TODAY’S TOP 5
Obama calls on other nations to fight Islamic State
(Military Times) President Obama on Thursday shunted aside speculation that he will soon expand the U.S. bombing campaign against Islamic extremists into Syria, saying the military mission for now will remain focused on Iraq.
Debris yields clues that pilot never ejected
(News Leader; Staunton, Va.) When investigators were finally able to safely enter the crash site of an F-15C "Eagle" fighter jet on Thursday afternoon, they made a grim discovery that concluded more than 30 hours of searching - the pilot never managed to eject from the aircraft.
Stopping a New Class of Militants
(Jack Miller in War on the Rocks) Technological improvements are changing the power relationships between non-state and state actors.
U.S. judge signals he may order more Abu Ghraib photos released
(Reuters) A federal judge signaled on Wednesday he may order the U.S. government to release as many as 2,000 photographs depicting the alleged harsh treatment of detainees in U.S. custody at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and other sites.
Chinese MOD Calls for a Stop of U.S. 'Close-In' Surveillance Flights
(USNI News) China called on the U.S. military to stop its "wide in range, highly frequent and close in distance," surveillance missions on the edge of the Chinese mainland, People's Liberation Army officials said in a Thursday Beijing press conferences.
ISLAMIC STATE
Work on Syria Strikes Resolution Would Delay - or Kill - Pentagon Policy, Spending Bills
(Defense News) With only about a dozen legislative days left before November's midterm elections, a US congressional debate and vote on a Syria strikes authorization measure could further delay work on two defense bills.
Pentagon: Leaks about intelligence 'problematic'
(The Hill) The Pentagon on Thursday criticized leaks to the media about American surveillance flights over Syria, calling them "problematic."
U.S. Lawmakers Step Up Calls for Obama to Outline Iraq, Syria Strategy
(Wall Street Journal) U.S. lawmakers are stepping up calls for the Obama administration to outline its strategy for combating the growing threat posed by Sunni extremists in Iraq and Syria, pressing the White House for its diplomatic and military vision to quell tumult in the region.
US Lawmaker Sees UK, Australia, Turkey Joining Strikes on Islamic State
(Defense News) The American military may be joined by some familiar allies in its fight against a violent Sunni group in Iraq, says a senior US lawmaker.
Iraqi Kurds say their fight is against more than just the Islamic State
(Washington Post) Kurdish fighters are struggling to hold on to recent gains against Islamic State militants in Iraq in the face of constant shelling and sniper fire. But Kurds say the jihadists have another weapon: local Arab sympathizers.
Islamic State Militants in Syria Now Have Drone Capabilities
(National Defense) Recently, video emerged that showed Islamic militants in Syria had acquired a surveillance drone. It marked the first time such technology has been used by the burgeoning terrorist organization, a RAND Corp. analyst said.
Terrorism experts see long, tough battle to contain Islamic State
(Los Angeles Times) While the world has recoiled in horror at the atrocities committed by Islamic State radicals, the violence has helped the militant group recruit a global force of extremists and furthered its pursuit of a fundamentalist Muslim caliphate in the heart of the Middle East, terrorism experts say.
Captives held by Islamic State were waterboarded
(Washington Post) At least four hostages held in Syria by the Islamic State, including an American journalist who was recently executed by the group, were waterboarded in the early part of their captivity, according to people familiar with the treatment of the kidnapped Westerners.
Q-and-A on Westerners who join the fight in Syria
(Associated Press) Douglas McAuthur McCain, an American killed in Syria while fighting with the Islamic State group, was part of a growing number of Americans and other foreigners recruited by terror groups to help them wage war in the Mideast.
Graham: Americans fighting with ISIS are enemy combatants
(The Hill) Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Wednesday all U.S. citizens who join Islamist militant organizations in the Middle East should be defined as enemy combatants and subject to capture or death.
Syria Mission Could Start Easy But Become More Complex
(Foreign Policy) If the Obama administration actually takes the fight to the Islamic State in Syria, it would likely do so in stages, hitting the easiest targets first and the most difficult ones later as it develops a richer picture of the battlefield, former intelligence officials and experts say.
Islamic State beheads Kurdish pesh merga fighter in video
(Washington Post) On Thursday, Islamic State militants released another video of the purported beheading of one of their prisoners - this time an Iraqi Kurdish fighter for his government's alliance with the United States.
INDUSTRY
USAF Chief: Pratt Close To Developing F-35 Engine Fix
(Defense News) Engine manufacturer Pratt and Whitney is close to performing tests on a potential design change for its F135 engine following a June incident that led to the devastation of an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Air Force may make Boeing share work on presidential planes
(Bloomberg) The U.S. Air Force will decide by December whether Boeing will have to share a multibillion-dollar project to provide the next Air Force One jetliner for the president, the service said.
Raytheon delivers first Block 2 Rolling Airframe Missile
(IHS Jane's 360) Raytheon has delivered the first Block 2 variant of its Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) to the US Navy, the company announced on 27 August.
India-Japan Talks To Focus on Strategic Ties, Possible Aircraft Deal
(Defense News) Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Japan will include talks on possible joint production of amphibious aircraft and other matters related to strategic and defense ties between the two countries.
China seen as major beneficiary in Ukraine-Russia conflict
(IHS Jane's 360) The business of supplying China with weapon systems, design expertise, and military-applicable technology will now take a sharp tick upwards as a result of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, according to Russian and Ukrainian analysts.
Zephyr Solar UAV Operates 11 Days in Winter Conditions
(Defense News) Airbus' Zephyr 7 solar-powered UAV has recorded an 11-day, non-stop flight in winter weather conditions, the company said Thursday.
Austal reports improved 2014 figures
(IHS Jane's 360) Australia-headquartered shipbuilding group Austal reported improved sales and earnings for the year to 30 June - a trend it attributed to the maturation of ongoing programmes and group-wide efficiency efforts.
A400M acts as tanker aircraft for first time
(IHS Jane's 360) The Airbus A400M Atlas transporter has successfully acted as an air-to-air refuelling tanker aircraft for the first time, Airbus Defence and Space announced on 28 August.
VETERANS
VA wait times have decreased, new data show
(USA Today) The Department of Veterans Affairs has reduced by half the number of veterans waiting more than three months to see a doctor since a scandal erupted at the agency in spring over delays in health care, according to data released Thursday.
CBO: Why VA claims exploded and ways to slow the trend
(Military Update) America's population of living veterans fell by almost five million, or 17 percent, from 2000 to 2013. So why did the number of veterans drawing disability compensation climb by 55 percent over that period? And why has yearly VA disability payments tripled since 2000 to reach $60 billion in 2014?
VA apologizes for using Oscar the Grouch to depict frustrated veterans
(Washington Post) A Department of Veterans Affairs office has drawn fire for likening disgruntled veterans to Oscar the Grouch in a training guide for employees who were preparing for a town hall meeting this week, according to a newspaper report.
Farenthold: Veterans not 'cartoon characters'
(The Hill) Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) on Thursday condemned an internal Department of Veterans Affairs training guide that compared dissatisfied veterans with Oscar the Grouch.
VA launches 'more robust' version of GI Bill Comparison Tool
(Washington Post) The Department of Veterans Affairs on Thursday updated its online GI Bill Comparison Tool with the goal of improving how former troops estimate their education benefits and explore programs across the country.
VoteVets wades into Alaska Senate race
(The Hill) A veterans advocacy group plans to launch a $675,000 ad campaign slamming Alaska Republican Senate candidate Dan Sullivan for backing a local mining project that critics believe could harm the state's commercial fishing industry.
ARMY
Army in the Pacific adopts new style of deployment
(Honolulu Star-Advertiser) The Army in the Pacific is starting a new deployment concept this week that sends soldiers out into the region for multiple exercises and longer stays in foreign countries that are intended to reassure partner nations and develop closer relationships as the United States continues its "rebalance" to the Pacific.
Memorial held for soldier slain at Afghan checkpoint
(Fayetteville Observer) Sgt. 1st Class Matthew I. Leggett helped others traverse a war zone. In Afghanistan, Leggett, 39, served as the noncommissioned officer in charge of a drive team that shuttled coalition troops and officials between New Kabul Compound and other bases in the capital city.
Army names officers selected for promotion to colonel
(Army Times) The Army announced Thursday the names, branches, functional areas and sequence numbers of the lieutenant colonels recommended for promotion.
NAVY
New Threats Change Amphibious Assault Strategy
(DoDBuzz) The Navy is contemplating changes to its strategic and tactical use of connectors such as the Landing Craft Air Cushion and Landing Craft Utility vessel in response to the fast-growing number of countries and non-state actors that are developing high-tech, surface and land-launched missiles
Navy's Next Fighter Likely to Feature Artificial Intelligence
(USNI News) Artificial intelligence will likely feature prominently onboard the Pentagon's next-generation successors to the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
Check out Navy's sharp summer whites uniforms for Saturday's game vs. Ohio State
(Cleveland Plain Dealer) If Navy plays like it looks Saturday, Ohio State could be in trouble.
AIR FORCE
Al Qaeda magazine suggests Air Force Academy as terror target
(KXRM-TV; Colorado Springs, Colo.) The U.S. Air Force Academy is on a list of suggested terror targets published in a new magazine distributed by Al Qaeda.
Mystery patients' evaluate medical staff
(Air Force Times) When Col. Bret Burton took command of the 375th Medical Group at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, he put customer satisfaction near the top of his priority list.
Tallahassee veteran Russell Mountain remembered fondly
(Tallahassee Democrat) Russell R. Mountain survived a six-month deployment in Afghanistan.
C-17 pilot is selected White House Fellow
(Air Force Times) Maj. Kari Fleming will be walking the halls of the White House - as one of 15 White House Fellows in the 2014-15 class.
MARINE CORPS
15th and 13th Marine Expeditionary Units launch Twitter war
(Battle Rattle) The Marine Corps' seven Marine Expeditionary Units are designed to deploy at a moment's notice for combat or emergency response, but it seems two of the MEUs have been waging a war a little closer to home.
Escondido Marine Sgt. and Wife Honored at White House
(KNSD; San Diego) An Escondido couple who runs an organic farming business that benefits U.S. military veterans was recognized for their good work by the White House on Wednesday.
Bond denied for granddaughter, 2 others charged in shooting of Rock Hill vet
(The State in Columbia, S.C.) Wayne Whiteside, who turned 70 Wednesday, was listed in fair condition at Carolinas Medical center in Charlotte, a hospital spokesperson said. Whiteside served two tours in Vietnam in the Marine Corps and is disabled.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Afghan election audit will take two more weeks, U.N. says
(Washington Post) The United Nations said Thursday that a recount of ballots in Afghanistan's disputed presidential election will take about two more weeks, again delaying the inauguration and adding to the political uncertainty gripping the country.
Obama Picks Veteran Diplomat To Be Afghan Envoy
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) U.S. President Barack Obama has selected a veteran diplomat with experience in Kabul to be the next U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan.
Nuristan high peace council chief shot dead in capital Kabul
(Khaama Press) Unknown gunmen shot dead the provincial high peace council committee chief in capital Kabul late Thursday.
Doing more with less the challenge for Fort Bragg brigade in Afghanistan
(Fayetteville Observer) The 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade has begun sending its first waves of soldiers to Afghanistan, where part of the brigade will take on a mission that covers most of the country.
Leader Calls on Military to End Crisis in Pakistan
(New York Times) The Pakistani Army stepped into the country's two-week-old political crisis on Thursday when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif requested that the army chief, Gen. Raheel Sharif, help defuse a standoff that has crippled the government.
MIDDLE EAST
Syrian Refugees Surpass 3 Million, U.N. Says
(New York Times) The number of refugees from the Syrian civil war has risen above three million, the United Nations refugee agency said Friday, calling the crisis "the biggest humanitarian emergency of our era."
U.N. Says 43 Peacekeepers Detained by Armed Group in Golan Heights
(Time) Rebel groups, including an al-Qaeda affiliate, are clashing with the Syrian military at the border between Israel and Syria.
Egypt: Hegazy Meets Libyan Chief of Staff
(Egypt State Information Service) Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lt General Mahmoud Hegazy met on Wednesday 27/8/2014 with Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army Major General Abdel Razek al-Nazoury, who visited Egypt at the head of a high ranking delegation within the framework of efforts to heal the rifts in the Libyan State.
After Gaza cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in tough spot at home
(Washington Post) Although it is still too early to say which side, if either, was victorious in the 50-day conflict that claimed more than 2,200 lives, destroyed thousands of homes and other structures, and traumatized many more on both sides, there appears to be little doubt that Netanyahu is emerging as the biggest loser, personally and politically.
EUROPE
Obama Says Still No Ukraine Intervention As More Russians Cross Border
(DefenseOne) In the face of the most damning evidence to date that Russian troops and equipment have invaded Ukraine, President Barack Obama on Thursday stuck to previous statements that there is no military solution to the ongoing crisis there.
Obama Vows Russia Penalties, but Avoids Calling Ukraine Advance an Invasion
(New York Times) President Obama condemned the latest Russian military advance into Ukraine on Thursday and said the United States and its allies would take further actions to punish Moscow for violating its neighbor's sovereignty, but he stopped short of calling it an invasion.
Ukraine Accuses Russia of Invasion
(Wall Street Journal) Ukraine on Thursday accused Russia of having invaded the country, dashing hopes of progress toward a diplomatic resolution and challenging the West to respond.
Russian armored columns said to capture key Ukrainian towns
(Washington Post) Russian soldiers, tanks and heavy artillery began rolling into southeastern Ukraine in earnest Thursday, the Ukrainian government said, as well-armed detachments captured key towns, burned buildings and sent the under-equipped Ukrainian forces into full retreat - a show of military force that the United States now considers an invasion in all but name.
NATO: These new satellite images show Russian troops in and around Ukraine
(Washington Post) NATO released satellite images on Thursday of what it said were Russian artillery, vehicles and troops in and around eastern Ukraine, just as Ukrainian officials said Russian troops in armored vehicles captured the Ukrainian town of Novoazovsk, along its southeastern coastline.
Putin urges release of trapped Ukrainian troops
(USA Today) Russian President Vladimir Putin called for the release of Ukrainian soldiers who have become surrounded by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Air Encounter More Likely to Cause Alarm Than Change
(New York Times) Although China and the United States have long been at odds over American surveillance flights near Chinese territory, the all-too-close encounter of an American spy plane and a Chinese fighter last week has forced both countries to consider the potential for the dispute to escalate disastrously.
US, South Korea quietly end Ulchi Freedom Guardian exercise
(Stars & Stripes) The biggest U.S.-South Korea war games ended Thursday as they began, with little fanfare, in what may have been an attempt by the allies to avoid provoking North Korea.
Japanese Defense Ministry Requests 2.4% Budget Hike
(Defense News) Japan's Ministry of Defense has requested a budget increase of 2.4 percent in 2015 for a total budget of 4.9 trillion yen ($47.25 billion), returning the budget to its 1990s peak levels and solidifying a reversal from a decade of declines during the 2000s.
AFRICA
AFRICOM postpones training Libyan troops
(Stars & Stripes) U.S. Africa Command's plan to train Libyan military forces is on hold given escalating clashes among rival militias that the country's U.N. ambassador warned Wednesday could plunge the country into civil war.
Collapsing Libya Sucks In Egypt With Gulf Ally in Islamist Fight
(Bloomberg) Egypt has won the United Arab Emirates' support for a crackdown on Islamists and there are signs the collaboration is extending beyond its borders.
Libya's Proxy Apocalypse
(Foreign Policy) Secretive air raids on Tripoli expose the widening outside interference in the midst of Libya's chaos
Ebola virus could infect 20,000 before outbreak is over, World Health Organization says
(Washington Post) The World Health Organization said on Thursday that the outbreak that has ravaged West Africa could infect 20,000 people before it is over. With 1,552 deaths recorded so far, the virus is certain to claim more lives than all of the previous Ebola outbreaks combined.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
Opinion: A and D Industry Stuck In Antiquated Mud
(Antoine Gelain in Aviation Week) It is a striking feature of the aerospace and defense (A and D) industry that, by and large, it is still dominated by the same companies as 30 years ago, while in so many other industries historical players have long been challenged, and sometimes defeated: General Motors, Digital Equipment, Xerox, Motorola, Texas Instruments and Eastman Kodak are a few of the Fortune 500 companies of the 1990s that faced major challenges during the last two decades.
Navy with a mission in mind
(George F. Will in The Washington Post) Russia's ongoing dismemberment of Ukraine and the Islamic State's erasing of Middle Eastern borders have distracted attention from the harassment of U.S. Navy aircraft by Chinese fighter jets over the South China Sea. Beijing calls this sea, and the Yellow and East China seas, the "near seas," meaning China's seas.
In Iraq, the B-1 Bomber Proves Enduring Value
(Patrick Megahan in Real Clear Defense) As the air war over northern Iraq expanded earlier this month, Pentagon officials for first time acknowledged that land-based bombers have begun conducting strikes against the Islamic State, or ISIS, as it is formerly known.
ISIL's Political-Military Power in Iraq
(Michael Knights in The Combating Terrorism Center at West Point ) The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)[1] has the world on edge. Since its nadir in the spring of 2010,[2] ISIL is considered to have evolved from a terrorist group on-the-ropes to "a full-blown army," in the words of U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Brett McGurk.[3] As the Institute for the Study of War noted, ISIL's overall strategy of consolidating and expanding its caliphate "fundamentally relies upon military superiority to wrest control of land and cities from modern states."[4]
The U.S. Needs a New Foreign Policy Agenda for 2016 (A Four-Part Series)
(William Inboden and Kim Holmes in Foreign Policy) It is a little more than two years before the next presidential election, but foreign policy might figure more prominently in the 2016 cycle than it has in recent elections.
