The Russian invasion of Ukraine has led allies to rethink strategies and to agree that NATO forces should be present in greater numbers on that eastern flank. NATO says it has placed over 40,000 troops under its direct command, mainly in the east, and is looking at how it can further strengthen its presence, readiness, and capabilities.
On Thursday, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg addressed the scale and design of NATO’s future posture:
“This will mean more NATO forward deployed combat formations, to strengthen our battlegroups in the eastern part of our Alliance. More air, sea and cyber defenses, as well as prepositioned equipment and weapon stockpiles. And a new force model, with more forces at higher readiness, and specific forces preassigned to the defense of specific Allies, to enable much faster reinforcement.”
Stoltenberg's comments came following a meeting of defense ministers at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. This week's meeting was in preparation for a NATO leaders summit later this month in Madrid.
While allies agree that there should be a greater NATO presence in eastern flank countries such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, there have been internal debates on how to best position forces in the region. While some eastern allies have called for the permanent presence of NATO troops in their countries, others have preferred a more rotational, flexible approach.
Stoltenberg said leaders in Madrid are also expected to green-light a new assistance package for Ukraine, which has been clamoring for more advanced weapons and equipment from NATO allies.
China Launches New Carrier
Late this week, China launched its third and most advanced aircraft carrier, bringing it a step closer to its goal of building a blue-water navy with at least six aircraft carrier battle groups by 2035.
The vessel, named Fujian after the coastal province opposite Taiwan, had been under construction at Shanghai’s Jiangnan shipyard since 2018 and is comparable in size to a U.S. Ford or Nimitz class carrier.
The Fujian will reduce the gap of China’s carrier fleet compared with the US and is expected to enter service late next year or in 2024.
Pro-Abortion Fanatics Spinning Up
A new intelligence note sent to law enforcement agencies nationwide this week warns that in anticipation of the upcoming release of the Supreme Court ruling on abortion rights, Jane’s Revenge, an abortion-related violent extremist (ARVE) collective, posted a public statement on social media this week threatening pro-life groups who refuse to close their doors, declaring “open season” and advising they know where there operations are located.
“From here forward, any anti-choice group who closes their doors, and stops operating will no longer be a target. But until you do, it’s open season, and we know where your operations are. Through attacking, we find joy, courage, and strip the veneer of impenetrability held by these violent institutions.”
The letter goes on to describe how "easy and fun it is to attack," vowed to take "increasingly drastic measures against oppressive infrastructures," and that their upcoming actions "may not come in the form of something so easily cleaned up as fire and graffiti.”
Readers are reminded that just last week, the Dept. of Homeland Security issued a Nat'l Terrorism Advisory System bulletin warning that the "threat environment" in coming months is expected to become more dynamic as "several high-profile events could be exploited to justify acts of violence against a range of possible targets. Those targets include public gatherings, faith-based institutions, schools, racial, ethnic, and religious minorities, government facilities and personnel, U.S. critical infrastructure, the media, and perceived ideological opponents.
The Supreme Court term usually concludes the last week of June or first week of July, so the formal ruling is expected to be released before then.
Border Patrol Nabs 15 on Terror Watch List
A new report this week reveals that in May alone, Border Patrol agents apprehended 15 illegal aliens listed on the FBI’s terror watch list trying to sneak across the US-Mexico border. And those were just the ones caught. The special interest aliens and possible terrorists were among a staggering 239,416 illegals encountered at the southern border last month.
According to Customs and Border Protection, this is the highest monthly number of Border Patrol encounters with illegal aliens in the history of their record keeping, and brings the total migrant encounters in FY 2022 to more than 1.5 million. Approximately half of these encounters were processed for immediate removal under Title 42, which grants the government the ability to take emergency action to stop the “introduction of communicable diseases” into the country.
Readers are reminded that just one month ago, a federal judge in Louisiana blocked Joe Biden from lifting Title 42, saying the administration violated administrative procedure laws and that lifting of the health order would cause “irreparable harm” because the states would have to spend money on health care, law enforcement, education and other services for the flood of illegals certain to cross the border.
AlertsUSA continues to monitor the domestic and international threat environment around the clock and will immediately notify service subscribers, via SMS messages to their mobile devices, of new alerts, warnings and advisories or any developments which signal a change the overall threat picture for American citizens as events warrant. |
