TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Mitch McConnell: Obama says no Hill nod needed on Iraq
(Politico) President Barack Obama told Capitol Hill's "Big Four" leaders Wednesday afternoon that he doesn't intend to seek congressional authority for any action in Iraq.
2. 3-star: Marine Corps 'prepared to assist' with recovery of Tahmooressi from Mexico
(Marine Corps Times) As veteran Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi nears three months in a Mexican prison, a Marine Corps three-star general says the Marine Corps is standing by to help him.
3. The Massacre Strategy
(Aaron Y. Zelin in Politico Magazine) Over the weekend, dozens of pictures trickled out on one of the official Twitter accounts of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, the jihadist group currently setting off a panic in vast swathes of northern Iraq. The graphic photographs, according to ISIS, showed mass executions of Shiite soldiers who had fought in the Iraqi government's military and security forces. In the images, ISIS fighters corral hundreds of individuals into trucks, forcing them to lie down in shallow graves with their heads to the ground, and then shooting them with Kalashnikovs
4. Afghan candidate calls for end to vote count; could further delay security agreement
(Stars & Stripes) Claiming massive fraud in last week's runoff election, one of Afghanistan's two remaining presidential candidates on Wednesday called for an immediate halt to vote counting, a move that would throw the future of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan into doubt.
5. Soldier: Bowe Bergdahl lodged false war crime allegations against his unit
(Washington Post) An Army veteran who served alongside Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl in Afghanistan said Wednesday that the long-captive soldier was deeply frustrated with the mission and had lodged false allegations that their unit had carried out atrocities.
IRAQ
Dempsey: Iraq Has Requested US Airstrikes
(Defense News) The Iraqi government has requested US military airstrikes to help combat widespread violence in Iraq, led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the top American general told Congress Wednesday.
US flying F-18 surveillance missions over Iraq, Obama reviews options with lawmakers
(Fox News) The United States is flying F-18 surveillance missions over Iraq from an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, officials confirm to Fox News, as President Obama weighs options for "increased security assistance" in the country.
Iraqi Abrams losses revealed
(IHS Jane's 360) The armour on five of Iraq's M1A1 Abrams tanks was penetrated by anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and six helicopters were shot down between 1 January and the end of May, The New York Times quoted an unnamed US official as saying on 13 June.
Marine one-star: We set Iraqis up for success, they're blowing it
(Marine Corps Times) A one-star general who led Marines in Fallujah and recently wrote a book about his experiences there said the U.S. military set Iraq up for success, but political leaders there have squandered those opportunities.
Petraeus: U.S. Must Not Become the Shia Militia's Air Force
(The Daily Beast) The former commander of coalition forces in Iraq warned against getting embroiled in a long-running religious battle and noted Baghdad's government needed to be seen as fair by all Iraqis.
Iraqi ambassador to US fears Isis 'ethnic cleansing' unless Obama acts
(The Guardian) Ambassador Lukman Faily tells the Guardian that US air strikes are vital to halt urgent Isis threat - but it has to happen soon
Sunni, Shiite unity meeting seeks to defuse Iraqi tensions as militants close in on refinery
(Washington Post) Sunni extremists on Wednesday battled security forces for control of Iraq's largest oil refinery, which provides the nation with more than a quarter of its domestically refined petroleum products and could help fund the militants' rampage across the country.
Iraq Could Split, Says Former CIA Head
(National Journal) Mike Morell thinks a democratic, unified Iraq is unlikely to emerge from current chaos.
Hagel on Iraq: 'We didn't lose anything'
(Military Times) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Wednesday pushed back on criticism that U.S. forces failed to protect Iraq from a predictable collapse, insisting blame be focused on the Iraqi government instead.
CIA Facing Gaps in Iraq as it Hunts for Militants
(Associated Press) The CIA and other spy agencies are scrambling to close intelligence gaps as they seek ways to support possible military or covert action against the leaders of the al-Qaida-inspired militant group that has seized parts of Iraq and threatens Baghdad's government.
Pentagon: Iraq F-16 Delivery Schedule Stands, For Now
(Air Force Magazine) There's been no decision yet whether to try to accelerate delivery of Iraq's first batch of new-build F-16s to bolster the nation's ability to strike back at the insurgents from the air
Buyer's Remorse
(Foreign Policy) The Obama administration once paved the way for Nouri al-Maliki to hold on to power despite losing an election. With Iraq engulfed in civil war, is it time for him to go?
Former U.S. commander: Iraqi government undermined its military
(Military Times) The recent collapse of the Iraqi army is due in part to failures by Iraqi leaders that predate the U.S. withdrawal in 2011, the former commander of U.S. troops in northern Iraq said Wednesday.
Struggle for Iraq: Gunfight to keep militants at bay in Jalula
(BBC) The turmoil in Iraq has moved closer to the capital, Baghdad, with government forces locked in a brutal battle with Islamist militants 60km (35 miles) from the city.
Pentagon Leaders Blast Maliki Government
(Defense News) The Pentagon's two top officials had harsh words for the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki Wednesday morning, saying Maliki has alienated and repressed his country's Sunni population, resulting in the chaos spreading in the northern and western parts of the nation.
Iraq Deputy PM, a Sunni, says he is being side-lined
(CNN) The Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq, Saleh al-Mutlak, a Sunni, says he is being side-lined by the Shiite-majority government.
Over 5,000 Iranians 'sign up to defend Iraq holy sites'
(Agence France-Presse) Some 5,000 Iranians have pledged online to defend Iraq's Shiite Muslim holy sites against Sunni extremists who are waging war against the Baghdad government, a report said on Tuesday.
INDUSTRY
UK's Watchkeeper Fleet To Be Completed by End of Year
(Defense News) The British Army will park nearly half of its fleet of Thales UK Watchkeeper tactical UAVs to await replenishment of front-line stocks in the event of attrition, according to company executives at Eurosatory.
Lockheed buys California firm that makes thin film coatings
(Reuters) Lockheed Martin Corp on Wednesday said it is acquiring Deposition Sciences Inc, a California-based company that provides thin film coatings, for an undisclosed amount from its parent company, Advanced Lighting Technologies Inc.
Webcast: Use full-motion video for situational awareness
(Defense News) Jagwire -- web-based geospatial data management software -- is helping troops put full-motion video to use. On June 24, 2 p.m. EDT, Defense News presents a free webinar showing how Jagwire can help you make faster, more informed decisions. Register at defensenews.com/jagwire.
5th-To-4th Gen Fighter Comms Competition Eyed In Fiscal 2015
(Aviation Week) The U.S. Air Force is planning to request proposals from industry to finally provide needed communications connectivity between fifth- and fourth-generation fighters.
France To Train Own Cadre of Cyber Defense Experts
(Defense News) Unable to compete with private firms as it looks to hire cybersecurity experts, France's Ministry of Defense will set up a course to train its own experts to protect the French military.
Xtera wins undersea cable contract
(C4ISR & Networks) Xtera Communications has won a turnkey contract to build a 1,500-kilometer undersea cable fiber optic cable in the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) region. The cable will enable connectivity to the Defense Information System Network.
USAF to test WindTracer for air cargo drops
(IHS Jane's 360) Lockheed Martin is reconfiguring its WindTracer Doppler lidar wake vortex detection system for potential use by the US Air Force (USAF).
United Technologies, Canada reach deal on delayed helicopters
(Reuters) United Technologies Corp (UTX.N) on Wednesday said its Sikorsky Aircraft unit would record sales of $850 million and a charge of $440 million in the second quarter after signing a revamped agreement with Canada for 28 maritime patrol helicopters.
New Imaging, Surveillance and Protection Systems Unveiled
(Defense News) French firm Lheritier unveiled a high-powered, active-imaging, day-night camera at Eurosatory that it says is the first portable camera to allow facial identification in darkness at 150 meters.
Delays to India's LUH procurement 'leading to capability gap, crashes'
(IHS Jane's 360) Recurring delays to the Indian Army's acquisition of 197 light utility helicopters (LUHs) to replace its fleet of 1960s-era French platforms have created a crisis in sustaining its formations in the Himalayas, according to a retired army official.
GD Unveils Upgraded Piranha
(Defense News) General Dynamics European Land Systems' (GDELS) latest upgrade of the Piranha 3 armored personnel carrier is market ready and being bid to a number of potential customers, according to a leading company executive.
Franco-Russian Atom APC collaboration 'remains suspended'
(IHS Jane's 360) Renault Trucks Defence has contradicted reports that Franco-Russian collaboration on the development of the Atom armoured personnel carrier (APC) has recommenced.
Finmeccanica says will not incorporate loss-making unit
(Reuters) Italian aerospace and defense group Finmeccanica (SIFI.MI) said on Wednesday it will not incorporate its train-making AnsaldoBreda unit, denying media reports following the appointment of a new chief executive.
New Zealand govt approves Steyr replacement programme
(IHS Jane's 360) The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has received government approval to acquire up to 8,800 new rifles to replace the in-service Steyr 5.56 mm weapon, Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman announced on 17 June.
VETERANS
VA chief: More vets wait 30 days for appointment
(Associated Press) About 10 percent of veterans seeking medical care at VA hospitals and clinics have to wait at least 30 days for an appointment - more than twice the percentage of veterans the government said last week were forced to endure long waits, the acting veterans affairs secretary said Wednesday.
Veterans Offer Each Other Help as Iraq Falls Apart
(Time) More than 1.5 million Americans served in Iraq between 2003 and 2011. More than a few of them are upset with what's happened to that country, where they fought and their friends died, over the past week.
Chaos in Iraq prompts soul-searching among military veterans
(Washington Post) The sudden collapse of Iraqi forces in the face of lightly armed insurgents has catalyzed an emotional debate within the U.S. military about a war that, just a few years ago, seemed on the brink of going down in history as a success.
Introducing the Lincoln: An award for veterans
(USA Today) Actors have Oscars. Live theater, the Tony Awards. Journalists receive Pulitzers and scientists Nobel Prizes. Now there is the Lincoln - for veterans.
House, Senate go to conference on VA bill
(The Hill) The House and Senate on Wednesday established conference committees to reconcile differences in legislation to reform the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Department of Veteran Affairs lists Texas Marine veteran as deceased
(KPRC-TV; Houston) Every month for the past seven years, Joe Morris, a U.S. Marine who served two tours of duty in Iraq, has been receiving a service-connected disability check from the Department of Veteran Affairs.
Senator seeks official 'welcome home' for Iraq and Afghanistan vets
(Military Times) Sen. Tim Kaine wants Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to have a victory lap.
CONGRESS
Senate Armed Services to hold second closed door Iraq briefing
(The Hill) The Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday will receive its second classified briefing in a week on the ongoing violence in Iraq.
Iraq War Veterans In Congress Mostly Urge Caution
(DefenseOne) These new members of Congress aren't marching lockstep on the way forward for the deteriorating country - not with each other, and not with older hawks on the Hill calling on President Barack Obama to get back into Iraq.
Most Lawmakers MIA When It Comes to How to Deal With Iraq
(National Journal) The crumbling situation in Iraq has made President Obama an easy target, but aside from a few outspoken hawks, most members of Congress are at a loss about what action the U.S. should take or even what options should be considered.
Senators wary of Afghan troop drawdown
(The Hill) The leaders of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday voiced serious doubts over the Obama administration's plan to withdraw military troops from Afghanistan.
House votes to boost border security
(The Hill) The House on Wednesday gave voice vote approval to a proposal from Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) that would increase funding for the Army National Guard to assist with border security.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Research sought on illnesses linked to deployment
(Military Times) In June 2011, Army Master Sgt. Rob Bowman began feeling "off," experiencing night sweats and registering a low-grade fever.
GAO: DoD should revise furlough savings estimates
(Federal Times) The Defense Department should update its estimates for how much money furloughs of employees save in case DoD has to do it again, according to a June 17 report by the Government Accountability Office.
Some military household goods shipments 'held hostage'
(Military Times) Some service members' household goods shipments are being held by subcontractors in an effort to force contractors to pay for other work they've performed, according to the Surface Deployment and Distribution Command, the executive agency responsible for military moves for all services.
DoD recovers, identifies 17 service members killed in 1952 crash
(Air Force Times) The Defense Department has recovered the remains of 17 service members killed in a cargo plane crash almost 62 years ago.
Defense cuts crimping air shows and other community events
(Military Times) Everyone in La Crosse, Wisconsin, is still buzzing about the Navy Blue Angels' performance at the big air show June 1.
ARMY
Army's Search for Better Soldier Gear Continues Amid Budget Cuts
(National Defense) The Army hopes to equip soldiers in the coming years with lighter body armor, sleeker helmets, wearable health sensors, and eyewear that instantly transitions from light to dark.
Army seeks hemispheric imaging system
(C4ISR & Networks) The U.S. wants a hemispheric imaging system (HIS) that can provide wide-angle viewing for optical surveillance and fire control sensors as well as infantry weapons.
Bergdahl sign defaced at Tampa veterans park
(Tampa Tribune) The furor over Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who spent five years as a prisoner of insurgents in Afghanistan, came to Tampa last week.
Isle Army Guard joins effort to repair school in Philippines
(Honolulu Star-Advertiser) The Hawaii Army National Guard will head to the Philippines as part of a collaborative effort to rebuild a high school in Tacloban devastated by Typhoon Haiyan.
NAVY
US aims for trial of Benghazi suspect held on ship
(Associated Press) The capture of an alleged leader of the deadly 2012 attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya, gave U.S. officials a rare moment of good news. Now, they are preparing to try the captured Libyan in the U.S. court system and pledging to double down on catching others responsible for the deaths of the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans in the attacks.
Purloined trumpet tells story of life on USS Houston
(Stars & Stripes) A rusty trumpet with mother-of-pearl finger buttons rests in an alkaline solution at the Naval History and Heritage Command headquarters in Washington, D.C. Rendered silent by the sea, mangled by a symphony of violence, the fate of its owner is a mystery.
Naval Air Warfare Center Consolidates Weapons Divisions
(Seapower) The Naval Air Warfare Center (NAWC), headquartered at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., oversaw two weapons divisions, NAWC Weapons Division China Lake, Calif., and NAWC Weapons Division Point Mugu, Calif. The division at Point Mugu has been disestablished and its activities are now also under the division at China Lake.
Changing times: Door may open to US military at former Vietnam War hub
(Stars & Stripes) The United States flag once flew over 25,000 acres of airfield and port facilities at Cam Ranh Bay, one of the military's largest bases at the height of the Vietnam War.
AIR FORCE
Air Force targets beleaguered nuke force with more funding, incentives
(Air Force Times) The Air Force is redirecting hundreds of millions of dollars to improve its beleaguered nuclear force and incentivize personnel who operate the nation's intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Last Malmstrom ICBM reconfigured under treaty
(Great Falls Tribune) In an effort to comply with New START, a nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia, the Air Force completed work to reconfigure all of the nation's Minuteman III missiles, which are located at Malmstrom, F.E. Warren and Minot Air Force bases. The Minuteman III is the only intercontinental ballistic missile remaining in service.
Retired squadron commander dissects curious case of Lt. Col. Perry
(Flightlines) In his John Q. Public blog, retired Lt. Col. Tony Carr dissects the controversial case of a basic training squadron commander who was relieved of duty earlier this year for unprofessional relationships with enlisted members in his unit and for undermining the authority of his CO.
MARINE CORPS
'I had to fight my little inner demon': The scramble to save wounded Marine hero Kyle Carpenter
(Washington Post) It was 2010 when Marine Cpl. William Kyle Carpenter was rocked with a grenade blast that left him barely clinging to life in Afghanistan. The injuries were horrific: He'd sustained catastrophic wounds to his face and arms, and dozens of broken bones. He was bleeding badly, and sure he would die, he says.
White paper: The Corps' current strategy will likely result in its irrelevance
(Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps' current procurement strategy risks the service's ability to "kick in the door" during an amphibious assault, according to two armored vehicle experts who served as career infantry officers.
US Marines receive full complement of Harvest HAWK gunships
(IHS Jane's 360) The US Marine Corps (USMC) has received into service the 10th and final Lockheed Martin KC-130J Hercules to be modernised with the Harvest HAWK mission package, the company announced on 16 June.
COAST GUARD
Coast Guard Acquisition Funding Still at Odds With Mission Requirements
(Seapower) The U.S. Coast Guard's challenges are increasing as they continue to try to fulfill a broad mission set with an aging fleet and a looming capability gap until new assets come into the fleet, Vice Adm. Charles Michel, deputy commandant for operations, said during a June 18 hearing.
Coast Guard finds ill-fated ship Bounty avoided tighter safety standards, repair warnings by Maine shipyard
(Bangor Daily News) A new investigation into the 2012 sinking of the famed tall ship Bounty released Thursday by the U.S. Coast Guard found that ship operators avoided tighter safety requirements by choosing to classify it as a "recreational" vessel instead of a "small passenger" or "training" ship.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Iraq crisis stirs fears Afghanistan could be next
(Associated Press) The deteriorating situation in Iraq is giving Congress pause about President Barack Obama's plan to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2016, with fears that hard-fought gains could be wiped out by a resurgent Taliban.
Taliban attack NATO supplies in Afghan east, destroy dozens of trucks
(Reuters) Four Taliban militants struck a NATO post in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar on Thursday, destroying dozens of trucks and sparking a gun battle with polices, Afghan officials said.
US drones strike in North Waziristan, kill 6 'militants'
(Long War Journal) As the Pakistani military is launching airstrikes against foreign terrorist groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the Turkistan Islamic Party in an operation that began on June 15, the US has entered the fray and killed six "militants" in a drone strike in the tribal agency. The strike is the third in the past week.
MIDDLE EAST
Israeli Rescue Op Morphs Into Strategic 'Cleansing' of Hamas in West Bank
(Defense News) Even if Israeli teens allegedly held captive by Hamas militants are found and safely returned to an anxiously awaiting nation, Israel's ongoing rescue operation could continue indefinitely until the West Bank is sufficiently "cleansed" of the threat posed by the Islamic terror organization, officials here say.
Former Turkish military chief Evren sentenced to life for staging 1980 coup
(Reuters) Former army chief Kenan Evren, 96, who came to symbolise the military's dominance over Turkish political life over decades, was sentenced to life in jail on Wednesday for leading a 1980 coup that resulted in widespread torture, arrests and deaths.
Systematic' chemical weapons use in Syria
(Agence France-Presse) Chemical weapons such as chlorine have been used in a "systematic manner" in Syria, according to an initial report by a team from the world's watchdog investigating alleged attacks there.
As Moderate Islamists Retreat, Extremists Surge Unchecked
(New York Times) Islamist politicians swept elections across the region in the aftermath of the Arab Spring, stepping close to power in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Morocco and undermining the thesis of Qaeda-style militants that violence offered the only hope for change.
EUROPE
Russian maneuvers don't alter NATO plans for Baltics war games
(Stars & Stripes) NATO officers taking part in war games in the Baltics say that Russia's surprise launch of military maneuvers nearby has not altered their plans for the Saber Strike exercise, which wraps up Friday.
Rebels reject peace proposal from Ukraine
(Washington Post) Pro-Russian separatists on Wednesday rejected a call to disarm during a cease-fire that Ukraine is preparing to start unilaterally within days.
Ukraine forces battle separatists after truce 'refused'
(Reuters) Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists were locked in fierce fighting in the east of Ukraine on Thursday after rebels rejected a call to lay down their arms in line with a peace plan proposed by President Petro Poroshenko, government forces said.
ASIA-PACIFIC
China Reacts to Japanese Anti-Ship Missile Positioning
(USNI News) China is set to take "firm and effective actions," in response to a planned move of anti-ship missiles by Japanese Self Defense Force closer to the disputed Senkaku Islands, according to a Monday statement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For Vietnam and China, No Easing of Tensions
(New York Times) China and Vietnam exchanged sharp views Wednesday in their dispute over a Chinese oil rig deployed in contested waters in the South China Sea near Vietnam's coast and appear to have made little headway in cooling tensions, according to accounts by both governments summarizing a top-level meeting in Hanoi.
Pyongyang Propaganda Video May Offer Clues on New Cruise Missile
(Global Security Newswire) A nonproliferation expert argues in a new report that North Korea has developed a new cruise missile based on a Russian model.
New Zealand Details Military Projects, Capability Upgrades
(Defense News) New Zealand on Tuesday released its Defence Capability Plan (DCP), which calls for increasing the defense force's "proficiency at joint operations and growing its combat, combat support and combat service support capabilities," said Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman.
Indonesian Navy to establish naval cyber command
(IHS Jane's 360) The Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL) is to establish a naval cyber command unit in anticipation of greater maritime threats in the digital domain, said the TNI-AL in an address delivered on 16 June during a TNI-AL-hosted event in Jakarta aimed at raising awareness of digital threats.
AFRICA
Qatari C-17 alleged to have visited Libya
(IHS Jane's) The Libyan Air Force posted a photograph of a military transport on its Facebook page on 15 January, alleging it was a Qatari aircraft that had landed at a base controlled by one of the country's militias.
Details of complaint against captured Benghazi suspect mostly secret
(McClatchy) The elite U.S. commandos who snatched an alleged plotter of the Benghazi consulate attack were acting on a bare-bones criminal complaint whose crucial details remain secret.
Kenya Forces Arrest Five Suspects in Deadly Attacks
(Wall Street Journal) Kenyan security forces on Wednesday arrested five suspects in attacks that killed more than 50 people and fanned tensions along the country's contentious coastline.
Car Bomb Hits Somalia Hospital; 2 Dead
(Associated Press) A bomb hidden in a doctor's car exploded in a hospital parking lot in the Somali capital Wednesday, killing the doctor and a nurse in a rare attack targeting health facilities in the war-torn country, a nurse at the scene said.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Holding the VA's Feet to the Fire
(Pete Hegseth in Real Clear Defense) On June 20, 2013-one year ago this week-Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) and The Weekly Standard co-hosted a forward-looking policy forum focused on solutions to dysfunction at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Long before the nation "crisis" broke, CVA was talking about both the problems and solutions.
The Collapsing Obama Doctrine
(Former Vice President Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney in The Wall Street Journal) Rarely has a U.S. president been so wrong about so much at the expense of so many. Too many times to count, Mr. Obama has told us he is "ending" the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan-as though wishing made it so.
Playing Iraq's Game of Thrones
(Michael P. Noonan in US News & World Report) The past few weeks of events in Iraq have been both personally and professionally depressing. The fall of Tal Afar was personally depressing because I spent a year in that area back in 2006-2007 living with and serving alongside an Iraqi battalion as an army reservist on a military transition team in a base along the Mosul-Sinjar highway. I got to know many Iraqi soldiers, particularly Shiite Arabs from the southern part of the country and Kurds from the northeast.
ISIS -- is it too extreme to survive?
(Doyle McManus in The Los Angeles Times) Just how terrifying is the Sunni Muslim extremist group that's taken over a huge swath of territory in northern Iraq? Here are some clues:
Don't Fight in Iraq and Ignore Syria
(Anne-Marine Slaughter in The New York Times) FOR the last two years, many people in the foreign policy community, myself included, have argued repeatedly for the use of force in Syria - to no avail.
Less Than 10K in the Graveyard of Empires
(Thomas Lynch in War on the Rocks) Stating, "We are finishing the job we started," and, "It's time to turn the page," President Obama announced his decision to cut American troop levels to 9,800 by the end of this year, half that by the end of 2015, and then none by the end of 2016.
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