http://n.yam.com/afp/international/200811/20081115527735.html
女性出頭天　敦伍迪成為美首位四星女上將  
法新社╱盧瑞珠 2008-11-15 08:50     
 
 
（法新社華盛頓十四日電）一名女性將官今天脫穎而出晉升四星上將，成為美軍史上首位女性四星上將。

敦伍迪在五角大廈接受授階儀式，同時接掌陸軍軍品司令部司令，她以幽默、謙虛的態度接受台下排到走道的三星將官祝福。

她說：「當人家問我，安，別說是四星了，妳有沒有想過有一天會成為將官，我說我怎麼想都沒有想過。」

「沒人比我自己更感到訝異了，當然，除了我先生以外。你們知道大家都說，每個成功的女人背後，都有一個驚訝的丈夫。」

敦伍迪由她的先生布魯奇，一名退役的空軍軍官，和陸軍參謀長凱西，共同為她在肩上別上四顆星。

凱西在致詞時表示：「雖然花了很長的時間，可能比正常的時間還要久，但今天是所有陸軍值得慶祝及驕傲的事。」

在獲晉升之前，鄧伍迪是美國陸軍中二位女性三星中將之一，在所有美軍中也只有六位女性三星中將。

打破性別限制，鄧伍迪成為美陸軍僅有二十一位上將的其中一人。美國陸軍現役五十四萬三千名軍人當中，百分之十四是女性。

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081114/pl_afp/usmilitarywomen_081114194719
Army promotes first woman to four star rank

by Jim Mannion – Fri Nov 14, 2:47 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The female descendant of a long line of US military officers was promoted to four star general Thursday, the first woman ever to reach the top rung of the US military.

Ann Dunwoody accepted the promotion and command of the army's materiel command with humor and humility at a Pentagon ceremony so packed with well wishers that three star generals were standing in the aisles.

"When people ask me, Ann, did you ever think you were going to be a general officer, say nothing about a four-star, I say not in my wildest dreams," she said.

"There is no one more surprised than I, except, of course, my husband.

And you know what they say, behind every successful woman there's an astonished man."

Her husband, Craig Brotchie, a retired air force officer, and General George Casey, the army chief of staff, pinned the stars on her shoulders.

"Although it's taken a long time, probably longer than it should have, what's happening here today is something our entire Army can celebrate and take pride in,' Casey said.

Before her promotion, Dunwoody was one of only two female three-star generals in the army and six in the military as a whole.

In breaking the brass ceiling, she became one of only 21 full generals in the army. About 14 percent of the army's active 543,000-strong force are now women.

Dunwoody said many of her mentors and role models were men, including her 89-year-old father, a veteran of World War II, Korea and Vietnam who was in the audience.

Also at the ceremony was General David Petraeus, the US commander in Iraq, the heads of the military services, and two former army chiefs of staff.

Military women in audience shouted "Hooah" as Dunwoody spoke with emotion about her military family and career.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Dunwoody's blood runs "olive drab."

Her father, grandfather and great grandfather were West Point graduates. A sister was an army helicopter pilot, and a niece piloted A-10 attack aircraft in Afghanistan.

"A Dunwoody has fought in every American war since the Revolution," Casey said.

He noted that around the time Dunwoody entered the army after college in 1975, the army conducted a survey of attitudes about appropriate jobs for women in the military.

"The number one job at 1975 that the officers and enlisted men and women of the Army thought was appropriate for women was cook," he said.

"And that, by 98 percent of the men and 97 percent of the women."

Dunwoody went on to become a parachute officer for the 82nd Airborne Division during the 1990-91 first Gulf War.

She rose through the army as a logistician.

The army still bars women from serving in combat infantry units.

Asked whether that should change, Dunwoody told reporters she had no personal views on it.

But she said "it's been my experience in my 33 years in the military that the doors have continued to open and the opportunities have continued to expand.

"And so I think, as time deems it necessary, that that review will be revisited."

She said the generation of women who entered the military when she did in the mid-1970s "was a generation of firsts."

"And so I think what we see now is that generation is now reaching the senior ranks of our Army. The last brigadier general officer list had five female general officers on it.

"So the bench is deep, and the opportunities are tremendous," she said.

http://1-apple.com.tw/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Article&Sec_ID=3&ShowDate=20081116&IssueID=20081116&art_id=31145623&NewsType=1&SubSec=11
四星女上將 全美第一人
2008年11月16日蘋果日報

【李寧怡╱綜合外電報導】在美國陸軍服役33年的女性將領安登伍迪（Ann Dunwoody），前天在五角大廈舉行的授階儀式中，正式晉升為全美首名女性四星上將，並接掌陸軍軍品司令部司令，躋身美國陸軍21名四星上將之一。

原想當體育老師
55歲的登伍迪專精後勤補給，掌管的軍品司令部負責供應全球美軍官兵的配備、服裝與武器。她出身軍人世家，高曾祖父19世紀即從軍就讀西點軍校，但在這場備受矚目的授階儀式中，她幽默表示，自己年輕時的人生志願，「只想當體育老師，然後生兒育女」，完全沒想過會成為將官，更別提四星上將，因此「最驚訝的人就是我自己」。儀式現場，不少女性官兵發出喝采。

登伍迪先前是美軍僅有的6名女性三星中將之一。她的丈夫布洛奇是曾服役26年的空軍退役軍官，在授階儀式中親手為妻子戴上肩章。登伍迪笑說：「俗話說：『每個成功女人背後，都有一個目瞪口呆的男人。』」

http://news.chinatimes.com/2007Cti/2007Cti-News/2007Cti-News-Content/0,4521,110504+112008111600199,00.html
鄧伍迪 美國首位女4星上將
2008-11-16 中國時報 【王嘉源／綜合十五日外電報導】

   　美國陸軍女將鄧伍迪（Ann Dunwoody），昨天脫穎而出晉升四星上將，成為美軍史上第一位女性四星上將。她在晉階後幽默的說：「沒人比我自己更驚喜了，當然，我的先生除外。你們曉得，常言道，每個成功的女人背後，都有一個驚訝的丈夫。」

   　在五角大廈授階儀式上，陸軍參謀長凱西上將與鄧伍迪的丈夫、退役空軍軍官布羅奇，共同為她別上四顆星肩章。鄧伍迪同時也接掌陸軍軍需司令部司令。

   　五十五歲 她獲得驚喜的榮耀

   　五十五歲的鄧伍迪以幽默、謙遜的態度，接受台下排排站的三星將官祝福。她在授階儀式上說，自從卅三年前開始從軍以來，她未曾想過有一天會晉升四星上將。

   　她說：「當人家問我，安，別說是四星了，妳有沒有想過有一天會成為將官，我說我作夢也不敢想。」

   　當鄧伍迪以感性語氣述說自己的軍旅之家與生涯時，在觀眾席中很多女軍人不斷發出喝彩聲。

   　凱西在致詞時表示，鄧伍迪成為第一位女性四星上將，是整個美國陸軍值得慶祝及引以為傲的事。

   　軍人世家 波灣戰爭空降營長

   　鄧伍迪是維吉尼亞州人，出自軍人世家，父親、祖父和曾祖父都畢業於西點軍校，她的父親現已八十九高齡，參加過二次世界大戰、韓戰及越戰，這次他也出席觀禮。

   　一九七五年，鄧伍迪自紐約州立大學畢業後從軍，一九八七年她畢業於美國陸軍指揮參謀學院，並成為陸軍第八十二空降師第一位女性營長，曾參加一九九○年至九一年的第一次波斯灣戰爭。隨後，她進入後勤部隊。

   　在獲晉升之前，鄧伍迪是美國陸軍中僅有的二名女性三星中將之一，在所有美軍中也只有六位女性三星中將。美陸軍現役軍人五十四萬三千人，其中約一四％為女性。

http://udn.com/NEWS/WORLD/WOR3/4599226.shtml
瑞士國防部長宣佈辭職
 
【新華社╱日內瓦11月12日電】 2008.11.13 12:19 pm
 
 
瑞士聯邦委員會委員兼國防部長施密德12日在瑞士首都伯爾尼宣佈，他將於12月31日辭去所擔任的職務。

施密德對媒體說，他辭職的主要原因是自己的健康和家庭狀況。現年61歲的施密德6日接受了膽囊切除手術，11日剛剛恢復部分工作。

瑞士媒體報導，施密德的辭職在意料之中，近幾個月來施密德在軍隊事務的處理方式上引起各方不滿，還因２起軍隊惡性事故而備受指責。去年7月，6名瑞士新兵死於少女峰雪崩事故；今年6月，又有5名瑞士士兵溺死。施密德從2001年起出任瑞士聯邦委員會委員兼國防部長，並在2005年擔任瑞士聯邦主席。

【2008/11/13 新華社】

http://news.chinatimes.com/2007Cti/2007Cti-News/2007Cti-News-Content/0,4521,110504+112008111300332,00.html
截肢退役女兵陪同 歐巴馬向將士致敬
2008-11-13 中國時報 【鍾玉玨／綜合十二日外電報導】
 
    　十一日是美國「退伍軍人節」，美國總統布希和美國總統當選人歐巴馬分別在紐約及芝加哥出席活動，向在歷次戰爭中犧牲的將士與倖存的退役老戰士致意。其中歐巴馬在失去雙腿的退役女兵譚美．達克沃斯（Tammy Duckworth）陪同下，向芝加哥紀念銅像獻花，而外界推測她可能接下歐巴馬在聯邦參院的席位或是執掌新政府的「退伍軍人事務部」。

    　歐巴馬在芝加哥紀念銅像前鞠躬、獻花之後隨即離開，並未久留，現場的群眾也只有十多人。但他不忘藉此機會重申他對軍人力挺到底的立場。歐巴馬說：「今天退伍軍人節，藉此機會再次申明，我們矢志支持穿上美國軍服的將士，不會動搖對將士的堅貞信任，政府會照顧各位，回饋各位對這個國家的貢獻。」

    　上述談話顯示，歐巴馬應是對聯邦退伍軍人事務部有感而發。目前大家關切的是他會任命誰擔任該機構的部長？由昨天達克沃斯陪同他出席退伍軍人節紀念活動一起敬獻花環看來，這位泰國裔的「潮州之女」應是可能的人選之一。

    　達克沃斯二○○四年在伊拉克服役，駕駛直升機時，飛機遭伊國叛軍擊中，導致她失去雙腿。今年九月，達克沃斯受邀在民主黨全國代表大會提名副總統當晚發表演說，一上台就受到全場熱烈歡呼。

    　目前達克沃斯是伊利諾州的「退伍軍人廳」廳長，二○○六年上任至今，為伊州退伍軍人爭取了七千萬美元福利，成為其他州的榜樣。

    　達克沃斯不僅可能成為美國史上第一位亞裔退伍軍人部長，也可能接下歐巴馬在參院還剩兩年的席位，成為美國本土第一位亞裔參議員。達克沃斯出生於泰國，父親是美國人，母親是泰國華僑。

http://udn.com/NEWS/WORLD/WOR6/4598834.shtml
斷腿「潮州女兒」 亞裔退伍軍人部長？
 
【聯合報╱華盛頓特派員林寶慶／12日電】 2008.11.13 02:27 am
 

美國總統當選人歐巴馬在11日退伍軍人節當天唯一公開活動，是和伊利諾州退伍軍人廳廳長、泰國裔的「潮州女兒」譚美．達克沃斯（Tammy Duckworth），共同向芝加哥士兵紀念銅像獻花。

40歲的譚美．達克沃斯不僅可能接下歐巴馬在國會參議院的席位，成為第一位美國本土產生的亞裔參議員；歐巴馬也可能任命她出任美國史上第一位亞裔退伍軍人部長。

2004年在伊拉克戰場駕駛黑鷹直升機遭榴彈砲擊中失去雙腿的譚美．達克沃斯少校，在8月民主黨全國代表大會代表軍人演講。她一上台，就受到全場萬旗揮舞熱烈歡呼。

譚美．達克沃斯2006年競選國會眾議員時僅以1%的選票飲恨。而這位伊戰英雄，後來獲伊利諾州州長任命為該州退伍軍人廳廳長。她在過去兩年任內，為伊利諾州退伍軍人新爭取7,000萬美元福利，使伊利諾州退伍軍人廳成為全國榜樣。

現在歐巴馬將入主白宮，伊州州長布萊格耶維奇將任命一位臨時參議員，遞補歐巴馬還剩下兩年任期的遺缺，譚美．達克沃斯是呼聲很高的候選人之一。

譚美．達克沃斯告訴本報，她如進入參院，將支持「夢想法案」，讓上大學及從軍的非法年輕移民合法化。

譚美．達克沃斯其實背景很強。兩年前請她出馬競選國會眾議員的是即將接任白宮幕僚長的伊州國會眾議員艾曼紐。而歐巴馬首席策士艾哲洛 (David Axelrod）當時負責主導她的競選陣營。

泰國出生的達克沃斯母親姓李，是泰國華僑，父親是美國人。達克沃斯說，她四歲以前還會說潮州話，現在只記得泰文。她16歲時舉家從泰國搬到夏威夷，這段背景和歐巴馬相似。

其他可能遞補歐巴馬參議院遺缺的還有歐巴馬政府交接小組共同主席、歐巴馬好友瓦樂莉‧賈瑞特（Valerie Jarrett），國會眾議員小傑克遜（Jesse Jackson Jr.）及今年競選伊利諾州國會眾議員席失利的奚爾斯（Daniel Seals）。

【2008/11/13 聯合報】

http://n.yam.com/afp/international/200811/20081112422796.html
傳蓋茨留任國防部 歐巴馬團隊迴避討論此案  
法新社╱鄭詩韻 2008-11-12 10:05     
 
 
（法新社華盛頓十一日電）美國總統當選人歐巴馬將留任國防部長蓋茨的說法甚囂塵上，但歐巴馬的總統交接團隊今天迴避討論此事。

蓋茨兩年前接掌國防部長一職以來，表現備受兩黨稱許，「華爾街日報」今天引述兩位未具名的歐巴馬幕僚指出，歐巴馬傾向留下蓋茨。

歐巴馬交接小組共同主席波德斯達告訴記者，準總統「非常尊敬」蓋茨，但會在聽取他派去調查國防部作業的專家提出報告後再作定奪。

波德斯達表示：「我們將有個團隊進入五角大廈，聽取有關目前持續進行中的任務及計畫簡報…他會在簡報後做出判斷。」

「華爾街日報」也引述國防部高層官員的話指出，雖然蓋茨一再表示想回歸私人生活，但如果歐巴馬請他留下，他會接受提議。

蓋茨說過，很想念他在美國西部華盛頓州的房子，還帶了個倒數計時鐘，每天計算在政府的日子還剩多少天。

週末期間，民主黨參院多數黨領袖瑞德表態支持蓋茨留任國防部長。

蓋茨曾公開表示支持增兵阿富汗，立場與歐巴馬相同，但反對設立死板的美軍撤離伊拉克時間表。

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081111/pl_afp/uspoliticsobamadefensegates_081111221757;_ylt=ArIDS2vaT9OsssfsXggVqZusOrgF
Obama team sidesteps Gates speculation

Tue Nov 11, 5:17 pm ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Barack Obama's presidential transition team on Tuesday sidestepped a flurry of speculation that he would ask Defense Secretary Robert Gates to stay on in his administration.

Gates has been praised in both parties for his role since taking over the job two years ago, and the Wall Street Journal cited two unnamed Obama advisers Tuesday as saying the president-elect was leaning towards keeping Gates.

John Podesta, the co-chair of Obama's transition team told reporters that the incoming president had "great respect" for Gates, but would wait to hear the findings of experts he is sending to probe Defense Department operations.

"We'll have a team that's going to the Pentagon that will be briefed about ongoing operations, ongoing programs ... he'll render judgment as a result of and after those briefings occur and he's had a chance to meet with his key advisers," Podesta said.

The Journal also quoted an unnamed senior Pentagon official as saying that Gates despite oft repeated statements that he wants to return to private life, would accept any offer by Obama to stay on.

Gates has said he pines for his property in western Washington state and carries a countdown clock marking the number of days left in the administration.

Gates has won praise across the political aisle since taking over from controversial former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld two years ago.

At the weekend, Democratic Senate Majority leader Harry Reid backed the idea of the secretary remaining in the Pentagon under Obama.

Gates has gone on record, like Obama, as supporting the deployment of more US troops to Afghanistan. But he spoken out against establishing a rigid timetable for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

Obama said during the campaign that he wanted to get most combat troops out of Iraq within 16 months but added that his promise was conditional on the situation on the ground in Iraq.

http://n.yam.com/afp/international/200811/20081106220666.html
雖貴為總統 歐巴馬未來挑戰：自身安全  
法新社╱簡長盛 2008-11-06 15:05     
 
 
（法新社華盛頓六日電）歐巴馬以成為第一位非洲裔美國總統當選人創造歷史。但專家表示，因為歐巴馬所屬種族的緣故，可能讓他變得比以前的美國總統更容易成為攻擊目標，維安探員現在面臨如何保護他的重大挑戰。

這位四十七歲的伊利諾州參議員自去年五月，也就是大選前十八個月，即在美國特勤局的保護之下。這是美國提供總統候選人安全保護以來，史上時間最早的一次。歐巴馬已在昨天大選中當選總統。

這個問題很少人願意去直接碰觸，但身為美國第一位黑人三軍統帥，歐巴馬將可能面臨數量空前的生命威脅，包括上週兩名白人至上主義分子，二十歲的柯瓦特和十八歲的謝勒斯曼，因計劃殺害歐巴馬而在田納西州被捕。

歐巴馬和他的家人，以及副總統當選人拜登和家人，都已在多組特勤局精銳、重裝探員的二十四小時保護之下。負有保護總統和總統候選人之責的特勤局隸屬國土安全部。

歐巴馬發表勝選演說時，講台上四周用防彈塑膠玻璃保護，顯示大選安全已經升級，這也是歐巴馬的競選陣營首次使用這種保護措施。

特勤局發言人杜諾文說：「以我們的保護任務而言，總統府的更迭需要許多行動計劃和執行。」他拒絕提供新安全制度的細節，或者說明是否將因為歐巴馬而加強。

他說：「很顯然，我們做了一些調整。但目前，我們已擬定每一種應變計劃。」

但歐巴馬的膚色令美國國內更憂心其安全。美國國內有兩億件以上合法擁有的武器，每年約有三萬人因槍擊案喪生，史上有四位在位總統遭暗殺，另外有兩位在暗殺行動中受傷。

 
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5127613/among-obamas-next-challenges-his-own-security/
Among Obama's next challenges: his own security

November 6, 2008, 2:17 pm

WASHINGTON, (AFP) - Barack Obama made history by becoming the first African-American US president-elect, but security agents now face major challenges in protecting him, experts say, as his race may make him more of a target than his predecessors.

The 47-year-old Illinois senator who swept to victory on Tuesday has been under protection of the US Secret Service since May 2007, 18 months before the election, the earliest-ever security detail for a presidential candidate.

It is an issue few people want to address directly, but as the nation's first black commander-in-chief Obama will likely face an unprecedented number of threats on his life -- including one just last week when two white supremacists , Daniel Cowart, 20, and Paul Schlesselman, 18, were arrested in Tennessee for plotting to kill Obama.

He and his family -- as well as vice president-elect Joe Biden and family -- are under 24-hour guard by squads of elite, heavily armed agents of the Secret Service, the branch of the Department of Homeland Security tasked with protecting presidents and presidential candidates.

Hillary Clinton , Obama's rival in the battle for the Democratic party nomination, has been under Secret Service protection for years due to her status as former first lady.

In an indication of the ramped-up security around the election, Obama's lectern where he gave his victory speech was shielded by bullet-proof plexiglass -- the first time his campaign had employed such protection.

"Changes in presidential administrations necessitate a lot of operational planning and implementation in terms of our protective mission," Secret Service spokesman Ed Donovan told AFP, declining to provide specifics on the new security regime or say whether it would be intensified for Obama.

"We make adjustments, obviously. But at this point... we have planned for every contingency."

Yet the president-elect's skin color has only added to concerns in the country, where there are more than 200 million legally owned firearms and about 30,000 gun deaths per year, and where four sitting presidents have been murdered and two more wounded in assassination attempts.

"It's going to be a unique and challenging environment" for Obama's security detail, Fred Burton, who is vice president of counter- terrorism at geo-political intelligence analysis firm Stratfor, told AFP.

"The protective security threat and the challenges surrounding the protection for him is extremely difficult. It's going to take a lot of resources and a tremendous amount of protective and tactical analysis to stay ahead of the bad guys," said Burton, a former Secret Service agent who is publishing a Stratfor report Thursday on the issue.

While Obama spends the next months plotting his political course and assembling an administration team, extremists -- particularly from the US white hate movements -- may be plotting to kill him, especially in the chaotic months before he enters the Washington security bubble.

Burton believes protective intelligence agencies have infiltrated white hate groups, whose sympathizers are blamed for the assassinations of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr, Malcom X and Medgar Evers, as a means of thwarting attempts on the lives of protectees.

Evers was gunned down in 1963 by a member of the Ku Klux Klan, a white-supremacy group whose website this week carried a video clip warning against an Obama administration.

"I don't want to sound like a doomsday prophet," Thomas Robb said on the Klan's WhitePride.tv. "But what will happen to this nation?

"A lot of people are concerned if Barack Obama becomes president of the United States. There may be a backlash, there may be many white people throughout this country who will become awakened."

In January, concerns were such that Congressman Bennie Thompson of Mississippi wrote to officials who oversee the Secret Service to say Obama's profile "gives rise to unique challenges that merit special concern."

"As an African-American who was witness to some of this nation's most shameful days during the civil rights movement, I know personally that the hatred of some of our fellow citizens can lead to heinous acts of violence," Thompson wrote.

Obama spoke early this year with The New York Times about his life in the security cocoon, saying "I've got the best protection in the world," repeating a line he tells concerned supporters. "So stop worrying."

For Alnett Wooten, an 86-year-old black woman waiting in line at a Washington polling station Tuesday, Obama's fate is in God's hands.

"I never thought I would live long enough to do it," she said of voting for a black president. "I just pray that He will keep him safe."

http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/2008-11-02/1009527903.html
媒體稱薩科齊提出歐洲軍計畫將衝擊北約體制
http://www.sina.com.cn  2008年11月02日 10:09  青年參考

　　近日，法國總統薩科齊提議，組織一支“歐洲軍”，這支軍隊將獨立於美國主導下的北約。一直緊跟美國的英國，其負責軍事的國防大臣約翰•赫頓竟對法國的這個計畫表示支援。那麼，“歐洲軍”能真的成型嗎？

　　50多年前的失敗

　　英國《星期日泰晤士報》網站10月26日報導，約翰•赫頓成為第一個支持法國提出的建立歐洲軍計畫的英國國防大臣，這在英國國內引起了爭論。

　　組建歐洲聯合軍事力量的倡議並非初次提出。二戰後，法國就曾提議西歐進行防務合作。

　　1950年10月24日，法國總理R.J.普利文在法國國民議會發表演說，提出了建立包括聯邦德國(西德)在內的西歐國家統一的歐洲軍的計畫。此後，在美國參與下，經過漫長而複雜的談判，法國、聯邦德國、義大利、比利時、荷蘭和盧森堡六國於1952年5月27日在巴黎正式簽訂《歐洲防務集團條約》。法國希望英國加入，以牽制聯邦德國。但英國只表示支持和合作，沒有參加。歐洲防務集團條約規定，六國要共同組成一支有統一領導的指揮機構、有共同預算的超國家的歐洲軍。這支軍隊應與北約組織密切合作，在北約組織範圍內參加西方的防務。

　　由於當時法國國民議會的多數議員懼怕聯邦德國重新武裝，擔心法國參加歐洲軍會喪失獨立防務，於1954年8月30日拒絕予以批准。歐洲防務集團也隨之夭折。

　　歐洲軍團有5萬人

　　近60年來歐洲防務合作可見的最大成果，莫過於“歐洲軍團”和“歐盟維和部隊”了。

　　1992年成立的歐洲軍團是一支歐洲多國部隊，總兵力約5萬人。由法、德、比、西、盧五國分別派出部隊組成。根據法德兩國和北約組織于1993年達成的協議，歐洲軍團在保持自身特性的基礎上也可接受北約調遣。

　　2003年，歐盟組建了一支6萬人的維和部隊。歐盟維和部隊已在東南歐的波黑、馬其頓和非洲的剛果(金)、乍得等地執行了任務。

　　但是，“歐洲軍團”畢竟只是5個國家建立的聯合軍事力量，並且接受北約的任務，類似于一支“不含美軍的北約部隊”；而歐盟維和部隊則無權承擔戰鬥任務。它們與歐洲聯盟的獨立軍隊之間，還相差甚遠。

　　薩科齊的新計畫

　　2003年4月，法國、德國、比利時和盧森堡曾宣佈，將在布魯塞爾之外再建一個獨立於北約的軍事指揮中心。但是，美國駐北約大使伯恩斯于同年9月16日表示，希望法國和德國不要在北約以外另設一個歐洲軍事指揮部，稱那是耗資巨大的重複設置，也將影響北約的團結。在此後近5年中，歐洲軍事一體化處於停滯狀態。

　　據英國《衛報》今年6月7日報導，法國總統薩科齊決心利用他擔任歐盟輪值主席的6個月時間，加速歐洲軍事聯合的發展。法國提出了旨在促進歐洲軍事一體化的一系列倡議：在布魯塞爾建立歐洲第一個永久性的軍事指揮部，以制訂對外軍事行動的計畫；為歐洲軍事行動提供共同的財政支持；組建歐洲軍事運輸機編隊；發射歐洲軍事衛星；建立歐洲防務學院；在歐盟國家中開展軍官交流計畫等。

　　《星期日泰晤士報》則稱，薩科齊尋求建立新的司令部和若干支快速反應部隊，每支快速反應部隊將由來自成員國的1500名士兵組成。

　　德國對法國的歐洲軍計畫最為支持。今年5月6日，德國國防部長就督促歐盟創建一支“歐洲軍”。因為各個成員國軍隊難以解決的一些問題，可以由歐洲軍處理。以歐洲軍名義執行某些任務，可以增大合法性。德國人主要是著眼於提高效率。據2004年成立的“歐洲防務機構”的統計，2007年，歐洲聯盟27個成員國的軍費總支出為2010億歐元(約合人民幣1.755萬億元)，僅次於美國的4910億歐元(約合人民幣4.2876萬億元)，在全世界排名第二。由於各國軍事機構之間有很多重疊，龐大軍費產生的實際效果卻要大打折扣。

　　英國以此要脅美國？

　　英國國防大臣赫頓說：“在軍事上，法國是我們最親密的盟友之一。如果能支持，那我們就應該支持。”他還說，在軍事任務上與歐盟的盟友合作是“完全明智的”。《星期日泰晤士報》認為，赫頓的支持超出了首相布朗的公開立場，並且會招致一些人的不滿。其他媒體也批評赫頓，認為英國的安全應該由美國主導下的北約來維護。另外，作為反對黨的保守黨也公開抨擊赫頓的這番講話。

　　自2004年以來，英國一直反對建立歐洲軍事指揮部，認為這是法國削弱北約的一個“陰謀”。今年6月6日，英國首相布朗的發言人就說：“英國政府堅信，北約始終是歐洲防務的基石。”

　　因此，不能將英國國防大臣赫頓支持歐洲軍計畫的言論，視為英國政府的最終政策。另外，也有分析人士認為，這是英國政府在以此要脅美國，以迫使美國對當前的金融危機承擔更大的責任。

　　美國的立場是關鍵

　　歐洲一體化有三大支柱：共同經濟政策、內務司法合作、外交與防務合作，而外交與防務合作是發展最為滯後的支柱。雖然外交和防務問題相當敏感，不易取得進展，但最大的障礙還是在美國。

　　美國反對的主要原因是，擔心歐洲軍削弱北約。北約的歐洲盟軍最高司令歷來由美國將領擔任，在某種意義上說，北約既是美國保衛歐洲的機構，又是美國控制歐洲的工具。

　　為打消美國的疑慮，薩科齊曾說：“歐盟必須能保衛自己，但決不能與北約競爭，我們既需要北約，又需要歐洲共同防務，把兩者對立起來，是沒有意義的。”

　　與經濟問題不同，在軍事安全問題上，歐洲在很大程度上仍要聽命於美國。如果美國明確反對，“歐洲軍”計畫必然再次夭折。下一屆美國領導人對於建立“歐洲軍”和“歐洲指揮部”持什麼態度，將在很大程度決定歐洲防務一體化能否再前進一步。

http://udn.com/NEWS/WORLD/WOR3/4584328.shtml
UN管制軍火 美投反對票
 
【聯合報╱紐約特派員傅依傑／2日電】 2008.11.03 03:29 am
 
 
聯合國大會以147票對2票壓倒性多數，通過重要決議，制定全球軍火交易管制條約，美國為世界首大軍火輸出國，卻投票反對，華府不合作態度，將使制定軍火交易條約路途多艱。

聯大裁武及國際安全委員會早於二年前就以壓倒性多數通過決議，要求起草軍火交易管制條約，以防堵管制漏洞，避免武器流入衝突地區，當時南非圖圖大主教等多名諾貝爾和平獎得主都支持此議，經過二年研議，聯大上月31日才正式通過，開始「實際」推動此條約。

美國、辛巴威是「唯二」投反對票國家；華府稱新訂軍火條約行之無效，約束無方，現行規定已夠。

聯合國權力核心安理會五常任理事國中，中國、俄羅斯投棄權票；英、法投贊成票。華府反對下，聯合國制定軍火交易管制條約滯礙難行，可能還要數年才能出爐。

【2008/11/03 聯合報】

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5115784/un-panel-backs-call-for-standards-in-arms-trade/
UN panel backs call for standards in arms trade

November 1, 2008, 8:07 am

UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - A UN General Assembly panel on Friday overwhelmingly backed steps to draft a treaty establishing international standards for the arms trade.

It endorsed a resolution urging UN member states to consider how to implement "the highest possible standards to prevent the diversion of conventional arms from the legal to the illicit market, where they can be used for terrorist acts, organized crime and other criminal activities."

Some 147 countries in the Assembly's disarmament committee supported the text, 18 abstained while only the United States and Zimbabwe voted against.

The British-drafted resolution decided to set up an open-ended working group to meet for up to six one-week sessions starting next year. Two sessions are planned to be held in New York next March and July.

Britain's UN Ambassador John Sawers welcomed adoption of the text and expressed hope that the next US administration will reconsider its opposition to the proposed Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) "to ensure that the arms trade lives up to standards we believe all responsible exporting countries should aspire to."

He noted that even US arms companies were coming around to the idea that an arms treaty would be good for their image and their bottom line.

Explaining her no vote, US delegate Christina Rocca said: "We support the goal of promoting responsibility in arms transfers and reducing the destabilizing trade in illicit arms, but we do not believe a global Arms Trade Treaty would accomplish that goal."

"Any ATT would require the support of the major arms exporters to be effective, and we believe that some major arms exporters would refuse to agree to an ATT that required meaningful, effective conventional arms transfer controls policies," she added.

She said that concluding "a weak ATT would legitimize an international standard based on a lowest common denominator that would not address the problem of illicit and irresponsible arms transfers."

Brian Wood, a spokesman for London-based Amnesty International , said that Friday's "big vote moves the world closer to an Arms Trade Treaty with respect for human rights at its heart."

"It is shameful that the US and Zimbabwe governments have taken an unprincipled stand today against a treaty that would save so many lives and livelihoods," he added in a statement.

Anna Macdonald said on behalf of the non-governmental organization Oxfam International that the vote "is one step closer to turning off the running tap of irresponsible arms transfers which have flooded the world's conflict zones for decades, fueling death, injury and poverty."

Earlier this week, visiting British ambassador for arms control and disarmament John Duncan told reporters here that the ATT was a "very new idea," akin to the Kimberley process regulating the diamond trade.

The Kimberley scheme, which was launched in 2003 and is named after a diamond mining city in South Africa , aims to keep diamonds from financing wars via a certification initiative.

Earlier this month, South Africa's retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu pleaded with UN member states to back the proposed ATT.

"You can and must act to control the deadly trade in weapons that is behind these deaths. There can be no further delay ... It is time to end the slaughter," he then said in a message to UN missions which was delivered by activists of the Control Arms campaign, a strong backer of the ATT.

The campaign was launched five years ago by Amnesty International , Oxfam International and the International Action Network on Small Arms.

In December 2006, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution launching the process for the ATT with the goal of preventing arms transfers that fuel conflicts and serious human rights violations around the world.