TODAY’S TOP 5
1. U.S. to Cut Its Land Mine Stockpile
(New York Times) The Obama administration on Friday announced measures to reduce and eventually eliminate its stockpile of antipersonnel land mines, with the aim of joining the global treaty that prohibits them.
2. USAF Awards Sikorsky, Lockheed CSAR Helicopter Contract
(Defense News) The US Air Force awarded Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin a $1.3 billion contract Thursday for the Combat Rescue Helicopter program.
3. China. There, I said it. (Part II)
(U.S. Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-Va. in PacNet) In June 2012 I wrote PacNet #34 "China. There, I said it" in an effort to generate a conversation about how the United States was publicly discussing the competitive elements of its relationship with the People's Republic of China (PRC).
4. Infographic: Suicide Terrorism, Past and Present
(War On The Rocks) By relying on START's Global Terrorism Database, however, which includes details of more than 113,000 terrorist attacks since 1970, some very noteworthy, macro-level conclusions become apparent.
5. More F-35s grounded following Eglin fire
(Air Force Times) The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps have halted all F-35 flights after a fire damaged an Air Force F-35A during takeoff Monday morning at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
IRAQ
White House: Deploying Military Advisers to Iraq Doesn't Require Hill Authorization
(Defense News) Absent from the White House's formal notification to Congress of a deployment of US military advisers to Iraq is any mention of the 2001 resolution that authorized force against al-Qaida and related groups.
Pentagon assigns 2-star general to oversee assessment in Iraq, a sign of task's sensitivity
(McClatchy) The U.S. military named a two-star general to head up the teams that have been sent to Iraq to determine what U.S. military assistance might help halt the advance of radical Islamist insurgents who've seized control of much of the country in the past two weeks.
More advisory teams arrive in Iraq; joint operating center opens in Baghdad
(Stars & Stripes) U.S. operations in Iraq have expanded with the arrival of more teams of advisers and the opening of a joint operations center in Baghdad, the Pentagon said Thursday.
Iraq Buys Used Russian Fighter Jets Amid U.S. Delivery Delay
(Bloomberg) Iraq has bought used fighter jets from Russia and Belarus to battle Islamist militants after long delays in the delivery of F-16 planes from the U.S. left troops without air support, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said.
Schiff: Iraq airstrikes could have 'no impact'
(The Hill) Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Thursday cautioned against U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, saying they would have "no impact" or be "counterproductive" without reforms from the government in Baghdad.
Iraq helicopter crashes in airborne commando assault on Tikrit
(Reuters) Iraqi forces launched an airborne assault on rebel-held Tikrit on Thursday with commandos flown into a stadium in helicopters, at least one of which crashed after taking fire from insurgents who have seized northern cities.
Maliki Compromised CIA Spies in Iraq for Years
(Newsweek) U.S. military advisors arriving in Iraq better be careful who they talk to and where they go: Their Iraq 'allies' will almost certainly be spying on them.
HRW Says ISIL Executed At Least 160 In Iraqi City
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) have executed at least 160 captives this month in Iraq's northern city of Tikrit, according to Human Rights Watch.
In Iraq, Switching Allegiance Once Again
(New York Times) For a few days last week before YouTube pulled the video, "Clanging of the Swords IV" gave a graphic visual account of the violence unfolding in Iraq.
Iraqi Shiites pushing for al-Maliki's removal
(Associated Press) Prominent Shiite leaders pushed Thursday for the removal of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as parliament prepared to start work next week on putting together a new government, under intense U.S. pressure to rapidly form a united front against an unrelenting Sunni insurgent onslaught.
In the Shadows of Shrines, Shiite Forces Are Preparing to Fight ISIS
(New York Times) A dozen miles outside this shrine city, on the edges of the uninhabitable western Iraqi desert, a group of paramilitary policemen provides the only visible line of defense against the extremist Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
An assembly by Assemblage? Iraq plans $1bn parliament building
(The Guardian) It has been a bumpy start to 2013 for Iraq's fledgling government. Its parliament is on the brink of being dissolved, potentially plunging the country back into infighting and civil war, according to reports earlier this month; the president, Jalal Talabani, is in Germany for treatment after a stroke; one of the two vice-presidents, Tariq al-Hashemi, is in exile after murder charges; and last week a fistfight broke out in parliament.
INDUSTRY
Contingency Spending Request Includes $6B for New Weapons
(Defense News) US President Barack Obama has requested $6 billion for new military aircraft, drones, vehicles and bombs as part of his $58.6 billion request to fund the war in Afghanistan and other contingency operations in 2015.
F-35 In Fire Was Recent Delivery
(Aviation Week) The F-35A that caught fire June 23 was a recent delivery from low-rate initial production lot 5 of the stealthy fighter.
Sikorsky warns of consequences if Pentagon breaks multiyear deal
(Reuters) Sikorsky Aircraft, a unit of United Technologies Corp (UTX.N), said on Thursday it hoped Pentagon officials would realize that reneging on the final year of a five-year helicopter contract would undermine confidence in future deals and drive up costs.
US Army Gearing Up for Apache Link 16 Test
(Defense News) The US Army will soon test a new network capability that could prove to be a "game changer" for the service's fleet of AH-64 Apache rotorcraft.
Defense contractors wary of a 'Chairman' John McCain
(Politico) There's at least one reason some in the defense industry are rooting for Democrats to keep control of the Senate: the prospect of Chairman John McCain.
Marines Favor Wheeled Ship-to-Shore Vehicles
(National Defense) Purchasing commercially available wheeled vehicles will save money and will provide an improved capability over available tracked vehicles, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Glueck, deputy commandant for combat development and integration, told reporters during a June 26 breakfast meeting in Washington, D.C.
Major TOW order for Saudi Arabia, Oman
(IHS Jane's 360) The US Department of Defense announced on 19 June that Raytheon had been awarded a USD391.5 million contract to produce wireless versions of the TOW anti-tank guided missile (ATGMs) for the US Army, US Marine Corps (USMC), Saudi Arabia National Guard (SANG), and Oman.
Thales, LandT Technology Services form avionics joint venture
(IHS Jane's 360) India's LandT Technology Services and Thales announced that the two companies had formed a joint venture (JV) on 26 June.
Foreign-Investment Reform to Reshape India's Defense Industry
(Wall Street Journal) With India's new government signaling it is ready to allow foreign control of companies in the country's long-protected weapons industry, global defense analysts and executives are predicting a blitzkrieg of investment in a country that has become the world's largest importer of arms.
China offers a 'fire-and-forget' infantry antitank missile
(IHS Jane's 360) China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO) used the Eurosatory 2014 exhibition to publicise its new Red Arrow 12 shoulder-fired antitank missile system. This is China's first infantry-launched fire-and-forget antitank weapon.
VETERANS
Sanders pushes emergency funding for VA reforms
(The Hill) Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Thursday implored House lawmakers to pay for a Veterans Affairs overhaul bill through emergency spending, not budget cuts.
Museum immortalizes Medal of Honor recipient's ferocious bayonet charge
(Military Times) Army Medal of Honor recipient Cpl. Rodolfo Hernandez has been immortalized in a new museum exhibit that tries to capture the brutality and up-close nature of combat during the Korean War.
Investigators probe whistleblower retaliation claims
(Military Times) A New York nursing supervisor who objected to the use of restraints on an unstable patient by Veterans Affairs Department doctors says she has endured months of retaliation from local officials for that single act of whistleblowing.
War-fighter's paradox: Sebastian Junger on why combat vets hate war - but miss being in it
(Military Times) When Army paratrooper Sgt. Brendan O'Byrne returned from a tortured year of combat in Afghanistan's deadly Korengal Valley, he looked into the lens of a video camera and wondered out loud whether God hated him for what he had done there.
Researchers try to verify whether canines help patients with TBI, PTSD
(Military Times) For dog lovers, it's an absolute: The unconditional love of a canine companion heals the soul, reaching into the heart to cross canyons of loneliness and despair.
CONGRESS
US Senate Defense Spending Bill Will Slip to Mid-July
(Defense News) Shortly after this story was posted, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Barbra Mikulski's office tweeted this: "Sen. Appropriations Approps will take up @DeptofDefense #FY15 funding bill July 17 w return of former committee Chairman @SenThadCochran"
Bill would give separation pay to troops affected by 'don't ask'
(Military Times) California Democratic Rep. Jackie Speier wants Congress to give millions in lost separation pay to service members dismissed from the military under the old "don't ask, don't tell" policy, calling it a way to make amends for a shameful chapter in American history.
McKeon tired of learning Defense news from press
(The Hill) House Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) told the Obama administration on Thursday that he was tired of hearing Pentagon news through the media before it's brought to his committee.
Lawmakers Withhold Comment on $60B OCO Figure, Say More Specifics Needed
(Defense News) Lawmakers on Thursday mostly held fire on the White House's coming $60 billion war-funding request, saying they have yet to be given ample details to comment.
With 28 Days Left, What Can Congress Do?
(Defense One) When Congress breaks Thursday for the Fourth of July recess, it will have only 28 days left to work before Election Day.
Will the U.S. Keep Buying Medicine for 'Black Swan' Attacks?
(Global Security Newswire) Congress will weigh this year whether to continue spending billions of dollars on antidotes for attacks seen as relatively unlikely, but potentially devastating.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
DARPA Adds Difficulty, Expands Scope of Disaster-Response Robot Challenge
(National Defense) When the Pentagon's shadowy research laboratory last year asked for a humanoid robot that could perform dangerous tasks in disaster zones industry and academia delivered beyond expectations.
Military savers favoring 'Roth' Thrift Savings Plan to build nest eggs
(Military Update) Military savers are discovering the special advantages a Roth-type Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) provides to them, given that their taxable income is dampened by tax-free allowances and periodic tax-exempt combat tours.
DoD struggles on JIE details
(C4ISR & Networks) The Defense Department is taking a closer look at priorities and approaches regarding its flagship IT restructuring effort, the Joint Information Environment, as officials try to nail down a path forward for the comprehensive but nebulous initiative.
Guantanamo judge doesn't relent on CIA 'black site' order
(Miami Herald) A military judge isn't backing down from his order to the U.S. government to give defense lawyers details of the accused USS Cole bomber's odyssey through the CIA's secret prisons, but may let prosecutors shield the identities of some agents, according to people who have seen a secret Guantanamo war court order.
ARMY
Medal of Honor recipient: This belongs to comrades
(Associated Press) Ryan Pitts will wear the nation's highest award for combat valor, but the humble and soft-spoken Medal of Honor recipient who continued to fight after being wounded in one of Afghanistan's bloodiest battles insisted Thursday that the medal belongs to all of his comrades who fought and died that day.
Two Fort Carson soldiers killed in Afghanistan honored in memorial
(Colorado Springs Gazette) Moments before shots rang out in a military salute Thursday and a lone bugler filled the Fort Carson air with the sound of taps, Sgt. 1st Class Jason Hughes honored a pair of comrades who he said were more than just fellow soldiers.
Fort Bragg could lose 16,000 soldiers, defense civilians by 2020
(Fayetteville Observer) Under a worst-case scenario, Fort Bragg could lose 16,000 soldiers and defense civilians by 2020, causing a huge hit to the local economy.
Fort Carson could face massive cut under Pentagon plan
(Colorado Springs Gazette) Fort Carson could lose two-thirds of its 24,000 soldiers by 2020 under a doomsday plan to deal with budget cuts.
New Army report projects worst-case cuts of up to 16,000 soldiers from JBLM
(Tacoma News Tribune) A decade of growth at Joint Base Lewis-McChord could be wiped away by 2017 if the Army carries out severe force reductions in the South Sound as described in a planning document released Thursday.
New Army report evaluates massive impacts of potential cuts at Fort Drum
(Watertown Daily Times) New Army research shows slashing about 16,000 soldier and civilian positions on post would cause catastrophic economic damage.
NAVY
Hue City XO ousted after report on ship fire
(Navy Times) The executive officer of the cruiser Hue City is out of a job after being fired by his strike group boss for failing to ensure his crew properly stowed hazardous materials that caught on fire in April, days into their deployment.
Drone glitch, bad judgment led to crash
(San Diego Union-Tribune) A malfunctioning target drone, combined with judgment errors aboard the Navy cruiser Chancellorsville and at a Ventura County control center, led to the Nov. 13 accident that injured two sailors and breached the warship's hull.
Push for 1st humanist chaplain continues after rejection
(Navy Times) Jason Heap submitted an application last year to achieve a personal goal that would also make history: Become the Navy's first humanist chaplain.
US Navy's Mobile Landing Platform completes LCAC interface tests
(IHS Jane's 360) A new vessel designed to function as a float-on/float-off 'pier at sea' for the US Navy (USN) has completed interface testing with hovercraft, officials announced on 26 June.
AIR FORCE
Undocumented child at Lackland has swine flu
(Air Force Times) An undocumented child from Central America being housed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland has been diagnosed with the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu.
Cadets get fleeting chance to smoke Air Force Academy brass
(Colorado Springs Gazette) A galaxy of stars was left smoking after the gentle ministrations of the trainers at the Air Force Academy Wednesday.
30-something? It's not too late to enlist
(Air Force Times) Even 30-somethings are now able to enlist in the Air Force.
How the U.S. Air Force Uses Twitter as a 'Force Multiplier'
(Time) In today's wired world, it only takes 10 minutes to reassure allies-and warn foes.
Investigators can't trace cause of October Predator crash
(Air Force Times) Air Force investigators could not trace what caused an MQ-1B Predator crash in October, when the drone dropped out of the sky over New Mexico and crashed while in an emergency holding pattern.
MARINE CORPS
Twentynine Palms-based Marine killed in Afghanistan
(Marine Corps Times) A California-based Marine died June 25 while conducting combat operations in Afghanistan, the Defense Department announced today.
Marines Won't Take The Beaches Head-On Any More; 'Find The Gaps'
(Breaking Defense) Tarawa. Saipan. Iwo Jima. Peleliu. Okinawa, Inchon. These are among the most sacred names in Marine Corps history. They define the sea-borne warriors' in so many ways: sacrifice, grit, honor, competence. To most Americans, and to many Marines, those amphibious assaults are the soul of the Corps.
CMC: Marines' role in Afghanistan post-2014 to be clear in coming months
(Marine Corps Times) The Marines will likely know this summer their role, if any, in the contingency force to remain in Afghanistan after 2014, the commandant of the Marine Corps said this week.
Remembering a Marine hero, stolen-valor bulldog and veterans advocate
(Washington Post) Five years ago, I found myself on the phone with Tom Richards, a highly decorated Marine Corps veteran. He'd discovered that there were possibly dozens of members of the Marine Corps Association who had lied about their military service, and he wanted the problem exposed.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Afghan pilots to train at Moody
(Air Force Times) Afghan Air Force pilots will head to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, to train on new A-29 Super Tucano close air support aircraft, the Air Force has announced.
India 'won't treat Taliban on par with Afghan government'
(Khaama Press) Ambassador Bhagwant Singh Bishnoi, the acting Permanent Representative of India to the U.N., said, "Treating the Government of Afghanistan on par with elements of the erstwhile Taliban regime is something we will never endorse."
As Pakistan wages an offensive against militants, tensions with Afghanistan rise
(Washington Post) Pakistan has evacuated more than 450,000 civilians from a terrorist-plagued district in the northwestern part of the country, but its offensive against the militants there is complicated by fresh tension with neighboring Afghanistan.
As Pakistan Advances Against Taliban, Fleeing Civilians Pour Into Northern Towns
(New York Times) Pakistan stepped up its drive against the Taliban in North Waziristan on Thursday with heavy strikes and a commando raid on Miram Shah, the district's largest town, in what military officials described as the prelude to a major ground offensive.
MIDDLE EAST
Obama asks for authorization to provide direct military training to Syrian rebels
(Washington Post) The Obama administration asked Congress on Thursday to authorize $500 million in direct U.S. military training and equipment for Syrian opposition fighters, a move that could significantly escalate U.S. involvement in Syria's civil war.
Israel Names Prime Suspects in Abductions
(New York Times) Marwan Qawasmeh and Amer Abu Aisha, both residents of the West Bank city of Hebron, were last seen on the night of June 12, shortly before three Israeli teenagers went missing while hitchhiking a few miles to the north.
ISIS May Open a Third Front in Lebanon
(The Daily Beast) They're already on the offensive in Syria and Iraq, now there are signs the radical jihadis want to attack in Lebanon to divide the Shia forces against them.
Armed fighters attack Yemen's Seiyun airport
(Al Jazeera) Suspected al-Qaeda fighters have attacked and briefly seized an airport in Yemen, before battling with the army, Yemeni security officials have said.
EUROPE
German Parliament Passes Defense Budget
(Defense News) The ruling conservative-left coalition of the German Bundestag Wednesday night passed a 2014 defense budget of 32.44 billion euros (US $44.13 billion), compared with a budget of 33.26 euros billion for 2013.
Russia Loses Another One of Its Early-Warning Satellites
(Global Security Newswire) The odds of a nuclear-arms miscalculation by Moscow could increase because another one of its threat-detection satellites has ceased working.
Separatists attack airport in east Ukraine, defy truce
(USA Today) Pro-Russian separatists said Thursday that they attacked government forces at an airport in east Ukraine, defying a government cease-fire as a European Union summit in Belgium considers tougher sanctions on Russia for sparking dissension in Ukraine.
Russia pressures Moldova and Ukraine ahead of signing of E.U. Association Agreement
(Washington Post) A new showdown is looming over former Soviet states' ties to Europe - the same trigger that has ignited months of violence in Ukraine.
Ex-Guantanamo detainee arrested in Spain tied to infamous al Qaeda cell
(Long War Journal) A former Guantanamo detainee named Lahcen Ikassrien was arrested earlier this month in Spain. Authorities suspect that he has led a network responsible for sending jihadist recruits off to fight in Syria and Iraq. Members of Ikassrien's group reportedly fought for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham (ISIS), although it is not clear when they did so.
ASIA-PACIFIC
US ends Philippines anti-terror force
(Associated Press) After more than a decade of helping fight Islamic militants, the United States is disbanding an anti-terror contingent of hundreds of elite American troops in the southern Philippines where armed groups such as Abu Sayyaf have largely been crippled, officials said Thursday.
China Tensions Form Backdrop to U.S.-Philippine Military Drills
(Wall Street Journal) U.S. Navy warships teamed up with Philippine crews on Thursday for combat drills, as a maritime dispute simmers between China and the Philippines in the nearby South China Sea.
US Expert: North Korea Speeds Up Missile Launch Times
(Voice of America) North Korea can fire long-range missiles significantly faster, following upgrades to its launch sites, a U.S. expert has observed.
US top Asia diplomat accuses China of dangerous actions amid sea conflict
(Stars & Stripes) China is intentionally disregarding diplomacy in favor of force while staking its claim to territory in the Asia-Pacific, the State Department's top official for the region told a Senate committee Wednesday.
Japan to station first F-35s at Misawa Air Base
(IHS Jane's 360) Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera has announced that the first Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters to enter Japanese service will be based at Misawa Air Base (AB) in northern Japan.
Tattoo shop then hospital for 5 US troops on Okinawa
(Stars & Stripes) Five U.S. servicemembers on Okinawa ended up in the hospital emergency room this month seeking treatment for infections related to getting tattoos in unsanitary conditions at tattoo shops off base, according to Navy officials.
AFRICA
Remembering Salwa Bugaighis, The Libyan Advocate Who Took On Ghadafi
(National Public Radio) A prominent Libyan human rights worker was assassinated Wednesday. NPR's Leila Fadel interviewed Salwa Bugaighis earlier this month and remembers the lawyer's efforts against former dictator Moammar Gadhi's regime.
UN force in Mali to give priority to peace talks
(Associated Press) The Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday to authorize the U.N. peacekeeping force in Mali to expand its protection of civilians in the volatile north from cities to rural areas and give priority to launching political negotiations and promoting national reconciliation.
Algeria signs for two more 'Kilo' subs
(IHS Jane's Defense) Algeria has signed a contract covering the delivery of two Project 636 Varshavyanka ('Kilo')-class diesel-electric submarines that will be built at Admiralty Shipyards in St Petersburg, Russia.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
China's Problem With Rules: Managing A Reluctant Stakeholder
(Patrick Cronin in War on the Rocks) From maritime disputes to economic cyber theft, China is keen to exert its newfound power rather than to be bound by multilateral rules. Meanwhile, the ongoing crackdown on domestic freedom in China only reinforces fears that Beijing will treat neighbors as subordinates and remain a reluctant global stakeholder for decades to come.
Methods to Clarify Drivers of Conflict: Social Science in Zharay and Maiwand Districts, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
(Chris Shove in Small Wars Journal) The purpose of this paper is to describe social science research methods employed in Afghanistan during 2011-2012 and to report their use to clarify social issues related to conflict.
America and Iran Can Save Iraq
(Mohammad Ali Shabani in The New York Times) To save Iraq from Sunni extremists, Iran is mobilizing its allies in Iraq and promoting collaboration between Iraq's government and Syria. Washington, meanwhile, has dispatched military advisers to Baghdad. On their own, these efforts are valiant. But without coordination, they won't be fruitful.
Iraq and the City of Man
(Peter Munson in War on the Rocks) Humans have been storytellers since time immemorial. Stories are how we make sense of our world. We reduce complex events to digestible, quite often self-indulgent, narratives.
Obama Needs to Find His Inner Cold Warrior
(Suzanne Nossel in Foreign Policy) The problem with being a post-deterrence U.S. president is that without deterrence, the world we live in quickly becomes dangerous.
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