Small Wars Journal

2 September SWJ Roundup

Tue, 09/02/2014 - 9:11am

Small Wars Journal Daily Roundup

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USNI Daily - Real Clear Defense - Real Clear World - The Daily Humanitarian

BBC - CNN World - CSM World - LAT World - NYT World - WP World

Security Clearance - Stars & Stripes - War on the Rocks - War Council

War is Boring - Warscapes - WhyDev - Wings Over Iraq - VOA

WP National Security - WT National Security - American Forces Press Service

AidSpeak - Air Force Times - Armed Forces Journal

AOL Defense - Army Times - At War - Barefoot Strategist - CSM Backchannels

DEFCON Hill - Best Defense - Danger Room - Defense News

Defense One - Defense Tech - DoD Buzz - The Diplomat - Clausewitz Homepage

Early Warning - Eurasia Review - Foreign Affairs - Foreign Policy - Fortuna’s Corner

Ground Force Dialogue - David Ignatius - Defense in Depth - Defense Tech

Early Warning Blog - Feral Jundi - Infinity Journal

Informal Institute for National Security Thinkers and Practitioners

Information Dissemination - The Interpreter - Kings of War - Londonstani

Long War Journal - Marine Corps Gazette - Marine Corps Times

Maritime Executive - The Military Leader - Military Review

MountainRunner - National Defense - Navy Times - Next Navy - Parameters - RUSI

ZenPundit - CNA - CNAS - CSIS - ILW - ISW - Rand - TJF - USIP

 

*SWJ Daily Roundup Tip Jar*

 

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Iraq

Fighting Continues in Iraq After Shiite Town Liberated - WP

Amnesty: Islamic State Ethnic Cleansing on a 'Historic Scale' - VOA

IS Accused of Iraq Ethnic Cleansing - BBC

Iraqi Prime Minister Pledges to Root Out Militants - AP

Iraqi Military Takes Another Town From Islamic State - VOA

Fighting Continues in Iraq After Shiite Town Liberated - WP

Iraq Forces Push Against Jihadists - BBC

Obama Notifies Congress of Airstrikes in Iraq - AP

Military Airstrikes Hit ISIL Near Mosul Dam - AFPS

Yazidis Tell Harrowing Tales of Torture, Mass Killings, Abduction - S&S

Germany to Arm Kurds Battling ISIS - NYT

Germany Sends Arms to Iraqi Kurds - Bloomberg

Germany Arms Iraqi Kurds Against IS - BBC

UN to Send Team to Iraq for Inquiry on ISIS Acts - NYT

UN to Send Team to Investigate Islamic State Crimes in Iraq - Reuters

The PKK Rumbles in Northern Iraq - TNI Opinion

Kurdish Pesh Merga: Tarnishing a Reputation as Storied Warriors - NYT Opinion

 

Syria

US Leaving Free Syrian Army Leaders Out of Military Planning - McClatchy

Militants Add Cluster Bombing to Tactics, Rights Group Says - NYT

Filipino Force Defied UN Commander in Golan Crisis - AP

To Beat ISIS, Focus on Syria - NYT Opinion

 

Ukraine / Russia

Ukraine in 'Great War' with Russia - BBC

Ukraine Vows to Continue Fight as Russia Calls for Cease-fire - WP

Ukraine's Poroshenko Accuses Russia of 'Open Aggression' - VOA

Pro-Russian Rebels Lower Demands in Ukraine Peace Talks - AP

UN Chief: Political Dialogue Solution to Ukraine Crisis - VOA

Finland’s Lesson for Ukraine - NYT Opinion

 

Afghanistan

Abdullah Threatens to Withdraw From Afghan Political Process - VOA

Afghanistan’s Election Stalemate Casts Shadow on NATO Summit - S&S

Middle-Class Kabul District Braces for Taliban - WP

The Karzai Coup and Kerry's Failed Recount - FP Opinion

The Taliban Is Running Low on Foreign Fighters - WIB Opinion

 

Terrorists / Militants

Lawmakers: Islamic State Groups Wants to Hit US - AP

Senator: Obama May Be Too Cautious With Militants - AP

In the Sahara, More Pentagon Drones - WP

Islamic State Group Becomes Target of Arab Satire - AP

Britain May Strip Suspected Islamist Fighters of Passports - VOA

UK Outlines New Anti-Terror Plans - BBC

UK: Passports Could be Seized to Fight Terrorism - AP

Why ISIS Is Our Problem - TNY Opinion

To Beat ISIS, Focus on Syria - NYT Opinion

Obama’s Strategy Includes Unity First - WP Opinion

 

NATO

Wales Summit Will Test NATO’s Vision in Wake of New Threats - S&S

NATO Weighs Rapid Response Force for Eastern Europe - NYT

NATO to Establish Quick-Response ‘Spearhead Force’ - S&S

NATO Plans Rapid Response Force - BBC

Afghanistan’s Election Stalemate Casts Shadow on NATO Summit - S&S

Russia to Alter Military Strategy Towards NATO - BBC

Russia to Revise Military Doctrine in Response to NATO - NYT

Moscow Will Review Military Strategy in Face of NATO Plan - WP

Erase the Line Between Old and New NATO - GMF Opinion

Scrimping on NATO - NYT Opinion

 

United States

Obama Faces a Chaotic World and the Limits of Power - VOA

Some Military Hospitals Said to Put Patients at Risk - NYT

Hiring Process is an Adjustment for Veterans... and Companies - SAE-N

Here's a Strategy: Boost Defense Spending - NR Opinion

US Foreign Policy: Vigilant Cynicism - WP Opinion

Obama’s Messy Words - NYT Opinion

The New History Wars - NYT Opinion

 

United Kingdom

UK Outlines New Anti-Terror Plans - BBC

Britain May Strip Suspected Islamist Fighters of Passports - VOA

British Leader’s Plan Targets Jihadists’ Passports - NYT

Passports Could be Seized to Fight Terrorism - AP

 

Africa

Pentagon Expands Africa Footprint - WP

US Military Conducts Operation in Somalia, Pentagon Says - CNN

US Troops Take Action on Militants in Somalia - NYT

US Carries Out Counterterrorism Strike in Somalia - WP

US Conducts Military Operation in Somalia Against al-Shabab - S&S

Somalia: US 'Targets al-Shabab's Leader' - BBC

Corruption Concerns Taint Burgeoning China-Africa Trade - VOA

Heavy Clashes Between Soldiers, Militants in Northern Nigeria - VOA

Nigeria Militants 'Seize' Major Town - BBC

Nigeria Militants 'Suffer Losses' - BBC

Was it a Coup? Lesotho Unsure Amid Political Crisis - VOA

Lesotho Military Action Ruled Out - BBC

WHO: First Ebola Case in Senegal Is 'Top Priority Emergency' - VOA

Step Up the Ebola Response - WP Editorial

 

Americas / Caribbean

Mixed Signals on Second Migrant Wave at US Border - VOA

On Trial, Venezuelan Opposition Leader Faces Long Odds - WP

El Salvador Gangs Re-launch Truce - BBC

Cuba Enacts New Rules to Restrict Imports - VOA

Cuba Introduces New Customs Limits - BBC

 

Asia / Pacific

Philippines Foil Bomb Plot Aimed at Airport, Chinese Targets - VOA

Tensions Still Simmer Between Vietnam, China - VOA

China Accuses UK MPs of Hong Kong 'Interference' - BBC

China’s Anti-Dissent Playbook May Fail in Hong Kong - WP

3 Americans Held in North Korea Appeal for US Help - VOA

In Interviews, 3 Americans Held in North Korea Plead for US Help - NYT

Americans Detained in North Korea Call for US Help - AP

US Works to Free Trio in North Korea - BBC

Hong Kong’s Democracy Dilemma - NYT Opinion

 

Europe

Germany’s New Anti-Euro Party Chides Merkel - Reuters

Turkey Accuses 33 Police of Plotting to Overthrow Government - VOA

Bosnian Serbs Held for 1992 Killings - BBC

 

Middle East / North Africa

Britain 'Deplores’ Israeli Claim of West Bank Land - VOA

Iran Clerics 'Must Accept Internet' - BBC

Iranian President Urges Clerics to Tolerate Internet - AP

Egypt Police Killed in Sinai Attack - BBC

Libyan Militias Seize Control of Capital as Chaos Rises - NYT

Libya Militias 'Seize Ministries' - BBC

 

South Asia

Pakistan Faces Growing Crisis as Protests Mount - WP

Pakistani Protesters Ransack State Television Headquarters - NYT

Pakistani Security Clears Protesters From State TV Station - VOA

Pakistan MPs Hold Emergency Session - BBC

Pakistan Lawmakers Hold Emergency Meeting Amid Political Impasse - VOA

Nuclear Vow at Japan-India Talks - BBC

 

*SWJ Daily Roundup Tip Jar*

Comments

Bill M.

Wed, 09/03/2014 - 12:38pm

In reply to by davidbfpo

This article provides more insight. I don't have much information, but it doesn't seem logical that ordering the Philippine peacekeeping contingent to surrender would have resulted in the safe release of the Fijians. Also interesting comments on honor being part of the reason they defied the order (fear, honor, and interest).

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/110440/ph-peacekeepers-defied-un-order…

This is all I could find on the Fijian contingent. It has a lot of insight on the Fijians, but not so much on why they surrendered other than disappointment. The call during normal military operations (not bizzare UN peacekeeping missions) belongs to the commander on the ground. Don't want to second guess him, we'll just have to wait for the facts.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/09/03/capture-45-fiji-troops-in-syria…

""It's the duty of every soldier to not be disarmed, to resist being captured," he said. "It's a shock to every former soldier like me to know this has happened. It's quite a big blow to our martial traditions. Fijians have been known as warriors down through the ages."

But Philippine Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang said the Fijians may have had little choice because they were cornered after they retreated to a bunker."

davidbfpo

Wed, 09/03/2014 - 4:09am

One must ask did the UNDOF Commander order the Fijian soldiers to surrender? Personally I would have expected the Filipinos to have surrendered first, not the Fijians.

Filipino Force Defied UN Commander in Golan Crisis - AP

"The Philippine military said Monday that a U.N. peacekeeping commander in the Golan Heights should be investigated for allegedly asking Filipino troops to surrender to Syrian rebels who had attacked and surrounded their camp."

The UNDOF commander, LTG Singha, who gave the order for the Filipino troops to surrender to the extremists attacking them is from India, so this doesn't reflect well on India. Fortunately Philippine Army leadership in Manila intervened and told his troops to not follow the order.