United States European Command in the context of "United States bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade"

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⭐ Core Definition: United States European Command

The United States European Command (EUCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers 21,000,000 square miles (54,000,000 km) and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, the Caucasus, Russia. The Commander of the United States EUCOM simultaneously serves as the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) within NATO, a military alliance. During the Gulf War and Operation Northern Watch, EUCOM controlled the forces flying from Incirlik Air Base.

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👉 United States European Command in the context of United States bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade

The bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, also known in China as the May 8th incident, occurred May 7, 1999, during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, when a US B-2 Spirit dropped five Joint Direct Attack Munition satellite-guided bombs on the Embassy of China, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia, killing three Chinese journalists and injuring twenty-seven others. According to the US, the intention had been to bomb the headquarters of Yugoslav weapons importer Yugoimport, 440 meters south on the same street. President Bill Clinton apologized for the bombing, claiming it was an accident.

Central Intelligence Agency director George Tenet later testified the bombing was the only one in the campaign organized by his agency, and that the CIA had "miscalculated" the Yugoimport coordinates from its address. The Yugoimport building was later bombed but remains standing as of 2019. The US claimed its own map and satellite imagery analysis approved the target while failing to identify it as an embassy. Although extensively referenced as a NATO mission and aircraft, all B-2 strikes were targeted and flown under United States European Command alone. One CIA officer was fired following an investigation.

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United States European Command in the context of Supreme Allied Commander Europe

The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) is the commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) and head of ACO's headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The commander is based at SHAPE in Casteau, Belgium. In effect, SACEUR is the second-highest military position within NATO, below only the Chair of the NATO Military Committee in terms of precedence. There is another Supreme Allied Commander in NATO, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), titularly equal, but whose duties are less operational. SACT, in Norfolk, Virginia, has responsibility for capability development rather than operations.

SACEUR has always been held by a U.S. military officer, and the position is dual-hatted with that of Commander of United States European Command.

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United States European Command in the context of US Army Europe

United States Army Europe and Africa (USAREUR-AF) is an Army Service Component Command/Theater Army responsible for directing United States Army operations throughout the United States European Command and United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) area of responsibility.

During the Cold War, it supervised ground formations primarily focused upon the Warsaw Pact to the east as part of NATO's Central Army Group. Since the revolutions of 1989, it has greatly reduced its size, dispatched U.S. forces to the Persian Gulf War, the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the Kosovo War, the War in Afghanistan and increased security cooperation with other NATO land forces. From 1967 to 2006, the U.S. Army Europe dual hatted with the Seventh Army. The Seventh Army has since been dissolved and merged into the command.

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United States European Command in the context of II Marine Expeditionary Force

The II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force consisting of ground, air and logistics forces capable of projecting offensive combat power ashore while sustaining itself in combat without external assistance for a period of 60 days. The II Marine Expeditionary Force is commanded by a lieutenant general, who serves under U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, providing Marine fighting formations and units to European Command, Central Command and Southern Command.

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