Commentary: Why Ukraine’s NATO membership is not in America’s interests

The United States-Russia relationship is already in bad shape, and U.S. diplomats are hurting it further by sending conflicting messages about Ukraine’s future relationship with NATO.

First, NATO and Kiev signed a letter of intent in February for cooperation between their special operations forces. Two months later American ambassador and current NATO Deputy Secretary-General Alexander Vershbow said it was time to bring the Ukrainian military “in line with NATO standards.” Barely one week later, though, the U.S. Ambassador to NATO ruled out NATO expansion for the “next several years.”

These muddled messages only cause confusion, provoking Russia while potentially false hope for Ukraine. For that reason, it’s time for Washington to make clear that Ukrainian accession to NATO is not on the table. Here’s why.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-nato-commentary-idUSKCN0XW0V3

 

 

ELITE BRITISH SAS FORCES ACCUSED OF BEING ‘OUT OF CONTROL’

The three men — Lance Corporal Edward Maher, Corporal James Dunsby and Lance Corporal Craig Roberts — all died while on an endurance training exercise in exceptionally hot weather in the Brecon Beacons in North Wales.

A group of British lawmakers on the parliamentary defense subcommittee is now investigating training in the armed forces, after the coroner in the case ruled that a “catalogue of very serious mistakes” resulted in the men’s deaths.

Elite British SAS Forces Accused of Being ‘Out of Control’

U.S. gives up effort to train Syrian opposition forces

 Putin has injected himself into the middle of the battle for Syria with the sudden and unexpected establishment of an air base in western Syria. Pentagon officials say it is the largest Russian military deployment ever outside the borders of the old Soviet Union.

Hiding from radar in the wake of large transport planes — a total of 28 fighter jets have flown into the base.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/u-s-halts-effort-to-train-syrian-opposition-forces/

ISIS THREAT FORCES IRAQ TO DIGITIZE NATIONAL LIBRARY

The work undertaken by the microfilm department is truly a hefty task, as a vast proportion of the collection of manuscripts is in bad shape. Over the centuries, several have either been burned or ruined by dampness. Others have even fossilized over time and now look like large rocks.

“Those are the most difficult books to restore,” Fatma Khudair, from the museum restoration department told AP. “We apply steam using a specialized tool to try to loosen and separate the pages.”

Khudair noted that some damage over the years is “irreversible.” Currently the library staff is working to preserve the documents dating back to the Ottoman empire.

http://www.infowars.com/isis-threat-forces-iraq-to-digitize-national-library/