TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Iraq Said to Seek U.S. Strikes on Militants
(New York Times) As the threat from Sunni militants in western Iraq escalated last month, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki secretly asked the Obama administration to consider carrying out airstrikes against extremist staging areas, according to Iraqi and American officials.
2. Cantor's Stunning Defeat Removes 'Only Leader' on Defense in GOP's Top Ranks
(Congress Watch) US House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor's stunning primary defeat is a huge blow to the US defense sector, and could allow an up-and-coming GOP deficit hawk to replace Cantor, or even become House speaker, sources say.
3. The Iraqis We Left Behind: A Book Review
(Arnold R. Isaacs in Cicero Magazine) In a war-on-terror climate in which all Muslims are seen as potential enemies, U.S. officials seem much more worried about possibly letting a terrorist slip through the refugee process than about any moral obligation to Iraqis who helped Americans. Johnson sums up the issue this way: "nobody wanted his or her signature to be on the visa papers of the next 9/11 hijacker."
4. Brennan: CIA Must Adapt for Future, Digital Threats
(Defense News) The CIA must adjust itself for a future that includes pursuing evolving terrorist networks across multiple continents amid sweeping technological changes, the agency's director said Wednesday.
5. China reveals possible new variant of Qing-class submarine
(IHS Jane's 360) A model said to be of the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN's) new Qing (Type 032)-class diesel-electric test submarine was displayed at a shipping expedition held in the southern China province of Guangdong from 6-8 June.
ARMY SGT. BOWE BERGDAHL RELEASED
Lawmaker presses Hagel to investigate Bergdahl
(Military Times) Military officials are facing new pressure to ramp up an investigation into Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's 2009 disappearance.
Hagel says leak would have harmed efforts to release Bergdahl
(Idaho Statesman) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Wednesday morning defended the release of five Taliban detainees in exchange for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.
Ex-POW Bergdahl had been discharged from Coast Guard
(USA Today) Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was held for five years by an Islamic insurgent group in Afghanistan before the controversial barter that brought him freedom, was discharged from the Coast Guard two years before joining the Army.
Bergdahl's writings reveal a fragile young man
(Washington Post) Before he became a Taliban prisoner, before he wrote in his journal "I am the lone wolf of deadly nothingness," before he joined the Army, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was discharged from the Coast Guard for psychological reasons, said close friends who were worried about his emotional health at the time.
How the Pentagon Can Track the Taliban 5
(DefenseOne) Researchers say not to worry, big data and a formula that predicts terrorists' movements gives the U.S. the ability to forecast some of the key
More detainee transfers soon? WH pushes back
(The Hill) The White House said Wednesday there were "no imminent transfer announcements in the works" after a reports the administration was readying plans to move additional detainees from Guantanamo Bay.
Why the 'Black Hawk Down" prisoner release is different than Bowe Bergdahl's
(Checkpoint) The Pentagon's top lawyer on Wednesday compared the secret negotiations to obtain Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl's release to the 1993 discussions that secured the freedom of an Army pilot whose helicopter crashed in Somalia, saying that in both cases Washington dealt with "non-state actors" to recover a U.S. service member held captive.
IRAQ
ISIS takes control of Bayji, Tikrit in lightning southward advance
(Long War Journal) The Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham continues its lightning advance southward after seizing control of Mosul, the country's second largest city, and the province of Ninewa and other areas of Salahaddin and Kirkuk provinces yesterday. ISIS has now captured the Salahaddin cities of Bayji, which has Iraq's largest oil refinery, and Tikrit, the provincial capital.
Members of Congress appear disengaged from Iraq's burgeoning crisis, expert says
(McClatchy) The government of Iraq, where American soldiers fought and died for the better part of a decade, is in full retreat before an onslaught from a radical Islamist group dedicated to establishing an Islamic state in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. But the magnitude of the crisis has yet to capture the attention of Washington.
Iraq Requests Accelerated Shipment of U.S. Arms to Counter Militants
(Wall Street Journal) Iraq is requesting the accelerated delivery of pledged U.S. military support, particularly Apache helicopters, F-16 fighters and surveillance equipment, to help Prime Minister Nouri Maliki's government push back radical Islamist fighters who have claimed large sections of western Iraq in recent days.
How ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi became the world's most powerful jihadist leader
(Washington Post) For all his power and newfound notoriety, there are only two authenticated photos of a man now called the world's "most powerful jihadi leader."
US eyes new aid to Iraq to curb insurgent march
(Associated Press) The United States is preparing to send new aid to Iraq to help slow a violent insurgent march that is threatening to take over the nation's north, officials said Wednesday. But the Obama administration offered only tepid support for Iraq's beleaguered prime minister, and U.S. lawmakers openly questioned whether he should remain in power.
Iraqi Drama Catches U.S. Off Guard
(Wall Street Journal) At a closed-door gathering of Gulf states in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in May, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and his Arab counterparts all signaled agreement on one thing for the first time: Islamist forces seizing territory in Syria and Iraq had become a regionwide menace that can't be ignored.
Iraq says to work with Kurdish forces to retake Mosul
(Reuters) Baghdad will cooperate with Kurdish forces to try to drive militant out of Mosul, Iraq's foreign minister said on Wednesday, a day after an al Qaeda splinter group seized the country's second biggest city.
Iraq's Terrorists Are Becoming a Full-Blown Army
(The Daily Beast) The group so extreme it got booted from al Qaeda controls huge swaths of territory. And now ISIS has got the heavy weaponry to back it up.
Aiming at Baghdad, ISIS Continues Rapid Advance Against Collapsed Iraqi Army
(Rudaw) For almost a week, Islamic militants have continued their attacks against Iraqi troops in all of the country's Sunni areas. They have advanced with lightning speed, almost reaching the capital Baghdad from the north.
Mosul Seized: Jihadis Loot $429m from City's Central Bank to Make Isis World's Richest Terror Force
(International Business Times) The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shams (Isis) has become the richest terror group ever after looting 500 billion Iraqi dinars - the equivalent of $429m - from Mosul's central bank, according to the regional governor.
INDUSTRY
CEO: Companies Need To Use More Commercial Tech in Weapons
(Defense News) Global defense companies need to import and adapt more commercial technology into military weapons and systems of the future, a former US deputy defense secretary turned industry CEO said Wednesday.
DigitalGlobe gains U.S. government license to sell sharper satellite imagery
(Reuters) Satellite imagery provider DigitalGlobe Inc said the U.S. government had approved its longstanding request to sell higher-resolution images, a move that could unlock $400 million in additional market opportunities for the company.
Army awards $774M ITES-2H extension
(C4ISR & Networks) The Army has extended its Information Technology Enterprise Solutions-2 Hardware for another year, a modification worth $774 million.
Finmeccanica new CEO inks helicopter, rail deals with China
(Reuters) Italian state controlled defense group Finmeccanica said on Wednesday it had signed two agreements with China for possible deals in the helicopters and rail signaling sectors.
German Arms Exports Up Sharply in 2013
(Defense News) German arms export licenses increased by around $1.49 billion to around 5.8 billion euros in 2013, according to information from the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
Airbus DS to offer upgraded A330 MRTT Enhanced
(IHS Jane's 360) Airbus Defence and Space (DS) announced an improved variant of the A330-200 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft during the annual Trade Media Briefing, held at the company's Getafe facility near Madrid on 10 June.
AASM in debut firing from F-16
(IHS Jane's 360) Sagem's Armement Air-Sol Modulaire (AASM) Hammer SBU-38 precision guided munition (PGM) has been successfully launched from a Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, the first launch of the PGM from a non-French made aircraft.
VETERANS
Senate passes bill allowing some vets to seek private care
(Military Times) The Senate overwhelmingly passed emergency legislation on Veterans Affairs Department health visits and administrator accountability Wednesday, paving the way for the reforms to become law in a matter of days.
FBI Joins Investigation Into VA Wait Times
(National Journal) FBI Director James Comey on Wednesday told members of the House Judiciary Committee that the bureau's Phoenix office has opened an investigation. The FBI is looking into allegations that VA staffers at its Phoenix facility lied about veterans' wait times for medical care so they could receive a bonus.
Congressmen charge VA told local VA hospital to stymie their search for information
(CNN) Two Pennsylvania congressmen, one Democrat and one Republican, charge that officials within the national Department of Veterans Affairs tried to stall, if not block, their attempts to find out about hundreds of veterans on wait lists for years, waiting for health care appointments at the Pittsburgh VA.
House votes to expand veterans' eligibility for food stamps
(The Hill) The House on Wednesday adopted an amendment from Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) to allow veterans to apply for food stamps while their disability claims are pending with the Department of Veterans Affairs
Vets flood American Legion seeking help with care
(Associated Press) The 71-year-old former Marine from Glendale went to the emergency room at the VA's Phoenix hospital on April 28 with chest pains. He said he was told he'd need surgery soon, but has yet to get an appointment.
CONGRESS
A-10 Fight Isn't Over Yet, Supporter Says
(Defense News) Those fighting to keep the A-10 aircraft flying say a big blow delivered Tuesday by the House Appropriations Committee was far from a knock-out punch.
...and break ranks over Afghan plan
(The Hill) Senate Democrats are breaking ranks with the White House over President Obama's plan to leave U.S. troops in Afghanistan through 2016.
Ryan: NATO Needs More Permanent Presence in Eastern Europe
(Defense News) NATO needs to step up its permanent military presence in Eastern Europe in the wake of Russian aggression in Ukraine, House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said Wednesday
Durbin: Cantor shouldn't affect Defense plan
(The Hill) The Obama administration should not take the primary defeat of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) as a reason to move on allowing more illegal immigrants to serve in the military, according to Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).
House Intel Chairman: US Getting Past 'Emotional Phase' of Snowden Disclosures
(Defense News) While emphasizing that the cyber threat continues to be grave, US House Intelligence Committee chair Rep. Michael Rogers, R-Mich., said Wednesday that the public is moving beyond the immediate upset that surrounded the Edward Snowden disclosures, and that careful work is now underway to make "adjustments" to surveillance programs.
Senators Grill Johnson Over Influx of Children Crossing Border
(National Defense) The Senate Judiciary Committee on June 11 pressed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson over an alarming number of unaccompanied minors coming over the U.S. border with Mexico.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
SecDef Hagel Defends Guard Cuts To Governors
(Breaking Defense) In the emotionally charged debate over the Army National Guard, the "don't cut our Guard!" side has been much louder than the pro-cuts camp. That's why it's interesting to read this pretty low-key letter from Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel defending the cuts.
Pentagon Sets Trying Again After Failed Anti-Missile Test
(Bloomberg) The Pentagon set June 22 for a next test of whether its $34 billion ground-based defense system can intercept an intercontinental ballistic missile.
Navy IT Day: DoD's acting CIO has big plans
(C4ISR & Networks) It's been less than a month since Terry Halvorsen, formerly Navy Department CIO, was named acting Defense Department CIO, but he already has plans for how he wants to do things differently to push ahead in defense technology.
ARMY
Congressional Gold Medal goes to soldiers of infantry unit
(Army Times) Members of the 65th Infantry Regiment of Puerto Rico are being honored with the Congressional Gold Medal for their heroism and contributions, the Defense Department announced Wednesday.
Fort Carson soldier remembered for humor, leadership
(Colorado Springs Gazette) Soldiers shuffled to make more room as four reserved rows of pews proved inadequate for the family during the memorial service for Pfc. Jacob Wykstra, 21-year-old Thornton man who died in Afghanistan on May 28 while serving with the post's 4th Brigade Combat Team.
Fort Bragg soldier charged with soliciting a child by computer for sex
(Fayetteville Observer) A Fort Bragg soldier is accused of using the Internet in an effort to have sex with a child, the Harnett County Sheriff's Office said.
When climbers need help, Army Reserve unit's Chinook is on the way
(Tacoma News Tribune) Scott Salkovics was getting ready for bed May 30 when he got a call from the National Park Service.
NAVY
House Panel to Hold Hearings on Navy Cruiser and Destroyer Modernization
(USNI News) Legislators are planning to hold hearings based on concerns over the Navy's scheme to modernize its cruiser and destroyer fleet, according to a statement from the chairman of the House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces subcommittee provided to USNI News.
Woman who died jumping off Spitting Caves identified
(Honolulu Star-Advertiser) A second Navy sailor has died within the past two months after jumping into the ocean at the Spitting Caves, a popular cliff-jumping spot, near Portlock.
Grandson charged with theft of admiral's Navy documents; some were for sale on eBay
(Washington Post) Rear Adm. Samuel Eliot Morison was a friend to President Roosevelt who knew the ins and outs of the Navy's strategy during World War II. He would go on to write the definitive history of the Navy's wartime operations in a collection that spanned 15 volumes.
AIR FORCE
Aviano airman gets 2.5 years, discharge in drunken driving death
(Air Force Times) An Aviano Air Base, Italy, airman pleaded guilty Tuesday to drunken driving and involuntary manslaughter in a crash that killed a Security Forces airman a year ago.
New 3rd Air Force commander on the job at Ramstein
(Stars & Stripes) Peering out onto the sunlit flight line from the podium inside the open hangar, Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson found himself on familiar ground Wednesday.
Maj. Gen. William Bender named Air Force CIO
(C4ISR & Networks) Defense Department officials on June 10 announced that Maj. Gen. William Bender will serve as the next Air Force CIO, replacing Lt. Gen. Michael Basla. It is not clear when the transition will take place.
Air Force Sergeant Pilots get monument at Gunter
(Montgomery Advertiser) A large crowd of Air Force enlisted and officers came out to honor the Sergeant Pilots and 3,000 enlisted pilots at Monday's unveiling of the Enlisted Pilots of the Air Force Monument at Gunter Air Force Base Annex.
MARINE CORPS
MARSOC Marine killed in Afghanistan to receive Navy Cross
(Marine Corps Times) A MARSOC gunnery sergeant who died leading an assault on insurgents in Afghanistan in 2012 will be awarded the military's second-highest honor next week.
Death of Parris Island drill instructor still under investigation; no foul play suspected
(Island Packet) Foul play does not appear to be a factor in the death of Staff Sgt. Hugo O. Espinoza, NCIS public affairs officer Ed Buice said. The Armed Forces Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death, Buice added.
Protester: Charges will likely be dropped against former Parris Island sergeant major
(Marine Corps Times) Former Marine drill instructor Ethan Arguello is sorry about a confrontation that took place June 5 during a protest outside the gates of a South Carolina Marine base, but not about the outcome for Sgt. Maj. Paul Archie.
Obama lawyers seek end to Lejeune toxic water case
(Jacksonville Daily News) Obama administration attorneys have asked a federal appeals court to dismiss a lawsuit blaming contaminated tap water at a U.S. Marine Corps base in North Carolina for birth defects, childhood cancers and other illnesses.
Marine brass will keep II MEF headquarters at Camp Lejeune
(Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps has reversed plans to move II Marine Expeditionary Force headquarters away from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, citing operational requirements that made the move impractical.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Trainers scramble to ready fledgling Afghan air force
(Stars & Stripes) For Air Commodore David Cooper, time is running out.
Afghanistan presidential campaign stays away from Bergdahl release
(Los Angeles Times) A heated presidential race in Afghanistan leading to Saturday's runoff election scarcely touched the news that has captivated many Americans for days: the Taliban's release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl.
Once an American professor, Ashraf Ghani is seeking the Afghan presidency, local-style
(Washington Post) The former American academic took the stage in a black turban, praising his Pashtun forefathers. Ashraf Ghani used to be one of the most prominent Afghan professionals in the United States. But now, as he runs for president of Afghanistan, he shrugs off his time as a World Bank executive and a professor at Johns Hopkins University.
US launches first drone strike in Pakistan in 6 months
(Long War Journal) The US killed six jihadists, including four Uzbeks, in the first reported drone strike in Pakistan's tribal areas since the end of December 2013.
IMU involved in suicide assault on Karachi airport
(Long War Journal) The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan said it executed the June 9 suicide assault on a terminal at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi that killed at least 18 Pakistanis, including 11 security personnel, and 10 jihadists.
MIDDLE EAST
Sunni Fighters Gain as They Battle 2 Governments, and Other Rebels
(New York Times) The fighters with the Free Syrian Army were expecting an attack any day from the jihadists besieging the city of Minbej in war-torn Syria, fortifying their base, once a carpet factory, with concrete bomb-blast barriers.
Al-Qaida splinter group encircles Syrian city
(Associated Press) The al-Qaida breakaway group that seized much of Iraq's northern city of Mosul has encircled the city of Deir el-Zour across the border in Syria, activists said Wednesday.
U.S., Iranian negotiators fail to break impasse; nuclear deal looks unlikely by July 20 deadline
(Washington Post) Five weeks before a deadline to broker limits on Iran's nuclear program, Iranian and American negotiators are far apart on crucial issues and digging in their heels.
Israeli Airstrike in Gaza Strip Kills Palestinian
(New York Times) An Israeli airstrike late Wednesday killed a Palestinian, who was believed to be a militant, as he rode a motorcycle in the northern Gaza Strip and seriously wounded a man accompanying him and a 7-year-old boy who was passing by, according to health officials in Gaza.
EUROPE
Rice: NATO Allies Need to Up Defense Spending
(Defense News) NATO members need to increase defense spending and shoulder more of the security burden across Europe, Susan Rice, US President Barack Obama's national security adviser, said Wednesday.
Russia acknowledges sending aid to eastern Ukraine; separatist leader visits Moscow
(Washington Post) Russia's top diplomat on Wednesday acknowledged for the first time an official relationship with pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, the same day that one of their top leaders made a surprise appearance in Moscow to whip up support for his cause.
Ukraine Counts Dead as Its Gas Talks Stall
(Wall Street Journal) Ukraine's new president renewed his call for militants in the pro-Russia eastern party of the country to lay down their weapons to end a fight that the government said Wednesday has cost more than 250 lives.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Japan Protests Chinese Flybys Over East China Sea
(New York Times) In two separate episodes on Wednesday morning, Chinese Su-27 fighters flew dangerously close to two Japanese propeller-driven reconnaissance airplanes in skies over the East China Sea, Japan's Defense Ministry said.
PLAN to get first homegrown carrier by 2017, claims local media
(IHS Jane's 360) The first homegrown Chinese aircraft carrier is under construction at Dalian and will enter service by 2017, according to the June 2014 issue of Shipborne Weapons , a Chinese-language magazine detailing various naval weapon developments.
Japan, Australia agree on stealth technology deal
(Associated Press) Japan and Australia agreed Wednesday to jointly develop stealth submarine technology, as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pushes his country toward a more assertive global military role.
Top Filipino terror suspect captured near airport
(Associated Press) Philippine security forces on Wednesday captured a top Filipino commander of the Abu Sayyaf extremist group who is on a U.S. list of most-wanted terrorists and has acknowledged receiving al-Qaida funds to finance bombings in the country.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
It Wasn't Just Bergdahl. On Afghanistan, All of America Is AWOL.
(Michael Daly in The Daily Beast) Five more American troops are dead in Afghanistan, and we're still not talking about the war, just Bowe Bergdahl-a dispute that seems to have more to do with politics than patriotism.
The VA Conspiracy
(Wall Street Journal) Washington would like nothing better than for the Veteran Affairs fuss to evaporate, but the department's fraud and access-to-care scandals continue to effloresce. A new audit reveals that 57,000 new VA patients, or 90% of incoming veterans, stood by for three months or more on their first appointment-and worse, 13% of administrative schedulers were instructed by their supervisors to falsify wait-time records.
Iraq War III Has Now Begun
(Michael Knights in Foreign Policy) Images emerging from Mosul, Iraq's embattled northern city, present a familiar scene to fans of zombie movies. Burned-out military vehicles are clustered together on empty streets.
President Obama's Untimely Timeline for Afghanistan
(Fawzia Koofi in Foreign Policy) Obama's announcement of a timeline for withdrawing troops from Afghanistan has put my people -- especially the women of my country -- on edge once again. We know how fragile the situation is in Afghanistan. We know what we have gained. We want to preserve all that we have achieved since 2001.
Can Ukraine Win Its Information War With Russia?
(Peter Pomerantsev in The Atlantic) Vladimir Putin may be playing cat and mouse with Ukraine on the military front, but Russia has long mobilized the big battalions in its international information war: the Kremlin spends hundreds of millions of dollars on English-language broadcasting, intellectual influencers, PR firms, and cultural-diplomacy campaigns.
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