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Sverige har under lång tid varit starkt engagerat för att främja utvecklingen av den inter­nationella humanitära rätten i väpnade konflikter och för att stötta Inter­nationella brott­måls­dom­stolen och dess verk­samhet. Som ett led i detta arbete lämnar regeringen i lagråds­remissen förslag till lagändringar som krävs för att Sverige ska kunna tillträda de så kallade Kampala­ändringarna avseende aggressions­brott och vissa andra ändringar i Rom­stadgan för Inter­nationella brott­måls­dom­stolen.

Det föreslås även att aggressions­brott kriminali­seras i svensk rätt. För aggressions­brott ska dömas den som kan utöva kontroll eller styra över en stats politiska eller militära handlande och som planerar, förbereder, inleder eller utför en aggressions­handling som till sin karaktär, svårhets­grad och omfatt­ning utgör en uppenbar över­trädelse av Förenta nationernas stadga. Straffet ska vara fängelse på viss tid, lägst fyra och högst arton år eller på livstid. Läs pressmeddelande

• Efter Natos besked att lämna Afghanistan, pekar Sveriges försvarsminister Peter Hultqvist på att fler kvinnor fått utbildning, terrorism förhindrats och Afghanistans egen militära förmåga stärkts.
• Sverige haft soldater där sedan 2002 och den mindre grupp som finns kvar kommer nu också lämna.
• En analys av resultatet för ett par år sedan pekade på att målen till stor del inte nåtts och att landets stabilitet och säkerhet brister. Läs artikel

Försvarsminister Peter Hultqvist vill ha grönt ljus för att öka försvarsanslaget ytterligare. En eventuell försäljning av Jas Gripen till Finland innebär nämligen stora kostnader även för svenska skattebetalare.

NATO Allies decided on Wednesday (14 April 2021) to start withdrawing forces from the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan by May 1, with plans to complete the drawdown of all troops within a few months.

In a joint press conference with the US Secretaries of State and Defense following a virtual meeting of Allied foreign and defence ministers, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said ”our drawdown will be orderly, coordinated, and deliberate”. He added: ”we went into Afghanistan together, we have adjusted our posture together, and we are united in leaving together”. Läs pressmeddelande

Up until 2014, Norway had extensive military cooperation with Russia. In 2013, the Norwegian MFA announced that the two countries had some 20 different joint efforts annually, with activities in all defense areas.

Today, however, the situation is different. Since 2014 and Russia’s actions in the Ukraine, Norway has – like NATO – suspended its bilateral military cooperation with Russia.

Agreements exempt from this suspension include coast guard and border control collaboration, both in which annual protocol meetings still take place. Cooperation about search and rescue is maintained, as is the direct line between the Norwegian Joint Headquarters and Russia’s Northern Fleet. Läs artikel

Sveriges och Finlands två Centerpartier är minst sagt olika. Medan det svenska Centerpartiet vill gå med i Nato och dess talesperson Kerstin Lundgren talar klartext om Kina och Ryssland så skickar det finländska Centerpartiet inte riktigt samma signaler: Norden är inte viktigt, Kina ska inte utmanas med offentligt prat om övergrepp mot mänskliga rättigheter och Ryssland ska komma närmare, summerar Yrsa Grüne-Luoma den finländska centerledaren Annika Saarikkos säkerhetspolitiska linjetal hos Paasikivi-samfundet.

När en erfaren politiker som Annika Saarikko, Centerpartiets ordförande och vetenskaps- och kulturminister i Sanna Marins regering, håller sitt utrikes- och säkerhetspolitiska linjetal kunde man vänta sig en starkare betoning av det nordiska. Sporadiska omnämnanden av Sverige och Norge var allt hon hade att komma med. Läs artikel

The Algerian newspaper Le Quotidien d’Oran claims that Paris has asked Algiers for help in the regional crisis in the Sahel.

This seems to have been the main reason for the trip to Algiers on April 8 by the Chief of Staff of the French army, General François Lecointre, for face-to-face talks with Algeria’s Chief of Staff, General Said Chengriha. Never before had the de facto head of the French army’s operational command travelled to Algiers. According to experts on both shores, the agenda for the meeting included the Sahel, with the powder kegs of Niger and Mali, Libya, the aftermath of the French nuclear site in Algeria, and the terrorist phenomenon in North Africa.

Paris would like to put an honourable end to its derailed Operation Barkhane, a continuation of the previous Serval and Epervier operations, which in six years of deploying joint French and Sahelian forces, with the support of the US, the UK, Germany and Spain, has made the region even worse than before its military intervention. Paris wants to withdraw to Libya and is discussing with Algiers the Sahel takeover. Operation Takuba, launched by Europe less than a year ago, is not likely to succeed. It is no coincidence that Algerian President Tebboune has pushed through an amended constitution, legalising Algerian military intervention outside its borders for the first time. Läs artikel

Russia’s defense minister said Tuesday that the country’s massive military buildup in the west was part of readiness drills amid what he described as threats from NATO.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the maneuvers in western Russia that have worried neighboring Ukraine and brought warnings from NATO would last for another two weeks. […]

In the past three weeks, the Russian military has deployed two armies and three airborne formations to western regions “as a response to the alliance’s military activities threatening Russia,” the defense minister said. […]

Amid the recent tensions, the United States notified Turkey that two U.S. warships would sail to the Black Sea on April 14 and April 15 and stay there until May 4 and May 5. The U.S. Navy ships have made regular visits to the Black Sea in past years, vexing Moscow. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov denounced the latest deployment as “openly provocative,” adding that “American ships have absolutely nothing to do near our shores.”Läs artikel

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III announced that, after consultations with German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the United States will base an additional 500 service members in Germany by the fall. […]

The increase reverses the policy of the previous administration, which looked to drastically reduce the number of U.S. forces based in Germany. President Joe Biden announced a policy to freeze that process, which included moving the headquarters for the Stuttgart-based U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command. The president ordered a global posture review to determine how to best station U.S. forces around the world. […]

”Strengthening our relationship with Germany is a top priority for the Biden-Harris administration,” Austin said. ”Underscoring our strong commitment to allies and partners is at the forefront of my agenda, this includes advancing our transatlantic partnership, and increasing cooperation with our NATO allies,” he said. Läs artikel

[…] Fast forward to 2021. Curiously enough, America’s armed forces are once again recovering from the trauma of a conflict — the “war on terror” — that, over nearly 20 years, has largely been lost. For most Pentagon officials, repeating disasters like Iraq and Afghanistan ad infinitum would be anything but a desirable course. So, once again, it’s back to the past, an all-too-comfortable return to planning for future wars against near-peer threats.

Instead of unconventional warfare against so-called asymmetrical foes (think Islamist militias with roadside bombs), we’re back to relatively symmetrical warfare using staggeringly expensive conventional weaponry, as well as skills and mindsets that have the concomitant benefit of justifying huge Pentagon budgets long into the future. Think of it as a win-win situation for all, or so the U.S. military evidently now believes. And if the expected war never comes, at least that military will be replenished with lots of new weaponry (at considerable taxpayer expense). Läs artikel