Af/Pak & Other News (10/19/2021)

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State IG launches investigations into end of Afghanistan operations

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/10/18/state-ig-investigations-afghanistan-operations-516207



The Afghanistan Probe Is Hampered by Finger-Pointing and a Lack of Accountability

https://sofrep.com/news/the-afghanistan-probe-is-hampered-by-lack-of-accountability-and-finger-pointing/



Taliban promise cash, land, to families of suicide bombers

https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-kabul-taliban-f5a69b1c2676f9345b8dce490798d4ee



Afghans blame top US envoy for handing over Afghanistan to Taliban

https://warisboring.com/afghans-blame-top-us-envoy-for-handing-over-afghanistan-to-taliban/



The Afghanistan Papers

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/10/19/the_afghanistan_papers_799560.html



Afghanistan’s war is over, but the Taliban faces a new hurdle: Enforcing the law — and protecting Afghans from ISIS

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/taliban-policing-isis-afghanistan/2021/10/18/7e3dce46-26a7-11ec-8739-5cb6aba30a30_story.html



US to skip Russia-organized talks on Afghanistan

https://thehill.com/policy/international/577292-us-to-skip-russia-organized-talks-on-afghanistan



Sen. Chuck Hagel recalls harrowing 2008 trip to Afghanistan with Biden, Kerry

https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/sen-chuck-hagel-recalls-harrowing-2008-trip-to-afghanistan-with-biden-kerry/article_0c562222-2e1a-11ec-ad74-7bd6f02164e8.html



Pakistan Says it Blocked Indian Submarine Attempt to Enter its Waters

https://www.voanews.com/a/pakistan-it-blocked-indian-submarine-attempt-to-enter-territorial-waters/6276561.html









Dassault wants to prove the Rafale M can fly from a ski-jump at INS Hansa

http://alert5.com/2021/10/19/dassault-wants-to-prove-the-rafale-m-can-fly-from-a-ski-jump-at-ins-hansa/









Iran: Nothing Works But Victory Assured

https://www.strategypage.com/qnd/iran/articles/20211019.aspx









Turkey In Talks To Buy More F-16s As It Struggles To Revamp Fighter Fleet

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42784/turkey-in-talks-to-buy-more-f-16s-as-it-struggles-to-revamp-fighter-fleet









Russia hasn't cleared Turkish attack on strategic Syrian town

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/10/russia-hasnt-cleared-turkish-attack-strategic-syrian-town



Conflict pollution wrecking Syria coast: report

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211019-conflict-pollution-wrecking-syria-coast-report




Hezbollah Leader Claims Group Has Over 100,000 Fighters, More Than Lebanon's Armed Forces

https://www.newsweek.com/hezbollah-leader-claims-group-has-over-100000-fighters-more-lebanons-armed-forces-1640407









Israel said to approve $1.5 billion budget for potential strike on Iran

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-said-to-approve-1-5-billion-budget-for-potential-strike-on-iran/



Rafael aims to push Spike NLOS missile range to 27nm

https://www.flightglobal.com/helicopters/rafael-aims-to-push-spike-nlos-missile-range-to-27nm/145977.article









10 years since Kadhafi death, stability still eludes Libya

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211019-10-years-since-kadhafi-death-stability-still-eludes-libya




Ethiopia conducts air strikes on capital of Tigray region

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20211018-ethiopia-conducts-deadly-air-strikes-on-capital-of-tigray-region









Western countries training far-right extremists in Ukraine - report

https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/western-countries-training-far-right-extremists-in-ukraine-report-682411



NATO and Ukraine hold workshop on use of hybrid tactics in multilateral diplomacy

https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_187559.htm



Russian Navy Tests Underwater Robots to Secure Naval Bases

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/10/19/russia-underwater-robots-naval-bases/



Putin Ushers in New Cold War Era by Severing Russia’s NATO Link

https://www.thedailybeast.com/vladimir-putin-ushers-in-new-cold-war-era-by-severing-moscows-nato-link



Back to gravity: Russians talk about world’s 1st space movie

https://apnews.com/article/spacex-entertainment-business-movies-europe-0b635f441adceb01eddc2cca2c322ace





NATO Allies Fear Russia, Belarus Using Migrant Chaos to Destabilize Europe, Hide Agents

https://www.newsweek.com/nato-allies-fear-russia-belarus-migrant-chaos-hide-agents-destabilize-europe-1640303




New European Attack Submarine Programs Pushing Limits of Diesel Technology

https://news.usni.org/2021/10/18/new-european-attack-submarine-programs-pushing-limits-of-diesel-technology




Citing Russian occupation, U.S. signs new defense pact with Georgia

https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2021/10/18/Russian-occupation-Austin-signs-defense-pact-Georgia/1351634586024/




French Navy, Army Drill to Launch Helicopter Attacks From the Sea

https://news.usni.org/2021/10/18/french-navy-army-drill-to-launch-helicopter-attacks-from-the-sea









Haiti Kidnappers Demand $1m for Each U.S. Hostage, Including 8-Month Baby

https://www.newsweek.com/haiti-kidnappers-demand-1m-each-us-hostage-8-month-baby-1640244









China sends in 100 rocket launchers to fortify border with India

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3152907/china-sends-100-rocket-launchers-fortify-border-india



China’s Claim That Its Fractional Orbital Bombardment System Was A Spaceplane Test Doesn’t Add Up

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42779/chinas-claim-that-its-fractional-orbital-bombardment-system-was-a-spaceplane-test-doesnt-add-up



China Introduces Next-Gen QBZ-191 Assault Rifle

https://www.thedefensepost.com/2021/10/19/china-qbz-191-assault-rifle/



Chinese, Russian navies jointly traverse Japan strait regarded as high seas after military drill

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3152860/chinese-russia-navies-jointly-traverse-japan-strait-regarded



Chinese Movie About U.S. Military Defeat Set to Break Box Office Records

https://www.newsweek.com/chinese-movie-about-us-military-defeat-set-break-box-office-records-1640342



Fortifying for War: XI’s Economic Ambitions

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2021/10/19/fortifying_for_war_xis_economic_ambitions_799541.html



China test fires ‘world’s largest, most hi-tech solid-fuel rocket engine’

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3152920/china-test-fires-worlds-largest-most-hi-tech-solid-fuel-rocket





Taiwan 1: Russia Siding With China Over Taiwan?

https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2021/10/russia-siding-with-china-over-taiwan.html



Taiwan 2: Patriotic Conflict for China's Xi

https://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2021/10/taiwan-2-patriotic-conflict-for-chinas.html





North Korea Tests First Submarine-Launched Missile in Two Years

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/18/world/asia/north-korea-ballistic-missile-test-washington.html





S.Korea opens largest defence expo amid N.Korea missile tests

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/skorea-opens-largest-defence-expo-amid-nkorea-missile-tests-2021-10-19/



KAI reveals more details about FA-50 upgrade plans

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/air-platforms/latest/adex-2021-kai-reveals-more-details-about-fa-50-upgrade-plans



KAI pitches unmanned Light Armed Helicopter

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/air-platforms/latest/adex-2021-kai-pitches-unmanned-light-armed-helicopter



LIG Nex1 showcases elements of new VSHORAD and C-RAM system

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/naval-weapons/latest/adex-2021-lig-nex1-showcases-elements-of-new-vshorad-and-c-ram-system





A deal for nuclear-powered subs is only the latest secretive collaboration between US, UK, and Australian forces

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/a-deal-for-nuclear-powered-subs-is-only-the-latest-secretive-collaboration-between-us-uk-and-australian-forces/ar-AAPHz7O





Australian small boat with US comms package in testing for Marine Corps urgent need

https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2021/10/18/australian-small-boat-with-us-comms-package-in-testing-for-marine-corps-urgent-need/










DDS Security Clearance Tool Evolves into ‘SITH’ Insider Threat Program

https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2021/10/dds-security-clearance-tool-evolves-sith-insider-threat-program/186142/



FBI agents swarm D.C. home of Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/fbi-agents-swarm-d-c-home-russian-oligarch-oleg-deripaska-n1281844



Long Chain of Failures Left Sailors Unprepared to Fight USS Bonhomme Richard Fire, Investigation Finds

https://news.usni.org/2021/10/19/long-chain-of-failures-left-sailors-unprepared-to-fight-uss-bonhomme-richard-investigation-finds



AH-1 Cobra Helicopter Gunships Turned Firefighters Have Flown Their Last Mission

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42793/ah-1-cobra-helicopter-gunships-turned-firefighters-have-flown-their-last-mission



These U.S. Veterans Won't Rest Until They've Kept a Wartime Promise

https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-veterans-wont-rest-until-115853887.html



Northrop Grumman has developed a next-generation signals intelligence architecture

https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/2021/10/18/northrop-grumman-has-developed-a-next-generation-signals-intelligence-architecture/



Critical U.S. Infrastructure Now Needs Surface To Air Missile Protection During A Crisis

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42788/critical-u-s-infrastructure-now-needs-surface-to-air-missile-protection-during-a-crisis



Rapid Pulse Laser Weapons Could Be The Pentagon’s Future Edge

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/10/rapid-pulse-laser-weapons-could-be-the-pentagons-future-edge/



Special Ops Train To Defend Strategic Aleutian Islands Radar Outpost During All-Out War

https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/42783/special-ops-train-to-defend-strategic-radar-outpost-in-the-aleutian-islands-during-all-out-war



We Might Be Able to Nuke an Asteroid to Save the World After All, Study Says

https://thedebrief.org/we-might-be-able-to-nuke-an-asteroid-to-save-the-world-after-all-study-says/



USAF seeks new missile protection for HH-60W helo as part of wider upgrades

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/air-platforms/latest/usaf-seeks-new-missile-protection-for-hh-60w-helo-as-part-of-wider-upgrades



DRAKE Goes To Sea

https://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htada/articles/20211019.aspx