Military

SHAPE News Morning Update

8 July 2003

NATO

• Gen. James L. Jones, who is also commander of U.S. forces in Europe, said during a one-day visit that Hungary was on the way to playing a significant role in NATO’s rapid response strategies for the 21st century. “Hungary has clearly recognized that 21st century requirements for an army are very different from the 20th century,” Gen. Jones said. “I want to underscore the importance of Hungary’s decision to commit to a professional armed force and to downsize its armed forces.” Hungary, which now has the draft, plans to introduce an all-volunteer army in 2005. Gen. Jones also welcomed Hungary’s commitment to sending a transportation unit of 300 troops to Iraq, probably next month. Gen. Zoltan Szenes, commander in chief of Hungary’s armed forces, said that the future of the Hungarian air base at Taszar had also been discussed. “We believe that Taszar can be used for Hungarian and allied forces from time to time for training and logistical duties,” Gen. Szenes added. (AP 071702 Jul 03)

BALKANS

• A Kosovo Serb leader on Monday criticized new criminal codes imposed by the outgoing UN administrator of the majority ethnic Albanian province. “The new criminal law establishes a legal system that totally supports an independent Kosovo and cuts off the province from the legal system of Serbia,” said Oliver Ivanovic, a Serb lawmaker from Kosovska Mitrovica. (AP 071240 Jul 03)

IRAQ

• The retiring commander of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gen. Tommy Franks, repeated President Bush’s recent taunt to Iraqi militants attacking American forces, saying “bring it on” as he turned over control of his troops on Monday. “As President Bush said recently, bring it on. That’s been the attitude of this command,” Gen. Franks said in a ceremony in which he handed control of the U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida, to Gen. John Abizaid. In a television interview earlier, Gen. Franks said he believed the current force of 145,000 troops in Iraq was enough to cope with the latest attacks on U.S. troops. “The sense I have now is that it’s not time to send in additional troops,” he said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” Gen. Abizaid, a Middle East expert of Lebanese descent who was Gen. Franks’ deputy, vowed that Central Command would continue to fight its “war without borders” against terrorism. (Reuters 072146 GMT Jul 03)
  
  
• The Iraq war showed that coalition forces must be better prepared to avoid “friendly fire” and to switch quickly from fighting to peacekeeping roles, the British government said Monday in London. In its first analysis of the war, the Ministry of Defense said the conflict showed how successful militaries can be when they are prepared for the rapid deployment of highly coordinated air, ground and naval forces. But the study - entitled “Operation in Iraq: First Reflections” - also acknowledged that British and U.S. forces weren’t adequately equipped or trained to avoid “friendly fire” clashes. (AP 071707 Jul 03)

IRAN

• Iran has conducted a “final test” of its Shahab-3 missile, its Foreign Ministry said Monday in Tehran. Shahab-3 has a range of about 1,300 kilometers, meaning it could reach Israel and U.S. troops stationed in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the test was the most successful of seven or eight launches over the past five years. (AP 071216 Jul 03)

RUSSIA

• Russian President Putin warned of “chaos and catastrophe” if unilateral action in international relations becomes a norm, and said differences over Iraq were the exception to his country’s generally good relations with the United States. President Putin, in an interview with a Malaysian newspaper published on Tuesday, defended the United Nations and said Russia strongly supports “the strengthening of international organizations in dealing with peacekeeping and upholding international law.” “If unilateralism becomes the norm of international life it will lead to chaos and catastrophe,” he was quoted as saying by The New Straits Times. He said Russia-U.S. relations were not simple, but noted that important agreements had been reached on arms reduction, counterterrorism and economic issues. Speaking about other multinational groups, President Putin said Russia would continue developing relations with NATO and was trying to eliminate barriers to do more trade with the European Union. Russia would not seek full membership in either, he added. (AP 080423 Jul 03)