The Southeastern European Defense Ministerial met this week in Washington, D.C., agreeing to deploy forces to Afghanistan to participate in a six-month peacekeeping mission. NATO had requested SEDM to provide troops to assume the mission as the headquarters of the Kabul Multinational Brigade of the International Security Assistance Force in the country. All of the group’s defense ministers voted to support the upcoming mission, which will begin in February. Ukraine was also formally admitted to SEDM, joining Italy, Greece, Turkey, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Slovenia, and Croatia.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
