NATO Secretary General with the President of Latvia 🇱🇻 Edgars Rinkēvičs,14 NOV 2024

NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup Latvbia,led by Canada,with other troops from Albania,Czechia,Iceland,Italy,Montenegro,Poland,Slovakia,Slovenia and Spain.The Battle Group is scaling up to a NATO Multinational Brigade with Denmark and Sweden joining in and bringing the level to 3500 troops.

NATO Secretary General with the Prime Minister of Latvia 🇱🇻 Evika Siliņa,16 OCT 2024

Canada leads eFP Battlegroup Latvia to protect the Eastern Flank.Latvia participates in the KFOR peackeeping force in Kosovo and in NATO's training mission in Iraq.

The Stein Valley Traverse - YouTube - Stormy Mountain - nature study

The Stein River Valley is preserved in Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park,British Columbia,Canada.Along the way,an American pika (Ochotona princeps),alpine vegitation and indigenous art are seen.*Music:Vida la Vida by Coldplay and Hey Ma Durga by Inya

Boeing and CAE to Enhance P-8 Training Solutions - Avionics International

Boeing and CAE to Enhance P-8 Training Solutions - Avionics International: Boeing and CAE signed teaming agreements to expand multi-mission platform collaboration for the P-8 Poseidon program in Canada, Norway, & Germany. Boeing (BA),CAE Inc (CAE)

Arctic Defence:Operation NOBLE DEFENDER

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) sucessfully completed Operation NOBLE DEFENDER,a dynamic force employment operation,last month.It ran from 15-31 January 2023.The drills spanned multiple locations from Alaska to Greenland.Said NORAD and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) commander General Glen Van Herck,US Air Force: Operation NOBLE DEFENDER sucessfully demonstrated our willingness and capability to conduct operations above the Arctic Circle in even the harshest weather conditions,and proved a concept of integration with key Arctic partners to defend northern approaches to North America.* Locations of OND included Thule Air Base,Greenland;Iqaluit Forward Operating Location,Nunavut,Canada;5 Wing Goose Bay,Newfoundland and Labrador,Canada;and Eielson Air Force Base,Alaska.Some 225 US Forces and Canadian Forces personnel supported and operated a wide range of aircraft,including four F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters;three Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets;four KC-135 refueling tankers;one RCAF Airbus CC-150 Polaris transport/refueling tanker;one E-3 Sentry AWACS;and one Canadian Forces AgustaWestland CH-149 Cormorant search and rescue helicopter.* OND marked an historic first-ever deployment of F-35As to Thule Air Base,Greenland,with the permission of NATO Ally the Kingdom of Denmark.* The drills culminated with CF-18 Hornets escorting a U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber posing as an adversary through Northern Canada and the Central US.The joint operation demonstrated collaboration and integration with mission partners to defend the entirety of our northern approaches and the necessity of force integration to the defence of North America.* In the course of OND,CF-18 Hornets from 3 Wing,Bagotville,Quebec took off from Iqaluit Airport in Nunavut.Special Operations Forces from U.S. Special Operations Command North parachuted out of a US Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter to a location off the Bering Sea.F-22 Raptors soared overhead and inflatable boats from Commander Naval Special Warfare Group One headed for shore.* OND is a recurring operation throughout the year,maintaining mission readiness in varied environments and preserving the capacity for follow-on operations,NORAD said.OND validates the command's capability to defend the US and Canada against threats from every avenue of approach to the continent.This is especilly relevant in light of Russia's Arctic buildup in recent years as they revamped Cold War bases and built new ones.China is also stepping up its Arctic military operations.*

Ripple effects in the Arctic - American Legion

Ripple effects in the Arctic: In the face of Putin’s aggression, NATO looks to take a more proactive approach to the High North.

Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint Stars Taxi + Night Takeoff - Gander,Newfoundland

As NATO Foreign Ministers Meet,Battle Group Develops Tactical Skills Nearby

The NATO Foreign Ministerial is underway in Riga,Latvia .The foreign ministers will discuss current challenges to the security of NATO and the Euro-atlantic Area caused by the activity of Russian forces at the border with Ukraine,and the migrant crisis at the Polish-Belarus border,the Polish Foreign Ministry said.They will also discuss preparations for the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid,and consult with the foreign ministers of NATO Partners Georgia and Ukraine. With regard to the Russian buildup,on 26 November the US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs,Karen Donfried,briefed reporters by phone,saying: As you can appreciate,all options are on the table and there's a toolkit that contains a whole range of options.It's now for NATO to decide what are the next moves that NATO wants to take...we will talk about our assessment of what's happening on Russia's border with Ukraine and we will begin the conversation of what are the options on the table,and what it is that NATO would like to do together.* NATO Seceretary General Jens Stoltenberg added that: If Russia uses force against Ukraine,that will have costs,that would have consequences...This military buildup is unprovoked and unexplained.It raises tensions and it risks miscalculations...this is a miltary buildup by a country that has invaded Ukraine before.* Latvia's Foreign Minister Artis Pabrik called for a US military deployment on Monday before the Foreign Ministerial began: We need additional international assistance.We would like to have a permanent United States presence in our country.And sea and air defence means basically going down to such systems as Patriot (missiles)...We have revsionism at this moment going on in Russia (the desire to reconstitute the Soviet Union having been expressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin)...from that perspective,we cannot be late here.* Meanwhile,NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group Latvia,led by Canada,was practising the defence of the Latvian capital,Riga,in a snowy Latvian forest at the Adazi Training Ground,simulating the disruption of an enemy advance from north of Riga.Exercise Winter Shield 2021 runs from 22 November to 4 December,developing the cooperation and cohesion needed to protect the Baltic Sea Region.A mechanised brigade of Latvia's Home Guard;Lithuanian Armed Forces;and US Army Europe troops are participating in the drills with the eFP Battle Group,which consists of Soldiers from Albania;Canada;Czech Republic;Italy;Iceland;Montenegro;Poland;Slovakia;Slovenia;and Spain.

NATO North Atlantic Drills Step Up Naval Acumen

Exercise Dynamic Mongoose 2020 is currently underway in waters off the Icelandic coast.The drills run from 29 June-10 July.Six NATO Allies are participating:
Canada, France, Germany, Norway, the UK and the US,with 5 warships;5 submarines; and 5 maritime patrol aircraft.Vessels engaged in the scenarios include the Royal Navy frigate HMS Westminster;US guided-missile​ destroyer USS Roosevelt; German Submarine U 36; and Norwegian frigate HNoMS Sverdrup. Maritime patrol aircraft involved are 2 ATL IIs from France;2 P-8A Poseidons from the US Navy; and a Royal Navy P-8A.The Icelandic Coast Guard can provide air traffic control and search and rescue as needed.*
The aim of DM 2020 is, according to VADM Keith Blount, Royal Navy, Commander,Allied Maritime Command:
To sharpen warfighting skills by focusing on high-end capabilities including Anti-Submarine Warfare.Dynamic Mongoose will ensure that we remain prepared for operations in peace, crisis and conflict.*
DM is an advanced ASW exercise.Overall, said RADM Andrew Burcher,USN, Commander, Submarines NATO:
The exercise is a unique opportunity to enhance naval forces' warfighting skills in all dimensions of Anti-Surface and Anti-Submarine Warfare in a multinational and multi-threat environment.*
The US Navy operates Patrol Squadron (VP) 16 out of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland.It serves in the Northern European theatre.*

Expedition 59 Crew Lands Safely in Kazakhstan - 25 June 2019 - return of Oleg Kononenko,Anne McClain and David St.Jacques

Russian Bombers Draw Intense NORAD Response

At 1240 hours Eastern,a tweet from NORAD/USNORTHCOM stated that two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers entered the Canadian Air Defense Identification Zone on 26 January 2019.The bombers remained in international airspace and did not enter sovereign territory.What was extraordinary was that five NORAD aircraft were launched to identify and intercept the Blackjacks, when normally it would just be a few fighter jets.*
This time,it was a full-on response with an E-3 AWACS,two US Air Force F-22 Raptors and two Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornets.It may have to do with Canada's recent expansion of it's AIDZ to include the  Canadian Arctic in light of Russia's increased activity in the region.Then too,it may also have to do with the current tension over Venezuela between Russia and the West.

Interior Secretary Pledges Support for Grizzly Bear Reintroduction to the North Cascades Ecosystem (Washington State/British Columbia)

US Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke,a former Navy SEAL,startled environmentalists and cattlemen alike when he announced his support for reintroducing the grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) to the North Cascades Ecosystem.The Ecosystem stretches from Northcentral Washington State and across the Canadian border into British Columbia.Jewel of the Ecosystem is North Cascades National Park,which is located some 75 mile/121 km north of Seattle,Washington.
In his first year in office,Mr.Zinke has developed a tough guy reputation,seeming totally oblivious to conservation concerns,in the eyes of many,and apparently all in on resource extraction and exploitation.
The other side of the man was revealed in his recent comments at North Cascades National Park in Sedro-Woolley,Skagit County,Washington:
The grizzly bear is part of the environment,as it once was here.It's part of a healthy environment.*
Restoring the grizzly bear to the North Cascades Ecosystem is the American conservation ethic come to life.The loss of the grizzly bear in the North Cascades would disturb the Ecosystem and deprive the region of an icon.*
I grew up on the flanks of Glacier National Park (Montana) and I have dealt with grizzly bears all my life.I'm in support of the Great Bear,and in support of doing this right.This is not reintroduction of a rabbit.*
I have always loved grizzlies.*
I am confident we have the skill to have grizzlies in the Ecosystem in a way that managers don't have unintended consequences.*
Few grizzly bears have been seen in recent years.It is believed there are no more than a few dozen grizzlies left in the entire Ecosystem.They were largely hunted out for their fur from the mid-nineteenth to the early twentieth centuries.
There is also a small population of grizzly bears in the Selkirk Mountains of Northeast Washington.*
Mr.Zinke was educated in citizenship by the American Legion Boys' State programme,going on to become a decorated Navy SEAL,with whom he served in theatres from Kosovo to Iraq,as well as a state senator and Member of Congress.*
The Environmental Impact Statement for grizzly reintroduction to the North Cascades was halted when President Donald Trump took office.Indeed,Mr.Zinke had lifted Endangered Species Act protection for the grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.*
Secretary Zinke aims to have the EIS and a Record of Decision completed by year's end.*
The grizzly bear is a subspecies of brown bear (Ursus arctos).It is viewed with hostility by those with agricultural interests as a threat to both people and livestock;but considered a keystone species in conservation circles.

Nature Note:Eastern Coyotes Don't Replace Missing Wolves - study suggests reintroducing wolves still necessary

A thorough study by John F. Benson et al. in Central Ontario considerably explicates the ecology of wild canids in Eastern North America.The paper,Ungulate predation and ecological roles of wolves and coyotes in eastern North America,was recently published in the April 2017 issue of Ecological Applications.Understanding the ecological roles of species that influence ecosystem processes is a central goal of ecology and conservation biology,the authors say.This study sought to clarify the predatory ability and ecological roles of the different top canid predators of Eastern North America by investigating intrinsic and extrinsic influences on per capita kill rates of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and moose (Alces alces) by canids of varying Canis ancestry in and adjacent to Algonquin Provincial Park in Central Ontario.Erroneously concluding that Eastern coyotes have replaced the ecological roles once performed by wolves could detract from wolf restoration efforts and the conservation of naturally functioning ecosystems.Thus studies of predation patterns of Eastern wolves (Canis lycaon) and Eastern coyotes (Canis latrans var.) are needed to critically evaluate the ecological functions performed by wild canids in Eastern North America.*
In 2015,the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) recommended that Eastern wolves be recognised as a separate species rather than a subspecies of Grey wolf.Currently the majority of Eastern wolves inhabit areas in and adjacent to Algonquin Provincial Park.Besides Eastern wolves,in the study we are reviewing today,admixed Grey wolves are referred to as Great Lakes-boreal wolves.The study combines GPS telemetry,field investigations,DNA analysis and environmental data to quantify predation on deer and moose by canids of varying Canis* ancestry in and adjacent to Algonquin Provincial Park.*
Previous studies revealed that Eastern wolves were the dominant resident canids in APP (estimated 63%).There are smaller numbers of Eastern wolf x Great Lakes-boreal wolf hybrids and wolf (Great Lakes-boreal and Eastern wolf) x Eastern coyote hybrids (29%),with whom they sometimes form packs.Eastern coyotes (estimated 64%) and Eastern coyote x wolf (Great Lakes-boreal and Eastern wolf) hybrids (29%) were the dominant resident canids of adjacent Wildlife Management Unit 49,where wolves were much rarer.Both APP and WMU 49 were characterised by hardwood,conifer and mixed forests interspersed with wetlands,lakes and rocky meadows.The landscapes have elevations ranging from 180-580 meters in APP and 79-549 meters in WMU 49.*
The authors note that Eastern coyotes have ascended to the role of apex predator across much of Eastern North America since the extirpation of wolves (Canis spp.) and there has been considerable confusion regarding their ability to prey on ungulates and their ecological niche relative to wolves.Eastern wolves are thought to have been the historical top predator in eastern deciduous forests and have previously been characterised as deer specialists that are inefficient predators of moose because of their smaller size relative to grey wolves (Canis lupus).*
In any event,the basic findings of the study under consideration suggest the following:
1.Eastern coyote ancestry within packs negatively influenced per capita total ungulate (moose and white-tailed deer) and moose kill rates.
2.Furthermore,such packs consumed significantly less ungulate biomass and more anthropogenic (human-related) food than packs dominated by wolf ancestry.
3.Similar to Grey wolves in previous studies,Eastern wolves preyed on deer when they were available.However,in areas of scarcity,Eastern wolves killed moose at rates seen previously among Grey wolves at comparable moose densities across North America.
4.Most critically,Eastern coyotes are effective deer predators,but their dietary flexibility and low kill rates on moose suggest they have not replaced the ecological role of wolves in Eastern North America.If this were not understood,ecosystems that are in fact in need of restoration by the reintroduction of wolves could be overlooked.*
Large remote tracts of mature forest inhabited primarily by moose rather than deer are rare in the Northeastern US,which will make Eastern wolf establishment difficult in the presence of abundant coyote populations,the authors point out.Reintroducing Great Lakes-boreal wolves may be advantageous given that hybridisation between sympatric (inhabiting the same area) Great Lakes-boreal wolves and coyotes appears to be minimal in areas where they overlap.Great Lakes-boreal wolves are aggressive with and behaviourally dominant to coyotes,whereas Eastern wolves tend to treat coyotes similar to conspecifics in territorial interactions,at least at the home range level.Great Lakes-boreal wolves have successfully colonised areas in Minnesota,Wisconsin and Michigan that were characterised by younger forests,habitat fragmentation and abundant coyotes,suggesting they could also persist in the Northeastern US.

Air Defence Puzzle:Complex Exercise Challenges NORAD,US STRATCOM

NORAD,the North American Aerospace and Defense Command,along with its close partner and fellow combatant command US Strategic Command,conducted a day of joint,comprehensive intercept and safe passage exercises in all three of the NORAD regions with a broad range of warplanes on 1 August 2016,the command revealed in a press release.The carefully planned and controlled drills ensured NORAD's rapid response capability.Normally,only one intercept at a time is conducted with only one type of interceptor and bomber involved.This test injected more layers of complexity by varying types of aircraft,commands involved,location and nationality.The scenario was a more realistic simulation of what an actual attack by a sophisticated enemy would be like.*
In these exercises,US Strategic Command B-52H Stratofortess and B-2 Spirit bombers conducted flights through each of the NORAD regions that were intercepted by three types of fighter aircraft:
2 F-22 Raptors in the Alaska NORAD Region,based at Elmendorf Air Force Base,Alaska;
2 CF-18 Hornets in the Canadian NORAD Region,based at Canadian Forces Base Winnipeg,Manitoba;and
2 F-15 Eagles in the Continental United States NORAD Region,based at Tyndall Air Foce Base,Florida.*
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter noted that the bomber flights provided NORAD with an excellent opportunity to hone our air defence capabilities,while also allowing us the opportunity to closely coordinate operations with our allies and the geographic combatant commands.*
Our ability to conduct intercept and safe passage escort procedures to coincide with American flights reinforces Canada's outstanding collaboration and interoperability with our closest ally.Canada and the US continue to expand on our close partnership,added Canada's Minister of National Defence Harjit S. Sajjan.*
The intercepts honed Operation Noble Eagle's procedures,cross-border interoperability and coordination,and to reinforce the enduring defence relationship between the US and Canada.
NORAD is the binational Canada-US command that provides aerospace warning,aerospace control and maritime warning for Canada and the US,NORAD explained.*
Operation Noble Eagle has guided the joint Canadian-US defence of North American airspace since the 9-11 attacks on the US by al-Qaida.

Nature Note:Pileated Woodpecker and Ivory-Billed Woodpecker

On a cold day by Maryland's Monocacy Scenic River in late December,a cak-cak-cak call drew my attention to a piliated woodpecker with its scarlet crest foraging in the river bank trees.The pileated,at 18" in average length,is the largest woodpecker considered to be established in North America.At the same time,the US Fish&Wildlife Service has published a comprehensive recovery plan for the rare ivory-billed woodpecker,which,at 20" in average length,is the largest species of woodpecker that is possibly present on the continent.
Although additional evidence beyond that presented in the early years of the 21st century,which consisted of a much-debated video,sightings and auditory evidence,supports the hypothesis that the ivory-billed continues to exist in the Big Woods of Eastern Arkansas and other parts of the range,due to the inability to reliably locate birds,we cannot at this time conclude that a population of ivory-billed woodpeckers is established in this region,USFWS said.All the same,enough evidence exists that the USFWS continues the habitat conservation and restoration efforts for the Ivory-billed already underway in Eastern Arkansas,and stands ready to do more pending receipt of further evidence.*
The piliated woodpecker,compelling enough at 18" long,requires a minimum of 100-200 acres of contiguous forest for its nesting,roosting and feeding in dead or dying trees,stumps and logs.Primarily an insectivore,this big woodpecker also samples fruits and nuts such as wild grapes,cherries and acorns.They will eat suet from feeders as well.Mating for life and sharing all nesting and work and rearing of young,they are cavity nesters and also drill distinctive holes for roosting and feeding.The roosting holes are especially noticeable,being a group of several oblong holes that provide multiple escape exits.The holes of the piliated are used by more than 50 other forest species,including wood ducks;flying squirrels;owls;bluebirds;and pine martens.
The pileated woodpecker ranges from the Gulf States up the East Coast and west to the Midwest and West Coast,and then across the southern half of Canada in mixed deciduous,transition and boreal forests.

SecDef Carter,Australian PM Turnbull Hold Talks;Latest OIR Air Campaign Results

On 18 January,US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter and the new Australian Prime Minister,Malcolm Turnbull,laid a wreath together at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery,Virginia.Later,the two leaders held defence cooperation talks at the Pentagon.Joining them were Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford and Australian Minister of Defence Marise Payne.They discussed recent developments in Iraq and Syria and the need to continue the close collaboration on the security issues in the Asia Pacific Region,the Pentagon said.Mr.Carter expressed appreciation for Australia's contributions to the anti-ISIL Operation Inherent Resolve coalition and their continued support in Afghanistan.He also said he looked forward to Australia's participation in the meeting of several OIR defence ministers in Paris on 20 January.
Besides Mr.Carter and Ms. Payne,those attending the Paris meeting will be defence ministers from Germany;France;the UK;the Netherlands; and Italy.Canada's defence minister,Harjit Sajjan,was not invited.Canada is pulling its CF-18 fighter jets out of OIR in accordance with a campaign promise made by the new Prime Minister,Justin Trudeau.A spokesman for Mr.Sajjan denied that was the reason Canada wasn't invited,saying they have often not been included in past meetings.*
On 19 January,the latest report on the OIR air campaign was issued.In Syria,attack and fighter aircraft conducted three airstrikes:
near Ayn Isa,2 sorties struck separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed a fighting position;
near Hasakah,a sortie destroyed an ISIL fighting position.
In Iraq,21 airstrikes were conducted,among them being:
near Mosul,5 sorties struck an ISIL tactical unit and headquarters and destroyed a heavy machine gun,4 fighting positions and a cash collection point;
near Ramadi,9 sorties struck an ISIL tactical unit,damaged a petroleum truck and lubrication tank,and destroyed 2 fighting positions,a sniper position,a tactical vehicle and a tunnel entrance.
Those participating in the Syria raids were Australia;Bahrain;Belgium;Canada;France;Jordan;Saudi Arabia;Turkey;the UAE;the UK;and the US.Those taking part in the Iraq raids included Australia;Belgium;Canada;Denmark;France;Jordan;the Netherlands;the UK;and the US.*
In Iraq,Australian and New Zealand troops continued training the Iraqi Army to better combat Daesh,the Arab term for ISIL,at the Taji Military Complex.

Operation Inherent Resolve:Progress in Battle of Beiji;Major Air Strikes

On Friday 22 May,the Pentagon announced in a press release that Iraqi security forces and federal police,enabled by the Operation Inherent Resolve Coalition,have successfully cleared and established a ground route into the Beiji oil refinery.For several months,control of the refinery has been contested by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militants and Iraqi security forces.Ground forces,supported by coalition air strikes and reconnaissance,advise and assist elements,have cleared through the area,established route security and reclaimed key terrain.
Brigadier General Thomas Weidly,US Marine Corps,chief of staff of Combined Joint Task Force OIR,stated that,in the past 72 hours,we have seen the Iraqi security forces make steady,measured progress in regaining some of the area leading to the Beiji oil refinery despite the significant ISIL resistance in the form of IEDs,suicide vehicle borne IEDs,as well as heavy weapon and rocket fire attacks.In spite of the isolated nature of where the Iraqi security forces have been operating and the constant threat from ISIL,creating a safe route to the refinery will allow supplies and reinforcements to arrive.This will assist security forces in clearing and securing contested areas in and around the refinery.
ISIL has increased the intensity of its assault on the refinery and adjacent areas since they were pushed out of Tikrit,the Pentagon said.*
In the OIR air campaign between 8 am 24 May and 8 am 25 May,a major series of air strikes on ISIL targets in Syria took place near Hasakah.A total of 7 sorties destroyed 4 fighting positions,a checkpoint,an excavator,a vehicle borne IED and a vehicle.No civilian casualties were reported in the raid,which took place in an area where Kurdish forces had reported that a vehicle borne IED had resulted in an undetermined number of civilian injuries.
Near Raqqah,2 sorties destroyed an excavator and a tank.
Near Dayr Az Zawr,a sortie destroyed a multiple rocket launcher vehicle.*
In Iraq over the same time period,there was a heavy series of 25 air strikes on ISIL targets approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense.
Near Baghdadi,5 sorties destroyed 4 structures,2 fighting positions,an armoured excavator,a heavy machine gun and a vehicle borne IED.
Near Beiji,3 sorties destroyed a dump truck,an armoured excavator and a tanker.
Near Fallujah,a sortie destroyed an anti-aircraft artillery piece and a fighting position.
Near Hit,a sortie struck a vehicle borne IED facility.
Near Mosul,a major series of strikes consisting of 9 sorties destroyed 4 heavy machine guns,3 buildings,an armoured vehicle,an excavator and a vehicle borne IED.
Particpants in Syria include the US,Bahrain,Canada,Jordan,Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Participants in Iraq include the US,Australia,Belgium,Canada,Denmark,France,Jordan,the Netherlands and the UK.

The War On ISIL:Progress Amid Concern

A status report on the war on the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant was presented to journalists by Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren,US Army,on Monday 20 April.Ramadi,capital of Anbar Province,Iraq remains highly contested-it's a tough fight there right now.We're hopeful that coalition air power along with the resolve of the Iraqi ground forces will be able to hold.In Beiji,Iraqi troops successfully linked up with forces on the ground in the oil refinery and have thus far been able to secure the refinery.We are dedicating some air power to the fight and it remains a contested situation.
In Afghanistan,we don't necessarily believe that conditions are such that ISIL would be welcome.We don't see the rebranding of disaffected Taliban and other militants to ISIL as a cause of increased violence in Afghanistan yet,but it is certainly something that we're going to continue to watch.
In Libya,the Department is beginning to see more than a rebranding effort.I think Libya is probably where ISIL most wants to gain a foothold.At this point,they have gained at least a toehold in Libya based on an extraordinary amount of unrest and an almost completely deteriorated security situation.
Nearly every one of the press releases that we issue every day indicates damage to tactical units-that's fighters being killed.So I would submit to you that we've delivered punishing blows to ISIL over the past six months.We've started to see cracks in ISIL's ability to bring on new forces.ISIL is turning now to conscription,to forcing people into their armed forces,and in some cases to child soldiers.So the pressure that the combination of air and ground power we're applying to ISIL is having an effect,COL Warren concluded.*
The Pentagon says in a special report that since the kinetic engagement with the Islamist extremists began in August 2014,ISIL has lost about 25-30% of the territory it held in Iraq.*
In Syria,the Pentagon reports that attack,fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 10 airstrikes between 8 am local on 19 April and 8am on 20 April:
Near Hasakah,three airstrikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and a mortar position,destroying a fighting position.Near Kobani,seven airstrikes struck seven tactical units,destroying two vehicles,a fighting position,mortar tube and an ISIL anti-aircraft artillery piece.
The Royal Canadian Air Force has now joined the air campaign against ISIL targets in Syria,as well as Iraq.They fly the CF-18 Hornet,as well as mission support aircraft.

Threats To North America:US Northcom and NORAD Commander

Admiral William Gortney,US Navy,commander US Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command,appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday,12 March,to submit the Command's fiscal 2016 budget request.Included with the request was an assessment of current and future threats to the continent.ADM Gortney said what is most concerning to him is the seams that exist between Northcom,Southern Command and Pacific Command;between US interagency partners and the combatant commands;between the US and partner nations;and seams within those nations.In these seams,people are moving drugs and money.They're moving products for profit through the seams.We need to close these seams,because if someone wants to do something that will cause great damage to the nation,that is where they will come.*
2.Homegrown violent extremists are using an effective and sophisticated social media campaign to stir up distrust and incite harm to American citizens.*
3.A cyber attack could directly affect critical infrastructure that I rely on to defend the nation,and that we rely on for our nation to operate.I see that as a significant threat.A cyber attack in Ottawa would take out the Northeast quadrant of our air defence sector.It would effectively be a mission kill.So it would not only affect my abiity to do my mission;more importantly,we as a nation rely on this same infrastructure to operate-whether it's banking,rail,aviation,power or movement of water.All of these things have critical infrastructure that we must have,and they need to be hardened against an adversary.Northcom is responsible for defending known networks and helping lead federal agencies in the aftermath of a cyber attack.
4.Russian heavy bombers flew more out of area patrols in 2014 than in any year since the Cold War.We have also witnessed improved interoperability between Russian long-range aviation and other elements of the Russian military,including air and maritime intelligence collection platforms positioned to monitor NORAD responses.Such patrols serve a training function for Russian air crews,but some are clearly intended to underscore Moscow's global reach and communicate displeasure with Western policies,especially those involving Ukraine.Russia is also progressing toward its gosl of developing long-range,conventionally armed cruise missiles with increasing stand-off launch distances on its heavy bombers,submarines and surface combatants.Should these trends continue,NORAD will face increased risk in our ability to defend North America against Russian air,maritime and cruise missile threats.
5.North Korea has successfully test-detonated three nuclear devices,and through its space program has demonstrated many of the technologies required for an ICBM that could target the continental United States.North Korean military parades have showcased the new KN08 road-mobile ICBM.When deployed,the system will complicate the US ability to provide warning and defend against an attack.
6.Iran has likewise committed considerable resources to enhancing its ballistic missile capabilities,and has already placed another satellite into orbit this year,usinga new booster that could serve as a demonstrator for ICBM technologies.
7.Sequestration poses the likeliest and most dangerous threat.It leads to a hollow force,slowing development of the US technological advantage that makes it possible to outpace future threats.It also affects missile defence,putting on hold the long-range discrimination radar;improvements to the advanced kill vehicle;and the multi-object kill vehicle of the US Ballistic Missile Defense System.It would hinder the United States' ability to outpace the growing proliferation of ballistic missiles.
7.The Arctic requires advocacy and partnerships from within and outside the Northcom area of responsibility as the region grows in importance to our national security over the next few decades.

Marines Come Under Attack in Iraq;Latest Airstrikes;Training Iraqi Troops

It is fair to say the al-Asad command has come under regular fire,but the fire has been completely ineffective,said Pentagon spokesman COL Steven Warren,US Army.These are purely nuisance attacks.Some 320 Marines are at the al-Asad Air Base in Western Anbar,where they have been training,advising and assisting the Iraqi 7th Division since 20 December.No Marines or their equipment have been hit by the incoming ISIL fire,and the Marines have not returned fire.Mostly they have been mortar attacks,but with some rockets as well.The Iraqi forces have done a very good job of creating a security zone,COL Warren noted.The Marines,members of a Marine Air Ground Task Force(MAGTF)under US Central Command,are among about 2100 US troops currently in Iraq.Around 800 of these are security and force protection troops;the others are on the train,advise and assist mission of Operation Inherent Resolve,the anti-ISIL militant effort.These 1300 are getting the Iraqi and Kurdsh Peshmerga forces ready to go on the offensive against ISIL and reclaim lost territory.Up to 1300 more US troops are on the way later this month,for a total of up to 3400 US troops in Iraq.*
In coalition airstrikes taking place in Iraq and Syria from 5-6 January,the Pentagon reports that 13 ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL building were destroyed near Kobani,Syria;while in Iraq,a strike destroyed an ISIL tactical unit,an ISIL armoured vehicle and another ISIL vehicle near Asad.Nations conducting airstrikes in Iraq include the US,Australia,Belgium,Canada,Denmark,France,the Netherlands and the UK.Those conducting airstrikes in Syria include the US,Bahrain,Jordan,Saudi Arabia and the UAE.*
Besides al-Asad Air Base,another training camp for Iraqi troops has been opened at Taji north of Baghdad,to be followed by a third camp at Besmaya southeast of Baghdad;Kurdish Peshmerga fighters will be trained at a fourth camp in Irbil in the north.