Af/Pak & Other News (12/13/2021)

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For a Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan, and the Rest of the World, a Crisis Looms

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/for-a-taliban-ruled-afghanistan-and-the-rest-of-the-world-a-crisis-looms/ar-AARLJwH



The AP Interview: Taliban seek ties with US, other ex-foes

https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-united-states-only-on-ap-kabul-taliban-c0475a3370ea219aabb3ded311911cc1



Top Taliban official called the US 'great and big' and asked it to release $10 billion of frozen Afghan reserves

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/top-taliban-official-called-the-us-great-and-big-and-asked-it-to-release-10-billion-of-frozen-afghan-reserves/ar-AARL9uq









India successfully tests long-range Supersonic Missile Assisted Torpedo off Balasore coasts

https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-successfully-tests-long-range-supersonic-missile-off-balasore-coasts-101639390685661.html



Indian Army to Hold Unmanned Ground Vehicle Experiment

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/30993/Indian_Army_to_Hold_Unmanned_Ground_Vehicle_Experiment#.Ybd02FmIZPY









Iran builds new 'intel ship' dubbed Shiraz - analysis

https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/iran-builds-new-intel-ship-dubbed-shiraz-analysis-688534









Turkey and Ukraine to jointly produce Turkish TAI Anka combat drones

https://www.airrecognition.com/index.php/news/defense-aviation-news/2021/december/7955-turkey-and-ukraine-to-jointly-produce-turkish-tai-anka-combat-drones.html









Hostages taken during US airborne operation, according to Syrian media

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/hostages-taken-during-us-airborne-operation-according-to-syrian-media-688597



Israeli airstrikes in Syria targeted chemical weapons facilities, officials say

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/israel-syria-chemical-weapons/2021/12/13/8ed0b02c-59ea-11ec-a808-3197a22b19fa_story.html








US 5th Fleet tests new USV in Jordan

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/naval-weapons/latest/us-5th-fleet-tests-new-usv-in-jordan










US rejects Israeli request for tanker aircraft as Iran plans advance

https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/us-rejects-israeli-request-for-tanker-aircraft-as-iran-plans-advance-688600









Libya: plan for presidential election on 24 December close to collapse

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/12/libya-plan-for-presidential-election-on-24-december-close-to-collapse



In Libya, Gaddafi leadership bid opens old wounds

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/libya-gaddafi-leadership-bid-opens-old-wounds-2021-12-13/




Morocco Buys Israeli AUDs

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htada/articles/20211213.aspx









Ukraine’s border is a frozen no man’s land. Pro-Russian forces are just 50 yards away.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/ukraines-troops-high-alert-russian-forces-amass-border-rcna8328



Ukraine accuses Russia of information warfare after 'neo-Nazi' arrests

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-arrests-ukrainian-neo-nazis-kyiv-denies-link-them-2021-12-13/



Ukraine Rebuilds With NATO Ships

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htsurf/articles/20211213.aspx



Russia says it may be forced to deploy intermediate nuclear missiles in Europe

https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-says-lack-nato-security-guarantees-would-lead-confrontation-ria-2021-12-13/



Assessing Russian Use of Social Media as a Means to Influence U.S. Policy

https://divergentoptions.org/2021/12/13/assessing-russian-use-of-social-media-as-a-means-to-influence-u-s-policy/



What Russia Wants from a Ukraine Crisis: A Sphere of Influence in Eastern Europe

https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/12/what-russia-wants-from-a-ukraine-crisis-a-sphere-of-influence-in-eastern-europe/



Russia’s Vladimir Putin reveals he moonlighted as a taxi driver after Soviet Union collapse

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/12/13/putin-moonlighted-as-a-taxi-driver-after-soviet-union-collapse.html





EU ministers debate ways to shield Ukraine from Russia

https://apnews.com/article/europe-russia-ukraine-foreign-policy-brussels-fd5ae3bc7bc6c65d0d6e75d8abd9a864



EU imposes sanctions on Russian mercenary group Wagner over human rights abuses

https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20211213-eu-imposes-sanctions-on-russian-mercenary-group-wagner-over-human-rights-abuses









China’s Nuclear Arsenal Is At Least Doubling in Size—But Under What Circumstances Would Beijing Actually Use It?

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/china%E2%80%99s-nuclear-arsenal-least-doubling-size%E2%80%94-under-what-circumstances-would-beijing





PLA drills near Taiwan may turn into full-scale attack, island’s defence ministry warns

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3159538/pla-drills-near-taiwan-may-turn-full-scale-attack-islands



Taiwanese Ministry of Defense Assesses Chinese Invasion Would Be Very Difficult

https://www.overtdefense.com/2021/12/13/taiwanese-ministry-of-defense-assesses-chinese-invasion-would-be-very-difficult/



The US cut a Taiwanese minister from a video feed after she displayed a map showing her country as separate from China

https://www.yahoo.com/news/us-cut-taiwanese-minister-video-140037638.html





Moon says North Korea has agreed 'in principle' to formally end Korean War

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2021/12/13/australia-south-north-korea-war-end/5431639397418/





South Korea Has Long Wanted Nuclear Subs. A New Reactor Could Open a Door.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/13/world/asia/south-korea-nuclear-submarines.html





Japan’s Public Security Intelligence Agency investigate Chinese aerospace researchers

http://alert5.com/2021/12/13/japans-public-security-intelligence-agency-investigate-chinese-aerospace-researchers/



Japan to allocate budget for F-15JSI in 2022 (but Tokyo will drop the integration of the LRASM on the Japanese Eagle)

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/japan-to-allocate-budget-for-f-15jsi-in-2022-but-tokyo-will-drop-the-integration-of-the-lrasm-on-the-japanese-eagle/





Singapore finally, officially unveils its secret new naval craft

https://defence-blog.com/singapore-finally-officially-unveils-its-secret-new-naval-craft/





Australia buys K9 howitzers from South Korea’s Hanwha Defense

https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2021/12/13/australia-buys-k9-howitzers-from-south-koreas-hanwha-defense/










Here’s the charge sheet of the sailor accused of setting a $1.4 billion warship on fire

https://taskandpurpose.com/news/navy-bonhomme-richard-ryan-mays-charge-sheet/



Fixing What is Wrong With Our Generals

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/12/13/fixing-us-army-generals/



The President’s New Helicopters Are Ready For Service. So Why Aren’t They Flying?

https://www.forbes.com/sites/lorenthompson/2021/12/13/the-presidents-new-helicopters-are-ready-for-service-so-why-arent-they-flying/



The machiavellian backstory of the F-16

https://hushkit.net/2021/12/13/the-machiavellian-backstory-of-the-f-16/



Let’s Talk About The Secretive RQ-170 Sentinel Photographed In Flight Over California Desert Recently

https://theaviationist.com/2021/12/13/lets-talk-about-the-secretive-rq-170-sentinel-photographed-in-flight-over-california-desert-recently/



Latest AMRAAM Air-To-Air Missile Aims To Keep Pace With China

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/43483/latest-amraam-air-to-air-missile-aims-to-keep-pace-with-china