Current Events in Mideast-Africa

U.S.: Intelligence points to small-scale use of sarin in Syria (CNN)

From ARES Sarkozy: Rafales, Rafales, Buy a Rafale! Posted by Robert Wall at 2/12/2009 12:26 PM CST French president Nicholas Sarkozy may yet prove to be a miracle worker. On a trip to Kuwait, Sarkozy says he's gotten close to securing an agreement to sell the Rafale strike fighters to the Middle East country. The deal hasn’t been inked, though, and it wouldn’t be the first time Paris thought it had found its first export customer for the Rafale, only to see the deal fall by the wayside. Kuwait may buy between 14 and 28 fighters, if a contract can be finalized. Kuwait was an operator of Dassault Mirage F1 fighters, although it replaced those after the…

AP You see, South Sudan got most of the oil when it seceded last year...

Pakistan's Dream Navy? (DefenseNews)

From Jane's Iran will be major concern for Israel's new leadership By Alon Ben-David 13 February 2009 Israel's inconclusive parliamentary election risks extending political instability at a critical moment for the country. Whoever is eventually installed as prime minister will look to the defence minister to play a pivotal role on a number of contentious issues - not the least of which is the threat posed by Iran's continued pursuit of nuclear technology. Operating under the premise that Iran will have enough fissile material to become a nuclear power by the end of 2009, whichever Israeli government is eventually installed will watch with great interest …

A collection of arguments for and against military action ... From Foreign Affairs

From RIA Novosti [excerpt] CV32: It will be interesting to see how well that works out.

From Defense Aerospace Pakistan to Buy German Submarines (Source: Deutsche Welle German radio; issued November 26, 2008) Pakistan, which has relied on French defense suppliers, is buying German-made submarines for the first time, but is still technologically behind its nuclear rival India. Pakistan has formally agreed to buy three Type 214 German submarines under deal worth more than $1 billion (773.7 million euros) that the two countries are expected to sign within the next few months, according to a media report on Wednesday. The German shipbuilding company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft GmbH (HDW) will construct the diesel-electric submarines in a shipya…

A story that has been catching a lot of attention in recent days. Egypt Looks Beyond the USA for New Arms (Defense Industry Daily)

Live BBC feed The government have taken down the bulk of Egypt's internet; this looks like a massive crackdown.

Improved and enlarged San Giorgio (in French, from Mer et Marine): http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/le-nouveau-batiment-de-projection-algerien

From Navy Times Winter visits as Big E wraps Gulf mission By Zachary M. Peterson - Staff writer Posted : Monday Nov 26, 2007 14:36:55 EST ABOARD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER ENTERPRISE, IN THE PERSIAN GULF — Jets launching from the Navy’s oldest nuclear flattop in service wrapped up combat operations after a gusty day on the water Saturday, flying their final missions into Iraq. The carrier simultaneously launched combat operations into Afghanistan and Iraq beginning in August. About 20 percent of F/A-18 Hornets taking off on the final day of combat operations were flying into Iraq, while the rest were performing maritime security missions over the Persian Gulf, acc…

Caracals and Tigers from Mistral (Escorted by Chevalier Paul)employed in the failed operation of hostage rescue: From Mer et Marine (in French, now also English version): http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/le-mistral-au-coeur-de-la-tentative-de-liberation-de-denis-allex-en-somalie

From DefenseNews Posted 06/29/07 08:08 India to Announce Huge Fighter Jet Contract AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, NEW DELHI Indian defense officials were meeting June 29 before handing out a contract for 126 war planes potentially worth up to $9 billion, officials said. Indian defense ministry officials and industry sources said the choice appeared to have narrowed down to Russian-built MiG-35 and MiG-29, Lockheed Martin’s F-16 and Boeing’s F-18. The contract, described as the world’s biggest arms purchase in 15 years, will be the first time India’s huge defense establishment has bought fighters after evaluating rival bids through a global tender. “Defence Minister A.…

From Navy Times Iran says it plans major gulf naval exercise By Philip Ewing - Staff writer Posted : Tuesday Nov 27, 2007 5:38:40 EST Iran’s navy will stage a large exercise in the Persian Gulf in February, an official English-language Tehran newspaper reported Sunday, including maneuvers planned specifically for the Strait of Hormuz, the choke point through which some 20 percent of the world’s oil passes. Code-named “Etand 86,” or “Unity 86,” the exercise will include the operational debut of a homebuilt diesel-electric attack submarine, The Tehran Times reported. Navy commander Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayari told the newspaper that the navy expected to tak…

From Stratfor Red Alert - Possible geopolitical consequences of the Mumbai attacks 27 November 2008 Summary If the Nov. 26 attacks in Mumbai were carried out by Islamist militants as it appears, the Indian government will have little choice, politically speaking, but to blame them on Pakistan. That will in turn spark a crisis between the two nuclear rivals that will draw the United States into the fray. Analysis At this point the situation on the ground in Mumbai remains unclear following the militant attacks of Nov. 26. But in order to understand the geopolitical significance of what is going on, it is necessary to begin looking beyond this event at wha…

Hizbullah takes delivery of advanced Syrian weapons (Jane's)

At least 173 killed - Human Rights Watch Reports that the regime has actually used "heavy weapons" including a missile on protesters.

France Says Egypt to Buy Mistral Warships (DefenseNews)

I suppose now that one of the Somali pirates involved in the latest incident has been apprehended, we can expect a hue and cry from various groups wanting to protect his "rights". Hanging has been an effective method of dealing with these guys for centuries, and I see no reason to change that now. Buddha