Agrégateur de flux

French President Emmanuel Macron's repeated suggestions that French and allied troops could be sent to support Kyiv have caused something

On 14 February, Paris's administrative court of appeal overturned a ruling that would have allowed Lieutenant-Colonel L. to be given

Paris - The cost of DGSI Arabic interpreter's extended leaveThe contractor began working as an interpreter and translator from Arabic

I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Harold Rhode.

Dr. Harold Rhode has a Ph.D. in Islamic history and lived for years in the Muslim world. He served as an advisor on the Islamic world to the Department of Defense for 28 years.

Dr. Harold Rhode

Do all of the signatories to the Abraham Accords, Arabs and Israelis, see the Abraham Accord the same way?

We Jews want people to love us. And the peace we are looking for is that you will stop fighting, and we will stop fighting, and everyone will live together in peace. But the Muslims do not have a concept like that. They won't stop until the whole world will be Muslim. They follow what their prophet Muhammad did. He signed a 10-year ceasefire with Quraysh. After 2 years, Muhammad realized Quraysh had weakened -- so he attacked them, and won. There is a classic Latin phrase "Bellum omnium contra omnes, pace inter omnes interpellatur," that war is the natural state of man, interrupted by periods of peace.

We do not look at life like that, but historically most people do. From a Muslim point of view, they can agree to have relations with their enemies -- whether they be Muslims, Jews, or anybody else. They can make temporary agreements just like their prophet did. Those agreements can be renewed, renewed, and renewed. But to think that the Saudis see peace the way we Jews see it is a pipe dream. 

In 1949, after Israel's War of Independence, there was a peace conference in Rhodes. The Arabs insisted the borders be called "ceasefire lines" and not borders. The situation was not set in stone. Arabs do not have the concept that when the fighting is over, we can be friends. If we think we will have a peace agreement with the Saudis in the way we understand peace, we will be disappointed. 

Does this mean the Abraham Accords are a pipe dream?

No, that does not mean the Abraham Accords are an illusion. We can have agreements with the Arab countries -- as long as we have things they want from us, such as hi-tech, connections to the outside world, and alternate routes in place of the Suez Canal. They are interested in what is in it for them, not for the sake of friendship. Friendship is between people. Countries ally themselves because of common interests. The Abraham Accords are not about peace; they are about what is in both sides' interest. 

The Arab word “salam” has nothing to do with the Hebrew word shalom. Shalom comes from the root for "completeness." The word "shalaim", means to pay. When two people come to an agreement on a price, that payment completes the process.

In Arabic, the word “salam” is similar to the Hebrew word “shalom,” but they do not have the same meaning. “Islam” and “salam,” come from the same Arabic root. Islam means “submission,” while “salam” means something like the special sense of joy that someone has by submitting to Allah’s will through Islam. Shalom, on the other hand, means letting bygones be bygones, a concept that is totally alien to Islam. Clearly, "salam" and "shalom" do not mean the same thing.

The following example illustrates the Arabic meaning of the word in a Muslim context: If you take a look at the correspondence between Yemen and Saudi Arabia during the war in 1934, the leaders of the two sides wrote the most threatening things to each other -- and then closed their letters with "salam alaikum". These leaders hated each other, but they were fellow Muslims addressing each other. So if "salam" meant peace, how could they end their letters to each other with “salam alaikum?” How could they close their letters with "Peace be unto you"? Because the phrase has nothing to do with peace -- it is about submission to Allah, which both of them, as fellow Muslims, are required to do.”

So, we are dealing with cultures that are so incredibly different from ours, from the Western culture, which is partially based on the Hebrew culture.

I am for the Abraham Accords, very strongly so. The Arab countries are interested because Israel is strong. The proof of that goes back to when contact between Israel and the UAE became serious. Netanyahu spoke before Congress against the Iran deal in 2015, in defiance of the US. He showed Israel was an independent country that could make its own decisions, and was willing to stand up to the US. That was when the Arab countries decided they could do business directly with Israel. It is why Saudi Arabia and Israel have had good relations for a long while and both have a strong dislike for Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas, and the Muslim Brotherhood.

But wouldn't you think that at some point the "experts" would catch on to the fact that the Arab world is different?

No, not at all. Few of these “experts” know the languages or haven’t taken the time to learn about and understand the cultures of the Muslim world. They think anyone who speaks English is a closet American. The White House ignored the Kurds, but when Iraq was liberated during The Gulf War, the White House greeted them as part of Iraq. A State Department senior official approached the Kurds and told them, "You have to stop thinking of yourselves as Kurds; you have to think of yourselves as Iraqis."  

The experts don't read Bernard Lewis. They read Edward Said. His approach is that you can never understand another culture, so don't waste your time trying to. Don't learn the languages and don't learn the culture. Bernard Lewis' attitude was quite different. He said you had to immerse yourself in the culture and the language. You have to try to understand what they are doing and saying in terms of their culture. In modern parlance, what the experts are doing is the equivalent of telling a person not to think of themselves as a man or a woman, but rather as a human. 

I recall the reaction of a very senior leader when war broke out in Syria in 2011. I suggested this was nothing more than the return of the ancient Shiite-Sunni conflict. His response was, "Well, we can't have that!" I said to myself it didn't matter if we could or could not have it. The fact is that they see it this way. The reality is the reality, and if you choose to ignore it, you do so at your own peril.

Let's talk about October 7. On the one hand, Israel's weakness was revealed by the Hamas attack. On the other hand, Israel has entered Gaza and taken the battle to Hamas to a degree few could have predicted.

Hamas misread the Jews. 

But how do the Saudis and the rest of the Gulf states read this? Do they see this as a sign of Israeli weakness or do they see Israel's reaction as a sign of Israel's strength?

They understand strength very well and Israel has come back very strongly. That part of the world has immense patience -- the Jews don't, but everyone else there does. They know how to wait. Let the Saudis put off signing the agreement. I don't really care if there is a formal agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, because their relationship is so strong. The relationship is between governments, because these Arab countries rule from the top, down, unlike in a democracy, where leaders are elected by the people and must take into account the will of the people they lead.

Israelis seem to have a Westernized view of the Middle East. You would think they would have a keener insight and understanding of their Arab neighbors.

Superficially, Israel is a Westernized country. But when you scratch the surface, you see how the Israelis have reacted to the issue of judicial reforms, which the Arabs saw as a weakness -- it is another reason why Hamas decided to pounce now -- but Israel has created a younger generation, who are going to have a huge say after this, a revolution against the politics, military, intelligence, and the media: "We put our lives on the line -- not for you, but for the Jewish people." That is what they are saying. We will see where all this leads. It is only going to be healthy.

Megjelent az STÉ üzemméret számításról szóló tájékoztató az új pályázati ciklusra vonatkozóan. A módosítás során változott az üzemméret számítási módszertana, valamint emelkedett az elvárt mezőgazdasági tevékenységből származó üzemméret.

Zwischen innenpolitischer Transition und außenpolitischem Aufstieg

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has published its call on 15 March 2024 for applications for the 2024 edition of its Defence Innovation Prize, which this year is dedicated to technologies for maritime situational awareness in terms of critical infrastructure protection and technologies for smart sensing. The prize winners are expected to propose ideas which would, if implemented between now and 2030, contribute to improving and enhance specific EU defence capabilities. A total of two prizes (one prize per category) will be awarded for the best innovative ideas. The winning ideas or concepts will each be awarded €30,000 and presented during the EDA Annual Conference 2024.

Open for applications 

Proposals for this edition of the EDA Defence Innovation Prize must be in the scope of one of the following topics:

• Topic 1: Innovative concepts, technologies, and solutions for critical maritime infrastructure protection.
• Topic 2: Cognitive sensing for enhanced ISTAR systems performance in defence applications.

The EDA Defence Innovation Prize aims to stimulate defence technological innovation in Europe by supporting non-defence Research and Technology (R&T) communities and innovators who are set to play an ever-bigger role in developing and producing Europe’s future defence capabilities.

How to apply? 

The deadline for submitting applications is 14 June 2024 at 17h00 (Brussels time). 

• Contest rules
• Application criteria/details can be found here (word /  PDF) 
• More information on EDA's Defence Innovation Prize 

The prize will be awarded during EDA's Annual conference in Brussels in December 2024. 

The Contest is open on equal terms to all natural and legal persons established within the European Defence Agency participating Member States (+ Switzerland).

HEDI – fostering defence innovation

The EDA Defence Innovation Prize is organised under the umbrella of HEDI (Hub for EU Defence Innovation), the new platform for innovation led by EDA that was established in March 2022 derived from ‘’Strategic Compass for EU Defence and Security’’, as one of its main recommendations. HEDI’s objective is to foster innovative solutions following a systematic approach from an idea towards cutting-edge military capabilities.

The innovation prize complements other HEDI’s services such as the EDA Research, Technology and Innovation Papers Awards or proofs-of-concept, uptakes of innovation (short field experimental campaigns).

What is expected from applicants? 

Submitted innovations must be the applicants’ own intellectual property. However, submissions may include improvements of existing ideas, new combinations, or adaptations thereof and which are applicable in a different context. The applicants must demonstrate the innovative added value of their ideas, compared to what already exists.  

Proposals must be innovative, implementable through a collaborative project and financially affordable in terms of future development and exploitation. 

The contest is especially, but not exclusively, aimed at non-traditional defence industries, including civil or dual-use producers, and researchers as they play a growing role in inventing and creating the disruptive capabilities that Member States’ armed forces will need tomorrow.  

No specific defence background is required to be considered for the prize, and consideration is open to innovators from all types of industries and research institutions in EDA Member States (+CH), including defence and civil/commercial producers, large companies, start-ups / SMEs, and military/civil research communities. 

"Job title: Foreign Legion Operator": the ad that has been circulating among French special forces veterans in recent days seems

Committee meetings, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Monday 11 March, the committees on Foreign Affairs and on Budgets will vote on a draft report on the Commission's proposal for Establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. The draft report prepared jointly by the two committees proposes more safeguards for the “fundamentals-first approach”, strengthening the focus on rule of law and conditionality and linking this with economic and social development.
The proposal also aims to ensure that the Western Balkans Facility does not allow for overlaps or double-funding with the existing IPA III instrument. If the draft report is adopted Members will vote to enter into interinstitutional negotiations with the Council.
Establishing the Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans - procedural page
Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

On Thursday, 22 February, Foreign Affairs Committee and its subcommittee on Human Rights will hold a debate with Russian opposition. Following the inhuman detention and death of Sakharov Price Laureate Alexei Navalny, MEPs will hear the testimonies of:

• Leonid Volkov, Chief of staff of Alexei Navalny, Anti-Corruption Foundation (remotely);
• Evgenia Kara-Murza, Advocacy Director at the Free Russia Foundation, wife of political prisoner Vladimir Kara-Murza;
• Vladimir Milov, Vice-President of the Free Russia Foundation, former Vice-Minister of Energy of Russia.

Webstreaming of the meeting
Press statement: “Alexei Navalny gave us an incredible example of courage” (16.02.2024)
Press release: “Sakharov Prize 2021: Parliament honours Alexei Navalny” (15.12.2021)
Source : © European Union, 2024 - EP

Russia is holding its first-ever three-day presidential election on March 15-17. First polling stations opened in the Far East at 23:00 Moscow time. As many as 112.3 million Russians can cast their vote in the election, the Central Electoral Committee said. There are four candidates competing for the post of the head of state: Vladimir Putin, current president; Leonid Slutsky, LDPR leader; Nikolai Kharitonov, candidate from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation; Vladislav Davankov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma, New People party. Vladimir Putin The sitting head of state, Vladimir Putin, is running for election as a self-nominated candidate. In case of victory, it will be Putin's fifth term. Vladimir Putin first took office as President on March 26, 2000, when Boris Yeltsin resigned.

The European Defence Agency (EDA) has formally become a co-organiser of the Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping Maritime Unmanned Systems (REPMUS) Exercise, organised by the Portuguese Navy, alongside with Oporto University (FEUP), NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) and NATO Joint Capability Group Maritime Unmanned Systems (JCGMUS). The 14th edition of the REPMUS exercise will take place from 9 to 27 September 2024, and it is expected to count with more international and multi-stakeholder participation than ever before. 

The exercise is designed to allow large-scale Operational Experimentation (OPEX), where the operational communities engage with industry and academia to integrate the latest best-in-class Commercial Off-The Shelf (COTS) systems during trials in the maritime and amphibious domain and validate Experimental Tactics (EXTACs), upgraded vehicles, updated software, integrated payloads, and C4 on MUS to address Key Operational Problems.

EDA’s Added Value

Joining the exercise as a co-organiser offers EDA a platform to engage alongside with relevant stakeholders in the largest MUS exercise worldwide and support its planning by developing scenarios that will directly address key activities set down in the new maritime specific EU Capability Development Priorities, facilitating their implementation in a collaborative manner.

This initiative is also in line with EDA's commitment to Research and Technology (R&T) advancement playing a crucial role in identifying technology gaps and common areas of interest for cooperation. In this context, the exercise will serve as a strategic platform to promote and showcase initiatives aimed at leading the development of technologically superior military capabilities and can also be used as a venue for the Hub for EU Defence Innovation (HEDI) services related to experimentation.

Moreover, the maritime community and its various stakeholders, supported by EDA to address unmanned maritime systems from a regulatory and safety perspective, will find here an annual opportunity to create tailored experimentations and strengthen links between manufacturers, researchers, and end users. The REPMUS exercise is an ideal venue for the experimentation of concepts, tactics, and procedures in line with the Concept Development and Experimentation approach.

With less than a year to go before it must deliver the first operational example of a major French underwater

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It was a ruckus that the Bundesamt für den Militärischen Abschirmdienst (BAMAD), Germany's military counter-intelligence service, could well have done without:

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