Apache helicopters to be sent into Libya by Britain

The Guardian
Yet another escalation of the war in Libya, some interesting developments besides the deployment of Apache helicopters from naval warships.

Gaddafi forces have shed their uniforms, are using civilian vehicles and hiding armour near civilian buildings, including hospitals and schools.

The French newspaper le Figaro said their helicopters would be assisted by target identification from French special forces who have been on the ground in Libya since the start of the allied operation there. The UK Ministry of Defence does not comment on special forces' operations.

The first international Stabilisation Response Team has arrived in Libya, the UK international development secretary Andrew Mitchell has confirmed . He said Britain would continue to provide humanitarian help and medical and emergency food supplies.

Update (4th June 2011): Video of first Apache strike missions from HMS Ocean
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13652388

Taliban destroy two Pakistan navy P-3Cs

Flight International
This latest attack is a little puzzling at first glance. The Taliban does not gain militarily with the destruction of maritime patrol aircraft. The terror angle is also limited, as it was a specific targeted attack on a military facility and not a civilian target.

The only "victory" that I can think of for now is to show the incompetence of the Pakistan armed forces. They have done it before, with an earlier attack on an army base.

Defence cuts & National Service

RSIS

An RSIS commentary on why cutting the budget is a bad idea, and why National Service is still needed.

I must first say that I'm biased on both issues. I think the defence budget is not a sacred cow, and that we are better served by a regular force.

I do agree with the last point about engaging the public about defence matters, but that point was not fully developed. All too often, we are told that some defence issues are too sensitive or secret to be discussed in public.

It is too easy for defence planners to hide behind that "shield". One look at the open source material available on some developed countries will show that we are just giving excuses.

Back to the defence budget. Without number crunching, it is premature to dismiss arguments about budget cuts simply by citing that we live in a different neighbourhood.

As for National Service, it is precisely because of our unique features (small land mass, lack of strategic depth) that calls for a regular force. We may not want to admit it, but the majority of our standby Air Force and Navy assets are manned by regulars. Turning into a regular force will also mean turning professional.

Worth more discussion, this debate.

‘Fighting evil’: Warriors Are Our Achilles’ Heel

Kings of War
A long article, but definitely worth reading. The number of prosecutions for war crimes are few and far between. Often brushed off with excuses like the "fog of war" or "self-defence", military tribunals are often reluctant to prosecute soldiers, let alone their commanders.

Postscript: a special edition of Military Review, mentioned in a comment to the blog post, focuses on ethics in combat.

Doing the simple things right

"Wohlgethan also complains about the lack of qualified training personnel and that driving instruction is given on Unimog trucks before drivers are deployed to Afghanistan, where they have to learn to drive Dingos in country."

Sometimes, it's not about the fancy weapons you have. The real issues on the ground may seem trivial, but they are critical for mission success.

Schwarzbuch Bundeswehr (Black book of the Bundeswehr) by Achim Wohlgethan, a book about the German Army's experience in Afghanistan, highlighted the above issue about using different platforms for training and in theatre. [via Aviation Week's Ares blog.]

Libya, Cast Lead, and KSK

Quick post; have been following the 3 developments above, but not enough time to write a coherent analysis.

Hope to do so soon, but my initial thoughts below.

Libya - airpower has limits; we seem so forgetful

Cast Lead - Richard Goldstone's "retraction" has overshadowed the new report on that past conflict.

KSK - Going back to Guantanamo is a mistake. A terrorism case does not belong in a military tribunal.

Women in combat

http://marines.dodlive.mil/2011/03/21/women-in-combat-will-it-happen/
Good to see the Marines being open to this discussion on gender equity. Actually, female soldiers around the world are already serving under "non-combat" vocations like signals, medics, intelligence, etc.

These vocations are already practically frontline deployments. Hope to see the day when they are allowed to serve in all vocations.

The perils of the "CNN effect"

CTV News

Note: this video predates the UN approval of it's "take all necessary measures" resolution.

Really glad to see a media company readily admitting that not everything is what it seems, and that it's own presence is potentially affecting the conflict. Some quotes from the clip (This is the only way to document the video until I find a way to save Flash videos).

"Each day, each battle here, invites different versions of the truth."

"This is a conflict where credible information is at a premium."

"What we've observed...is a zeal...to shoot off assault rifles, anti-aircraft guns, even those SA-7 shoulder-to-air missiles. They do it out of paranoia, but mostly just for the cameras."

Libya conundrum

Of old wine, new bottles, eggs and omelets: Humanitarian Intervention Redux | Kings of War
A concise blog post that looks beyond what most mainstream media mistakenly call "enforcing a no fly zone"

Security Council Approves ‘No-Fly Zone’ over Libya

Security Council Approves ‘No-Fly Zone’ over Libya, Authorizing ‘All Necessary Measures’ to Protect Civilians, by Vote of 10 in Favour with 5 Abstentions

Operation Odyssey Dawn has begun quickly after UN approval of resolution 1973. A snippet of the text below.

“Protection of civilians

“4. Authorizes Member States that have notified the Secretary-General, acting nationally or through regional organizations or arrangements, and acting in cooperation with the Secretary-General, to take all necessary measures, notwithstanding paragraph 9 of resolution 1970 (2011), to protect civilians and civilian populated areas under threat of attack in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, including Benghazi, while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory, and requests the Member States concerned to inform the Secretary-General immediately of the measures they take pursuant to the authorization conferred by this paragraph which shall be immediately reported to the Security Council;

“5. Recognizes the important role of the League of Arab States in matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security in the region, and bearing in mind Chapter VIII of the Charter of the United Nations, requests the Member States of the League of Arab States to cooperate with other Member States in the implementation of paragraph 4;