U.S. strike said to target al-Qaeda’s No. 2

U.S. missiles killed more than a dozen people in northwestern Pakistan early Monday in a strike that apparently was aimed at al-Qaeda’s No. 2 leader, the charismatic and influential jihadist known as Abu Yahya al-Libi, U.S. and Pakistani officials said.
The terrorist commander’s fate remained unclear late in the day, amid a swirl of rumors inside Pakistan that the longtime deputy to Osama bin Laden had been badly wounded or perhaps killed in the strike. Libi’s death, if confirmed, would represent one of the biggest successes against al-Qaeda since bin Laden was killed by Navy SEALs 13 months ago.

Russia, China Pledge to Boost Ties on Trade, Foreign Policy, Military

Russia and China have pledged to give priority to development of bilateral ties and to oppose foreign intervention in Syria.
Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in China Tuesday for a three-day visit expected to focus on the Middle East, energy cooperation and regional trade policy.
Mr. Putin, who is making his first trip to Asia since starting his third term as president last month, met with Chinese President Hu Jintao soon after his arrival.
Mr. Hu announced their agreement at a joint press conference.
“China and Russia will strengthen our bilateral support and cooperation, and improve our long-standing relationship. We will strengthen our strategic cooperation on international issues, work together for the revitalization of both our countries, and safeguard the peace, stability and security of the region.”
Mr. Hu also said the two countries will increase military cooperation.

Olympic defence missiles 'don't work in bad weather'

Six sites, including two residential complexes, are being tested as launch pads for missile systems capable of thwarting any airborne terror attack.

Starstreak and Rapier missile systems - which have a range of around 4 miles - would be deployed as a “last resort” to shoot down any low flying aircraft intending a 9/11 style suicide mission at one of the Olympic venues.

Defence sources claim radar would identify rogue aircraft and the missiles would be deployed long before they reached built up areas.

But experts have claimed that the systems are useless in poor weather as they rely on the operator being able to see the target.

Nick Brown, editor in chief of IHS Jane's International Defence Review said: "The system’s weakness is that the missiles are laser-guided, steered onto their target by the soldier keeping his sight on an aircraft. So if the soldier can’t see an aircraft, they can’t hit it.
As a result, the missiles can be badly affected by weather and would also not be able to engage targets ‘masked’ by buildings on their approach to the stadium."
People living close to where the missiles are to be housed have also expressed concern about the dangers of using such weapons in built up areas.
The systems will be tested in the coming days as part of a major military exercise organised to check Olympic security preparations, although no test missiles will be fired.
Today members of the armed forces visited Bow Quarter in preparation for tomorrow's exercise. Photographs taken by residents appear to show soldiers carrying large boxes.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said they would be setting up equipment but would not be installing missiles, which are still at the "proposal stage".

Bow Quarter resident Steven Spencer photographed soldiers unloading boxes today

Lessons from Vietnam

I went on a recent weeklong visit to what the French colonialists called “the Paris of the East”—Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City—and the southern areas of Vietnam. On April 30, Vietnam celebrated the 37th anniversary of the complete liberation of its southern part from “US aggressors and its puppet government.” It was a victory that led to the reunification of North and South Vietnam and the establishment of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
In the Philippines’ current dispute with China over territorial claims, we can look to Vietnam for lessons on how not to surrender our self-respect and sovereignty to any big power.




Vietnam was colonized by the Chinese, the French, and the Americans, all of whom emerged bruised and traumatized after ultimately being defeated in protracted people’s wars waged by the Vietnamese people and their resistance fighters. In the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, the best French generals and officers, schooled in St. Cyr, the elite French military academy, were outwitted and defeated by Vo Nguyen Giap, a former school teacher turned guerrilla leader; the battle capped the defeat of France in the hands of the Viet Minh people’s army. During the American War in Vietnam in 1961-1975, the United States was humbled by the Vietnam People’s Army and the black-pajama “Vietcong” guerrillas of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam.

Philippines plays down Chinese military threat

President Benigno Aquino dismissed as pure rhetoric recent warnings by Chinese officials of decisive action against the Philippines to reinforce Beijing's claim over the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.
"We don't think that at this stage they (China) will engage in any military activities," Aquino told reporters.
"And we... have been geared towards de-escalating the situation."
He said both countries stand to lose if armed confrontation erupted over the disputed shoal, a potential Asian flashpoint where vessels from both sides were locked in a two-week stand-off that began on April 8.
China claims all of the South China Sea as a historic part of its territory, even waters close to the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries.
Aquino said he had issued "overriding instructions" to his military "not to escalate the issue" and dismissed Chinese warnings as "not indicative" of Beijing's "real intentions".
The Scarborough Shoal is only about 230 kilometres (140 miles) from the Philippines' main island of Luzon, while the the nearest Chinese land mass is Hainan province 1,200 kilometres to the northwest, according to naval maps.
Tensions began when Chinese maritime vessels blocked the Philippine navy from arresting the crews of eight fishing vessels which had entered the area.
Both sides accused each other of violating maritime laws, and on Saturday the Philippines alleged that a Chinese vessel veered dangerously close to its vessels in the area.
Amid the stalemate, the Philippines said it would seek more military assistance from its ally, the United States, to help it build a "credible defence posture" in securing its sovereignty.
China had earlier warned the Philippines against "internationalising" the issue, and its state media had quoted defence and military officials as saying they were prepared to fight for their territory.

US, China engaging in cyber war games

LONDON: US and Chinese officials have been "discreetly engaging" in cyber war games in a bid to prevent military escalation between the two countries if either felt they were being targeted, a media report said Monday.
Officials from the State Department and Pentagon, along with their Chinese counterparts, were involved in two war games in 2011 that were designed to help prevent a sudden military escalation. Another session is being planned for May, the Guardian reported.
Known as "Track 1.5" diplomacy, the war games have been organised through Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and a Beijing think-tank, the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.
This has allowed government officials, and those from US intelligence agencies, to have contact in a "less formal environment", the daily said.
"China has come to the conclusion that the power relationship has changed, and it has changed in a way that favours them," said CSIS director Jim Lewis.
"The PLA (China's People's Liberation Army) is very hostile. They see the US as a target. They feel they have justification for their actions. They think the US is in decline," he said.
"We co-ordinate the war games with the state department and department of defence," said Lewis, who brokered the meetings that took place in Beijing in June, and in Washington in December 2011.
During the first exercise, both countries had to describe what they would do if they were attacked by a sophisticated computer virus like Stuxnet, which had disabled centrifuges in Iran's nuclear programme.
In the second, they had to describe their reaction if the attack was known to have been launched from the other side.
"The Chinese are very astute. They send knowledgeable people. We want to find ways to change their behaviour... they can justify what they are doing. Their attitude is, they have experienced imperialism and they had a century of humiliation," Lewis said.
"The Chinese have a deep distrust of the US. They are concerned about US military capabilities. They tend to think we have a grand strategy to preserve US hegemony and they see a direct challenge," he said.
"Of the countries actively involved in cyber espionage, China is the only one likely to be a military competitor to the US," said the think-tank official.
Shawn Henry, executive assistant director of the FBI's cyber unit, said the threats posed from cyber attacks were alarming.
"We know that the capabilities of foreign states are substantial and we know the type of information that they are targeting," he said.
The State Department has refused to speak about the war games.
"The US is committed to engaging countries to build a global environment in which all states recognise and adhere to norms of acceptable behaviour in cyberspace. We are engaging broadly with the Chinese government on cyber issues so that we can find common ground on these issues which have increasing importance in our bilateral relationship," a State Department spokesman was quoted as saying by the Guardian.
The Pentagon also declined to comment.
China has also denied being responsible for cyber attacks on the US and other western countries. It maintains it was also a victim of espionage.
Chinese Defence Minister Liang Guanglie said Beijing "stands firmly against all kinds of cyber crimes".

An Asian century maybe, but a lot can happen in 100 years

DINNER last Thursday evening made for one of those rare gilded moments Julia Gillard must wish were more common in judgments of her prime ministership.
In the towering atrium of the National Gallery of Victoria, the soft glow of stained-glass shards illuminating some 200 guests from above, Gillard was praised by a senior businessman for having the courage to introduce the carbon tax. International Monetary Fund chief France's Christine Lagarde beamed down from a large video screen to tell ''dear Julia'' the world was envious of an Australian economy with ''real leadership'', while Imron Cotan, Indonesia's ambassador to China, held a mobile phone aloft to snap souvenir photos as Gillard addressed the crowd.