Military

GEN. RALSTON

¨         Gen. Ralston urged Germany Friday to do more to pull its weight in the Alliance and said military cooperation had the potential to help ease political tensions between Washington and Berlin, writes AFP.  According to the dispatch, he told reporters in Stuttgart that Germany's reluctance to commit more of its budget to defense spending could limit its ability to participate in the kind of rapid operations NATO aims to tackle in coming years.  "Germany is a powerhouse with a huge population and GDP.  If defense budgets are shrinking slowly, procurement is going down dramatically. That's what's happening in Germany.  They have to be ready to accept the consequences of the decisions they make," Gen. Ralston reportedly said.  While German troops were superior in terms of training and preparations, he added, this gap in equipment procurement posed a major obstacle to effective and rapid deployments.  "They have a force of absolute professionals but it does not do me much good if they can't get to where I need them," the dispatch further quotes Gen. Ralston saying.  The report notes that Gen. Ralston, who is also commander-in-chief of the U.S. European command, touched on recent tensions between Germany and the United States over Chancellor Schroeder's strident declarations against military strikes on Iraq, which angered the U.S. administration.  According to the dispatch, he said that despite the rift, strong military cooperation between Berlin and Washington remained central to bilateral relations.  "There are always bumps in the road on the political side and I want the military to be the shock absorber," he reportedly said.  According to the dispatch, asked about the road map for eastward enlargement of NATO, Gen. Ralston said he did not believe the inclusion of new members would hinder its ability to act swiftly.  "To enlargement decision-making, it is not more difficult with 19 than it was with 16.  And with seven or eight more, it will not be more difficult," he reportedly said.  Tagesspiegel am Sonntag, Oct. 20, carried similar information.  "The top U.S. military commander in Europe expressed hope Friday that the continued good relations between the American and German militaries could act as a "shock absorber' for tensions between the capitals over U.S. threats of war against Iraq," said the article.

News that Gen. Ralston was accompanying Central Command Chief Gen. Tommy Franks for talks in Turkey with Turkish military officials generated high interest. 

AP  reports Gen. Franks told reporters in Ankara Monday that while Iraq and Afghanistan were discussed, he made no specific request to use Turkish bases or air space.  "We made no requests of Turkey for specifics with regard to the positioning of any forces or any assets vis-à-vis operations in Iraq," he reportedly said.  According to the dispatch, he said he also discussed the Turkish-led international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan as well as U.S.-led patrols of two no-fly zones over Iraq, but gave no other details on his talks.

AFP quotes a statement from the Turkish command saying discussions Gen. Franks and Gen. Ralston had with Turkish military officials centered on regional developments. The dispatch also quotes the U.S. Embassy in Ankara saying Sunday that the talks would look at Afghanistan, where Turkey is currently heading the international security force.  It stresses, however, that U.S. sources had said the meeting could also touch on the politically sensitive question of using Turkish airbases for any operations against the Iraqi regime.  The dispatch recalls that Turkey is concerned about the impact a war could have on its economy, as well as moves by Kurds to strengthen their grip on northern Iraq.  Against this background, it quotes Foreign Minister Gurel saying in Sunday's Milliyet newspaper:  "U.S. officials say they do not want an independent Kurdish state in northern Iraq, but developments there show a de facto state has been set up.. This raises suspicions about whether the United States is trying to provoke Ankara by supporting these developments."  Gurel reportedly warned:  "Proclamation of an independent Kurdish state . will meet with Turkish intervention." 

Istanbul's NTV, Oct. 20,  reported that together with Gen. Ralston,  Gen. Franks would hold contacts at the General Staff headquarters.  Gen. Franks and Gen. Ralston will try to sound out Ankara, said the broadcast, adding that U.S. military demands on Turkey were  expected to be largely clarified during the generals' visit to Ankara.  "It is reported that Washington might ask Turkey for permission to use the military bases in Malatya and Diyarbakir as well as Turkish airspace," the broadcast continued.

The Financial Times suggested meanwhile that Gen. Franks would be hard-pressed to avoid internal politics as he visited Turkey to discuss possible U.S. military action against Iraq.  Noting that campaigning for Turkey's general election on November 3 has become embroiled in the debate over Iraq, the newspaper continued:   "Although Turkey views a mostly U.S. operation as dangerous and unnecessary, it is unlikely to deny Washington support-including the use of Turkish bases in southeast Turkey-regardless of which party comes to power.  But it is also bargaining hard for economic compensation and guarantees that the U.S. will not countenance the establishment of an independent Kurdish state.  Such issues are likely to come up as part of wider-ranging discussions between Gen. Frank's delegation and Turkey's military leadership."

Gen. Ralston's visit to Georgia continues to generate reactions.

In his regular weekly interview on Georgian Radio 1 Monday, President Shevardnadze said Gen. Ralston's visit was primarily linked to the U.S.-sponsored Train and Equip program.  He continued:  "I would like you to note that commanders-in-chief of NATO member countries, American and European generals, have given an extremely positive appraisal to not only the program itself, but also to its results.  The Georgian society will be able to see the results very soon.  I have already said before that we have resolved to restore the tradition of the public inspection of armed forces. Depending on our financial capacities, such an inspection may take place once a year or twice a year. For instance, it is our great desire to carry out the inspection of several units, among which there will be the units trained by American experts, in the Respublika Square in Tbilisi in the very near future.  The public will see clearly what we have managed to do in the very short period of time."

IRAQ

¨         In what it sees as "a dry run for any invasion of Iraq," The Times reports that Britain's top war planners are to take part in an American exercise in the Gulf.   Senior planners from the Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood and senior staff officers from Britain's lst Armored Division in Germany are joining their U.S. counterparts in Qatar next month.  Some have already left and their involvement is seen as the next stage in preparing for war, says the newspaper.  In a related development,  The Guardian reports it was disclosed Friday that four Royal Navy minesweepers are to be diverted to the Gulf ready for possible military action against Iraq.   A Ministry of Defense spokesman insisted the move was in response to a "long-standing" request from Saudi Arabia for help in training exercises.  However, other defense sources made it clear the ships could play a key role in the event of an attack on Iraq, adds the newspaper.  It notes that minesweeping is one of the tasks for which U.S. military commanders have told their British counterparts they would need help.  The U.S. has informally told Britain's military chiefs that they would want to call on such British assets as RAF mid-air refueling tankers, minesweepers, and light forces, including the SAS, the newspaper continues.

¨         AP quotes Prime Minister Durao Barroso saying Monday that the Portuguese government is ousting the head of the country's armed forces after he criticized the level of military spending and the defense minister's policies.  The minister is quoted saying he had informed President Sampaio of the government's intention to relieve Gen. Alvarenga Sousa Santos and had proposed a replacement to take over later this week.  Sampaio, who by law had to be consulted before the changes could be enacted, gave his formal approval, his office reportedly said in a communiqué.  According to the dispatch, no date was set for the changeover, nor did Duraro Barroso reveal who would replace Gen. Sousa Santos. 

¨         According to AP, France has alerted Interpol about a French army deserter-known as an excellent marksman-who is missing in North America, feeding speculation of a link to the investigation into the Washington-area sniper investigation.  The dispatch quotes officials saying the 25-year-old second lieutenant did not return to class in September at the elite military school, Saint-Cyr Coetquidan in Brittany, in western France, after going on vacation in August. The dispatch adds that a Defense Ministry spokesman acknowledged there was some speculation of a connection with the sniper investigation, but he said that was just hypothetical at this point.  "This soldier has a very, very good reputation as a marksman. And since the Sept. 11 terror attacks . these are things we follow very closely," the spokesman reportedly said.