TODAY’S TOP 5
1. Senate: GOP takes control with at least seven seat gains
(USA Today) Republicans took control of the U.S. Senate in a series of stinging defeats for Democrats and President Obama, who will face a unified GOP-controlled Congress for his final two years in office.
2. Elections Guide
(Military Times) How Iraq/Afghanistan War veterans and lawmakers on key defense committees fared last night.
3. The White House Must Change its ISIS Strategy
(Chris Miller in Cicero Magazine) It is becoming clear that the American-led international coalition and its airstrikes in Iraq and Syria alone are not going to defeat ISIS. The U.S. government, its Western allies, and its Middle East partners, thus far, are against deploying ground troops to Iraq. The New Iraqi Army, a Shiite dominated organisation, has shown itself unwilling or incapable of defending Sunni-dominated western provinces. None of the parties concerned will commit soldiers to face ISIS, despite their acts of unspeakable violence and depravity. Current U.S. policy is against any military action in Iraq that does not come from the air, including firm support for non-conventional ground forces. The results thus far speak for themselves.
4. Last draftee retiring after 42 years on active duty
(Army Times) The last continuously serving Vietnam War draftee on active-duty is retiring from the Army.
5. Army Slow to Investigate War Gear Missing in Afghanistan
(Bloomberg) The U.S. Army has been slow to investigate hundreds of millions of dollars in missing weapons systems, vehicles, electronics and communications gear in Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon's inspector general.
CONGRESS
Army vet Tom Cotton elected to U.S. Senate
(Military Times) Veteran Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas lost his seat Tuesday to a freshman House Republican, putting the GOP a step closer to its goal of controlling the Senate for the first time in eight years.
Joni Ernst wins Iowa U.S. Senate seat
(Des Moines Register) Republican Joni Ernst will become Iowa's first female U.S. senator - and the first female veteran in the history of the U.S. Senate - after claiming victory Tuesday night in a bruising, big-money race that remained stubbornly close for months.
Seth Moulton beats Richard Tisei in run for 6th District seat
(Boston Globe) Seth Moulton, an Iraq war veteran and first-time candidate, swept to victory as a change agent for the Sixth Congressional District on Tuesday, denying Massachusetts Republicans their best hope of picking up a seat in the US House this year.
Tammy Duckworth re-elected to second term
(The Courier-News; Ill.) U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth is heading back to Washington for a second term after 8th Congressional District voters elected her over Republican challenger Larry Kaifesh.
Barber in danger; Kirkpatrick narrowly leads; Sinema wins
(Arizona Republic) Barber led Republican challenger Martha McSally by fewer than 300 votes -- a virtually 50-50 split -- with no Election Day ballots tallied yet in Cochise County, a strongly conservative area.
ISLAMIC STATE
From start to finish, airdrop to displaced Iraqis was like no other
(Air Force Times) Senior Airman Quinton Heyward got the word as soon as he stepped off the C-17 and into the desert.
Slaughter of Anbar tribesmen shows weakness in U.S. plan to beat Islamic State
(McClatchy) For four grueling months, Naim al Goud, his kinsmen and the local police fought off an Islamic State offensive against his town near Hit, a key city in Iraq's war-torn Anbar province. In his telling, their constant pleas for Iraqi army intervention and U.S. airstrikes were ignored.
Clarissa Ward speaks with Islamic radicals in London about accusations they recruit British citizens for battlefields in Syria and Iraq
("60 Minutes") This past week the U.S. government ordered stepped-up security at some 9,000 government buildings. This, in response to the attack on Canada's Parliament by a lone radicalized Muslim convert. Clarissa Ward, on assignment for 60 Minutes, reports why authorities in North America and Europe are keeping an increasingly close watch on homegrown Islamic extremists.
Rights group: Child captives faced 'torture and abuse' by Islamic State
(Washington Post) Kurdish children from the besieged Syrian town of Kobane were beaten with electrical cables and forced to watch beheading videos while held in captivity by Islamic State militants, an international rights group said Tuesday.
Iraqi forces insist Baghdad airport, lifeline to the world, is secure
(Los Angeles Times) Sgt. Ahmed Hassan says he hasn't fired a shot at Islamic State fighters in six weeks. From his perch atop an Iraqi army guard tower in this ramshackle city just west of Baghdad, he peers over his rifle sight toward a military checkpoint clogged with traffic and pedestrians on a busy weekday.
INDUSTRY
Sequester Could Kill Shipyards, Says CNO Greenert
(Breaking Defense) Navy readiness won't fully recover from the second-order effects of the 2013 sequester for another year, the Chief of Naval Operations said this morning - and if the Budget Control Act cuts (known as sequestration) return in full force for fiscal year 2016, the nation might lose two of its five remaining major shipyards.
US Army Evaluating Under-Vehicle Threat Protection System
(Defense News) Armor may protect vehicles from being breached by roadside bombs, but it does not always protect vehicles and their passengers from being tossed up and slammed down by a blast.
Prototype AI chip allows UAV to learn
(C4ISR & Networks) HRL Laboratories' Center for Neural and Emergent Systems has tested an unmanned aircraft with a prototype neuromorphic chip - a processor that essentially acts like a brain, learning and acting on its own, Gizmodo reports.
DOD tries to allay industry fears on intellectual property
(FCW) Addressing an audience of defense executives and military acquisition officials, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Katrina McFarland on Nov. 4 sought to clarify how much intellectual property the Defense Department is interested in owning in a project it outsources to private industry. McFarland and other DOD leaders argue that maintaining a delicate balance of owning parts of a project to control its upkeep but not owning too much IP as to scare off bidders could help shore up the U.S. defense industry's dwindling technological edge.
DISA seeks communications links for Ebola efforts
(C4ISR & Networks) The Defense Information Systems Agency is seeking circuits for communications between Germany and countries in Africa.
Accent on US-Israel Alliance as IAI, Lockheed Launch F-35 Wing Line
(Defense News) Touted by US and Israeli officials as a new milestone in decades-long defense-industrial cooperation, state-owned Israel Aerospace Industry (IAI) inaugurated a production line Tuesday to provide wings for Lockheed Martin-produced F-35 joint strike fighters.
Foreign F-35 Partners Allowed More Freedom to Customize Fighter Software
(USNI News) Foreign air forces ordering the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) will be able to customize the mission data packages loaded onto their aircraft in a compromise that defense officials say both preserves U.S. security and allows allies a greater degree of customization of their fighters.
UK to Sign Deals to Help Improve Acquisition Performance
(Defense News) Deals to improve key recruitment and project management skills at Britain's defense procurement and support agency have been signed with three major private-sector companies, the government announced Tuesday.
VETERANS
VA names new director for Phoenix medical center
(Arizona Republic) The Department of Veterans Affairs has named longtime administrator Glen Grippen as the third interim executive to oversee Phoenix VA Health Care System since it became the hub of a national crisis over mismanagement and delayed care.
VA's archaic archives give way to simpler computerized system
(Washington Post) Call it the demise of the old rubber thumb and the rise of the computerized keyword search.
Bruce Springsteen among those receiving first-ever awards for supporting veterans
(USA Today) Bruce Springsteen tops an eclectic group honored with first-ever awards for those striving to improve the lives of veterans and their families.
Government Seeks Vets Interested in STEM Jobs
(Government Executive) An interagency program that provides on-the-job training to veterans and helps them transition to federal careers will focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics occupations in 2015.
A standoff between Issac Sims and police leads to his fatal shooting
(Stars & Stripes) Patricia and Shawn Sims stared at the body of their dead son. His blue eyes were closed. His unlined face revealed none of the torment of his last days. He looked like a boy dreaming.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
DoD: Ebola mission won't be scaled back
(Military Times) The Pentagon has no plans to scale back its response to the Ebola outbreak, Defense Department spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said Tuesday.
Military veterinary facilities suspend most surgeries for pets
(Stars & Stripes) Military veterinary clinics around the world are scaling back the services they offer for privately owned pets in an effort to save money.
DoD proposes consolidating Tricare regions into two
(Military Times) The Defense Health Agency is proposing to cut the number of Tricare regions from three to two, a cost-savings plan that would sharply increase competition for the next round of lucrative Pentagon health care contracts.
In a Rare Move, Hagel Postpones Trip to Asia Amid Concerns in the Middle East
(Defense One) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel postponed a trip he was planning to take to Vietnam and Burma later this month in what amounted to a rare, last-minute change amid worries about the escalating situation in Iraq and Syria and "scheduling demands" in Washington.
Mission Family: Limits on nonprofit groups designed to protect military families
(Military Times) You may not have realized there was a problem. You may not have known that some nonprofit groups have been trying to make your life easier but are hitting roadblocks when military installation officials won't allow them access.
ARMY
Female soldiers at Fort Bragg training for possible chance to tackle Ranger Course
(Fayetteville Observer) Female soldiers on Fort Bragg are undergoing grueling training this month in hopes of being among the first women to tackle one of the Army's toughest tests.
Fort Hood soldier's death under investigation
(Army Times) Spc. Gage Matthew-Gilbert Schellin of Fort Hood, Texas, died Sunday from an apparent gunshot wound, post officials announced Tuesday afternoon.
Fort Wainwright soldier pleads guilty to murder in death of 3-year-old son
(Fairbanks Daily News-Miner; Alaska) A Fort Wainwright soldier has pleaded guilty to premeditated murder and other charges associated with the death of his 3-year-old son.
Troops' sleep problem may be new disorder
(Army Times) A 39-year-old soldier arrived at the sleep clinic at Madigan Army Medical Center with symptoms not uncommon in combat soldiers: nightmares of his war experiences and thrashing in his sleep, at one point clocking his wife hard enough to leave bruises.
JBLM chef completes top-secret mission on Food Network
(Tacoma News Tribune) Like his customers in military uniforms at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Chef Randy Mulder can't disclose much about his recent, out-of-state mission in which he was pushed to his limits and made to swear not to talk about it.
(Military Times) You may not have realized there was a problem. You may not have known that some nonprofit groups have been trying to make your life easier but are hitting roadblocks when military installation officials won't allow them access.
NAVY
Sailors and Marines begin Bold Alligator in the dark - by design
(Navy Times) There is no doubt that Bold Alligator 2014 is about to heat up. This massive amphibious exercise will throw multiple crisis-response scenarios at forces from 19 nations, to include 19 U.S. Navy and coalition ships and 8,000 U.S. and international marines.
USS McCampbell chief dies while on leave in Thailand
(Stars & Stripes) A USS McCampbell sailor died after sustaining a head injury while on leave in Thailand, 7th Fleet officials confirmed Tuesday.
New closure approved for men's service dress whites
(Navy Times) If you are a chief or officer and frustrated with how your high-collared choker whites fit around your neck, your complaints have been answered.
Judge dismisses claim against government filed by Tampa family of Navy Yard victim
(Tampa Tribune) A federal court judge in Tampa has dismissed a wrongful death claim filed against the U.S. government by the Tampa family of a woman killed in the 2013 Washington Navy Yard shooting.
AIR FORCE
Stalled budget holding up decisions on 2015 force cuts
(Air Force Times) The Air Force is waiting for Congress to sort out the fiscal 2015 budget before deciding what kind of force management programs it will need this year.
Disciplinary acts against nuke officers topped 16
(Associated Press) The Air Force has fired or disciplined at least 16 nuclear missile commanders or senior officers for misconduct and other failings over the past year and a half, reflecting turmoil in arguably the military's most sensitive mission.
Air Force missile sites to get Wi-Fi
(Air Force Times) Air Force Global Strike Command announced today that the service's 45 missile alert facilities will now feature wireless Internet as a new incentive to help the quality of life for missileers deployed to the remote facilities.
MacDill pilot ready to test Air Force's new tanker
(Tampa Tribune) In the Leibrand household, husband David currently outranks his wife Kaylyn, but she is about to get the sweeter ride.
Lessons for a Grandfather, Unexpectedly Deployed to Afghanistan
(New York Times) "You know you won a free round-trip ticket to Afghanistan?" a perpetually busy chief master sergeant asked me one warm winter evening. We were at the gym at Robins Air Force Base in Houston County, Ga., after a day spent serving on a panel of public affairs chiefs.
MARINE CORPS
Hagel: Amos will retire as a 4-star, service record included data entry error
(Marine Corps Times) The Secretary of Defense has responded to allegations that former Marine Corps commandant Gen. Jim Amos misrepresented his service record, saying his critics' claims that he did not attend The Basic School as a young officer were 'not ... credible.'
Firefighters contain Camp Pendleton blaze
(KSWB‑TV; San Diego) A brush fire that burned 7.5 open acres at Camp Pendleton Tuesday amid gusty Santa Ana conditions is at 100 percent containment, authorities reported.
Retired Marine gets threats after guarding Canadian war memorial
(Marine Corps Times) Retired Marine Maj. "Fox" Sinke says he has received threatening phone calls from Arabic speakers since he stood guard at Canada's National War Memorial last week.
Honoring the fallen, a veteran returns 70 years later
(WWMT-TV; Kalamazoo, Mich.) An 18-year-old Detroit Marine has been laid to rest at Fort Custer, reunited with his family in West Michigan after he was killed in action during World War II.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
Major U.S. army division ends operations in Afghanistan 13 years after it arrived
(Washington Post) The U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division formally concluded its operations in Afghanistan on Tuesday, another sign that the war is drawing to a close even as American commanders are evaluating whether they will have enough resources to support the fledgling Afghan military.
Pentagon Sought Sanctions Exemptions for Iranian Investment in Afghanistan
(Wall Street Journal) As the U.S. struggled in recent years to help prop up Afghanistan's anemic economy, the American military turned for help to an unlikely partner: Iran.
MoI Denies Reports of ALP Selling Weapons to Taliban
(Tolo News) In a press release on Tuesday, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) categorically denied allegations recently reported in the media that Afghan Local Police (ALP) had sold weapons to Taliban fighters in Logar, Maidan Wardak and Ghazni provinces.
MIDDLE EAST
Hezbollah leader delivers defiant speech, defends group's role in Syrian war
(Washington Post) Hezbollah's leader delivered a defiant speech Tuesday that sought to dispel any notion that his Lebanese Shiite group is strained by its intervention in Syria, warning that it could still confront Sunni extremists and Israel.
Amnesty International Says Israel Showed 'Callous Indifference' in Gaza
(New York Times) Amnesty International published a report early Wednesday accusing Israel of war crimes in its 50-day war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip this summer, saying its military showed "callous indifference" to civilians in airstrikes on homes that felled entire families.
Saudi Arabia Takes Action After Shiites Are Attacked
(New York Times) Saudi Arabian security officials moved aggressively on Tuesday to crush an outbreak of anti-Shiite violence, arresting 15 people in six cities and killing two others in connection with what the Interior Ministry called a terrorist ambush on mosque worshipers in a minority Shiite community.
EUROPE
Odierno: No plans for further troop cuts in Europe
(Stars & Stripes) For the time being, the Army has no plans to withdraw any more troops from Germany, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno told German media on Tuesday.
CNO Greenert: Russian Navy 'Very Busy in the Undersea Domain'
(USNI News) The Russian Navy's submarine force has been more active this year against the backdrop of soured relationships with the West over the ongoing internal conflicts in Ukraine and the forced annexation of Crimea by Russia, U.S. Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Jonathan Greenert said on Tuesday.
Top British Spy Warns of Terrorists' Use of Social Media
(New York Times) One of Britain's highest-ranking intelligence officials on Tuesday castigated the giant American companies that dominate the Internet for providing the "command-and-control networks of choice for terrorists and criminals" and challenged the companies to find a better balance between privacy and security.
ASIA-PACIFIC
In Asia, midterm rout of Democrats means a loss of face for Obama
(Washington Post) President Obama's challenges in Asia will become greater, analysts say, now that Republicans have taken control of the Senate and made it much less likely that the White House will be able to advance its agenda over the next two years.
China Paper Blasts President Obama Ahead of Visit
(Voice of America) Just days before President Barack Obama travels to China for a regional summit, a prominent, state-run paper there is accusing him of being an ineffective leader who has done an "insipid" job in office.
Hong Kong Government Supporters Grow Impatient With C.Y. Leung
(Wall Street Journal) Six weeks into pro-democracy protests, cracks are beginning to show among supporters of the government.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
How the Limited Use of Lessons Learned Failed to Form a Cohesive Strategy in Operation Enduring Freedom
(Joel Lawton in Small Wars Journal) The United States, with its endeavor in Afghanistan, has taken the course of many strategies that made diminutive positive impacts to the country. Initially, this paper reveals that strategy, policy, or even doctrine development has failed to synthesize knowledge of lessons learned from similar global or U.S. driven approaches. The purpose of this paper is to explore cognitive errors leading to poor strategic-level U.S. military decision making and policy adoption. This can be attributed to a paucity of analysis of historical knowledge captured in the form of lessons learned.
Detainee Transferred from Afghanistan to US for Trial: A Model for GTMO Closure?
(Robert Chesney in Lawfare) A very interesting development today with respect to the ongoing effort to complete the shut-down of US-administered military detention in Afghanistan:
Why Chinese-Russian Friendship Is Here To Stay
(Gilbert Rozman in Foreign Affairs) Recently, China and Russia have challenged the international order by giving each other diplomatic backing to confront Ukraine and Hong Kong, respectively. But Western observers have mostly misunderstood the countries' reasons for building closer ties with each other. They have been motivated less by shared material interests than by a common sense of national identity that defines itself in opposition to the West and in support of how each views the legacy of traditional communism. Moscow and Beijing have disagreements about the future order they envision for their regions. But they agree that the geopolitical order of the East should be in opposition to that of the West-and that has led to significantly closer bilateral relations.
Nuclear Weapons and the Korean War: A Precarious Beginning for the Tradition of Non-Use
(Nathan A. Jennings in Small Wars Journal) Throughout the dramatic invasions and counter-invasions that defined the Korean War the United States retained a ready nuclear arsenal. Supreme and peerless in atomic might even when compared to the nascent Soviet capability, America enjoyed the singular capacity to destroy Chinese war-making capability on a strategic level, and to substantially degrade ground formations at the operational and tactical levels. Despite serious consideration, American decision makers chose to fight to a high-consumption and high-cost war through conventional means rather than employing the unparalleled power of nuclear technology. This choice of atomic non-use set the precedent for an enduring tradition of nuclear restraint that remains in effect today.
Is Religion Inherently Violent?
(Emma Green in The Atlantic) In her new book, Fields of Blood, Karen Armstrong argues against the idea that faith fuels wars.
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