| January 14, 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. Preliminary tests on soldier found dead negative for Ebola virus
(Army Times) Results of Initial tests on the Texas soldier found dead are negative for the Ebola virus, Fort Hood officials announced Tuesday evening. A more conclusive test is being conducted to confirm the preliminary findings.
2. AQAP claims responsibility for Charlie Hebdo attack
(CNN ) Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has claimed responsibility for last week's attack at France's Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper, which left 12 people dead.
3. Hagel backs Air Force plans for long-range strike bomber
(Military Times) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told airmen here Tuesday that the nation's nuclear mission is as important as ever and he voiced strong support for the Air Force's plans to build a costly new long-range strike bomber.
4. Georgia executes Vietnam vet for killing a deputy in traffic stop
(Associated Press) A man who fatally shot a sheriff's deputy who stopped him for speeding on a Georgia interstate was put to death Tuesday for the 1998 killing, which was captured on the patrol car's video camera.
5. Commissaries airlifting produce, dairy to Pacific
(Military Times) Commissary officials were scheduled to begin airlifting produce, yogurt and other dairy items to stores in the Pacific on Tuesday after delays in shipping led to empty store shelves.
EUROPE TERROR FEARS France extends airstrikes in Iraq on Islamic State group
(Associated Press) France's lower house of Parliament on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved extending French airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Iraq. The vote came after France's worst terrorist attacks in decades. Last week in Paris, a man claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group killed four people in a kosher grocery and a policewoman, while two brothers that he knew for years claimed ties to al-Qaida in Yemen as they killed 12 people at a newspaper office.
First 'Charlie Hebdo' issue since Paris attacks appears to sell out
(USA Today) The first edition of Charlie Hebdo since the terror attacks in Paris last week that left 17 people dead appeared to sell out at newsstands across France within minutes of going on sale Wednesday.
Defiance, sorrow as terror victims are mourned in France, Israel
(CNN) Mourners on Tuesday remembered beloved sons and daughters who became terrorist targets in three attacks last week in France. They died at the hands of three Islamist extremists who tried to use religion to justify their slaughter.
French comic Dieudonne detained for defending terrorism
(Associated Press) French comic Dieudonne has been detained for defending terrorism after posting comments on Facebook - since deleted - that seemed to support the attackers who left 17 dead in the Paris region.
Air-Passenger Terrorism Law May Be Revived by EU Parliament
(Bloomberg) The European Parliament may revive draft legislation that would force airlines to give national governments in Europe information on passengers, highlighting renewed terrorism concerns after the attacks in Paris.
Egypt clerics warn French journal over planned cartoon
(Associated Press) One of Egypt's top Islamic authorities has warned the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo against publishing a new cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad on the cover of its first issue since Islamic extremists killed 12 people at its offices.
Britain debates whether security agencies need increased surveillance powers
(Washington Post) The Paris attacks have sparked a heated debate in Britain over the need for broader surveillance authority by security agencies to intercept messages from potential terrorists, including a possible ban on messaging applications like Apple's iMessage or WhatsApp.
Palestinians decry Paris attacks as assault on their best European friend
(McClatchy) France has been Europe's most outspoken supporter of Palestinian claims in recent months. In November, the French Parliament voted to recognize the state of Palestine. In December, Israel's Foreign Ministry summoned the French ambassador, Patrick Maisonnave, to a dressing down after France supported a Palestinian resolution in the U.N. Security Council that would set a deadline for the end of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. The resolution failed, but France's support is remembered fondly.
New Charlie Hebdo Cover Creates New Questions for U.S. News Media
(New York Times) This week, American newspapers are confronting a variation of that choice: whether to republish the cover-page cartoon of the new Charlie Hebdo print edition, due out Wednesday.
After Paris shooting, Irish say it's time to finally ditch their blasphemy law
(Washington Post) After drawings of the Islamic prophet Muhammad led to killings at French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, a major European nation is facing renewed claims for an end to its own ban on blasphemy.
Tsarnaev lawyers: Delay jury selection over Paris attacks
(Associated Press) Lawyers for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev asked a judge to suspend jury selection in his trial for at least a month because the recent terrorist attacks in France have again placed the marathon bombings "at the center of a grim global drama."
Europe Focuses on Emerging Threats From Smaller Crews of Terrorists
(New York Times) The horrors of the Paris shootings, after similar assaults recently by gunmen in Canada and Australia, have underscored for European leaders the need to find ways to blunt an emerging new element of terrorism: the lone actor, or small group of actors, whose plans are hard to detect.
ISLAMIC STATE Kazakh Child Soldier Executes 'Russian Spies' in Islamic State Video
(Foreign Policy) In a video released Tuesday by the Islamic State, two men described as Russian agents testify that they had attempted to spy on the militants, infiltrate their computer networks, and assassinate the group's leaders. Then a long-haired young boy calmly shoots the men in the back of the head with a handgun.
Charles de Gaulle to sail for Gulf, possible participation in Islamic State air strikes
(IHS Jane's 360) The French Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is deploying with its battlegroup to the Gulf, and is understood to be preparing to contribute to coalition air strikes against Islamic State.
Mother of teen to Islamic State: 'Leave our children alone!'
(Associated Press) The suburban Chicago mother of a 19-year-old American facing a terrorist charge for trying to join Islamic State militants accused the group on Tuesday of brainwashing youths into joining their ranks via social media. And she declared, "Leave our children alone!"
Islamic State begins recruiting campaign in Pakistan, Afghanistan
(McClatchy) The Islamic State formally has opened for business in the crowded militant markets of Afghanistan and Pakistan, announcing in a video over the weekend that it's established an organizational structure dominated by notoriously anti-Shiite-Muslim former commanders of the Pakistani Taliban.
CONGRESS Issue Tracker: Budget Deal
(Defense News) Senate Republican hawks are vowing to push something legislatively this year that will lessen sequestration's blow - or get rid of it for a year or more. But to get the 60 required votes to defeat a potential filibuster, they likely will have to persuade some fiscal hawks from their own party to vote with them.
Bill would give VA the power to revoke bonuses
(Federal Times) Are you a Veterans Affairs Department manager who has gotten a bonus? One lawmaker wants to give the agency the power to take it back.
Obama, GOP tiptoe on war authorization
(The Hill) President Obama agreed during a meeting with congressional leaders Tuesday to begin preparing draft language for legislation that would authorize the use of military force against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Durbin Vows 'Fight' Over House DHS Bill
(Defense News) The Senate's No. 2 Democrat says if House Republican leaders follow through on plans to add several immigration riders to a Homeland Security funding bill, they should expect a "fight" in the Senate.
Feinstein's Uphill Battle To Permanently Ban the Use of Torture
(DefenseOne) "Never again." This was the vow of many lawmakers and government officials when the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence released its long-awaited so-called "torture report" examining the "enhanced interrogation techniques" used by the CIA under the Bush administration.
McCain open to changes in military pay, benefits
(The Hill) Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) says he is open to changing military pay and benefits for future servicemembers, a move fiercely opposed by military advocacy groups.
GOP senators move to keep Gitmo open
(Politico) Key Senate Republicans on Tuesday unveiled legislation that would effectively block President Barack Obama from fulfilling his pledge to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, before he leaves office in two years.
Meet the Congressman Who Will Watch Our Spies
(Bloomberg) Representative Devin Nunes may not be well known outside of his California congressional district or the Washington beltway, but he is about to become one of the most important figures in the U.S. national security state.
Senate Leader Expects Obama To Submit AUMF
(Defense News) US President Barack Obama soon will send lawmakers a measure that would legally authorize America's fight against the Islamic State, says one congressional leader.
INDUSTRY Raytheon Working on Tomahawk With Active Seeker
(Defense News) More than 2,000 Tomahawk cruise missiles have been fired at live targets since 1991. In every case, the missile has been aimed at a fixed, non-moving target.
Air Force wants to improve DCGS imagery
(C4ISR & Networks) The Air Force Distributed Common Ground System is retiring its current systems of ordering imagery from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, in favor of new mechanisms such as the National Exploitation Services and Net-Centric Geospatial-Intelligence Discovery Services.
Indian Defense 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.
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 $750 million invested in the project.
Audit Cites UK's Strides on Procurement Fixes
(Defense News) The UK Defence Ministry has mostly gotten budget overruns and procurement delays under control, the National Audit Office (NAO) said on Tuesday.
The Technology That Just Found the Missing AirAsia Plane
(DefenseOne) It's an ocean scavenging technology that shares a close relationship with a different sort of device that's in hospitals and clinics around the world. That's particularly evident in Marine Sonic's backstory.
New Ships, Vehicles for Italy Amid Cuts
(Defense News) As provisional Italian Defense Ministry spending drops in 2015, planners are getting some relief as cash from the country's Industry Ministry will be used to pay for new ships, armored vehicles and satellites.
Typhoons Need Midair Collision Avoidance System, Safety Officials Say
(Aviation Week) Military air safety officials have described as "unsustainable" a decision not to install an airborne collision avoidance system (ACAS) on the Royal Air Force's (RAF) fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons.
Russia Wants Formal French Answer on Mistral
(Defense News) The French procurement office Tuesday declined to comment on a report Russia has asked for a written statement on whether the Mistral class helicopter carrier will be delivered to Moscow.
BAE wins geospatial data management contract
(C4ISR & Networks) BAE has won a data management contract for the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.
General Dynamics Awarded $26 Million for Mk46 Gun Weapon Systems Production
(Seapower) The Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) awarded General Dynamics Land Systems a $26.2 million contract for the production of Mk46 Modification (Mod) 2 Gun Weapon Systems (GWS) for use on littoral combat ships (LCSs) and Zumwalt-class (DDG 1000) ships, the company announced in a Jan. 13 release. General Dynamics Land Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics.
U.S. court denies motion to dismiss SpaceX lawsuit
(Reuters) The U.S. federal claims court on Tuesday denied a motion by United Launch Alliance seeking dismissal of a lawsuit filed by privately held SpaceX against the company and the U.S. Air Force.
VETERANS Vietnam veteran's pending execution spurs PTSD defense debate
(Military Times) Brannan's legal team produced a host of letters from combat veterans ranging from enlisted personnel and a retired Army brigadier general who served in Vietnam to several Marine Corps veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. The 13 veterans agreed that Brannan's crime was heinous but also defended his right to live, noting the horrors they endured in war and the life-changing consequences such violence can have on an individual's mental state.
Kind, Baldwin call on VA to investigate Tomah opiate prescriptions
(LaCrosse Tribune) U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin has joined Rep. Ron Kind in calling on the the Department of Veterans Affairs to investigate allegations of rampant opiate prescriptions to veterans being treated for post-traumatic stress at the Tomah VA Medical Center.
Iowa gov says teacher licensing for vets is working
(Military Times) Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad says a teacher licensing program aimed at helping veterans and their families is working.
World War I battle sites 100 years later
(Associated Press) Soldiers of the 1914-1918 Great War had precious little time to appreciate the color. Instead they endured the mud as relentless shelling destroyed woods and villages and created desolate treeless landscapes, while many cities were reduced to heaps of rubble. One hundred years and the force of nature have slowly changed these haunted places, yet many of the relics still exist, both above and below the surface.
'Brain zapping': Veterans say experimental PTSD treatment has changed their lives
(Washington Post) A session called "Healing the Warrior Brain" features a trim, bleach-blond former Army staff sergeant named Jonathan Warren, who recounts on video his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder after combat in Iraq.
WWII vet earns Purple Heart and Bronze Star
(The Brunswick (Ga.) News) Paul Graham enlisted in the Army in December 1939 with no idea he'd be fighting in a world war several years later.
VA Data Show Disparities In Veteran Benefits Spending
(National Public Radio) If you're a veteran and rely on benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, where you live may have an effect on whether you receive the benefits you've earned. NPR, together with member stations WBUR, Lakeshore Public Radio and KUOW, looked at data from 3,000 counties nationwide, and found there's a huge variation in coverage from state to state - and even within a state - on how much the VA spends per veteran.
Vet Who Waged Year-Long Fight with VA for Cancer Check-Up Dies
(Fox News) A U.S. Army vet who found out he had terminal cancer after he fought the Veterans Affairs Department in Georgia for more than a year to get a cancer check-up has died.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT Hack of U.S. military social media accounts prompts embarrassment, review
(Washington Post) The high-profile hack of two social media accounts run by the U.S. military's Central Command on Monday was an embarrassment, and has prompted the Office of the Secretary of Defense to direct its own social media managers to make sure their accounts are secure, a military official said Tuesday.
DISA To Defend DoD Networks In New Role
(Defense News) The Pentagon is standing up a new headquarters within the Defense Information Systems Agency that will assume responsibility for defending military networks and will reach initial operating capability this week.
Military suicides up slightly in 2014
(Associated Press) Suicides among members of the active-duty military personnel rose slightly in 2014, led by increases in the number of sailors and airmen who took their own lives, new Defense Department figures show.
Obama offers new legislative agenda on cybersecurity
(Federal Times) President Barack Obama released a legislative plan Tuesday to boost the nation's cybersecurity posture by incentivizing information sharing between the private and public sector and establishing new tools for law enforcement.
DISA's Hawkins to retire this year
(C4ISR & Networks) Defense Information Systems Agency Director Lt. Gen. Ronnie Hawkins Jr. expects to retire by the end of 2015.
EUCOM, AFRICOM keep cyber vigilance after CENTCOM hack
(Stars & Stripes) Other combatant commands are closely monitoring their social media platforms after U.S. Central Command's Twitter feed was briefly taken over on Monday by hackers claiming to be affiliated with the Islamic State group.
New joint organization to lighten CYBERCOM's load
(C4ISR & Networks) With reorganization underway at the Defense Information Systems Agency, officials plan to alleviate pressure on U.S. Cyber Command by taking over some operational duties.
US servicemember deaths in Afghanistan at 2,213
(Associated Press) As of Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2014, at least 2,213 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.
U.S. commander worried about Afghan terrorists
(The Hill ) The Hill's Kristina Wong speaks with commander of the Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces, Afghanistan, Gen. John Campbell
DISA endpoint security approach evolves with technology
(C4ISR & Networks) As network endpoints multiply and evolve, DISA strives to maintain bulletproof protection.
ARMY North Carolina town agrees to remove sculpture of soldier with cross
(Los Angeles Times) A town in North Carolina has agreed to remove a public sculpture depicting a soldier kneeling before a cross after a lawsuit claimed that the artwork violated the separation of church and state. In a twist, the lawsuit was filed on behalf of a military veteran who objected to the public display of religion.
Fort Carson to implement new security rules for visitors
(Colorado Springs Gazette) Visitors to the Pikes Peak region's largest military installation will need to get a pass and a background check starting May 1, the Army said Monday.
MC and DC colonel lists to be released Jan. 14
(Army Times) Selection lists containing the names of Regular Army doctors and dentists recommended for promotion to colonel will be released Wednesday morning.
Whether parents crushed infant's skull subject of new trial hearing
(Columbus Ledger-Enquirer) A former Fort Benning soldier convicted with his wife of crushing their three-day-old infant's skull in June 2008 is set to have a mid-July hearing on a new-trial motion, with his defense aided by new medical evidence and an attorney from the Wisconsin Innocence Project.
Strategic planner applications due by Jan. 30
(Army Times) Applications are being accepted until Jan. 30 for the Advanced Strategic Planning and Policy Program, a five- to six-year regimen of tailored assignments and military and civilian education that prepares field-grade officers for service as strategic planners.
Pentagon slow to address soldier mistreatment in Army WTUs
(Christopher Neiweem in The Hill) The U.S. Army created Warrior Transition Units (WTUs) for the purpose of providing unique support to wounded, injured or ill soldiers. The time spent at these WTUs will be the last weeks and final memories that these wounded warriors have of their service to our nation. But for too many, the experience is still one of neglect, disrespect and trauma.
Community members stand against reductions at Fort Eustis
(Daily Press) Residents, community and economic leaders, elected officials and business owners filled a theater on Fort Eustis on Tuesday to tell the Army of the devastating impact losing half of the soldiers on base would have for the region.
NAVY NAVEUR: Ships needed in 6th Fleet for high-end training
(Navy Times) The admiral who leads Naval Forces Europe is calling for ships to spend more time in European waters as NATO enters 2015 determined to sharpen skills that have eroded since the end of the Cold War.
"Best of the Mess" competition benefits fund
(Virginian-Pilot) Six local military teams will battle it out during the fifth annual Best of the Mess, scheduled for Jan. 23.
3-star: Surface fleet readiness, training are on track
(Navy Times) The surface Navy's top officer said his ships are getting manned, their maintenance is getting back on track and the future is bright for the controversial littoral combat ship program.
Navy Decides to Buy V-22 Ospreys for Carrier Delivery
(Breaking Defense) The Navy will buy V-22 Osprey tiltrotors to replace its aging C-2A Greyhound turboprop aircraft in flying carrier on board delivery (COD) missions.
AWF, AWV ratings face billet shrink after P-3s are gone
(Navy Times) With the P-3 Orion to P-8 Poseidon transition in full swing, Navy officials are working through options for two naval aircrewman ratings whose patrol squadron jobs will be rendered obsolete by the new technology.
Swimmers Brave Chilly Tampa Bay to Raise Money for SEALs
(Tampa Tribune) U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Doug Hood applied Body Glide, an anti-chafe balm, to the back of his neck Sunday morning as he waited in the cold, wet sand at Gandy Beach.
NPC boss: Fleet manning gap is lowest in years
(Navy Times) Difficulties in filling gaps in fleet billets are at their lowest point in years, suggesting the service has nearly turned the page on chronic under-manning that has stressed the deckplates for most of the past decade.
AIR FORCE MSgt. hopefuls face first promotion board
(Air Force Times) The new master sergeant promotion board - a major component of the new enlisted promotion system that is being rolled out - will meet in May. Until now, boards were held only for promotion to E-8 and E-9.
Sexual assault prevention summit underway at Andrews
(Air Force Times) Some 150 airmen stationed around the world arrived here this week to tackle one of the most perplexing problems related to military sexual assault: how to prevent it.
NASA investigators find cause of failed rocket launch on Eastern Shore
(Daily Press) Investigators have pinpointed the reason a suborbital sounding rocket fizzled just after launching from Wallops Flight Facility last summer on a mission to test suborbital rocket technologies.
Fire damages C-17 at Wright-Patterson
(Air Force Times) A tailpipe fire on a C-17 mobility jet assigned to the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, was likely caused by a malfunction inside the engine, a preliminary investigation shows.
JBLM Airmen Share Memories as They Prep for Squadron's Inactivation
(The News Tribune) "Once a Pathfinder, always a Pathfinder." Losing the squadron won't change McChord's status as one of the Air Force's primary airlift hubs, Campbell said. The base still will have six active and reserve squadrons, and it'll have about one-fifth of the Air Force's fleet of 213 C-17 jets.
One-star loses court bid for retroactive promotion
(Air Force Times) A retired Air Force one-star general faulted by the Defense Department for not doing enough to protect his airmen prior to the 1996 attack on Khobar Towers, Saudi Arabia, has lost a court battle over whether he was illegally denied his second star.
MARINE CORPS Marine Corps to collect data on body fat testing methods
(Marine Corps Times) The Marine Corps is conducting research that compares results of the much-maligned taping method to measure body fat with data from the Bod Pod - an expensive and high-tech fat-measuring method that gets highly accurate readings through air displacement.
Ex-Marine Says Iranians Want a Swap to Free Him
(New York Times ) The Michigan family of a former Marine incarcerated for more than three years in Iran has been receiving telephone calls and emails from that country proposing prisoner swaps for Iranians held in the United States, he said in a letter to Iran's president made public by his relatives on Tuesday.
Marine tapped to lead Defense Intelligence Agency
(Marine Corps Times) The commanding officer of Marine Corps Cyber Command will move up to lead the Pentagon's foreign espionage arm, officials announced today.
Medal of Honor recipient gives $5K for Gold Star Families monument
(The Daily Independent) The crimson jackets are the new uniform of the old leather necks, devil dogs and jar heads who now make up the Marine Corps League, Greenbo Detachment No. 1345, and lead the effort to fund and construct Kentucky's first Gold Star Families Memorial Monument. The aging Marines were joined by Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams, who was carrying an oversized check to present during the meeting.
New position for former commandant Conway
(Marine Corps Times) The 34th commandant of the Marine Corps has joined the board of directors for a wireless communications developer.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN Kerry Praises Pakistan's Military Operation
(Associated Press) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday praised the Pakistani military's operation against militants in the country's northwest, saying the results are "significant."
Pakistan hangs seven to show determination to fight terrorism
(Washington Post) Authorities in Pakistan hanged seven prisoners on Tuesday, a move intended to demonstrate the country's resolve to press its fight against Islamist militants.
MIDDLE EAST Syria Peace Hopes Dim Further as Opposition Rejects Moscow Talks
(New York Times) As the world focused last week on the attacks by Islamist extremists in Paris, hopes were fading for the latest effort to wind down the war in Syria, a conflict seen as driving radicalization among Muslims worldwide.
UNICEF: Refugees freezing to death in the Middle East
(Reuters) The United Nations says at least six displaced Syrian children have died due to the severe cold weather hitting the Middle East, with many refugee families struggling to cope in the icy conditions.
EUROPE NATO Is Beefing Up Baltic Exercises Amid Russian Excursions
(Reuters) NATO's top military commander, General Philip Breedlove, said on Tuesday the defense alliance is looking at beefing up its exercises in the Baltic Sea region in response to a surge last month in Russian military maneuvers there.
Fighting Escalates in Ukraine With Attacks on Bus, Donetsk Airport
(Reuters) A passenger bus came under heavy fire in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday, killing at least 11 people, Ukrainian authorities said, and fighting intensified around the international airport in the city of Donetsk as separatists tried to oust government forces.
Russia to build more Arctic airfields
(IHS Jane's 360) Ten airfields will be constructed by the end of 2015, in addition to the four already in use, deputy defence minister Dmitry Bulgakov reportedly said, according to the state-controlled Sputnik news agency.
Turkey makes arrests over suicide bombing
(Al Jazeera) Authorities question six people, including some foreigners, for attack in Istanbul that killed police officer.
ASIA-PACIFIC Japan Boosts Defense Spending to Counter China Island Claims
(Bloomberg) Japan will increase defense spending for a third straight year as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeks to counter China's claims to remote islands in the East China Sea.
Dozens With Alleged Ties To Uzbek President's Daughter Are Sentenced
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Two officials in Uzbekistan say dozens of managers at industrial facilities who are allegedly associated with President Islam Karimov's embattled daughter, Gulnara Karimova, have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms.
North Korea wants US evidence of its role in Sony hacking
(Associated Press) North Korea is again insisting it had nothing to do with the cyberattack on Sony Pictures and is urging the United States to provide evidence
China says police kill bombing suspects
(Al Jazeera) State media reports that six would-be attackers were shot dead in Xinjiang province.
Singapore defense minister: Fuselage of crashed AirAsia plane located in Java Sea
(Associated Press) The Singapore defense minister says fuselage of crashed AirAsia plane is located in Java Sea.
AFRICA Cameroon Says It Has Killed 143 Boko Haram Militants
(Time) Islamist extremists currently on the rampage in northeast Nigeria
UN wants report on South Sudan bloodshed released
(Associated Press) The United Nations is very concerned that an African Union report on human rights violations in South Sudan since violence erupted over a year ago won't be discussed at this month's AU summit.
Liberia's Ebola epidemic could be eliminated by June, researchers say
(Los Angeles Times) A new analysis of Ebola cases in West Africa predicts that the epidemic in Liberia could be eliminated by June if medical workers can hospitalize 85% of those infected.
Senior Rebel From Uganda to Be Moved to the Hague
(New York Times) A recently captured Ugandan rebel commander who is accused of helping plan massacres and kidnap countless children will be handed over to the International Criminal Court, Ugandan and Western officials said on Tuesday.
Nigerian military dismisses reports that Boko Haram killed 2,000
(Los Angeles Times) Nigeria's military has disputed reports that as many as 2,000 people were killed in a recent assault by militants on a town in the country's northeast, putting the dead at 150, including many of the attackers.
Tens of thousands of Muslims flee Christian militias in Central African Republic
(Washington Post) Tens of thousands of Muslims are fleeing to neighboring countries by plane and truck as Christian militias stage brutal attacks, shattering the social fabric of this war-ravaged nation.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS Cut Pay? Trim COCOMs: How To Act Wisely On Military Pay
(Matthew Leatherman in Breaking Defense) Imagine a business that's restructuring costs. The idea is to restrain employee compensation and free up money for operations and investment, thus allowing the company to grow. Everyone's familiar with the surrounding debate: leaders spotlight the need for efficiency, and workers insist that the company not break faith with them. It's a classic dispute between management and labor.
In Defense of David Petraeus
(Politico) So he might have slipped a few secrets to his biographer/lover. Who am I to judge?
Cutting U.S. Force Structure in Europe: A Reprieve?
(War On The Rocks) Is the Obama Administration weakening America by decreasing the number of U.S. forces in Europe? That is what some critics will have you believe regarding Department of Defense plans to reduce and consolidate some military posts in Europe.
Don't Overhaul French Anti-terrorism
(Marc Hecker in Cicero Magazine) For the past two years, French experts on terrorism have felt anxious. They often emphasized: "The question is not whether France will be targeted by a terrorist attack, but when."
How Obscurity Helps Boko Haram's Reign of Terror
(Council on Foreign Relations) Boko Haram and the French militant jihadists use a similar rhetoric. Yet the attacks in France and Nigeria are almost certainly unrelated.
After Charlie, security and intelligence reform in a world of big data
(Cedric Leighton in The Hill ) The twin terror attacks last week on the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and the Hyper Cacher kosher grocery store in Paris are, once again, leading to questions about the efficacy of intelligence operations against terrorist groups. This is not just a French problem; it affects the governments of all civilized nations.
Amid Raging Violence in Syria, Lebanese Sunnis Turn Backs on Islamic State
(Foreign Policy) Residents of Jabal Mohsen are predominantly Alawites, the same sect as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Their neighbors are Sunnis. Pictures of Assad dot Jabal Mohsen and its dominant party is sympathetic to the Syrian regime. The Sunni areas largely support the Syrian rebellion.
How Should The US Respond To Cyber Attacks?
(Task & Purpose ) Given cyber warfare's inherently asymmetric nature, do the traditional laws of armed conflict still hold true?
Are the Chinese Failing To Equip Their Infantry?
(Council on Foreign Relations ) A recent report by the Guangzhou-based Southern Weekly on investments to outfit and equip Chinese soldiers in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has sparked controversy both within China and abroad-revealing sharp fissures in China's ballooning defense budget.
The Good, Bad, and Ugly of Plunging Oil Prices
(Foreign Policy) Cheaper crude is hammering Russia and Venezuela while boosting oil-thirsty Asia. Its impact on the United States won't be quite so black and white.
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