A longtime strategist for the Muslim Brotherhood said Thursday that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his senior associates must be put on trial and held to account for their “crimes” against the Egyptian people.
Mubarak “is like Dracula,” said Youssef Nada, an Egyptian-born banker who served for decades as the Muslim Brotherhood’s de facto “foreign minister” and remains an influential adviser. “He is a ruthless dictator who betrayed his people and killed a lot of people. He must be tried for what he did and held to account.”
Nada’s comments, made in a telephone interview from his home in a tiny Italian enclave in the Swiss Alps, appear to signal a more aggressive -- and potentially dangerous -- stance by the Islamic group on Egypt’s political crisis. Just moments before he spoke to NBC News, the Muslim Brotherhood, which had largely remained quiet during the first few days of demonstrations last week, released a formal statement demanding that Mubarak immediately step down. “We demand that this regime is overthrown and we demand the formation of a national unity government for all the factions,” it said.
Although the 80-year-old Nada no longer holds a formal position with the Muslim Brotherhood, he told NBC News that he is in “continuous touch” with its leaders in Cairo and advised them on the statement calling for Mubarak’s ouster. Asked if his call for criminal trials of Mubarak and other leaders of his regime is shared by the group’s leadership, Nada replied: “Yes, in general, it is their opinion.”
Among those who should be tried, he said, is Mubarak’s new vice president, Omar Suleiman, the longtime chief of Egypt’s security service. In addition to his role in the suppression of Egyptian democracy, Nada said, Suleiman was responsible for the “torture of people the CIA sent to him,” referring to the security chief’s role as liaison with the agency during its “extraordinary rendition” program, which brought dozens of terrorist detainees to Egypt for harsh interrogations.
Related content Egyptians brace for another mass protest NYT: White House, Egypt discuss Mubarak exit plan Emboldened by Egypt, protests spread Street battle rages on in Cairo Egypt online users weigh merit of more protests What you need to know about the crisis in Egypt Live updates: 11 reported killed this week As Egypt’s largest political opposition movement, the Muslim Brotherhood’s goals and motives have been the subject of intense scrutiny and debate among U.S. officials. An Islamist movement founded in 1928, the organization remains formally committed to the imposition of Islamic law and refuses to recognize the validity of Egypt’s treaty with Israel. But in recent years, it also has renounced violence and some U.S. officials have argued that its leaders should be brought into a political dialogue.
Nada’s role in the organization goes back decades. He was first imprisoned for his involvement in Muslim Brotherhood activities in the early 1950s and, after leaving Egypt in the late 1970s, served for years as the group’s official foreign envoy. In 2007, he was tried and convicted by an Egyptian court in absentia for allegedly financing its activities.
Advertise | AdChoicesAdvertise | AdChoicesAdvertise | AdChoicesAccused al-Qaida financier
Nada was also accused by the Bush administration in 2001 of using an international financial institution he once ran -- the Al Taqwa Bank -- to finance the al-Qaida terror network. The worldwide assets of the bank were frozen at the U.S. government’s request in 2002.
Nada has consistently denied the charges. He claimed vindication two years ago when the United Nations formally removed him from a list of individuals allegedly tied to al-Qaida. Previously, Swiss prosecutors had dropped their own investigation of Nada, claiming that the U.S. government had refused to turn over its evidence against him. (U.S. officials have said they were unable to do so because most of its evidence was classified. Although his bank has long since been shut down, Nada remains on the U.S. Treasury Department’s list of terrorist financiers.)
Throughout this period, Nada has remained a key figure in Brotherhood circles, serving as the group’s spokesman to select journalists and attempting to shape the group’s international image. In his interview with NBC, Nada insisted that the Muslim Brotherhood is misunderstood and the American people have no reason to fear it.
Source : Egypt News
Geopolitical Research Institute(GRI)/Εταιρεία Γεωπολιτικών Ερευνών(ΕΓΕ)
Παρασκευή 4 Φεβρουαρίου 2011
Omar Suleiman : Λύση για την αιγυπτιακή κρίση ?
Ο μέχρι σήμερα επικεφαλής των μυστικών υπηρεσιών της χώρας θεωρείται αποδεκτός στο εσωτερικό και απολαμβάνει σεβασμού στον αραβικό κόσμο, στην Ευρώπη, στις ΗΠΑ, ακόμα και στο Ισραήλ. Διακρίθηκε στα πεδία των μαχών στην Υεμένη το 1962 και στους αραβοισραηλινούς πολέμους το 1967 και το 1973 ενώ διοικεί με επιτυχία την αιγυπτιακή υπηρεσία πληροφοριών από το 1993 με τη Daily Telegraph να τον κατατάσει στους πλέον ισχυρούς αρχηγούς μυστικών υπηρεσιών στο κόσμο. Τον όνομά του ως επικεφαλής των μυστικών υπηρεσιών έγινε γνωστό μόλις τη περασμένη δεκαετία, σπάζοντας τη μακρά αιγυπτιακή παράδοση των υπηρεσίων πληροφοριών για πλήρη μυστικότητα.
Source : Strategy Report
Ο Στρατηγός Omar Suleiman θεωρείται πραγματιστής που μιλά σπανίως δημόσια ενώ έχει αναπτύξει και έντονη διπλωματική δραστηριότητα αναλαμβάνοντας καθήκοντα επίσημου εκπροσώπου της Αιγύπτου στις διαπραγματεύσεις Ισραηλινών και Παλαιστινίων. O νέος αντιπρόεδρος της αιγυπτιακής κυβέρνησης είναι απόλυτα αφοσιωμένος στον πολιτικό του προϊστάμενο, τον oποίο είχε σώσει το 1995 από βέβαιο θάνατο όταν επέμενε να μεταφερθεί το θωρακισμένο αυτοκίνητο του Mubarak στην Αιθιοπία όπου θα πραγματοποιούσε επίσημη επίσκεψη. Φεύγοντας από το αεροδρόμιο της Αντίς Αμπέμπα, Αιγύπτιοι ισλαμιστές που είχαν διεισδύσει στην Αιθιοπία άνοιξαν πυρ κατά της προεδρικής αυτοκινητοπομπής σκοτώνοντας δύο άνδρες της ασφάλειας, αλλά το θωρακισμένο αυτοκίνητο έσωσε τη ζωή του Αιγύπτιου προέδρου. Ο Suleiman θεωρείται αυθεντία στην αντιμετώπιση του ισλαμικού εξτρεμισμού και η άποψή του βαρύνουσας σημασίας για πολλούς δυτικούς αξιωματούχους.
Source : Strategy Report
Source : Strategy Report
Ο Στρατηγός Omar Suleiman θεωρείται πραγματιστής που μιλά σπανίως δημόσια ενώ έχει αναπτύξει και έντονη διπλωματική δραστηριότητα αναλαμβάνοντας καθήκοντα επίσημου εκπροσώπου της Αιγύπτου στις διαπραγματεύσεις Ισραηλινών και Παλαιστινίων. O νέος αντιπρόεδρος της αιγυπτιακής κυβέρνησης είναι απόλυτα αφοσιωμένος στον πολιτικό του προϊστάμενο, τον oποίο είχε σώσει το 1995 από βέβαιο θάνατο όταν επέμενε να μεταφερθεί το θωρακισμένο αυτοκίνητο του Mubarak στην Αιθιοπία όπου θα πραγματοποιούσε επίσημη επίσκεψη. Φεύγοντας από το αεροδρόμιο της Αντίς Αμπέμπα, Αιγύπτιοι ισλαμιστές που είχαν διεισδύσει στην Αιθιοπία άνοιξαν πυρ κατά της προεδρικής αυτοκινητοπομπής σκοτώνοντας δύο άνδρες της ασφάλειας, αλλά το θωρακισμένο αυτοκίνητο έσωσε τη ζωή του Αιγύπτιου προέδρου. Ο Suleiman θεωρείται αυθεντία στην αντιμετώπιση του ισλαμικού εξτρεμισμού και η άποψή του βαρύνουσας σημασίας για πολλούς δυτικούς αξιωματούχους.
Source : Strategy Report
Τετάρτη 2 Φεβρουαρίου 2011
Το άλλοθι της Τουρκίας για παρέμβαση στην Μέση Ανατολή ( αγγλικό κείμενο)
CİHAN ÇELİK
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Turkey’s Muslim heritage is a major factor for those who see it as a “model” for the region – and for those who believe it is not – according to a survey of the Middle East released Wednesday.
More than 65 percent of respondents to the survey said they felt Turkey could be a “model for the region,” while 18 percent disputed the idea.
Sixty-six percent of respondents also said they thought Turkey represented a “successful blend of Islam and democracy,” according to the report, which noted that support for Turkey as a model had increased to 66 percent in 2010 from 61 percent.
Though it is unreasonable to think that neighboring countries can replicate the Turkish model, they can instead benefit from Turkey’s political and economic experiences, Professor Meliha Altunışık from the International Relations Department at Ankara’s Middle East Technical University told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review on Wednesday.
“The rise of the Justice and Development Party [AKP] to power has inspired Islamist groups in the region. The AKP’s success has become an open door for the Islamists to power and they started to liken themselves to the Turkish ruling party,” Altunışık said.
Jonathan Levack, one of the authors of the report conducted by the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation, or TESEV, told the Daily News that Turkey is being adopted as a model in the Middle East as the AKP government pursues a regional role amid the ongoing “massive change” in the neighborhood.
The release of the survey of 2,267 people in seven Arab countries plus Iran comes as Turkey has been touted by experts, observers and diplomats as a model for countries such as Egypt or Tunisia amid deep political crisis in the Middle East and North Africa.
Asked why they perceive Turkey as a model, the top four responses were Turkey’s Muslim background with 15 percent, its economy with 12 percent, its democratic government with 11 percent and its stance for Palestinians and Muslims with 10 percent, according to the survey.
Respondents who rejected the idea of Turkey as a model cited both its secular political system (12 percent) and its Muslim heritage (11 percent) among their top four reasons, followed by the country’s relations with Western nations (10 percent) and the argument that there is “no need for a model” (8 percent).
The report surveyed people in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq and Iran – the latter added to the sample since the last survey – between Aug. 25 and Sept. 27, 2010.
According to the TESEV report, Turkey has enjoyed significant support in its neighborhood, with positive regional opinion about Turkey increasing to 85 percent from 75 percent. “Until recently, prevailing opinion in Turkey was that Arabs did not like the Turks. However, this research challenges this belief; there is now growing sympathy for Turkey and Turks in the Arab world,” the report said.
Rejecting the argument that Turkey is shifting its axis from the West to the East, TESEV President Can Paker said the country now is pursuing a “multi-axis” policy, adding that apart from the rising sympathy, support for Turkey’s role as a mediator is also growing in the region.
Report co-author Levack agreed, saying the lack of leadership and great frustration with the current regimes in the Middle East has contributed to Turkey’s appeal. Seventy-three percent of survey respondents believed Turkey has recently become more influential in Middle East politics, while only 12 percent disagreed; 78 percent said Turkey should play a bigger role in the region, including helping mediate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians replaced worries over economic problems in the report, with 26 percent of respondents naming the economy as the region’s most urgent issue, second to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with 30 percent.
Comparing the survey with a report by a U.S.-based opinion polling firm that listed Turkey as the fourth-most unpopular country in the Middle East in 2002, Altunışık said the decade in between the two reports has seen Turkey become a “soft power.” He said it has the potential of becoming squeezed between societies seeking change and the regimes trying to maintain the status quo due to its double-edged stance.
Noting that Turkey has become more active culturally, as well as politically and economically, in the Middle East, the report added: “The popularity of Turkish television series and holidaying in Turkey has become far more apparent. The results show that respondents saw Turkey as the most popular Middle Eastern destination. The survey results [also] confirm [the Turkish TV series’] popularity: 78 percent of respondents had watched a Turkish TV series.”
Support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid has slightly decreased from 57 percent in 2009 to 54 percent in 2010, the report said, adding that the proportion of respondents who felt the accession would benefit Turkey’s role in the Middle East had also dropped, from 64 percent to 57 percent.
Regional threat perception remained the same in 2010 compared to 2009, with 40 percent of respondents putting Israel atop the region’s threat list, followed by the United States with 26 percent. Iran was named the third-biggest threat, with 9 percent.
Responding to a question about Iran’s nuclear program, 40 percent of respondents said they were in favor of the Islamic republic developing nuclear weapons while 39 percent were opposed. Sixty-one percent of respondents welcomed Turkey’s role in the nuclear impasse between Iran and the West while 9 percent viewed it unfavorably.
The TESEV report also shed light on economic trends in the Middle East. “Enthusiasm for the Turkish economy among respondents is clear,” it wrote. “Fourteen percent felt that Turkey had the strongest economy in the region today – only Saudi Arabia was seen by more respondents as currently having a stronger economy than Turkey.”
Perception of the future prospects for the Turkish economy is also bright, the report added: “Turkey is seen as the region’s coming economic leader with more than quarter of all respondents (27 percent) seeing Turkey as the regional economic leader in 10 years
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Turkey’s Muslim heritage is a major factor for those who see it as a “model” for the region – and for those who believe it is not – according to a survey of the Middle East released Wednesday.
More than 65 percent of respondents to the survey said they felt Turkey could be a “model for the region,” while 18 percent disputed the idea.
Sixty-six percent of respondents also said they thought Turkey represented a “successful blend of Islam and democracy,” according to the report, which noted that support for Turkey as a model had increased to 66 percent in 2010 from 61 percent.
Though it is unreasonable to think that neighboring countries can replicate the Turkish model, they can instead benefit from Turkey’s political and economic experiences, Professor Meliha Altunışık from the International Relations Department at Ankara’s Middle East Technical University told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review on Wednesday.
“The rise of the Justice and Development Party [AKP] to power has inspired Islamist groups in the region. The AKP’s success has become an open door for the Islamists to power and they started to liken themselves to the Turkish ruling party,” Altunışık said.
Jonathan Levack, one of the authors of the report conducted by the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation, or TESEV, told the Daily News that Turkey is being adopted as a model in the Middle East as the AKP government pursues a regional role amid the ongoing “massive change” in the neighborhood.
The release of the survey of 2,267 people in seven Arab countries plus Iran comes as Turkey has been touted by experts, observers and diplomats as a model for countries such as Egypt or Tunisia amid deep political crisis in the Middle East and North Africa.
Asked why they perceive Turkey as a model, the top four responses were Turkey’s Muslim background with 15 percent, its economy with 12 percent, its democratic government with 11 percent and its stance for Palestinians and Muslims with 10 percent, according to the survey.
Respondents who rejected the idea of Turkey as a model cited both its secular political system (12 percent) and its Muslim heritage (11 percent) among their top four reasons, followed by the country’s relations with Western nations (10 percent) and the argument that there is “no need for a model” (8 percent).
The report surveyed people in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq and Iran – the latter added to the sample since the last survey – between Aug. 25 and Sept. 27, 2010.
According to the TESEV report, Turkey has enjoyed significant support in its neighborhood, with positive regional opinion about Turkey increasing to 85 percent from 75 percent. “Until recently, prevailing opinion in Turkey was that Arabs did not like the Turks. However, this research challenges this belief; there is now growing sympathy for Turkey and Turks in the Arab world,” the report said.
Rejecting the argument that Turkey is shifting its axis from the West to the East, TESEV President Can Paker said the country now is pursuing a “multi-axis” policy, adding that apart from the rising sympathy, support for Turkey’s role as a mediator is also growing in the region.
Report co-author Levack agreed, saying the lack of leadership and great frustration with the current regimes in the Middle East has contributed to Turkey’s appeal. Seventy-three percent of survey respondents believed Turkey has recently become more influential in Middle East politics, while only 12 percent disagreed; 78 percent said Turkey should play a bigger role in the region, including helping mediate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The decades-long conflict between Israelis and Palestinians replaced worries over economic problems in the report, with 26 percent of respondents naming the economy as the region’s most urgent issue, second to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with 30 percent.
Comparing the survey with a report by a U.S.-based opinion polling firm that listed Turkey as the fourth-most unpopular country in the Middle East in 2002, Altunışık said the decade in between the two reports has seen Turkey become a “soft power.” He said it has the potential of becoming squeezed between societies seeking change and the regimes trying to maintain the status quo due to its double-edged stance.
Noting that Turkey has become more active culturally, as well as politically and economically, in the Middle East, the report added: “The popularity of Turkish television series and holidaying in Turkey has become far more apparent. The results show that respondents saw Turkey as the most popular Middle Eastern destination. The survey results [also] confirm [the Turkish TV series’] popularity: 78 percent of respondents had watched a Turkish TV series.”
Support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid has slightly decreased from 57 percent in 2009 to 54 percent in 2010, the report said, adding that the proportion of respondents who felt the accession would benefit Turkey’s role in the Middle East had also dropped, from 64 percent to 57 percent.
Regional threat perception remained the same in 2010 compared to 2009, with 40 percent of respondents putting Israel atop the region’s threat list, followed by the United States with 26 percent. Iran was named the third-biggest threat, with 9 percent.
Responding to a question about Iran’s nuclear program, 40 percent of respondents said they were in favor of the Islamic republic developing nuclear weapons while 39 percent were opposed. Sixty-one percent of respondents welcomed Turkey’s role in the nuclear impasse between Iran and the West while 9 percent viewed it unfavorably.
The TESEV report also shed light on economic trends in the Middle East. “Enthusiasm for the Turkish economy among respondents is clear,” it wrote. “Fourteen percent felt that Turkey had the strongest economy in the region today – only Saudi Arabia was seen by more respondents as currently having a stronger economy than Turkey.”
Perception of the future prospects for the Turkish economy is also bright, the report added: “Turkey is seen as the region’s coming economic leader with more than quarter of all respondents (27 percent) seeing Turkey as the regional economic leader in 10 years
Τρίτη 1 Φεβρουαρίου 2011
Ο τρίτος δρόμος για την μεταφορά φυσικού αερίου στις αγορές της Ε.Ε.
Με βάση άρθρο του κ. Ηρακλείδη, καθηγητή Διεθνών Σχέσεων και Επίλυσης Συγκρούσεων στο Πάντειο Πανεπιστήμιο, που δημοσιεύθηκε στο ΒΗΜΑ (16-1-2010), μεταξύ άλλων, αναφέρεται ότι ‘από τις συνομιλίες του 1976-1981 συνάγονται 10 κατευθυντήριες γραμμές, στη λογική, θα έλεγα, ενός «μεγάλου πακέτου επίλυσης»’, με τελευταία και ‘φαρμακερή’ γραμμή την εξής: Αποφυγή δημιουργίας εκατέρωθεν αποκλειστικής οικονομικής ζώνης (ΑΟΖ).
Αν συμβαίνει αυτό και ιδιαίτερα αν υπάρχει δέσμευση των δυο χωρών να αποφύγουν τη δημιουργία ΑΟΖ, υπάρχει και μια λογική εξήγηση της απροθυμίας της Ελλάδος τόσα χρόνια να προβεί στη δημιουργία ΑΟΖ, κάτι που ήδη έχει κάνει η αδύναμη και υπό κατοχή Κύπρος από το 2004.
Όμως, όσον αφορά το φυσικό αέριο που θα εξαχθεί σε περιοχή που βρίσκεται στις ΑΟΖ Κύπρου-Ισραήλ, για να έχει νόημα η εξόρυξή του, θα πρέπει να εξασφαλιστεί το δρομολόγιο που θα ακολουθήσει ο αγωγός μεταφοράς στις ενεργοβόρες αγορές που το έχουν ανάγκη, δηλαδή στην Ευρώπη, που εν τω μεταξύ παραμένει εξαρτημένη από τη Ρωσία, στον τομέα αυτό. Οι δρόμοι που μπορεί να ακολουθήσει ένας τέτοιος αγωγός είναι τρεις. Ο πρώτος περνά μέσω Ισραήλ-Λιβάνου-Συρίας-Τουρκίας, ο δεύτερος μέσω Ισραήλ-Αιγύπτου-Λιβύης-Τυνησίας-Ιταλίας και ο τρίτος μέσω Κύπρου-Κρήτης-Πελοποννήσου-ηπειρωτικής Ελλάδος και καταλήγουν και οι τρεις στις χώρες της Κεντρικής Ευρώπης.
Αν ληφθεί υπ’ όψιν ότι οι δυο πρώτοι δρόμοι αποκλείονται λόγω σοβαρότατων πολιτικών προβλημάτων, απομένει ο τρίτος δρόμος, ο οποίος όμως έχει και αυτός ένα ‘πρόβλημα’. Θα πρέπει να ορισθεί η ΑΟΖ μεταξύ Κύπρου-Ελλάδος, για να μπορέσει να περάσει με ασφάλεια και χωρίς προβλήματα ο αγωγός. Για να ορισθεί όμως η ΑΟΖ μεταξύ Κύπρου και Ελλάδος, θα πρέπει η Ελλάδα να συμπεριλάβει στην ΑΟΖ το Καστελόριζο, οπότε στην όλη υπόθεση εμπλέκεται και η Τουρκία, με την οποία, με βάση τον κ. Ηρακλείδη, έχουμε συμφωνήσει (;) επί της αρχής να αποφύγουμε αμοιβαία δημιουργία ΑΟΖ.
Η υπογραφή συμφωνίας Κύπρου – Ισραήλ για τον καθορισμό των ορίων μεταξύ των ΑΟΖ, η πρόσφατη επίσκεψη του προέδρου της Ρωσίας κ. Μεντβέντεφ και της πρωθυπουργού της Γερμανίας κ. Μέρκελ στην Κύπρο και η στρατηγική ανάγκη της Ευρώπης μετά τη Ρωσία να αποκτήσει και έναν δεύτερο προμηθευτή φυσικού αερίου, είναι εξελίξεις που δείχνουν ότι τελικά «Το ‘κλειδί’ για μια δίκαιη λύση στο Αιγαίο», όπως τιτλοφορεί το άρθρο του ο κ. Ηρακλείδης, δεν είναι στα όσα αναφέρονται εκεί, αλλά ίσως έχει αλλάξει ‘χέρια’ και βρίσκεται ήδη κάπου στα γεωπολιτικά και γεω-οικονομικά συμφέροντα που θα εξυπηρετήσει ο αγωγός του ‘τρίτου δρόμου’ και στην ασφάλειά του.
Όσον αφορά το τελευταίο, και όχι μόνο, οι κοινές αεροπορικές ασκήσεις Ελλάδος – Ισραήλ, η επίσκεψη του αρχηγού του ελληνικού Πολεμικού Ναυτικού στο Ισραήλ και οι πληροφορίες που θέλουν αεροσκάφη της ελληνικής Πολεμικής Αεροπορίας να μετασταθμεύουν σε αεροπορικές βάσεις του Ισραήλ, φαίνεται ότι σε ορισμένους τομείς έχουν προχωρήσει αρκετά κάποια πράγματα.
Πηγή :Εφημερίδα ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ
Αν συμβαίνει αυτό και ιδιαίτερα αν υπάρχει δέσμευση των δυο χωρών να αποφύγουν τη δημιουργία ΑΟΖ, υπάρχει και μια λογική εξήγηση της απροθυμίας της Ελλάδος τόσα χρόνια να προβεί στη δημιουργία ΑΟΖ, κάτι που ήδη έχει κάνει η αδύναμη και υπό κατοχή Κύπρος από το 2004.
Όμως, όσον αφορά το φυσικό αέριο που θα εξαχθεί σε περιοχή που βρίσκεται στις ΑΟΖ Κύπρου-Ισραήλ, για να έχει νόημα η εξόρυξή του, θα πρέπει να εξασφαλιστεί το δρομολόγιο που θα ακολουθήσει ο αγωγός μεταφοράς στις ενεργοβόρες αγορές που το έχουν ανάγκη, δηλαδή στην Ευρώπη, που εν τω μεταξύ παραμένει εξαρτημένη από τη Ρωσία, στον τομέα αυτό. Οι δρόμοι που μπορεί να ακολουθήσει ένας τέτοιος αγωγός είναι τρεις. Ο πρώτος περνά μέσω Ισραήλ-Λιβάνου-Συρίας-Τουρκίας, ο δεύτερος μέσω Ισραήλ-Αιγύπτου-Λιβύης-Τυνησίας-Ιταλίας και ο τρίτος μέσω Κύπρου-Κρήτης-Πελοποννήσου-ηπειρωτικής Ελλάδος και καταλήγουν και οι τρεις στις χώρες της Κεντρικής Ευρώπης.
Αν ληφθεί υπ’ όψιν ότι οι δυο πρώτοι δρόμοι αποκλείονται λόγω σοβαρότατων πολιτικών προβλημάτων, απομένει ο τρίτος δρόμος, ο οποίος όμως έχει και αυτός ένα ‘πρόβλημα’. Θα πρέπει να ορισθεί η ΑΟΖ μεταξύ Κύπρου-Ελλάδος, για να μπορέσει να περάσει με ασφάλεια και χωρίς προβλήματα ο αγωγός. Για να ορισθεί όμως η ΑΟΖ μεταξύ Κύπρου και Ελλάδος, θα πρέπει η Ελλάδα να συμπεριλάβει στην ΑΟΖ το Καστελόριζο, οπότε στην όλη υπόθεση εμπλέκεται και η Τουρκία, με την οποία, με βάση τον κ. Ηρακλείδη, έχουμε συμφωνήσει (;) επί της αρχής να αποφύγουμε αμοιβαία δημιουργία ΑΟΖ.
Η υπογραφή συμφωνίας Κύπρου – Ισραήλ για τον καθορισμό των ορίων μεταξύ των ΑΟΖ, η πρόσφατη επίσκεψη του προέδρου της Ρωσίας κ. Μεντβέντεφ και της πρωθυπουργού της Γερμανίας κ. Μέρκελ στην Κύπρο και η στρατηγική ανάγκη της Ευρώπης μετά τη Ρωσία να αποκτήσει και έναν δεύτερο προμηθευτή φυσικού αερίου, είναι εξελίξεις που δείχνουν ότι τελικά «Το ‘κλειδί’ για μια δίκαιη λύση στο Αιγαίο», όπως τιτλοφορεί το άρθρο του ο κ. Ηρακλείδης, δεν είναι στα όσα αναφέρονται εκεί, αλλά ίσως έχει αλλάξει ‘χέρια’ και βρίσκεται ήδη κάπου στα γεωπολιτικά και γεω-οικονομικά συμφέροντα που θα εξυπηρετήσει ο αγωγός του ‘τρίτου δρόμου’ και στην ασφάλειά του.
Όσον αφορά το τελευταίο, και όχι μόνο, οι κοινές αεροπορικές ασκήσεις Ελλάδος – Ισραήλ, η επίσκεψη του αρχηγού του ελληνικού Πολεμικού Ναυτικού στο Ισραήλ και οι πληροφορίες που θέλουν αεροσκάφη της ελληνικής Πολεμικής Αεροπορίας να μετασταθμεύουν σε αεροπορικές βάσεις του Ισραήλ, φαίνεται ότι σε ορισμένους τομείς έχουν προχωρήσει αρκετά κάποια πράγματα.
Πηγή :Εφημερίδα ΔΗΜΟΚΡΑΤΙΑ
Turkish role in the Arab unrest
Amid the ongoing unrest across the Middle East and North Africa, eyes are turning to Turkey as experts debate whether Turkey’s recent rise on the global stage, its stable democracy and strong economy have contributed to the outbreak of protests.
Violent protests in Egypt, one of the largest countries in the Arab world, are targeting President Hosni Mubarak, as street fighting between demonstrators and security forces has claimed the lives of at least 125 people, according to reports.
“Turkey always has a positive image in the region and its rising influence has led to some sort of jealousy in the Arab world, which is one of the reasons for the current transformation process,” said Professor Semir Saliha, a Middle East expert from Kocaeli University. He said since 2002 the Turkish government has been sending positive signals to the region in the name of democratization, reforms, human rights and participation in politics.
Turkey, US agree to act together in Egyptian upheaval
The six days of protesting in Egypt comes hot on the heels of protesting that overthrew the longtime president of Tunisia, where protests are still continuing with people demanding the whole governement resign.
Saliha pointed out that statements made by U.S. President Barak Obama in both Ankara and Cairo in the period following his inauguration as president created a positive perception regarding U.S. policy toward the region, but a pursuit of opposing policies – especially regarding Israel – caused disappointment in the Arab world.
“Turkey managed to fill in the blanks in this vacuum,” he said.
Turkey looks at the region from three perspectives: firstly, what impact the unrest in Egypt could have on the Arabic-Israeli dispute, a significant source of tension in the region; secondly, what possible effects the revolts could have on the other countries in the Middle East; and, thirdly, whether the current turmoil could lead to an ailing Egypt and rising Turkey in the region. In his daily column for Radikal, Murat Yetkin said Ankara’s evaluations suggested that if Mubarak is overthrown, then a chain of transformations could be ignited throughout the Arab world.
In Tunisia, the government, once regarded as one of the Middle East’s most stable, was overthrown after widespread protests and street violence forced President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee the country after 23 years in power. The revolt in Tunisia inspired countries across the Middle East and North Africa, with nationwide demonstrations in Egypt swelling into the largest uprising in three decades, sending shockwaves throughout the region. On Friday, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said governments in the Arab world could not remain indifferent to the fair demands of their citizens.
More emphasis on democracy, freedoms
However, critics of Turkey’s vision of the region have complained that the official rhetoric lacks emphasis on democracy and freedom.
“Turkey’s regional policy embraces traces of strategic depth, Neo-Ottomanism, zero problems with neighbors and engagement with Hamas and Hezbollah. What’s absent in this policy is democracy, rule of law, human rights and gender equality,” Turkey’s former Ambassador to Washington Faruk Loğoğlu told the Daily News.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the most popular politician in the Arab streets due to his fierce criticism of Israel, should visit the region in order to take the pulse of the Arab people and look out for their expectations of more democracy and freedom, he said.
“Everything is falling apart in the Arab world, and for the situation to fall into place Turkey should pursue a prudent policy with engagement with political leaders, as well as nongovernmental organizations, without appearing on the forefront very much,” Loğoğlu said.
Busy Foreign Ministry
“We are closely following the developments not only in Egypt and Tunisia, but their possible reflections on the overall region,” a senior Foreign Ministry diplomat told Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review on Sunday.
“There have been long running demands, on the one side, and how one can remain indifferent to people’s demands coming from the grassroots is a separate issue,” said the diplomat, who wished to remain anonymous.
“On the other side, a peaceful settlement of the ongoing turmoil through dialogue is crucial. There are reports of deaths and violence. It is necessary to clearly read the developments. And we are trying to take a full picture of what’s happening, not only through our embassy in Cairo but all embassies in the region.”
Turkey evacuates nationals
Meanwhile, Turkey has decided to increase the number of aircraft chartered for evacuating Turkish nationals to five, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced Sunday.
“In addition to regular flights, the number of aircraft to be sent to Egypt by Turkish Airlines, in cooperation with the Prime Ministry and the Foreign Ministry, has been increased to five upon intensive requests from our citizens in Egypt,” the ministry said.
One of the planes has already arrived in Cairo and two in Alexandria, while the remaining two are set to take off at 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The ministry said Turkey’s embassy officials were ready at Cairo’s airport to help evacuate citizens.
Source : Hurriyet Daily News
Violent protests in Egypt, one of the largest countries in the Arab world, are targeting President Hosni Mubarak, as street fighting between demonstrators and security forces has claimed the lives of at least 125 people, according to reports.
“Turkey always has a positive image in the region and its rising influence has led to some sort of jealousy in the Arab world, which is one of the reasons for the current transformation process,” said Professor Semir Saliha, a Middle East expert from Kocaeli University. He said since 2002 the Turkish government has been sending positive signals to the region in the name of democratization, reforms, human rights and participation in politics.
Turkey, US agree to act together in Egyptian upheaval
The six days of protesting in Egypt comes hot on the heels of protesting that overthrew the longtime president of Tunisia, where protests are still continuing with people demanding the whole governement resign.
Saliha pointed out that statements made by U.S. President Barak Obama in both Ankara and Cairo in the period following his inauguration as president created a positive perception regarding U.S. policy toward the region, but a pursuit of opposing policies – especially regarding Israel – caused disappointment in the Arab world.
“Turkey managed to fill in the blanks in this vacuum,” he said.
Turkey looks at the region from three perspectives: firstly, what impact the unrest in Egypt could have on the Arabic-Israeli dispute, a significant source of tension in the region; secondly, what possible effects the revolts could have on the other countries in the Middle East; and, thirdly, whether the current turmoil could lead to an ailing Egypt and rising Turkey in the region. In his daily column for Radikal, Murat Yetkin said Ankara’s evaluations suggested that if Mubarak is overthrown, then a chain of transformations could be ignited throughout the Arab world.
In Tunisia, the government, once regarded as one of the Middle East’s most stable, was overthrown after widespread protests and street violence forced President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee the country after 23 years in power. The revolt in Tunisia inspired countries across the Middle East and North Africa, with nationwide demonstrations in Egypt swelling into the largest uprising in three decades, sending shockwaves throughout the region. On Friday, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said governments in the Arab world could not remain indifferent to the fair demands of their citizens.
More emphasis on democracy, freedoms
However, critics of Turkey’s vision of the region have complained that the official rhetoric lacks emphasis on democracy and freedom.
“Turkey’s regional policy embraces traces of strategic depth, Neo-Ottomanism, zero problems with neighbors and engagement with Hamas and Hezbollah. What’s absent in this policy is democracy, rule of law, human rights and gender equality,” Turkey’s former Ambassador to Washington Faruk Loğoğlu told the Daily News.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the most popular politician in the Arab streets due to his fierce criticism of Israel, should visit the region in order to take the pulse of the Arab people and look out for their expectations of more democracy and freedom, he said.
“Everything is falling apart in the Arab world, and for the situation to fall into place Turkey should pursue a prudent policy with engagement with political leaders, as well as nongovernmental organizations, without appearing on the forefront very much,” Loğoğlu said.
Busy Foreign Ministry
“We are closely following the developments not only in Egypt and Tunisia, but their possible reflections on the overall region,” a senior Foreign Ministry diplomat told Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review on Sunday.
“There have been long running demands, on the one side, and how one can remain indifferent to people’s demands coming from the grassroots is a separate issue,” said the diplomat, who wished to remain anonymous.
“On the other side, a peaceful settlement of the ongoing turmoil through dialogue is crucial. There are reports of deaths and violence. It is necessary to clearly read the developments. And we are trying to take a full picture of what’s happening, not only through our embassy in Cairo but all embassies in the region.”
Turkey evacuates nationals
Meanwhile, Turkey has decided to increase the number of aircraft chartered for evacuating Turkish nationals to five, the Turkish Foreign Ministry announced Sunday.
“In addition to regular flights, the number of aircraft to be sent to Egypt by Turkish Airlines, in cooperation with the Prime Ministry and the Foreign Ministry, has been increased to five upon intensive requests from our citizens in Egypt,” the ministry said.
One of the planes has already arrived in Cairo and two in Alexandria, while the remaining two are set to take off at 4 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Sunday. The ministry said Turkey’s embassy officials were ready at Cairo’s airport to help evacuate citizens.
Source : Hurriyet Daily News
Ενεργειακή συνεργασία Ελλάδας - Κύπρου και οι αντιδράσεις της Τουρκίας
Κύπρος και Ελλάδα προχωρούν προς την δημιουργία ενός ενιαίου ενεργειακού δόγματος. Το ραντεβού Παπανδρέου - Χριστόφια θα έχει στο μενού αρκετή ενεργειακή συζήτηση. Ο Πρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας θα μεταβεί στην Ελλάδα την ερχόμενη Πέμπτη και θα έχει συνάντηση με τον Έλληνα Πρωθυπουργό στο πλαίσιο της πολύ συχνής συνεννόησης, ενημέρωσης και στενού συντονισμού και στενής συνεργασίας που υπάρχει μεταξύ των Κυβερνήσεων Κύπρου και Ελλάδας για το Κυπριακό και για άλλα θέματα αμοιβαίου ενδιαφέροντος.
Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, αν και στην παρούσα φάση η Ελλάδα δεν είναι έτοιμη για υπογραφή μια συμφωνίας καθορισμού ΑΟΖ με την Κύπρο, εντούτοις οι δύο χώρες θα κάνουν το πρώτο βήμα για την δημιουργία ενός ενιαίου ενεργειακού δόγματος. Οι συμφωνίες που θα παίρνουμε θα είναι κοινές τόσο στην πολιτική όσο και στην τεχνική πτυχή των ενεργειακών θεμάτων.Την ίδια ώρα η Άγκυρα ετοιμάζεται μέσα στο 2011 να κάνει κινήσεις "μπλοκαρίσματος" των συμφωνιών καθορισμού ΑΟΖ της Κύπρου με Αίγυπτο και Ισραήλ, σε δύο μέτωπα, νομικά και πολιτικά.
Η τουρκική Θέση
1. Νομικά ισχυρίζεται ότι η υφαλοκρηπίδα σε πέντε οικόπεδα που αγγίζουν την συμφωνία Α.Ο.Ζ. Κύπρου – Αιγύπτου εμπλέκουν και την Τουρκία.
2. Πολιτικά, υποστηρίζει ότι και οι Τ/κ έχουν δικαιώματα στην θάλασσα της Κύπρου, γι αυτό και δεν μπορεί η «ε/κ διοίκηση» να υπογράφει συμφωνίες, όπως αυτή με το Ισραήλ.
Εν τω μεταξύ την ερχόμενη Πέμπτη η ΔΕΦΑ θα ενημερωθεί από τον Σόλωνα Κασίνη για το που βρίσκεται το θέμα με τα δικά μας κοιτάσματα φυσικού αερίου.
Κυβέρνηση: ουδέν προς ανακοίνωση για το Φυσικό Αέριο
Η διαδικασία αναφορικά με το θέμα του φυσικού αερίου συνεχίζεται, δήλωσε ο Κυβερνητικός Εκπρόσωπος Στέφανος Στεφάνου, προσθέτοντας ότι θα πρέπει να αξιολογηθούν όλα τα δεδομένα έτσι ώστε να ληφθούν οι καλύτερες αποφάσεις για εξυπηρέτηση των καλώς νοούμενων συμφερόντων της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας.
Ερωτηθείς εάν υπάρχει κάτι νεότερο στο θέμα του φυσικού αερίου, ο κ. Στεφάνου είπε ότι η Κυβέρνηση, με πολλή ψυχραιμία και χωρίς να κάνει θόρυβο, θα συνεχίσει να ασχολείται με το θέμα του φυσικού αερίου και ασφαλώς με τη βοήθεια, τη συνεργασία και σε συνεννόηση με τους ειδικούς και τους αρμόδιους φορείς και υπηρεσίες της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας.
«Αυτή την ώρα δεν έχουμε κάτι το συγκεκριμένο να ανακοινώσουμε αλλά η διαδικασία αναφορικά με το θέμα του φυσικού αερίου συνεχίζεται», είπε.
Απαντώντας σε ερώτηση, ανέφερε ότι η επίσκεψη του Προέδρου της Δημοκρατίας στο Ισραήλ «ήταν προγραμματισμένη προτού γίνει και όλος αυτός ο θόρυβος και τώρα έχει μεταφερθεί για το μήνα Μάρτιο».
Ερωτηθείς πότε θα ληφθεί απόφαση για προμήθεια του φυσικού αερίου και για στρατηγικό επενδυτή για το τερματικό, είπε ότι αυτό θα ανακοινωθεί όταν ληφθούν οι αποφάσεις.
Σε ερώτηση κατά πόσον υπάρχει κάποιο χρονοδιάγραμμα, ο Εκπρόσωπος ανέφερε πως η Κυβέρνηση επιθυμεί να προχωρήσει το συντομότερο.
«Από κει και πέρα δεν μπορούμε να καθορίσουμε χρονικά πότε ακριβώς θα γίνει αυτό διότι θα πρέπει να αξιολογηθούν, να προσμετρηθούν όλα τα δεδομένα έτσι ώστε να μπορούμε να πάρουμε τις καλύτερες δυνατές αποφάσεις για εξυπηρέτηση των καλώς νοούμενων συμφερόντων της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας», σημείωσε.
Σε παρατήρηση ότι και η Κυβέρνηση κάνει αξιολόγηση των δεδομένων τη στιγμή που η ΔΕΦΑ και η ΑΗΚ έκαναν ήδη αξιολόγηση, ο κ. Στεφάνου είπε ότι «και η Κυβέρνηση για να πάρει τις πολιτικές αποφάσεις επ’ αυτού του ζητήματος κάνει την επαφή, τη διαβούλευση και τη συνεννόηση και με αυτούς, όπως είναι η ΑΗΚ για το χερσαίο τερματικό, και η ΔΕΦΑ».
Source : www.sigmalive.com
Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, αν και στην παρούσα φάση η Ελλάδα δεν είναι έτοιμη για υπογραφή μια συμφωνίας καθορισμού ΑΟΖ με την Κύπρο, εντούτοις οι δύο χώρες θα κάνουν το πρώτο βήμα για την δημιουργία ενός ενιαίου ενεργειακού δόγματος. Οι συμφωνίες που θα παίρνουμε θα είναι κοινές τόσο στην πολιτική όσο και στην τεχνική πτυχή των ενεργειακών θεμάτων.Την ίδια ώρα η Άγκυρα ετοιμάζεται μέσα στο 2011 να κάνει κινήσεις "μπλοκαρίσματος" των συμφωνιών καθορισμού ΑΟΖ της Κύπρου με Αίγυπτο και Ισραήλ, σε δύο μέτωπα, νομικά και πολιτικά.
Η τουρκική Θέση
1. Νομικά ισχυρίζεται ότι η υφαλοκρηπίδα σε πέντε οικόπεδα που αγγίζουν την συμφωνία Α.Ο.Ζ. Κύπρου – Αιγύπτου εμπλέκουν και την Τουρκία.
2. Πολιτικά, υποστηρίζει ότι και οι Τ/κ έχουν δικαιώματα στην θάλασσα της Κύπρου, γι αυτό και δεν μπορεί η «ε/κ διοίκηση» να υπογράφει συμφωνίες, όπως αυτή με το Ισραήλ.
Εν τω μεταξύ την ερχόμενη Πέμπτη η ΔΕΦΑ θα ενημερωθεί από τον Σόλωνα Κασίνη για το που βρίσκεται το θέμα με τα δικά μας κοιτάσματα φυσικού αερίου.
Κυβέρνηση: ουδέν προς ανακοίνωση για το Φυσικό Αέριο
Η διαδικασία αναφορικά με το θέμα του φυσικού αερίου συνεχίζεται, δήλωσε ο Κυβερνητικός Εκπρόσωπος Στέφανος Στεφάνου, προσθέτοντας ότι θα πρέπει να αξιολογηθούν όλα τα δεδομένα έτσι ώστε να ληφθούν οι καλύτερες αποφάσεις για εξυπηρέτηση των καλώς νοούμενων συμφερόντων της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας.
Ερωτηθείς εάν υπάρχει κάτι νεότερο στο θέμα του φυσικού αερίου, ο κ. Στεφάνου είπε ότι η Κυβέρνηση, με πολλή ψυχραιμία και χωρίς να κάνει θόρυβο, θα συνεχίσει να ασχολείται με το θέμα του φυσικού αερίου και ασφαλώς με τη βοήθεια, τη συνεργασία και σε συνεννόηση με τους ειδικούς και τους αρμόδιους φορείς και υπηρεσίες της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας.
«Αυτή την ώρα δεν έχουμε κάτι το συγκεκριμένο να ανακοινώσουμε αλλά η διαδικασία αναφορικά με το θέμα του φυσικού αερίου συνεχίζεται», είπε.
Απαντώντας σε ερώτηση, ανέφερε ότι η επίσκεψη του Προέδρου της Δημοκρατίας στο Ισραήλ «ήταν προγραμματισμένη προτού γίνει και όλος αυτός ο θόρυβος και τώρα έχει μεταφερθεί για το μήνα Μάρτιο».
Ερωτηθείς πότε θα ληφθεί απόφαση για προμήθεια του φυσικού αερίου και για στρατηγικό επενδυτή για το τερματικό, είπε ότι αυτό θα ανακοινωθεί όταν ληφθούν οι αποφάσεις.
Σε ερώτηση κατά πόσον υπάρχει κάποιο χρονοδιάγραμμα, ο Εκπρόσωπος ανέφερε πως η Κυβέρνηση επιθυμεί να προχωρήσει το συντομότερο.
«Από κει και πέρα δεν μπορούμε να καθορίσουμε χρονικά πότε ακριβώς θα γίνει αυτό διότι θα πρέπει να αξιολογηθούν, να προσμετρηθούν όλα τα δεδομένα έτσι ώστε να μπορούμε να πάρουμε τις καλύτερες δυνατές αποφάσεις για εξυπηρέτηση των καλώς νοούμενων συμφερόντων της Κυπριακής Δημοκρατίας», σημείωσε.
Σε παρατήρηση ότι και η Κυβέρνηση κάνει αξιολόγηση των δεδομένων τη στιγμή που η ΔΕΦΑ και η ΑΗΚ έκαναν ήδη αξιολόγηση, ο κ. Στεφάνου είπε ότι «και η Κυβέρνηση για να πάρει τις πολιτικές αποφάσεις επ’ αυτού του ζητήματος κάνει την επαφή, τη διαβούλευση και τη συνεννόηση και με αυτούς, όπως είναι η ΑΗΚ για το χερσαίο τερματικό, και η ΔΕΦΑ».
Source : www.sigmalive.com
Cyber warfare : US Army Cyber Command
After October 1 thousands of US military hackers and spies will get down to their cyber war activities.
The declarations for taking cyber defense measures can be heard more and more often in the US. US analysts state that information and communication networks, on which the national infrastructure depends on, are becoming vulnerable for cyber criminals.
Cyberspace defense issue is urgent not only for the US. “The statistics revealed that cybercriminals have upped the ante and are becoming more sophisticated and creative, distributing more aggressive forms of malware” -Defence IQ website states.
“Our statistics show that Trojans and rogueware ('fake' antivirus programs) amounted to almost 85 per cent of all malware activity in 2009. 2009 was also the year of Conficker, though this belies the fact that worms ranked at just 3.42 per cent of last year's malware creation”, the magazine read.
“The Conficker worm has caused serious problems in both domestic and corporate environments, with more than 7 million computers infected worldwide, and it is still spreading rapidly”. (1)
However it seems that the US is too concerned with the problem of cyber defense in comparison with other countries. On April 26, the CIA unveiled its plans to new initiatives in the fight against Web-based attacks. The document outlines the plans for the next five years and director of the CIA Leon Pannetta said that it was “vital for the CIA to be one step ahead of the game when it comes to challenges like cyber space security" (2).
In May 2009, the White House approved Cyberspace Policy Review (3), submitted to the US president by the members of a special commission. The document summed up the state of things in the US cyberspace and national information security. It was proposed to a appoint cyber security policy official responsible for coordinating the US cyber security policies and activities.
The report outlined a new comprehensive framework to facilitate coordinated responses by government, the private sector, and allies to a significant cyber incident. The new system of coordination would enable Federal, State, local, and tribal governments to work with industry to improve the plans and resources they have in place in advance to detect, prevent, and respond to significant cyber security incidents. The initiative also implies providing US counter intelligence with more technical and functional options and training of new cyber defense specialists.
The last but not least - in mid 2010, on the territory of the Lackland air base in Texas the construction of the first specialized cyber intelligence center for a 400 personnel began. The 68th Network Warfare Squadron and 710th Information Operations Flight were moved to San Antonio. This place was chosen because of it is close to other cyber military facilities - Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency, Texas Cryptology Center of the USNational Security Agency, united information operations command and the US Air forces cryptology support. It will function in the interests of the US Space command, US Air Forces command and US Air Forces’reserve.
Numerous publications in the US mass media show that the reform of the national cyber defense forces as well as the introduction of the doctrine and strategy of the cyber war are soon to be completed. As for the US cyber strategy we can assume that it is in line with the general concept of the US global leadership.
William Lynn III in his article "ThePentagon's Cyberstrategy", published in Foreign Affairs journal (September/October 2010), outlined five basic principles of the future strategy:
- Cyber must be recognized as a warfare domain equal to land, sea, and air;
- Any defensive posture must go beyond “good hygiene” to include sophisticated and accurate operations that allow rapid response;
- Cyber defenses must reach beyond the department’s dot-mil world into commercial networks, as governed by Homeland Security;
- Cyber defenses must be pursued with international allies for an effective “shared warning” of threats; and
- The Defense Department must help to maintain and leverage U.S. technological dominance and improve the acquisitions process to keep up with the speed and agility of the information technology industry (4).
When commenting this article analysts point out that “The capabilities being sought would allow U.S. cyber-warriors to "deceive, deny, disrupt, degrade and destroy" information and computers around the globe”. (5)
Gen. Keith Alexander, the head of the Pentagon's new Cyber Command(ARFORCYBER) said: "We have to have offensive capabilities, to, in real time, shut down somebody trying to attack us," Earlier Keith Alexander compared cyber attacks with weapons of mass destruction and according to his recent statements the US is planning offensive application of the new warfare.
While Washington is accusing other countries of aiding and sponsoring cyber terrorism (Statistic shows that most of cyber attacks against US informational systems were made from China), the US special forces are training new personnel for cyber wars.
The command - made up of 1,000 elite military hackers and spies under one four-star general - is the linchpin of the Pentagon's new strategy and is slated to become fully operational Oct. 1.- Washington Post reports (6). The Defense Department has “15,000 networks and 7 million computing devices in use in dozens of countries, with 90,000 people working to maintain them and it depends heavily on commercial industry for its network operations” (7). Attracting allies and private companies working in the sphere of IT and security the US plans to establish the new order in the global cyber space.
Considering all this what may we expect? It is quite likely that we may expect spying by means of tabs and backdoors in software sold by well-known companies such as Microsoft, as well as an informational blockade, limiting access to alternative sources of information. Thus from October 1, all the achievements of the informational age can be challenged.
Notes
(1) http://www.defenceiq.com/article.cfm?externalID=2718
(2) http://www.defenceiq.com/article.cfm?externalID=2460
(3) http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Cyberspace_Policy_Review_final.pdf
(4) William J. Lynn III W. Defending a New Domain: The Pentagon's Cyberstrategy.// Foreign Affairs. September/October 2010.
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/66552/william-j-lynn-iii/defending-a-new-domain(29.08.2010)
(5) Webster S. Pentagon may apply preemptive warfare policy to the Internet. August 29, 2010.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/0829/pentagon-weighs-applying-preemptive-warfare-tactics-internet/ (30.08.2010).
(6) Nakashima E. Pentagon considers preemptive strikes as part of cyber-defense strategy. Washington Post. August 28, 2010.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/28/AR2010082803849_pf.html
(7) Daniel L. Lynn Outlines Cyber Threats, Defensive Measures. American Forces Press Service.
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=60600
Global Research Articles by Leonid Savin
The declarations for taking cyber defense measures can be heard more and more often in the US. US analysts state that information and communication networks, on which the national infrastructure depends on, are becoming vulnerable for cyber criminals.
Cyberspace defense issue is urgent not only for the US. “The statistics revealed that cybercriminals have upped the ante and are becoming more sophisticated and creative, distributing more aggressive forms of malware” -Defence IQ website states.
“Our statistics show that Trojans and rogueware ('fake' antivirus programs) amounted to almost 85 per cent of all malware activity in 2009. 2009 was also the year of Conficker, though this belies the fact that worms ranked at just 3.42 per cent of last year's malware creation”, the magazine read.
“The Conficker worm has caused serious problems in both domestic and corporate environments, with more than 7 million computers infected worldwide, and it is still spreading rapidly”. (1)
However it seems that the US is too concerned with the problem of cyber defense in comparison with other countries. On April 26, the CIA unveiled its plans to new initiatives in the fight against Web-based attacks. The document outlines the plans for the next five years and director of the CIA Leon Pannetta said that it was “vital for the CIA to be one step ahead of the game when it comes to challenges like cyber space security" (2).
In May 2009, the White House approved Cyberspace Policy Review (3), submitted to the US president by the members of a special commission. The document summed up the state of things in the US cyberspace and national information security. It was proposed to a appoint cyber security policy official responsible for coordinating the US cyber security policies and activities.
The report outlined a new comprehensive framework to facilitate coordinated responses by government, the private sector, and allies to a significant cyber incident. The new system of coordination would enable Federal, State, local, and tribal governments to work with industry to improve the plans and resources they have in place in advance to detect, prevent, and respond to significant cyber security incidents. The initiative also implies providing US counter intelligence with more technical and functional options and training of new cyber defense specialists.
The last but not least - in mid 2010, on the territory of the Lackland air base in Texas the construction of the first specialized cyber intelligence center for a 400 personnel began. The 68th Network Warfare Squadron and 710th Information Operations Flight were moved to San Antonio. This place was chosen because of it is close to other cyber military facilities - Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency, Texas Cryptology Center of the USNational Security Agency, united information operations command and the US Air forces cryptology support. It will function in the interests of the US Space command, US Air Forces command and US Air Forces’reserve.
Numerous publications in the US mass media show that the reform of the national cyber defense forces as well as the introduction of the doctrine and strategy of the cyber war are soon to be completed. As for the US cyber strategy we can assume that it is in line with the general concept of the US global leadership.
William Lynn III in his article "ThePentagon's Cyberstrategy", published in Foreign Affairs journal (September/October 2010), outlined five basic principles of the future strategy:
- Cyber must be recognized as a warfare domain equal to land, sea, and air;
- Any defensive posture must go beyond “good hygiene” to include sophisticated and accurate operations that allow rapid response;
- Cyber defenses must reach beyond the department’s dot-mil world into commercial networks, as governed by Homeland Security;
- Cyber defenses must be pursued with international allies for an effective “shared warning” of threats; and
- The Defense Department must help to maintain and leverage U.S. technological dominance and improve the acquisitions process to keep up with the speed and agility of the information technology industry (4).
When commenting this article analysts point out that “The capabilities being sought would allow U.S. cyber-warriors to "deceive, deny, disrupt, degrade and destroy" information and computers around the globe”. (5)
Gen. Keith Alexander, the head of the Pentagon's new Cyber Command(ARFORCYBER) said: "We have to have offensive capabilities, to, in real time, shut down somebody trying to attack us," Earlier Keith Alexander compared cyber attacks with weapons of mass destruction and according to his recent statements the US is planning offensive application of the new warfare.
While Washington is accusing other countries of aiding and sponsoring cyber terrorism (Statistic shows that most of cyber attacks against US informational systems were made from China), the US special forces are training new personnel for cyber wars.
The command - made up of 1,000 elite military hackers and spies under one four-star general - is the linchpin of the Pentagon's new strategy and is slated to become fully operational Oct. 1.- Washington Post reports (6). The Defense Department has “15,000 networks and 7 million computing devices in use in dozens of countries, with 90,000 people working to maintain them and it depends heavily on commercial industry for its network operations” (7). Attracting allies and private companies working in the sphere of IT and security the US plans to establish the new order in the global cyber space.
Considering all this what may we expect? It is quite likely that we may expect spying by means of tabs and backdoors in software sold by well-known companies such as Microsoft, as well as an informational blockade, limiting access to alternative sources of information. Thus from October 1, all the achievements of the informational age can be challenged.
Notes
(1) http://www.defenceiq.com/article.cfm?externalID=2718
(2) http://www.defenceiq.com/article.cfm?externalID=2460
(3) http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/Cyberspace_Policy_Review_final.pdf
(4) William J. Lynn III W. Defending a New Domain: The Pentagon's Cyberstrategy.// Foreign Affairs. September/October 2010.
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/66552/william-j-lynn-iii/defending-a-new-domain(29.08.2010)
(5) Webster S. Pentagon may apply preemptive warfare policy to the Internet. August 29, 2010.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/0829/pentagon-weighs-applying-preemptive-warfare-tactics-internet/ (30.08.2010).
(6) Nakashima E. Pentagon considers preemptive strikes as part of cyber-defense strategy. Washington Post. August 28, 2010.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/28/AR2010082803849_pf.html
(7) Daniel L. Lynn Outlines Cyber Threats, Defensive Measures. American Forces Press Service.
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=60600
Global Research Articles by Leonid Savin
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