| February 9, 2015 |
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. Fat Leonard' Scandal Jams Up Dozens of US Navy Flag Moves
(Defense News) Defense officials said Vice Adm. Mike Miller Miller is one of an estimated three dozen flag officers under federal investigation for potential wrongdoing in the Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA) case, also known as the "Fat Leonard" affair, after the nickname of the company's leader, Leonard Glenn Francis.
2. U.S.-backed Iraqi forces face risky urban warfare in battle against Islamic State
(Washington Post) The Obama administration has touted the modest successes in recent months of Iraqi forces and paramilitary fighters, backed by U.S. air power, as they have fought to wrest towns, villages and parts of Iraq's rugged countryside from the Islamic State.
3. Bomb threat, crash investigated at Coast Guard station
(WZZM-TV/Associated Press) A 34-year-old man was arrested after driving a pickup through a U.S. Coast Guard station gate Sunday morning in Michigan after a telephone bomb threat. The man, whose name has not been released, also assaulted Coast Guard personnel at the station before he was subdued
4. Keystone Pipeline Draws No Objections From Pentagon After Review
(Bloomberg) The Pentagon "continues to have no objection" to approving the Keystone XL pipeline, a U.S. Defense Department official said.
5. Victims of 2009 Hood shooting to receive Purple Heart
(Army Times) The Army will award the Purple Heart and its civilian counterpart to victims of the 2009 shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, the Army announced Friday.
CONGRESS Some funding restored to family programs
(Military Times) Defense officials have beefed up their budget request for family programs and services next year by about $400 million, in some cases restoring funding to levels at or close to where they were two years ago.
Kaine sees W.H. moving soon to authorize force against ISIL
(Politico) Sen. Tim Kaine said on Sunday the White House will soon send to Congress legislation to authorize the use of military force in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
US Security Strategy Reflects Changed World
(Defense News) For the first time in almost five years, the White House has released a new National Security Strategy that makes the case for American leadership in a world in which terrorist threats and Great Power politics share equal billing as national security threats.
Benghazi panel to query top officials
(Associated Press) A special House committee looking into the deadly Benghazi, Libya, attacks in 2012 will interview a host of current and former high-ranking Obama administration officials as it speeds the pace of the investigation.
Graham Slams Obama 'Strategic Patience' Push
(Defense News) A potential 2016 GOP candidate and US senator is slamming a new White House national security strategy that emphasizes diplomacy and "strategic patience."
Biden to miss Netanyahu's speech
(McClatchy) Vice President Joe Biden is expected to miss Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to a joint session of Congress scheduled for next month.
No Capitol Hill Consensus for DoD Hike
(Defense News) Many US lawmakers believe the Pentagon needs more annual funding, but a consensus has yet to form on whether Congress should do anything about it.
Bill would offer $5M award for intel on ISIS killings
(The Hill) Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) has introduced legislation that would offer a $5 million cash reward to people who provide information that leads to the arrest of terrorists involved with the murder or kidnapping of U.S. citizens.
Ambassador nominee's ill-fated path is a Senate cautionary tale
(McClatchy) Maria Echaveste made it all the way from California's San Joaquin Valley to the edge of political glory, as the nominee to serve as U.S. ambassador to Mexico. But now, instead of highlighting her life's inspiring arc, Echaveste's recently withdrawn nomination sheds light on the increasingly dicey politics of Senate confirmation.
Defense Cuts Threaten To Split the GOP
(National Journal) Republicans have little room for error in its bid to pass a budget, and sequestration is forcing a rethink of conventional priorities.
INDUSTRY With New T-X Design, Northrop Shows Its Hand
(Defense News) Northrop Grumman's decision to launch a clean-sheet design for the Air Force's T-X trainer replacement program caught the aviation industry off-guard.
New stealth bomber contract likely to be boon for greater L.A.
(Los Angeles Times) The Pentagon is poised to spend billions to build a new stealth bomber, a top secret project that could bring hundreds of jobs to the wind-swept desert communities in Los Angeles County's northern reaches.
Exelis, Harris Announce $4.75 Billion Merger
(Defense News) Exelis has agreed to be acquired by Harris Corp. in a merger valued at $4.75 billion, a deal that would combine two mid-tier defense firms.
Will Harris Acquiring Exelis Spur More Defense Firm Consolidation?
(DefenseOne) Larger defense firms have scooped up smaller defense companies over the past five years, particularly those with a cyber and drone technology expertise. But until recently there has been little movement in the middle tier. So could there be more movement?
Ground Collision Avoidance System 'Saves' First F-16 In Syria
(Aviation Week) A U.S. Air Force F-16C believed to be taking part in combat operations against Islamic State (ISIS) forces in Syria has become the first to be officially 'saved' from certain impact with the ground by the recently fielded Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS).
Damen teams with Metal Shark to target US sales
(IHS Jane's 360) Netherlands-based shipbuilder Damen Shipyards Group has strengthened its position in the United States' naval, coastguard, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) markets by licensing its vessel designs to Louisiana boat-builder Metal Shark Aluminum Boats.
With weapons modernization, Russia's military ups its game as West watches closely
(Washington Post) Russia, the birthplace of the AK-47, announced last week that it had selected two new assault rifles for integration into its front-line units. For the Russian military, the introduction of those rifles marks a key moment in its attempts to modernize - but also highlights broader weaknesses plaguing Russian forces, experts say.
Argentina and China agree fighter aircraft working group
(IHS Jane's 360) Argentina and China are to form a working group to look at the possible introduction into Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina - FAA) service of a new Chinese fighter type, it was disclosed on 5 February.
Analysts: Harris-Exelis Deal Not Expected to Spark MandA Rush
(Defense News) The proposed merger of American radio-makers Harris Corp. and Exelis is expected to make Harris a stronger competitor in several key market segments, but analysts don't expect the move to kick off a merger spree.
VETERANS Post-9/11 vet unemployment ticks up in January
(Military Times) After a year that set record lows for post-9/11 veteran unemployment, the first report for 2015 showed a 1-point uptick in the group's unemployment rate, government data show.
Q-and-A: Got Your 6 boss on Hollywood helping vets, more
(Army Times) Does the way a television show or movie portrays a former service member influence the way a generation of Americans view those entering civilian life after military service?
Korn Ferry: Veterans are high on 'learning agility'
(Military Times) Corporate leaders at talent management powerhouse Korn Ferry works with are assessed for "learning agility," described as a top predictor of leadership success. After the company teamed up with Exelis Action Corps and Points of Light on the Leveraging Military Leadership Program, Korn Ferry's experts were able to discover how veterans measure up.
This Dying Veteran Is Giving All His Possessions Away
(Time/KARE 11) An only child who never married and never had children, Bob Karlstrand -- a 65-year-old Vietnam War veteran battling colon cancer and a terminal lung disease -- is preparing for the end of his life with a remarkable gesture: He's willing his Maple Grove, Minnesota, home of 38 years to Habitat for Humanity, with the only stipulation being that it has to go to a veteran.
Dresden: 70 years later, fiery WWII debate still hits home
(San Diego Union-Tribune) Seventy years ago, in the final stages of World War II, a German city of Baroque architecture and art was turned into a flaming caldron.
War memorial separates dead by race, divides Southern city
(Associated Press) Along Main Street in a small South Carolina city, there is war memorial honoring fallen World War I and II soldiers, dividing them into two categories: "white" and "colored."
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT US Cyber Command Has Just Half the Staff It Needs
(NextGov) The Pentagon wants to fully staff its Cyber Command with 6,000 workers by the end of the year, but a highly competitive private market could mean it will have to wait.
Overseas benefits elusive for same-sex military couples
(Stars & Stripes) Dougherty's story is similar to those of other same-sex spouses who have tried joining DOD employees overseas in the past year and a half. When the Supreme Court discarded parts of the Defense of Marriage Act on June 26, 2013, it opened the door to housing and other benefits for same-sex spouses of federal employees, including servicemembers and civilian workers in the Defense Department.
Panel's retirement claims draw skepticism
(Military Times) Claims that a new proposal for overhauling military retirement may give service members a bigger and more lucrative benefit in the end are facing initial skepticism from military compensation and pension experts.
DARPA: Cyberattacks against US military 'dramatically increasing'
(The Hill) The head of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's software innovation division said in an interview broadcast Sunday night that cyberattacks against the U.S. military are increasing in frequency and sophistication.
New search-and-rescue teams moving into Iraq
(Military Times) The U.S. military is moving additional troops and aircraft into Iraq to prepare for combat search-and-rescue missions, a defense official said Friday.
ARMY Combat training rotations will increase to 18 days
(Army Times) Brigade combat teams headed to the National Training Center and Joint Readiness Training Center next year will spend more time "in the box" as the Army rolls out longer, 18-day rotations.
Soldiers offer eyewitness accounts of the Brian Williams Chinook story
(Stars & Stripes) Soldiers who were in two Chinook companies say he was not in, nor ever near, a helicopter that was being fired upon.
Fort Carson ID's soldier who died in training accident
(Colorado Springs Gazette) Fort Carson on Sunday identified the soldier who was killed in a training accident at the post.
Army investigates death of Fort Hood soldier
(Army Times) The Army is investigating the death of a soldier who was found unresponsive in his vehicle at Fort Hood, Texas.
Investigators: Human error caused Idaho Guard helo crash
(Associated Press) Military investigators say human error caused an Idaho Army National Guard helicopter to crash during a training mission in November near the Boise airport, leading to the death of two pilots on board.
Changes for NCOs: New writing test, leader course
(Army Times) Training officials are moving forward with several big changesto the service's enlisted schooling system thanks to the recommendations of thousands of soldiers who participated in one of the most ambitious polling efforts ever conducted by the Army.
Tenn. National Guard recruiter to stand trial in shooting
(Associated Press) A Tennessee National Guard recruiter is facing trial on charges that he tried to kill four of his superiors in a shooting inside an armory northeast of Memphis.
QandA: COL Robert Collins
(C4ISR & Networks) COL Robert Collins is project manager for the Army's Distributed Common Ground System, a position he assumed June 2014. Previously he was product manager for Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) Increments 2 and 3.
Hawaii Guard's Big Island lava mission ends
(Associated Press) The Hawaii National Guard is no longer needed to help deal with a lava flow threatening Puna.
Deployed Bragg troops can send free singing Valentines to spouses
(Fayetteville Observer) A local chorus plans to make Valentine's Day extra special for the spouses of deployed service members.
NAVY Report: Sloppy navigation caused 2014 frigate grounding
(Navy Times) When the frigate Taylor ran aground while pulling into Samsun, Turkey, on Feb. 12, 2014, the ship was well right of track and nobody had taken a fix in over six minutes - a fix interval for open ocean, not a transit into an uncommon port.
Midshipman found dead in Naval Academy dorm
(The Capital) A 22-year-old midshipman from Maine was found dead in his dorm room Thursday night at the U.S. Naval Academy, according to academy officials.
Two cruisers to slim crew before lay-up and overhaul
(Navy Times) The crews of the cruisers Cowpens and Gettysburg will be thinning out soon.
US Navy to establish programme office to oversee new frigate acquisition
(IHS Jane's 360) The US Navy's (USN's) leadership has approved the establishment of a new programme office to oversee the acquisition of the modified Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) recently designated as a frigate by the service's top official, IHS Jane's has learned.
3-star: Forget paint chipping. There's a laser for that
(Navy Times) Ship repair may not seem a likely place for the latest and greatest technology breakthroughs, but three are in the works that could make deckplate life a little easier.
QandA: RDML Christian 'Boris' Becker, Navy PEO Space Systems
(C4ISR & Networks) RDML Christian "Boris" Becker is the Navy's program executive officer for Space Systems (PEO Space Systems), and is dual-hatted as the PEO for Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (PEO C4I).
CNP: New and improved fleet coveralls in the works
(Navy Times) The Navy is working on a new and improved version of the oft-maligned fire-resistant coveralls issued to sailors last year.
Joe Langdell, survivor of 1941 Pearl Harbor attack on USS Arizona, dies at 100
(The (Marysville, Calif.) Appeal-Democrat ) Joe Langdell was known for the World War II stories he could tell.
Now hear this: Custom foamies in the works for sailors
(Navy Times) Most sailors don't wear foamies right, and that's leading to preventable hearing loss. Now, the Navy's research branch is eyeing a 3-D printer that makes custom ear plugs to fit every sailors' ears.
Army-Navy cadets launch anti-bullying club
(San Diego Union-Tribune) Oscar Ryan Lama is, quite literally, a big man on campus at the Army and Navy Academy in Carlsbad. At 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, he's an all-league linebacker and captain of the football team. But before the New York native came to the all-boys military prep school two years ago, he was hazed by former teammates.
Greenert to check out Australian port ahead of US ship deployment
(Associated Press) The U.S. Navy's top officer said Friday he is on his way to northern Australia to check out a port that U.S. amphibious ships are expected to use.
AIR FORCE Technical issues scrub SpaceX launch from Cape
(Florida Today) SpaceX and the Air Force hope to try again Monday to launch a space weather satellite from Cape Canaveral after fixing a tracking radar that scrubbed today's first launch attempt.
DoD: F-22s escorted Jordanian fighters for airstrikes in Syria
(Air Force Times) U.S. Air Force F-22s and F-16CJs escorted Jordanian fighters for recent airstrikes in Syria, the Pentagon said Friday.
A-10 pilots honored for mission that saved Marine
(Air Force Times) The day started slowly for the A-10 pilots, using their legendary attack aircraft to provide some intelligence over targets in Afghanistan.
AFA graduation ceremony moved to a new day to save money
(Colorado Springs Gazette) Air Force Academy seniors will have to wait a day longer this year for their graduation, and they have federal budget cuts to thank for it.
Co-pilot on the first presidential air crew dies
(Air Force Times) Retired Col. Elmer F. Smith, co-pilot on the first presidential air crew, the forerunner of today's "Air Force One," died Wednesday at Reston Hospital Center in Reston, Virginia. He was 97.
Air Force Academy cadets show skill in cybersecurity competition
(Colorado Springs Gazette) Cadets at the Air Force Academy recently took top honors at a Pennsylvania cybersecurity competition pitting them against their counterparts from other service academies.
Reserve command: Release on mission trip will stay up
(Air Force Times) The Air Force Reserve Command has decided that a news release on an airman's church-sponsored humanitarian mission to Guatemala does not violate rules requiring separation of church and state. The releasewill remain online.
Fitzhugh 'Fitz' Fulton, revered military and NASA test pilot, dies at 89
(Los Angeles Times) Pilot Fitzhugh "Fitz" Fulton Jr., known as the "Dean of Flight Test" for his involvement in pioneering programs including the space shuttle piggyback flights, died Wednesday at home in Thousand Oaks. He was 89.
MARINE CORPS Deadline approaches for some Marines' re-up bonuses
(Marine Corps Times) Time is running out for first term and career Marines in just over 40 military occupational specialties to secure selective re-enlistment bonuses.
QandA with the CMC: Dunford's vision for the Marine Corps
(Marine Corps Times) With the release of his planning guidance and the selection of a new sergeant major of the Marine Corps, Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford is setting the tone for his tenure as the service's top general.
After a decade of twists, vanishing Marine goes to trial
(Associated Press) A U.S. Marine who vanished from a base in Iraq and later wound up in Lebanon is set to face trial more than a decade after the puzzling case began.
Marine officials mum on moving Ospreys to Iraq
(Marine Corps Times) Marine leaders are staying tight-lipped on the reported possibility of basing MV-22B Osprey aircraft in northern Iraq to assist with search and rescue capabilities in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
ACMC stresses importance of cyber innovation
(Marine Corps Times) The assistant commandant of the Marine Corps stressed the paramount importance of continued military technological development, including cyber innovation, through cooperation between the Defense Department and industry during a Feb. 5 panel discussion in downtown Washington.
Trial comes for Marine accused of killing 'American Sniper'
(Associated Press) Routh, a 27-year-old Iraq War veteran, is scheduled to stand trial Wednesday, charged with capital murder in the slayings of Chad Littlefield and former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, whose memoir "American Sniper" is now an Academy Award-nominated movie.
3-star calls on defense industry to help cyber Marines
(Marine Corps Times) New cyber warfare capabilities have been a major boon for the Corps as service leaders have worked to develop the growing field, but Marines are still learning how best to weed through the slew of data they're faced with during a mission, according to a three-star general.
Inside the commandant's plan to rebuild the NCO ranks
(Marine Corps Times) Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford worries about a "post-deployment death spiral" in which seasoned enlisted leaders return from a pump and rapidly depart their units for other opportunities in the fleet or elsewhere. With noncommissioned officer and staff NCO ranks thinning and leaving key leadership positions unfilled, Dunford is pushing forward a detailed plan to level that death spiral out.
ISLAMIC STATE Afghanistan drone strike 'kills IS commander Abdul Rauf'
(BBC) A drone strike in Afghanistan has killed a militant commander who recently swore allegiance to Islamic State (IS), officials say. The police chief of Helmand said that former Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Rauf had died in the strike.
Jordan says its airstrikes are targeting Islamic State leadership
(Washington Post) Jordan's air force has carried out 56 airstrikes against Islamic State weapons depots and training camps in Syria and Iraq in the days since the extremist group revealed it had burned a Jordanian pilot to death, Jordanian military officials said Sunday.
Islamic State hostage Kayla Mueller: 'devoted to the people of Syria'
(Los Angeles Times) At an age when most kids are preoccupied with friends and school, Kayla Jean Mueller devoted herself to helping those in need around the world.
John Kerry: U.S. 'on the road' to defeating ISIL
(Politico) Secretary of State John Kerry is defending the administration's progress in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, saying the U.S. is "on the road" to defeating the terrorist group.
Iraqi PM: Plans for Mosul offensive against Islamic State take shape
(Stars & Stripes) Iraqi Prime Minister Hayder al-Abadi on Saturday laid out a series of steps that must be taken ahead of launching an offensive to retake Mosul, Iraq's second largest city,which was seized by Islamic State fighters last summer with little opposition.
Ahead of curfew ending, bombs kill 40 in Baghdad
(Associated Press) Ahead of Baghdad ending a decade-old nightly curfew, bombs exploded across the Iraqi capital Saturday, killing at least 40 people in a stark warning of the dangers still ahead in this country torn by the Islamic State group.
In Russia, Kazakh Accused Of Recruiting Students For Islamic State
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) A Kazakh citizen studying in the Russian city of Novosibirsk has allegedly tried to recruit his fellow students to join the Islamic State group, security authorities in Novosibirsk have said.
How does Islamic State justify its atrocities in name of Islam?
(McClatchy) Muslims across the globe have condemned the Islamic State's blood lust, calling the extremist group's tactics forbidden under Islam and an affront to humanity. So how do zealots claiming to represent a pure and true Islam square their actions with traditional Islamic law?
U.S. says 6 supplied money, equipment to overseas terrorists
(Associated Press) Six Bosnian immigrants have been accused of sending money and military equipment to terrorist fighters overseas, including the Islamic State group and al-Qaida in Iraq.
Germany Announces More Military Aid To Iraq To Fight IS
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Germany's Defense Ministry says it is stepping up arms supplies -- including armor-piercing missiles -- to Kurdish Peshmerga fighters battling Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN Police Force in Afghanistan Is Studied for Ties to Taliban
(New York Times) When Mullah Mujahid, a Taliban commander in Kunduz Province, was arrested last month, there was little reason to think it would have much consequence, either for him or for the government of Afghanistan.
War Rugs' Reflect Afghanistan's Long History With Conflict
(National Public Radio) Afghanistan has suffered through long decades of war; conflict with the Soviet Union, civil war and 13 years of a U.S.-led NATO combat mission. Among the political, economic and cultural impacts of this violence, there's an artistic transformation: the history of violence is reflected in the country's ancient art of rug making.
Pakistani Military Courts To Start Terrorism Trials
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Pakistani military courts are ready to start trying some of the 10,000 suspects arrested since the start of a major counterterrorism operation.
For 50 years, one American's life has traced Afghanistan's - bin Laden and all
(Washington Post) Inside a modern cultural center at Kabul University, a student in a leather jacket walked up to a white-haired American woman wearing an olive shawl and shyly asked: "Can I please have a picture with you?"
MIDDLE EAST Israeli Leaders Embrace Obama-Style Strategy
(Defense News) With Israeli elections just five weeks away, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hardline rivals are ratcheting up security-centric rhetoric in their bid for the role as strongman-in-chief against the raging threat of radical Islam.
U.N. envoy back in Yemen as crisis deepens
(Associated Press) The U.N. envoy to Yemen has returned to Sanaa and resumed contacts with major political players to find a way out of a deepening crisis caused by a Shiite rebel takeover, participants in the talks said Sunday.
If you think gas is cheap these days, look what it costs in Saudi Arabia
(Washington Post) Ahmed al-Ghaith pulled his Dodge Durango into a gas station in central Riyadh and told the attendant to fill it up. In a country where gas sells for 45 cents a gallon, that cost him $12.
Egypt Seeks Bank Loans for French Arms Buy
(Defense News) Egypt is seeking a bank loan to partially finance a prospective order for the Rafale fighter jet, a multimission frigate and missiles, an unusual financing deal likely to require high-level political support, two analysts said.
U.S. shipload of weapons and ammunition arrives in Lebanon
(Associated Press) The U.S. ambassador to Lebanon said Sunday that $25 million worth of weapons and ammunition have arrived in Beirut, the latest American assistance to Lebanon's army as it fights Islamic extremists along the border with Syria.
Iran says its time to reach nuclear deal
(Al Jazeera America) With a deadline approaching to resolve a 12-year standoff over Tehran's atomic ambitions, Iranian officials on Sunday signaled a willingness to come to an agreement, with Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif telling a gathering of the world's top diplomats that "this is the opportunity."
Netanyahu's Congress Address Strains US-Israel Ties
(Defense News) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's impending address to Congress has ignited a firestorm of controversy among the country's politicians and pundits, who are lambasting the move for corroding the strategic alliance with the United States.
New allegations renew old questions about Saudi Arabia, 9-11
(Associated Press) For years, some current and former American officials have been urging President Barack Obama to release secret files they say document links between the government of Saudi Arabia and the Sept. 11 attacks.
Russia's Lavrov, Iran's Zarif Discuss Nuclear Negotiations
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty ) The foreign ministers of Russia and Iran have discussed international efforts to resolve a persistent standoff over Tehran's nuclear program.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE Leaders Press for Ukraine Deal in Minsk
(Wall Street Journal) Chancellor Angela Merkel has given Russian President Vladimir Putin until Wednesday to agree to a road map to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine, according to Western officials. Separately, the U.S. is considering supplying Ukraine with lethal aid. President Barack Obama has held off on a decision until he sees Ms. Merkel - who has publicly opposed weapons deliveries - on Monday morning.
Desperation and Destruction in Contested Ukraine City
(New York Times) A line of furious, bedraggled women, holding tight to their wind-whipped clothes, waited for a chance to fill their plastic jugs from a water truck. Outside city hall, old men and women grabbed desperately at loaves of bread dropped off by Ukrainian troops. A few more gathered inside to recharge their radios and other electronic gear at the community generator.
Cold War history fuels Europe, US clash over Ukraine arms
(Agence France-Presse) Far from the rubble-strewn streets of eastern Ukraine, a clash of titans is taking place as Europe and America tussle over visions for the post-Cold War era.
Biden Says Russia Needs To Get Out Of Ukraine Or Face Isolation
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) U.S. Vice President Joe Biden says Russian President Vladimir Putin faces a choice to either "get out" of Ukraine or face "continued international isolation" and domestic economic problems.
Rebels, Ukraine govt forces jointly evacuate war-hit town
(Associated Press) In the freezing, muddy winter that plagues eastern Ukraine, dozens of buses rolled down a highway Friday, bringing a glimmer of hope to those trapped for weeks in the crossfire of a relentless war.
Ukrainian Volunteers Hold Checkpoint From Separatist Attacks
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Soldiers of the Dnipro-1 volunteer unit have come under continued attacks from pro-Russian separatists at a checkpoint near the village of Pisky, north-west of Donetsk, over the past week.
EUROPE Turkey Moves To Demine, Contracts To Follow
(Defense News) After several years of delays, Turkey's Parliament has passed a bill for clearing more than 1 million landmines, mostly in Turkey's southern and eastern border areas. Industry sources say several contracts, big and small, are on the way.
A month after kosher market attack, French Jews plan an exodus
(Washington Post) For all her 30 years, Jennifer Sebag has lived in a community that embodies everything modern Europe is supposed to be.
Germany halts routine flights with NH90 military helicopters
(Associated Press) The German military has stopped all routine flights with its NH90 multi-function helicopters because of a design flaw.
Greek PM pledges to deal with wounds of austerity
(Al Jazeera America) Greece's new prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, said on Sunday he would not accept an extension to Greece's current bailout, setting up a clash with European leaders at a summit on Thursday.
Socialist calls win in France's 1st vote since Paris attacks
(Associated Press) The candidate of the governing Socialist Party won a narrow victory in Sunday's critical election to fill a vacant parliamentary seat, and denounced the far-right National Front party of his opponent as a "peril for our democracy."
ASIA-PACIFIC President Xi of China to Make State Visit to Washington
(New York Times) President Xi Jinping of China is set to make a state visit to the United States later this year, his first since becoming the top leader of Asia's biggest economy.
North Korea missile launch may signal technical upgrade
(Stars & Stripes) North Korea's launch of five missile may be more than just a typical response ahead of annual U.S.-South Korea military exercises, analysts and officials said Monday.
Experts: Chinese '4th Fleet' Appears Unlikely
(Defense News) Despite reports that China is planning a fourth fleet for the Indian Ocean, India doesn't appear to be losing any sleep over it.
Dry winter sparks fears of another food crisis in North Korea
(Washington Post) As North Korea heads toward the "barley hump" - the lean season before the rice and corn harvest in the summer - aid agencies are warning that an unusually dry winter is compounding chronic food shortages in the impoverished country.
AFRICA Boko Haram brings war to Niger, senior Chadian general wounded
(Long War Journal) Fierce battles between Boko Haram and a growing coalition of Nigeria's neighboring states has left hundreds dead this week. Swarms of the group's jihadists launched a series of attacks inside Niger on February 6, marking the first time that Boko Haram has penetrated into that country. The attacks, which reportedly left over 100 Boko Haram fighters dead, also injured a senior Chadian army general.
Nigeria Postpones Elections, Saying Security Is a Concern
(New York Times) Nigeria's election agency on Saturday night put off a closely contested presidential election after weeks of pressure to postpone it from the ruling party, which analysts say was facing potential defeat for the first time in more than 15 years.
Guinea, the ground zero of the Ebola outbreak, now hopes the end is near
(Washington Post) Deep within the forest region of Guinea, a tall, charred tree trunk stands at the edge of this village. A year ago, after a toddler became ill and death began to spread from home to home, villagers learned that the bats in that very tree were likely the reason they had become sick.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS Editorial: The Pentagon's Excess Space
(New York Times) For the past three years, officials at the Pentagon have asked Congress for permission to take stock of how many of the military's vast network of installations across the country have become obsolete and ought to be shrunk or shuttered. The Defense Department, by far the nation's largest and costliest bureaucracy, estimates that it could operate far more efficiently and save billions of dollars each year by shedding at least 20 percent of its real estate.
Brian Williams Deserves The Military Community's Forgiveness
(Zach Iscol in Task & Purpose) If anyone understands the fickle nature of storytelling and war, it's the military community. Brian Williams deserves our support, or at least, the benefit of the doubt.
Editorial: What price retirement?
(Military Times) An odd thread has slipped out of the final report of the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission.
Why Each ISIS Video Is More Horrifying Than the Last
(Simon Cottee in The Atlantic) The terrorist group has committed many atrocities, but it focuses its propaganda power on productions that will shock the world.
Leaks Make a Mockery of Intelligence Community Secrecy
(Kevin Strouse in Overt Action) "CIA, Mossad killed senior Hezbollah figure in bombing" announced The Washington Post headline on 31 January 2015-nearly seven years after the death of Imad Mughniyeh. Few in America should be particularly heartbroken with the particulars of his demise; after all, Mughniyeh has been the shadowy figure who masterminded attacks in Beirut that killed more than 300 Americans, trained fighters in Iraq to attack US forces, and led the kidnapping, torture, and murder of CIA's Beirut Station Chief.
New U.S. security strategy touting unity with Europe is tested instantly
(McClatchy) Even as President Barack Obama released his administration's new National Security Strategy on Friday, noting the threat of "Russian aggression" and the need to work with European allies, two of the U.S.'s most important partners were in Moscow, hoping to hash out a new cease-fire with Russian President Vladimir Putin without American input.
Suffocating Congo's War
(John Prendergast, Sasha Lezhnev, Lauren Wolfe in Foreign Policy ) Rules imposed by Dodd-Frank are cutting off a critical source of funding for armed groups that have plagued the country for more than 20 years.
The Foreign Policy Essay: Hidden Victories
(Joshua Rovner in Lawfare) President Obama fails all the time. That is the verdict of the op-ed pages, at least. His foreign policy is a muddle. His decisions to exit from Afghanistan and Iraq were disastrously premature. His responses to terrorism, Syria, Iran, and Russia revealed weakness. His response to the rise of China is a massive failure based on wishful thinking. America's standing in the world is in steep decline because of all these errors.
Putin's Peninsula Is a Lonely Island
(Dimiter Kenarov in Foreign Policy) No tourists, frightened tatars, and Russians have taken all the jobs. Welcome to Crimea in winter.
Is Jordan Attacking ISIS on a New Legal Theory?
(Ashley Deeks in Lawfare) In the past few days, in the wake of ISIS's horrific burning of a Jordanian air force pilot, Jordan has adopted a highly combative tone toward the group. It has matched this rhetoric with action: Its air force carried out dozens of strikes against ISIS targets on Thursday.
Obama's New National Security Strategy Could Force Clinton to Take a Hard Line
(National Journal) Critics are attacking Obama's new national security strategy as weak and unfocused -- leaving Democrats on the defensive.
Want to Hurt the Islamic State? Here's How.
(Christian Caryl in Foreign Policy) The Kurds have an army, and they're willing to fight and die. So why isn't the United States sending them the weapons they need?
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT UAE sends squadron of F-16 jet fighters to Jordan
(Associated Press) The United Arab Emirates said Saturday it ordered a squadron of F-16 fighters to Jordan, demonstrating support for Jordan's pledge to hunt down Islamic State group militants and "wipe them out completely."
Isis supporters claim US hostage killed in Jordanian air strike in Syria
(The Guardian) Supporters of Islamic State have claimed that an American aid worker held hostage by the militant group has been killed in a Jordanian air strike intended to avenge the burning to death of a captured Jordanian pilot.
Brian Williams takes break from 'Nightly News'
(USA Today) Brian Williams, under internal investigation by NBC News over his embellished account of a 2003 helicopter mission over Iraq, told NBC staffers Saturday he'll step down temporarily to avoid becoming a distraction.
North Korea test-fires 5 short-range missiles into the sea
(Associated Press) North Korea test-fired five short-range missiles into the sea on Sunday in its second such weapons test this year, a South Korean defense official said, amid dimming prospects for the resumption of high-level talks between the rival countries.
Parents ask Obama to help journo son held in Syria
(Associated Press) Parents of a missing journalist detained in Syria and the press freedom group Reporters Without Borders are calling on the White House to help bring the journalist home safely and to improve U.S. policy on hostage cases.
Air Force reviewing Lockheed 2-yr delay in GPS III delivery
(Bloomberg) Air Force is reviewing whether to open to competition future GPS-III satellite buys in part because Lockheed is two years late delivering first one, AF Maj. Gen. Roger Teague, the head of the service's space acquisitions, tells reporters.
One dead, six hurt in rollover during training at Fort Carson
(Army Times) One soldier was killed and six others were injured in a vehicle rollover accident Friday at Fort Carson, Colorado, officials said.
Planned rebirth of Millersburg Military Institute uncertain after years of turmoil
(Lexington Herald-Leader) Jay Whitehead wants people to know: Forest Hill Military Academy, Kentucky's only military school, is down but not out.
Former general blasts Obama on national security strategy
(The Hill) Former Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn blasted the Obama administration's national security strategy on Sunday, describing it as too narrowly focused on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Judge denies motion from man who killed N.C. Marine
(Associated Press) A judge has denied a request from a man serving a life sentence for killing a fellow Marine when she was almost 8 months pregnant, rejecting the argument that his defense attorney was ineffective.
Wounded Army veteran plans return to Afghanistan
(The Meadville Tribune, Pa.) Wounded U.S. Army veteran Justin Deeter knows it worries his family, but Deeter said he won't feel he has come full circle in his life until he goes back to Afghanistan.
2 Coast Guard officers shot at condo complex were married
(Associated Press) Two Coast Guard petty officers shot at a condominium complex, one of them fatally, were married, the Coast Guard said.
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