Af/Pak & Other News (2/16/2021)

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Analysis: NATO faces conundrum as it mulls Afghan pullout

https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ap-top-news-afghanistan-troop-withdrawals-gangs-b1e229dcba7cf11e84d1c892c046ec3c



30 Taliban Fighters Die in Explosion During Bomb-Making Class

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/02/16/30-taliban-die-explosion-bomb-making-class/



This Marine One VH-60N Had Its Iconic Paint Job Blotted Out For Historic Afghanistan Trip

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39263/this-marine-one-vh-60n-had-its-iconic-paint-job-blotted-out-for-historic-afghanistan-trip



Satellite images show fire devastation on Afghan-Iran border

https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-fires-iran-explosions-f420b7c96dcbc93e9622682c885fd681



Weapons Biz Bankrolls Experts Pushing to Keep U.S. Troops in Afghanistan

https://www.thedailybeast.com/weapons-industry-bankrolls-experts-pushing-to-keep-us-troops-in-afghanistan?ref=home



The proverbial ‘fall of Saigon’ is fast approaching in Afghanistan

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/afghanistan-us-military-biden-option/



Pakistan: Somethings In Common

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/india/articles/20210216.aspx



The story of the Russian Il-76 crew that was forced to land at Kandahar by Taliban MiGs, imprisoned for a year and escaped with their own aircraft after having disarmed their captors

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/the-story-of-the-russian-il-76-crew-that-was-forced-to-land-at-kandahar-by-taliban-migs-imprisoned-for-a-year-and-escaped-with-their-own-aircraft-after-having-disarmed-their-captors/









Exit The Dragon? Reasons behind India-China disengagement of military standoff at LAC

https://www.defenceaviationpost.com/2021/02/exit-the-dragon-reasons-behind-india-china-disengagement-of-military-standoff-at-lac/



India’s locally made Rustom-2 drone flies through testing

https://dronedj.com/2021/02/16/indias-locally-made-rustom-2-drone-flies-through-testing/









New Details Emerge Of Assassination Of Iranian Scientist By Remote Control

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidhambling/2021/02/16/new-details-emerge-of-assassination-of-iranian-scientist-by-remote-control/



Iran’s military slams spy chief for saying soldier tied to nuke scientist death

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/irans-military-slams-spy-chief-for-saying-soldier-tied-to-nuke-scientist-death/



Report: Iran and Russia begin joint naval drill

https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-iran-middle-east-oceans-china-0fce9e91422865e1e8c3e36460bad1fb



Iranian Submarine Crises

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htmurph/articles/20210216.aspx



Iran could deploy 200 missiles in Iraq to attack Israel

https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/iran-could-deploy-200-missiles-in-iraq-to-attack-israel-659143









NATO to agree larger Iraq training force as violence rises

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-nato/nato-to-agree-larger-iraq-training-force-as-violence-rises-idUSKBN2AG15Q



Rocket Attack Hits US Base in Iraq; Casualties Reported, Aircraft and Drone Destroyed

https://fighterjetsworld.com/latest-news/rocket-attack-hits-us-base-in-iraq-casualties-reported-aircraft-and-drone-destroyed/24504/



Iran's meddling must be tackled before Iraq elections, U.S. tells U.N.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-usa/irans-meddling-must-be-tackled-before-iraq-elections-u-s-tells-u-n-idUSKBN2AG270



Turkey vows to expand anti-PKK operations in northern Iraq

https://apnews.com/article/turkey-middle-east-iraq-recep-tayyip-erdogan-f6ed1834a19996390da5cc9d28f0e8c0









UN ‘alarmed’ at military escalation in Yemen’s Marib

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/2/16/un-alarmed-as-battle-for-marib-threatens-millions-of-yemenis



Saudi-led coalition: Houthi drone interception leaves shrapnel near Abha airport

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-security-yemen/saudi-led-coalition-houthi-drone-interception-leaves-shrapnel-near-abha-airport-idUSKBN2AG0PM




Turkey's ULAQ armed USV prototype enters sea trials

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/turkeys-ulaq-armed-usv-prototype-enters-sea-trials



Turkey catches New Zealanders linked to Isis entering from Syria

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/15/turkey-catches-new-zealanders-linked-to-isis-entering-from-syria









In Turkey’s Safe Zone in Syria, Security and Misery Go Hand in Hand

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/16/world/middleeast/syria-turkey-erdogan-afrin.html










Israel hints it may not engage Biden on Iran nuclear strategy

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iran-nuclear-usa-israel-idUSKBN2AG0N6



Israel's Northern Front heats up as Syria airstrikes, IAF drill overlap

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/israels-northern-front-heats-up-as-syria-airstrikes-iaf-drill-overlap-659116



In message to Hezbollah, IAF practices striking 3,000 targets in 24 hours

https://www.jpost.com/arab-israeli-conflict/in-message-to-hezbollah-iaf-practices-striking-3000-targets-in-24-hours-659151









Libya, 10 years on: Can the war-torn country finally turn the page?

https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/perspective/20210216-libya-10-years-on-can-the-war-torn-country-finally-turn-the-page




France rules out immediate troop cuts in Sahel, Chad deploys reinforcements

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-sahel-security/chad-deploys-1200-troops-to-combat-militants-in-the-sahel-region-idUSKBN2AG1B2



France touts military successes to win allies in G5 Sahel operations

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20210216-france-touts-military-successes-to-win-allies-in-g5-sahel-operations









Ukraine Detains Man Accused Of Leading Sabotage Group For Russia-Backed Separatists

https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-detains-man-accused-of-leading-sabotage-group-for-russia-backed-separatists/31105833.html



Ukrainian minister says 'information attacks' hitting vaccine procurement

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-ukraine-corruption/ukrainian-minister-says-information-attacks-hitting-vaccine-procurement-idUSKBN2AG1MJ



Russian Company Plans New Generation Of Missiles

https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/missile-defense-weapons/russian-company-plans-new-generation-missiles



Russia’s Tupolev Sued for not developing New Missile for Modernized Tu-160M Bomber on Time

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28975/Russia___s_Tupolev_Sued_for_not_developing_New_Missile_for_Modernized_Tu_160M_Bomber_on_Time




Nato to discuss multilateral stance on China, Russia at first Biden-era talks

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3121905/nato-discuss-multilateral-stance-china-russia-first-biden-era




Sweden commits to future GlobalEye buy

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/sweden-commits-to-future-globaleye-buy




France identifies Russia-linked hackers in large cyberattack

https://www.politico.eu/article/france-cyber-agency-russia-attack-security-anssi/




UK Ran Cyber Op to Cripple ISIS Communications: Services Chiefs

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/02/16/uk-cyber-cripple-isis-communications/









Chinese warships in Indian ocean on ‘anti-piracy mission’

https://www.defenceaviationpost.com/2021/02/chinese-warships-in-indian-ocean-on-anti-piracy-mission/



New law expands Chinese coastguard’s jurisdiction to at least the first island chain

https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/new-law-expands-chinese-coastguards-jurisdiction-to-at-least-the-first-island-chain/



China Ship Armed With Autocannon Enters Japanese Waters, Harasses Fishing Vessel

https://www.newsweek.com/china-ship-armed-autocannon-enters-japanese-waters-harasses-fishing-vessel-1569486



Growing number of countries issue warnings on China's espionage

https://www.axios.com/china-espionage-europe-1ff03504-0245-4b9c-b967-8807f6c75288.html



Xi Jinping Wants To Emulate Mao, Thinks U.S. Will Back Down on Taiwan: Ex-Australia PM

https://www.newsweek.com/xi-jinping-wants-emulate-mao-thinks-u-s-will-back-down-taiwan-ex-australia-pm-1569546





North Korea launched over 1M cyberattacks daily, Seoul's spy agency says

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/02/16/North-Korea-launched-over-1M-cyberattacks-daily-Seouls-spy-agency-says/7491613484246/



North Korean hackers tried to steal Pfizer vaccine know-how, lawmaker says

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-cybercrime-pfizer/north-korean-hackers-tried-to-steal-pfizer-vaccine-know-how-lawmaker-says-idUSKBN2AG0NI



North Korean defectors: What happens when they get to the South?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49346262





Philippine Air Force displays recently acquired aerial assets

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/philippine-air-force-displays-recently-acquired-aerial-assets





Myanmar Junta Arms Itself With Repressive New Laws

https://thediplomat.com/2021/02/myanmar-junta-arms-itself-with-repressive-new-laws/










US Intelligence Has Less Than 6 Months To Share Information On UFOs, 11 Reported Sightings In Maryland In 2021

https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2021/02/15/us-intelligence-covid-19-relief-bill-ufo-sightings-maryland/



What a 'bumping' incident 33 years ago says about the US Navy's future showdowns with Russia and China

https://www.businessinsider.com/us-soviet-black-sea-bumping-relevant-amid-russia-china-tensions-2021-2



Crazy Montage Of Bad U-2 Spy Plane Landings Shows How Hard It Is To Tame The Dragon Lady

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/39267/crazy-montage-of-bad-landings-shows-how-hard-it-is-to-tame-the-u-2-dragon-lady-spy-plane



Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt has more coronavirus cases, Navy says

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2021/02/15/uss-theodore-roosevelt-coronavirus/?tid=pm_world_pop



Collaboration or Chaos: Two Futures for Artificial Intelligence and US National Security

https://mwi.usma.edu/collaboration-or-chaos-two-futures-for-artificial-intelligence-and-us-national-security/



SolarWinds hack was 'largest and most sophisticated attack' ever: Microsoft president

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyber-solarwinds-microsoft/solarwinds-hack-was-largest-and-most-sophisticated-attack-ever-microsoft-president-idUSKBN2AF03R



Dynetics to build 100 kW laser for US Army

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/dynetics-to-build-100-kw-laser-for-us-army



The 495th Fighter Squadron, The First Overseas-Based F-35A Squadron, Will Be Called The “Valkyries”

https://theaviationist.com/2021/02/16/the-495th-fighter-squadron-the-first-overseas-based-f-35a-squadron-will-be-called-the-valkyries/



The U.S. Navy Might Ditch All Of Its Shallow-Water Combatants

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidaxe/2021/02/16/the-us-navy-is-ditching-all-of-its-shallow-water-combatants/



Report to Congress on DDG(X)

https://news.usni.org/2021/02/16/report-to-congress-on-ddgx



Navy to Fully Integrate Laser into Aegis Combat System

https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2021/2/15/navy-to-fully-integrate-laser-into-aegis-combat-system