How we benefit from Cockburn’s ‘Spoils of War’, responsiblestatecraft.org

Marc Martorell Junyent, graduated in International Relations at Ramon Lull University (Barcelona)

New book by a seasoned journalist offers an unvarnished blow-by-blow account of the American war machine.

In his latest book, The Spoils of War: Power, Profit and the American War Machine, Andrew Cockburn presents a damning account of America’s military-industrial complex, culled from his best work over a decade on the paradoxical nature of American military power: eminently powerful, yet so dysfunctional. Läs presentationen

Neighboring country Norway is not on Putin’s New Year’s best wishes list, thebarentsobserver.com

The Kremlin on the 30th of December issued greetings with best wishes for the new year to a big number of governments and state leaders. But not all countries are getting a salute from the Russian president.

On the list of 36 countries is not Norway, the neighboring country that shares a 198 km long far northern land border with Russia. The two countries are share vast waters in the Barents Sea.

The new Norwegian government has made clear that it aims for an intensification of political dialogue with Russia. The policy document issued as the government took office in November underlines that “bilateral cooperation with Russia is to be further developed,” with emphasis on ocean resources, climate and coastal-related issues in the Barents Sea and Arctic.

It also says that “new cooperation initiatives will be taken in relations with the neighboring countries,” and that “common meeting points” for foreign policy and security dialogue will be established.

Meanwhile, both Sweden and Finland are among the countries greeted by the Russian president. In his message to Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, Putin highlights that the bilateral relationship has a constructive and good-neighborly character.

In his greeting to Sweden’s new Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson, Putin expresses hope for a constructive development of bilateral political dialogue and that issues of trade, economic relations and humanitarian relations meet key interests of both countries. Läs artikel

Mali conference recommands delaying elections by up to five years, rfi.fr

A four-day forum in Bamako charged with recommending a timetable for a return to civilian rule has concluded that polls scheduled for February should be delayed by between six months and five years due to security issues.

Mali’s transitional government initially agreed to hold elections in February 2022, 18 months after an army faction led by Colonel Assimi Goita overthrew President Boubacar Ibrahim Keita.

But progress has been slow, with the junta blaming disorganisation and Islamist violence in the north and centre. As a result of the delay, Ecowas, West Africa’s main political and economic bloc, imposed sanctions on the coup leaders, and promised more if Mali failed to produce a plan for elections by 31 December.

After three weeks of discussions at a regional and national level, the 1,600 delegates at the National Conference on Reform in Bamako recommended elections be delayed by at least six months and up to five years. Läs artikel

Cold Response 2022, forsvaret.no

Cold Response 2022 (CR 22) er en norskledet øvelse hvor vi har invitert allierte og partnernasjoner til å delta. Øvelsen gjennomføres i mars og tidlig april 2022, men allerede fra høsten 2021 kommer allierte styrker til Norge for å trene og forberede seg til øvelsen.

I tillegg til avdelinger fra hele Forsvaret, kommer en rekke norske sivile etater og organisasjoner til å delta.

Flere tusen utenlandske soldater kommer dessuten til Norge for å delta i øvelsen. Per desember 2021 har 28 nasjoner med til sammen 35 000 soldater meldt seg på Cold Response. Av disse utgjør 14 000 landstyrker, 13 000 er sjøstyrker om bord på fartøy, mens 8000 er luftstyrker og hovedkvarter etablert på ulike baser.

Tallene vil sannsynligvis endre seg frem mot øvelsen. Läs presmeddelande