Kim Vetting

21st is a great command and at the transformational of U.S. Joint and NATO logistics and sustainment.

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🧬 NATO Chief Scientist is launching his Grants Programme dedicated to fostering excellence in science and technology research! 👀What projects can be supported ? Projects in the following areas : 🔹Deterrence and defence 🔹Diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) 🔹Emerging and disruptive technologies 🔹Science and Technology (S&T) resilience 🔹 Science and Technology foresight What to expect ? 🔹 grants ranging from 25,000 euros to 100,000 euros 🔹500,000 euros overall to support research projects focused on advancing science and contributing to global security 🔹Qualifying projects will need to be completed by end of 2025. 🧑‍🔬 Who can apply ? 🔹Researchers from #NATO member countries working for or affiliated with NATO Allied governments, research institutes, non-governmental organizations or the private sector. 🔹Applicants must reside in the country where the institution they are working for is located. 🙋🏽‍♀️The programme particularly encourages applications from women in STEM fields. What the proposals should include : 🔹a forward-looking general problem statement, aiming both for scientific excellence and real-world security impact 🔹An evaluation of the economic viability of the proposals 🔹 examples of Applicant’s experience handling similar projects 🔹An evaluation of potential risks associated with the proposal, and a risk response plan. 📅 When? 🔹Apply NOW until November 15, 2024. 👉🏼Share this great opportunity with researchers who want to contribute to global security and technological advancement! NATO Office of the Chief Scientist (STO-OCS)

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🧊 🇷🇺 Russia’s Information Influence Operations in the Nordic – Baltic Region 2016-2024: Another exceptional report from our NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence is out ! 👉🏼180 pages well worth the read, covering the 8 following Allied nations : 🔹Denmark 🇩🇰 🔹Estonia 🇪🇪 🔹Finland 🇫🇮 🔹Iceland 🇮🇸 🔹Latvia 🇱🇻 🔹Lithuania 🇱🇹 🔹Norway 🇳🇴 🔹Sweden 🇸🇪 A very useful effort at -diving into and explaining the historical context of the past years - drawing on a series of case studies (2018 - 2023). The authors succeeded in highlighting 🔹 the nuances of their own domestic sociopolitical environments 🔹 the singularity of their country's relationship with Russia 🔹the effects of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine The report explores the factors for the success or failure of Russia's information influence in the respective countries, and assesses the measures countries are taking to mitigate the hostile influence. Enjoy the read ! 👉🏼 https://lnkd.in/eXMEj4pE Jean Ellermann-Kingombe Rihards Bambals Ph.D. Saara Jantunen-Paju Mikko Koivumaa Magnus Hjort Oleg Remizov Digne Lubina Beata Patašova Katja Holböll Maxime Audinet, PhD

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The event saw participation from senior level representatives from NATO Member Nations and Partners, NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) and the Joint Force Command. During the discussion, Major General Folmer highlighted the need for #collaboration across the Alliance to achieve #multidomain operations and affirmed that "NCIA will continue working towards enhanced #interconnectivity across all domains and greater multi-domain #situationalawareness to achieve MDO and address current and #future challenges." Strategic Command Belgian Cyber Command Cyber and Information Domain Service German Armed Forces | Cyber- und Informationsraum Bundeswehr National Security Agency U.S. Cyber Command French cyber command Parsons Corporation SentinelOne Geollect Intelligent Waves Ofek 324 Unit - IAF Sekoia.io SpiderOak Mission Systems

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I wrote a piece for Atlantische Commissie / Netherlands Atlantic Association on the consequences of the U.S. elections for European security, arguing that Europeans need to accept that in the coming years the U.S. is likely to be either unwilling to focus on Europe - a Trump (or one of his successors) presidency - or unable to due to the perceived need to direct resources to the Indo-Pacific. Europeans will thus have to do far more for their own security. https://lnkd.in/egPB4d6j

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·  #Gaza Weeps for Its Children  Gaza pleure ses enfants Gaza llora a sus niños Urban warfare, characterized by its intensity and proximity to civilian populations, poses unique and severe challenges to the protection of children. In particular, civil wars and non-international armed conflicts, often fought in densely populated urban areas, subject children to a wide range of abuses. The Vulnerability of Children in Urban Warfare Children are disproportionately affected by armed conflict. In urban settings, like the ongoing armed conflict in Gaza , they are particularly vulnerable due to several factors. First, the lack of clear frontlines and the fluid nature of urban warfare make it difficult to distinguish between combatants and civilians. Second, the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects, such as artillery and airstrikes, often results in high civilian casualties, including children. Third, the breakdown of law and order in conflict zones can lead to an increase in sexual violence, child labor, and forced recruitment of child soldiers. Key Challenges Armed groups often recruit children to serve as soldiers, porters, spies, or sex slaves there are several striking examples in Sudan , Yemen and most of nono-international armed conflicts in Africa in particular . Children are particularly vulnerable to recruitment due to poverty, lack of education, and the breakdown of family structures. Denial of Humanitarian Access: It became evident and internationally proved by the world court (I.C.J ) that the occupying power in Gaza denies humanitarian access to areas under their control, preventing the delivery of life-saving aid to children in need among other vulnerable groups . International humanitarian law and human rights law provide a robust framework for the protection of children in armed conflict. However, these laws are often violated, and there is a lack of effective mechanisms to hold perpetrators accountable. Addressing the Challenges Addressing the challenges of protecting children in urban warfare requires a multi-faceted approach. This includes: Strengthening International Law: States should strengthen international law and mechanisms to protect children in armed conflict, including through the adoption of additional protocols to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Promoting Accountability: Perpetrators of crimes against children should be held accountable through national and international justice mechanisms. Increasing Humanitarian Access: Humanitarian organizations should be granted unimpeded access to all areas affected by conflict to provide life-saving assistance to children. Supporting Reintegration: Children who have been associated with armed forces or armed groups should be provided with comprehensive reintegration programs. Preventing Recruitment: Prevention efforts should focus on addressing the root causes of child recruitment, lack of education, and social inequality. Ayman Salama #ICRC #Gaza

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🌍 Europe at the Forefront of Defence: A New Chapter with Mark Rutte as Secretary-General of NATO 🇪🇺 As Mark Rutte steps into his new role, the debate around Europe's part in defense is more crucial than ever. His nomination signals a key moment to reflect on how Europe can navigate its evolving defense responsibilities within the Alliance. 🔍 The latest study by Iris Herbelot, featured by Fondation Robert Schuman, delves into the Europeanisation of defence issues. This comprehensive analysis examines the evolving role of Europe in global defence, highlighting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. For anyone interested in understanding the future of European defence and its role within NATO, this study is a must-read. 👉 Explore the full study here: https://lnkd.in/e57-TtN6 🇫🇷 https://lnkd.in/eh4GHDVT For anyone interested in understanding the future of European defense and its role within NATO, this study is a must-read. #NATO #Defense #EuropeanSecurity #IRISStudy #MarkRutte #Geopolitics #StrategicAutonomy

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Via The Guardian: The Guardian view on Ahmed al-Sharaa and HTS: seeking to rebuild Syria while branded as terrorists By Editorial I 22.12.2024 Diplomacy is often known as the art of making the impossible possible. If so, Ahmed al-Sharaa, Syria’s de facto leader, has proved a master of persuasion and compromise. Despite his Islamist faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), being blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by the US, UK, EU and UN, Mr Sharaa has welcomed their officials to Damascus. His “productive” talks with the US led to a $10m bounty on his head being lifted. To signal change, he has shed his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, and rebel fatigues to steer Syria away from 54 years of Assad rule. In return, different external powers want different things. Many nations emphasise the need to respect minorities, the rule of law and ultimately to establish inclusive government. Some, however, have self-interested requests. Russia would like to keep its military bases. The US, which admitted to having 2,000 troops in Syria, wants to roll back Iranian influence and fight Islamic State with Kurdish allies. Turkey, which says it will lift restrictions on HTS, wants to push back those Kurdish groups and their demands for autonomy. https://lnkd.in/es7cK_9X

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Discover the #Belgian #defence #industry, explore the increasing military expenditure on a global scale, Belgium’s strategic military significance in Europe and its proximity to major defence suppliers like France, Germany, and the UK, in this new publication by our colleagues of the Belgian Foreign Trade Agency (BFTA). Great read!

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International Migrants Day 2024: A Call to Action for Refugee Support As we commemorate International Migrants Day, the World Peace Rebirth Initiative NGO emphasizes the need for a more comprehensive approach to addressing the global refugee crisis. Rather than relying on individual countries to absorb refugees, we propose that the US and the United Nations collaborate on building basic Bulletproof Refugee Camps across Arab, Asian, African, European Nations, and beyond. These camps would provide a safe haven for refugees during emergency crises and war outbreaks. This initiative aligns with the UN Global Goals for World Sustainable Development. By providing a structured and secure environment, we can mitigate the risks associated with illegal immigration and ensure that refugees are not inadvertently harboring criminals or terrorists. The World Peace Rebirth Initiative NGO advocates for the inclusion of this project in the UN's Global Goals. We believe that collective action and responsibility are essential in addressing the global refugee crisis. — C. C. Paradise Feedback to CNN International on African UN Youth Policy Making Inputs at UN Security Council for International Migrants Day 2024 All Rights Reserved to World Peace Rebirth Initiative NGO ® @PEACEREBIRTH

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#NATO Multinational Brigade Training Exercise OPERATION RESOLUTE WARRIOR underway in #Latvia; Sec General Mark Rutte visits https://lnkd.in/gKwtw-vf On Thursday, 14 November 2024, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte travelled to Latvia. The NATO Secretary General met the President of Latvia, Mr Edgars Rinkēvičs, and the Prime Minister, Ms Evika Siliņa. On the same day, Mr Rutte also visited exercise Resolute Warrior, the first full-scale exercise of NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia, at the Ādaži Military Base. 🦉The US did not participate. European nations are heeding the signs that Europe needs to become more self-sufficient militarily. The prospect of Trump 2.0 will be making Europe extremely nervous. Some may say it’s about time. I agree generally, despite most NATO member countries already investing more than 2% of their GDP in defence. The countries closest to Russia (the Baltics and Poland) are already at 3.5 -5%. SOME have not however so his election is a big wake-up call. #ResoluteWarrior

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This is a key report for understanding the nature of the "acute" threat that Russia presents. In medicine, an acute symptom is one that should be dealt with now. The Russian threat is real, active, and must be addressed. The Kremlin continues to be a destabilizing influence on the established world order and a failure to act on these hybrid activities has a lasting impact on Western reputation for resolve and the credibility of nations' contributoins to the #NATO alliance. Deterrence forces and sanctions are part of the response, but I agree with a comment below that recommended tying our specific support to Ukraine (and increases in volume or capability) to each shadow attack.

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Thanks for the speaking opportunity at the GLOBSEC side-event on “Hybrid threats’ nexuses: taking 🇪🇺-NATO cooperation to the next level” hosted by EU Institute for Security Studies. “We must have in mind a systemic overhaul of Europe's defence. This is why I will appoint a fully-fledged Defence Commissioner in the next Commission. This is Europe's strategic responsibility,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her GLOBSEC keynote. To frame the new approach and to identify EU investment needs she is committed to presenting a White Paper on the Future of European Defence in the first 100 days of the next mandate. Central to this work will be strengthening the EU-NATO partnership. The EU will continue to extend our cooperation with NATO to cover all threats, including new dangers linked to cyber, hybrid or space, and to strengthen our transatlantic partnership. Working with Member States and in close coordination with NATO, we will propose a number of Defence Projects of Common European Interest starting with a European Air Shield and cyber defence.

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🇱🇹-🇺🇸 Preparing for the Washington Summit, thanks to lessons learnt from the Vilnius Summit. An intermediary report on how formally identified FIMI cases targeting NATO have been and are being processed thanks to the new tool provided by the EU Digital Services Act. Conclusion : we’re getting there. 🔹National analyses, investigations by industry actors like Graphika, and reports by platforms like Meta’s Adversarial Threat Report all confirm that NATO has been a direct target of Doppelganger in the context of last July’s Vilnius summit. 🔹In November 2022, the Digital Services Act (DSA) came into force, introducing sweeping changes to the EU online environment toward internet safety and accountability. 🔹As its enforcement is ongoing, NATO’s Strategic Coms Center of Excellence decided to take the Doppelganger operation as a case study to test the avenues for mitigation under this groundbreaking regulation. 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇮🇹 Focusing on 3 Allied nations : France, Germany, and Italy) 🙏🏼 NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in #Riga for following closely and encouraging converging effort to expose and mitigate FIMI on NATO. Janis Sarts Sabrina Spieleder Chris Riley https://lnkd.in/eMdnWK66

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A very clear message.

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While the 1967 treaty critically prohibits the deployment of weapons of mass destruction in outer space, it does not prohibit the launch of ballistic missiles through space. It also does not prohibit the placement of non-nuclear weapons in space. In short, the treaty does not prevent all forms of escalation, and it leaves many issues unaddressed, particularly in the age of new weapons and cyber technologies. The unwillingness of the signatory parties to develop their space capacities exclusively for “peaceful purposes”, as stipulated in the treaty, has set a precedent for accepting militarised space use, which continues today. https://lnkd.in/eHwVR4mu #outerspace #security

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Women's #conscription: uniting gender equality and military capability? Today's DCAF - Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance newsletter shares a blog drawing from our recent work on women's conscription, https://lnkd.in/eVxnVsex In March, Denmark made headlines by announcing plans to extend mandatory conscription to women from 2026, a significant step in the evolution of approaches to compulsory military service. The Defense Minister explained the rationale as “A broader basis for recruiting that includes all genders” creating “a more versatile and more complete defense.” In April, Ukraine’s military adviser on gender issues urged conscription of women. Advocates of gender-neutral conscription argue that it promotes equality in national defence institutions, and is an aspect of women’s equal participation as citizens in society, public institutions and leadership. Some feminist organizations, on the contrary, see conscripting women as an aspect of a growing militarization that impedes genuine progress towards gender equality, peace and sustainable development. Drawing from a DCAF-convened expert discussion between five European armed forces that conscript women, the blog post explores different approaches to conscripting women, strategies to do so and the impacts. Most interestingly, I think, Norway has challenged gender stereotypes by establishing an elite Special Force: the "Hunter Troop," comprised entirely of female conscripts. The unit was initiated to respond to an identified operational need for female special operations soldiers, including to enhance intelligence gathering. Recruitment involves stringent selection criteria and physical standards — attracting women who seek a highly demanding military role. Soldiers parachute out of military aircraft, ski in the Arctic tundra, navigate the wilderness and train for close combat and fighting in urban terrain, exemplifying women’s potential to excel in the elite combat roles traditionally reserved for men.   There is growing evidence that women’s participation in conscript service can propel forward gender equality in the military. In Norway, since the introduction of female conscription, the proportion of women in the armed forces has risen substantially, including women seeking officer education. In Lithuania, approximately 40% of female conscripts continue into professional armed forces careers. As has been widely documented by militaries, NATO and the UN, the full and equal inclusion of women in armed forces significantly enhances military operations, including combat effectiveness. For militaries, women are a critical half of society’s talent pool. Conscription of women could be more widely considered as an enabler of not only gender equality but of armed forces’ capability and resilience.

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