BATTLESPACE BOOK CLUB
26 Jul 09. Israel: Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) Report. The FAC published (26 Jul 09) a Report on Global Security: Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The Report includes 30 Conclusions and Recommendations, predominantly that Hamas targets civilians in its attacks in Israel while Israel’s military action in Gaza in December 2008/January 2009 was disproportionate. The FAC also considers the role of Iran and the Arab League in relation to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Comment: The FCO has “welcomed” the Report, which is available from TSO and from The Parliamentary Bookshop, as HC 261, for £17:50. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/31, 17 Aug 09)
09 Aug 09. Human Rights: Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) Report. The FAC published (9 Aug 09) its Human Rights Annual Report 2008. The Report examines the Government’s record in relation to securing the human rights of British citizens and others overseas and covers: Rendition; Allegations of UK complicity in torture; Transfer of detainees in Iraq & Afghanistan and Regulation of private military/security companies. The Report also considers human rights abuses in 13 countries and in the Overseas Territories.
Comment: The Report is available from TSO and from The Parliamentary Bookshop, as HC 557, for £23:00. The FAC Report is complimentary to the FCO ‘Annual Report on Human Rights 2008’ which was published on 26 Mar 09, as Command 7557, for £34:55. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/31, 17 Aug 09)
11 Aug 09. International Law: Joint Committee Report. The House of Lords/House of Commons Joint Committee on Human Rights published (11 Aug 09) a Report on Closing the Impunity Gap: UK Law on Genocide and Redress for Torture Victims. The Committee says that inconsistencies in the way the UK applies international law have created an ‘impunity gap’ for international war criminals, allowing them to visit the UK without fear of prosecution. The Report expresses particular concern over crimes such as: genocide, torture, war crimes, crimes against humanity and hostage-taking.
Comment: The Report is available (as above), as HL Paper 153/HC 553, for £14:50. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/31, 17 Aug 09)
03 Aug 09. Forecast International is projecting that defense departments worldwide will spend approximately $11.05bn on 25 different multimission communications development, acquisition, and maintenance programs over the next decade. Specifically, this amount will be allocated for the development, procurement, or maintenance of multimission communications systems or technology. In its annual market analysis entitled “The Market for Multimission Communications Systems,” FI further projects that defense departments throughout the world will purchase 634,690 individual units from among 18 different multimission communications products over the next 10 years. “Replenishing communications equipment used in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the excessive costs of and setbacks in the development of the U.S. DoD’s Joint Tactical Radio System are the principal factors driving current expenditures for multimission communications,” said Greg Giaquinto, Forecast International senior analyst. According to the analysis, the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program, the Bowman Tactical Radio program, and the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) will significantly impact the market for multimission communications in the coming decade. The JTRS is a U.S. Department of Defense program to develop and produce a single standard, software-operated radio system for the U.S. armed services; the program is currently in research and development. Forecast International projects that the Defense Department will invest some $2.89bn from FY09 to FY13 on JTRS research and development. The U.K.’s Bowman Tactical Radio program is seeking to develop and procure a family of multimission communications combat radios for t