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EUROPE
17 Nov 10. Afghanistan: OP HERRICK. A Ranger (i.e. Private) from 1st Bn The Royal Irish Regiment was killed by an explosion in Nad ‘Ali on
14 Nov 10. A Guardsman from 1st Bn Irish Guards was killed by small arms fire in Nahr-e Saraj on 17 Nov 10. UK deaths since the start of Operations on 7 Oct 01 thus rose to 345 of whom 304 were killed as a result of hostile action. (MoD, 17 Nov 10.)
From 1 Jan 06 to 31 Oct 10, 1,520 personnel were Wounded in Action and 3,972 were aeromedically evacuated. (DASA, 16 Nov 10.) From 16 to 31 Oct 10 the figures were nine and 53.
Air Commodore G Moulds handed over command of Kandahar Airfield to Brigadier General J Kendall, USAF. 30,000 personnel occupy the air base, including over 1,000 from the UK (mainly RAF). (MoD, 16 Nov 10.)
“On the ground in Helmand, Commanders are telling us that the local people are feeling more secure and this is resulting in them helping the Afghan National Security Forces to find the improvised explosive devices laid indiscriminately by insurgents.” (MoD, 19 Nov 10.)
Comment: The Canadian Government confirmed that it would withdraw from combat activities by the end of 2011. The current deployment of some 3,000 troops is to be reduced to about 950 who will act as trainers and reconstruction advisers. The US President, NATO’s Secretary General and the UK’s Defence Secretary all “welcomed” the Canadian announcement (or so their spokesmen claimed). (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 09/45, 22 Nov 10)
20 Nov 10. Afghanistan: NATO Plan. At the NATO Summit the Heads of State and Government of the 48 Nations contributing to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) agreed on a “sustainable transition to greater Afghan security responsibility”. The transition was supported by the 28 NATO Allies, who agreed on a long-term partnership between NATO and Afghanistan. In the words of the NATO Secretary General: “The aim is for the Afghan Forces to be in the lead Country-wide by the end of 2014.”.
Comments: Two Declarations were agreed at the Summit. The first Declaration is by the ISAF Heads of State and Government and the second covers the partnership between NATO and Afghanistan. Both Declarations can be seen on the NATO website (www.nato.int/).(Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 09/45, 22 Nov 10)
19 Nov 10. NATO: Strategic Concept. NATO Heads of State and Government, meeting in Lisbon (19/20 Nov 10), agreed a new Strategic Concept. The Alliance will continue to fulfil the core tasks of: Collective Defence, Crisis Management and Co-operative Security while acknowledging that the threat of a “conventional military attack against NATO territory is low”. EU relations are to be strengthened in order to “minimise duplication and maximise cost-effectiveness”. The Alliance also seeks to build a “strategic partnership” with Russia.
Comment: The NATO Secretary General declared that Members would “streamline the Alliance to make it more efficient, by cutting fat and investing in muscle….” (as has been said on several previous occasions). The new Strategic Concept can be seen on the NATO website (www.nato.int/).(Sou