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☆ David McBride: Former Australian military lawyer who exposed alleged war crimes jailed for leaking documents
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | Angus Watson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

However, during proceedings against McBride, the court heard that he did not bring the documents to the media’s attention to highlight the alleged war crimes. “David McBride leaked documents to our national broadcaster which contained credible evidence of war crimes committed by Australian forces in Afghanistan. Pender and others pointed out that no one had yet been prosecuted over Australia’s alleged war crimes in Afghanistan – except the man who had brought it to the country’s attention. Australian Federal Police officers raided the ABC offices in Sydney in 2019 seeking documents as they pursued potential charges against the journalists behind the story. The Australian Federal Police is working with the Office of the Special Investigator (OSI) to investigate potential charges.

Persons: CNN —, ”, David Mossop, David McBride, McBride, Mark Davies, Brereton, Mossop, “, ” McBride, Justice Mossop, ” Mossop, McBride’s, Kieran Pender, “ David McBride, Pender, Australia’s, “ Will, Peter Greste, Greste, ” “ David, ” Greste, he’ll, Anthony Albanese, “ I’m, Mark Dreyfus Organizations: CNN, Australian Army, Canberra, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC, Australian Defense Force, Australian Special Air Service, SAS, Human Rights Law, Australian, Journalists, Australian Federal Police, Commonwealth, Public Prosecutions, ADF, AFP Locations: Afghanistan, Egypt, Sydney, New South Wales

☆ UK inquiry starts hearings into Afghan extra-judicial killings' claims
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An armed police officer patrols near the Ministry of Defence in London, Britain May 11, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 9 (Reuters) - An inquiry investigating allegations that British special forces carried out dozens of extra-judicial killings in Afghanistan a decade ago will begin hearing evidence in public on Monday. The independent inquiry was ordered by Britain's defence ministry last December after a BBC TV documentary reported that soldiers from the elite Special Air Service (SAS) had killed 54 people in suspicious circumstances. "The bereaved families look to the inquiry to fearlessly uncover the truth of the deaths of their loved ones and to ensure that those responsible are held to account." While the hearings will begin in public, some of the evidence relating to special forces will be restricted on national security grounds.

Persons: Neil Hall, Tessa Gregory, Leigh, Charles Haddon, Cave, Mansour Aziz, Leigh Day, Michael Holden, William Maclean Organizations: Ministry of Defence, REUTERS, BBC, Special Air Service, SAS, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Afghanistan, Haddon

☆ A possible future mission for the US's secretive Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade drones? Hunting Russian nukes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The tense environment has been punctuated by Russian threats of nuclear strikes against the West in response to NATO's military support for Ukraine. In a future war, the secretive drones the US has supplied to Ukraine — the Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade — could get a new mission: hunting Russian nukes in Kaliningrad. NATO forces could use loitering munitions — drones designed to linger near a target before crashing into and destroying it — for such a mission in Kaliningrad. "A focus should also be on the training of these forces with the Phoenix Ghost and Switchblade drones to assist them in their search and destroy efforts," DiRubbio writes. The US has provided a few hundred of those two drones to Ukraine, including both version of the Switchblade.

Persons: Vladimir Putin's, nukes, Vitaly Nevar, William DiRubbio, DiRubbio, Sarah Pysher, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: Service, NATO, Russian, Ukraine, Baltic Fleet, REUTERS, US Air Force, Royal United Services Institute, Russian Defense Ministry, US Army's Delta Force, Special Air Service, Phoenix, Delta Force, Lejeune, US Marine Corps, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kaliningrad, Europe, Wall, Silicon, Moscow, Russia's, Baltic, Vitaly Nevar Kaliningrad, Lithuania, Poland, British, Russian, North Carolina, Johns

☆ A US Green Beret drill with fake guerrilla fighters shows how Sweden has been preparing for an 'unconventional' clash with Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-13 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In May and June, US Army Green Berets conducted unconventional warfare training in Sweden. In the US military, unconventional warfare is the bread and butter of the Green Berets of US Army Special Forces. Winning wars unconventionallyUS Army Green Berets demonstrate detainment procedures during training in Kalix, Sweden on May 29. Unconventional warfare can still play an important role in that kind of war, but it would be a supporting role. Cadets talk to role-players during West Point Irregular Warfare Group's Unconventional Warfare Exercise in April 2019.

Persons: Anthony Bryant, Patrik Orcutt, Anthony Bryant Sweden, refocusing, Erwin Rommel, Stavros Atlamazoglou Organizations: US Army Green Berets, Service, NATO, US Green Berets, Swedish Home Guard, US Army, Staff, Green Berets, US Army Special Forces, US Army Special Operations Command, Green, US Special Forces, 10th Special Forces Group, Sweden's, Guard, Home Guard, Operations Command, Green Beret, US Army Green, EU, Army Green Berets, Pentagon, Al, Delta Force, US Military, British Special Air Service, Commonwealth, Group, Hellenic Army, 575th Marine Battalion, Army, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins, School, International Locations: Sweden, Soviet Union, Russia, Wall, Silicon, Kalix, Europe, Soviet, Swedish, Stockholm, Al Qaeda, China, North Africa, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Johns

☆ Australian war hero found complicit in Afghan murders says devastated by ruling, but will not apologise
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An Australian federal court judge on June 1 dismissed Roberts-Smith's defamation case against three newspapers for articles accusing him of violating the rules of engagement and killing unarmed Afghans. In his ruling the judge said the newspapers had proven substantial truth in their reporting. read more"I'm devastated with the result, it's a terrible outcome and it's the incorrect outcome," Roberts-Smith told television network Nine Entertainment (NEC.AX) at Perth Airport baggage claim late on Wednesday. Asked if he remained proud of his actions in Afghanistan, Roberts-Smith replied "of course I am." Roberts-Smith, 44, whose portrait hangs in the Australian War Memorial, has not been charged with any crimes.

Persons: Ben Roberts, Smith, Roberts, Byron Kaye, Michael Perry Organizations: SYDNEY, Victoria, Special Air Service, Nine Entertainment, Australian, Thomson Locations: Afghanistan, Australian, Bali , Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia

☆ Former Australian SAS veteran loses defamation case over reports of Afghan execution
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Byron Kaye | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The ruling marks a win for media outlets seeking greater accountability for Australia's military, typically bound by confidentiality. A 2020 report found credible evidence that members of Australia's Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) killed dozens of unarmed prisoners in the lengthy Afghan war. Roberts-Smith sued the papers for portraying him as someone who "broke the moral and legal rules of military engagement". The papers had reported that Roberts-Smith pressured a lower-ranking Australian soldier to execute an elderly, unarmed Afghan to "blood the rookie", said Judge Besanko, adding they proved that account true. "This case is an important reminder that we need courageous public interest journalism to help us get there."

Persons: Ben Roberts, Smith, Anthony Besanko, Roberts, Judge Besanko, James Chessell, Chessell, Arthur Moses, Besanko, inadvertentely, Fiona Nelson, Byron Kaye, Shri Navaratnam, Michael Perry Organizations: SYDNEY, SAS, Australia's Special Air Service Regiment, China, Victoria Cross, Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, Canberra Times, Nine Entertainment Co, Australian Centre for International, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Afghanistan, Afghan, Australian, Australia

☆ Moscow's 'special' forces: An inside look at how Russia's famed Spetsnaz really operate
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Mark Galeotti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +24 min

Russia's Spetsnaz forces are often depicted as a kind of Russian super troops. Osprey PublishingMost countries' special forces emphasize physical fitness, determination and aggression. Special people, for special tasksMembers of the Russian military's 16th Separate Special Purpose Brigade during an exercise in 2018. Even so, being better than most of the Soviet army's miserable and recalcitrant conscript forces did not make most of them truly special, special forces. The special operations commandMembers of Russian's 22nd Separate Guards Special Purpose Brigade during an exercise in November 2017.

☆ UK to hold inquiry into allegations special forces killed Afghan civilians
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Britain's defence ministry announced on Thursday an inquiry into allegations that its special forces carried out dozens of extrajudicial killings during night raids in Afghanistan. The announcement follows a report by BBC television's Panorama programme in July that alleged soldiers from the elite Special Air Service (SAS) had killed 54 people in suspicious circumstances. The inquiry, which will be led by senior judge Lord Justice Haddon-Cave, would also look at the adequacy of the response to the allegations, the MoD said. "The UK's armed forces rightly hold themselves to the highest possible operational standards," Murrison said. "Operations must be conducted within the clear boundaries of the law and credible allegations against our forces must always be investigated thoroughly."

☆ Afghan commandos that were trained by US Navy SEALs are being recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine, report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Elite Afghan commandos are being contacted with offers to fight for Russia in Ukraine, reports Foreign Policy. One Afghan official said he believed Russia's mercenary Wagner Group is behind the recruitment drive. One former Afghan commando officer told Foreign Policy that he believed the shadowy Wagner Group was behind the recruitment drive. The Afghan Elite National Army Commando Corps, made up of 20,000 to 30,000 volunteers, was partly trained by US Navy SEALs and the British Special Air Service, per Foreign Policy. A former senior Afghan security official, speaking anonymously to Foreign Policy, said that the Afghan fighters "would be a game-changer" in the war.

☆ Special-ops units from Down Under made their mark with US commandos in Vietnam. They may have to do it again against China.
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-14 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

During the Vietnam War, US troops were supported by forces from several allied countries. The role of the Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS) was especially notable. From 1966 to 1971, these two special-operations units deployed a small number of commandos to support conventional forces in Vietnam. Gradually, however, they shifted to a more aggressive stance and started going after high-value North Vietnamese and Viet Cong targets in ambushes and direct-action operations. Special operators from the two countries had fought with the British against Communist insurgents in Malaya and Borneo.

☆ The world's 5 best special-operations forces besides those of the US
▼ + stars: | 2020-09-01 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

SOF units offer a low-cost, high-reward option, and their small footprint makes them more politically acceptable for policymakers when the public is wary of large military commitments. The US military boasts some of the best SOF units in the world, such as the Army's Delta Force and the Navy's SEAL Teams. One of their most famous operations was in 1980, when an SAS unit stormed the besieged Iranian embassy in London and freed several hostages. Philippine ArmyA quiet but deadly Filipino SOF unit that has seen lots of combat in recent years. Israeli Defense ForcesA number of other SOF units have distinguished themselves but didn't make the list.

☆ The 10 most bizarre weapons of World War II
▼ + stars: | 2015-07-22 | by ( Alex Lockie | Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

World War II brought many successful innovations in technology including weapons. From explosive rats to a 155-foot-long gun, here are some of the most bizarre weapons from WWII. During World War II, the world's major powers set their sights on advancing technology, medicine, and communications in order to be efficient and fearsome in battle. PanjandrumThe Panjandrum, a rocket-propelled explosive cart, was one of the more curious weapons to have come out of World War II. Explosive ratsDogs were not the only unfortunate animal victims of experimental war weapons.

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