding signs of progress.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said gains would need to be seen by then in order to maintain public support for the war in NATO countries, which has eroded as the death toll has soared. At least 17 foreign troops have been killed this week.

The massive military operation in Kandahar is the linchpin of McChrystal's strategy to turn the tide this year, using the bulk of 30,000 reinforcements sent by U.S. President Barack Obama in a final "surge" of extra troops announced in December.

U.S. commanders had initially seen the main thrust of military operations in Kandahar running from this month to the beginning of August, before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to an internal schedule seen by Reuters in March.

"I do think that it will happen more slowly than we had originally intended," McChrystal told reporters on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels. "But I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. I think it's more important we get it right than we get it fast."

He did not detail a revised Kandahar schedule, but said it would take a number of months "for this to play out," with "significant" operations now expected to continue after Ramadan.

Asked if the United States would know by the year-end whether the operation in Kandahar was successful, McChrystal said: "I think we'll know whether it's progressing ... I don't know whether we'll know whether it is decisive."

NOT FALTERING

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen brushed aside suggestions the campaign was faltering. The alliance was "making a lot of progress" although member-states should be ready for a "very tough time in the coming weeks and months" as extra troops pour into Taliban strongholds in the south, he said.

Obama has embraced a counterinsurgency strategy devised by McChrystal last year that aims to push the Taliban from key population centres. But in agreeing to send McChrystal extra troops, the White House also set a goal of starting a gradual drawdown in July 2011, making the next 12 months critical.

McChrystal said he wants to make sure local leaders are on board before launching the Kandahar operation.

"We really want the people to understand and literally pull the operation toward them as opposed to feel as though they are being forced with something they didn't want," he said.

The changes in Kandahar plans also reflect lessons learned by the U.S. military during the offensive earlier this year in Marjah, a rural area of Helmand, the biggest operation of the war so far, which proved more difficult than expected.

"More prep" would have helped in Marjah, particularly when it came to ensuring Afghans were ready to step in and provide government services, McChrystal said. "As we did it, we found that it's even more complex than we thought, and so we need to educate ourself from that and do it even better in Kandahar."

McChrystal said he still envisaged a gradual campaign in Kandahar aimed at delivering security and governance, as opposed to one big military assault.

"We are already in the process of doing political and military shaping but ... I think that the timing in which we can be decisive in the environs around the city will probably happen more deliberately than we had originally laid out."

The fragility of the security situation in Kandahar was underscored on Wednesday when at least 40 people were killed by a suicide bomb attack on a wedding party north of Kandahar city.

McChrystal said the growth of Afghan security forces has accelerated and the quality of recruits has improved, although some experts dispute that. Rasmussen called for NATO members to help fill a shortfall in trainers for Afghan forces, saying they were key to transferring authority to the Afghans.

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WHILST EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED HEREIN, DTN NEWS ~ DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS. UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR OF THE PAGE AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THE CORPORATE VIEWS OF DTN NEWS ~ DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS.

DTN News: Analyst Sees US Tanker Contest As Last For Decades

DTN News: Analyst Sees US Tanker Contest As Last For Decades

* Air Force still sees contract award this fall * Further orders likely to be deferred, analyst says * Tanker orders a "drop in bucket" for EADS and Boeing Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources Reuters

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - October 20, 2010: The U.S. Air Force once planned to replace its aging fleet of KC-135 refueling tankers in three phases, but budget pressures may make its current competition for 179 planes the last for decades, defense analyst Rebecca Grant said in a new report on Tuesday.

"No one in Washington is saying it yet, but KC-X may end up being the only tanker competition," Grant wrote in the report. "Even if the U.S. buys more than the 179 tankers in KC-X, those buys are two decades away."

The U.S. Air Force expects to award a winner-take-all contract valued at up to $50 billion to either Boeing Co (BA.N) or the U.S. unit of Europe's EADS (EAD.PA) this autumn, in other words sometime by Dec. 21.

"It's still the fall," said spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Wesley Miller. He had no immediate comment on Grant's suggestion that additional orders could be decades away.

Grant, whose work is supported by several defense companies including EADS, said it was increasingly likely that the Air Force's future tanker fleet would consist of some KC-135s, KC-10s, and the new KC-X planes that it plans to buy soon.

The next two planned phases would likely be deferred for some time given the global recession, high outlays in Iraq and the Air Force's failure to "restock its fighters and bombers in numbers needed."

Grant's study looked at the importance of the Air Force tanker replacement program, saying it was an "absolute military necessity" for the United States, but the orders amounted to "something close to a drop in the bucket" for both Boeing and EADS -- in comparison with their total commercial sales.

"KC-X won't be central in keeping either company in business -- not by a long shot," she said. "While it's a prize, the ultimate health of both firms and the prospects for their employees and supply chain partners do not depend on KC-X."

Grant analyzed several notional tankers that added 15 percent, 25 percent or 35 percent to the KC-135's current fuel load, concluding that a plane with more fuel available would offer a qualitative advantage in any mission that involved a long loiter period or the need to refuel a big airplane.

She said a plane with 35 percent more fuel than the current KC-135 would allow the Air Force to use just four tankers, rather than five, which could offer significant savings.

EADS argues that its larger A330-based tanker would offer advantages to the Air Force since it can carry more fuel, passengers and cargo, while Boeing says its smaller 767-based tanker would be cheaper, burning 24 percent less fuel than the bigger Airbus.

Grant did not explicitly favor one plane over the other in her study, but said a KC-X tanker with greater capacity could better accomplish longer missions, creating "very useful force sizing and utilization options" for the Air Force.

She said it was critical to replace the current KC-135 tankers soon, before they needed another round of significant structural overhauls, noting that the cost to maintain the oldest of those planes could rise to $6 billion per year.

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal-Esa; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

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DTN News: U.S.-Pakistan Dialogue Faces Prickly Issues

DTN News: U.S.-Pakistan Dialogue Faces Prickly Issues

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources edited by David Alexander - Reuters

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - October 20, 2010: U.S. and Pakistani officials on Wednesday begin a third round of wide-ranging talks to broaden relations beyond the war against Islamist insurgents, but analysts expected little headway because of differing strategic interests.

Officials plan to discuss everything from water to energy, but the three-day U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue will be overshadowed by the ongoing counterinsurgency campaigns in the Afghan-Pakistan border region and the strain the conflict has put on bilateral relations.

"Pakistani-U.S. relations have taken a hit in the past few weeks," said Mark Quarterman, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "It's actually very timely that the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue is occurring after this period so they can sit down and clear the air."

Officials organized into 13 working groups -- including agriculture, water, energy and law enforcement -- will meet on Wednesday and Thursday. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi wrap up the talks with a plenary session on Friday.

Key issues for discussion will be a multi-year U.S. military assistance package for Islamabad and floods that inundated an Italy-sized swath of Pakistan in August, causing $9.7 billion in damages.

"The talks are important to Pakistan because they provide a way to broaden the discussion beyond just counterterrorism and to talk about things that are important to Pakistan: energy cooperation, trade, agriculture, a whole host of issues," said Lisa Curtis, an analyst at the Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington.

But the war in Afghanistan will dominate much of the conversation.

"The objective of the strategic dialogue will be to get us as close as possible to the same strategic page in Afghanistan and to make a public declaration to that effect," said Teresita Schaffer, the head of the South Asia Program at the CSIS.

The series of rounds in the strategic dialogue that began in March comes as the two sides work to repair relations strained over the U.S.-led war after a cross-border incursion by a NATO helicopter September 30 resulted in fighting that killed two Pakistani border guards.

The incursion, coming amid ramped-up U.S. drone attacks on northwest Pakistan and U.S. criticism of Pakistani failure to aggressively pursue al Qaeda militants, prompted Islamabad to close its border crossing near the Khyber Pass to NATO supply trucks for 10 days.

"Definitely these are the issues which we have been raising with them (Americans) and we will continue to raise with them," a senior Pakistani government official said on condition of anonymity. "Such acts do not help war against terrorists, rather such acts complicate the issues."

Differences over the war in the border region are strong. The U.S. military is under pressure to show signs of progress in Afghanistan ahead of a December review by President Barack Obama to assess whether his war strategy is effective.

The review may help determine how quickly to begin the transition to Afghan security control, a process Obama has pledged to start in July along with an initial withdrawal of U.S. forces.

DIFFERENT STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

But attacks by suspected U.S. drone aircraft in Pakistan's northwest are deeply unpopular with the Pakistani public and leave the weak government of President Asif Ali Zardari ever more vulnerable.

"Pakistan would like to categorically emphasize that under no circumstances can they keep having these helicopter incursions into Pakistan," said Talat Masood, a defense analyst and former general in Islamabad. "It's quite possible even the frequency of the drone attacks will come into question."

The Obama administration also has become deeply concerned about the potential for an attack in the United States by militants based in Pakistan, a fear made more acute by the failed Times Square bombing last spring and a recent European terrorism alert.

The United States has begun to support Afghan President Hamid Karzai's efforts to reconcile elements of the Taliban insurgency with the government, a move Pakistan has long backed. But it is not clear Washington and Islamabad agree on Pakistan's role in the reconciliation process, an issue that may come up during the strategic dialogue.

Pakistan has a history of nurturing Afghan militants as a means of countering the influence in Afghanistan of its longtime rival India. Islamabad's view of its role in the reconciliation process is likely to be one in which it can manage New Delhi's influence in the country, said Schaffer.

"We have very different strategic priorities," she said. "I see very little prospect of the Pakistanis changing their strategic priority, so the real question is whether the United States is prepared to live with the Pakistanis' priority being in the drivers seat."

(Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed in Washington, and Chris Allbritton and Zeeshan Haider in Islambad; Editing by Philip Barbara)

*THIS ARTICLE IS BEING POSTED FROM TORONTO, CANADA BY DTN NEWS ~ DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS, CONTACT:DTNNEWS@YMAIL.COM

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DTN News: U. K. Special Report - Biggest Programme Of Budget Cuts In The UK For Decades

DTN News: U. K. Special Report - Biggest Programme Of Budget Cuts In The UK For Decades

*Overall 42,000 jobs - in the Ministry of Defence and in the armed forces - are to go by 2015

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources including BBC News

(NSI News Source Info) LONDON, U.K.- October 20, 2010: Chancellor George Osborne is preparing to reveal the biggest programme of cuts in the UK for decades, in his long-awaited spending review.

Mr Osborne's announcement comes after months of negotiations with Whitehall departments

Average budget reductions of 25% to most Whitehall departments are expected alongside welfare cuts, following months of negotiations with ministers.

Reports suggest nearly 500,000 public sector jobs will go by 2014-15.

On Tuesday 8% cuts to the defence budget were outlined separately in the strategic defence review.

Continue reading the main story

Overall 42,000 jobs - in the Ministry of Defence and in the armed forces - are to go by 2015.

On Wednesday Mr Osborne will outline cuts in other departments which could range between 25% and 40% - with the exception of health and international development - in addition to welfare cuts.

Mr Osborne has already announced plans to stop child benefit payments to higher rate taxpayers.

There had been reports it could be cut altogether for children once they reach the age of 16, rather than 18 as at present, but sources have told the BBC that will not happen.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander was photographed carrying the spending review on Tuesday - two pages of which were visible to photographers. It stated that tackling the deficit was "unavoidable" and there would be an "inevitable impact" on state workers.

Summer negotiations

While it said the wage freeze and flexibility over hours would help minimise redundancies, it suggested a forecast that there would be 490,000 fewer public sector workers by 2014-15 had been adopted by the government.

Thousands of protesters gathered in Westminster on Tuesday to lobby MPs ahead of the announcement. Dave Prentis, general secretary of the Unison union, said the coalition government was "taking a chainsaw to our public services ... not because of a deficit, but because of an ideology".

The chancellor and Prime Minister David Cameron finalised the spending review package in a series of meetings with deputy PM Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander at Chequers at the weekend.

It follows lengthy negotiations with cabinet colleagues over the summer.

Danny Alexander's documents suggested a 490,000 cut in the public sector workforce by 2014-15

BBC political editor Nick Robinson said Mr Osborne would outline percentage cuts in certain departments and there could be some illustrations of projects that have had to be abandoned and details of overall numbers of prison places to be cut.

But he said details of which specific jobs and services could be axed were unlikely.

The document Mr Alexander had been photographed with had shown that if there were voluntary agreements on public sector pay and hours, job losses could be reduced.

'Very clear promise'

Further speculation suggested the BBC might be made to cover the cost of free TV licences for the over-75s - currently covered by the government - but it is understood this will not happen.

Instead it has emerged the BBC licence fee will be frozen for the next six years - and the corporation is to take over the cost of the World Service, currently funded by the Foreign Office, and the Welsh language TV channel S4C.

There have been several reports that winter fuel allowance, free TV licences and bus passes for the elderly could be curtailed - David Cameron has said he wants to stand by his "very clear promise" during the election campaign, in which he pledged that a Conservative government would keep all three.

The BBC understands that the schools budget in England will be spared large cuts but the social housing budget in England is to be halved and organisations representing rank-and-file police officers fear thousands of jobs will go.

Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has already confirmed a £30bn 10-mile barrage across the Severn estuary, intended to generate renewable electricity, has been axed on the grounds of cost.

Unions held a mass rally ahead of the Spending Review announcements

But Mr Osborne has pledged funding for big infrastructure projects like London's Crossrail project and the Mersey Gateway road bridge between Runcorn and Widnes - as well as the Synchotron scientific facility in Oxfordshire.

Deputy PM Nick Clegg told Lib Dem MPs on Tuesday that the spending review has involved "difficult decisions" but that it "provides the best evidence yet of why we are in government".

He said the decisions taken were the right ones "to build a fairer and more liberal Britain".

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