Nato

- A + A (Aug 4): The US Senate ratified adding Sweden and Finland to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a move aimed at bolstering the military alliance after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The vote was 95-1, far exceeding the two-thirds majority required for the approval of treaties. If the ascension wins approval from all current members of the alliance, Finland will join Estonia and Latvia as the NATO countries that share a land border with Russia. The vote comes more than five months after Russian President Vladimir Putin shook the world order with his invasion of neighboring Ukraine. In response, NATO has moved to offer more protection to the exposed Baltic countries along the alliance’s eastern border. “Putin is strengthening the NATO alliance and nothing shows it better than the vote,” Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. The vote marked a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation between the Senate leaders. “If any senator is looking for a defensible … [Read more...] about US Senate ratifies NATO membership for Finland and Sweden

The United States Senate voted to approve a treaty to allow Sweden and Finland to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Wednesday. The treaty received bipartisan support and was passed with 95-1 votes in favor of expanding NATO, The New York Times reported . Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell voiced their support for the ratification of the treaty and the growth of the organization. Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri was the only one who voted against the treaty, according to the NYT. “Our NATO alliance is the bedrock that has guaranteed democracy in the Western world since the end of World War II,” said Schumer . Sweden and Finland are seeking membership to NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine as they fear their nations may be targeted next, according to a statement released by the Department of Defense . Finland shares a direct border with Russia. U.S. President Joe Biden (C) delivers remarks with Finland’s … [Read more...] about Senate Approves Sweden And Finland’s Entry To NATO

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin The Pentagon has approved another batch of arms for Ukraine, including Switchblade loitering munitions and a variety of other equipment including night vision gear, Humvees and small-caliber ammunition. One of the most interesting additions is a small tactical drone, the Puma. These can work together with the loitering munitions as hunter-killer teams, a technique recently demonstrated by the makers but never before used in combat. The U.S. Army use the drone under the name RQ-20 Puma ; made by AeroVironment of California, it’s a hand-launched drone with a 15-foot wingspan. It is one of the heftier hand-launched craft, weighing over 20 pounds, and is correspondingly capable, with a flight endurance of more than five hours and a control range of more than 25 miles. The Puma boasts a Mantis i45 sensor , like a miniature version of the sensor ball in Reaper-class drones, a gimballed sensor that swivels as the drone … [Read more...] about Ukraine Gets A Deadly Hunter-Killer Drone Team: U.S. Switchblades And Pumas Join The War (Updated)

- A + A (Aug 4): The Biden administration is lobbying Democratic senators to put the brakes on a bill that would alter US policy toward Taiwan, including by designating it as a major non-NATO ally, according to people familiar with the matter. The legislation also would provide Taiwan with US$4.5 billion in security aid and support its participation in international organizations. It is sponsored by Foreign Relations Chair Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, and Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, both harsh critics of China, which considers the self-governing island of Taiwan as part of its territory. “The White House has significant concerns,” said Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat from Connecticut and member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “I have significant concerns.” Murphy said the Foreign Relations panel is delaying work on the legislation until September and it may be rewritten. The committee had planned to vote on the bill Wednesday. … [Read more...] about White House lobbies Democrats against bid to deepen Taiwan ties

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a joint news briefing with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (not seen), as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 11, 2022. REUTERS FILE PHOTO BELGRADE/PRISTINA — Ukraine is to start the pullout of its peacekeepers from the Nato-led mission in Kosovo, the RBK-Ukraine news portal reported on Wednesday, citing sources from Ukraine’s military command. Ukraine currently maintains a contingent of 40 peacekeepers in Kosovo as part of the 3,800-strong Nato-led KFOR mission, but in March President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a decree ordering all missions to return home to help in the war with Russia. “The return of the (Ukrainian) national contingent will mean the temporary termination of its participation in the KFOR mission,” RBK-Ukraine quoted Ukraine’s army command as saying. It also said that the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Kosovo was in line with Zelensky’s March 7 decree ordering missions to come home … [Read more...] about Ukraine to start pullout of peacekeepers from Kosovo—report

US President Joe Biden United States President Joe Biden is planning to speak with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for the first time in four months, with a wide range of bilateral and international issues on the table. But a potential visit to Taiwan by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is looming over the conversation set for Thursday, with China warning of a severe response if she travels to the self-governing island democracy Beijing claims as its own territory. On Wednesday, Chinas Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the presidential phone call. However, spokesperson Zhao Lijian reiterated China's warnings over a Pelosi visit. If the U.S. insists on going its own way and challenging China's bottom line, it will surely be met with forceful responses," Zhao told reporters at a daily briefing. All ensuing consequences shall be borne by the U.S." Pelosi's office has yet to say when, or even if, she will proceed with the visit, but the timing is especially … [Read more...] about US President Joe Biden, China’s Xi to speak as possible Pelosi Taiwan visit looms

Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Topline President Joe Biden on Thursday said the U.S. is committed to defending Taiwan—which faces mounting military and political pressure from China—prompting a clarification from the White House that U.S. policy towards the island which China claims as a part of its territory hasn’t changed. Key Facts When asked if the U.S. would come to the defense of Taiwan, Biden, who was speaking at a CNN town hall event, said, “Yes, we have a commitment to do that.” Biden’s statement—which is likely to anger Beijing—prompted an immediate clarification from the White House noting that the U.S. policy towards Taiwan had not changed and is still “guided by the Taiwan Relations Act,” Reuters reported . Under the act, the U.S. is required to help Taiwan bolster its self-defense capabilities but it does not guarantee Washington’s military intervention in case the Chinese military invades the island. Biden’s … [Read more...] about Biden Says U.S. Would Defend Taiwan Against China, Prompting Clarification From White House

MORE PROOF GOVERNMENT LOCKDOWNS CRUSHED AMERICA… WSJ: Red States Are Winning the Post-Pandemic Economy The pandemic has changed the geography of the American economy. By many measures, red states—those that lean Republican—have recovered faster economically than Democratic-leaning blue ones, with workers and employers moving from the coasts to the middle of the country and Florida. Since February 2020, the month before the pandemic began, the share of all U.S. jobs located in red states has grown by more than half a percentage point, according to an analysis of Labor Department data by the Brookings Institution think tank. Red states have added 341,000 jobs over that time, while blue states were still short 1.3 million jobs as of May. Several major companies have recently announced moves of their headquarters from blue to red states. Hedge-fund company Citadel said recently it would move its headquarters from Chicago to Miami, and Caterpillar Inc. plans to move from … [Read more...] about Editor Daily Rundown: Dem Circular Firing Squad Surrounds Biden

(Image credit: Screengrab from video tweeted by @Gerashchenko_en) A rescuer in Ukraine proposed to his partner with sirens ringing in the background, in one of the countless instances of people trying to cling to normalcy amid war. A video showed the rescuer, in uniform, getting down on one knee and his girlfriend tearfully hugging him. Onlookers holding balloons cheered and clapped for them. "This is our life now - we joke about 'war-life balance'," Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor to the Ukrainian government, tweeted on July 30. "This rescuer was saving people, now he is proposing. The siren wails for danger, now it sounds in joy. It is all intertwined, and no one's life is untouched by war in Ukraine," he added. This is our life now - we joke about "war-life balance". Close This rescuer was saving people, now he is proposing. The siren wails for danger, now it sounds in joy. It is all intertwined, and no one's life is untouched by war in Ukraine. … [Read more...] about ‘War-life balance’: Ukraine rescuer proposes to partner as sirens go off in background

DEM HANDWRINGING ACCELERATES… HILL : Democratic anxiety grows over Biden’s dismal polls Democrats are growing increasingly worried about President Biden’s standing in the polls seven months out from the midterm elections. Biden hasn’t seen a boost in his approval ratings amid Russia’s war in Ukraine despite support among Americans for the steps that he has taken. While the economy continues to gain jobs and the unemployment rate is low, something Biden touted on Friday, inflation is at a 40-year high and gas prices are through the roof, exacerbated by the Russian invasion. Democrats for months have feared they will lose the House majority this fall, and they are worried about losing the Senate, too, with polls showing Biden performing poorly in key states such as Arizona. “It’s bad,” said one Democratic strategist. “You have an energy crisis that’s paralyzing and inflation is at a 40-year high and we’re heading into a recession. The problem is simple. The American … [Read more...] about Editor Daily Rundown: Democrat Handwringing Accelerates Ahead Of Midterm Elections