More than 200 military officers from 49 countries are working at US CENTCOM headquarters at McDill Air Force Base,Florida,CENTCOM commander General Joseph Votel,US Army,told the House Armed Services Committee on 27 February 2018:
We are grateful for,and largely depend upon,their partnership.*
In the course of the hearing,General Votel responded to a number of strategically important topics raised by the Members of Congress,mainly concerned with terrorism in South Asia and North Africa,as well as the malign role of Iran in the region.A classified session followed the open session.*
On Iran,General Votel noted that:
The increasing,not just quantity,but quality of their ballistic missiles,and the increasing export of these capabilities to other groups around the region.These weapons threaten to widen the conflict in Yemen,threatening our forces in Saudi Arabia,as well as our partners.They have sent coastal defence cruise missiles to the Bab el Mandeb Strait-some of them have been modified.We know these are not capabilities that the Houthi rebels in Yemen had.The presence of explosive boats,the increased presence of mines in this area are all very similar to the layered threats that Iran has posed to the Strait of Hormuz,and we hold them accountable for that.
Their continuing and changing power projection model-not only their own forces,but their proxies and partners that they are attempting to support around the region.We are helping Saudi Arabia to optimise their capabilities-many of which are from the US-and we are seeing some progress in that regard.*
On foreign fighters leaving following the massive defeats of ISIL in Iraq and Syria and going home to Turkey (900 fighters) and Saudi Arabia (1760 fighters):
They have experience and tactics that could be applied to other places.They're radicalised;so they have the ability to bring others on board with this.We have always attempted to isolate these areas and prevent the escape of these fighters,so they're either killed or captured where we take them on,and I think that we're successful in that.We do have some ability to interdict foreign fighters as they attempt to evacuate the areas.
Turkey has been absolutely vital to the campaign plan.We're keeping clear,open and professional lines of communication to Turkey as to what we're doing with other partners.*
Success in Afghanistan and in South Asia will require a strong relationship and the cooperation of Pakistan.I do have frequent and routine,very professional communications with my counterpart.We talk almost weekly.We meet frequently face-to-face.I can't characterise the relationship as trustful at this particular point.There is a lot of history there that has to be overcome;but what I would also tell you is,we are beginning to see positive indications.Through these communications,they're reporting to us some of the actions they are taking on the ground.There are positive indications that they are moving in the right direction.It does not yet equal the decisive action that we would like to see them take in turns of a strategic shift,but they are positive indicators,and it gives me hope that our approach is the right one.It gives me hope that we can restore this very important relationship.*
US strikes in Yemen have had a very significant impact on Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.Certainly it has impacted their ability to conduct external operations.It's gone to the areas where they have had sanctuary;it has continued to present them multiple dilemmas that they have had to deal with;so not only are they contending with our strikes,but they're also contending with partner operations that we work up with our Arab partners on the ground and our Yemeni partners on the ground.And this has become very,very effective.And I will tell you that we are extending that to ISIS in Yemen as well.That is not as well-developed as AQ is,but of course it is ISIS.We understand their ideology;we understand where they're going,and so we're concerned about them as well.*
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Monday, February 26, 2018
Friday, February 23, 2018
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Lefkosia:Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus Marks Major Anniversary
His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of New Justiniana and All Cyprus is celebrating the fortieth anniversary of his consecration to the episcopacy on 25 February 1978,as Metropolitan of Paphos,this weekend in Lefkosia,Cyprus.Attending the events are two Orthodox Patriarchs:His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa,and His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East.His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain and His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon of Vrioulon,Greece are carrying the good wishes of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to Archbishop Chrysostomos,and representatives of the other autocephalous Orthodox Churches are also expected at the observances.
The principal event will be the festal and hierarchal Divine Liturgy on Sunday 25 February,the Sunday of Orthodoxy,which is the first Sunday of Great Lent,commemorating the final restoration of the holy icons by St.Theodora the Empress in the ninth century.The service will be held at the Church of the God of Wisdom in Lefkosia,Cyprus.On Sunday afternoon,a ceremony and reception in honour of Archbishop Chrysostomos will be held at the church.*
A native of Paphos,Cyprus,Archbishop Chrysostomos was born on 10 April 1941.Admitted to the novitiate at the Holy Monastery of St.Neophytos,he attended the Paphos gymnasium (high school),graduating in 1963.On 3 November 1963,he was ordained to the diaconate.Having matriculated in the University of Athens in 1968,he graduated in 1972 and,on 19 October of that year,was elected Igoumenos (abbot) of HM St.Neophytos.On 5 November 2006,he was elected Archbishop of Cyprus and enthroned on 12 November.*
The very ancient Church of Cyprus was established by the Apostle Barnabas.Its autocephaly was affirmed by Canon 8 of the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus in 431:
Therefore the Rulers of the holy churches in Cyprus shall enjoy,without dispute or injury,according to the canons of the blessed Fathers and ancient custom,the right of performing for themselves the ordination of their excellent Bishops.
The principal event will be the festal and hierarchal Divine Liturgy on Sunday 25 February,the Sunday of Orthodoxy,which is the first Sunday of Great Lent,commemorating the final restoration of the holy icons by St.Theodora the Empress in the ninth century.The service will be held at the Church of the God of Wisdom in Lefkosia,Cyprus.On Sunday afternoon,a ceremony and reception in honour of Archbishop Chrysostomos will be held at the church.*
A native of Paphos,Cyprus,Archbishop Chrysostomos was born on 10 April 1941.Admitted to the novitiate at the Holy Monastery of St.Neophytos,he attended the Paphos gymnasium (high school),graduating in 1963.On 3 November 1963,he was ordained to the diaconate.Having matriculated in the University of Athens in 1968,he graduated in 1972 and,on 19 October of that year,was elected Igoumenos (abbot) of HM St.Neophytos.On 5 November 2006,he was elected Archbishop of Cyprus and enthroned on 12 November.*
The very ancient Church of Cyprus was established by the Apostle Barnabas.Its autocephaly was affirmed by Canon 8 of the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus in 431:
Therefore the Rulers of the holy churches in Cyprus shall enjoy,without dispute or injury,according to the canons of the blessed Fathers and ancient custom,the right of performing for themselves the ordination of their excellent Bishops.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Monday, February 19, 2018
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Friday, February 16, 2018
Thursday, February 15, 2018
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
NATO Defence Ministerial:Major Decisions Taken on New Commands - plus is Russia militarising Kaliningrad
The first day of the NATO Defence Ministerial has concluded in Brussels with big decisions being made on the new command structure elements.According to Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg,speaking at a news conference to summarise the meeting:
We took major decisions to modernise the NATO command structure.It is the backbone of our Alliance,and it enables our 29 nations to act as one;it allows us to run our missions and operations,and to train and act in case of a crisis with the right forces in the right place at the right time.
We will establish a new joint force command for the Atlantic,to help protect sea lines of communication between North America and Europe.
We will establish a new support command for logistics,reinforcements and military mobility-improving the movement of troops and equipment is essential to our collective deterrence and defence.
We will also set up a cyber operations centre at our military headquarters in SHAPE to further strengthen our defence.*
There will also be some new land component commands,Mr.Stoltenberg said,but no final decisions on location have been taken.That will be addressed at the July Summit.The US has offered to host the new Atlantic command,and Germany has offered to host the new logistics support and enablement command.*
Reportedly,Germany said it could host the logistics command near Koln or Bonn.*
In response to a reporter's question about Russia beefing up its military posture in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad between Poland and Lithuania,Mr.Stoltenberg noted that:
We have seen that they are investing in their infrastructure;we have seen that they are strengthening their military presence in Kaliningrad;but whether they have now deployed Iskanders (short-range ballistic missiles) is something I will not comment on.That's an intelligence matter and I will not comment on our intelligence on these issues;but I will only call on Russia to be transparent.
We took major decisions to modernise the NATO command structure.It is the backbone of our Alliance,and it enables our 29 nations to act as one;it allows us to run our missions and operations,and to train and act in case of a crisis with the right forces in the right place at the right time.
We will establish a new joint force command for the Atlantic,to help protect sea lines of communication between North America and Europe.
We will establish a new support command for logistics,reinforcements and military mobility-improving the movement of troops and equipment is essential to our collective deterrence and defence.
We will also set up a cyber operations centre at our military headquarters in SHAPE to further strengthen our defence.*
There will also be some new land component commands,Mr.Stoltenberg said,but no final decisions on location have been taken.That will be addressed at the July Summit.The US has offered to host the new Atlantic command,and Germany has offered to host the new logistics support and enablement command.*
Reportedly,Germany said it could host the logistics command near Koln or Bonn.*
In response to a reporter's question about Russia beefing up its military posture in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad between Poland and Lithuania,Mr.Stoltenberg noted that:
We have seen that they are investing in their infrastructure;we have seen that they are strengthening their military presence in Kaliningrad;but whether they have now deployed Iskanders (short-range ballistic missiles) is something I will not comment on.That's an intelligence matter and I will not comment on our intelligence on these issues;but I will only call on Russia to be transparent.
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Friday, February 9, 2018
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
Video on the Neo-Martyr St.Vladimir,Metropolitan of Kiev and Galich,who was executed by the Bolsheviks 100 years ago.It is narrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Antony of Boryspil and Brovary,Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) - Путь на Голгофу священномученика Владимира (Богоявленского): шаг за шагом.
Monday, February 5, 2018
Saturday, February 3, 2018
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