TODAY’S TOP 5
1. US forces move into Iraq with security mission
(Associated Press) Nearly 300 armed American forces are being positioned in and around Iraq to help secure U.S. assets as President Barack Obama nears a decision on an array of options for combating fast-moving Islamic insurgents, including airstrikes or a contingent of special forces.
2. For troops, concussions from blast waves or impact are equally disabling
(Los Angeles Times) Among the many grim lessons of the U.S. military involvements in Iraq and Afghanistan, one medical observation has been striking: that the invisible wave of concussive force that radiates out from a bomb's blast can wreak damage upon the human brain at least as hellish as an actual blow to the head.
3. Wider War
(Dexter Filkins in The New Yorker) The day after Islamic militants swept into Mosul, Iraq's second-largest city, and several other enclaves along the Tigris River, the conquering army, called the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, posted a photograph on Twitter.
4. Security Contractor Reviews 15,152 Cases in a Month, Audit Says
(Foreign Policy) An unnamed employee at U.S. Investigative Services (USIS) -- the same private company that cleared Edward Snowden to work for the NSA -- managed to review a startling 15,152 clearance cases in a single month last year, according to an Office of Personnel Management inspector general's report.
5. New Chinese Threats to U.S. Space Systems Worry Officials
(National Defense) Satellites are vulnerable to an array of weapons and disruptive technologies like anti-satellite missiles and sophisticated cyber attacks that can have potentially devastating results from degrading capabilities to complete annihilation, experts said.
IRAQ
FAST Marines, U.S. soldiers arrive at the U.S. Embassy compound in Iraq
(Military Times) The Pentagon has deployed about 100 troops - including more than 50 Marines attached to a Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team to the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq, to help protect diplomatic personnel and property.
Capitol Hill Calling for US Military Action in Iraq
(Defense News) As US President Obama prepares to meet with his national security team this evening to examine potential responses to the continuing violence in Iraq, there remains no consensus in Washington about how to react to the stunning events that have taken place in Iraq over the past week.
Iranian Quds Force Soldier Killed in Iraq Fighting Sunni Extremists
(Wall Street Journal) An Iranian soldier from Quds Force, the elite overseas branch of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in Iraq fighting Sunni extremists, reported news agencies affiliated with Iran's government on Monday.
Sunnis and Kurds on Sidelines of Iraqi Leader's Military Plans
(New York Times) Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has presented himself as the man who could bring Iraqis together, but with the collapse of his army before a Sunni militant assault, he has taken on only one role - that of commander in chief of Iraq.
Iraq conflict: Iraqi Kurd PM Nechirvan Barzani
(BBC) The prime minister of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region has told the BBC's Jim Muir he does not believe the country will stay together, as Sunni extremist militants continue to make territorial gains.
U.S., Iran Discuss Crisis in Iraq
(Wall Street Journal) A top State Department official discussed the crisis gripping Iraq with Iranian diplomats, a senior U.S. official said late Monday, the most direct talks yet between Tehran and Washington on the issue.
U.S. Doesn't Know Who to Hit in Iraq
(The Daily Beast) President Obama is repositioning military assets closer to Iraq, in case he wants to strike at the terrorists that are threatening to tear the country apart. The problem is, the U.S. doesn't know who it's supposed to hit.
Unlikely Allies Aid Militants in Iraq
(Wall Street Journal) Radical Sunni fighters, who seized another northern Iraqi city on Monday, are being aided by local tribes who reject the Islamists' extreme ideology but sympathize with their goal of ousting the Shiite-led government in Baghdad.
U.S. pressures Maliki to make quick move toward inclusion
(Washington Post) The Obama administration is engaged in a strenuous effort to persuade Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to move within a matter of days toward a more inclusive power-sharing arrangement, something Maliki has failed to do over the past eight years despite continuous U.S. pressure.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham's quiet war minister
(Long War Journal) As the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) rampages through Iraq with the help of allied forces, one personality remains characteristically quiet: the group's war minister.
5 QUESTIONS WITH AMBASSADOR JAMES F. JEFFREY ON ISIS AND IRAQ
(War On The Rocks) This week we spoke with Ambassador James F. Jeffrey, the Philip Solondz Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Ambassador Jeffrey has served as our envoy to Ankara (2008-2010) and Baghdad (2010-2012), where he previously served as charge d'affaires and deputy chief of mission. Ambassador Jeffrey also served as assistant to the president and deputy national security advisor in the George W. Bush administration, working closely on Iran-related issues.
Airstrikes on Iraq Carry Risks as Obama Weighs Options
(Bloomberg) The airstrikes that President Barack Obama is considering against Islamic militants in Iraq could prove as messy and inconclusive as the war the U.S. thought had ended there in 2011.
U.S. Military Options in Iraq Are Pretty Thin
(Time) If the U.S. military attacks targets in Iraq, it'll be a long way from the "shock and awe" bombing campaign that opened the 2003 war. Think of it more like a delicate smattering of smaller bombs and missiles designed to pick off elements of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria as they try to consolidate the gains they have made over the past week against the Iraqi government of Nouri al-Maliki.
Carrier Pilots Face Targeting Challenges in Iraq
(Military.com) Naval aviators aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush in the Persian Gulf face a risky mission in finding and choosing targets should President Obama order them to attack Islamic militants threatening to move on Baghdad.
How ISIS Games Twitter
(The Atlantic) The militant group that conquered northern Iraq is deploying a sophisticated social-media strategy.
INDUSTRY
Eurosatory Exhibitors Preview New Armored Vehicle, UAV
(Defense News) Exhibitors at France's Eurosatory show gave a first glimpse on Sunday of a new armored vehicle designed by General Dynamics and a new Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV being pitched to European governments by Dassault Aviation, Airbus and Alenia Aermacchi.
Numerous Innovative Products Unveiled at Eurosatory
(Defense News) New products and new technology were vying to catch the eye of potential new customers as Eurosatory opened its doors on the first day.
Providing Budgetary Cover
(Defense News) As France prepares to open the Eurosatory land defense and security trade show, company heads and military chiefs of staff are fighting hard to ward off budget cuts, which they view as a threat to industry and operational capability.
Boeing-Lockheed venture eyes alternate rocket engine by 2019
(Reuters) The rocket launch company run by Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp on Monday said it had signed contracts with multiple U.S. firms to work on a next-generation rocket engine as an alternative to a Russian engine now used for key launches.
Industry Ready to Compete for JSTARS Recapitalization Program
(National Defense) The Air Force has ignited an effort to replace its surveillance and targeting aircraft system with modern airframes outfitted with new radar, sensors and communications equipment.
Germany Could Spend 3 Billion Euros To Get MEADS Going
(Defense News) Germany may decide this year to spend up to 3 euros billion to go it alone on the MEADS anti-missile program - following its axing by the US government - in order to make it operational by 2018, an official said on June 16.
Nonlethal Weapons Could Gain Ground in Future Missions
(National Defense) Filipino and U.S. Marines fought side by side 70 years ago against Japanese forces in some of the most murderous combat of World War II.
UK, France Qualify CTAI's Cased Telescoped Gun, Source Says
(Defense News) Qualification of CTA International's new 40mm cased telescoped gun system and two natures of ammunition are expected to be announced at the Eurosatory defense show soon, according to an executive familiar with the program.
McCain calls for 'incentive fee' contracts for F-35 program
(The Hill) Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) called for the federal government to use "incentive fee contracts" in military procurement programs rather than "award fee contracts," after reports that Lockheed Martin was still receiving bonuses despite not meeting contract goals.
Airbus: Quick Decision Expected on Polish Helo Order
(Defense News) Airbus Helicopters expects Poland to order swiftly after a tender for 70 military helicopters closes at the end of September, marking the end of what is seen as one of the biggest rotorcraft deals, said executive vice president Dominique Maudet.
Airbus Sees Opportunity In Lakota Sales
(Aviation Week) One year ago, what was then EADS North America was on the ropes. After scaling back its ambitions to expand, even its go-to Army programs were in trouble as the service reduced its UH-72 Lakota helicopter purchase and scrapped the Armed Aerial Scout program for which the company was positioned to compete.
Thales Sees Potential UK Market for Hawkei
(Defense News) British Army requirements for a multirole protected vehicle is a potential target for Thales as the company brings its Hawkei machine to Eurosatory as part of an international sales drive.
Army Switches From Vehicle Procurement to Sustainment Mode
(National Defense) The Army and industry must find a path of transition from a wartime footing where funding for vehicles was almost unlimited, to one based on sustaining those vehicles over the remainder of their service lives, said Gen. Dennis Via, chief of Army Materiel Command.
Saab Eyes Army Training System Sale to French
(Defense News) As France gears up to spend on new training systems, Saab has set its sights on winning a slice of the work by supplying the same instrumented Army training system it has sold to the British Army.
CACI wins Army Product Initialization contract
(C4ISR & Networks) CACI has won a $21 million task order contract to support the U.S. Army's Product Initialization program. The contract was awarded under the Army's Strategic Services Sourcing contract vehicle.
Thales Wins UK Wildcat Missile Deal
(Defense News) A deal to demonstrate and manufacture a lightweight missile system to equip Royal Navy AW159 Wildcat helicopters has been secured by the Belfast-arm of Thales UK.
Gun Makers Look to the Future in Paris
(Defense News) Gun producers at the Eurosatory show here are pushing the envelope with pistols that send a message when they run out of bullets and sniper rifles armed with computers that assist aiming.
Center of Vehicle Market Shifts to Mideast, N. Africa
(Defense News) The global armored vehicles market is projected to reach $28.62 billion by 2019 with the primary drivers being in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia
IAI Aims To Boost Land Warfare Sales
(Defense News) Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is targeting the global land warfare market with expanded investment in research and development and a growing portfolio aimed at trebling annual turnover by the end of the decade.
UK Focuses on Challenger, Mobile Bridging
(Defense News) The UK Defence Ministry has finally begun the process of updating what remains of the Army's Challenger 2 main battle tank fleet after numbers were cut by 40 percent in the 2010 strategic defense and security review.
Ukraine Crisis Revives Spending From Nordics to E. Europe
(Defense News) The Russia-fueled crisis in Ukraine has altered the political and security landscape from the Nordic and Baltic-rim region through Eastern Europe, pushing Poland and the Czech Republic to accelerate procurement, rekindling speculation that Finland and Sweden could join neighbors Denmark and Norway in NATO, and boosting planned defense spending.
US Companies Pushing Vehicles at Eurosatory
(Defense News) More than 130 American defense and security companies have packed up their gear and shipped it to the Eurosatory defense industry trade show in Paris, which will host about 1,400 other exhibitors from around the globe.
French Eye Leclerc Upgrade While 2 Vehicles Take Shape
(Defense News) Land systems specialist Nexter expects to win an order this year to study Leclerc upgrades, reviving a heavy tank seen as the French Army's statement of serious intent, not just a piece of firepower, Chairman Philippe Burtin said.
Interview: Nexter Chairman and CEO Philippe Burtin
(Defense News) Philippe Burtin, chairman and CEO of French company Nexter, recently received some good news: Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said the French Army's long-awaited Scorpion modernization program will finally be launched this year.
IMI Unveils Self-Defending Armored Troop Transport
(Defense News) State-owned Israel Military Industries (IMI) has concluded initial prototype testing of an armored, actively protected, wheeled vehicle designed to defend maneuvering ground troops against anti-tank missiles and rocket-propelled grenades.
Company Seeks Partner To Help Lift Funding for Flying Dune Buggy
(Defense News) Start-up firm Vaylon hopes to sign up a business partner soon to help fund development and production of a flying dune buggy, an innovative vehicle going through flight trials with the French special operations forces, Chairman Jerome Dauffy said.
VETERANS
Veterans' advocate Steve Robinson dies
(USA Today) Steve Robinson, a former Army Ranger and veterans' advocate who pushed for benefits for veterans dealing with the aftermath of combat, died last week at the age of 51.
Rep. Miller calls on acting VA secretary to investigate if laws were broken
(CNN) Following a report from CNN, the chair of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs Jeff Miller, R-Florida, is calling on the acting secretary of Veterans Affairs to investigate whether VA employees broke the law.
Resume-padding VA employee got big bonuses
(Washington Times) A top Department of Veterans Affairs executive received tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses even after an internal investigation found she lied about having a master's degree, according to a senior member of Congress who has asked the department to justify the bonus
Bill would boost veterans' prosthetics research
(The Hill) Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-Pa.) has introduced a bill to provide $30 million in grants for prosthetics and orthotics research for veterans.
Who are Chattanooga's homeless veterans?
(Chattanooga Times Free Press; Tenn.) Within about a year of leaving the Tennessee Army National Guard in 1996, Sylvester Caslin was homeless.
Judge: Troubled vet 'created by us'
(Asbury Park Press) Home but not really home, shadowed by the phantoms of his war experiences, and racked with the trouble that comes with post-traumatic stress disorder, Agifa Constable drinks to sleep.
After months in the MJH morgue, veteran to be buried Monday
(The Daily Progress; Charlottesville, Va.) For six months, the body of a 95-year-old U.S. Navy veteran of the Pacific War lay in the cold confines of Martha Jefferson Hospital's morgue while officials struggled to find family to claim him.
Gay Oklahoma soldier's discharge upgraded to honorable
(The Oklahoman) Thirty-five years after being kicked out of the U.S. Army for being gay, an Oklahoma City woman has won her fight to have her discharge upgraded from other than honorable to honorable.
CONGRESS
Senate Appropriators Likely To Protect A-10, Potentially Harming CRH
(Defense News) The battle over the fate of the A-10 took a turn last week, when House appropriators became the first congressional committee to support retiring the fleet. But sources say the Senate will continue to protect the close-air support aircraft, and that the Warthog is likely to survive an Air Force attempt to retire it for at least one more year.
Bill would expand military sexual assault legal services
(The Hill) Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) has introduced a measure to expand the ability for members of the National Guard and Reserve to access special victims counsel services if they are sexually assaulted.
Aside From Leadership Scramble, There Is Real Work to Be Done
(National Journal) The House and Senate enter this week under pressure to hash out differences in their veterans' health care bills, even as lawmakers eye events in Iraq and House Republicans plan to pick a new majority leader in the wake of Eric Cantor's primary election defeat.
Blumenthal to Obama: Don't ignore Congress
(The Hill) Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Monday said President Obama must present specific proposals to Congress on how the U.S. might respond to the unfolding violence in Iraq.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
As wars end, Army and other branches of the military cut enlistment goals
(Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) For the people who make it, joining the Army can seem too easy.
Engine Issues Halt F-35 Flights Over Weekend
(Defense News) Flights of the F-35 joint strike fighter were temporarily halted over the weekend in order to inspect an engine valve, the Pentagon said Monday.
Detainees' Lawyers Seek Further Delays
(New York Times) Defense lawyers on Monday sought further delays in the war crimes case against five Guantanamo Bay detainees accused of aiding the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, telling a military judge that there had been greater scrutiny of defense teams by the F.B.I. than had previously come to light.
Pentagon prosecutor: Guantanamo detainees in Bergdahl swap couldn't be successfully prosecuted
(Miami Herald) The Pentagon's chief war crimes prosecutor said Sunday that in 2011 he studied the files of the five Taliban prisoners recently traded for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl and concluded they could not be prosecuted here.
ARMY
2-star tapped to lead Bergdahl investigation
(Army Times) The Army has initiated its investigation of the "facts and circumstances surrounding the disappearance and capture" of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the service announced Monday.
Units approved for Meritorious Unit Commendation
(Army Times) Secretary of the Army John McHugh has authorized the award of the Meritorious Unit Commendation to a number of active and Reserve units for meritorious performance and service while deployed to the Middle East combat theater for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Soldier satisfaction, on a spreadsheet
(Army Times) What's worth more to a soldier at a remote base: A hot shower or a hot meal? Clean clothes or weightlifting equipment? Air conditioning or email access?
Army tries to balance competing science, technology priorities
(C4ISR & Networks) The Army faces several competing priorities in acquisition and technology, particularly as the U.S. presence in southwest Asia draws down. The service is accelerating divestment of old equipment, sustaining and resetting existing equipment, incrementally developing and updating current systems all while developing new capabilities. It may get tougher yet to determine which effort gets prioritized funding.
Army lt. col. sentenced to jail for money laundering
(Army Times) An Army Reserve lieutenant colonel was sentenced to 3.5 years in federal prison June 13 after pleading guilty to charges in connection with pocketing more than $9 million from a contract to train Afghan troops, according to the Justice Department.
NAVY
"Sub, dead ahead!" Navy report dissects wreck at sea
(Virginian-Pilot) As war games go, it was supposed to be a basic one.
O-6 named to command troubled cruiser
(Navy Times) The Navy has chosen the next skipper of the San Diego-based cruiser Cowpens, sources confirmed to Navy Times, a selection that came in the days following the high-profile relief of its skipper for performance problems uncovered two months after the ship returned from deployment.
Navy seeks handheld mission planners
(C4ISR & Networks) The U.S. Navy wants mission planning software that can run on networked handheld devices.
Rejection doesn't stop campaign to become military's first humanist chaplain
(Stars & Stripes) A Navy chaplain candidate who believes people can pursue "good without a god" said the recent rejection of his application wouldn't stop his campaign to become the military's first humanist chaplain .
Second USN destroyer arrives in Rota to begin BMD mission
(IHS Jane's 360) The second of four US Navy (USN) destroyers assigned to support Washington's missile defence architecture in Europe has arrived in Rota, Spain, officials announced on 16 June.
Navy works on rapidly-deployable 'tactical cloud'
(C4ISR & Networks) The U.S. Navy wants tactical micro-servers for the battlefield.
AIR FORCE
Retention boards convene with fewer airmen targeted
(Air Force Times) More than 1,400 airmen are likely to be cut by the Air Force's first retention boards, which convened Monday in San Antonio.
Cody: 18-month overhaul starts with new feedback form
(Air Force Times) Get ready for some awkward conversations with your supervisor.
US military aircraft to make historic stop at former Soviet air base
(Stars & Stripes) U.S. military aircraft from Germany will make a historic stop Tuesday at a former Soviet base that's part of a major U.S.-led military exercise in the Baltics.
Ship to be named for Peterson airman killed in Afghanistan
(Colorado Springs Gazette) Capt. David Lyon, 28, of Sandpoint, Idaho, was killed on Dec. 27 when a car bomb detonated near his convoy. He was serving as an adviser to Afghan national army commandos at the time of his death.
Sumter's Shaw AFB all clear after 'active shooter' alert
(The State in Columbia, S.C.) Shaw Air Force Base was on lockdown for about an hour on Monday after a "perceived threat" on the base, according to the 20th Fighter Wing, which handles garrison duty at the installation.
MARINE CORPS
Analysis: What Dunford faces if he's confirmed
(Marine Corps Times) If Gen. Joe Dunford is confirmed as the 36th commandant of the Marine Corps, he will take over a force already well on its way to executing a major strategic pivot from the large dusty bootprint of Iraq and Afghanistan to that of a smaller, faster, globally dispersed national crisis response force.
Pendleton Marine receives posthumous bronze star
(San Diego Union-Tribune) A son received a bronze star in honor of a father he never met at Camp Pendleton Monday morning.
US Marine Corps Seeks Amtrac Upgrades
(Defense News) The US Marine Corps is putting a hard cap on the amount of money it wants to invest in upgrading parts of its aging fleet of AAV7A1 amphibious assault vehicles (AAVs), which the Corps wanted to retire but now plans on driving until the mid-2030s.
Friend of Marine trapped in Mexico speaks about ordeal
(Marine Corps Times) A close friend of a Marine veteran imprisoned in Mexico for the past 70 days said he can hear the heartbreak in his friend's voice when they talk on the phone.
COAST GUARD
Coast Guard Closer to Acquiring Ship-Based Drones
(National Defense) A decade ago, the Coast Guard had a vision for its fleets of national security and offshore patrol cutters: Vertical-take-off-and-landing unmanned aerial vehicles would greatly expand the number of square miles the service could conduct searches beyond a ship's line of sight, while improving the loiter time by orders of magnitude over manned helicopters.
Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi To Provide Training to Coast Guard C-27J Crews
(Seapower) Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi has been awarded a contract with the U.S. Coast Guard to provide training services for initial cadre members who will fly the service's newly acquired C-27J Spartan aircraft, the company announced in a June 16 release.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Despite Bergdahl swap, peace talks still in limbo
(Associated Press) Despite securing the release of five top detainees from the prison at Guantanamo Bay in exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, there are few indications that the Taliban will head into peace talks with the Afghan government any time soon.
Afghan Candidate Alleges Voting Fraud by Karzai and Aides
(New York Times) Less than 48 hours after a runoff election to choose the next president of Afghanistan, the first signs of a looming political crisis emerged on Monday, with the campaign of Abdullah Abdullah claiming there had been widespread ballot stuffing and suggesting he was being set up for a defeat he would not accept.
Pakistan expands war with Taliban in North Waziristan
(Washington Post) Pakistan's government on Monday rallied support for a sustained assault on Taliban fighters and other militants, as fighter jets bombed terrorist havens in North Waziristan and the army shifted manpower into major cities to help guard against retaliatory strikes.
Pakistani forces focus on 'foreigners' in North Waziristan operation
(Long War Journal) As noted at The Long War Journal in yesterday's initial report on the Pakistani military operation in North Waziristan, called "Zarb-e-Azb," it appears that the military is focused exclusively on foreign fighters from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the Turkistan Islamic Party, as well as the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan.
MIDDLE EAST
Israel cracks down on Hamas amid search for teens
(Associated Press) Israel warned Monday it would exact a heavy price from Hamas, as a massive search for three missing Jewish seminary students turned into the widest crackdown on the Islamic militant group in the West Bank in almost a decade.
Palestinian President Abbas condemns abduction of teens and Israeli response
(Washington Post) Israeli security forces are carrying out night raids and mass arrests in one of the largest security sweeps seen here in years as they intensify their search for three missing teenagers that Israel says were kidnapped by members of the Islamist militant organization Hamas.
Tensions Mount as Troops Scour Hebron in Search for Missing Youths
(New York Times) Kayed and Hassan Jaber, brothers who drive trucks loaded with marble from this city's quarries into Israel each day, stood in the doorway of their Star of the South company here Monday afternoon watching pretty much nothing happen on the street.
Jihadists celebrate release of influential ideologue from Jordanian prison
(Long War Journal) Jordan has released an influential ideologue known as Abu Muhammad al Maqdisi (whose real name is Isam Mohammad Tahir al Barqawi) from a prison and his fellow jihadists are celebrating on social media. Among those praising Maqdisi's release are officials in the Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda's official branch in Syria.
EUROPE
Tracking unrest: Mapping the latest in Ukraine
(Flightlines) The gas flow to Ukraine halted Monday in Russia's latest move to stun its former ally.
Ukrainian Army Orders Armored Vehicles To Bolster Anti-Terror Operation
(Defense News) The Ukrainian armed forces have ordered 200 Dozor-B armored vehicles to strengthen their operational capacities, state-owned defense giant Ukroboronprom said in a statement. The vehicles were recently tested in the presence of Ukrainian military who are involved in an anti-terror operation in the country's east, where Russia-backed militants are clashing with Ukraine's military.
Ukraine proposes peace with separatists
(Washington Post) President Petro Poroshenko on Monday ordered Ukraine's army to regain control of the country's porous border with Russia within a week, adding that once that goal is achieved, he would offer a temporary cease-fire in the fighting with separatist rebels.
ASIA-PACIFIC
'Safety Zones'
(Stars & Stripes) The United States and South Korea are considering installing "safety zones" around American military installations in an effort to improve the security of residents who live in their vicinity.
Kim Jong Un Tours a North Korean Submarine, Instructs Skipper on Navigation
(USNI News) The leader of North Korea called for his country to expand its underwater warfare capability in the face of so-called western aggression, according to a press release from the state controlled Korean Central News Agency.
China, Trying to Bolster Its Claims, Plants Islands in Disputed Waters
(New York Times) The islands have all that one could ask of a tropical resort destination: white sand, turquoise waters and sea winds.
China Executes 13 in Xinjiang Region After Attacks
(New York Times) The Chinese government executed 13 people in the Xinjiang region on Monday, part of an intensifying response to growing violence in the region that is spreading to other parts of the country.
AFRICA
U.S. Marines stationed on roof of U.S. Embassy in Nairobi
(Associated Press) The gunmen went door to door in the Kenyan costal town, demanding to know if the men inside were Muslim and if they spoke Somali. If the extremists did not like the answers, they opened fire, witnesses said on Monday.
Can General Linder's Special Operations Forces Stop the Next Terrorist Threat?
(New York Times) On a searing morning this spring, Brig. Gen. James B. Linder leaned against the red-webbing seats of a C-130 as it flew over the Sahara. On his camouflaged knee, he balanced two dog-eared Moleskine notebooks and a map of Africa. Linder, who is in his early 50s, commands the United States Special Operations forces in Africa.
Another extremist attack in Kenya: 9 dead
(Associated Press) Extremists attacked a coastal area of Kenya for the second night in a row, killing at least nine people a day after the deaths of nearly 50, an official said Tuesday.
Over 20 Killed in Suspected Boko Haram Attack
(Voice of America) Officials in Nigeria say more than 20 people were killed when gunmen believed to be Boko Haram militants attacked a village in the country's northeast.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Pivot to Persia
(Trita Parsi in Foreign Policy) Iraq is disintegrating. Syria is in flames. Pakistan is on the verge of becoming a failed state. The Taliban is making a comeback in Afghanistan. Libya is falling apart. The House of Saud is nervous about a potentially existential succession crisis. In this region, Iran looks like an island of stability.
Fred Hiatt: Iraq highlights for Obama the threat of disengagement
(Fred Hiatt in The Washington Post) As the Middle East seemed to unravel last week, much of the blame-game debate centered on whether President Obama could and should have stationed a residual force of U.S. troops in Iraq after 2011.
Only America Can Prevent a Disaster in Iraq
(L. Paul Bremer in The Wall Street Journal) The crisis unfolding in Iraq is heartbreaking especially for those families who lost loved ones there. They gave so much; it is all at risk. It did not need to be this way.
No, Obama Didn't Lose Iraq
(Colin Kahl in Politico) The surprising advances by jihadists in northern and western Iraq have produced at least one unsurprising result: accusations that President Obama's "abandonment" of Iraq is responsible for the catastrophe. Critics have launched a two-pronged attack on the administration's Iraq policy: They blame Obama for being unwilling or unable to reach a deal with Baghdad to leave U.S. troops in Iraq beyond the Dec. 31, 2011 deadline for withdrawal established by the Bush administration; and they assert that such a residual presence would have proved decisive in heading off the current calamity. Neither criticism withstands much scrutiny
U.S. Military Can't Fix This
(Ramzy Mardini in The New York Times) The bold Sunni militant offensive is the latest inflection point in the long-term unraveling of post-Saddam Iraq. Nevertheless, despite all the international concern it has produced, Iraq's revived insurgency isn't a problem with a clear and corresponding solution. Indeed, while President Obama says "I don't rule out anything," Washington is in no position to change facts on the ground and alter the conditions that are driving the country's renewed insurgency.
The Real Rebalance of Power in Asia
(Mr. Pacific in Real Clear Defense) Most critiques of the U.S. "Rebalance to Asia" have concluded it is more rhetoric than reality. In fact, it was never a new strategy toward the region so much as a reaction to a rebalancing of power that was occurring within the region. Asia is on the rise and that rebalance of power is of profound importance. What can be done to assure an active and constructive U.S. role in shaping the future of the Indo-Asia Pacific?
South China Sea and China's Grand Chessboard
(Thanh Hai Do in Real Clear Defense) To some people, China's behavior in the South China Sea is a source of confusion. Observing the gaps between China's rhetoric and actions, Ryan Santicola regarded China's approach as "consistently inconsistent." Brad Glosserman found it hard to explain why China is infuriating many of its neighbors all at one time. Examining China's moves in the light of Chinese strategic culture may provide an answer.
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