RAF ground attack aircraft are ready to help impose a no-fly zone over Libya as ministers ordered defence chiefs to finalise plans enabling Britain to take part immediately in military action against forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi.
Tornado all-weather attack aircraft, equipped with precision weapons, were almost certain to be the first British assets used in any military operation, officials said. They are based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland and RAF Marham in Norfolk.
Though due to phased out under the government's defence their performance has been tested in operations over decades. It was not immediately clear whether they would fly from a military base in southern France or from RAF Akrotiri, in one of Britain's sovereign base areas in Cyprus.
It was also unclear whether Eurofighter Typhoons would take part in an operation. Britain has two ships off the Libyan coast, and Chinook helicopters and early-warning aircraft equipped with long-range radar based in Malta, but would need permission from the Maltese government to use them in action over Libya.
For this reason, it would be easier for British aircraft to be based in Cyprus or France, which also strongly supports a no-fly zone. British forces could also use bases in Egypt if the new government there agreed.
By any chance, do the rebels hold the airport or an airbase near Benghazi? Make things a lot easier...
Britain and France could begin operating a limited no-fly zone over the rebel stronghold of Benghazi with little or no US support, though it may have only a limited impact on Gaddafi's brutal crackdown on the rebels. However, they warned that it would not stop Gaddafi's ground forces, which are leading the assault on the rebels with tanks and artillery.
Correct, to do the latter, as we did in Afghanistan in '01-'02, you'd need air controllers on the ground, and that means special forces to protect the controllers.
A force of six to eight Typhoon fighters could be deployed to patrol over Benghazi, supported by two or three tankers for air-to-air refuelling and Nimrod R1 reconnaissance aircraft, temporarily reprieved by the Ministry of Defence, he said.
Interesting how in just about every action, the Brits do everything on a shoestring yet still manage to get it done.
The Libyan air force might have as few as 40 operational fixed-wing aircraft. Most are Soviet-era, Russian-built fighters that are obsolescent in western terms, although there are also some more modern French Mirage F1s.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/18/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Woudn't it be better to concentrate on defending Britain from Muzzi conquest?
The recent earthquake and tsunami (tidal wave) in Japan did considerable damage to the Japanese Matsushima Air Base at Miyagi (on the northeast coast of the main island of Honshu.) While the quake itself (the most powerful ever recorded in that area) did some damage, it was the seawater that hurt the most. The air base was hit by the 7.3 meter (23 foot) tidal wave. Among the aircraft hit with the wall of seawater were 18 F-2 fighters. Most of the other vehicles, and electronic support equipment on the base were also inundated. Most of this gear will be too expensive to repair, and thus a total loss. This may include several of the F-2s. About 20 percent of Japan's 98 F-2s were stationed at Matsushima Air Base. Worse, the 21st Fighter Training Squadron at Matsushima was the site of most F-2 pilot training. This is going to be interrupted for months, if not longer. Thanks to the USAF, the base is still open for business. Video of the damage.
#1
That post-Tsunami photo of a HUGE JAPANESE CATAMARAN FERRY laid atop a much smaller concrete, urban or residential building reminds me of a famous photo taken on Guam after SUPER-TYPHOON PAMELA back in 1976, A PHOTO OF A LONG, THIN OR LEAN PIECE OF METALLIC PANE DRIVEN RIGHT THROUGH THE TOUGH CENTERLINE OF A LOCAL COCONUT/PALM TREE.
Momma Nature didn't need any LASER GUNSIGHT OR OTHER to do that.
* 1990's > Guam + PACOAS were also at risk from the "THE GREATEST STORM OF THE CENTURY", A SUPER-DUPER SUPERTYPHOON THAT IN SIZE APPEARED TO TAKE UP 2/3-3/4's OF THE ENTIRE PACIFIC REGION ON THE TV SAT PHOTOS.
Fortunately, the above's mega-size did not come wid complementary = matching storm power. As GLOBAL WARMING intensifies oer the coming years + decades, I suspect the opposite will steadily occur. OCEAN STORMS MAY BECOME MORE "COMPACT" WID THE POWER OF FAST-MOVING TORNADOES, SUPER- OR MEGA-TORNADOES, CLOSER TO THE KIND OF TORNADO STORMS EXPERIENCED ON THE US-NORAM MAINLAND. THERE WILL BE SEEMINGLY LONG MOMENTS OR PERIODS OF ANTICIPATORY SILENCE FOLLOWED BY BRIEF-BUT-HORRIFIC SHAKIN-N-BREAKIN.
The U.S. Director of National Intelligence recently designated North Korea as a major exporter of parts and technology of weapons of mass destruction and missiles to the Middle East, Radio Free Asia reported Tuesday. According to the DNI's annual report on WMD to Congress last month, North Korea is a main supplier of ballistic missiles technology in the world.
The report says North Korea has been exporting components, technology, equipment, and entire ballistic missile systems to the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa.
The report claims the North has clearly stated its intent to export ballistic missile system and components, and this will help importing countries expand the range of missiles and secure production. North Korea is especially close to Iran and Syria and looking for new customers, according to the report.
Posted by: Steve White ||
03/18/2011 00:00 ||
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[Bangla Daily Star] South Korea yesterday rejected an offer from North Korea to discuss its new nuclear programme and return to six-party disarmament talks, saying its neighbour must first show peaceful intentions.
Foreign Minister Kim Sung-Hwan said Pyongyang should demonstrate its commitment to denuclearisation "not through words, but through action".
"This (offer) is insufficient and does not fit the position of the (five) other countries that the right conditions should be created," he told news hounds.
North Korea had said Tuesday it was willing to return to the six-party forum "without any precondition", and to discuss its new uranium enrichment programme and the suspension of nuclear tests.
The offer, made at talks between North Korean officials and visiting Russian envoy Alexei Borodavkin, was seen as a diplomatic concession as international efforts intensified to resume the stalled six-nation talks.
Pyongyang triggered security fears in November when it disclosed an apparently functional uranium enrichment plant to visiting US experts.
The North said it was a peaceful energy project, but experts said the facility could hand Pyongyang a second route to making atomic bombs in addition to its existing plutonium stockpile.
Russia, along with Washington and Tokyo, has backed Seoul's call for the UN Security Council to debate Pyongyang's uranium programme.
But China, the North's strong ally, said the uranium program should be handled at the six-party forum.
Grouping the two Koreas, Japan, Russia, the United States and China, the six-party talks have been deadlocked since Pyongyang walked out in April 2009 in protest at UN condemnation of an apparent missile test.
The hardline state staged its second nuclear test the following month, sparking tougher UN sanctions.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/18/2011 00:00 ||
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[Geo News] Additional district and sessions judge (ASJ) Yousuf Ojla, who conducted hearing of US national Raymond Davis in a double murder case, has gone on leave, Geo News reported on Thursday.
Judge Yousuf Ojla did not come to the court, the sources said. They added that the judge has gone on leave due to personal engagements. Translation: "He has some blood money to spend!" Alternate translation: "Please don't kill me!"
Earlier, Judicial Magistrate Aniq Anwar met additional district and sessions judge. Aniq had conducted hearing of Raymond in illegal weapon case.
The additional district and sessions judge (ASJ) had acquitted Raymond Davis in a double murder case on Wednesday and ordered his immediate release after the legal heirs of the two victims accepted blood money under the Qisas and Diyat law and pardoned the killer.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/18/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
Tailed by two guys with motorcycles for a while? They pull next to you and flash automatic weapons pointed at you, Shoot them both and take pictures and not get caught. #davis is like norris, yet gets caught. He did correct. He just wasted too much time on scene. All understandable. Pakistan must understand we have interest aligned. This was more security of assets than an international ruse.
Where is Joseph Mendola to pound all this out? He knows the deal.
[Ma'an] UNRWA front man Chris Gunness says the Paleostinian refugee agency is trying to resolve a dispute at their building in Gazoo City, but it is concerned about the safety of demonstrators.
"Around 20 people are carrying out a sit-in in front of the UNRWA building. It increased to hundreds before security forces tried to disperse them," Gunness told Ma'an radio.
"Sixteen people took shelter inside. They do not work at the UN agency. There are six women and 10 men," he added. Forces have surrounded the building and informed senior UNRWA officials that talks were being held "find a way out of the crisis."
Concerning the extent of the danger, Gunness said he could not specify the real risk but he affirmed that UNRWA hoped to end the crisis peacefully.
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03/18/2011 00:00 ||
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[Ma'an] Security forces dispersed a demonstration organized by Paleostinian youth who are calling for ending division, in front of the UNRWA building in Gazoo on Thursday.
Sixteen protesters took refuge in the compound after fleeing baton-wielding Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason, police have announced an indefinite hunger strike.
"We have begun a sit-in in the heart of the headquarters of the UN agency for Paleostinian refugees and have started an indefinite hunger strike, demanding an end to Paleostinian divisions," protester Abu Yazin told AFP.
He said five women were in the group who had chosen to gather at the United Nations, aka the Oyster Bay Chowder and Marching Society agency for Paleostinian refugees (UNRWA) compound "to benefit from international protection."
Earlier, the protesters demonstrated outside the compound for Paleostinian national unity before the gathering was violently broken up by security forces of Hamas that rules the Gazoo Strip, witnesses said.
They chased away dozens of demonstrators and seized the memory cards from photographers and cameramen at the scene, they said. It was not immediately clear if anyone was tossed in the clink or injured.
After the 16 people took refuge inside the compound, UNRWA called on Hamas to ensure their safety.
"UNRWA has appealed to the relevant authorities in Gazoo to allow these sixteen people safe passage from the UNRWA compound and to guarantee their safety," front man Chris Gunness said in a statement.
"The United Nations will continue to monitor the situation and the circumstances of the sixteen cases," he said.
On Tuesday tens of thousands of people erupted into the streets of Gazoo and the West Bank to demand that Hamas and the rival Fatah movement, which dominates the Paleostinian Authority, end their bitter enmity.
But despite leaders of the two factions agreeing to meet to talk, Hamas has since used force to disperse several follow-up demonstrations.
Posted by: Fred ||
03/18/2011 00:00 ||
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#1
I'm really hoping for some UNRWA personnel casualties---but, probably, in vain.
Malaysian police said they have seized dismantled equipment that were meant for producing a weapon of mass destruction, including nuclear warheads, from a vessel in the country's major port, reported Xinhua.
The equipment was found in two containers on a Malaysian-registered vessel bound for Iran.
Malaysian police chief, Ismail Omar, said the police believe the items seized were aggregate boilers and they are still being inspected by the national atomic agency and the forensics department.
No arrests have been made and the police have sought help from Interpol in investigating the case.
The vessel was inspected when it reached Port Klang after police received a tip-off.
Ismail refused to reveal where the tip-off might have come from, saying "the point is, we have acted".
The seized equipment was said to have been among those listed as controlled items by the United Nations Security Council.
The case is now being investigated under the Strategic Trade Act, under which offenders could be sentenced to at least five years behind bars and fined millions of dollars if convicted of exporting items that could be used to make weapons of mass destruction.
[Arab News] The B.O. regime is implicitly criticizing Iran after Israel intercepted a ship carrying weapons it said was bound for Paleostinian Death Eaters in Gazoo.
State Department front man Mark Toner said in a statement late Wednesday that the US condemns illicit smuggling of arms and ammunition. He said UN resolutions prohibit Iran, in particular, from exporting weapons and that "any activity to the contrary is another example of Iran's destabilizing activities in the region."
Israel said the ship intercepted Tuesday in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea had roughly 2,500 mortar shells, nearly 75,000 bullets and six anti-ship missiles.
It said the weapons were sent by Iran by way of Syria, and that the advanced anti-ship missiles could have challenged Israeli enforcement of a naval blockade of the Hamas, always the voice of sweet reason,-controlled Gazoo Strip.
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03/18/2011 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
RAF ground attack aircraft are ready to help impose a no-fly zone over Libya as ministers ordered defence chiefs to finalise plans enabling Britain to take part immediately in military action against forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi.
The U.S. Director of National Intelligence recently designated North Korea as a major exporter of parts and technology of weapons of mass destruction and missiles to the Middle East, Radio Free Asia reported Tuesday. According to the DNI's annual report on WMD to Congress last month, North Korea is a main supplier of ballistic missiles technology in the world. 
[Bangla Daily Star] South Korea yesterday rejected an offer from 
