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UP FRONTSaturday 20 January 2018
Russia exhorts Trump on ‘Russo-phobic’ intrigues
UNITED NATIONS (AP) —
Russia’s top diplomat ex-
horted President Donald
Trump on Friday to counter
what he called “Russo-pho-
bic” intrigues against him in
the United States in order
to improve ties between
Washington and Moscow.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lav-
rov didn’t offer a specific
course of action for Trump,
whose presidential cam-
Mattis: US competitive warfighting edge has eroded
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) —
Countering China’s rapidly
expanding military and an
increasingly aggressive
Russia are now the U.S.
military’s top national secu-
rity priorities, outpacing the ous administrations than than you’re willing to sacri- about Russia, given Mos-
threat of terrorism, Defense
Secretary Jim Mattis said
Friday. He said competi-
tion with those adversaries
has threatened America’s
military advantage around
the world.
Laying out a broad new
strategy for the Defense
Department, Mattis warned
that all aspects of the mili-
tary’s competitive warfight-
ing edge have eroded.
He said building a force
that can deter war with
established and emerg-
ing military powers in Mos-
cow and Beijing, and U.S.
enemies such as North
Korea and Iran will require
increased investment to
make the military more le-
thal, agile and ready to
fight. “We will continue to
prosecute the campaign
against terrorists that we
are engaged in today, but
great power competition
— not terrorism — is now
the primary focus of U.S.
national security,” Defense
Secretary Jim Mattis said in
remarks at the Johns Hop-
kins School of Advanced
International Studies.
He said the Islamic State
group’s “physical caliph-
ate” in Iraq and Syria had
been defeated, but that
IS, al-Qaida and other ex-
tremists still pose threats
across the globe.
Mattis repeated his call for
America to work closely
with allies and partners —
an approach that aligns
more closely with previ-
US-backed Somalia
commandos kill 4
paign is being investigated But Lavrov said he is con- agenda. al-Shabab militants
by an FBI special counsel vinced Americans will Asked about the new U.S.
for possibly colluding with eventually tire of playing military priorities of coun- By ABDI GULED
Russia to interfere in the the “Russo-phobic card” tering China’s rapidly ex- Associated Press
2016 presidential election. and recognize it’s in their panding military and an MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP)
He said any improvement interest to improve ties be- increasingly aggressive — Somali and U.S. com-
in U.S.-Russian relations de- tween Washington and Russia, he said, “It is regret- mandos stormed a camp
pends in part on “the pre- Moscow. table that instead of hav- for al-Shabab extremist
paredness and capability Lavrov said in a wide-rang- ing normal dialogue ... the fighters in an overnight
of Mr. Trump to counter the ing news conference that U.S. is trying to prove their raid, killing at least four of
domestic intrigues which this is especially important leadership through such the fighters and rescuing
are directed first and fore- given the international se- confrontational strategies dozens of child conscripts,
most against him per se.” curity issues on the global and concepts.”q a Somali intelligence of-
ficial said Friday. The offi-
cial, who spoke on condi-
tion of anonymity because
Defense Secretary James Mattis speaks about the National Defense Review, Friday, Jan. 19, 2018, he was not authorized to
speak to the media, said
in Washington. China’s expanding military and an increasingly aggressive Russia are among the special forces raided the
camp in Jame’o village
U.S. military’s top national security priorities, the Pentagon said Friday. in Middle Shabelle re-
gion. A local commander
(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) was among those killed,
he said. A second official
confirmed the raid, which
was carried out with the
President Donald Trump’s fice for. We’re all going to cow’s takeover of Ukrai- support of helicopters that
later evacuated the young
“America First” ideas. That have to put our shoulder to nian territory, involvement recruits. Human Rights
Watch earlier in the week
mantra was repeated in a the wagon and move it up in Syria’s war and alleged accused al-Shabab of the
forced recruitment of hun-
national security strategy the hill.” meddling in the 2016 U.S. dreds of children in recent
months. The recruitment of
that Trump’s administration Did the message resonate? presidential election. children is a long-standing
practice of the al-Qaida-
released in December. “It’s going better than ex- “We’ve been doing a lot of linked group which faces
growing military pressure
The U.S. and its allies, Mattis pected,” Mattis said Friday. things in the last 25 years, across south and central
Somalia. Thirty boys were
said, are stronger together. The most dominant theme and we’ve been focused rescued in the overnight
raid, Somalia’s informa-
He recalled going to his first in his strategy is for the U.S. on really other problems tion minister, Abdirahman
Omar Osman, told The As-
NATO meeting last year, to regain its competitive and this strategy really rep- sociated Press. “Al-Shabab
bas once again demon-
carrying Trump’s demand edge with China and Rus- resents a fundamental shift strated their barbarity and
their complete disregard
for nations to increase sia, according to an 11- to say, look, we have to get for human rights,” the
minister said. “The group
their defense spending page, unclassified version back, in a sense, to basics uses these indoctrination
camps to brainwash young
and thinking about how released by the Pentagon. of the potential for war,” men and force them to
conduct attacks and sui-
to fit Trump’s message into That shift reflects persistent said Elbridge Colby, the cide bombings.” He said
Somalia’s military was mak-
the broader framework of U.S. worries about China’s deputy assistant defense ing “significant progress” in
retaking territory from the
working with partners. military buildup in the South secretary for strategy. “This extremist group. Also on Fri-
day, the U.S. military said it
When he got to Brussels, China Sea, its moves to ex- strategy says the focus will had carried out an airstrike
in Somalia that killed four
Mattis said he told the alli- pand its political and eco- be on prioritizing prepared- members of the al-Shabab
extremist group.
ance: “Here’s the bottom nomic influence, and what ness for war and particular- A statement from the U.S.
Africa Command said the
line: Please do not ask me has been described as Bei- ly major power war.” strike was carried out Thurs-
day about 50 kilometers
to go back and tell Ameri- jing’s systematic campaign Previous defense chiefs (31 miles) northwest of the
port city of Kismayo. The
cans — the American par- of cyberattacks and data long warned about China, statement said no civilians
were killed.q
ents — that they need to theft from government and the Obama adminis-
care more about the safety agencies and private U.S. tration put a greater focus
and security and the free- corporations. on the Asia-Pacific region,
dom of your children than The shift also underscores including by adding ships
you’re willing to care for, broad American concerns and troops. q