TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Poll Shows Low Job Approval for Hagel
(Defense News) More leaders in government, industry and academia disapprove of US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s job performance — 44.9 percent — than approve — 36.2 percent, according to a new Defense News Thought-Leader Poll.
2. Polling Data: Low Job Approval for Hagel
(Defense News) While Hagel received strong support from self-identified Democrats with 82.6 percent approving, a combination of Republican disapproval at 62.4 percent and those working in industry disapproving at 50.9 percent pushed Hagel into negative territory. Those in the military gave Hagel positive marks at 44/36 percent approval/disapproval, and Defense Department civilians were evenly split at 38.2 percent.
3. Soldier Pay: How Much is Enough?
(ARMY Magazine) The 1 percent basic pay raise proposed for soldiers in the 2015 federal budget serves as an example of the bottom line for calculating military salaries. For all the studies of making military pay competitive with private-sector wages and comparable with what soldiers could earn if they weren’t in uniform, the decision about the raise often comes down to a gut call in response to a simple question: How low can you go?
4. AFRICOM looks to outsource search and rescue
(IHS Jane's 360) A request for information (RfI) released on 24 April indicates that US military personnel will be deployed to a number of African countries where they were not previously known to operate.
5. U.S., Philippines Sign Defense Pact Amid China Tensions
(Bloomberg) The Philippines and the U.S. signed an agreement today that will boost the American troop presence in the Southeast Asian nation, as it seeks to counter China’s assertiveness over territorial disputes.
DEFENSE NEWS WITH VAGO MURADIAN
USAF Response to Crimea Crisis
Deborah Lee James, U.S. Air Force Secretary, on the Air Force's response to the Ukraine crisis.
Retiring the A-10
Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James discusses the service's plan to retire the A-10 due to budget cuts.
USAF Personnel Reductions
Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James discusses personnel reductions and addressing the nuclear missile culture.
Vago's Notebook
A Defense News poll shows nearly 4 in 5 surveyed don't believe DOD budget efficencies will materialize.
ASIA-PACIFIC
EXCLUSIVE: Q and A with President Obama
(ABS-CBN News) This is a written interview with President Barack Obama conducted by ABS-CBN News. The White House provided the news organization with Obama's answers to some of its questions on Sunday, prior to the US President's visit to the Philippines.
U.S. Beefs Up Military Options for China as Obama Reassures Allies in Asia
(Wall Street Journal) he U.S. military has prepared options for a muscular response to any future Chinese provocations in the South and East China seas, ranging from displays of B-2 bomber flights near China to aircraft-carrier exercises near its coastal waters, officials said.
With New Radar, Japan Sends Message to China
(Defense News) With a high-profile groundbreaking ceremony for a small radar station on Yonaguni Island, Japan has drawn a line in the sand about its strategic intent to defend its Nansei Shoto (southwestern island chain) against China, effectively telling Beijing to back off.
Taiwan to Simulate Chinese Carrier Attack in Upcoming Training Exercise
(U.S. Naval Institute) The Taiwanese military will train to repel an attack from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier and its battle group as part of a planned May exercise, according to local press reports.
U.S. Considers Delaying South Korea Wartime Command Handover
(Bloomberg) The U.S. said it will consider delaying the handover to South Korea of wartime command of that country’s forces, citing the growing threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea.
Multiple North Korean Nuclear Tests May Be in Offing: Sensor Data
(Global Security Newswire) The new surveillance photographs reveal "increased movement of vehicles and materials near what are believed to be the entrances to two completed test tunnels" in the southern part of the testing site, said Jack Liu in a Thursday image analysis for 38 North, an expert website that tracks weapon developments in North Korea.
South Korea President Accepts PM's Resignation
(Voice of America) South Korean President Geun-hye's office says she will accept her prime minister's resignation, but not until the Sewol ferry disaster has been brought under control.
India test-fires anti-ballistic missile
(Reuters) India successfully test-fired an anti-ballistic missile on Sunday capable of intercepting targets outside the earth's atmosphere, a major step in development of a missile defense system that is available to only a handful of nations.
Attack on oil tanker in the Malacca Straits indicates pirates' increased organizational capability
(IHS Jane's 360) Armed pirates in the early hours of 22 April attacked the Naniwa Maru No 1, a Singapore-operated oil tanker, near Port Klang, Malaysia, while it was travelling from Singapore to Yangon, Myanmar.
INDUSTRY
U.S.-Philippines pact could modestly boost American arms sales
(Reuters) A new 10-year security pact between the United States and the Philippines could lead to modest increases in U.S. weapons sales in coming years, especially for maritime surveillance equipment, analysts said on Sunday.
SpaceX Challenges Sole-Source USAF Award to United Launch Alliance
(Defense News) SpaceX has filed a protest against the US Air Force over the service’s decision to award the United Launch Alliance (ULA) a sole-source block buy of 36 launch cores.
B-2 software upgrade completes USAF review
(IHS Jane's 360) Northrop Grumman has completed a US Air Force (USAF) review of a new software package for the 20-aircraft B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet.
2 Key USAF Radar Awards Coming
(Defense News) he US Air Force is set to expand its radar capabilities by awarding a pair of major contracts by early summer.
Pentagon Has ‘Bandage’ to Help Contractors Facing Cuts
(Bloomberg) The Pentagon office that monitors the defense industry’s financial health is preparing an initiative to help contractors cope with production-line disruptions caused by automatic budget cuts.
Official: Human Rights Abuses Now a Factor In US Weapon Export Decisions
(Medill News Service) In the wake of the US suspension on arms and defense exports to Russia, a State Department official said Washington’s classified Conventional Arms Transfer Policy has been updated to make clear that the US will not transfer arms, equipment or training to countries that commit genocide, crimes against humanity or violate international humanitarian law.
F-35 Stealth Questions Bring Back B-2 Memories
(Defense Tech) Boeing’s recent strategy to question the effectiveness of the F-35’s stealth capabilities against the latest air defense radars brings to mind similar questions that were raised about another expensive next generation stealth aircraft about 13 years ago.
Russian arms sellers unfazed by US threats
(The Hill) The thriving Russian arms trade will remain strong even if members of Congress succeed in ending U.S. and NATO contracts over the conflict in Ukraine, experts say.
France, Peru Sign Bilateral Agreement for Airbus Spy Satellite
(Aviation Week) Peru's defense ministry has awarded a contract to Airbus Defence and Space for construction and launch of Lima's first Earth observation satellite, according to the French defense ministry.
CONGRESS
Bills call for recruits to be tested for mental health
(Military Times) Two congressional bills calling for mental health screening of all military recruits are drawing more attention following the April 2 shootings at Fort Hood, Texas.
Levin: Send Body Armor, Fuel to Ukraine; Sanction Russian Banks
(Defense News) The United States should step up its efforts to assist Ukraine’s military in its standoff with Russia by sending body armor and fuel to Kiev’s forces, says a key US Senate Democrat.
State Guard Generals Take Fight To Senate, Push Freeze To Planned Cuts
(Breaking Defense) After convening in Washington for briefings on the Army budget and how to implement it, the state-level commanders of the National Guard have instead launched a new offensive against the Army plan to cut their forces, flooding Capitol Hill with letters and PowerPoint slides. Their immediate goal: Get the Senate to introduce counterpart legislation to a House bill that would freeze all changes to the Guard until an independent commission studied the issue. Step two: Get that language in the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act.
Defense CEOs ante up for Dick Durbin, Jack Reed
(Politico) Two senior senators emerging as leaders of a rising bloc of strong-on-defense Democrats have joined forces to rake in tens of thousands of dollars from defense executives.
Lobbying fight erupts on food aid shipping
(The Hill) A provision tucked inside a Coast Guard reauthorization bill moving through Congress has renewed a lobbying fight that pits international food aid groups against the shipping industry and the AFL-CIO.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
DoD report: Many troops who commit suicide have seen doctor
(Military Times) Nearly two-thirds of active-duty troops who died by suicide in 2012 were seen by a doctor within three months before taking their own lives, and one-third told someone of their plans, according to a Defense Department report released Friday.
Report: Pentagon to destroy $1B in ammunition
(USA Today) The Pentagon plans to destroy more than $1 billion worth of ammunition although some of those bullets and missiles could still be used by troops, according to the Pentagon and congressional sources.
For transgender service members, honesty can end career
(Washington Post) It felt like the pinnacle of his career, working the graveyard shift in a windowless plywood facility in Afghanistan, monitoring a Special Operations mission as it unfolded in real time on grainy video feeds.
Can military's satellite links be hacked? Cyber-security firm cites concerns.
(Christian Science Monitor) Satellite communications terminals, including those used by the US military, are vulnerable, says IOActive, a cyber-security firm. SATCOM industry officials say the terminals are secure.
Coming Soon: Pentagon's Multi-Billion Dollar Health Records Contract
(Nextgov) Sometime in the coming months, the Defense Department will bid out its Healthcare Management Systems Modernization contract, an effort so large in monetary size and game-changing scope that it could significantly influence the future of health care in the United States.
New rule: Recruits may have to buy U.S.-made athletic shoes
(Military Times) The Defense Department issued a new rule Friday that could prohibit boot-camp recruits from using their one-time cash allowance for athletic footwear to buy foreign-made shoes.
ARMY
US Army Breaking Out the Big New Guns
(Defense News) US Army Brig. Gen. David Bassett visited this remote desert artillery range to see something that has become increasingly rare in Army acquisition circles: a major developmental program that looks like it’s going to work.
Fort Benning soldier dies after road march
(Ledger-Enquirer; Columbus, Ga.) A Fort Benning soldier died early today at St. Francis Hospital in Columbus after he was stricken during a ruck march on the post, authorities said.
Gen. McMaster makes Time's '100 most influential'
(Army Times) The commanding general of the Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Ga., is listed among pioneers on Time.com’s list, which was announced Thursday after an online poll.
Better Nutrition Efforts Fill the Army's Plate
(ARMY Magazine) The Army is using education programs, revamped menus, more healthy preparation and presentation in its quest to help soldiers eat better, perform better, feel better and stay healthy longer.
Soldiers lose vacation time in 20 locations
(Army Times) Beginning June 1, soldiers deploying for 12 months to certain countries across the globe will have to go without their two-week rest and recuperation leave.
West Point works to boost female cadet numbers
(Associated Press) West Point wants more women. With female cadets representing less than one in five cadets in the Long Gray Line, the U.S. Military Academy is taking steps to boost the number of women arriving here this summer and beyond.
NCOs needed for warrant officer slots
(Army Times) The Army is accepting applications from qualified enlisted soldiers of the active and reserve components who want to become food safety warrant officers.
NAVY
Grief, tears and white doves in Arlington as the Navy and family bid a brave sailor farewell
(Washington Post) The little girl in the white dress with sparkling trim sat in the velvet chair, swinging her feet back and forth. She wore white shoes and white tights and had baubles in her hair.
Range XO fired for failed performance
(Navy Times) The Navy removed the second-in-command of a missile testing range April 25 because of “unsatisfactory performance,” the service said in an April 26 news release.
Accused Navy pilot Gregory McWherter resigns as Tailhook Association president
(Washington Post) For more than two decades, the Navy has labored to overcome and bury memories of perhaps the worst scandal in its history: the 1991 Tailhook convention, when crowds of drunken aviators sexually battered scores of women during a frenzied Las Vegas party.
Mineman dodged sharks, saved shipmates after Guardian grounding
(Navy Times) Mineman Third Class (SW) Travis Kirckof was fast asleep in his bunk at 2:20 a.m. on Jan. 17, 2013, when the hull shuddered and the collision alarm sounded, jolting him and 78 shipmates out of bed.
Sailors taken by Oso mudslide remembered at Navy services
(The Seattle Times) A Navy commander and a chief Navy counselor who perished in the deadly Oso mudslide were memorialized Friday by sailors at Naval Station Everett in a somber service attended by their survivors.
Hovercraft's no-officer crew offers challenging career path
(Navy Times) They’re big, they’re fast, and they’re commanded — and flown — by chiefs.
Navy is pressed to address safety of Red Hill tanks
Honolulu Star-Advertiser) Three months after an underground storage tank leaked up to 27,000 gallons of jet fuel, Navy contractors last week began to inspect the tank at Red Hill.
AIR FORCE
U.S. steps up air adviser work with European, Asian air forces
(Air Force Times) A year and a half before Russia’s March annexation of Crimea resurrected Cold War fears in Eastern Europe, U.S. airmen began a series of security cooperation activities with countries across the region.
Who's minding the nukes?
(60 Minutes) Lesley Stahl gets rare access inside an American nuclear control center and meets the young airmen who watch over some of the world’s deadliest weapons.
Airman said to have acted alone in killing of AFN broadcaster
(Stars and Stripes) An American airman charged with murdering Petty Officer 2nd Class Dmitry Chepusov has admitted to the killing and says he acted alone, defense attorneys for a soldier charged as his accomplice said Thursday.
James: Air Force 'rusty' at force management
(Air Force Times) Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James on Friday apologized for bumps in the service’s force management process, and pledged to make the process move more smoothly.
Legendary pilot Chuck Yeager battles Fresno law firm in court on Monday
(Fresno Bee) Wild, Carter & Tipton, founded in 1893, contends Yeager and his 55-year-old wife, Victoria Scott Yeager, never paid for its services in a number of civil cases and have an unpaid bill of nearly $270,000.
Airman acquitted of rape charges, guilty of exposure
(San Antonio Express-News) An Air Force photographer was acquitted Friday night of raping a woman on two occasions last year, but jurors weighing his fate found him guilty of exposing himself to a 15-year-old O'Connor High School student.
Last F-22s arrive at Tyndall
(Air Force Times) With the arrival of the last four F-22s earlier this month, the Air Force’s newest Raptor squadron is operational, and Tyndall Air Force Base is now home to the largest group of the fifth-generation fighter.
MARINE CORPS
Gunnery sergeant receives Navy Cross for actions in Afghanistan
(Marine Corps Times) For repeatedly using his own body to shield other Marines from enemy fire, for dashing across fire-swept ground to recover a Marine shot in the face by an enemy sniper, and for orchestrating a five-hour firefight by coordinating multiple U.S., Afghan and Georgian units across three languages, Gunnery Sgt. Richard A. Jibson became the most recent Marine to earn the Navy Cross.
Military jury: Life in prison and dishonorable discharge for Master Sgt. Cosby (With Video)
(KHON 2; Honolulu) The jury recommended life in confinement and a dishonorable discharge in the court-martial of Master Sgt. Nathaniel L. Cosby.
CNO wants to reward fleet sailors, Marines on long deployments
(Marine Corps Times) While Marines are downsizing and transitioning to a more expeditionary posture abroad, the Navy is considering sacrificing a carrier to budget cuts, which is likely to extend deployments for sailors and some Marine squadrons, and may also lead to extended deployments for Marine amphibious units.
Fort Myers man receives two Purple Hearts in 44 years
(News-Press; Fort Myers, Fla.) While other Southwest Florida sexagenarians were busy sleeping in hammocks, golfing or watching the sunset, Fort Myers' Richard Crawford was climbing into mine-resistant military vehicles in the most dangerous part of the world.
Marine Corps Times reporter heads to Afghanistan
(Marine Corps Times) Marine Corps Times reporter Hope Hodge Seck will report from Afghanistan over the next three weeks, embedded with Marines in Helmand province.
Capt. Ryan Iannelli, U.S. Marine killed in Afghanistan, honored with Home Run Derby, scholarship
(Gloucester County Times; N.J.) The East Greenwich native played the game for the township, then for Kingsway High School, where he was captain of the team, and then in college. The love of the game stuck with him for a lifetime and now his family and his alma mater are honoring him by holding a home run derby to raise money for a scholarship in his name.
Marines to test out tactical energy harvesting, from knee braces to drones
(Marine Corps Times) Marines aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., will soon test new gadgets and gear aimed at harvesting and repurposing waste energy — including a knee brace that could power battery-operated gear.
VETERANS
Waits for Phoenix VA Appointments Drove Sick to ER, Ex-Employee Says
(Wall Street Journal) Waits to see primary-care doctors in the Phoenix VA Health Care System were lengthy enough to force some patients to seek help at the emergency room, according to a former employee whose allegations are part of an investigation by the VA's inspector general.
Japanese-American member of Merrill's Marauders dies at 100
(Military Times) Roy Matsumoto, who served with the famed Merrill’s Marauders during World War II and was later inducted into the “Ranger Hall of Fame,” has died at 100, according to his daughter Karen.
Citizen-soldiers took divergent paths after Iraq tour that held more trauma than expected
(Wisconsin State Journal; Madison) Five years ago, thousands of Wisconsin factory workers, farmers, students, hamburger cooks and accountants were far from their homes, crossing the desert frontier between Kuwait and Iraq on a historic mission to help bring an unpopular war to a close.
84-year-old beats off home invader
(The Courier Tribune; Asheboro, N.C.) Bonnie said Neil, a retired long-distance truck driver and former U.S. Air Force MP, came running into the room and never hesitated.
AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan helicopter crash 'a tragic accident' (With Video)
(BBC) A fatal helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan which killed all five UK personnel on board appears to have been a "tragic accident", the MoD has said.
Head of Taliban's military commission resigns due to 'ill health'
(Long War Journal) The Taliban announced the resignation of Mullah Adbul Qayoum Zakir in a statement that was released today on Voice of Jihad, the group's official website.
Afghan Presidential Candidates Allege Widespread Fraud
(Wall Street Journal) The two top vote-getters in Afghanistan's presidential election alleged widespread fraud and other irregularities, with the leader saying he could still emerge as victor without a runoff once all the complaints are adjudicated.
Runoff set for June 7 to settle Afghanistan presidential election
(Los Angeles Times) The Afghan presidential race is set for a June runoff between former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and former World Bank economist Ashraf Ghani, according to official results released Saturday.
Afghan forces prepare to take lead
(San Diego Union-Tribune) Across Afghanistan, monumental transitions like the one involving Marine Lt. Col. Thomas Ziegler are taking place. Ziegler handed over the key to the front gate of his military base at Delaram this month, leaving Afghan national troops solely in charge of securing Nimruz province. Then he and his team of about 100 Marine advisers and supporting personnel — the last coalition forces in Nimruz — withdrew.
As war winds down, Afghan Taliban targets foreign civilian workers
(Christian Science Monitor) As the withdrawal of US-led NATO troops in Afghanistan approaches, the Taliban and those they’ve recruited are targeting foreign civilian workers like the three American doctors killed this week.
IRAQ
Iraqi helicopters hit convoy in Syria
(Al Jazeera) Iraqi army helicopters has attacked a self-declared jihadist convoy inside eastern Syria as it tried to approach the border, killing at least eight people, an interior ministry spokesman said.
Fledgling Iraqi Military Is Outmatched on Battlefield
(Wall Street Journal) More than two years after the last U.S. troops left Iraq, as the country prepares for its first post-occupation parliamentary elections on Wednesday, its demoralized, underequipped military is losing the fight against Islamist militants, who are better armed, better trained, and better motivated, according to Iraqi and American generals, politicians and analysts.
Iraq's Army, Police Vote For New Parliament
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Some 1 million Iraqi Army and police personnel have started to vote in parliamentary elections, the first nationwide balloting since the withdrawal of U.S. forces in late 2011.
MIDDLE EAST
Syrian rebels who received first U.S. missiles of war see shipment as ‘an important first step’
(Washington Post) Under the leadership of a young, battle-hardened rebel commander, the men entrusted with the first American missiles to be delivered to the Syrian war are engaged in an ambitious effort to forge a new, professional army.
US Official: Iran Must Prove It's Not Building Nuclear Weapon
(Defense News) The United States reiterated its commitment to Arabian Gulf security by stating that any agreement with Iran will be based on “verifiable actions that shows the US and the international community that Iran is not building a nuclear weapon.”
Iran to target decoy US aircraft carrier in drills
(Associated Press) An Iranian newspaper is reporting that the country's military plans to target a mock-up American aircraft carrier during upcoming war games.
Drone War Doesn’t Stop Al-Qaeda’s ‘Obsession’ With Striking U.S.
(Time) Experts say Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula remains focused on striking the United States, and targeted attacks by American drones and Yemeni commandos have so far failed to weaken the dangerous group.
Egypt court sentences 683 people to death
(Al JAzeera) An Egyptian court has sentenced 683 people, including Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie to death.
Kuwait, a U.S. ally on Syria, is also the leading funder of extremist rebels
(Washington Post) Kuwait, a U.S. ally whose aid to besieged Syrian civilians has been surpassed only by the United States this year, is also the leading source of funding for al-Qaeda-linked terrorists fighting in Syria’s civil war, according to Obama administration officials.
EUROPE
EUCOM dismisses reports of secret U.S. base in Crimea
(Military Times) Military officials in Europe are pushing back against reports the U.S. was conducting humanitarian assistance projects in Crimea as a ruse to establish a military base in the region.
Baltics To Hike Budgets, Pursue Permanent NATO Troop Presence
(Defense News) With nervous Baltic governments urging the US and NATO to establish a permanent “force presence” in the region, against the backdrop of Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine, Lithuania has responded to a NATO call for increased defense spending by promising to double its military budget to more than $800 million by 2020.
Obama Says More Sanctions Against Russia Are Coming
(New York Times) President Obama, declaring that Russia was continuing to bully and threaten Ukraine, said here on Monday that the United States would impose additional sanctions on Russian individuals and entities, as well as freezing some exports of military technology.
Pentagon: Hagel's Russian counterpart won't return his calls
(Fox News) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel cannot get his Russian counterpart to take his calls, the Pentagon said Friday -- amid a new report that the Kremlin has suspended high-level talks with U.S. officials.
Hagel takes backseat on Ukraine
(The Hill) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is taking a backseat to other players in the Obama administration when it comes to the crisis in Ukraine.
For Russia, Negatives Seem to Outweigh Positives of an Invasion
(New York Times) Thousands of Russian troops are maneuvering along the border, with Russian fighter jets menacing Ukraine’s airspace. Ukrainian leaders have warned that border crossings by any soldiers would be considered an invasion, even while the country pursues military operations against a pro-Russian rebellion in the east. Washington and Moscow hurl ever more heated pronouncements. The first casualties lie in fresh graves.
Turkey's Cyber Vulnerability Raises NATO Concerns
(Defense News) A flurry of cyberattacks that has deeply embarrassed the Turkish government in recent months has raised concerns among some NATO officials about vulnerabilities in the country’s cyber defenses, diplomats and analysts said.
Latvia says Russia trying to use 'provocateurs' in Baltic state
(Reuters) Latvia's defence minister said on Friday Russia was trying to stir unrest in the Baltic state by using "specially-trained, professional provocateurs" in the wake of its intervention in Ukraine.
UK MoD Might Accelerate Programs to Avoid Election-Related Delays
(Defense News) The last time Britain had a general election, the winning Conservative-led coalition held up 17 defense programs approved by the previous Labour administration in the run up to the vote while they conducted a review of the various deals.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Soldier on trial because reporter kept digging
(Karen Peterson in The Tacoma News Tribune) Carl Prine, investigative reporter for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, learned of a story four years ago in a roundabout way. It turned into a blockbuster — and last week it led to a story in The News Tribune
Perfect: Enemy of the Good & Missile Defense
(David Trachtenberg in Real Clear Defense) The Obama administration’s latest budget request reflects the lowest level of missile defense funding since the Clinton administration. Promising missile defense programs have been scrapped, increasing the risk that ballistic missile threats to the United States will outpace our ability to counter them.
The Continuing Irrelevance of William Lind
(Jim Lacey in the Small Wars Journal) William Lind in a recent article in “The American Conservative” laid out the proposition that after four defeats - Lebanon, Somalia, Iraq, and Afghanistan - America’s military officer corps is intellectually stagnant. This is utter nonsense.
Build Fast, Effective Acquisition: Avoid The System We’ve Got
(Bill Greenwalt in Breaking Defense) The first question Congress and the Pentagon should address as they try to reform the acquisition system is: what has really worked in the past.
Did Obama Just Draw Another Red Line in the East China Sea?
(Michael Auslin in The Daily Beast) The president promised Tokyo that the U.S. would protect Japan’s sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands—but after Syria and Crimea, Obama’s tough talk may fail to impress Beijing.
Be Afraid: China Can't Control North Korea
(Gordon Chang in The National Interest) This month in Beijing, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel asked China’s leader Xi Jinping to do more to disarm North Korea. In February, Secretary of State John Kerry, when he was in the Chinese capital, goaded his counterparts on the same topic. President Obama, while meeting Xi in The Hague during the Nuclear Security Summit in March, discussed the denuclearization of the North.
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