MOSCOW (Reuters) - Groups representing Russian military veterans plan to ask the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Russia's secret deployment of civilian contractors in Syria, Ukraine and Africa, a paramilitary leader said on Friday. The recruitment of civilians to fight abroad is illegal in Russia, and the Kremlin has repeatedly denied reports of thousands of Russian private contractors fighting alongside government forces in Syria. Over 100 Russian civilians were killed during the campaign, according to people familiar with the mission. However, the ICC has no jurisdiction over Syria and has never handled any cases like this before. More than a dozen Russian veteran organizations plan to write to Fatou Bensouda, prosecutor of the Hague-based ICC investigating war crimes, according to Yevgeny Shabayev, a paramilitary Cossack group leader who says he personally knows dozens of people who have been on such assignments. It is unclear how big the organisations on … [Read more...] about Russian military veterans seek ICC investigation of mercenary deployments
Military
U.S. Military Says It Faces New Threats from Russia and China, But It Has Different Ways of Dealing with Them
World International Affairs The leading U.S. general has warned of new military threats from Russia and China, but emphasized that the world was not yet at war as the two top competitors presented different challenges. Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described the complexities of the contemporary global security environment during a Tuesday address at North Carolina-based Duke University. The senior military leader identified Russia and China as near-peer competitors, not enemies, but said that today's dynamics meant the two nations could present serious obstacles to advancing U.S. interests abroad. "Competition doesn’t have to be conflict," Dunford said, as quoted by the Pentagon. "But we now have two states that actually … can challenge our ability to project power and challenge us in all domains." Russian, Chinese and Mongolian troops and military equipment parade at the end of the day of the Vostok-2018 … [Read more...] about U.S. Military Says It Faces New Threats from Russia and China, But It Has Different Ways of Dealing with Them
How military service impacts student loan repayment options
If you're a veteran with student debt, you have repayment rights unique to military service members that can keep you on track and out of default. Federal student loan default occurs after nine months without a payment. Late notices turn into collection calls, and your creditor - the government - can take you to court and even garnish your paycheck. Once you default, you'll no longer qualify for repayment plans that could make payments manageable. Understanding your options can help reduce the risk of default. HOW VETERANS END UP WITH STUDENT DEBT "Some student are unsure how to fully access their benefits or what programs they're eligible for — that could lead them to borrow and leave benefits on the table," says Colleen Campbell, associate director for postsecondary education at the Center for American Progress, a public policy think tank. Veterans often take out student loans after exhausting their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits , which cover tuition and fees and include a monthly … [Read more...] about How military service impacts student loan repayment options
Donald Trump Says He’ll ‘Never Forgive’ Obama: ‘What He Did To Our Military Made This Country Very Unsafe For You’
U.S. Donald Trump President Donald Trump said during a Friday morning press conference he would “never forgive” his predecessor Barack Obama “for what he did to our military.” Trump claimed that the former president made the United States “very unsafe” for Americans. Trump brought the topic up out of the blue in response to a reporter’s question about former first lady Michelle Obama’s book that is critical of him. “Oh, Michelle Obama said that? I haven’t seen it. I guess she wrote a book, she got paid a lot of money to write a book and they always insist that you come up with controversial…” Trump said. “Well, I'll give you some controversy back,” Trump said, referring to Barack Obama. “I'll never forgive him for what he did to our United States military by not funding it properly. It was depleted. Everything was old and tired and I came in and I had to fix it and I am in the process of spending … [Read more...] about Donald Trump Says He’ll ‘Never Forgive’ Obama: ‘What He Did To Our Military Made This Country Very Unsafe For You’
Inside Trump’s military border base: Endless barbed wire, Humvees and a trauma center
The Trump administration is placing new restrictions on immigrants seeking U.S. asylum, but some advocates say the move violates federal law. The mandate, targeting a caravan of Central Americans moving toward the border and announced on Thursday, declares that anyone crossing the southern border illegally will be ineligible for asylum. CBS News' Mireya Villarreal was with army troops all day Thursday as they put up barbed wire fencing at the border. But just 20 feet behind that barbed wire is the border wall, which has some locals questioning what exactly a four-foot barrier will do that the wall and agents can't. In less than a week, the U.S. military turned nearly 40 acres of barren land in the small border town of Donna, Texas, into a fully operational military base. "So really what it takes is a lot of teamwork to make something like this run," said Captain Lauren Blanton, who helps run the base. More than 600 soldiers staff the base, set up by the Trump administration to … [Read more...] about Inside Trump’s military border base: Endless barbed wire, Humvees and a trauma center