| January 13, 2014 |
THE EARLY BIRD BRIEF | Get the most comprehensive aggregation of defense news delivered by the world's largest independent newsroom covering military and defense.
| ADVERTISEMENT  | | ADVERTISEMENT  | TODAY'S TOP 5 1. CENTCOM's Twitter account hacked by Islamic State supporters
(Military Times) At first glance, the words were chilling.
2. Talk of Petraeus indictment raises legal questions for his ex-paramour
(McClatchy) Former CIA Director David Petraeus is not the only one in potential legal jeopardy for the reported discovery of classified information on his former paramour's computer.
3. House again passes veterans suicide prevention bill
(Military Times) For the second time in five weeks, House lawmakers unanimously passed sweeping veterans mental health legislation designed to launch new community outreach efforts and recruit more psychiatrists to slow the nation's estimated 22 veterans suicides each day.
4. Hagel Setting Out On Last Trip as Defense Secretary
(DoDBuzz) Chuck Hagel will begin Tuesday his last trip to U.S. bases as defense secretary ahead of Senate confirmation hearings expected to start early next month for former Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, who has been nominated to replace him.
5. Protesters: Return Christian flag, statue to veterans memorial
(Army Times) Protesters gathered Sunday in a North Carolina park to register their disappointment in elected officials who ordered the removal of a statue of a praying soldier and a Christian flag as part of a legal settlement with an Afghanistan war veteran.
EUROPE TERROR FEARS White House on Obama's No-Show in Paris March: 'We Should Have Sent Someone With a Higher Profile'
(National Journal ) Press secretary Josh Earnest said Monday that the administration made a mistake in its representatives at antiterrorism rallies in France this weekend.
Bodies of Paris supermarket dead arrive in Israel for funeral
(USA Today) The bodies of four Jewish people who died in an attack on a kosher supermarket in Paris have arrived in Israel ahead of their burial Tuesday.
Europe 'Reacted Too Late' to Danger of Islamists Returning From Middle East
(Newsweek) A former UK counter-terrorism detective has told Newsweek that the authorities in Britain and France "face awkward questions" about letting young jihadists travel to join the Syrian rebels, especially in the early days of the civil war when the Islamic State had yet to emerge as the predominant fighting group. And a French security source says European intelligence services underestimated the danger of Syria-linked jihadist groups.
Search on for 6 possible accomplices in Paris attacks
(Al Jazeera America ) As many as six members of a cell involved in the Paris attacks may still be at large, including a man who was seen driving a car registered to the widow of one of the slain gunmen, French officials said Monday.
Charlie Hebdo's next cover to show Muhammad with 'I am Charlie' sign
(Los Angeles Times) The cover of Charlie Hebdo's next issue, due out Wednesday, will have a cartoon of the prophet Muhammad crying and holding an "I am Charlie" sign under the headline "All is forgiven." The image was published online Monday by the French daily Liberation.
Murdoch and Fox News Mocked on Twitter for Claims About Muslims
(New York Times) Mr. Murdoch posted a message on Twitter late Friday in which he seemed to assign collective blame for the deadly attacks on a satirical newspaper and a kosher market in Paris to all followers of Islam, the social network lit up with criticism and mockery.
Far right in Europe sees opportunity after wave of terror in France
(Washington Post) The wave of terror that left 17 people dead in and around Paris has ushered in a new sense of insecurity across Europe - but also what could be a defining moment for the anti-immigrant, anti-Islam forces of the far right.
Charlie Hebdo to Print 3 Million Copies With Muhammad Cover
(Bloomberg) Charlie Hebdo will print 3 million copies of a special issue of the satirical magazine, depicting the Prophet Muhammad on the cover, a week after an attack at its headquarters left a third of its journalists dead.
Fear on Rise, Jews in France Weigh an Exit
(New York Times) French Jews, already feeling under siege by anti-Semitism, say the trauma of the terrorist attacks last week has left them scared, angry, unsure of their future in France and increasingly willing to consider conflict-torn Israel as a safer refuge.
Germany's anti-Islam rallies met with larger protests
(USA Today) Thousands marched in anti-Islam protests Monday night across Germany and were met by even bigger crowds opposing them.
ISLAMIC STATE Afghan official: IS operating in Helmand province
(Associated Press) Afghan officials confirmed for the first time Monday that the extremist Islamic State group is active in the south, recruiting fighters, flying black flags and, according to some sources, even battling Taliban militants.
Libyan Militants Aligned With Islamic State Claim Kidnapping of 21 Egyptian Christians
(New York Times) Libyan militants calling themselves part of the Islamic State said on Monday that they were holding captive 21 Egyptian Christians, raising new fears about the extremist group's spreading influence beyond the battlegrounds of Syria and Iraq.
The Kurds Can Wipe IS Off The Face Of The Earth'
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Tajik journalist Davlyat Nazirov has called on the United Nations to sort out the question of Kurdish statehood, arguing that it is the Kurds who would be able to successfully defeat the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and Iraq. In an interview with a Tajik news outlet on January 12, Nazirov also accused the United States of using terrorist threats to control Tajikistan.
The latest Islamic State video shows how hard it is to shut down jihadist propaganda online
(Quartz) The latest video from the Islamic State (or ISIL/ISIS), released Jan. 11, shows Amedy Coulibaly, who killed four people in a Paris grocery store last week, declaring his allegiance to the self-declared caliphate and its leader, and urging other Muslims in France to follow in his footsteps.
West Struggles to Halt Flow of Citizens to War Zones
(New York Times) The number of people traveling abroad to fight continues to grow, with about 1,000 militant recruits joining the fight in Syria and Iraq each month, according to recent United States government figures.
CONGRESS Veterans jobs bill advances; future is uncertain
(Military Times) House lawmakers opened the new legislative session by passing a measure billed as both a boost to veterans employment and a chance to roll back part of the president's controversial health care law.
Corker: More Paris-Like Attacks Coming
(Defense News) A senior US senator on Monday issued a chilling prediction about new Islamic extremist group attacks like the ones in Paris last week that left 16 civilians dead.
Senators press Iraq PM to supply Kurds
(The Hill) A bipartisan group of senators sent a letter to the Iraqi prime minister Monday to ask him to ensure that his government is distributing aid to the Kurdish minority in northern Iraq who are under threat from the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
GOP Warns of 'New Phase' in Terrorism Fight
(Defense News) Republican lawmakers believe recent attacks in Paris show the United States and its allies are in a "new phase" in the fight against violent extremist groups.
Bid to end oil export ban runs into pump politics
(Politico) Oil companies are pleading with Washington to jettison the ban on exporting U.S. crude oil, but many of the industry's allies in the Republican Party aren't sold on the idea.
Obama administration urges Congress to delay new Iran sanctions
(Los Angeles Times) With negotiations over Iran's nuclear program about to resume, the Obama administration urged Congress on Monday to delay imposing any new economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic.
Obama calls for new cyberprotections
(USA Today) The president asked Congress to pass a law requiring companies to inform customers within 30 days if their data have been hacked.
White House petition calls for hearings on alien life
(Flightlines) A new petition to the White House is calling on Congress to hold hearings about what U.S. government officials know about the existence of extraterrestrial life.
INDUSTRY Airbus, Boeing split annual sales rivalry
(Associated Press) Boeing Co. topped Airbus in deliveries to customers for the third straight year in 2014 - but Airbus edged ahead with more future orders in the rival companies' annual sales battle.
UK Signs Deal For New Air Defense Missile
(Defense News) The British Army is to get a new ground-based air defense missile to replace the aging Rapier system following the signing of a development and manufacture deal by the Defence Ministry and MBDA last month.
Aurora to create cockpit automation
(C4ISR & Networks) Aurora Flight Sciences has been awarded a $6 million DARPA contract to develop cockpit automation.
NG Europe Boss Debates Defense in Media Ads
(Defense News) Northrop Grumman's European chief executive, Andrew Tyler, has resorted to an unusual method to raise the level of debate on defense issues in the UK ahead of the planned strategic defense and security review (SDSR) planned for later this year: He purchased space on the Financial Times.com site to air his views.
The Very Real Future of Iron Man Suits for the Navy
(DefenseOne) One day, troops will strap on bulletproof Iron Man suits and fly into battle, but only after a breakthrough in portable power storage that may not arrive for another decade. In the meantime, exoskeletons do have real military potential today, if only the Pentagon can shed some of its comic-book inspired notions and deploy them where they can do the most good - on ships. That's according to a new report from the Center for New American Security.
Czech Army Plans Pandur APC Order
(Defense News) The Czech Ministry of Defense aims to order 20 Pandur II 8x8 armored personnel carriers (APCs) from General Dynamics European Land Systems. The deal is expected to be awarded in July, Czech Deputy Defense Minister Jiri Borovec said.
It's A Bird! It's A Plane! No, It's Aircraft That Fly Like A Bird!
(Breaking Defense) The Army is seeking attack and utility versions of an aircraft weighing about 30,000 pounds at takeoff that can fly faster than 230 knots (about 265 miles per hour) - better than 100 miles per hour faster than most military helicopters cruise.
ESN wins ship sensor contract
(C4ISR & Networks) Engineering Services Network Inc. has been awarded a $13.5 million contract to support the Combat Systems Operational Sequencing System (CSOSS).
Navy looks to private contractors for more sub maintenance
(Associated Press) With U.S. attack submarines sidelined by extended delays at government shipyards, the Navy is turning to private companies to perform more of the maintenance work on the nuclear-powered vessels.
Indian Defence Secretary in France for Rafale Talks
(Defense News) Indian Defence Secretary Radha Krishna Mathur is in Paris Monday and Tuesday to help speed negotiations on the Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program, an Indian Defence Ministry source said. A senior official of state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) is accompanying Mathur, the official said.
Army seeks AI bots for unmanned teams
(C4ISR & Networks) The Army is looking for an open architecture that will allow teaming between manned and unmanned platforms.
Russia and India agree preliminary design for FGFA fighter
(IHS Jane's 360) Russian and Indian officials have agreed the preliminary design for the Sukhoi/Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), Russian state media reported on 10 January.
Germany May Revive Euro Hawk Using MQ-4C
(Aviation Week) Germany may turn to the U.S. Navy's MQ-4C Triton to resurrect its Euro Hawk program and claw back some of the almost €600 million ($750 million) invested in the project. The May 2013 cancellation was the result of concerns about the ability of the system to satisfy airworthiness regulations necessary to permit flight in civil airspace.
Air Force Foreshadows $450M Contract With Raytheon For 5,000 Griffin Missiles
(Inside Defense) Just months after placing an $85 million order with Raytheon for Griffin missiles, the Air Force intends to award the company another contract worth up to $450 million for 5,000 missiles plus associated equipment and support services.
Lockheed Martin Eyes Commercial, Civil UAS Market
(National Defense) With fewer dollars being allocated for military unmanned aerial vehicle procurement, Lockheed Martin is looking to sell its drone products to the burgeoning commercial and civil market.
Belgium Seeks More Information For F-16 Replacement Project
(Aviation Week) The Belgian government has started a survey process to pave the way for a program to replace the country's F-16 fighter fleet.
Images suggest J-10Bs close to entering Chinese service
(IHS Jane's 360) An early January sighting of 14 J-10B fighters at the airfield of Factory 132 of the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) indicates this updated fighter may soon be deployed to its first operational regiment.
VETERANS VA puts veterans at risk by providing incentive to rush claims, critics say
(Washington Times) Philadelphia program rewards employees with cash, food for deciding cases quickly
After Stevens Point vet dies, lawmaker demands VA probe
(Stevens-Point Journal ) U.S. Rep. Ron Kind on Monday called for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to investigate the VA hospital in Tomah after investigative reports revealed an overprescription of opiates to veterans seeking treatment at the facility.
Nisei veterans set to receive French medal
(Honolulu Star-Advertiser) The accolades continue to pour in for an aging group of World War II soldiers. Twenty-seven World War II Japa-nese-American soldiers will be decorated with France's highest medal - the Legion of Honor - this month for their part in liberating France as members of the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
IBM's cognitive computer Watson could use skills to help treat veterans with PTSD
(Baltimore-Sun) In 2011, IBM's Watson computer system used artificial intelligence to beat challengers on the TV quiz show "Jeopardy." Now, physicians at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are putting Watson to a different test: using the system to help them treat veterans with post traumatic stress disorder.
Opiates handed out like candy to 'doped-up' veterans at Wisconsin VA
(The Center for Investigative Reporting) Doctors at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Tomah, Wisconsin, hand out so many narcotic painkillers that some veterans have taken to calling the place "Candy Land." They call the hospital's chief of staff, psychiatrist Dr. David Houlihan, the "Candy Man."
College vet center grant program to expand
(Military Times) Marywood University's new veterans center opened last semester without any permanent student housing, but veterans moved in anyway.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT Military pharmacies can get civilian prescriptions electronically
(Military Times) Military pharmacies nationwide now may accept electronic prescriptions from civilian doctors, eliminating the need for paper or faxed scripts in many cases, according to Defense Health Agency officials.
Inside Ash Carter's Transition Team
(DefenseOne) Ash Carter, nominated to replace Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, has picked a small team of experienced hands with whom he has worked closely in the past to form a transition team to help him prepare for a confirmation process expected to be contentious but ultimately successful.
DISA's reorg builds on cyber, collaboration and cloud
(C4ISR & Networks) As part of ongoing efforts to reorganize the Defense Information Systems Agency, officials are emphasizing efficiencies and effectiveness through Defense Department-wide partnerships aiming to streamline defense IT operations.
Reporter James Risen won't be called to testify again in CIA leak case
(Los Angeles Times) New York Times reporter James Risen will not be called to testify in the trial of Jeffrey Sterling, a former CIA officer charged with leaking classified information, the Department of Justice said in court papers filed Monday. James Risen's book 'State of War' revealed classified, embarrassing details of CIA operations in Iran
New DoD cloud security requirements coming Tuesday
(Federal Times) The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is poised to release final security guidance for purchasing cloud services on Tuesday as the Defense Department shifts to commercial providers.
Pentagon Still Pushing To Retire A-10 and Close Bases
(DoDBuzz) The Pentagon renewed its commitment Friday to retiring the Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft and closing excess military bases in the U.S., setting up another battle with Congress in budget hearings to begin next month.
ARMY Hero or murderer? Soldiers divided in 1LT Lorance case
(Army Times) Thousands are rallying in support of inmate Clint Lorance, but his own platoon mates condemn him.
Fort Carson brigade inactivates; first of two inactivations this week
(Army Times) The 4th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team will be inactivated during a ceremony Wednesday at Fort Carson, Colorado.
Bravery of W.Pa. National Guard soldiers in rescue earns each rare medal
(Tribune-Review) A June 2013 afternoon training exercise turned into a daring rescue for six Pennsylvania National Guard soldiers and earned them the rare Soldier's Medal on Saturday.
Controversy heats up over open burn at Camp Minden
(The News-Star) Growing concerns about the planned disposal of 15 million pounds of M6 propellant stored at Camp Minden through an open burn are spreading beyond Webster Parish as some environmental experts say the emissions could drift anywhere between the Red and Ouachita rivers and beyond.
Last shot' for public to show support for Fort Polk
(The Town Talk) Two years ago, people lined the streets of Leesville by the hundreds to show their support for Fort Polk. They stood and waited for hours, bearing homemade signs and American flags. Some drove an hour or more just to get there. All so Army decision-makers traveling into town to hear concerns about potential downsizing at Fort Polk would see the throng of people and know how much the community appreciates its local base.
NAVY Maintenance centers give advancement edge
(Navy Times) Let's face it, not every sailor is cut out to be a recruiter - selling the Navy to the next generation - or a recruit division commander, making sailors out of civilians at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois.
Other career-boosting shore jobs: recruiting and RDC
(Navy Times) Working as a maintainer ashore isn't the only career-enhancing shore duty out there.
Navy SEAL dies in skydiving accident in Florida
(Associated Press) A 31-year-old Navy SEAL died after making a hard landing during a skydiving exercise in central Florida.
Tour lengths extended for more than 2,000 jobs
(Navy Times) The Coast Guard is retooling its permanent change-of-station rotations to boost job proficiency, benefit service members and their families and, tangentially, save money.
Little Creek-based ship conducts salvage missions around world
(Associated Press) Howie Goettsch, boatswain on the Virginia Beach-based rescue-and-salvage ship, says he thinks of it as a big fire truck, waiting for the next call. Over nearly three decades of service, the Grapple has seen its share of them.
Interview: Vice Adm. Tom Rowden
(Defense News) Making sure the US fleet's warships are ready for combat is the responsibility of Vice Adm. Tom Rowden, the US Navy's top surface warfare officer. He manages some of the Navy's newest ships, such as the littoral combat ship and soon, the Zumwalt-class destroyers, along with cruisers, destroyers, minesweepers and amphibious ships that have been in service since the 1980s and 1990s. All of those ships need to be manned, trained and equipped between heavy operational commitments and strained maintenance budgets.
US, South Korean navies kick off anti-submarine warfare drill
(Stars & Stripes) The U.S. and South Korea on Tuesday kicked off a two-day joint naval drill that includes two U.S. destroyers and several South Korean vessels.
AIR FORCE New EPR system: Leaders answer your questions
(Air Force Times) The Air Force is rolling out the most dramatic retooling of how it evaluates and promotes enlisted airmen in decades - and those airmen want to know more about how it's going to work.
Court Denies Schwalier A Second Star
(Air Force Magazine ) Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Terryl Schwalier, who commanded the 4404th Wing (Provisional) at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, at the time of the terrorist attack on Khobar Towers in 1996, cannot challenge the Clinton Administration-era ruling to pass him over for promotion, according to a US appeals court ruling last week.
Air Force to handle prosecution related to fatal 2014 highway crash
(Noozhawk) An Air Force airman will be prosecuted in the military justice system for a fatal crash that killed a colleague last summer near Vandenberg Air Force Base. Nicholas S. DiBona, 21, of Fuquay-Varina, N.C., died July 13 when the car in which he was riding overturned off Highway 1 near Santa Lucia Canyon Road.
Robins AFB could become insider threat test wing
(C4ISR & Networks) The Air Force is searching for the right base to serve as a test wing for its insider threat program, still under development. Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is one contender, according to an article published by the base's public affairs office.
Airman pleads not guilty to premeditated murder in Chepusov's death
(Stars & Stripes) Air Force Staff Sgt. Sean Oliver pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder and other charges Monday as his court-martial for the 2013 death of Petty Officer Dmitry Chepusov began.
MARINE CORPS The new 'F'n Boot:' Once abusive page seeks to help vets
(Marine Corps Times) A page administrator for the Facebook page "F'n Boot" calls from the dentist's office, where he's taken one of his kids to get a tooth pulled. Shane Eckberg, who identifies himself as a former mortarman and rifleman who served two tours and got out of the Marines in 2004, is quiet and friendly, something of a surprise considering the furor that variations of the "F'n Boot" page has caused over the years.
Hilarious Video Shows What Marines Stationed In 29 Palms Don't Say
(We Are The Mighty) The massive Marine Corps base at Twentynine Palms, Calif. is known for its remote desert location, proximity to Las Vegas and Palm Springs, and insane level of training opportunities.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN In Pakistan, children attend school in shadow of fear after attack
(Los Angeles Times) Khaula Syed Ali remembers tucking her 8-year-old son's white school uniform shirt into his beige shorts and combing his hair. But the boy was pleading.
UN Mission in Afghanistan welcomes announcement of cabinet
(Khaama Press) The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan welcomed the announced of candidate ministers by the Government of National Unity on Monday.
US: Pakistan Willing to Attack Taliban, Haqqani Militants
(Voice of America) The U.S. says that Pakistan is pledging a new willingness to attack Taliban and Haqqani Network insurgents in tribal areas along its Afghan border.
Facing Intolerance, Many Sikhs and Hindus Leave Afghanistan
(Wall Street Journal) Rawail Singh, a leader of Kabul's Sikh community, is a big supporter of recently sworn-in President Ashraf Ghani : His Facebook profile features a photo of the president holding his 4-year-old daughter during a campaign rally.
MIDDLE EAST Egyptian Court Orders Retrial for Mubarak
(Voice of America) An Egyptian appeals court says ousted President Hosni Mubarak and his two sons will get a retrial in the embezzlement case that earned them multi-year sentences last year.
Abbas dramatically challenges Israel after 10 cautious years
(Associated Press) After a decade in power, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has little to show. He is no closer to a deal on Palestinian statehood, has failed to reclaim the Gaza Strip from political rival Hamas and is being disparaged by some as a pliant guardian of Israeli security needs in the West Bank.
Lebanese Police Raid Prison After Deadly Bombings
(Voice of America) Lebanese police have raided a notorious prison as part of an operation targeting inmates that officials say were connected to a deadly bombing Saturday in Tripoli.
Turkish entrepreneur aims for university for Syrian refugees
(Associated Press) At a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey, 19-year-old Usame Isa hopes to raise funds to start a Turkish university for Syrian refugees, with classes held in Arabic and English in addition to Turkish.
EUROPE Russian, Iranian Officials Discuss Nuclear Talks
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has discussed ongoing Iran nuclear negotiations with officials in Tehran.
Kremlin: Poland failed to invite Putin to Auschwitz event
(Associated Press) The Kremlin says President Vladimir Putin hasn't been invited to a ceremony in Poland marking the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp by the Soviet troops.
U.S. use of sanctions is riling some beyond the target countries
(Los Angeles Times) Some European leaders have complained that U.S. sanctions directed at opponents, particularly Russia, have begun to cause problems for its friends.
Ukraine ex-leader Yanukovych wanted by Interpol
(BBC) Interpol has placed deposed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on its wanted list, almost one year after he fled to neighbouring Russia.
Croatians Elect Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic as Their First Female President
(New York Times) In an unexpectedly tight runoff, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, a conservative challenger, won Croatia's election on Sunday and is set to become the country's first female president.
Live Blog: Ukraine In Crisis
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) The foreign ministers of Germany, Russia, Ukraine and France failed to make sufficient progress at a Berlin meeting on Monday to merit a four-way meeting between those countries' leaders, reports suggested. The meeting was primarily focused on the terms of the Minsk cease-fire agreement from September
ASIA-PACIFIC Japan, China eye early launch of maritime crisis management mechanism
(Kyodo News) Japan and China have agreed on an early launch of a maritime and air crisis management mechanism aimed at avoiding unwanted clashes around East China Sea islands, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Tuesday.
Asian Geopolitical Trends in 2015
(The Diplomat) Ankit Panda speaks to Diplomat Associate Editors Shannon Tiezzi, Prashanth Parameswaran, and Franz-Stefan Gady about the geopolitical trends worth keeping an eye on in the Asia-Pacific region in 2015.
OPEC price war in Asia intensifies as oil falls below $50
(Reuters) Even as Saudi Arabia and its Gulf OPEC allies appear united in their refusal to cut output to boost global oil prices, they are becoming locked in an increasingly fierce battle to secure market share in Asia.
Pope arrives in Sri Lanka at start of Asian tour
(Associated Press) Pope Francis arrived in Sri Lanka Tuesday at the start of a weeklong Asian tour saying the island nation can't fully heal from a quarter-century of ethnic civil war without pursuing truth for the injustices committed.
AFRICA Boko Haram attacks Cameroon military base
(Al Jazeera America) Fighters from the Nigerian armed group Boko Haram launched an attack Monday on a military base in the northwest Cameroonian city of Kolofata, police say.
At Museum, New Front in Guinea Worm Fight
(New York Times) There were only 126 cases of Guinea worm reported in the world last year, a 15 percent drop from the year before, according to former President Jimmy Carter, who has fought for decades to eradicate the debilitating disease, which once affected millions. But the last outbreaks are in four African countries, which complicates the final push: 70 cases in South Sudan, 40 in Mali, 13 in Chad and three in Ethiopia.
American Ebola survivor Dr. Rick Sacra returns to Liberia this week
(Los Angeles Times) Dr. Rick Sacra, a family physician from Massachusetts, is returning this week to the West African country where he contracted Ebola to resume work as a medical missionary.
Death toll rises to 72 from contaminated beer in Mozambique
(Associated Press) Health authorities in Mozambique say three more people have died from drinking contaminated beer, bringing the number of fatalities to 72.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS Editorial: Learn Lessons from Paris Attacks
(Defense News) The brutal events last week in Paris serve as a potent reminder that terrorism remains a threat to our lives and values.
Jake Tapper: I'm ashamed by U.S. leaders' absence in Paris
(CNN) The United States, which considers itself to be the most important nation in the world, was not represented in this march -- arguably one of the most important public demonstrations in Europe in the last generation -- except by U.S. Ambassador Jane Hartley, who may have been a few rows back. I didn't see her. Even Russia sent Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. I say this as an American -- not as a journalist, not as a representative of CNN -- but as an American: I was ashamed.
Editorial: A Great, New US Navy Concept
(Defense News) For decades, the US Navy's surface forces have lacked a unifying theme around which to organize, set requirements and fight for resources. It's a point one of America's foremost naval analysts, Ronald O'Rourke of the Congressional Research Service, has been making for years.
Winning the Battle, Losing the War
(Huffington Post) Every few days, the headquarters of the U.S.-led war against the Islamic State militias issues a communique on how the war is going. Monday's report said 27 coalition air attacks on Sunday and Monday struck nine vehicles, 12 troop units, 10 fighting positions (foxholes), 10 buildings, an oil refinery, a rocket launcher, three boats and a tank, among other targets. The attacks are framed as progress in the fight against extremism and terrorism, although it's difficult to make that link in the aftermath of the violence in France. What we do know, from 13 years of painful experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, is that one-sided accounts of combat strikes don't necessarily reflect a war that's being won.
Commentary: Carter's Critical Priorities
(Defense News) As Ashton Carter prepares for his Senate confirmation hearings, he will need to consider not just defense budgets but the creation of new strategies and operational capabilities to meet 21st century geopolitical challenges.
ISIS, al-Qaeda and Why It Doesn't Matter to Would-Be Jihadists
(Quartz) A new narrative is emerging about the Jan 7 attack on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo-that it was spurred, at least in part, by a competition between two terrorist groups. The theory is that Al Qaeda instigated the attack, through its franchise in Yemen, in order to reclaim its position as terrorist top dog from the arrivistes known variously as ISIL, ISIS and the Islamic State.But the real lesson from Paris is that the distinctions between Al Qaeda and ISIL are immaterial to self-styled jihadis.
How Russia's Sinking Economy Could Provoke Unrest on Its Doorstep
(Foreign Policy) Even as Russian consumers find the value of their rubles shrinking and consumer goods harder to find, there is a flip side to the contraction, one that has potentially significant ramifications for Russia's volatile domestic politics. Since the first week of January, labor migration into Russia - mostly from Central Asia and the Caucasus - has dropped 70 percent compared to the same period last year, according to data released by Russia's official Federal Migration Service. That could be a boon for Russia's vocal, xenophobic, and occasionally violent nationalist movement, which wants many of those immigrants to go home.
Commentary: Advice for Defense Innovators
(Defense News) Outgoing US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has announced a new "offset strategy" for DoD. This initiative seeks to focus and energize technology development and systems engineering so US forces will be better able to function in the more challenging combat environ¬ments of the future.
Cybersecurity is no longer an option
(Kevin G. Coleman in C4ISR & Networks) Despite all the cyber-breach news, advisories, advertisements and warnings, many connected devices and computers are still not protected. Those devices and systems that are protected rely heavily on firewalls and antivirus as primary cyber defenses.
The Comedy the Pentagon Wishes We'd Forget
(Matthew Gault & Kevin Knodell in War is Boring ) It's 1968 and Col. Robert Smith has just wrapped up his presentation. His department has finished designs on a new armored personnel carrier for the U.S. Army-the Bradley fighting vehicle. The Bradley is fast, light and cost-effective. It's the perfect troop transport for a modern army. The generals approve the project.
The Foreign Policy Essay: Why China Will Become a Global Military Power
(Oriana Skylar Mastro in Lawfare) For over a decade, academics, policymakers, and government officials have been engaged in a relentless debate about Chinese military capabilities and intentions. To some, China is likely an expansionist country akin to Germany before WWI. Others argue that China's assertive behavior in its regional offshore island disputes is simply a manifestation of the Chinese Communist Party's focus on domestic stability, which precludes any broader global ambitions.
Why National Service Won't Save America
(Daily Beast) In today's America, a new year brings a new call for national service. As usual, it comes courtesy of a certain segment of the national elite. Mass public service is the pet policy project of a leadership class convinced that we're doomed to disintegrate without the proper social tutelage-and that only they can provide it. But even if their fears are in the right place, their sense of a cure is badly mistaken. This time around, it's retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal leading the charge, in typical public-private partnership fashion.
Congress should see Obama's defense budget and raise it
(Mackenzie Eaglen and Charles Morrison in The Hill) As the 114th Congress kicks off, the new Republican majority has an important opportunity to prove it is serious about national security. Its first major test will come early, as reports indicate the White House will release its fiscal year 2016 budget, unusually, on time this Feb. 2. Congress is expecting a base budget request for the Pentagon of $535 billion - roughly $21 billion less than pre-sequestration levels of spending, but still about $35 billion over the legal budget cap of $500 billion.
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