Military

SHAPE News Summary & Analysis

7 March 2003

IRAQ

• France-Inter radio, 1800 GMT, March 6, reported that during a meeting with Gen. Jones Thursday, Defense Minister Alliot-Marie reiterated France’s position on Iraq. The program aired Mrs. Alliot-Marie saying: “I explained France’s position to Gen. Jones, as I have done with all my foreign interlocutors. With regard to Iraq … we take the view that there are no grounds for war today in so far as the inspections are currently making headway and are showing that in the sphere of eliminating weapons of mass destruction, they are more effective than armed intervention. On the other hand, I say also that the role of the French armed forces are to be ready at any time to intervene.”
  
  
• According to AP, Deputy Foreign Minister Mamedov said in Moscow Friday Russia may support a new UN Security Council resolution if it helps find a political solution to the Iraqi crisis, but would oppose any attempt to legitimize war. Asked to comment about British proposals for a new, U.S.-backed resolution that would set a short deadline for Baghdad to fully disarm, Mamedov reportedly replied: “If it’s a sincere attempt to find a political solution in the extraordinary difficult circumstances, then, of course, we will take all the proposals into account.” He added that President Putin would determine Moscow’s position after hearing details from Foreign Minister Ivanov following Friday’s Security Council session.
  

UNITED STATES-TROOP BASING

• Speaking in Washington Thursday, Defense Secretary Rumsfeld said the United States is considering relocating or even withdrawing some U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and Germany as part of a plan to “lower the footprint” of forces overseas, reported CNN. According to the program, Rumsfeld said the current deployment of troops in both South Korea and Europe was a leftover from the Cold War and was being examined as part of a long-running re-evaluation of military deployments outside the United States. He indicated that Gen. Jones will be delivering recommendations soon for reorganizing U.S. forces in Europe. In Europe, Rumsfeld reportedly said, the problem is that too many troops are currently concentrated in Germany, making it hard to move them around quickly. A related AFP dispatch quotes Rumsfeld explaining: “We’ve had some difficulties recently in the force flow, where we weren’t allowed to take forces across Austria by train. There was a question about whether we could move them through some other country. And of course the taxpayers of the United States cannot have one military for the United States, and another that’s only usable when country A, B, C, or D allows we might be willing to use it.” The dispatch recalls that Gen. Jones earlier this week outlined plans for a scaled down U.S. military presence in Europe built around a network of hubs through which forces could be rotated in keeping with changing needs. Instead of keeping heavy garrisoned forces in Germany and elsewhere in Western Europe, the Pentagon wants lighter, more mobile forces that can cover contingencies in other areas as well, adds the dispatch. It suggests that it is likely to put a premium on air bases, Mediterranean facilities, and basing that is near the sea and accessible to major rail links. The dispatch further reports that the Pentagon also envisions training with new NATO member countries in Eastern Europe, and possibly stationing the army’s new light armored Stryker brigade and intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance assets in Europe. A U.S. defense official is quoted saying, on condition of anonymity: “We’re going to take a very hard look at what ground forces we think we need in Europe and what capabilities. We don’t have answers on that yet.” Under the title, “Old Europe deserted by U.S. Army,” French daily Liberation writes: “Defense Secretary Rumsfeld continues to focus on the ‘Old Europe,’ the geographic area grouping countries hostile to the U.S. approach regarding Iraq…. Gen. Jones has been tasked to make recommendations. Last week, he insisted that the plans were not a retaliation against Germany.” Belgium’s Le Soir carries related information.

BALKANS

• SFOR said it had launched an operation Friday against people who it accused of giving financial help to Bosnian Serb war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic, writes Reuters. According to the dispatch, SFOR said in a statement it had started operations in Serb areas near Sarajevo, including near the wartime Bosnian stronghold of Pale. It said the operations were being carried out to support efforts to disrupt the activities of people “who are providing financial assistance to Radovan Karadzic and other persons indicted for war crimes.” By removing their financial and support networks, we will continue to tighten the net around all persons who do not surrender voluntarily, SFOR reportedly said and stressed: “Those indicted war criminals that remain at large have no permanent hiding place.” The dispatch notes that in an apparently coordinated move, the OHR earlier said it was taking measures targeting the support network allowing Karadzic to stay at large.