This is the second in a two part series on piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
The first ten weeks of 2014 have witnessed the resurgence of maritime kidnap-for-ransom off the coast of Nigeria’s Niger Delta.
Category Archives: Foreign Forces
A Brief History of Conflict in Ukraine
Russian troops in the Crimea region of Ukraine. Reuters Photo
This is the first of two articles on the current crisis in Ukraine and on the history of conflict in the region. The second will outline possible policy options for the international community.
The events of the last three weeks have catapulted Ukraine to the forefront of the U.S. policy agenda, sparking an intense crisis of confidence between the United States and Russia—the worst since 1979. Read More
Piracy in the Gulf of Guinea: Oil Soaked Pirates
Undated photo of MT Kerala
This is the first of a two-part series on piracy in West Africa.
In the early hours of 18 January 2014 a 75,000-ton tanker, the MT Kerala, vanished off the coast of Angola. A sophisticated pirate gang hijacked the Greek-owned vessel, disabling its identifications system and communication equipment, and painting over its identifying markers.
More than a week later and 1,300 miles away, the hijackers released Kerala off the coast of Nigeria, after offloading 12,270 tons of its diesel cargo to other ships. Read More
Two U.S. Navy Destroyers Assist in Search for Missing Malaysian Airliner
USS Kidd (DDG-100) in 2012. US Navy Photo
The U.S. Navy has sent two destroyers and a maritime patrol aircraft to look for a Malaysian Airlines that went missing on Saturday. Read More
Document: Russian Political, Economic and Security Issues and U.S. Interests
From the Congressional Research Service March, 5 2014 report, Russian Political, Economic, and Security Issues and U.S. Interests.
Russia made uneven progress in democratization during the 1990s, but this limited progress was reversed after Vladimir Putin rose to power in 1999-2000, according to many observers. Read More
Document: Report to Congress on North Korea’s Military Development
The following is the recently released report to Congress from the Pentagon: Military and Security Developments Involving the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea 2013.
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) remains one of the United States’ most critical security challenges for many reasons. These include North Korea’s willingness to undertake provocative and destabilizing behavior, including attacks on the Republic of Korea (ROK), its pursuit of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles, and its willingness to proliferate weapons in contravention of United Nations Security Council Resolutions. Read More
Document: Congressional Report on China Naval Modernization and Implications for U.S. Naval Forces
People’s Liberation Army Navy carrier Liaoning.
The following is a from Feb. 28, 2014 report from the Congressional Research Service, China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities.
China is building a modern and regionally powerful Navy with a modest but growing capability for conducting operations beyond China’s near-seas region. The question of how the United States should respond to China’s military modernization effort, including its naval modernization effort, has emerged as a key issue in U.S. defense planning. The question is of particular importance to the U.S. Navy, because many U.S. military programs for countering improved Chinese military forces would fall within the Navy’s budget. Read More
Planning for Joint U.S. and Russia Naval Exercise On Hold Pending Outcome in Crimea
USS Farragut (DDG-99) arrives in Severomorsk, Russia for a two-day visit after completing exercise Northern Eagle 2012. Russian Navy Photo
Planning for the biennial Northern Eagle exercise between Russia, the U.S. and Norway has been “put on hold,” while the U.S. says troops have massed on the ground in the Crimea region of Ukraine, a military official told USNI News on Tuesday. Read More
SOCOM Chief: Threats From Al Qaeda Have Diminished In Last Five Years
Adm. William McRaven. DoD Photo
The high-end threats from al Qaeda have diminished over the last five years and “the threat to the homeland is less with one or two exceptions than five to ten years ago,” Adm. William McRaven told the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday. Read More
India’s Navy Chief Resigns Over String of Accidents
Chief of Naval Staff Adm. DK Joshi. Indian Navy Photo
Admiral DK Joshi has resigned as the head of the Indian Navy claiming “moral responsibility” for a string of accident in the service — most recently on Wednesday. Read More
