Yahoo!7
Top aide to North Korea leader Kim Jong Un dies in car crash - KCNA
Reuters
December 30, 2015, 10:09 am
Photo: Kim Jong Un addresses commanding officers of the combined units of the Korean People's Army (KPA) in this photo released April 2, 2014. REUTERS/KCNA
By Jack Kim and James Pearson
SEOUL (Reuters) - A senior North Korean ruling party official and a top aide to leader Kim Jong Un has died in a car accident, the state news agency reported on Wednesday, the latest dramatic demise in the close circle of deputies to the country's leader.
Kim Yang Gon, who was a secretary of the Workers' Party and the head of its United Front Department, the unit that handles ties with South Korea, was Kim Jong Un's "closest comrade, a solid revolutionary partner", the KCNA news agency said.
Kim died on Tuesday in an automobile accident at the age of 73, the agency said. It gave no details of the accident.
Kim was part of a high-level delegation that held talks in August after North and South Korea exchanged artillery fire, raising tension between the old rivals to one of its highest levels in years.
The talks produced an agreement that ended the standoff, and for the two sides to reopen dialogue to improve ties.
Kim had appeared to grow closer to Kim Jong Un recently, accompanying the young leader at various farm and factory inspections and diplomatic meetings.
He was an experienced adviser with a broad understanding of foreign affairs, according to Michael Madden, an expert on North Korea's leadership.
"With regard to South Korean policy, Kim Yang Gon had a very good social network and was a good interlocutor for the North with the South," Madden said.
South Korea expressed condolences in a message from its Unification Minister sent through the Panmunjom truce village on the militarised border, an official said.
China, North Korea's main economic and diplomatic backer, expressed its condolences too, saying Kim had made positive achievements in promoting relations.
"Comrade Kim Yang Gon dedicated himself for a long time to the development of Sino-North Korea ties," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters in Beijing.
"SUSPICIOUS DEATHS"
Kim Jong Un has dismissed a string of top aides since he took over when his father died suddenly in 2011.
In 2013, he purged and executed his uncle, Jang Song Thaek, who was once considered the second most powerful man in the country, for "anti-revolutionary crimes".
Impoverished North Korea's road network is badly maintained and car ownership is rare yet several high-level officials have died in traffic accidents over the years.
In 1976, an official said to be a rival to then-president Kim Il Sung died in a car crash. In 2003, a predecessor to Kim Yang Gon died in a traffic accident and in 2010 top official Ri Je Gang also died in a crash.
"North Korea has a long track record of suspicious deaths around high-level officials," said North Korea expert Andrei Lankov. "Most die either because they are machine-gunned, or they die in car crashes".
"There are almost no cars and security for high-officials travelling in cars is extremely tight. Given that, one is bound to be sceptical about any such report coming from North Korea."
(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Michael Perry, Robert Birsel)
REUTERS
***
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
31122015
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là ĐỒNG LÕA với TỘI ÁC
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
WORLD_ Asian Militaries Embrace Submarines Amid South China Sea Competition
VOA
Asian Militaries Embrace Submarines Amid South China Sea Competition
FILE - Sailors look at a model of a submarine at an exhibition as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of the 125 Naval Transport Brigade, also known as the No Number Naval Shipsm, in Vietnam's northern port city of Hai Phong, Oc
Ron Corben
December 21, 2015 4:12 AM
BANGKOK— Asia’s spending on military hardware is quickening at a time of increasing focus over maritime territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas, as well as growing concern over China’s expanding military.
Earlier this year London-based Strategic Defense Intelligence (DSI) reported that Asia led the world in rising defense spending, and countries’ spending on submarines was at the top of the list.
DSI analysts say the Asian submarine market is currently worth just over $7 billion, but will rise to $11 billion by 2025. That could mean it surpasses Europe as the world’s second largest submarine market, behind the United States.
SDI analyst Sravan Kumar Gorantala said China, India, Australia and South Korea are the key buyers of submarines amid fears of potential maritime conflicts and threats in the South China Sea, as well as the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Gorantala said China’s growing assertiveness in disputes over the South China Sea and modernization of China’s submarine fleet has led to demand for submarines by India, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Vietnam.
Japan has moved to secure foreign arms sales, largely for its Soryu-class submarines. Many countries with territorial disputes in the waters of East and South China Seas have also been securing spy planes.
In emailed comments to VOA, Gorantala said competition between China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia in claiming rights over natural resources including oil and gas in the South China Sea is spurring demand.
Thailand is purchasing three diesel electric submarines from China to match naval capabilities with Vietnam. In 2009 Vietnam took possession of three Russian-built Kilo-attack submarines with three more on order as part of a $2.6 billion deal.
The Philippines and Indonesia have also moved to purchase the Russian-made Kilo class submarines amid China’s increasing assertiveness.
The United States remains the largest market for submarines, with an expected cumulative spending of $102 billion over the next decade.
South China Sea tensions modernize navies
China has long claimed almost all of the South China Sea as its own, but in recent years has accelerated an island building program that many worry is militarizing a region crucial for international shipping. Beijing now has seven man-made islands on reefs in the Spratly Islands, including construction of a 3,000 meter airstrip at one site.
Carl Thayer, a defense analyst at Australia’s University of New South Wales, said Vietnam’s strategy in dealing with potential conflict is to “try to keep China’s strike forces as far away from the Vietnamese coast as possible.”
Thayer said conflicts over the South China Sea have led to “the unprecedented modernization of Vietnam's naval and air forces.”
Since 2008, the Vietnamese navy has taken delivery of one BPS-500 corvette and two Gepard 3.9-class guided missile stealth frigates armed with 3M24 Uran anti-ship missiles.
The Kilo-class conventional submarines are armed with anti-ship and land attack cruise missiles, and supported by four guided missile corvettes, five light frigates and six Fast Attack Craft armed with anti-ship missiles.
“[Vietnam] is not looking at a conventional war or a theater war with China, they are looking at an eruption of conflict at much lower level, but trying to position themselves to be able to deter China and really inflict some damage,” Thayer said.
Zhang Baohui, a political science professor at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University, in emailed comments said the potential for conflict in the South China Sea depended on “how China may react to future U.S. ‘freedom of navigation patrols’ entering Chinese claimed territorial waters surrounding the shoals and reefs.”
In recent months U.S. ships and planes have traveled inside the 22-kilometer offshore economic exclusion zone that China claims its man-made islands possess. Washington and other regional countries do not recognize Beijing’s claims, and say China’s efforts are hindering commercial shipping and fishing operations.
Zhang Baohui said such actions reflect on China’s “deterrence credibility.”
“At a certain point they may be compelled to take some concrete measures to respond to U.S. ships sailing through. They could be the start of an unintended escalation,” Zhang said.
A ‘weapon for the weak against the strong’
Zhang said there is a “submarine race in the region” that marked “a good asymmetric response to power imbalances so small countries, ranging from Vietnam to Australia, will continue to improve their submarine capabilities to hedge against a rising China.”
Collin Koh, an associate research fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said the buildup of submarines is geared “to provide a weapon for the weak against the strong.”
Koh told VOA that submarines “do constitute one of the major focus areas of capability build up.” Submarines entering service “in the near future will be larger than those used to be operated in the region, and of course, better armed and equipped.”
But Koh said then navies need to overcome several challenges including financial, technical, logistics and manpower issues of submarine operations.
“Not all of these countries that purchase submarines necessarily master the art of underwater warfare,” he said.
New alliances
Vietnam has turned to India in its training of 500 submariners at an advanced undersea warfare school since taking possession of three Russian built Kilo attack submarines.
Australian University of New South Wales’ Thayer said the issue for Vietnam is a lack of combat experience and a lack of effective training where you have opposing forces.
“Now at least Vietnam will be able to [do] one thing – it can send the Kilo [submarines] out there and go hunting themselves – and learn how to find and locate submarines,” he said.
But Thayer said Vietnam needs to embrace programs involving friendly countries, something it has so far been reluctant to do.
Vietnam’s strategy is to build up “the capability to make China think twice about that sort of [threatening] behavior,” he said.
_________
_________
Mãi đến sau hơn 40 năm bè lũ chó má việt cộng CƯỚP toàn đất nước Việt Nam mà nhiều nhà "phân tích về an ninh, quốc phòng" nổi tiếng trên thế giới hình như vẫn còn "mù tịt" về cái bản chất đặc biệt có một không hai, cái bản chất chó má vô tiền khoáng hậu của bè lũ phản quốc CƯỚP NƯỚC DIỆT CHỦNG BÁN NƯỚC cầu vinh của bè lũ cẩu trệ việt cộng .
Vấn đề đặt ra là Dân Việt đã hiểu bản chất của bè lũ chó má việt cộng chưa và nếu đã hiểu được rồi thì Dân Việt PHẢI LÀM GÌ để TỰ CỨU MÌNH và CỨU NƯỚC ???
***
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
31122015
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là ĐỒNG LÕA với TỘI ÁC
Asian Militaries Embrace Submarines Amid South China Sea Competition
FILE - Sailors look at a model of a submarine at an exhibition as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the establishment of the 125 Naval Transport Brigade, also known as the No Number Naval Shipsm, in Vietnam's northern port city of Hai Phong, Oc
Ron Corben
December 21, 2015 4:12 AM
BANGKOK— Asia’s spending on military hardware is quickening at a time of increasing focus over maritime territorial disputes in the South and East China Seas, as well as growing concern over China’s expanding military.
Earlier this year London-based Strategic Defense Intelligence (DSI) reported that Asia led the world in rising defense spending, and countries’ spending on submarines was at the top of the list.
DSI analysts say the Asian submarine market is currently worth just over $7 billion, but will rise to $11 billion by 2025. That could mean it surpasses Europe as the world’s second largest submarine market, behind the United States.
SDI analyst Sravan Kumar Gorantala said China, India, Australia and South Korea are the key buyers of submarines amid fears of potential maritime conflicts and threats in the South China Sea, as well as the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Gorantala said China’s growing assertiveness in disputes over the South China Sea and modernization of China’s submarine fleet has led to demand for submarines by India, Japan, Taiwan, Australia and Vietnam.
Japan has moved to secure foreign arms sales, largely for its Soryu-class submarines. Many countries with territorial disputes in the waters of East and South China Seas have also been securing spy planes.
In emailed comments to VOA, Gorantala said competition between China, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia in claiming rights over natural resources including oil and gas in the South China Sea is spurring demand.
Thailand is purchasing three diesel electric submarines from China to match naval capabilities with Vietnam. In 2009 Vietnam took possession of three Russian-built Kilo-attack submarines with three more on order as part of a $2.6 billion deal.
The Philippines and Indonesia have also moved to purchase the Russian-made Kilo class submarines amid China’s increasing assertiveness.
The United States remains the largest market for submarines, with an expected cumulative spending of $102 billion over the next decade.
South China Sea tensions modernize navies
China has long claimed almost all of the South China Sea as its own, but in recent years has accelerated an island building program that many worry is militarizing a region crucial for international shipping. Beijing now has seven man-made islands on reefs in the Spratly Islands, including construction of a 3,000 meter airstrip at one site.
Carl Thayer, a defense analyst at Australia’s University of New South Wales, said Vietnam’s strategy in dealing with potential conflict is to “try to keep China’s strike forces as far away from the Vietnamese coast as possible.”
Thayer said conflicts over the South China Sea have led to “the unprecedented modernization of Vietnam's naval and air forces.”
Since 2008, the Vietnamese navy has taken delivery of one BPS-500 corvette and two Gepard 3.9-class guided missile stealth frigates armed with 3M24 Uran anti-ship missiles.
The Kilo-class conventional submarines are armed with anti-ship and land attack cruise missiles, and supported by four guided missile corvettes, five light frigates and six Fast Attack Craft armed with anti-ship missiles.
“[Vietnam] is not looking at a conventional war or a theater war with China, they are looking at an eruption of conflict at much lower level, but trying to position themselves to be able to deter China and really inflict some damage,” Thayer said.
Zhang Baohui, a political science professor at Hong Kong’s Lingnan University, in emailed comments said the potential for conflict in the South China Sea depended on “how China may react to future U.S. ‘freedom of navigation patrols’ entering Chinese claimed territorial waters surrounding the shoals and reefs.”
In recent months U.S. ships and planes have traveled inside the 22-kilometer offshore economic exclusion zone that China claims its man-made islands possess. Washington and other regional countries do not recognize Beijing’s claims, and say China’s efforts are hindering commercial shipping and fishing operations.
Zhang Baohui said such actions reflect on China’s “deterrence credibility.”
“At a certain point they may be compelled to take some concrete measures to respond to U.S. ships sailing through. They could be the start of an unintended escalation,” Zhang said.
A ‘weapon for the weak against the strong’
Zhang said there is a “submarine race in the region” that marked “a good asymmetric response to power imbalances so small countries, ranging from Vietnam to Australia, will continue to improve their submarine capabilities to hedge against a rising China.”
Collin Koh, an associate research fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), said the buildup of submarines is geared “to provide a weapon for the weak against the strong.”
Koh told VOA that submarines “do constitute one of the major focus areas of capability build up.” Submarines entering service “in the near future will be larger than those used to be operated in the region, and of course, better armed and equipped.”
But Koh said then navies need to overcome several challenges including financial, technical, logistics and manpower issues of submarine operations.
“Not all of these countries that purchase submarines necessarily master the art of underwater warfare,” he said.
New alliances
Vietnam has turned to India in its training of 500 submariners at an advanced undersea warfare school since taking possession of three Russian built Kilo attack submarines.
Australian University of New South Wales’ Thayer said the issue for Vietnam is a lack of combat experience and a lack of effective training where you have opposing forces.
“Now at least Vietnam will be able to [do] one thing – it can send the Kilo [submarines] out there and go hunting themselves – and learn how to find and locate submarines,” he said.
But Thayer said Vietnam needs to embrace programs involving friendly countries, something it has so far been reluctant to do.
Vietnam’s strategy is to build up “the capability to make China think twice about that sort of [threatening] behavior,” he said.
_________
But Thayer said Vietnam needs to embrace programs involving friendly countries, something it has so far been reluctant to do.
Vietnam’s strategy is to build up “the capability to make China think twice about that sort of [threatening] behavior,” he said.
_________
Mãi đến sau hơn 40 năm bè lũ chó má việt cộng CƯỚP toàn đất nước Việt Nam mà nhiều nhà "phân tích về an ninh, quốc phòng" nổi tiếng trên thế giới hình như vẫn còn "mù tịt" về cái bản chất đặc biệt có một không hai, cái bản chất chó má vô tiền khoáng hậu của bè lũ phản quốc CƯỚP NƯỚC DIỆT CHỦNG BÁN NƯỚC cầu vinh của bè lũ cẩu trệ việt cộng .
Vấn đề đặt ra là Dân Việt đã hiểu bản chất của bè lũ chó má việt cộng chưa và nếu đã hiểu được rồi thì Dân Việt PHẢI LÀM GÌ để TỰ CỨU MÌNH và CỨU NƯỚC ???
***
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
31122015
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là ĐỒNG LÕA với TỘI ÁC
WORLD_ SYRIA_ Syria: A top rebel's death casts doubt over Bashar al-Assad's intentions
CNN
Syria: A top rebel's death casts doubt over Bashar al-Assad's intentions
By Lina Khatib
Updated 1120 GMT (1920 HKT)
December 29, 2015
(CNN)_ The killing of Zahran Alloush and his deputy, the leaders of Jaysh al-Islam, raises serious concerns about the future of planned negotiations between the Syrian regime and the opposition, casting doubt over the regime's intentions.
Alloush had initially wanted to use Jaysh al-Islam as an alternative to the Syrian National Coalition, ultimately paving the way for claiming a leading political role for himself in Syria, post-Bashar al-Assad.
During the time when Saudi intelligence chief Bandar bin Sultan was in charge of the Syria file in Riyadh, Alloush had utilized Turkish and Saudi support to attract different rebel groups to merge with his own, making Jaysh al-Islam one of the biggest armed groups in Syria. But his ambitions caused an antagonistic relationship between Jaysh al-Islam and both the Free Syrian Army in southern Syria and unarmed opposition figures in the area.
READ MORE: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/29/opinions/syria-assad-jaysh-al-islam-killing/
***
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
31122015
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là ĐỒNG LÕA với TỘI ÁC
Syria: A top rebel's death casts doubt over Bashar al-Assad's intentions
By Lina Khatib
Updated 1120 GMT (1920 HKT)
December 29, 2015
(CNN)_ The killing of Zahran Alloush and his deputy, the leaders of Jaysh al-Islam, raises serious concerns about the future of planned negotiations between the Syrian regime and the opposition, casting doubt over the regime's intentions.
Alloush had initially wanted to use Jaysh al-Islam as an alternative to the Syrian National Coalition, ultimately paving the way for claiming a leading political role for himself in Syria, post-Bashar al-Assad.
During the time when Saudi intelligence chief Bandar bin Sultan was in charge of the Syria file in Riyadh, Alloush had utilized Turkish and Saudi support to attract different rebel groups to merge with his own, making Jaysh al-Islam one of the biggest armed groups in Syria. But his ambitions caused an antagonistic relationship between Jaysh al-Islam and both the Free Syrian Army in southern Syria and unarmed opposition figures in the area.
READ MORE: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/29/opinions/syria-assad-jaysh-al-islam-killing/
***
Chân thành cám ơn Quý Anh Chị ghé thăm "conbenho Nguyễn Hoài Trang Blog".
Xin được lắng nghe ý kiến chia sẻ của Quý Anh Chị trực tiếp tại Diễn Đàn Paltalk: 1Latdo Tapdoan Vietgian CSVN Phanquoc Bannuoc .
Kính chúc Sức Khỏe Quý Anh Chị .
conbenho
Tiểu Muội quantu
Nguyễn Hoài Trang
31122015
___________
Cộng sản Việt Nam là TỘI ÁC
Bao che, dung dưỡng TỘI ÁC là ĐỒNG LÕA với TỘI ÁC
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