Political Current Events March 7-12

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nycfan said:
This story has some … interesting players:

IMG_5513.jpeg

www.nytimes.com

Captain of Ship That Hit North Sea Tanker Is Russian, Company Says

The police in Britain detained the ship’s captain on suspicion of gross negligence after it crashed into an oil tanker that was being operated by the U.S. Navy.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

“
The captain of a container ship that struck an oil tanker transporting fuel for the U.S. military on Monday was a Russian citizen, the company that owns that ship said on Wednesday.

The man was arrested in northern England on Tuesday on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. One crew member is missing and presumed dead after the crash, which forced both crews to abandon ship.

There was no immediate indication that the captain’s nationality played a role in the crash. Russians make up about 10 percent of international seafarers, according to the International Chamber of Shipping. British lawmakers said on Tuesday that they had no evidence to suggest foul play.

Ernst Russ, the company that owns the container ship, named the Solong, said in a statement that the vessel’s captain was a Russian citizen, while the rest of the crew members were Russian and Filipino.

… The crash on Monday morning, about 13 nautical miles off the northeastern coast of England, set off a series of explosions and a fire onboard both vessels that sent plumes of black smoke rising into the air. Given that the Solong plowed into the tanker, called the Stena Immaculate, in daylight hours while the tanker was stationary, experts have raised questions about why radar and alert systems did not prevent the crash. …”
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“… The Stena Immaculate was carrying jet fuel and was being operated by the U.S. Navy at the time of the crash, according to Britain’s transportation minister, Mike Kane, who briefed Parliament about the episode on Tuesday. Mr. Kane was also asked about whether the crash appeared to be intentional.

“Whether there was foul play is, I think, speculation; there is no evidence to suggest that at the moment,” Mr. Kane said, adding that the British government was in touch with its American and Portuguese counterparts.

Still, he added, “something did go terribly wrong” to cause the crash.

The Stena Immaculate is owned by Crowley, a Florida-based logistics company, and had been chartered on a short-term basis to serve U.S. government operations.“

——
Russian cargo ships have also been accused of cutting undersea cables and spying as part of an extensive Russian military use of civilian vessels.
 
nycfan said:
“… The Stena Immaculate was carrying jet fuel and was being operated by the U.S. Navy at the time of the crash, according to Britain’s transportation minister, Mike Kane, who briefed Parliament about the episode on Tuesday. Mr. Kane was also asked about whether the crash appeared to be intentional.

“Whether there was foul play is, I think, speculation; there is no evidence to suggest that at the moment,” Mr. Kane said, adding that the British government was in touch with its American and Portuguese counterparts.

Still, he added, “something did go terribly wrong” to cause the crash.

The Stena Immaculate is owned by Crowley, a Florida-based logistics company, and had been chartered on a short-term basis to serve U.S. government operations.“

——
Russian cargo ships have also been accused of cutting undersea cables and spying as part of an extensive Russian military use of civilian vessels.
Click to expand...
Background:

A Wolf in Ship’s Clothing: Russia’s Militarization of Civilian Vessels in the Black Sea​

www.csis.org

A Wolf in Ship’s Clothing: Russia’s Militarization of Civilian Vessels in the Black Sea

Recent satellite imagery indicates that Russia moved artillery for several battalions using a civilian-flagged vessel, undermining Russian accusations that Ukraine has unjustifiably attacked civilian ships.
www.csis.org www.csis.org

“Recent satellite imagery indicates that Russia is using civilian ships to move arms between Novorossiysk, Russia, and Tartus, Syria. The observed activity undermines recent Russian accusations that Ukraine has unjustifiably attacked Russian civilian ships. Russia is using civilian vessels for a variety of tasks that support its war effort, making them legitimate military targets. …”

Russia uses civilian boats to spy in the North Sea, joint report says​

Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine increases fears about the vulnerability of Europe’s critical infrastructure.

www.politico.eu

Russia uses civilian boats to spy in the North Sea, joint report says

Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine increases fears about the vulnerability of Europe’s critical infrastructure.
www.politico.eu www.politico.eu

“Russia is using civilian vessels to collect intelligence on military activity and critical infrastructure in the North Sea, a joint investigation by Danish, Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian public broadcasters has found.

The investigation tracked dozens of Russian research and fishing vessels whose routes regularly passed through oil and gas fields, near wind farms and power plants, as well as in the vicinity of military training areas — including during NATO training exercises.

According to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, at least 50 civilian ships have been involved in intelligence gathering missions in Nordic waters in the past ten years. …”

Russia Is Violating the Montreux Convention with Civilian Ships​

www.usni.org

Russia Is Violating the Montreux Convention with Civilian Ships

Russia is using a “civilian” cargo ship to transport war materials through the Bosporus Strait, violating the spirit of the Montreux Convention.
www.usni.org www.usni.org

“Russia withdrew its cooperation from the U.N.’s Black Sea Grain Initiative in July ostensibly on the premise that Ukraine might use civilian vessels to transport Western weaponry into the conflict zone, something Russia has been doing so since the early days of the war, as the case of the commercial ship Sparta IV illustrates.

Several months into the Ukrainian counteroffensive and after the Wagner mutiny, Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative following a second successful Ukrainian attack on the Kerch Bridge. Despite the mainstream narrative about the land-centric nature of the conflict, the Black Sea is one of the most strategic areas of the war.

… When Turkey exercised the Montreux agreement, however, and limited the movement of ships in the Bosporus, Russia was severely restricted from moving military vessels and auxiliaries. Nonetheless, Russia must keep moving goods, and possibly military materials, from the shores of Syria to Russia. The tradecraft developed by a few ships controlled by Oboronlogistics LLC shows how this game is played. …”

——

Meanwhile, Russia has also been attacking civilian vessels:

Russia attacked a civilian ship under the flag of Barbados in the port of Odesa — there are casualties​

Russia attacked a civilian ship under the flag of Barbados in the port of Odesa — there are casualties

Russian forces yesterday struck the civilian ship MJ PINA under the flag of Barbados — four people were killed, said Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba
babel.ua
 
nycfan said:
Background:

A Wolf in Ship’s Clothing: Russia’s Militarization of Civilian Vessels in the Black Sea​

www.csis.org

A Wolf in Ship’s Clothing: Russia’s Militarization of Civilian Vessels in the Black Sea

Recent satellite imagery indicates that Russia moved artillery for several battalions using a civilian-flagged vessel, undermining Russian accusations that Ukraine has unjustifiably attacked civilian ships.
www.csis.org www.csis.org

“Recent satellite imagery indicates that Russia is using civilian ships to move arms between Novorossiysk, Russia, and Tartus, Syria. The observed activity undermines recent Russian accusations that Ukraine has unjustifiably attacked Russian civilian ships. Russia is using civilian vessels for a variety of tasks that support its war effort, making them legitimate military targets. …”

Russia uses civilian boats to spy in the North Sea, joint report says​

Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine increases fears about the vulnerability of Europe’s critical infrastructure.

www.politico.eu

Russia uses civilian boats to spy in the North Sea, joint report says

Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine increases fears about the vulnerability of Europe’s critical infrastructure.
www.politico.eu www.politico.eu

“Russia is using civilian vessels to collect intelligence on military activity and critical infrastructure in the North Sea, a joint investigation by Danish, Finnish, Swedish and Norwegian public broadcasters has found.

The investigation tracked dozens of Russian research and fishing vessels whose routes regularly passed through oil and gas fields, near wind farms and power plants, as well as in the vicinity of military training areas — including during NATO training exercises.

According to Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, at least 50 civilian ships have been involved in intelligence gathering missions in Nordic waters in the past ten years. …”

Russia Is Violating the Montreux Convention with Civilian Ships​

www.usni.org

Russia Is Violating the Montreux Convention with Civilian Ships

Russia is using a “civilian” cargo ship to transport war materials through the Bosporus Strait, violating the spirit of the Montreux Convention.
www.usni.org www.usni.org

“Russia withdrew its cooperation from the U.N.’s Black Sea Grain Initiative in July ostensibly on the premise that Ukraine might use civilian vessels to transport Western weaponry into the conflict zone, something Russia has been doing so since the early days of the war, as the case of the commercial ship Sparta IV illustrates.

Several months into the Ukrainian counteroffensive and after the Wagner mutiny, Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative following a second successful Ukrainian attack on the Kerch Bridge. Despite the mainstream narrative about the land-centric nature of the conflict, the Black Sea is one of the most strategic areas of the war.

… When Turkey exercised the Montreux agreement, however, and limited the movement of ships in the Bosporus, Russia was severely restricted from moving military vessels and auxiliaries. Nonetheless, Russia must keep moving goods, and possibly military materials, from the shores of Syria to Russia. The tradecraft developed by a few ships controlled by Oboronlogistics LLC shows how this game is played. …”

——

Meanwhile, Russia has also been attacking civilian vessels:

Russia attacked a civilian ship under the flag of Barbados in the port of Odesa — there are casualties​

Russia attacked a civilian ship under the flag of Barbados in the port of Odesa — there are casualties

Russian forces yesterday struck the civilian ship MJ PINA under the flag of Barbados — four people were killed, said Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine Oleksiy Kuleba
babel.ua
Click to expand...

Ukraine says Russia hit grain vessel near NATO member Romania [Sept 2024]​


Russian Forces Board Civilian Ship in Black Sea [2023]

www.nytimes.com

Russian Forces Board Civilian Ship in Black Sea (Published 2023)

The Russian defense ministry confirmed that it had intercepted a commercial vessel, an escalation that Russia had promised would happen after backing out of a trade deal with Ukraine.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com


Moscow to Expand Use of Russia’s Commercial Fleet for Military Purposes [2022]​

Moscow to Expand Use of Russia’s Commercial Fleet for Military Purposes

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov announced, on May 20, that Moscow is revising its naval doctrine and will be calling for a dramatic expansion in the use of the country’s civilian fleet to support Russian military actions abroad in wartime situations (Interfax, Profil, May 20). Like...
jamestown.org jamestown.org

“… Like other states, Russia has long planned to use commercial vessels for military purposes, but Borisov’s announcement suggests Russian military planners have concluded that the only way to overcome current problems in the navy—the Military-Maritime Fleet (Voyenno-Morskoy Flot—VMF)—is to ensure that all Russian-flagged vessels, regardless of their ostensible purposes, are available for military tasks in the event of war. Clearly, this decision stems from the Russian VMF’s long-running difficulties in supporting the Kremlin’s aggression against Ukraine (see EDM, April 25, 2019) …”


What to know about Finland, Russia's 'shadow fleet' and a severed undersea cable​


“… It's the latest in a string of incidents that have raised alarm bells across Europe, amid fears that Russia is conducting acts of sabotage against European infrastructure in response to EU support for Ukraine.

… In November, two fiber-optic Baltic Sea cables were severed. German officials calledit sabotage and the Danish navy stopped a Chinese cargo ship that passed over both cables.

In October 2023, a Chinese ship dragged its anchor hundreds of miles, destroying undersea cables and an undersea gas line connecting Finland and Estonia. China said its ship was responsible but said it was an accident.

… Russia's shadow fleet refers to a network of older vessels used to evade Western sanctions and, allegedly, conduct covert operations. The ships take steps to sell Russian oil while concealing its origin.

These tankers often operate without Western-regulated insurance and employ tactics such as signal jamming to hide their movements. Many are registered under foreign flags to obscure their origins.

… Analysts believe the Kremlin has invested billions to expand this network, with the alleged covert operations being used to create instability across Europe. …”
 

Greenlanders Elect Party That Pushed Hard Against Trump Takeover​

The center-right Democrats also campaigned on domestic issues and were closely followed by a pro-independence party​



“Greenlanders voted for a party that has never held power but which took a strong stance against President Trump’s bid to control the mineral-rich island in the final weeks of the campaign, which became dominated by the U.S. leader’s covetous comments.

Voters unseated the incumbent prime minister to elect the center-right Demokraatit party that also campaigned heavily on domestic issues such as education, healthcare and jobs, a sign that many Greenlanders, perhaps weary of international attention, decided to turn inward.

…
The runner-up was the strongly pro-independence party, Naleraq, whose leader has said he wants independence within three years and a bilateral security agreement with the U.S. The party in recent weeks received a boost when two prominent politicians joined its ranks: one of Greenland’s two members of the Danish Parliament, and her fiancé, whose attendance at Trump’s recent inauguration stirred controversy.

With six parties on the ballot for the 31-member parliament, Demokraatit won nearly 30% of the vote. Its leader, Jens Frederik Nielsen, will now lead negotiations to form a coalition government. …”
 

Senate Republicans unsettled by antisemitic Pentagon press secretary​

Sen. Roger Wicker, the Senate Armed Services Committee chair, said he’s concerned about Wilson and investigating the situation

jewishinsider.com

Senate Republicans unsettled by antisemitic Pentagon press secretary

Sen. Roger Wicker, the Senate Armed Services Committee chair, said he’s concerned about Wilson and investigating the situation
jewishinsider.com jewishinsider.com

“… Wilson’s repeated claims on social media about Leo Frank, the since-pardoned Jewish man whose controversial rape and murder conviction and subsequent lynching over a century ago in Atlanta spurred the creation of the Anti-Defamation League, her vocal opposition to U.S. aid to Israel and her amplification of Kremlin talking points have left some Republicans uneasy about her serving in the role. …”
 

Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans are at odds over January 6 investigation​



“… Johnson wants Republicans to stop investigating the former January 6 committee, including former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney, and narrow its focus, according to three sources familiar with the negotiations. But GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk, who has been tapped to helm the probe, would prefer a broader mandate, a position backed by some officials at the White House. President Donald Trump told Johnson before he took office that he wanted this investigation to be a priority, CNN previously reported. …”
 

Johnson pledges House probe into Tesla threats​

The speaker says Congress will support investigations of alleged threats against employees of the company owned by Trump ally Elon Musk.


Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday said Congress will probe “domestic terrorism” attacks targeting the Tesla car brand after vehicles and storefronts were vandalized.

“Congress will investigate the sources of these attacks and help the DOJ & FBI ensure those responsible are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Johnson said in a post on X.

Johnson's announcement is the latest attempt by Republican leaders to rally around Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk after Tesla's stock price took a dive in recent days and the company faced a wave of attacks and heated demonstrations. Trump said this week he would buy a Tesla in support of Musk. …”
 
nycfan said:
This story has some … interesting players:

IMG_5513.jpeg

www.nytimes.com

Captain of Ship That Hit North Sea Tanker Is Russian, Company Says

The police in Britain detained the ship’s captain on suspicion of gross negligence after it crashed into an oil tanker that was being operated by the U.S. Navy.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com

“
The captain of a container ship that struck an oil tanker transporting fuel for the U.S. military on Monday was a Russian citizen, the company that owns that ship said on Wednesday.

The man was arrested in northern England on Tuesday on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. One crew member is missing and presumed dead after the crash, which forced both crews to abandon ship.

There was no immediate indication that the captain’s nationality played a role in the crash. Russians make up about 10 percent of international seafarers, according to the International Chamber of Shipping. British lawmakers said on Tuesday that they had no evidence to suggest foul play.

Ernst Russ, the company that owns the container ship, named the Solong, said in a statement that the vessel’s captain was a Russian citizen, while the rest of the crew members were Russian and Filipino.

… The crash on Monday morning, about 13 nautical miles off the northeastern coast of England, set off a series of explosions and a fire onboard both vessels that sent plumes of black smoke rising into the air. Given that the Solong plowed into the tanker, called the Stena Immaculate, in daylight hours while the tanker was stationary, experts have raised questions about why radar and alert systems did not prevent the crash. …”
Click to expand...
british news is all over the story here. An American sailor on the tanker spoke anonymously, saying he was near the impact site and he could see into the freighter bridge and it was empty at the time of the crash.
 
I can't imagine obeying that order. It's illegal, and why would anyone at US Aid contribute to its own demise. What are you going to do? Fire them now instead of firing them in a month?
 
dukeman92 said:
The President of the United States ripped a man from his home, from his pregnant wife, and detained him halfway around the world because he didn’t like what he said.

A LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENT.
Click to expand...
Surprised to not see more discussion about this on the board. Maybe I missed the thread.
 
Paine said:
Surprised to not see more discussion about this on the board. Maybe I missed the thread.
Click to expand...
Yeah, it's been talked about on a few threads but hasn't had its own. In part that's because there's not much to say. It's plainly illegal. It's what we've known was going to happen for months. What is there to say that hasn't been said?

And this guy won't get a lot of sympathy here since his protests helped Trump in a completely predictable way, while doing nothing to help the people he was supposedly championing. That, of course, does not make his detention in any way justified. It is still a blatant and unconstitutional (and non-constitutionally illegal too) power grab that shouldn't be tolerated. I guess there's just a lot of stuff happening that shouldn't be tolerated. It's hard to fit this in.
 
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