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☆ Middle East Crisis Senior Israeli Military Official Offers to Resign After Oct. 7 Intelligence Failures
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Adam Rasgon | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Mr. Netanyahu said in a social media post that his government would “act by all means” against any such move. The sanctions, if imposed, would not hold up the military aid that was just approved in Congress. The Israeli military disciplined three of the unit’s commanders after the investigation. Human rights organizations have long accused the Israeli military justice system of whitewashing wrongdoing and the military of acting with impunity. More than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed during the six months of war, according to Gazan health officials.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr, Netanyahu, Axios, Netzah Yehuda, Leahy, Yehuda, Omar Abdelmajed Assad, “, Assad’s, Biden, Benny Gantz, Yoav Gallant, Antony J, Blinken, Jacob J, Lew, Gallant, Mick Mulroy, ”, ” Natan Odenheimer, Gabby Sobelman Organizations: West Bank, Biden, Netzah, Jewish, Israel, Pentagon, State Locations: States, Gaza, Israel, Israel’s, Iran, U.S, United States

☆ Niger ends military agreement with US, calls it ‘profoundly unfair’
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Mitchell Mccluskey | Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Niger’s military government announced that it has ended an accord with the US that allowed military personnel and civilian staff from the Department of Defense to operate in Niger – days after holding high-level talks with US diplomatic and military officials this week. “This agreement is not only profoundly unfair in its substance but it also does not meet the aspirations and interests of the Nigerien people,” he said. Senior Pentagon officials believe that keeping a presence in Niger is vital to efforts to tackle terrorism in the region. In a letter sent to Congress in December 2023, President Joe Biden noted that approximately 648 US military personnel remain deployed to Niger. During meetings, Nigerien and American officials discussed the military transition in Niger and military cooperation between the two countries, Abdramane said.

Persons: CNN —, Major Amadou Abdramane, –, ”, Joe Biden, Abdramane, “, ” Abdramane, Niger “ Organizations: CNN, Department of Defense, American Department of Defense, Nigerien, US, Niger . Senior Pentagon, Pentagon, American, US Department of Defense Locations: Niger, United States, Republic of Niger, CNN Niger, Niger ., US, Nigerien, Russia, Iran

☆ Defense secretary expected to return to Pentagon Monday after nearly a month away
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is expected to return to the Pentagon Monday after nearly a month away and host NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, according to a defense official. Doctors at the hospital released a statement saying he is recovering well and is expected to make a full recovery. Republicans have been highly critical of how the Pentagon handled Austin’s illness and the House Armed Services Committee has called on the defense secretary to testify next month about the failure to notify key government leaders. From the hospital, Austin authorized the first round of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen and spoke daily with senior Pentagon officials. Asked if Austin would take questions from the media upon his return to the Pentagon, press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder demurred.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Jens Stoltenberg, Austin, ”, Joe Biden, Biden, Jeff Zients, Zients, Austin’s, Kelly Magsamen, Pat Ryder demurred, Ryder, Betsy Klein Organizations: CNN —, Pentagon, NATO, Walter Reed National Military Medical, Walter Reed Medical, Republicans, House Armed, White, The Associated Press, CNN, White House, Defense Department, Ukraine Defense Contact Locations: New, Yemen, Ukraine

For years, the scrappy Iran-backed Yemeni rebels known as the Houthis did such a good job of bedeviling American partners in the Middle East that Pentagon war planners started copying some of their tactics. Noting that the Houthis had managed to weaponize commercial radar systems that are commonly available in boating stores and make them more portable, a senior U.S. commander challenged his Marines to figure out something similar. By September 2022, Marines in the Baltic Sea were adapting Houthi-inspired mobile radar systems. So senior Pentagon officials knew as soon as the Houthis started attacking ships in the Red Sea that they would be hard to tame. As the Biden administration approaches its third week of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, the Pentagon is trying to thread an impossibly tiny needle: making a dent in the Houthis’ ability to hit commercial and Navy vessels without dragging the United States into a prolonged war.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Marines, Pentagon Locations: Iran, East, U.S, Baltic, Yemen, United States

☆ Senator Tuberville lifts blockade on some US military promotions
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) speaks with reporters on the way to the Senate floor for a procedural vote regarding top military appointees at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 20, 2023. Senator Tommy Tuberville, who has blocked hundreds of military promotions for months to protest the Pentagon's payment of abortion-related travel costs, said on Tuesday he would lift his hold on some of them. Tuberville's actions have affected some 400 officers and their families, as well as lower-level officers in the military. Democrats have said Tuberville should show his objection on a policy matter by targeting Biden nominees involved with policy. Reporting by Jasper Ward and Susan Heavey; writing by Costas Pitas; editing by Rami AyyubOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tommy Tuberville, Jonathan Ernst, I've, Republican Tuberville, Biden, Jasper Ward, Susan Heavey, Costas Pitas, Rami Ayyub Organizations: U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Rights, Republican U.S, Pentagon, Republican, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Alabama

☆ Israel's liberal use of large US-made bombs accounts for the high civilian casualty toll in Gaza, military experts say: 'It's beyond anything that I've seen in my career'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-25 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Israel's use of US-made bombs is contributing to high Palestinian civilian casualties, experts say. AdvertisementIsrael's use of large, American-made bombs is contributing to the massive death toll in Gaza, passing some of the deadliest conflicts in recent memory. The massive scale of Israel's attacks along with the use of large, US-made bombs in dense, urban areas have contributed to the massive death toll, according to the report. AdvertisementThe Gaza Health Ministry's most recent death toll released on November 10 included 11,078 deaths, according to the Associated Press . Israel's military did not provide a casualty count of its own, but denied targeting civilians, the newspaper said.

Persons: —, it's, Marc Garlasco, Brian Castner, Castner, Israel, Jonathan Conricus Organizations: New York Times, Service, United, The New York Times, Hamas, Gaza Health Ministry, Associated Press, PAX, Pentagon, Times, Amnesty International, US Air Force, ISIS, The Times, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Gaza, United States, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Israel, Vietnam, America, Mosul, Raqqa, Thailand, Philippines

☆ Australian PM tells US House speaker he hopes AUKUS legislation passes this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( David Brunnstrom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met the new speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday and said he hoped the U.S. Congress would pass legislation related to the AUKUS submarine project this year. "We, of course, have important legislation required for AUKUS," Albanese told Johnson at the start of their meeting. "We are certainly hoping that the Congress can pass that legislation this year." Budget wrangling and the lack of a speaker for several weeks until Johnson's appointment interrupted the U.S. legislative process in Congress, and Australian officials have expressed concern about delays in approving legislation needed to move the AUKUS project forward. Officials and experts and say this is important for the success of AUKUS given the need to share U.S. technology both in the submarine project and a second AUKUS pillar involving three-way cooperation on high-tech weaponry.

Persons: Joe Biden, Anthony Albanese, Rishi Sunak, Leah Millis, Albanese, Mike Johnson, Johnson, Biden, Mara Karlin, Biden's, Joe Courtney, Courtney, David Brunnstrom, Rod Nickel Organizations: Australian, British, U.S, Naval Base Point, San Diego , California U.S, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . House, Capitol, Republicans, Pentagon, Democratic, Australia Caucus, National Defense, Republican, U.S . Navy, Thomson Locations: Australia, United Kingdom, Naval Base Point Loma, San Diego , California, Washington, U.S, United States, Britain, Australia Virginia

☆ UFOs: US is receiving dozens of reports a month, senior Pentagon official tells CNN
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The office has received approximately 800 reports of unidentified objects to investigate as of this past April, up from 650 reports in August 2022, Sean Kirkpatrick, who heads the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office at the Pentagon told CNN. “I am worried from a national security perspective.”But Kirkpatrick could offer few details about why certain reports raised suspicions about foreign involvement. The portal for historical sightings is set to open sometime in the next month or so, Kirkpatrick told CNN. Its purpose is to validate or refute past reports of unidentified objects, checking them against other reports and cataloging them for possible further analysis. Asked if the US government should have created an effort to handle unidentified objects earlier, Kirkpatrick demurred.

Persons: Sean Kirkpatrick, Kirkpatrick, ”, ” Kirkpatrick, Biden, UAPs, David Grusch, Grusch, “, Kirkpatrick demurred Organizations: CNN, Pentagon, Federal Aviation Administration, Air Force Locations: United States, South Carolina

☆ U.S. Sending Additional Iron Dome Systems to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S. is preparing to send its Iron Dome air-defense systems to Israel, a senior Pentagon official said Thursday. The Army has two of the Israeli-developed Iron Domes, which have been tested in Guam, and an estimated 200 interceptors. Israel has 10 of the systems, which serve as its last line of defense against rocket and shell attacks.

Organizations: Pentagon, Army Locations: Israel, Guam

☆ Israel is launching airstrikes against Hamas across Gaza, causing immense destruction, and asking for more US-made weapons to do it
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Israel's Air Force is conducting devastating airstrikes on Gaza. Israel has used these weapons to strike targets in Gaza from the air in the past, like during Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021. Smoke and flame rise after Israeli air forces targeting a shopping center in Gaza Strip, Gaza on October 07, 2023. —Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) October 10, 2023Other videos showed compilations of JDAM attacks, as the munitions obliterated buildings leveled entire areas. IDF actions also appears to include launching Hellfire missiles from Apache helicopters against Hamas groups, resulting in massive destruction.

Persons: —, Yoav Gallant, Mark Cancian, Ashraf Amra, Cancian, gunning, Israel Organizations: Israel's Air Force, Service, Israel Defense Forces, Israeli Air Force, Israel's, Air Force, doesn't, CNN, Hamas, Attack Munitions, Guardian, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Marine Corps, Anadolu Agency, Getty, US Air Force, US Navy, Air, IDF, US Defense Department, Pentagon, Apache, United Nations Locations: Gaza, Israel, US, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Israeli

☆ U.S., Allies Prep for More Military Support to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S. and its allies are ready to supply Israel with more weapons and munitions without affecting shipments to Ukraine and their own readiness, said a senior Pentagon official. “If Israel needs additional support as well, we’re ready,” Army acquisition chief Doug Bush said at an industry event on Monday, though no decision has been made on the type of support. That could include small arms, sophisticated munitions and potentially two U.S. missile defense systems similar to Israel’s own Iron Dome platform.

Persons: Doug Bush Organizations: U.S, Pentagon, Army Locations: Israel, Ukraine

☆ US preparing to officially designate military takeover in Niger as a coup d'etat after months of delay, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Natasha Bertrand Oren Liebermann Alex Marquardt | Natasha Bertrand | Oren Liebermann | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The US embassy can continue to operate and the US military will be able to legally keep forces in Niger if a coup designation is made, US officials said. But the Pentagon is still assessing how the change will impact the approximately 1,000 US forces stationed in the country, officials said. The administration could continue with life-saving and other kinds of assistance that are important for US security interests while simultaneously suspending other assistance to the government, including economic and security assistance. Nigerien military leaders overthrew the democratically elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, in July. Senior Pentagon officials believe that keeping a presence in Niger is vital to efforts to tackle terrorism in the region and believe that it’s feasible even amid the domestic political turmoil there.

Persons: Mohamed Bazoum, ”, Defense Lloyd Austin, haven’t, “, Sabrina Singh Organizations: CNN, US State Department, Pentagon, State Department, Nigerien, France, Congress, Defense, DOD, Congressional Research Service, Senior Pentagon Locations: Niger, ”, Africa’s Sahel, Niamey, Saharan Africa, Djibouti, United States

☆ US Army, Marine Corps leaders confirmed; other military promotions still in limbo
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Senate backed George to be the Army chief by a vote of 96 to 1 and Smith 96 to 0 to be the commandant of the Marine Corps. Schumer's action does not address hundreds of other military promotions still being delayed by Tuberville's blockade. Military officials have said the blockade of hundreds of military promotions could have a far-reaching impact across the armed forces, affecting troops and their families and harming national security. The Senate's approval of military promotions is usually smooth. Tuberville's hold cannot prevent the Democratic-majority Senate from voting on any promotion, but it can drastically slow the process.

Persons: Evelyn Hockstein, Randy George, Eric Smith, Charles Q, Brown, George, Smith, Chuck Schumer, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, we've, Pat Ryder, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Leslie Adler, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Capitol, U.S, REUTERS, Rights, Senate, Army, Marine Corps, Republican, Pentagon, Defense Department, Tuberville's, Military, of Defense, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S

The Senate backed President Joe Biden's nomination of Brown to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by 83 to 11. He will be only the second Black officer to chair the Joint Chiefs after Colin Powell two decades ago. Brown and other military officials had said Tuberville's blockade of hundreds of military promotions could have a far-reaching impact across the armed forces, affecting troops and their families and harming national security. Schumer's procedural motion did not address hundreds of other military promotions still being delayed by Tuberville's action. The Senate's approval of military promotions is usually smooth.

Persons: Joe Biden, Charles Brown Jr, Brown, Evelyn Hockstein, Charles Q, Joe Biden's, Colin Powell, Chuck Schumer, Tommy Tuberville, Tuberville, Lloyd Austin, Schumer, Austin, Randy George, Eric Smith, Patricia Zengerle, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Chris Reese, Christopher Cushing Organizations: U.S, Air Force, U.S . Joint Chiefs of Staff, White, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Senate, U.S . Air Force, Republican, Senate, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Chiefs, Pentagon, Defense Department, Defense, Black U.S, Army, Marine Corps, Democratic, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Pacific, China

☆ Chinese blockade of Taiwan would likely fail, Pentagon official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - A Chinese blockade of Taiwan would likely fail and a direct military invasion of the self-ruled island would be extremely difficult for Beijing to carry out successfully, senior Pentagon officials told Congress on Tuesday. China's military in recent years has stepped up activity around Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory. However, whether Xi would order taking Taiwan by force, either through military options like a blockade or an invasion is unclear. "I think it is an option but probably not a highly likely option, when you start looking at the military options - much easier to talk about a blockade than actually do a blockade," McGee told lawmakers. He added flatly: "There is absolutely nothing easy about a PLA invasion of Taiwan."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, William Burns, Xi Jinping, Xi, Ely Ratner, Ratner, General Joseph McGee, McGee, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Michael Martina, Patricia Zengerle, Marguerita Choy Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Pentagon, CIA, Affairs, House Armed Services, People's Republic of China . Army, Pentagon's Joint Staff, People's Liberation Army, PLA, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Beijing, U.S, People's Republic of China, China

Elon Musk’s Unmatched Power in the Stars The tech billionaire has become the dominant power in satellite internet technology. Today, more than 4,500 Starlink satellites are in the skies, accounting for more than 50 percent of all active satellites. 53% of active satellites are Starlink.” The Starlink satellites are highlighted and are all operating in low-Earth orbit. How Starlink customers connect to the internet Starlink satellites orbit at much lower altitudes than traditional satellite internet services. “Everywhere on earth will have high bandwidth, low latency internet,” Mr. Musk predicted on the Joe Rogan podcast in 2020.

Persons: Elon Musk’s, Mark, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, Elon Musk, Zaluzhnyi, General Zaluzhnyi, Musk, Musk’s, ”, Starlink’s, ” Mykhailo Fedorov, Mr, Biden, ” Dmitri Alperovitch, Sir Martin Sweeting, Sweeting, Mike Blake, Patrick Seitzer, Rafael Schmall, Joe Rogan, Jeff Bezos, Starlink, Russia —, Fedorov, —, Clodagh Kilcoyne, Nancy Pelosi, Colin H, Kahl, Lynsey Addario, messaged Mr, Lloyd Austin, Gregory C, Allen, we’ve, Mykhailo Podolyak, Volodymyr Zelensky, Jason Hsu, Hsu, “ Elon, Michael McCaul of, Tsai Ing, Tsai, Audrey Tang, Mariana Suarez, Thierry Breton, SpaceX, Chérif El, Amazon Organizations: Joint Chiefs of Staff, Ukraine’s Armed Forces, SpaceX, Tesla, Twitter, Mr, U.S . Defense Department, NASA, Senior Pentagon, The Defense Department, Starlink, European Union, Silverado, Accelerator, Surrey Satellite Technology, Reuters, Airbus, Earth, Getty, Satellite, University of Michigan, National Science Foundation, Rivals, Amazon, Origin, Viasat, Pentagon, CNN, The New York Times, U.S, Defense Department, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Elon, Harvard Kennedy School, Republican, House Foreign Affairs, OneWeb, Agence France, European, United Nations Locations: Ukraine, United States, Iran, Turkey, Japan, Starlink, Crimea, Russian, Starlinks, Europe, Taiwan, China, Beijing, British, Colorado, Cape Canaveral, Fla, —, California, Florida, Latin America, Africa, Nigeria, Mozambique, Rwanda, Ukrainian, Russia, Kreminna, Aspen, Colo, Kherson's, Kherson, Dnipro, Shanghai, Taipei, Michael McCaul of Texas, del, Uruguay, European Union

☆ Pentagon's Austin: Tuberville must lift holds on U.S. military
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. military is dealing with challenges including providing support to Ukraine and working to keep balance in the Indo-Pacific, Austin said in an interview with CNN. This is a national security issue. The Pentagon chief said he last spoke to Tuberville in March but will engage with him again. Asked what his message will be, Austin replied, "He needs to lift the holds." President Joe Biden last month criticized Tuberville for holding up some 200 Pentagon nominees over the Defense Department abortion policy.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Tommy Tuberville's, Austin, Joe Biden, Tuberville, I've, Biden, Biden's, Charles, CQ, Brown, Doina, Frances Kerry Organizations: Republican, Pentagon, Defense Department, CNN, Armed Forces, Air Force, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Thomson Locations: Alabama, U.S, Ukraine

HELSINKI, July 13 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden said on Thursday he expects Republicans to stand up against what he called Senator Tommy Tuberville's "ridiculous" block of top U.S. military appointments over the Pentagon's abortion policy. It was bizarre and irresponsible to inject a domestic social debate into fundamental foreign policy, Biden said in Helsinki after meeting with Nordic country leaders. I expect the Republican Party to stand up, stand up and do something about it," Biden told reporters. "I'm confident that the mainstream Republican Party no longer, does not support what he's doing, but they've got to stand up and be counted. Biden said he would be willing to talk to Tuberville if there were any possibility of changing the senator's "ridiculous position."

Persons: Joe Biden, Tommy Tuberville's, Biden, they've, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Tuberville, Biden's, Charles, CQ, Brown, David Berger, Doina Chiacu, Steve Holland, Patricia Zengerle, Frances Kerry Organizations: Pentagon, Defense Department, Republican Party, CNN, Austin, Armed Forces, Air Force, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Armed Services Committee, Marine Corps, Thomson Locations: HELSINKI, Helsinki, Alabama, Washington

☆ Shell-hungry artillery battles with Russia are fast eating through Ukraine's ammo, and that's why cluster bombs are key, experts and officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The US decided last week to send deadly but controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine's military. Experts and officials say these explosives will help ease Ukraine's ammunition shortages. The provision of cluster munitions is also aimed at preserving US stockpiles. Washington's difficult decision to outfit Kyiv with cluster munitions appears to have come at a calculated and pivotal moment. "The hard but necessary choice to give them the cluster munitions amounted to this," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told MSNBC at the NATO summit in Lithuania this week.

Persons: Biden, —, Wojciech Grzedzinski, Jake Sullivan, Sullivan, Colin Kahl, Dmytro Smolienko, " Kahl, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden, Jack Watling, Justin Bronk, Drew Angerer, Bronk, Watling, Antony Blinken Organizations: US, Service, Ukrainian, Pentagon, The Washington, Getty, Moscow, White, National, Kyiv, Publishing, CNN, NATO, Royal United Services Institute, MSNBC Locations: Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Kyiv, Washington, Zaporizhzhia Region, Russian, Washington , DC, U.S, Lithuania

Also, Russia's war in Ukraine has disrupted some military supplies to India, reinforcing New Delhi's long-term desire to diversify imports or replace them with home-built hardware, Indian defence officials said. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that India intends to order weapons from the domestic arms industry worth over $100 billion over the next decade. "It is a reality, that we have to reduce dependence on Russia," said a senior Indian defence officer working on future capabilities of the Indian military, who declined to be identified. GAP WITH CHINAIndia still uses mostly Russian technology for traditional arms. Over time these purchases will reduce the share of Russian military technology used by India, but this would take at least two decades, Indian officials said.

Persons: Rajnath Singh, Narendra Modi's, Eric Garcetti, Washington, Arzan, Tarapore, Sukhoi Su, Bill Greenwalt, Derek Grossman, Grossman, Krishn Kaushik, David Brunnstrom, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: NEW, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Defence, GE, Stanford University, GAP, CHINA, U.S, Sukhoi, Pentagon, International, Rand Corporation, Thomson Locations: NEW DELHI, WASHINGTON, India, Ukraine, Russia, Stockholm, Indian, Washington, U.S, CHINA India, China, Pakistan, Russian, Australia, Japan, Moscow, DELHI

☆ Ukraine and Russia should stop using cluster bombs, Human Rights Watch says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Human Rights Watch, an international advocacy group, called on both Russia and Ukraine to stop using the weapons, and urged the U.S. not to supply them. Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. have all to declined to sign the treaty. Ukraine fired cluster munition rockets into Russian-controlled areas in and around the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium last year after Russia invaded Ukraine, Human Rights Watch said, citing interviews with more than 100 residents, witnesses and local emergency personnel. The Ukrainian attacks killed at least eight civilians and wounded at least 15 civilians in Izium, Human Rights Watch said. The group has previously reported that Russia's use of cluster munitions in Ukraine has killed scores of civilians, and the United Nations' Human Rights Council has also documented the use of such bombs by both sides.

Persons: Anna Voitenko, Mary Wareham, Joe Biden's, Jonathan Allen, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: REUTERS, Human Rights Watch, Rights Watch, U.S, Pentagon, Russian, United Nations, Human Rights, Thomson Locations: Nova Zoria, Ukraine, Kherson region, U.S, Russia, Kyiv, Russian, Ukrainian, Izium, New York

☆ US plans to supply Ukraine with cluster munitions, officials say
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Mike Stone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A weapons aid package that includes cluster munitions fired by a 155 millimeter Howitzer cannon was expected to be announced Friday, said two U.S officials speaking on condition of anonymity. The White House said sending cluster munitions to Ukraine is "under active consideration" but it had no announcement to make at this time. Human Rights Watch on Thursday called on Russia and Ukraine to stop using cluster munitions and urged the U.S. not to supply them. In order to send cluster munitions to Ukraine, Biden would need to sign a waiver, one of the people said, similar to one that was signed for exporting cluster munitions technology to South Korea in 2021. The cluster munitions, banned by more than 120 countries, normally release large numbers of smaller bomblets that can kill indiscriminately over a wide area, threatening civilians.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Bradley, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Mike Stone, Jeff Mason, Steve Holland, Rami Ayyub, Doina, Christina Fincher, Gareth Jones, David Gregorio Our Organizations: United, NATO, Human Rights, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, Stryker, Pentagon, Munitions, ABC, Thomson Locations: United States, Ukraine, Vilnius, Lithuania, Russia, South Korea, U.S, Kyiv, Denmark, Netherlands

☆ Biden administration could soon approve sending controversial cluster munitions to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-29 | by ( Natasha Bertrand | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

“These would undoubtedly have a significant battlefield impact,” a US official told CNN. Changing battlefield conditions inside Ukraine over the last two weeks have prompted US officials to give the cluster munitions renewed and serious consideration, officials told CNN. Administration officials also believe they have managed to alleviate some allies’ concerns about the US transferring the munitions, officials said. DPICMs stands for dual-purpose improved conventional munitions, the official name for the type of cluster munitions that the US has in its stockpile. He previously told CNN that with the cluster munitions, “Ukraine will finish this war much faster, to the benefit of everybody.”“Russia is extensively using the old styles, the most barbaric styles, of cluster munitions against Ukraine,” Goncharenko told CNN in December.

Persons: Washington CNN —, Biden, Clodagh Kilcoyne, –, ” Laura Cooper, DPICMs, Cooper, ”, Joe Biden, Oleksiy Goncharenko, ” Goncharenko, “ Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, White, Administration, Human Rights Watch, Pentagon, Foreign, Central Command, US State Department, State Department Locations: Ukraine, France, Germany, Ukrainian, Russia, Russian, Syria, Eurasia

☆ Ambitious plans for US-India technology sharing face hurdles
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( David Brunnstrom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Standing in the way are strict U.S. rules governing export of defense technology, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Ely Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific affairs, has stressed the need to break down barriers to technology sharing with allies and partners, including India. But one congressional aide said efforts to speed technology sharing with India would face "an uphill battle" both in the U.S. Congress and at the U.S. State Department, where officials have a specific obligation to protect U.S. technology. "There are concerns about (technology sharing) in the Australia context and there would be more concerns in the India context," he said. Rick Rossow, an India expert at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, said approval processes for advanced defense technology transfer were "onerous but not impossible."

Persons: Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, Elizabeth Frantz WASHINGTON, Biden, Ely Ratner, Democrat Mark Warner, Republican John Cornyn, Bill Greenwalt, Greenwalt, ITAR, Rick Rossow, David Brunnstrom, Mike Stone, Patricia Zengerle, Don Durfee, Deepa Babington Organizations: India's, White, REUTERS, United, Indian, General Electric Co, Center, New, New American Security, TECH, U.S . Senate India Caucus, Democrat, Republican, U.S . Congress, U.S . State Department, Pentagon, GE, State Department, U.S . Missile Technology Control, Washington's Center, Strategic, International Studies, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, United States, India, New Delhi, Asia, U.S, Britain, Australia, New American, Russia, Ukraine, Delhi

Senator Tommy Tuberville for holding up some 200 Pentagon nominees over a Defense Department abortion policy. I don't remember it happening before, and I've been around," Biden said of the actions of Tuberville at a fundraiser for wealthy donors in California's Silicon Valley. The Alabama senator has called the policy a violation of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits using federal taxpayer funds for abortion services. Jean-Pierre said the senator's blockade on the nominees was hurting military families and risking "our military readiness by depriving our armed forces of leadership." The Alabama senator is blocking what is usually a speedy process to confirm Pentagon nominees.

Persons: Joe Biden, Lucy Evans, Kevin Lamarque, Tommy Tuberville, I've, Biden, Karine Jean, Pierre, Jean, Lloyd Austin, May, Trevor Hunnicutt, Nandita Bose, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Interpretive, Preserve, REUTERS, Republican U.S, Defense Department, Pentagon, Alabama, House, U.S, Senate, Defense, Thomson Locations: Palo Alto , California, U.S, Silicon, Tuberville, Alabama, Los Gatos , California, Washington

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