TODAY’S TOP 5
1. U.S. captures Benghazi suspect in secret raid
(Washington Post) U.S. Special Operations forces captured one of the suspected ringleaders of the terrorist attacks in Benghazi in a secret raid in Libya over the weekend, the first time one of the accused perpetrators of the 2012 assaults has been apprehended, according to U.S. officials.
2. Panel to search for new chief of veterans health care
(Military Times) The search is again on for a new chief of the Veterans Health Administration.
3. ISIS Will Fail in Iraq, and Iran Will Be the Victor
(Steven Simon in The New York Times) To go by much of the commentary about Iraq in recent days, the country is already past the breaking point under the lightning campaign by Sunni insurgents
4. Infographic: Country-specific trends in terrorism, 2012-2013
(War on the Rocks) Editor's note: We've partnered with the National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) to publish a series of infographics based on data from their Global Terrorism Database and related START projects. Each week we'll release a new set of graphics that depict trends in global terrorism activity. Sign up for the War on the Rocks newsletter to make sure you don't miss any of them!
5. General: US hikes surveillance on Pakistan border
(Associated Press) The top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan says the U.S. has increased its surveillance over the Afghan-Pakistani border since Pakistan began pounding a militant stronghold with airstrikes, but so far officials have not seen any militants fleeing the latest offensive.
BENGHAZI SUSPECT CAPTURED
Why Delta Force Waited So Long to Grab a Benghazi Ringleader
(The Daily Beast) In echoes of the raid to capture Osama bin Laden, Delta Force operators practiced the raid to capture Ahmed abu Khatallah on a mock-up of his compound at Fort Bragg before going into the real thing.
US seizes Benghazi suspect in deadly Libya attack
(Associated Press) U.S. officials said Abu Khattala was being held on the Navy amphibious transport dock ship USS New York, which was in the Mediterranean Sea. The officials spoke only on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss Abu Khattala's whereabouts.
Benghazi suspect won't be sent to Gitmo
(The Hill) The surprise capture of a suspected ringleader behind the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks in Benghazi, Libya, refueled a Washington debate Tuesday over whether those accused of terrorism should be sent to Guantanamo Bay as enemy combatants.
Meet the elite FBI unit likely involved in the Benghazi capture
(Washington Post) The capture of one of the alleged leaders of the 2012 terrorist attacks in Benghazi, Libya, in a joint raid involving U.S. Special Operations troops and the FBI highlights the bureau's role as an international anti-terrorism force.
U.S. seized Benghazi suspect during fierce fighting between Libyan militias
(McClatchy) The U.S. military seized a Libyan extremist accused in the September 2012 attacks in Benghazi that killed U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans on Sunday as the terror group he once led was locked in fierce combat with forces loyal to a renegade Libyan general who once lived in the United States.
Republicans call for captured Benghazi suspect to be held at Guantanamo
(Washington Post) At least four Republican senators swiftly called Tuesday for a captured suspect in the deadly attacks in Benghazi, Libya, to be held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, sparking a debate about what ought to happen to him next.
IRAQ
U.S. Rules Out Iraq Airstrikes for Now
(Wall Street Journal) President Barack Obama decided against immediate air strikes on marauding Sunni extremists in Iraq, opting instead to pursue strategies such as providing intelligence to the Iraqi military, addressing the country's political divisions and seeking support from regional allies.
Obama Is Said to Consider Selective Airstrikes on Sunni Militants
(New York Times) President Obama is considering a targeted, highly selective campaign of airstrikes against Sunni militants in Iraq similar to counterterrorism operations in Yemen, rather than the widespread bombardment of an air war, a senior administration official said on Tuesday.
Fears of sectarian violence rise in Baghdad after killing of Sunni imam, prison inmates
(Washington Post) Iraq's capital lurched closer to a renewed cycle of sectarian slaughter on Tuesday after the bodies of a Sunni cleric and his aides, allegedly kidnapped by Shiite militiamen, were found in a Baghdad morgue and dozens of inmates were killed in a prison as insurgents battled security forces about 35 miles north.
Main Iraq Oil Refinery in Flames After Rebel Attack
(Wall Street Journal) Parts of Iraq's main oil refinery were in flames Wednesday as government forces fought to repel militants who gained partial control of the oil facility, Iraqi security officials said.
As Sunnis Die in Iraq, a Cycle Is Restarting
(New York Times) As Sunni militants rampaged across northern Iraq last week, executing Iraqi soldiers and government workers and threatening to demolish Shiism's most sacred shrines, Iraq's Shiites suffered mostly in silence, maintaining a patience urged on them by their religious leaders through months of deadly bombings.
Iraqi Forces Can Hold Baghdad, Pentagon Says
(DefenseOne) Fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria are bearing down on Baghdad, reportedly as close as 30 miles away, but Pentagon officials believe Iraqi security forces will hold the nation's capital.
Iraqi premier Maliki gaining strength as Shiites rally behind him
(Washington Post) Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is tightening his hold on power in response to the catastrophe unfolding in Iraq, even as his critics blame his policies for causing the mayhem that is tearing the country apart.
White House moves on funding for possible Iraq action: congressional aides
(Reuters) The White House is putting together a proposal to shift some money that had been designated for use in Afghanistan for possible military operations in Iraq, congressional aides said on Monday.
Pentagon moves USS Mesa Verde nearer Iraq. What can it do? (+video)
(Christian Science Monitor) The USS comes with quick-reaction forces and MV-22 Ospreys, which come in handy because they can take off and land vertically. It's a sign of how dire the situation is becoming.
Humiliation at rout hits Iraqi military hard
(Associated Press) The Iraqi soldiers tell of how they can hardly live with the shame of their rout under the onslaught of the Islamic militants. Their commanders disappeared. Pleas for more ammunition went unanswered. Troops ran from post to post only to find them already taken by gunmen, forcing them to flee.
44 Sunni Prisoners Killed as Iraqi Violence Spreads
(New York Times) The first signs of sectarian reprisal killings of Sunnis appeared in Iraq on Tuesday, as 44 Sunni prisoners were killed in a government-controlled police station in Baquba, north of Baghdad, and the bodies of four young men who had been shot were found dumped on a street in a Baghdad neighborhood controlled by Shiite militiamen.
Iraq conflict: Kurds 'will not help retake Mosul'
(BBC) Kurdish Peshmerga forces will not help Iraq's army retake the city of Mosul from jihadist militants, the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government says.
Maliki stands with Sunni leaders, appealing for Iraqi unity
(Reuters) Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki broadcast a joint appeal for national unity on Tuesday with bitter Sunni critics of his Shi'ite-led government - a move that may help him win U.S. help against rampant Islamists threatening Baghdad.
Iraq PM dismisses senior security commanders
(Agence France-Presse) Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki dismissed several senior security force commanders on Tuesday in the face of a week-old militant offensive that has overrun swathes of the country.
IRAQI FORCES RECAPTURE ISIS POSITIONS IN TAL AFAR
(Daily Sabah; Turkey) Iraqi forces backed by Turkmen vigilante groups regained control in some areas of the Turkmen-majority city of Tal Afar following violent fighting with militants led by the self pro-claimed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militants, according to a Turkmen tribal leader.
Iran's Qasem Soleimani wields power behind the scenes
(BBC) A few years ago, it was almost impossible to find a photograph of Qasem Soleimani.
INDUSTRY
Iveco Unwraps New Version of LMV
(Defense News) Italy's Iveco has given a show debut to a new version of its successful Light Multipurpose Vehicle (LMV), which boosts payload by about 50 percent and is described by the firm as a radical overhaul of earlier designs.
Lockheed F-35 Bulkhead Cracks Solution Proposed
(Bloomberg) Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) and the Pentagon say a fix has been found that should prevent more bulkhead cracks on the Marine Corps version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the costliest U.S. weapons program.
Companies Step Up Investment in Future Army Helicopter
(National Defense) A Boeing-Sikorsky team continues to pour money into a prototype helicopter that it hopes the Army will select as its future rotorcraft.
Textron, Airbus To Bid on Expected French UAV Tender
(Defense News) Airbus Defence and Space has teamed with Textron to prepare a joint bid for an expected French tender for a tactical UAV, a competition likely to attract a lively clutch of international offers, said Senior Vice President Jens Nielsen.
Costs, Benefits of RD-180 Rocket Engine Replacement Program Debated
(National Defense) The U.S. national security space community was left wondering this spring whether a Russian company would continue to supply it with engines needed to launch heavy payloads on its Atlas rockets.
Jordan Seeks To Convert C-295 Into Gunship
(Defense News) Jordan is stepping up its gunship capability following the signing of a deal with aircraft builder Airbus Military and weapons supplier ATK to convert one of the C-295 transports in service with its Air Force into an aerial enforcer.
Start-Up Debuts Sense-and-Avoid System for Quadcopters
(National Defense) Developing a sense-and-avoid system for any unmanned aircraft is a challenging task, but it's even more difficult to build one for small vehicles that can't hold heavy sensor payloads.
Oto Melara, Diehl Test Fire New Guided 155mm munition
(Defense News) Italy's Oto Melara and Germany's Diehl Defence have carried out a successful test firing of Oto Melara's Vulcano 155mm munition, the firm said here at the Eurosatory exhibition.
Partnerships on Rise Between Drone Makers and Universities
(National Defense) As commercial demand for unmanned aircraft grows, manufacturers and universities are increasingly joining forces on efforts to train pilots and develop new technologies.
Brazil awaits US approval for USD241 million arms upgrade
(IHS Jane's 360) The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on 11 June of proposed foreign military sales worth a total of USD241 million to upgrade M109 self-propelled howitzers and M113 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) for the Brazilian Armed Forces.
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.
IAI to offer converted tankers to South Korea
(IHS Jane's 360) Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is to offer the Republic of Korea an aerial refuelling solution based on its converted Boeing 767-300ER Multi-Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT) tanker, the company confirmed to IHS Jane's on 16 June.
ULA Lays Groundwork for Next-Gen Engine
(Defense News) The United Launch Alliance (ULA) has signed agreements with "multiple" American firms to help develop a next-generation engine replacement, the company announced Monday.
VETERANS
Phoenix VA gave out $10 mil in bonuses in past 3 years
(The Arizona Republic) Newly released records show the Phoenix VA Health Care System paid out roughly $10 million in bonuses during the past three years, when some staff manipulated patient wait-time records to trigger bonuses as veterans died awaiting care.
The data on federal whistleblowing and its consequences
(Washington Post) The Department of Veterans Affairs is encouraging its employees to expose any wrongdoing they see, but a series of government reports has shown that many federal employees are reluctant to do so-and possibly with good reason.
Senate, House Expected to Name Conferees for VA Legislation Wednesday
(National Journal) Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders made a plea Tuesday for continued support for legislation intended to stop a rash of preventable deaths of veterans waiting for health care.
Critics: Bill in Congress to fire VA execs may be unconstitutional
(Stars & Stripes) Congress' push to quickly fire VA executives in the wake of a nationwide scheduling scandal threatens to do more harm than good, and could be unconstitutional, according to attorneys who specialize in federal employee cases.
Crisis Command Center set up in Fayetteville to address veterans health-care questions
(Fayetteville Observer) The parking lot at American Legion Post 202 was already filled just after noon, when a Veterans Crisis Command Center opened down the street from the Fayetteville VA Medical Center.
CONGRESS
Prospect of new Iraq fight turns hawks into doves
(Associated Press) Lawmakers who eagerly voted to authorize military force 12 years ago to oust Saddam Hussein and destroy weapons of mass destruction that were never found now harbor doubts that air strikes will turn back insurgents threatening Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government and Baghdad.
Senators: Spending Bill Would Boost Efforts to Secure Nuclear Material
(Global Security Newswire) Senate appropriators said Tuesday that their spending bill for fiscal 2015 includes several measures meant to aid efforts to shield nuclear and radiological materials from terrorists.
Levin blocks resolution to investigate prisoner swap
(The Hill) Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) blocked Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) from passing a resolution that would have required an investigation into a recent prisoner swap.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
IG: Cash incentives, closer tracking could cut PCS costs
(Military Times) The military services are paying millions more than they should for expenses associated with permanent change-of-station moves - including some costs that should be paid by troops, according to a recent report from the Defense Department inspector general.
PsyOps Primer: The Battle For Minds And Hearts
(Breaking Defense) We don't often run such items but the info graphic below nicely summarizes the art and history of psychological operations, though it doesn't touch on the newer aspects of the art - social media and data mining. (After all knowing details of your target audience - age, sex, location, etc. - and influencing its actions are key to all this.)
Thornberry welcomes data, stresses human factor in acquisition reform
(FCW) More precise contracting data is a good starting point for acquisition reform, but data alone won't fix the Defense Department's underlying workforce challenges, said Rep. Mac Thornberry, the man charged with leading House overhaul efforts.
ARMY
Army: Bergdahl on a routine, reading media reports
(Army Times) Four days after arriving at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has adjusted to a "regular" routine, officials said.
"Kill team" participant Jeremy Morlock joins jail hunger strike
(Tacoma News Tribune) A former Joint Base Lewis-McChord solder serving a 24-year prison sentence for killing three Afghan civilians participated in a three-day hunger strike at the Army prison in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, last week.
Army brass to suit up for Washington Nationals' Army Day
(Army Times) It's Army day at the Washington Nationals' ballpark on Wednesday, and you won't believe the lineup.
Major promotion list released for Guard, Reserve
(Army Times) Here are the names and branches of the National Guard and Army Reserve captains recommend for advancement by the 2014 Army Promotion List majors board that met early this year:
Army wants jungle radio
(C4ISR & Networks) The U.S. Army wants to be able to communicate through thick jungle canopies.
NAVY
Navy SEALs want more 'Don't Tread on Me' patches, eight months after controversy
(Checkpoint) A military command that supplies U.S. Navy SEALs with new gear says it wants more shoulder patches emblazoned with "Don't Tread on Me," less than a year after a firestorm erupted after it was reported that the longstanding tradition could be ended.
China Dominates US Naval Strategy Discussion
(Defense News) The latest international crisis may be a terrorist land offensive in Iraq, but concerns about China's ambitions clearly dominate those thinking about strategies for the US Navy.
Ex-supercarrier Constellation headed to scrapyard
(Navy Times) The retired aircraft carrier Constellation will take its final cruise this summer, from the Pacific Northwest to Texas for dismantling, the Navy announced Friday.
Fire Scout flies with maritime radar
(C4ISR & Networks) The MQ-8B Fire Scout has flown with a new multimode maritime radar.
AIR FORCE
Los Angeles Air Force Base lockdown lifted; no arrests, no injuries
(Los Angeles Times) An hours-long lockdown at Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo was lifted shortly before 6 p.m. with no arrests made, base spokeswoman Leslie Jewell confirmed.
Airmen express mixed feelings on Afghan mission ending
(USA Today) Air Force Staff Sgt. Pablo Cancel confers with an "Afghan village leader" in an exercise at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Ga. They introduce themselves, talk about supplies needed at the village school and insurgent activity in the area.
Retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, fighter pilot heads toward trial in murder-for-hire case
(The Post and Courier; Charleston, S.C.) A retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and fighter pilot from Folly Beach is expected to be tried this summer in an alleged conspiracy to kill his ex-wife.
MARINE CORPS
Afghan special forces in Helmand face uncertain future
(Marine Corps Times) During a recent special operations mission in Helmand province, Afghanistan, Afghan National Army commandos and members of its Operational Detachment-Alpha found themselves locked in intense combat with enemy fighters for 12 long hours.
Semper Fi Fund marks 10 years and over $90M in grants
(San Diego Union-Tribune) It's been a decade since a group of Marine wives at Camp Pendleton sat down around a kitchen table to figure out a way to show support for the combat wounded coming back from Iraq.
Gunny selections drop 19 percent, but promotion rates may not suffer
(Marine Corps Times) Results of the fiscal 2014 gunnery sergeant selection board show a 19 percent drop in the number of staff sergeants picking up rank.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
2,558 complaints over Afghan presidential runoff
(Associated Press) Afghan voters filed more than 2,500 complaints of ballot box stuffing and other election irregularities, an official said Tuesday, as fraud allegations by the two candidates and their supporters threaten to provoke a new political crisis.
Taliban's existential threat to Afghanistan wanes, but next president faces big problems
(Washington Post) As Afghans wait for the results from this weekend's presidential election, it is becoming increasingly clear that the Taliban - which failed to undermine the vote - no longer represents an existential threat to the country's government.
Analysts: Pakistan Set for Drawn Out Anti-Terrorist Conflict
(Defense News) The military operation underway since Sunday in the North Waziristan region of Pakistan's Tribal Areas, Operation Zarb-e-Azb (a reference to the sword carried by the Prophet Mohammed), indicates Pakistan has finally lost patience with all terrorist groups and not just those opposed to the Pakistani state, say analysts.
MIDDLE EAST
Israel Skylark UAV Aids 'Operation Brother's Keeper'
(Defense News) The Elbit Systems-produced Skylark UAV is chalking up hundreds of flight hours in "Operation Brother's Keeper," Israel's ongoing incursion in the West Bank targeting the Hamas organization it blames for last Thursday's abduction of three Israeli teens.
Iran spawns new jihadist group in Gaza
(Long War Journal) Out of the Palestinian unity deal forged between Hamas and Fatah earlier this month, a new splinter has formed. Hesn is a shadowy Iran-backed jihadist faction in the Gaza Strip. The group's name is an acronym for Harakat as-Sabeereen Nasran li-Filastin, or "The Movement of the Patient Ones for the Liberation of Palestine."
Menendez: Iran nuclear deal unlikely by deadline
(The Hill) The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Tuesday he didn't believe the U.S. would reach a deal on Iran's nuclear program before a self-imposed deadline.
Yemeni tribal leader joins AQAP
(Long War Journal) Yesterday evening, Tareq al Fadhli officially announced that he has joined al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and begun taking up arms against the central Yemeni government in Sana'a. Fadhli is the leader of the prominent al Fadhli tribe in Abyan province in southern Yemen, where the Yemeni military has been carrying out operations targeting AQAP since late April.
Russia Says Syria Agrees To Aid Plan
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Russia says the regime of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad has agreed to open four border crossings to allow in humanitarian aid.
EUROPE
Putin and Poroshenko Discuss Possible Cease-Fire in Ukraine
(New York Times) Ukrainian President Petro O. Poroshenko proposed on Wednesday a unilateral cease-fire by government troops as a step in ending a conflict with pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country, according to the Interfax news agency.
U.S., NATO Exploring Collective Cyber Defense
(USNI News) Top American and NATO military leaders could begin exploring the ramifications of an Article 5 response by the alliance to a cyber attack, according to a top Pentagon cyber official.
Ukraine president bans defense industry contacts with Russia
(Interfax-Ukraine) Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister Vitaliy Yarema has announced that Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko imposed a ban on military-technological cooperation with Russia at a meeting of the country's National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).
ASIA-PACIFIC
Japan Pushes for More Active Military Alliance With U.S.
(National Defense) Separated only by a thin strip of ocean from an expansionist China, Japanese officials are pushing to regain the right to fight alongside international allies in the event of a conflict in the Asia-Pacific region.
Govt submits defense draft to ruling bloc
(The Yomiuri Shimbun) The government formally presented a draft of a Cabinet decision concerning reinterpretation of the Constitution to allow limited exercise of the right to collective self-defense to the ruling parties' panel on security Tuesday.
Myanmar looks to acquire JF-17 aircraft
(IHS Jane's 360) The government of Myanmar is planning to procure the Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC)/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) JF-17 Thunder multirole combat aircraft, according to a local report.
Filipino militant nabbed for US, Aussie abductions
(Associated Press) Philippine security forces have captured two Abu Sayyaf militants in a southern city, including one who allegedly was involved in the kidnappings of an American teenage boy and an Australian man, officials said Tuesday.
India Proposes $2.25B Tender for ASW Shallow Water Craft
(Defense News) India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued a tender to local shipyards to build 16 shallow water anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessels, a $2.25 billion program that would mark the first such effort by domestic yards.
India May Restart Vehicle Program
(Defense News) India's Defence Ministry is considering restarting a US $10 billion infantry vehicle replacement program in order to include more domestic defense companies as potential bidders.
AFRICA
Capture of Benghazi suspect thrusts U.S. special operations in Africa into spotlight again
(Checkpoint) The capture of the alleged ringleader of the terrorist attacks in Benghazi over the weekend thrusts the growing role of U.S. Special Operations Command in Africa into the spotlight again, just as the ongoing crisis in Iraq and the end of U.S. combat operations in Afghanistan are looming.
13 Killed in Blast at Nigerian Viewing Center
(Voice of America) A bomb blast at a site where Nigerian soccer fans had gathered to watch the World Cup has killed at least 13 people.
Kenyan Leader Blames Domestic Foes, Not Shabab, for Attacks
(New York Times) As Kenyan officials reported a second lethal attack on a coastal village, Kenya's president said Tuesday that the violence, which has left at least 57 people dead, was the work of "local political networks" and was not carried out by the Shabab, a Muslim extremist group that has claimed responsibility.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
IRAQ AND THE FALL OF SAIGON
(Retired Army Col. Robert Killebrew in War on the Rocks) For Americans of a certain age, the near-collapse of the U.S.-trained Iraqi Army and the possibility of an ISIS takeover of Baghdad has disturbing similarities to the rout of the South Vietnamese Army and the fall of Saigon in 1975.
OP-ED: Let the Islamists Have Their Caliphate-Then Bomb Them
(Franz Gayl in War is Boring) The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria militant group has occupied a huge swath of northwestern Iraq and, it claims, executed more than a thousand Iraqi army troops its fighters captured.
Opinion: U.S. Air Power Won't Defeat ISIS
(Cmdr. Daniel Dolan in USNI News) Although air power may be the only expedient and politically acceptable option, there are several reasons why that all-too-familiar impulse to use our asymmetric advantage in airpower will not defeat ISIS.
Costly errors give new hope to al-Qaeda
(John Nagl in The Philadelphia Inquirer) The dissolution of Iraq is the entirely predictable result of a series of bad American decisions compounded by Iraqi government mistakes. The result is a disaster for the Iraqi and American people and a gift to radical Islamists worldwide. Correcting the mistakes will be enormously costly in blood and treasure and will take decades to repair.
Iraq Isn't Ours to Save
(David Frum in The Atlantic) I was a strong supporter of the Iraq war. Now I urge caution about military action against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) insurgency in the country.
The Case for Doing Nothing in Iraq
(Barry R. Posen in Politico) The same people who got us into this mess want America to "do something." Ignore them.
Heritage's ugly Benghazi panel
(Dana Milbank in The Washington Post) Representatives of prominent conservative groups converged on the Heritage Foundation on Monday afternoon for the umpteenth in a series of gatherings to draw attention to the Benghazi controversy.
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