Military officials in Bangladesh say they have uncovered a plot by religious extremists to overthrow the government. Brigadier General Muhammad Masud Razzaq shared details of the attempted coup with reporters Thursday, calling it a “heinous conspiracy” to topple Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Razzaq said the coup had been planned abroad and that two retired military officers have already been arrested.  A third man, Army Major Ziaul Haq, is on the run.   Razzaq said a total of 16 current and former military officers had been involved. Bangladeshi intelligence officials say the military uncovered the coup plot last month and that the plotters planned to introduce strict Islamic Sharia law. Prime Minister Hasina has cracked down on Islamic militant groups since taking office in early 2009.  She has repeatedly warned such groups were plotting against her government. This is not the first time Hasina has confronted military unrest.  In 2009, shortly after she took office, some of the country’s border guards mutinied, resulting in the deaths of more than 70 people. Bangladesh has a history of bitter political rivalries, coups and counter-coups since gaining its independence. Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.

Continue reading " Bangladesh Foils Coup Attempt "

Damascus has been spared much of the violence gripping Syria, although there are signs that the uprising is moving closer on the capital. The body of a Syrian general is on its way to burial.  Chopin’s Funeral March merges with trilling laments and chants of pro-government slogans. Watch related video clip: Officials say General Mohammed Abdul-Hamid al Awad was on his way to work this week when an “armed terrorist group” attacked him outside his Damascus home. His funeral procession is attended by Arab League monitors.  Afterward, they are shown the bodies of at least six young men officials describe as soldiers killed in recent fighting. A morgue official counts a total of 58 stab wounds to one body, many of them, he says, inflicted after the man died. The post-mortem wounds raise questions, but many government accounts are rejected by the opposition as manipulated or fabricated. Even without all the answers, the killing of a prominent military figure in the capital, once seemingly immune to the unrest, adds to fears following two suicide bombings in the past month.   In some ways, Damascus appears normal.  Shops and restaurants are open, though financial sanctions have turned it into a cash-based system.  More telling are the checkpoints and sandbagged positions around the city, speaking to fears of further troubles.  Amal, who gives just her first name, says the military is justified in its actions, in what she sees as a bid to maintain security. “People are killing each other because of sect, because of religion, because whatever it is.  So the military needs to go on the streets because this is the country’s military,” she said. “If somebody is wrong, they need to enforce law.” Despite ongoing security efforts, the government has not been able to quell the unrest in towns ringing the capital.  And in Zabadani, 40 kilometers away, opposition forces say they have reached a ceasefire with government troops.  If confirmed, it would be a rare concession by the state on the military strength of its opponents.   Join the conversation on our social journalism site – Middle East Voices . Follow our Middle East reports on Twitter and discuss them on our Facebook page.

Continue reading " Syrian Uprising Moves Closer to Capital "

President Barack Obama and U.S. defense officials have unveiled the results of a new strategy review to maintain U.S. military superiority with leaner and more efficient forces capable of responding to global challenges. U.S. Defense Priorities Continue to take an active approach to countering extremist and terrorist threats. Continue to place a premium on U.S. and allied military presence in, and support of, partner nations in and around the Middle East. Develop innovative, low-cost, small presence approaches to achieve security objectives. Conduct operations to counter the proliferation of WMD. Rebalance toward the Asia-Pacific Region. The strategic review was ordered by President Obama last year to help guide Pentagon decision-making and setting of priorities in an atmosphere of budget austerity, and sharp partisan debate over deficits and debt. In recognition of its significance, Obama appeared with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and the military Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Martin Dempsey as the results were formally announced at the Pentagon. Obama pointed to the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq, the drawing down of forces from Afghanistan, the killing of Osama bin-Laden, and the successful NATO operation in Libya.  He said these have brought the United States to a moment of transition. “As we look beyond the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the end of long-term, nation-building with large military footprints, we will be able to ensure our security with smaller conventional ground forces,” said the president.  “We will continue to get rid of outdated Cold War-era systems so that we can invest in the capabilities we need for the future, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; counter terrorism; countering weapons of mass destruction; and the ability to operate in environments where adversaries try to deny us access.” Obama said military forces will be “agile, flexible and ready for the full range of contingencies and threats.”  The U.S. presence in the Asia-Pacific region will be strengthened, and Obama said, as he did in Australia in November, that reductions “will not come at the expense of this critical region.” Secretary Panetta said the new strategy is aimed at cutting defense spending in a balanced way by about $487-billion over 10 years, but should not mean a choice between national security and fiscal responsibility. Panetta said a “smaller, ready and well-equipped” joint force would focus on the Pacific, and the Middle East. “This region is growing in importance to the future of the U.S. economy and our national security,’ he said. “This means, for instance, improving capabilities that maintain our military’s technological edge and freedom of action.  At the same time, the U.S. will place a premium on maintaining our military presence and capabilities in the broader Middle East.” Panetta said the U.S. military must be able to fight in several conflicts at the same time, and “confront and defeat more than one adversary at a time.” John Blaxland, Senior Fellow at the Australian National University’s Strategic and Defense Center, discusses the impact of U.S. military budget cuts: Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dempsey was asked by a reporter what message the results of the defense review would send to Iran. “The message that we have had consistently for Iran is that we expect them to be a responsible member of the community of nations, not deny freedom of navigation, freedom of movement, freedom of access, and we are determined that they will not acquire a nuclear weapon,” he said. In his remarks, President Obama said details would be emerging in coming weeks. “I would encourage all of us to remember what President Eisenhower once said.  That “each proposal must be weighed in the light of a broader consideration: the need to maintain balance in and among national programs.”  After a decade of war, and as we rebuild the source of our strength, at home and abroad, it is time to restore that balance,” he said. Obama said the U.S. defense budget will grow more slowly over the next 10 years, but it will meet U.S. global responsibilities. Asked about force reductions in specific areas, such as Europe, Secretary Panetta said the United States will maintain commitments to Europe, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dempsey said the countrty will always act on the foundation of traditional strategic partnerships, such as NATO.

Continue reading " Obama Unveils Strategy for Smaller, Agile Future US Military "