The Week in Review
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THE WEEK IN REVIEW June 29-July 5, 7(1), 2009 EDITOR: S. SAMUEL C. RAJIV REVIEW ADVISOR: S. KALYANARAMAN CONTRIBUTORS PRANAMITA BARUAH – Southeast Asia SANJEEV KUMAR SHRIVASTAV – Afghanistan, KARTIK BOMMAKANTI – Missiles and Space Pakistan ZAKIR HUSSAIN – Defence Issues RAJA SIMMAN – Energy Security Review MAHTAB ALAM RIZVI – Iran, Iraq AMARJEET SINGH – Internal Security Review GUNJAN SINGH – Japan PRASHANT KUMAR SINGH - China INSTITUTE FOR DEFENCE STUDIES AND ANALYSES, 1, DEVELOPMENT ENCLAVE, RAO TULA RAM MARG, NEW DELHI – 110010 IN THIS ISSUE I. COUNTRY PAGE REVIEWS A. SOUTH ASIA 2-5 B. EAST AND 5-8 SOUTHEAST ASIA 8-9 C. WEST ASIA II. MISSILES, SPACE, 9-11 AND DEFENCE REVIEW III. ENERGY 11-12 SECURITY REVIEW IV. INTERNAL 12-14 SECURITY REVIEW - 2 - 1. COUNTRY REVIEW A. SOUTH ASIA AFGHANISTAN • Operation ‘Khanjar’ launched in Helmand province; Russia allows for US troops and equipment to fly over its territory; UN Security Council extends mandate of UNAMA for another year A major offensive codenamed Operation ‘Khanjar’ (Strike of the Sword) was launched on July 2 in Helmand province of Southern Afghanistan involving about 4,000 US troops and 650 Afghan soldiers, with support from NATO planes.1 The operation in a stronghold of the Taliban is being seen as the first major military operation (and the biggest American military action since the Fallujah operation in Iraq in 2004) under President Obama's revamped strategy to stabilize the country. Reports suggested that the goal of the operation was to clear insurgents from the violence-prone and opium-infested Helmand River Valley before the Afghan Presidential elections on August 20. US Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Larry Nicholson stressed that coalition forces “will stay, and … will hold, build and work toward transition of all security responsibilities to Afghan forces.”2 Meanwhile, reports noted that the Russian government had agreed to allow American troops and weapons bound for Afghanistan fly over its territory. Given the problems being encountered in supplying US forces through Pakistan, the decision is expected to provide an important new corridor for US forces.3 In other developments, the UN Security Council has extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA ) for another year.4 PAKISTAN • Taliban faction withdraws from North Waziristan peace deal; At least 30 Pak soldiers killed in an ambush in North Waziristan; US drone attack kills eight in S. Waziristan; 41 security personnel killed as military helicopter crashes; Pak seals its South Waziristan border with Afghanistan, renews call for fencing of the Afghan border; UN officials urge more aid to prevent outbreak of diseases in IDP camps; UN commission begins Benazir murder probe 1 “US opens 'major Afghan offensive',” BBC News, July 2, 2009, at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8129789.stm 2 “Major military operation under way in Afghanistan,” ABC News, July 1, 2009, at http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=7982024 3 “Russia to Open Airspace to U.S. for Afghan War,” The New York Times, July 3, 2009, at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/04/world/europe/04russia.html?ref=global-home 4 “UNSC extends UN mission's mandate in Afghanistan,” Xinhua, June 29, 2009, at http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/29/content_11621970.htm - 3 - Reports noted that the Taliban faction led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur in the Northwestern tribal region has withdrawn itself from a February 2008 peace deal with the Pakistan authorities to protest against continuing strikes by American drones. This raised the possibility that Pakistani forces may face more fronts in the war against the Taliban. In fact, a Pakistani military convoy was ambushed near Miramshah, the capital of North Waziristan, a day before the group announced its decision, resulting in the death of at least 30 soldiers.5 The US meanwhile resumed secret military surveillance drone flights over Pakistan’s tribal areas to provide support to Pakistani commanders in their ongoing operations.6 A US drone attack on July 3 also killed eight people in Serwekai area of South Waziristan. In a tragic incident, 41 security personnel on board a Pakistani military transport helicopter were killed when it crashed in Chapri Ferozkhel area on the border of Khyber and Orakzai tribal regions on July 3 due to a technical fault.7 Reports noted that Pakistan has sealed its South Waziristan border with Afghanistan and imposed curfew in the area to prevent Afghan militants from infiltrating into its territory. This was in the wake of a new offensive by US forces against the Taliban on the other side of the border.8 Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on his part, during a meeting with visiting US Secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano during the week, made renewed calls for fencing of the country’s border with Afghanistan to effectively prevent militants and drug traffickers from entering its territory. The Afghan government has however been opposing the erection of a fence at the border between the two countries.9 UN officials meanwhile on July 2 warned against an outbreak of water- borne diseases among internally displaced people (IDP) if humanitarian agencies did not receive adequate funding from the international community. The officials reiterated their appeal for funding to help the largest internally displaced population since the Rwanda crisis of 1994. Sources indicated that the UN had received only $193 million in response to a $543 million aid appeal for about two million IDPs.10 5 “An Accord in Pakistan Is Scrapped by Militants,” The New York Times, June 30, 2009, at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/01/world/asia/01pstan.html?scp=4&sq=pakistan&st=cse 6 “U.S. Resumes Surveillance Flights Over Pakistan,” The New York Times, June 29, 2009, at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/world/asia/30drone.html?scp=5&sq=pakistan&st=cse 7 “Helicopter crash kills 41 security personnel,” Dawn, July 4, 2009, at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front- page/helicopter-crash-kills-41-security-personnel-479 8 “Pakistan seals border with Afghanistan, clamps curfew,” The Hindu, July 4, 2009, at http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200907040342.htm 9 “Pakistan repeats call for fencing Afghan border,” Dawn, July 3, 2009, at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/09-pakistan- repeats-call-for-fencing-afghan-border-szh--07 10 “UN warns of disease outbreak in IDP camps,” Dawn, July 3, 2009, at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front- page/un-warns-of-disease-outbreak-in-idp-camps-379 - 4 - In other developments, a UN Commission made up of three members has formally begun inquiry into the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The commission is being led by Chile’s UN Ambassador Heraldo Munoz, who also heads the UN Peace-Building Commission.11 B. EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIA CHINA Humanitarian medical rescue exercise conducted jointly with Gabon; China increases military cooperation with other countries, especially in the ASEAN region; China to intensify patrolling in South China Sea: Sri Lankan Foreign Minister rejects rumours of an arms deal with China A humanitarian medical rescue exercise ‘Peace Angel 2009’ conducted jointly by China and Gabon concluded successfully on June 28. Maj. Gen. Zhang Yanling, Director of the Health Department of the General Logistics Department of the PLA stated that the exercise, the first of its kind between the two countries, had opened new fields for Sino-Gabonese cooperation. It is also expected to pave the way for enhanced cooperation between China and other countries in the African continent.12 Reports noted that China has increased the number of military cooperation and exchange programmes with other countries, especially with those of the ASEAN members. These programmes are meant to provide better understanding of the command and control procedures of their counterparts, and create high-levels of mutual trust as well.13 Meanwhile, at the launch of China's largest fishery patrol ship, China Yuzheng 311, in Sanya, Hainan province, an official stated that China intends to intensify patrols in the South China Sea to protect its fishermen, due to a rising tide of disputes with neighboring countries in this maritime region.14 In other developments, the visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama refuted the ‘rumours’ that Sri Lanka and China had concluded an arms deal during the country’s recently concluded civil war.15 11 “UN begins Benazir murder probe,” Dawn, July 2, 2009, at http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/front- page/un-begins-benazir-murder-probe-279 12 “’Peace Angel 2009’ Wraps Up,” PLA Daily, June 29, 2009, at http://english.chinamil.com.cn/site2/news- channels/2009-06/29/content_1817105.htm 13 “Sino-foreign Military Exchange and Co-op Boosts Regional Stability,” PLA Daily, June 30, 2009, at http://english.chinamil.com.cn/site2/news-channels/2009-06/30/content_1818628.htm 14 “China Charts Course toward Secure South China Sea,” People’s Daily, July 1, 2009, at http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90786/6690696.html 15 “Rumors on Ties with Sri Lanka Dismissed,” China Daily, July 4, 2009, at http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-07/04/content_8378252.htm - 5 - JAPAN Japanese Parliament asserts Russian-administered islands off Hokkaido are an ‘integral part’ of Japan; New automatic air warning and defense control system initiated; Tokyo protests North Korea’s missile launch; Maritime mission in the Indian Ocean extended by another 6 months; Ex-government official acknowledges the existence of a secret agreement with the US that allowed US nuclear weapons on Japanese territory The Japanese Parliament amended a law emphasizing the country’s political authority over disputed islands off Hokkaido by including the provisions that the Russian-administered islands were an ‘integral part’ of Japanese territory.