SWEDEN - Nordic Battle Group 15 - Carl Bildt Blog

CARL BILDT BLOG [GOOGLE TRANSLATION - Original Swedish] What happens to NBG15? Is our preparedness enough? [Referring to Nordic Battle Group 15] ROM: Since the beginning again stand a Nordic Battlegroup under Swedish leadership ready for the efforts that the EU could decide as part of its common foreign and security policy. [Take this says:  a Nordic Battle Group is on standby, under Swedish leadership or command, waiting for the EU say-so, to take part in 'foreign & security policy.'] It was in 1999, after the Kosovo war experiences, as the EU summit in Helsinki decided to extend its also military facilities, and in June 2004 there were more officially precisely these battle groups of battalion size that should be in constant readiness.  [By 2004, battalion sized battle groups were on constant readiness, I gather.] As the EU had already in June 2003 in the so-called Operation Artemis conducted a successful military operation in the Congo to assist the UN in conjunction with the world organization with its little slower way of working would strengthen its peace efforts in the country. And Operation Artemis was also something of a baptism of fire for the Swedish Special Forces who participated in it, and whose efforts came to be valued significantly high. The idea has since been to the ever shall be two battle groups ready for action at short notice. And we had a Nordic battle deployable later than 2011. However, it is so stridssgrupperna as such never been deployed, and therefore has doubts about the concept has gradually increased. Not inconsiderable resources are used to equip, train and keep them in readiness in the various countries. Opportunities to use them has not been lacking. In the last year, suddenly became current with an EU military operation in the Central African Republic to prevent what very well could have led to an outright genocide, I belonged to those who argued that the EU's battle group would be deployed. That did not work. The reasons were a bit mixed. The main responsibility for the battle which then stood in readiness low of Greece, and Athens was the interest to say the least weak. But equally important was that the man in Paris clearly preferred to put together something that was indeed the EU, but that clearly was under French command.  [  (1) Greece not on-board; (2) general lack of enthusiasm (3) Frenchies wanted to be commanders of forces.] And the reason for that was that the course was about to reinforce and complement the French national strength which of course made the first rapid intervention in the country. [Maybe this says, French wanted to take the lead b/c the French  previously led a rapid response intervention in the African country in question.] For me - then foreign minister, and fairly active in the discussion on the issue of ministerial circuit - this was unfortunately a sign that the battle groups of days maybe numbered.  [No idea.  Rotation based leadership of these groups was discussed?] The situation in the Central African Republic was so close to the situations battle groups had been set up for that one could imagine:-threatening genocide, appeal from the UN, the need for rapid and limited effort. But that did not happen. After considerable difficulties did you design the much more limited strength EUFOR RCA which now has a mandate that extends until March of this year.  [EUFOR RCA -- ie European Union Force Republic of Central Africa -- the weaker force was deployed.  Fully operational @ 700 troops in mid 2014.  Bet CB was spewing it wasn't something more grand, with him at the helm?] Now, as our well trained and well equipped Nordic Battle Group in readiness for the next six months - 2,400 people from seven different countries.  [Now they've got the NBG @ 2,400 on standby & CB is just hanging for them to be deployed somewhere.] If it will be deployed, I think the concept of EU battlegroups survive. If it does not, I think it will fade away.  [Ooh, if there isn't a deployment, EU battle groups are kaput.] The speculation in the Irish press - Ireland is also part of the workforce - is spoken about possible interventions in Southern Sudan and Mali. I have not always easy to see, although nothing can be ruled out. The situation in Southern Sudan is catastrophic, and the characters right now tends to indicate that it will be worse, but a large UN force is already in place. [Must have resources.] And if the UN force in Mali suffer from challenges it fails, I think rather in other efforts to deal with the situation. Personally, I would probably rather see an option for operation in Libya. The situation there deteriorates continuously, and although the United Nations through its special envoy Bernardino Leon makes meritorious efforts to reach a political solution success has so far been limited.  Would begin to achieve success, it is well not entirely inconceivable that there could be a need for a force that can quickly secure some key installations or functions. Such a task would battle to have the potential to solve. Obviously there are also other situations that could arise - including a new collapse in the Central African Republic. To secure parts of the "line of contact" between the separatist Russian groups in eastern Ukraine and the rest of the Ukraine would be such, but the likelihood that the EU could collect himself to such a decision, I believe can best be described as non-existent.  [If sh*t hits the fan in Ukraine, CB doesn't think the EU will have its sh*t together so as to reach an immediate/quick enough decision to deploy the rapid response play-group.  Or so it would appear.  But it could be a trick.  Maybe they're ready to pounce.  ] In an effort is necessary decision by EU foreign ministers, and it requires no object. Thereafter, rapid decisions of the respective countries, and in Sweden, it is then that the government proposes the parliament a decision by a rapid procedure which it developed a model. How the Swedish government would react in a situation where the EU wanted a stake of battle, no one knows today, but first, we know that the Greens are almost always been opposed to thoughts like these, and secondly, we know that the money that was previously reserved for a possible effort is disappearing in other directions. In some places there are those who say that the investment in battle taking resources and energy from the work of national defense, and that it is now high time to saddle up on. I do not agree with. Let us not forget that the defense resolutions 2000 and 2004 were written off almost entirely on national defense task. The work of the battle groups was then an important way to ensure quality development in the Defence Forces in association with international collaboration. Without this work, we had been in a significantly worse position today. [Purpose of battle groups ('quality developement' & 'collaboration' ... sold as a domestic defence force investment (how clever); how financial sleight of hand, of sorts, does the trick -- ie a question of allocation, I guess.] And although the national defense tasks now - and rightly so! - Come into sharper focus, Sweden should not abdicate when it comes to international peace and stabilitertsinsatser.  [Hahaha ... it's not about peace & stability; it's about neo-con agenda on a global scale.] We are left with a small part in NATO's training mission in Afghanistan, are included in the EU's training efforts in Somalia and Mali, is now entering the demanding UN mission in Mali and will now once again be featured in the EU naval mission in the Indian Ocean. And the world around Europe's borders have hardly been peaceful and stable in recent years. That the EU would dispose of the instrument battle groups IS would hardly responsibly. But the coming months may become decisive. Source:  https://carlbildt.wordpress.com/2015/01/04/vad-hander-med-nbg15-ar-var-beredskap-nog/ -------------------------------------------------- COMMENT Pressed for time.  No sleep.  Massive on-line binge. Might come back to this.  Been good reading and seeing CB's views, although a pain having to make out the wonky Google translation. Some good information there about Swedish domestic scenario and the EU nations relations, I guess. Will come back to this.  Excuse any typos.  Rushed.