Friday, April 1, 2011

World News Briefs -- April 1, 2011



Libyan Rebels Seek Cease-Fire as U.S. Vows to Withdraw Jets -- Bloomberg

April 1 (Bloomberg) -- Libyan rebels called for a cease- fire as forces loyal to Muammar Qaddafi drove them back for a third day after sandstorms and clouds hindered NATO air strikes and the U.S. said it’s withdrawing all warplanes.

Read more ....

MIDDLE EAST

Deaths in Syrian protest march for freedom. Syrian protesters clash with security forces. Protests in Damascus follow Friday prayer.

Rival protests fill streets as Yemen's President defiant. Fears of clashes as Yemenis demonstrate.

Hezbollah refuses to comment on Israeli maps allegedly detailing its military sites.

Don't meddle, Bahrainis tells Iran. Kuwait will expel Iran diplomats linked to spy cell, Qabas says.

ASIA

Japanese, US military search for tsunami victims. Radiation found in groundwater at Japan complex. Japan PM to visit disaster zone, nuclear crisis drags.

U.N. staffers killed in Afghanistan. Two U.N. staff killed in Afghanistan were beheaded: police.

Choose dialogue or war, N. Korea tells South.

AFRICA

Rag-tag rebels will not topple Gaddafi by military force, admits U.S. as dictator vows to stay in Libya 'until the end'. Gaddafi forces storm Misrata as rebels offer truce. 2 cabinet officials say U.S. isn’t likely to arm Libyans. Libyan government aide holds talks in Britain. Libyan opposition sets conditions for cease-fire.

Ivory Coast rebels seize state TV, control Gbagbo palace. Ivory Coast: Gbagbo and Ouattara in Abidjan battle. I. Coast battle rages as Gbagbo digs in.

Thousands protest to 'save the revolution' in Egypt. Egyptians rally in Cairo to 'save the revolution'.

EUROPE

Italy ships more than 2,000 migrants off island. EU slams France for sending North African migrants back to Italy.

Polish, Turkish experts open to U.S. withdrawing nukes from Europe.

Medvedev’s plan to oust Putin allies tests limits of power.

Italian anarchists claim mail bombs sent to Greece. Switzerland, Italy, that injured 3.

New Portuguese, Irish economic disclosures deepen European financial struggles.

AMERICAS

U.S. offers $5 million in killing of ICE agent.

Federal agents told to reduce border arrests, Arizona Sheriff says.

Mexico’s drug lords fall, but war goes on.

U.N. admits at least $600G lost on overpriced boat that housed Haiti peacekeepers.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Libyan conflict could spread missiles to extremists.

Al-Qaida tied to Tuesday's attack in Iraq?

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Toyota raises prices of almost all Scion, Lexus, Toyota models.

New auto sales in Japan plummet 37% after disaster.

Subprime bonds are back.

U.S. unemployment rate falls to 8.8 pct., two-year low.

Breaking News: Gates Offered Retired Aircraft Carriers To China

Aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63)

From Alert 5:

During his recent visit to Beijing, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Chinese President Hu Jingtao that Washington is willing to sell retired USS Kitty Hawk and USS Ranger to China to help narrow the trade deficit between both countries.

Read more ....

My Comment: One more reason (or opinion) on why Sec. of Defense Gates should be fired.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 1, 2011



US Ending Its Air Combat Role in Libya -- ABC News

Gates says US ending its air combat role in Libya, leaving the heavy lifting to allies

The Pentagon is about to pull its attack planes out of the international air campaign in Libya, hoping NATO partners can take up the slack.

The announcement Thursday drew incredulous reactions from some in Congress who wondered aloud why the Obama administration would bow out of a key element of the strategy for protecting Libyan civilians and crippling Moammar Gadhafi's army.

Read more ....

MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS

U.S. Gunships Will Be ‘on Standby’ in NATO’s Libya War -- The Danger Room

Libyan Ops Costing USAF $4M Each Day -- Defense News

Airmen return home from Libyan airstrike -- Rapid City Journal (h/t: Alert 5)

NATO Now in Full Control of Libya Mission
-- Defense News

Rebels: Gaddafi using Israeli weapons -- Ynet News

China’s National Defense in 2010 -- Chinese Ministry Of Defense

China's nuclear facilities 'safe,' military says in defense review -- CNN

Hezbollah refuses to comment on Israeli maps allegedly detailing its military sites -- Daily Star

Russia employs Arctic brigade to defend oil and gas reserves -- RIA Novosti

NATO to Deploy Mobile Counter-IED Labs by Late 2011 -- Defense News

Indian Govt okays sacking of 'honeytrapped' Navy officer -- Times Of India

British military unveils lavish royal wedding plans, including flypast after couple tie knot -- AP

Japanese, US military search for tsunami victims -- Yahoo News/AP

U.S. Military Commander Prepared for the Day After -- Wall Street Journal

Hardship pay authorized for some civilians, but not military, in Japan -- Stars And Stripes

Cost, Risk Scuttled Planned Raptor Data Upgrade -- Defense News

F-22s Won’t Get F-35 Datalinks,Yet -- DoD Buzz

Military bases in AFRICOM
-- Armchair Generalist

Air Force officials present budget to appropriations committees -- U.S. Air Force

Q: Why So Long For a New Bomber? A: Money, Honey -- DoD Buzz

DNI Drags Heels on GAO Access to Intelligence -- Secrecy News

All-female team launches historic mission over Afghanistan
-- Bagram Airfield

Navy now says 11 hurt in Hornet engine fire
-- Military Times

US Army to Test, Evaluate SoldierEyes, FASTCOM Systems -- Defense Talk

Army suicide prevention efforts raising privacy concerns -- USA Today

2010 Military Spouse of the Year lauded for website creation
-- Cannon Connections

Alaska May Let Troops Drink at 18
-- Newser

Military Deaths Nearly Every Day in March; Almost a Third are Californians -- Salem-News

US Ending Its Air Combat Role In Libya By Withdrawing Its Ground-Attack Aircraft



Pentagon To Withdraw Ground-Attack Aircraft, Leaving Allies To Handle Bulk Of Libya Sorties -- L.A. Times

But with Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi's troops regaining the offensive against beleaguered rebels, questions have deepened as to whether NATO can handle the mission without U.S. firepower.

The Pentagon said it would soon withdraw jet fighters and ground-attack planes from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization-led air campaign in Libya, a move that U.S. lawmakers warned could make the airstrikes less effective in preventing Moammar Kadafi's forces from attacking opposition-held areas.

But the U.S. is keeping combat aircraft, including AC-130s and A-10 ground-attack planes, on standby in case the operation's Canadian commander, Lt. Gen. Charles Bouchard, requests U.S. help, said Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Thursday. He said the U.S. was not ruling out sending American warplanes back over Libya if NATO proved unable to halt Kadafi's advancing forces.

Read more
....

More News On The U.S. Ending Combat Air Operations Over Libya

U.S. ending Libya air assault at crucial time -- CBS News
US to pull out of Libya air attacks -- Press Association
US 'To Pull' Attack Aircraft From Libya -- SKY News
Gates says US ending its air combat role in Libya, leaving the heavy lifting to allies -- Canadian Press/AP
Libyan Rebels Seek Cease-Fire After U.S. Vows to Withdraw Jets -- Bloomberg Businessweek
U.S. Gunships Will Be ‘on Standby’ in NATO’s Libya War -- The Danger Room

My Comment: Talk about horrible timing .... with Libyan forces loyal to Gaddafi now getting the upper hand ... the U.S. decides to (effectively) leave?!?!?!? This is very odd and very disturbing.

More Mass Defections From Gaddafi's Inner Circle?

Defector: Libya's ex-Foreign Minister Musa Kusa has fled to the UK and several senior figures could follow him

Now 12 More Of Gaddafi's Tyrant Men Head to Britain: Regime Faces Collapse As 'Dirty Dozen' Follow Musa Kusa -- Daily Mail

A 'dirty dozen' of senior Libyan officials are expected to follow Musa Kusa and defect from Colonel Gaddafi’s inner circle, leaving his regime on the verge of collapse.

Security sources claimed last night that two senior ministers in the Libyan government with long-standing links to the UK were already in Tunis discussing terms with British and French intelligence officers.

Rumours were swirling that Gaddafi’s head of intelligence and his Europe minister are also on the run.

Read more ....

My Comment:
This news is probably just bravado and part of the propaganda war, Gaddafi's intelligence chief Bouzeid Dorda has already denied the rumors that he has defected. For a look at who has defected and who still remains in Gaddafi's inner circle .... the list is here.

U.S. Congress Nervous On The Direction Of The Libyan War



Gates, Mullen Face Hostile Libya Questions -- CNN

Washington (CNN) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday defended the administration's decision to intervene in Libya, arguing that military action was necessary to prevent a humanitarian disaster that could have sparked a refugee crisis while potentially destabilizing Egypt, Tunisia and the broader Middle East.

Gates, appearing with Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen before skeptical members of the House and Senate Armed Services committees, insisted that the "time and conditions were ripe for international military action."

Moammar Gadhafi will "kill as many (people) as he must to crush the rebellion," Mullen warned.

Read more ....

More News On Yesterday's Gates/Mullen Appearance In Front Of The House And Senate Armed Services Committees

Statement on Libya by Robert Gates (House Armed Services Committee) -- Robert M. Gates, Voltairenet.org
Robert Gates, Michael Mullen take heat in Senate -- Politico
White House called to mat on Libya -- UPI
Adm. Mullen: Bad Weather Hampering Libya Air Strikes -- RTT
Gates warns on protracted Libya conflict -- Financial Times
Gates, Mullen get tough questioning from House members on US involvement in Gadhafi’s Libya -- Washington Post
Gates, Mullen quizzed on Libya -- UPI
US military chiefs grilled on Libya strategy -- ABC News (Australia)
Gates, Mullen downplay nature of Libya mission -- Army Times
Defense Secretary Gates Likens Libyan Rebels' Chaos To 'Pick-Up Ballgame' -- NPR
Gates: U.S. lacks "visibility" into rebels -- CBS
2 Cabinet Officials Say U.S. Isn’t Likely to Arm Libyans -- New York Times
U.S. to 'ramp down' role in Libya, defense chief says -- Seattle Times/McClatchy News
Gates: no comment on any CIA role in Libya -- Reuters

With the Defection Of Musa Kusa, Will We Now Know The Story Of The Lockerbie Bombing



'Put Him On Trial': U.S. Lockerbie Families Urge 'Soft Touch' Britain To Bring Gaddafi Defector To Justice -- Daily Mail

* Musa Kusa, the brains behind Lockerbie bombing, defects to UK
* Calls for Kusa to face court for 'war crimes'
* Lockerbie relative hails a 'great day' in search for truth of atrocity

Relatives of American victims of the Lockerbie bombing today demanded the British government bring to justice the former Libyan foreign minister after he defected to the UK.

Musa Kusa is said to have been the brains behind the 1988 bombing of the Pan Am flight - which killed 270 people - and was today being questioned in a 'secure location' in the UK after defecting following pressure from British intelligence.

Read more
....

Update: Dilemma over defector's 'electrifying' Lockerbie information -- The Telegraph

My Comment: I have trouble seeing someone like Musa Kusa defecting without coming to some agreement with Britain on how he should be treated. I suspect that there is more to this story than what is being publicized, and we will not know about it until later (much later).