Feed aggregator

François Molins, procureur de la république de Paris, a fait ce soir le point sur les attentats de Paris lors d’un point presse. Un bilan très lourd et é

Un article paru dans l’Opinion

Les services de renseignements français ont-ils perdu la main ? Lois, hommes, finances : aucun moyen n'a été économisé. Et pourtant…

The first part of this year’s European Defence Agency's (EDA) Annual Conference “European Defence Matters” has been accomplished. Prominent decision-makers and frontline leaders in European defence from the worlds of military, politics, industry and academics met on 16 November 2015 to discuss European defence.

The conference participants observed one minute of silence to pay tribute to the victims of terror attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015. In the light of these tragic events, the discussion on European defence has been given a very realistic dimension, proving that European defence does matter.

“Crisis situations are not reducing; they are on the increase. The demand for the EU to act as a security provider will continue to increase. We will only be able to adequately respond to this if the Union’s foreign policy ambitions are backed by the right defence capabilities at the right time, supplied by a globally competitive and technologically advanced industrial base in Europe,” said Jorge Domecq, the EDA Chief Executive. He also underlined the necessity to underpin political will by actions, and to translate it into military objectives. Jorge Domecq stressed that “Cooperation in defence is not a natural reflex. It needs to become so: to be part of our DNA.”

Keynote Speech

A keynote speech was delivered by Elżbieta Bieńkowska, the European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small Medium Sized Enterprises (SME). She underlined the importance of synergies between defence and industry. She also presented the Commission’s approach to defence, the work plan to follow as well as some ideas for stimulating defence research.

Elżbieta Bieńkowska stressed that Europe is able to provide security and contribute to international peace and stability. Regarding research, she insisted on reversing declines in spending to stimulate research: “European funding of research priorities can be a strong tool to bring all relevant actors together.” "We will only be successful if we are work together: the Commission, the European Parliament, the European Defence Agency, the European External Action Service and the Member States and industry,” she concluded.

Roundtable 1: „European defence capabilities: what’s next?”

The first roundtable discussions on the European defence cooperation and capabilities were led by prominent guests: Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, General Mikhail Kostarakos, (designate) Chairman of the EU Military Committee, Giovanni Soccodato,  Executive Vice President Strategy of the Markets and Business Development at Finmeccanica and Daniel Koštoval, Deputy Minister for Armaments and Acquisition of the Czech Republic.

The panel discussion raised the question of the future of European defence capabilities. Moreover, defence cooperation was analysed from a political, military and industrial viewpoint.

Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert assessed that “we do not need more wake-up calls” and insisted that the only way to protect national sovereignty through military means is by defence cooperation. She also called for sharing plans for capability development plans among the Member States.

General Mikhail Kostarakos drew attention to the defence spending stating that “to do more with less” is no longer a good solution as it may lead to loosing combat capabilities.

Daniel Koštoval emphasised that “a political will is required to allocate more money to defence and formulate where we are going”. He also identified the need to maintain “balanced armies” taking into consideration the whole spectrum, the light and heavy equipment. 

Giovanni Soccodato stressed the need for a common European market and a proper environment  for defence industry to consolidate.

The speakers recognised an important role of the European Defence Agency to play in terms of capability development.

More information:

• News "Annual Conference 2015: Speeches available" (17 Nov 2015)
• News "EDA Annual Conference: the second part" (17 Nov 2015)
• PDF "Welcome words by Jorge Domecq, Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency" (17 Nov 2015)
• Video "Opening keynote speech by Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner" (17 Nov 2015)
• Video "Special address by HR/VP Federica Mogherini" (17 Nov 2015)
• Video "Special address by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg" (17 Nov 2015)
• EDA Annual Conference 2015

Egyetlen cég, a City Parking Kft. jelentkezett a hargitai megyeszékhely fizetéses parkolóinak kezelésére kiírt közbeszerzésre. A kiírást nem óvták meg, a borítékbontás hétfőn zajlott.
Kategória: Aktuális/Csíkszék

How will Myanmar's new government affect relations between it and China?

Les parlementaires ont présélectionné sept personnes et livreront vendredi leur ticket final. Guy Parmelin et Oskar Freysinger sont sur les rangs.

Der Gerichtshof der Europäischen Union schließt sich dem Gedenken an die Opfer der Attentate vom 13. November in Paris an

The Court of Justice of the European Union adds its voice to the tributes paid to the victims of the attacks of 13 November in Paris

Az Európai Unió Bírósága tiszteleg a november 13-i párizsi merényletek áldozatainak emléke előtt

La Cour de justice de l’Union européenne s’associe à l’hommage rendu aux victimes des attentats du 13 novembre à Paris

Après les attaques perpétrées à Paris et à Saint-Denis qui ont fait au moins 129 morts et plus de 350 blessés, vendredi 13 novembre au soir, la France a marqué, ce lundi 16 novembre à midi, une minute de silence. A l’étranger, plusieurs pays se sont associés à cet hommage et notamment au Mali, au Burkina Faso, en Côte d’Ivoire et au Bénin.

Continuing my preference to poke at the sacred in military affairs, #CCLKOW this week presents the conundrum of what should be done with the ISIS rank and file in Iraq. Inspired by an article which tells a simple tale of one Iraqi ISIS fighter, this week’s post is focused on the singular question of how the various parties – local, regional, and global – will move forward when the war machine is defeated. Read the post, consider the issue, and join the discussion on Twitter on the hashtag.

 

The Nazi enterprise and war machine were unmistakably a blight upon history and the very complexion of European civilization. They fundamentally altered the demographics of a continent and laid bare the basest of human potential. Whether by ruthless war or an even more sinister program of genocide, the death toll for which they were responsible still boggles the mind. At the end of the war, it was very clear that those in positions of authority would have to be held responsible for these acts. Nevertheless, while the leadership was held to account, it was equally recognized that to punish the collective rank and file of the German armed forces would serve no purpose.

In the wake of a very dark night in Paris, the furthest thing from anyone’s minds is the thought of humanity for any ISIS fighter.

But I read today an article, “What I Discovered from Interviewing ISIS Prisoners,” by Lydia Wilson of ARTIS Research, about the profile of the average Iraqi who has joined the fight. I would highly recommend that folks go forth and read the whole thing, both to understand this piece as well as for the general consideration of the conflict in Iraq. However, what matters to this post is what came at the very end, this excerpt which confronts the reader:

These boys came of age under the disastrous American occupation after 2003, in the chaotic and violent Arab part of Iraq, ruled by the viciously sectarian Shia government of Nouri al-Maliki. Growing up Sunni Arab was no fun. A later interviewee described his life growing up under American occupation: He couldn’t go out, he didn’t have a life, and he specifically mentioned that he didn’t have girlfriends. An Islamic State fighter’s biggest resentment was the lack of an adolescence….They are not fueled by the idea of an Islamic caliphate without borders; rather, ISIS is the first group since the crushed Al Qaeda to offer these humiliated and enraged young men a way to defend their dignity, family, and tribe. This is not radicalization to the ISIS way of life, but the promise of a way out of their insecure and undignified lives; the promise of living in pride as Iraqi Sunni Arabs, which is not just a religious identity but cultural, tribal, and land-based, too.

The purpose of highlighting this point is not to join the chorus of blame, which serves little purpose beyond political point scoring. Rather, it is to shed a small bit of the light of humanity upon the issue of these ISIS fighters.

Returning to the opening, somehow, in the thoughts of leaders at the end of WWII, it was recognized that there was something in the German experience of the period between the end of WWI and the rise of Hitler’s Reich which made the horrors of that regime more palatable than rationality. If you want a visceral understanding of those dark days, I can recommend nothing more highly than the 1925 opera “Wozzeck” by Alban Berg. (Full version here.) The dismal and blighted life of the characters is set against possibly the most chilling and discordant music which combine to reflect the cost of the past war and the sense that something far worse was coming. If the mass of the population fell prey to Hitler’s awful promise, it is not difficult to understand why or how. And contemplating the lives of Iraq’s generation which had no youth, a similar perspective is possible.

Nothing can excuse the decisions and choices of the ISIS leadership. A Nuremberg of their own awaits those who survive to the end. I have a very special place of vengeance in my heart for those who have unleashed this current hell upon the region and now to Europe and very likely beyond. However, whether the same standard applies to all must be in some doubt. At the end of mankind’s last worst moment, some bit of humanity prevailed. After so much death and horror, perhaps it was decided there had been enough. We should consider that the same may be true in this time as well, that this interregnum of violence is not best ended with a further orgy of death.

And so my simple question for this week is, can we imagine any space for humanity for Iraq’s lost generation swept along by the currents of an abhorrent promise?

 

photo Marine Nationale 16.11.2015 par Fauteuil de Colbert Les bruits de coursives entourant la très prochaine projection du Groupe Aéronaval (GAn) laissent entrevoir un format du groupe aérien embarqué, manifestement, inédit depuis l'entrée eu service...

Csíkszeredai, kolozsvári és bukaresti cégeknél, valamint lakásokban is házkutatást tartottak hétfőn a Prahova megyei rendőrök, akik egy olyan bűnbanda után nyomoznak, amely hitelnyújtás keretében vert át magánszemélyeket.
Kategória:

Nagymértékben növelheti a szennyvíztisztítás hatékonyságát, ha sikerrel jár a Sapientia egyetem Biomérnöki Tanszékének több éve zajló kutatási projektje. Az egyelőre tesztelési fázisban lévő projektben már húsz új baktériumfajt sikerült kitenyészteni.
Kategória: Aktuális/Csíkszék

Le Cameroun est une cible privilégiée du groupe Boko Haram, qui se fait désormais appeler Etat islamique en Afrique de l'Ouest. Depuis plusieurs mois, l'Extrême-Nord du pays a connu près de 20 attentats-suicides. La population a dû s'habituer à vivre avec la menace permanente de nouvelles attaques. 

En décembre 2013, le Parlement adoptait la Loi de programmation militaire (LPM) 2014-2019, laquelle prévoyait la suppression de 33.675 postes au sein des forces armées afin de réduire la masse salariale du ministère de la Défense et de gagner ainsi un peu de marge de manoeuvre budgétaire. Presque un an plus tard, après les attentats […]

Cet article Le président Hollande annonce la fin des suppressions d’effectifs dans les armées et évoque la création d’une « garde nationale » est apparu en premier sur Zone Militaire.