In Geopolitics Today: Tuesday, August 30th
US Arms Stockpiles Dwindle , Iraq Slides into Turmoil as Factions Clash, and other stories.
US Arms Stockpiles Dwindle
The United States Department of Defence has raised alarm over diminishing ammunition stockpiles caused by a mass transfer of arms to Ukraine. The Pentagon is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the rate of these military donations as a US defence official stressed that artillery ammunition is now “uncomfortably low.”
The shortfall will likely last into the future given that resupplying US stockpiles may take years. The Wall Street Journal indicated that the US Army has already requested Congress to provide a further $500 million per year to boost ammo production. As it stands, the major US defence manufacturers will likely be the biggest beneficiaries of the billions that the US has invested in Ukraine’s defence.
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Russia to Raise Combat Readiness at Military Bases in Central Asia
With the US-led withdrawal NATO forces in August 2021 and the return of the Taliban to power, concerns have grown among Central Asian powers about threats emanating from Afghanistan. At a meeting of defence ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Russia’s defence minister said Russia is raising the combat potential of its military bases in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
The SCO includes as full members China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. At the meeting, Shoigu pointed out that the situation in Afghanistan breeds international terrorism as the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda are stepping up their activity. Russia maintains military bases and other facilities in both Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. Russia’s presence in Kyrgyzstan is largely concentrated in the Kant Air Base outside Bishkek while in Tajikistan it centres around two major bases in Dushanbe and Bokhtar.
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The Solomon Islands Suspends Foreign Naval Visits
Solomon Islands Prime Minister Sogavare has announced a temporary suspension on foreign naval vessel visits as the country looks to review its diplomatic clearance process. After a US Coast Guard vessel was denied access last week, the government in Honiara have communicated its position to all countries who request access into Solomon Islands waters.
Sogavare said that bureaucratic issues had slowed down the process of giving out a diplomatic clearance to USCGC Oliver Henry last week as the appropriate information was not sent to the Office of the Prime Minister on time. Solomon Islands waters are often trespassed without a diplomatic clearance as foreign naval vessels sometimes ignore the process entirely. This has prompted Honiara to rethink the entire process of granting approval for foreign vessels. In the meantime, foreign partners have been asked to postpone upcoming naval visits until further notice.
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Turmoil in Iraq as Factions Clash
Iraq was rocked by violent clashes as fighting left dozens dead after influential Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr announced his withdrawal from Iraqi politics. Thousands of demonstrators broke into Baghdad’s Green Zone after Sadr announced his resignation, prompting security forces to deploy and the military to announce a nationwide curfew.
A day later, at a press conference in Baghdad, Sadr ordered his followers to withdraw from the Green Zone. Fighting then calmed and their are said to have withdrawn from all their positions and the parliament building. Clashes erupted between Sadr-affiliated fighters and rival Shiite groups. Fighting involved heavy weapons, rockets and RPGs as Baghdad and other cities suddenly devolved into armed violence. US marines deployed in the Green Zone are said to have not been involved in the fighting as US officials called the violence “disturbing” and appealed for calm.
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