ALGERIAN WAR: 1954-1962
January 12, 2007 at 9:50 pm | Posted in Africa, Arabs, Books, Globalization, History, Islam, Middle East | Leave a comment
A Savage War of Peace
Algeria 1954-1962
ABOUT THIS BOOK
The Algerian War lasted from 1954 to 1962. It brought down six French governments, led to the collapse of the Fourth Republic, returned de Gaulle to power, and came close to provoking a civil war on French soil. More than a million Muslim Algerians died in the conflict and as many European settlers were driven into exile. Above all, the war was marked by an unholy marriage of revolutionary terror and repressive torture.
Nearly a half century has passed since this savagely fought war ended in Algeria’s independence, and yet—as Alistair Horne argues in his new preface to his now-classic work of history—its repercussions continue to be felt not only in Algeria and France, but throughout the world. Indeed from today’s vantage point the Algerian War looks like a full-dress rehearsal for the sort of amorphous struggle that convulsed the Balkans in the 1990s and that now ravages the Middle East,
from Beirut to Baghdad—struggles in which questions of religion, nationalism, imperialism, and terrorism take on a new and increasingly lethal intensity.
A Savage War of Peace is the definitive history of the Algerian War, a book that brings that terrible and complicated struggle to life with intelligence, assurance, and unflagging momentum. It is essential reading for our own violent times as well as a lasting monument to the historian’s art.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Illustrations Map of Algeria
Map of ALgiers
Preface
PART ONE: Prelude 1830-1954
“A Town of Great Interest”
“Ici, c’est la France”
In the Middle of the Ford
PART TWO: The War 1954-1958
All Saint’s Day, 1954
The Sorcerer’s Cauldron
The FLN: From Bandung to Soummam
The Second Fronts of Guy Mollett
“Why We Must Win”
The Battle of Algiers
Lost Round for the FLN
The World Takes Notice
Le Dernier Quart d’Heure
PART THREE: The Hardest of ALL Victories 1958-1962
A Kind Resurrection
“Je Vous Ai Compris”
The FLN Holds Its Breath
Neither the Djebel nor the Night
“Aux Barricades!”
“This Prince of Ambiguity”
Revolution in the Revolution
De Gaulle Caught in the Draught
The Generals’ Putsch
Pvertures for Peace
The Suitcase or the Coffin
Exodus
The Page is Turned
Afterword
Colonel Godard’s Organogram
Political and Military Abbreviations
Chronology
Bibliography
Reference Notes
Glossary
Index
Category: History – Africa – North Format: Trade Paperback, 624 pages On Sale: October 10, 2006 Price: $19.95 ISBN: 978-1-59017-218-6 (1-59017-218-3)
http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781590172186
Jacques Massu: Battle of Algiers
Jacques Émile Massu (May 5 in Châlons-sur-Marne, 1908 – October 26, 2002 in Conflans-sur-Loing) was the French paratrooper general sent to Algeria during its War of Independence from France.
Born in a family of military officers (and a distant relative of Marshal Michel Ney), he was educated at the Prytanée National Militaire and was serving in Africa when the Second World War broke out, and joined the Free French Forces. He took part in the battle of Fezzan with the armoured troops of General Leclerc.
In 1941, he was in charge of the bataillon de marche du Tchad. He served as a lieutenant-colonel in the 2e DB (second armoured division) until the end of the war.
Algeria
A brigade general in 1955, Massu was in charge of the 10e division de parachutistes, with which he won the bloody “Battle of Alger” in 1957, using torture, mass punishment and other ruthless means. In July 1958, he was promoted to général de division (see ranks in the French Army)
and took the head of the army corps of Alger, as well as functions of prefect for the region of Alger.
After his criticism of the policy of De Gaulle in 1961, he was fired from his positions of military governor of Metz and of the Sixth military region. In March 1966, he was made chief of the French forces in Germany in Baden-Baden. On the 29 May 1968, Charles De Gaulle came to visit him during the events of May 68.
After his retirement in July 1969, he spent the rest of his life in his home at Conflans-sur-Loing writing his mémoires..
- “Give me two divisions and tomorrow, you can take your breakfast on the boulevard Saint Germain” (to De Gaulle, about May 68)
- “I am a soldier, I obey”
- Charles de Gaulle : “So, Massu, still that stupid?”
- Jacques Massu’s answer : “Still that Gaullist, General!”
Bibliography
- À la découverte de leurs racines, tome I, chapitre le général Massu, by Joseph Valynseele and Denis Grando (L’Intermédiaire des Chercheurs et Curieux, 1988)
External links
- Torture to Prevent Terrorism? Interview with a French Master Torturer
- (French) Ordre de la Libération
Comment: General Massu is one of the key personalities in the movie, “Battle of Algiers.”
ARMED FORCES PRESS SERVICE
January 12, 2007 at 3:45 pm | Posted in Globalization, History, Middle East, Military, USA | Leave a comment
American Forces Press Service
Security Plan Focuses on Broader Region, Officials Say By Sgt.Sara Wood, USA American Forces Press Service
defense-press-service-l-request@DTIC.MIL http://www.defenselink.mil/news/subscribe.html WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2007 - U.S. interests in the Middle East go well beyond Iraq, and to walk away from the commitments in Iraq would be damaging to U.S. credibility, a senior defense official said yesterday, speaking on background to reporters. "Our allies that we work with and our coalition partners that we work with are watching us very carefully," he said. The deployments of the USS Stennis Carrier Strike Group and the 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Regiment, which the Defense Department announced yesterday, are focused on this broader, region-based strategy, a senior military official, also speaking on background, said. The deployment of the Stennis will mark the second time since 2001 that two carrier strike groups will be in the region, the military official said. This is an important way to show U.S. commitment and strength, he said, noting that the strike group will be actively involved in combat operations. The air defense regiment will show U.S. commitment to regional allies that may face ballistic missile threats, he said. Success in Iraq largely depends on stabilizing the region, the military official said. "There's virtually no bit of the Middle East that you can take in isolation of its neighbors or its region," he said. Militarily, the new Iraq security plan only changes a few things in Iraq, the military official said. The main change is that the U.S. has accepted the importance of Baghdad as the center of gravity in the fight for Iraq, he said. This means a strong commitment to helping the Iraqi security forces provide security for the city, he explained. "What that comes down to, in a nutshell, is getting out in front of the sectarian violence spike that has been ongoing now since the Samarra bombing almost a year ago -- getting to a point where we can be in front of it and secure neighborhoods, rather than being solely reactive," he said. While focusing on Baghdad, the U.S. will continue to put pressure on the Sunni-based insurgency in Anbar province and the al Qaeda in Iraq network and will accelerate efforts to transition security responsibilities to Iraqis, the military official said. An important part of transitioning security responsibilities to Iraqis is the essential tripling of U.S. advisors to Iraqi units that is included in the plan, the military official said. This increase will allow the advisors to cover more of the Iraqi battalions and provide better training, he said. He added that it will give the advisors more ability to protect themselves, rather than relying on the Iraqi units for their personal security. The U.S. goal remains, as it always has been, to transition responsibility for Iraq to Iraqis, the defense official said. Iraqi security forces are not to the point where they can operate independently, he said, but with the coalition support in place, Iraqi forces will be sufficient to take the lead in operations in Baghdad. The continued progress of the Iraqi security forces and the transfer of all responsibility for the country depend on the commitment of the Iraqi government, the defense official said. "All of the work that we're doing with the military will be for naught if we have not used that military shield that is being provided to make progress inside the country," he said. "The Iraqis themselves are going to be at the lead of this." The U.S. will closely monitor the progress of the Iraqi government, gauging how well it is keeping its commitments, the official said. These commitments include providing adequate numbers of qualified security forces, and lifting operational restrictions on U.S. forces that have impeded efforts in the past, he said. "They've made some commitments; we've made some commitments too," he said. "It is clear that our level of commitment will also be gauged by their level of commitment." The official was echoing statements made by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee yesterday. "I want you to know that the timetable for the introduction of additional U.S. forces will provide ample opportunity early on, and before many of the additional U.S. troops arrive in Iraq, to evaluate the progress of this endeavor and whether the Iraqis are fulfilling their commitments to us," Gates said. The additional U.S. forces Gates was referring to are the more than 20,000 troops President Bush announced he is sending to Baghdad and Anbar province in an effort to quell violence. [Web Version: http://www.defenselink.mil/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=2677] ==================================================== Visit the Defense Department's Web site "America Supports You" at http://www.americasupportsyou.mil, that spotlights what Americans are doing in support of U.S. military men and women serving at home and abroad. ==================================================== Unsubscribe from or Subscribe to this mailing list: http://www.defenselink.mil/news/subscribe.html ====================================================
Security Plan Focuses on Broader Region, Officials Say
Press Service afisnews_sender@DTIC.MIL
FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEMS
January 12, 2007 at 2:11 pm | Posted in Globalization, Military, Research, Science & Technology, USA | Leave a comment
Future Combat Systems (FCS)
FCS Overview
Future Combat Systems:
FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEMS (FCS)
is based on Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) research, and is intended to be the core building block of the US Army’s Future Force. FCS is also intended to be joint (across all US military services) networked system of systems, however it is being developed entirely inside a US Army program office. The Boeing Company and Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) are partnered together as the lead systems integrator for this program.FCS is networked via an advanced architecture, called System of Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE) that will enable unprecedented levels of joint connectivity and situational awareness (See: Network-centric warfare)
FCS will network existing systems, systems already under development, and systems to be developed.
FCS proponents praise its ambitious approach to linking state of the art sensors, platforms, and weapons seamlessy across its network. FCS critics claim its network architecture is too “closed” (i.e. does not interact seamlessly with non-FCS programs), too expensive and too long in the fielding.
The Army’s
Future Combat Systems (FCS) network allows the FCS Family-of-Systems (FoS) to operate as a cohesive system-of-systems where the whole of its capabilities is greater than the sum of its parts. As the key to the Army’s transformation, the network, and its logistics and Embedded Training (ET) systems, enable the Future Force to employ revolutionary operational and organizational concepts. The network enables Soldiers to perceive,
comprehend, shape, and dominate the future battlefield at unprecedented levels as defined by the FCS Operational Requirements Document (ORD). The FCS network consists of four overarching building blocks: System-of-Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE); Battle Command (BC) software; communications and computers (CC); and intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) systems.The four building blocks synergistically interact enabling the Future Force to see first, understand first, act first and finish decisively. System-of-Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE) Central to FCS network implementation is the System-of-Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE),
which supports multiple mission-critical applications independently and simultaneously. It is configurable so that any specific instantiation can incorporate only the components that are needed for that instantiation. SOSCOE enables straightforward integration of separate software packages, independent of their location, connectivity mechanism and the technology used to develop them. System-of-Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE) architectureuses commercial off-the-shelf hardware and a Joint Tactical Architecture-Army compliant operating environment to produce a nonproprietary, standards-based component architecture for real-time, near-real-time, and non-real-time applications. System-of-Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE) also contains administrative applications that provide capabilities including login service, startup, logoff, erase, memory zeroize, alert/emergency restart and monitoring/control. The System-of-Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE) framework allows for integration of critical interoperability services that translate Army, Joint, and coalition formats to native, internal FCS message formats using a common format translation service. Because all interoperability services use these common translation services, new external formats will have minimal impact on the FCS software baseline. The FCS software is supported by application-specific interoperability services that act as proxy agents for each Joint and Army system. Battle Command (BC) can access these interoperability services through application program interfaces that provide isolation between the domain applications, thereby facilitating ease of software modifications and upgrades. Battle Command (BC) Software
Battle Command (BC) mission applications include: mission planning and preparation, situation understanding, BC and mission execution and warfighter-machine interface (WMI).
These four software packages’ combined capabilities enable full interaction among the FCS-equipped Units of Action (UAs). Battle Command (BC) capabilities will be common to, and tightly integrated into, all FCS, and will share a common framework to achieve the long-desired goal of an integrated and interoperable system with no hardware, software or information stovepipes.The Mission Planning and Preparation package consists of 16 services embedded within System-of-Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE). They support the development of deliberate, anticipatory and rapid-response plans; the ability to perform plan assessments and evaluations; terrain analysis; mission rehearsals; and after-action reviews for the Modular Force. As an example of the capabilities provided by this package, consider the FCS-networked fires key performance parameter (KPP). This package’s predictive planning capabilities pre-approve airspace for weapons/munitions to target pairings so that when the decision to engage a target is made, the available weapons/munitions are already understood.
The 10 Situation Understanding package’s services allow warfighters to better comprehend the battlespace and gain information superiority. The package includes map information and situational awareness (SA) database maintenance, which performs fusion as follows:
- Situation refinement that fuses spatial and temporal relationships among objects, grouping objects and abstract interpretation of the patterns in the order of battle.
- Threat refinement that combines activity with capability of enemy forces, infers enemy intentions and performs threat assessment.
- Process refinement that monitors the fusion process itself, assesses the accuracy of the fusion process and regulates the acquisition of data to achieve optimal results.
The Battle Command (BC) and Mission Execution package contains planning and decision aids that assist the commander in making quick, informed and accurate decisions to best prosecute the battle. These services are fully independent of mode — training, rehearsal or operational — and are intended to support manual to autonomous operations.
The warfighter-machine interface (WMI) package provides the capabilities to present Soldier information and receive Soldier information. WMI provides a common user interface across multiple platforms supporting the common crew station and “personal digital assistant” display system. It considers parameters such as echelon, type of system being used, and the warfighter’s role to tailor information presentation.
Communications and Computers (CC) Systems The FCS Family-of-Systems (FoS) are connected to the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) network by a multilayered Communications and Computers (CC) network with unprecedented range, capacity and dependability. The Communications and Computers (CC) network provides secure, reliable access to information sources over extended distances and complex terrain. The network will support advanced functionalities such as integrated network management, information assurance and information dissemination management to ensure dissemination of critical information among sensors, processors and warfighters both within, and external to the FCS-equipped organization.The Communications and Computers (CC) network does not rely on a large and separate infrastructure because it is primarily embedded in the mobile platforms and moves with the combat formations. This enables the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) network to provide superior Battle Command (BC) on the move to achieve offensive-oriented, high-tempo operations.
The FCS communication network is comprised of several homogenous communication systems such as Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Clusters 1 and 5 with Wideband Network Waveform (WNW) and Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW), Network Data Link and Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T). FCS leverages all available resources to provide a robust, survivable, scalable and reliable heterogeneous communications network that seamlessly integrates ground, nearground, airborne and space-borne assets for constant connectivity and layered redundancy.
Every FCS vehicle in the Modular Force will be equipped with a 4- or 8-channel Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) Cluster 1. Soldiers and other weight and power-constrained platforms will be equipped with a 1- or 2-channel Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS)Cluster 5. In addition to the Wideband Network Waveform (WNW) and Soldier Radio Waveform (SRW) communications backbone, the software programmable Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) will support other waveforms to ensure current force Joint, Interagency and Multinational (JIM) interoperability. The WIN-T will provide additional communications capability within the Modular Force, as well as reach to echelons above — intra- and
inter-Modular Force, and UA to Unit of Employment (UE) –and range extension.
The FCS Network Management System manages the entire Modular Force network including radios with different waveforms, platform routers, and local area networks (LANs), information assurance elements, and hosts. It provides a full spectrum of management capabilities required during all mission phases, including pre-mission planning, rapid network configuration upon deployment in the area of operations, monitoring the network during mission execution and dynamic adaptation of network policies in response to network performance and failure conditions.
FCS will employ an integrated computer system to host the System-of-Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE), ensure common processing, support networking and employ consistent data storage/retrieval across all FCS platforms and applications. The integrated computer system consists of processors, storage media, dynamic memory, input/output devices, local area networks (LANs) and operating systems. A suite of seven computing system types have been identified to meet the various FCS platform-specific requirements for security, processing capability, computational capacity, throughput, memory, size, weight and power.
Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Surveillance (ISR) A distributed and networked array of multispectral intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) sensors provides FCS with the ability to “see first.”
Intelligence, Reconnaissance and Surveillance (ISR) assets within the Modular Force — as well as those external to the Modular Force and at higher echelons — will provide timely and accurate situational awareness (SA), enhance survivability by avoiding enemy fires, enable precision networked fires, and maintain contact throughout engagement. FCS will process real-time ISR data, outputs from survivability systems, situational awareness (SA) data and target identification information to update the common operating picture (COP) containing information on friendly forces, battlespace objects (BSOs), BSO groupings and their associated intent, threat potential and vulnerabilities. The real-time distribution and dissemination of information and data are reliant on robust, reliable, and high-capacity network data links.To provide warfighters with actionable information, the data from the various distributed intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) and other sensor assets are subject to complex data processing, filtering, correlation, aided target recognition and fusion. The Sensor Data Management (SDM) software organizes all the sensor data — including detection reports — and tracks information as received from the sensor packages. Data are then processed and fused to synthesize information about the object, situation, threat and ongoing intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance (ISR) processes. In addition to receiving data from FCS organic sensors, Sensor Data Management (SDM) has the capability to receive sensor data from nonorganic sources including, current forces and Joint, Interagency, and Multinational (JIM). Sensor Data Management (SDM) will perform sensor data format conversions to output the data in FCS standard data formats.
Networked Logistics SystemsThe key to the success of the FCS is the Networked Logistics Systems integrated through the Family-of-Systems (FOS) to achieve the logistics goals of reducing the logistics footprint, enhancing deployability, increasing operational availability, and reducing total ownership costs.
These critical program goals are included in the two logistics Key Performance Parameters (KPP), KPP 4 (Transportability/Deployability) and KPP 5 (Sustainability/Reliability).
Inherent to meeting these KPPs is the integration of logistics in the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) network primarily through the Platform-Soldier Mission Readiness System (PSMRS) and the Logistics Decision Support System (LDSS). These systems provide unprecedented logistics information and decision tools to the commanders and logisticians by enabling the distribution system to deliver the right stuff to the right place at the right time. The networked logistics is further enabled by the demand reduction technologies designed into the System of Systems. Increased Reliability Availability Maintainability – Test (RAM-T) goals and implementing a Performance Based Logistics (PBL) support concept through extensive up front systems engineering efforts will result in increased Operational Availability and significant decreases in both parts and maintenance personnel while generating increased combat power for the Soldiers.Embedded Training The FCS network facilitates the Soldier’s ability to train anywhere, any time.
Technology has matured to a level that supports these requirements. Embedded Training (ET) will be developed as an integral part of the FCS manned platform and command, control,
communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) architectures.The Embedded Live-Virtual-Constructive (L-V-C) Training is the cornerstone of the networked Embedded Training (ET) and will satisfy the Key Performance Parameter (KPP#6) which states “The FCS Family of Systems (FoS) must have an embedded individual and collective training capability that supports live, virtual, and constructive training environments.” Embedded Training (ET) must be designed-in at the start of the program to ensure it is developed in conjunction with the other FCS System of Systems (SoS) components. To do otherwise would lead to needless duplication of software development, potential negative training as a result of inevitable baseline divergence (as training tries to keep pace with operational software functionality) and additional space/weight/power claims for training. To fulfill the Operational and Organizational (O&O) concepts, the System of Systems (SoS) must be capable of supporting operations, mission rehearsal and training of separate audiences (soldiers, units, leader/staff teams) simultaneously.
http://www.army.mil/fcs/factfiles/overview.html
http://www.army.mil/fcs/whitepaper/FCSWhitepaper(11_Apr_06).pdf
inter-Modular Force, and UA to Unit of Employment (UE) –and range extension.
COST OF IRAQ WAR
January 12, 2007 at 5:43 am | Posted in Arabs, Financial, Middle East, Military | Leave a comment
Cost of the War in Iraq: Counter
To see more details, click here.
KOREA ECONOMIC INSTITUTE: RESEARCH PAPER
January 12, 2007 at 2:41 am | Posted in Asia, Economics, Financial, Globalization, History, Research | Leave a comment
KEI Academic Paper Series:
Restructuring the U.S. Military Presence in Korea
Korea Economic Institute
1201 F Street, NW Suite 910 Washington, DC 20004
Tel (202) 464-1982 Fax (202) 464-1987
Thursday, January 11, 2007
With the publication of Terence Roehrig’s Restructuring the U.S. Military Presence in Korea: Implications for Korean Security and the U.S.-ROK Alliance on January 11, 2007, KEI is pleased to release the second volume of its new Academic Paper Series. KEI will host a public discussion on the paper with Professor Roehrig on January 22, 2007. For more information, contact Scott Rembrandt, KEI’s Director of Research & Academic Affairs, at sr@keia.org. KEI intends to commission nine to ten papers per year with diverse perspectives on original subjects of current interest to Korea watchers. KEI will edit and distribute each paper as a KEI Academic Paper to government officials, think tank experts, and scholars around the United States and the world. A public discussion with the author at KEI will follow distribution of each paper. KEI will also collate and publish an annual collection of the KEI Academic Papers in a single volume.
The next KEI Academic Paper will be published in February 2007. Leif-Eric Easley of Harvard University will author the next paper in this series, on the topic of Securing Tokyo’s Positive Role in North-South Reconciliation.
Attached:
“Restructuring the U.S. Military Presence in Korea: Implications for Korean Security and the U.S.-ROK Alliance.”
Korea Economic Institute
1201 F Street, NW Suite 910
Washington, DC 20004
Tel (202) 464-1982 Fax (202) 464-1987
KEI Academic Paper Series: Restructuring the U.S. Military Presence in Korea
Julia Cunico JBC@keia.org
Thursday, January 11, 2007
CFG BlOG
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: RICHARD MELSON
ANALYZING GLOBALIZATION
THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE WORLD-SYSTEM
Cambridge Forecast Group Blog 