Afghan War:NATO Airport Mission Gets Name

The current operation under US Forces Afghanistan-Forward,which is commanded by Rear Admiral Peter Vasely,US Navy,has been named Operation Allies Refuge.Its status has also been elevated to that of a Non-combatant Rescue Operation,or NEO.Indeed,it is considered the second largest NEO ever conducted,according to General Mark Milley,US Army,Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.US President Joseph R. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been getting special intelligence briefings on the operation daily form Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and General Milley. During an 18 August 2021 breifing for journalists at the Pentagon,SecDef Austin said: This is a war I fought in and led.We have a moral obligation to help those who helped us.* General Milley added that: Currently,the security situation at the airport is stable.The Taliban are facilitating access to the airport by passport-carrying US citizens.We in uniform have a deep commitment.* General Milley went on to note that among the forces at the airport are a battalion from the Minnesota National Guard;two US Marine Corps battalions;an 82nd Airborne Division Headquarters and infantry personnel-all of which amount to 20 US manoeuvring companies on the ground at the Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA)in Kabul.As well,a number of fighter aircraft,such as F/A-18 Super Hornets;F-16 Fighting Falcons;AV-8 Harriers;AC-130 gunships;and MQ-9 intelligence and attack UAVs,are flying armed overwatch missions over the airport to protect the US and NATO forces at the airport.There are also B-52H Stratofortress bombers available in Qatar for missions.On the ground,British Army rifle companies and Special Operations Forces are working with the US forces.Also involved are troops from Turkey,France and Hungary.There are 20 sorties by US Air Force C-17 Globemaster transport jets every 24 hours,and a variety of commercial and charter flights are active.General Milley stressed that unexpected challenges can be and are expected.* In the past 24 hours (19-20 August),the operation has evacuated 3,000 individuals,350 of them American.* At the briefing the day before,General Austin revealed to the reporters that: I don't have the capability to go into Kabul.* Despite that,ccording to General Milley: Right now,there's a steady flow of people.* It is clear to this blog,however,that conditions around the HKIA perimeter remain chaotic,dangerous,and tend to hinder access-especially by Afghans.Taliban militants have committed violent acts against some of the refugees.Dead bodies are sometimes seen on the ground.There is a real risk of being trampled at the gates,and without enough troops to mount rescue operations into Kabul itself,nor the authorisation to engage in the combat operations that would no doubt ensue,there seems little chance to smooth the passageway into HKIA without Taliban acquiescence.* Fortunately,President Biden indicated to ABC News that he is open to extending the operation beyond the original 31 August deadline.*

NATO Critical of Russian Military Buildup on the Baltic Sea

Russia's new Bastion mobile missile launchers have been deployed to the Russian outpost of Kaliningrad on the Baltic Sea,in addition to previously deployed nuclear-capable Iskander short range ballistic missiles and long range S-400 air defence missiles there,the Russian Interfax news agency announced on 21 November 2016.NATO responded by saying these anti-ship missiles are aggressive military posturing that doesn't help to lower tensions or restore predictability to our relations.*
For its part,the US State Department responded to Russia's recent military buildup in Kaliningrad during a daily briefing by spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby,US Navy Retired:
While we understand that Russia has the right to exercise its conventional and nuclear forces on its own territory,the deployment of Iskander and S-400 missiles to Kaliningrad is destabilising to European security.Russia has made threats to move Iskander missiles to Kaliningrad now for the past decade in response to a variety of developments in Europe,none of which demands such a military response.We also call on Russia to refrain from words or deeds that are not consistent with the goal of promoting security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic region.*
Russia has also deployed Bastion missile launchers to the Syrian coast.Kaliningrad is between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coastline.Russia insists the buildup is only in response to NATO's positioning of US Navy land-based Aegis missile systems in Romania and under construction in Poland.