| January 21, 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. State of the Union offers few new military, vet proposals
(Military Times) President Obama praised the end of the combat mission in Afghanistan and vowed to continue "to hunt down terrorists" but offered no new military or veterans proposals in his annual State of the Union speech Tuesday.
2. Canadians closer to combat in Iraq than U.S. troops
(Military Times) A Canadian general revealed Monday that his special operations troops in Iraq are now routinely going out with Iraqi soldiers "to the forward-most Iraqi fighting positions" and providing "eyes on" to help coalition airstrikes by "marking the target with a laser."
3. Air Force Turns to Supersonic Mercenaries
(Daily Beast) The 'smallest Air Force in history' is dealing with more missions than ever. So the flyboys are calling in the military contractors to operate their jets.
4. Breast-feeding expenses not covered yet
(Military Times) A change in law enacted in December requires Tricare to pay for costs related to breast-feeding but new mothers may have to wait some time to receive the benefit.
5. Washington's $232 Million Question in Yemen
(Foreign Policy) Washington has sent more than $1.4 billion in economic and military assistance to Yemen since 2009 to help the impoverished country fight militants from al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a group known - and feared - for its bomb-making prowess.
CONGRESS SOTU Analysis: Obama Doubles Down
(Defense News) US President Barack Obama claimed several national security successes during his State of the Union address Tuesday evening, defiantly doubling down on his belief that military power alone is insufficient.
What members of Congress were tweeting about #SOTU
(Military Times) Both before and after the State of the Union address, what did some of the top representatives and senators on the House and Senate committees in charge of armed services and veterans' affairs, and others share, on Twitter?
FACT CHECK: Obama claims credit for an incomplete recovery
(Associated Press) The U.S. may not have "risen from recession" quite as rousingly as President Barack Obama suggested in his State of the Union speech Tuesday night. Seven years after that severe downturn began, household income hasn't recovered and healthy job growth is complicated by the poor quality, and pay, of many of those jobs.
Thornberry: HASC Can Block Pentagon Plans
(Defense News) In his first major speech as House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Chairman, Rep. Mac Thornberry struck a defiant tone and made clear the panel will block any White House and Pentagon plans it deems unwise.
GOP faces Patriot Act choice
(The Hill) Republicans have a choice to make. In five months, key provisions of the Patriot Act are set to expire, potentially eliminating spying programs that intelligence officials say are critical to keeping the nation safe from terrorists.
HASC chair: Expect Pentagon oversight
(Military Times) Rep. Mac Thornberry has a message for everyone who accused lawmakers last year of ignoring Pentagon recommendations, meddling too much with the military budget and causing too many headaches for the administration:
Tammy Duckworth exploring Senate run against Mark Kirk
(Chicago Sun-Times) As Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., is winding up her maternity leave, she is exploring further a Senate bid.
Lawmakers: Carrier fleet should be exempt from cuts
(Virginian-Pilot) Although the military is getting smaller, lawmakers representing Virginia say the nation's fleet of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers - and the massive industry required to support them - should be exempt from defense cuts.
Senator 'concerned' by lack of war authorization draft
(The Hill) Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said Tuesday he is "concerned" that President Obama has not sent over a draft for a congressional authorization of the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Joni Ernst's response: Congress is 'back to work'
(Politico) Sen. Joni Ernst declared Tuesday that Congress' new Republican majority is "back to work" for Americans, while other GOP lawmakers said President Barack Obama should match the bipartisan rhetoric of his State of the Union address with some real efforts at compromise.
Top Palestinian diplomat lobbying Congress not to cut off US aid
(The Hill) A top Palestinian diplomat is lobbying Congress not to cut off aid to the Palestinian Authority (P.A.) despite its moves to join the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Chairman of the intelligence panel calls for return of full torture report
(Washington Post) The new Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee has demanded that the Obama administration return copies of the Senate panel's recently completed report on the CIA's brutal interrogations of terrorism suspects, a move apparently aimed at keeping the full version of the report from being released to the public, U.S. officials said.
Military guest list short for State of the Union
(Military Times) Troops and veterans will be largely missing from the audience at President Obama's annual State of the Union address Tuesday night, at least in the House chamber.
INDUSTRY Exclusive: U.S. Air Force to reevaluate bids in protested radar deal - sources
(Reuters) The U.S. Air Force has agreed to reevaluate proposals received in a competition for a long-range radar system initially won by Raytheon Co (RTN.N), after two losing bidders filed protests, two sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
AgustaWestland offers AW139M to Slovakia
(IHS Jane's 360) AgustaWestland is offering the AW139M to the Slovak Ministry of Defence (MoD) to fulfil an urgent requirement to replace Russian-made Mil Mi-17 'Hip' medium transport helicopters.
JSF Program Ditches Tests To Protect Schedule
(Aviation Week) A major operational test series planned for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been abandoned in an attempt to protect the schedule for delivering a fully operational aircraft, according to the just-released fiscal 2014 report on the program from the Pentagon's Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOTandE).
Peru buys Dutch AB412 search and rescue helicopters
(IHS Jane's 360) An agreement has been reached between the Dutch and Peruvian governments on the sale of three Agusta-Bell AB412 SP helicopters.
Littoral Ship's Mine-Clearing Equipment Flawed, U.S. Tester Says
(Bloomberg) Mine-detection equipment for the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship, including an underwater drone, remains unreliable, the Pentagon's test office has found.
UAE to donate Super Tucanos to Iraq
(IHS Jane's 360) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is to supply Iraq with a number of Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano light strike aircraft to help combat the Islamic State, a government official has reportedly disclosed.
Marine APCs: Peregrinations of the EFV to ACV to MPC to ACV 1.1
(Defense Industry Daily) The Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) is designed to be a more realistic version of the EFV. A Marines version designed for only light water use was called the MPC, which was iced in June 2013. That program was resurrected under increased capabilities pressures as the APC 1.1, which had its coming out party during an industry day in July 2014.
Air Force Proceeding To Live Testing Of Improved Massive Ordnance Penetrator Bomb
(Inside Defense) The Air Force is readying a live-fire test of a new, more capable version of its 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator after a successful drop-test from a B-2 bomber in October, according to the Pentagon's latest annual report on weapons testing. The weapon is designed to hit hard and deeply buried targets, such as those in Iran and North Korea.
India faces aerospace skills shortage, says HAL chairman
(IHS Jane's 360) India's aerospace sector is facing a significant shortage in skills, according to the chairman of state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
Pentagon says classified data on U.S. F-35 jet fighter program remains secure
(Reuters) The Pentagon on Tuesday said classified data about the $399 billion F-35 fighter jet program remains secure, despite fresh documents released by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden last week which said China stole "many terabytes" of data about the jet.
Russia's 2015 arms programme to be slowed by import substitution efforts
(IHS Jane's 360) Russia's 2015 State Defence Order (GOZ) will see 20% more materiel delivered to the Russian armed forces than in 2014, according to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
AESA upgrade battle heats up for F/A-18 Hornets
(Flight Global) A new competition has emerged to upgrade the radars for potentially hundreds of the original Boeing F/A-18 Hornet fighters operated by US and foreign militaries.
More A400M Delivery Delays Expected In 2015
(Aviation Week) Supplier woes are forcing Airbus Defense and Space to revise delivery plans for the A400M tactical transport aircraft this year.
US Navy expects to complete MUOS operational testing by end of 2015
(IHS Jane's 360) The third US Navy (USN) Mobile Users Objective System (MUOS) communications satellite is scheduled to be launched from Florida's Cape Canaveral on 20 January bringing the US military and coalition partners closer to having access to a more advanced global communications.
Northrop hires former Pentagon official to head strategy
(Reuters) Northrop Grumman Corp , one of the biggest U.S. weapons makers, said on Tuesday it hired Brett Lambert, a former top U.S. defense official and expert on mergers and acquisitions, to oversee corporate strategy.
Air Force General Lobbying For Nuclear Modernization After Procurement Hiatus
(Inside Defense) The Air Force has been on a 25-year nuclear weapons "procurement holiday" and now all its bills are coming due at once, but those bills are affordable despite declining military budgets, according to a top service official.
China commissions Type 054A frigate into East Sea Fleet
(IHS Jane's 360) The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has inducted a Type 054A Jiangkai II-class guided-missile frigate into service with its East Sea Fleet.
Nearly every U.S. arms program found vulnerable to cyber attacks
(Reuters) Nearly every U.S. weapons program tested in fiscal 2014 showed "significant vulnerabilities" to cyber attacks, including misconfigured, unpatched and outdated software, the Pentagon's chief weapons tester said in his annual report released Tuesday
Spawar satellites soars into orbit
(San Diego Union-Tribune) Lockheed Martin developed the MUOS-3 satellite for the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (Spawar) in San Diego. Spawar -- one of the region's largest employers -- specializes in connecting warfighters electronically throughout the world.
Germany revives Euro Hawk programme
(IHS Jane's 360) The German Federal Ministry of Defence (MoD) has performed a dramatic U-turn to revive the Northrop Grumman/Airbus RQ-4E Euro Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme with the award of a contract to both contractors, IHS Jane's has been told.
VETERANS VA settles whistleblowers' complaints
(Associated Press) The Veterans Affairs Department said Tuesday it is offering relief to more than two dozen employees who faced retaliation after filing whistleblower complaints about wrongdoing at VA hospitals and clinics nationwide.
Colleges create cyber programs to fill worker demand
(The Tampa Tribune) Target. Home Depot. Sony Pictures. The now infamous computer hacks infuriated consumers who had personal information compromised and Hollywood honchos who had embarrassing emails made public.
WWII vet who escaped from Bataan Death March finally gets his Purple Heart
(Stars & Stripes) Former soldier and airman Jesse Baltazar received the Purple Heart on Tuesday, more than 70 years after he was wounded in action in the Philippines and forced to participate in the infamous Bataan Death March.
Fla. WWII veteran to be featured in B-24 bomber film
(Sun Sentinal ) Irwin Stovroff can still see it vividly. He was flying a B-24 Liberator during World War II, on a bomb run over northern Europe, when a German fighter jet appeared out of nowhere and shot down all the U.S. planes around him.
Sister of fallen pilot travels to Arizona to meet with others affected by Vietnam War
(Tri-City Herald) The sister of a man who was shot down over North Vietnam recently met the son of the man who flew with him.
Women's vets group membership on the rise
(Killeen Daily Herald) Women play a significant role in today's military and nearly 12 percent of all veterans are female, according to statistics from the Department of Veterans Affairs. In Texas alone, women make up more than 12 percent of the estimated 1.7 million veterans using the VA health care system.
Female veteran shamed for parking in veterans-only spot
(WNCN) An Air Force veteran who served in Kuwait found a note on her car Friday criticizing her for parking in a veterans-only parking spot in Wilmington.
Veterans office sees big jump in visits
(Cortez Journal) The number of office visits last year to the Montezuma County Department of Veterans Services saw a 91 percent spike when compared with 2013 numbers, a jump officials say is the result of digitizing the claims office.
Wounded veterans starting federal jobs would get sick leave under new bill
(Washington Post) Wounded veterans hired by the federal government would start their jobs with a stockpile of paid sick leave under a new bill introduced in Congress this week.
VA hotline doc gets Oscar nod
(Finger Lakes Times) The folks at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center hope that line is followed by "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1." The documentary on the Veterans Crisis Line at the Canandaigua VA was nominated for an Academy Award Thursday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. It is one of five nominees in the Best Documentary, Short Subject category.
B-17, B-24, P-51and a film crew arrive at Boca airport
(Sun Sentinal ) Wings of Freedom arrives at Boca Raton Airport today through Sunday for the first of three consecutive visits in Boca, Pompano Beach and Fort Lauderdale with working World War II vintage aircraft.
Veterans rally to attend Vietnam vet's funeral
(Associated Press) Dozens of people who attended the burial service for a Vietnam veteran in Winona never had a chance to meet the man.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT Congress, Pentagon Will Have to Agree to Disagree on Budget Issues
(National Defense) The Pentagon can forget scrapping the A-10 attack aircraft, taking warships out of service or closing any more military bases in the United States. The military, too, will have to keep funding the remanufacturing of main battle tanks and continue to buy other hardware it says it doesn't need.
Jon Rymer, Inspector General, Department of Defense
(Federal News Radio) A lead Inspector General will now keep tabs on the fight against the Islamic State group. Jon Rymer joins "Federal Drive" with Tom Temin to explain why a separate IG was needed to oversee Operation Inherent Resolve.
Shape up your insurance plan
(Military Times) Military Times put two service members in touch with JJ Montanaro, a certified financial planner for USAA, who reviewed their insurance policies to make sure they're adequately covered. Bonus: Determine which policy you need, insurance impact on PCS moves, life insurance: term vs. life, and more.
ARMY IG finds fault in West Point's gift-tracking
(Army Times) The U.S. Military Academy didn't properly record $12.5 million worth of donations, including property, over a two-year span, according to a Pentagon report, but investigators put the blame on West Point's failure to use the proper record-keeping program, not on theft or mismanagement.
National Guard helicopter crashes in Ramona
(San Diego Union-Tribune) A California Army National Guard pilot and co-pilot suffered minor injuries in a hard landing that flipped their helicopter onto its side at the Ramona Airport Tuesday night, authorities said.
Colonel going to court-martial in HIV case
(Army Times) A Special Forces officer charged with knowingly exposing a woman to HIV will face a court-martial.
Joni Ernst's SOTU shoes: camouflage heels
(Des Moines Register) As a state senator and a commander in the Iowa Army National Guard, Ernst wore heels in a camouflage print.
Military contractor KBR turned away by SCOTUS
(Associated Press) The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned away three appeals from military contractor KBR Inc. that seek to shut down lawsuits over a soldier's electrocution in Iraq and open-air burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.
JBLM soldier accused of killing his wife returns to jail
(The News Tribune) A Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier accused of murdering his wife is back in jail after a Pierce County court commissioner raised his bail at the request of prosecutors.
Man accused of driving stolen Humvee on Ala. road
(Associated Press) The vehicle description called in to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office was unusual: A military Humvee. Driving on the wrong side of a county road late Friday night. With no headlights.
(Modesto Bee) A U.S. Army trainer plane from World War II, close to going airborne for the first time in 70 years, will make that "maiden voyage" from Modesto Airport.
NAVY Dec. sees 21 special and general courts-martial
(Navy Times) The Navy announced on Jan. 15 the results of special and general courts-martial tried in December. The 21 cases are listed by the Navy region in which they were tried.
Seabees sought for master-at-arms jobs
(Navy Times) The chief of naval personnel is hoping to coax nearly 150 sailors from the Seabee ranks to plus up the service's third largest rating - master-at-arms, which is slated to grow by nearly 480 billets over the next couple of years.
Navy repairs supply ship Earhart on Guam
(Pacific Daily News) A $4 million repair job to the towering USNS Amelia Earhart, a supply ship in the Navy's Military Sealift Command, highlighted the importance of a U.S. military ship repair facility on Guam.
Veterans want Navy Cross for chaplain
(Navy Times) Over two dozen veterans can recount how chaplain Lt. Thomas Conway kept their hope alive as sharks swarmed the remains of the USS Indianapolis on July 30, 1945. But a letter written in 1948 stating Conway went down with the sinking ship could be the reason behind the denial of a Navy Cross - a decision one Connecticut veterans organization wants to reverse.
Hot pants: Heated garments in works for divers, sailors
(Navy Times) Whether it's divers at dangerous depths, aircrews at high altitudes or Marines in cold, wet climes, just about every old salt has a story about battling bitter chill.
AIR FORCE Missileers are now highest-paid lieutenants thanks to bonuses
(Air Force Times) Two years ago, no ROTC cadets listed nuclear and missile operations among their top three career choices. Last year, however, 65 cadets did. And 174 cadets listed the 13N career field among their top six.
South Dakota senate panel OKs weapon permit measure for military spouses
(Associated Press) A proposal to allow active military members' spouses to hold a South Dakota concealed weapon permit is making headway in the state Legislature.
Michael Bay film angers families of B-52 crash victims
(Air Force Times) A new movie from Paramount Pictures and MTV Films has opened old wounds for the families of several American service members who died in a horrific plane crash 20 years ago.
Air Force launches rocket carrying Navy satellite
(Associated Press) A Navy communications satellite is bound for orbit. The Air Force launched an unmanned Atlas V (five) rocket Tuesday night from Cape Canaveral, Florida.
New Hercules to take on heavy lifting across Pacific in 2017
(Stars & Stripes) The newest version of the Air Force's C-130 Hercules transport is coming to Japan, where its increased cargo capacity, power and range should help in disaster relief and other missions across the Pacific, according to officials at Yokota Air Base and aircraft maker Lockheed-Martin.
Ex-NBA player to be sentenced in Luke AFB thefts
(Associated Press) Former Phoenix Suns forward Richard Dumas faces sentencing in a case stemming from thefts from a store on a military base.
Defense in Robins death penalty case seeks to unseat Guantanamo judge
(Air Force Times) A Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, airman who faces the death penalty if convicted at court-martial later this year has asked the trial judge to recuse himself.
MARINE CORPS Sgt. Maj. Ronald Green selected as 18th SMMC
(Marine Corps Times) Sgt. Maj. Ronald Green has been selected as the 18th sergeant major of the Marine Corps.
Marine Corps realigns its Special Operations, sends elite troops to Middle East
(Washington Post) The Marine Corps is close to completing a realignment of its elite Special Operations troops, sending some of them to the Middle East this month as part of a broader effort to refocus after years of fighting in Afghanistan, according to a top general.
Marines poised for crisis response mission in Yemen
(Marine Corps Times) Marines in Yemen and the surrounding region remain ready to bolster security at the U.S. Embassy there - or even evacuate personnel, if needed - as rebels seized the presidential palace Tuesday morning in the capital of Sanaa.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN Afghan Reconstruction Audits Saved More Than $1 Billion, Watchdog Says
(DefenseOne) Since its launch in 2008, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has issued seven key audits with recommendations for the Defense Department that saved or repurposed $1.1 billion in taxpayer funds, the watchdog announced on Tuesday.
Charges and Clashing Interests Mar Selection of a Cabinet for Afghanistan
(New York Times) Choosing the Afghan cabinet is to government what the national sport of buzkashi is to polo: a wild and woolly version with uniquely local characteristics and notably more carnage.
Severe fuel shortage enrages Pakistanis, spurs criticism of Sharif's government
(Washington Post) As much of the world enjoys the lowest fuel prices in years, Pakistan has been hit with a gasoline shortage that has residents enraged at what they see as government incompetence.
137 Afghan nationals arrested by police in Pakistan
(Khaama Press) At least 137 Afghan nationals have been arrested by Pakistani police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, police officials said Tuesday.
Afghan leader Ashraf Ghani presents Cabinet picks amid controversy
(Los Angeles Times) Afghan President Ashraf Ghani officially presented his Cabinet nominations to parliament on Tuesday amid a series of shakeups and questions surrounding the long-delayed list of 25 proposed ministers.
MIDDLE EAST Rebels, believed to be backed by Iran, seize Yemen's presidential palace
(Washington Post) Shiite insurgents stormed Yemen's presidential palace and besieged the leader's residence Tuesday in a show of force that threatened to topple a government that has been a key American ally in the fight against al-Qaeda.
More Than a Dozen Israelis Stabbed in Tel Aviv Bus Attack
(New York Times) A Palestinian man stabbed and wounded more than a dozen Israelis as he rampaged through a bus in central Tel Aviv during the Wednesday morning rush hour then fled through nearby streets, the police said. He was shot and wounded by security forces as he tried to escape.
QandA: A look at Japan and the 2 Islamic State hostages
(Associated Press) Two Japanese men have been threatened with death by the Islamic State group if their government doesn't pay a huge ransom. A look at hostages and Japan and the country's interests in the Middle East:
Gaza War Leaks Stir Soul-Searching in Israel
(Defense News) Leaks from last summer's Gaza war dramatize the forces at play here when democracy and commitment to international law appear to clash with obligations to those fighting on the fog-laden front lines.
Weakness of Yemen's government undermines US terror fight
(Associated Press) The violent push Tuesday by Houthi rebels against the American-backed government in Yemen is undermining military and intelligence operations against al-Qaida's Yemen-based affiliate, which made its reach felt in this month's deadly Paris attacks, U.S. officials say.
Syria in the crosshairs of protecting the Turkish border
(Al Jazeera America) Terrorism is a topic that President Obama is going to have to address after the recent attacks in Paris. Nick Schifrin reports from Istanbul after spending several days at the Syrian border.
Two men from Yemen charged with plotting to kill American troops
(The Hill) Two Yemenis have been charged in a New York district court with conspiring to attack U.S. troops and helping an American join al Qaeda.
A flogging in Saudi Arabia is just one sign of a new crackdown on rights activists
(Washington Post) Mohammad al-Qahtani usually talks to his family at 2 a.m., when his prison cell block in Saudi Arabia is quiet and his wife is making dinner for their five kids in their home in exile in Rochester, N.Y.
EUROPE Russia Signs Military Cooperation Deal with Iran
(Agence France-Presse) Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu signed a military cooperation deal with Iran on Tuesday that his Iranian counterpart touted as a joint response to US "interference."
UK puts Iraq training mission on hold
(IHS Jane's 360) UK Prime Minister David Cameron has put on hold proposals to deploy "hundreds" of UK troops to Iraq this month to train the Iraqi Army, senior defence sources have told IHS Jane's .
Shelling in Eastern Ukraine Kills at Least 6 Civilians
(Associated Press) Shelling in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk killed at least six civilians Tuesday, as fighting intensified between government and rebel forces.
Paris Mayor to Sue Fox News Over 'No-Go Zones'
(Newsweek) The mayor of Paris is planning to sue Fox News after the American TV channel incorrectly told viewers there were Muslim "no-go zones" in the city in the days following the massacre earlier this month.
Ukraine Says Russian Troops Join Separatists in New Assaults
(Bloomberg) Rebels and Russian troops in Ukraine's east are carrying out new offensives, the government in Kiev said, a day after it accused Russia of sending in hundreds of soldiers.
Former Romania military officer indicted in dissident's 1985 death
(Associated Press) Romanian military prosecutors have indicted a former officer in connection with the death of a well-known dissident who was killed in prison in 1985.
Russia Headed Back to 1970 with Strategic Nuke Strategy
(Defense Industry Daily) Russian development of a new cruise missile and submarine forays into NATO waters have elicited complaints external link from Washington Russia has violated a key arms control agreement (the INF Treaty), and could cause the U.S. to redeploy cruise missiles in Europe. Russia has been feeding concerns with the re-introduction of nuclear missile trains and a new export cruise missile that can fit hidden in a shipping container.
Turkish police arrest telecoms officials over wiretapping
(BBC) Police have arrested more than 20 people linked to Turkey's telecoms and science agencies on suspicion of illegally wiretapping politicians.
Russian FM says Ukraine peace talks to focus on frontline
(Associated Press) Russia's foreign minister says talks with his counterparts from Ukraine, France and Germany will focus on pulling back heavy weapons from a frontline in east Ukraine.
ASIA-PACIFIC Taiwan Arrests Alleged Chinese Spy
(Defense News) Taiwan has arrested an alleged Chinese spy, the first such apprehension in Taiwan in decades, according to the National Security Bureau.
Maldives President Sacks Defense Minister
(Agence France-Presse) The Maldivian president announced the sacking of his defense minister Mohamed Nazim on Tuesday, days after police carried out a pre-dawn raid on the former army officer's home.
For China's birthrate, this may be a bad sign
(Los Angeles Times) Chen Lei runs a Shanghai business that helps pregnant Chinese women fly to Southern California and give birth in hospitals in Whittier, Fountain Valley, Pomona and other nearby cities. But come Feb. 19 - when the Chinese New Year begins, closing out the year of the horse and ushering in the year of the sheep - he's anticipating a sharp drop in clientele for his company, Xiduo Baby.
Beijing Investigating Detention of 100 Chinese in Myanmar
(New York Times) The Chinese government is investigating the detention of more than 100 Chinese citizens by Myanmar on suspicion that they entered the country to engage in logging, a spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar said Tuesday.
Myanmar probes monk Wirathu's comments on UN envoy
(BBC) Myanmar's government is investigating a speech by a Buddhist monk in which he called a UN rapporteur a "whore."
AFRICA Russia To Arm Cameroon Against Boko Haram
(Defense News) Russia has unveiled plans to provide military assistance to Cameroon to support that country's combat against the Islamist terrorist organization Boko Haram.
US sending MRAPS to Somalia for African Union mission
(Stars & Stripes) The U.S. will transfer 20 mine resistant vehicles, commonly known as MRAPS, to African Union forces taking part in military operations in Somalia, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa said Tuesday.
L.R.A. Commander Ongwen Heads to Face Charges in Hague
(New York Times) A notorious Ugandan rebel commander accused of kidnapping children and planning massacres is on his way to face charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, court officials announced Tuesday.
Boko Haram leader claims Baga attack
(Al Jazeera) Abubaker Shekau says his group killed hundreds in Nigerian town and threatens to attack Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
Zambians vote in a special election to replace President Michael Sata
(Los Angeles Times) Zambians voted Tuesday in a special electionon to replace President Michael Sata, whose death unleashed ugly power struggles in the governing Patriotic Front party and the southern African country's biggest opposition party, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy, both of which had to be resolved in court.
NGA provides resources to fight Ebola
(C4ISR & Networks) Satellite images and other GEOINT data that the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency recently released to government and non-governmental organizations will be used in the fight against the Ebola virus in West Africa, UPI reports.
THE AMERICAS Russian spy ship in Havana on eve of US-Cuba talks
(Agence France-Presse) A Russian intelligence warship docked in Havana on Tuesday, a day before the start of historic US-Cuba talks aimed at normalizing diplomatic relations.
Commentary: How Many People Are We Really Deporting?
(Stephanie Leutert in Lawfare) It's undeniable that U.S. immigration policy has profound human consequences, but it is admittedly at the margins of Lawfare's areas of concern. The site has not spent a great deal of energy on immigration reform questions. But immigration is never too far from national security discussion, since many people believe-rightly or wrongly-that failure to control the country's borders is itself a profound national security failure.
U.S. Outpost in Cuba to Step Out of the Shadows
(New York Times) Fidel Castro called the building a "nest of spies," routinely marshaling tens of thousands of people to protest at its doorstep. His government even made a television mini-series with what it called images of American diplomats lurking in a forest nearby, dropping off suspicious bags and marking benches in acts of espionage.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS 'Concrete Hell': Urban Warfare in the 20th Century
(Peter Storey in Cicero Magazine) It is difficult to deny that the threat of urban warfare en masse is starker than ever in the twenty-first century. Cities are strategically important locations due to their positions as economic, political and cultural centers and so are highly valuable military targets.
Hey France, Don't Do What We Did After 9/11
(Michael Tomasky in The Daily Beast) Were the Charlie Hebdo attacks France's 9-11? If so, France, then please: Don't follow our example, and don't become what we became.
Moral Obtuseness, Guantanamo, Boko Haram, and the Media
(Benjamin Wittes and Andy Wang in Lawfare) This morning's BBC's NewsHour show opened with a news judgment reflecting a genuinely odd moral calculus.
America's National Guard: A Force for Irregular War and Homeland Security
(John Maier in Small Wars Journal) The recent debate surrounding the size and structure of National Guard attack helicopter forces calls into question the legitimacy of a historical and outdated archetype. That is the practice of modeling reserve component forces to reflect the composition of active duty forces.
After Charlie Hebdo: Identity, Society, and National Security
(Jessie Daniels in Cicero Magazine) In November of 2009, then-President of France Nicolas Sarkozy asked: "What is French?" It was the first time France had conducted a "grand debate" on the issue of identity. But after a summer of riots following the death of a 21-year old of Algerian descent in police custody and a movement to ban the burqa, the grand debate turned vitriolic.
Fear in the Pacific and cyber conflict in 2023
(Matt Cavanaugh in War On The Rocks) Fear Paralyzes Pacific as Army Major Awaits Hearing.
New Top Enlisted Marine Selection Refreshes One Of The Dumbest Debates In The Marine Corps
(Task & Purpose) There's one problem, and it has to do with the stack of ribbons on Green's chest in his official Marine Corps photo. Through his 31 years of service, Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green hasn't earned the combat action ribbon, the decoration the Marine Corps bestows on those troops who have engaged in direct combat with the enemy.
Playing It Straight With Turkey
(Steven Cook in Council on Foreign Relations) Since the outbreak of the Gezi Park protests, which began in May 2013, there has been an inordinate amount of commentary in the newspapers of record, opinion magazines, policy journals, and blogs about Turkey. The vast majority of it has been overwhelmingly negative.
Services lacking for women veterans
(Kennebec Journal) VA, other agencies not fulfilling their obligation to aid women returning from war.
An EU PNR System?
(Paul Rosenzweig in Lawfare) Passenger Name Records (or PNR) are the data collected by an airline at the time of a passenger's reservation. The data in a PNR is often very detailed and robust. It may, for example, include a cell phone number for text updates or an email address.
Rhetoric and reality in the State of the Union Address
(Elbridge Colby in War On The Rocks) You would not know from last night's State of the Union that the world is an increasingly uncertain, unstable, and, yes, likely more dangerous place for the United States. In his annual address to the Congress and nation, President Obama sketched an image of a sunny world in which Russia is sheepishly isolated, Iran has its back to the wall and no exit to flee through, China is becoming contentedly enmeshed in the existing international system, Afghanistan is turning into a stable democracy, and radical Islamic terrorism in the form of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is on its way to being "degraded and ultimately destroyed."
Can Obama Get Congress To Help Him Fight Terrorism?
(National Journal) When President Obama steps before the Republican-controlled Congress for his State of the Union address Tuesday, he is planning to tout the country's economic progress, the dwindling unemployment rate, and resurgence of the housing market. But Americans, based on Facebook's data on what people are talking about most ahead of the speech, want answers to another question. What can they expect Congress and the president to do this year to stem the threat of global terrorism?
An Afghanistan Veteran Calls Out ISIS
(Task & Purpose) The fighting in the Middle East doesn't stop just because we quit talking about it, and neither should our sense of responsibility.
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