| February 5, 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. NBC's Brian Williams recants Iraq story after soldiers protest
(Stars & Stripes) NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams admitted Wednesday he was not aboard a helicopter hit and forced down by RPG fire during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a false claim that has been repeated by the network for years.
2. Defense nominee Carter casts himself as independent voice
(Washington Post) Ashton B. Carter, President Obama's choice to become the next secretary of defense, promised lawmakers Wednesday that he would keep an independent voice and showed a willingness to differ with the White House over its strategy in several global hot spots.
3. Military Ebola mission in Liberia coming to an end
(USA Today) President Obama is all but ending the U.S. military mission to Liberia to fight Ebola next month, as infection rates there fall to near zero.
4. Army revokes Silver Star award for Green Beret officer, citing investigation
(Washington Post) Capt. Mathew L. Golsteyn was leading a Special Forces team in Afghanistan in 2010 when an 80-man mission he assembled to hunt insurgent snipers went awry. One of the unit's five vehicles sank in mud, a gunshot incapacitated an Afghan soldier fighting alongside the Americans, and insurgents maneuvered on them to rake the soggy fields with machine-gun fire.
5. Washington Unveils NATO Weapon-Sharing Plan
(Defense News) The US State Department and the Pentagon's office for selling military equipment to foreign allies announced on Wednesday that they are embarking on a program that will for the first time allow NATO members to acquire and share American military hardware among members of the alliance.
CARTER CONFIRMATION HEARING McCain: White House Won't Listen To Carter
(Defense News) A prominent GOP senator says Ash Carter's suggestion of changes to US policies on Afghanistan and Ukraine will matter little if he becomes secretary of defense because the White House will simply ignore him.
Few surprises, concerns at Carter confirmation hearing
(Military Times) The Senate's confirmation hearing for the next secretary of defense was filled will familiar faces, familiar questions and unsurprising answers from a candidate expected to sail through a full chamber vote within days.
Carter: I won't be pushed around
(Politico) The president wants to pull nearly all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan by the time he leaves office in early 2017 - but Carter said if the situation there deteriorates, he'd advocate putting on the brakes.
Carter: Cuts Make Strategy 'Not Executable'
(Defense News) The Obama administration's defense secretary nominee says he cannot execute the existing national defense strategy if more across-the-board budget cuts occur.
SecDef Nominee: Cyber threats require holistic defense strategy
(Federal Times) As cyberspace becomes an ever more integrated part of daily life, cybersecurity has become a central part of the national defense. Acknowledging this, Defense Secretary nominee Ash Carter was asked several pointed questions about cyber threats and creating a framework for appropriate responses to attacks.
Defense nominee 'inclined' to arm Ukrainian military
(The Hill) Defense Secretary nominee Ash Carter on Wednesday said he would be "inclined" to provide weapons to the Ukraine, in contrast with the White House's current policy.
GOP Holds Fire at Carter Hearing
(Defense News) Republican senators held fire Wednesday, opting against using Ash Carter's defense secretary confirmation hearing to publicly hammer President Obama's policies.
Carter's Confirmation Hug: SASC Shows He May Be A Strong SecDef
(Breaking Defense) Nomination hearings are never just about the nominee. But today's Senate lovefest for Ash Carter was remarkably dominated by two men who weren't in the room: President Obama - in whose defense Carter was actually pretty tepid - and King Abdullah II of Jordan.
Carter: Involve Chiefs in Weapons Decisions
(Defense News) Defense secretary nominee Ash Carter says he favors using requirements and contract structures to properly incentivize defense companies, while getting the top US military commanders more involved in buying weapons.
BRIAN WILLIAMS RECANTS STORY Brian Williams faces fierce mockery after recanting Iraq war story
(Washington Post) A sampling of reaction online, which include questions about whether he should keep his job.
Veterans force NBC's Brian Williams to apologize
(Poynter ) After the story aired, soldiers who served in Iraq began complaining.
Social media reacts to Brian Williams' false memories about helicopter in Iraq
(NJ.com) Brian Williams is undoubtedly feeling the heat after apologizing for advancing a false story about his time in Iraq.
Brian Williams' 'incorrect' broadcast
(NBC News YouTube channel) On his Friday broadcast, Williams recounted his visit to the Rangers game with Terpak and once again told the incorrect tale of his chopper's forced landing.
Opinion: Brian Williams delivers blow to journalists by lying
(New York Daily News) NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams dealt journalists everywhere a stunning blow Wednesday when he apologized for telling millions a tall tale about how he once rode in a military helicopter that got shot down by enemy fire in Iraq.
CONGRESS Officials: Wounded warrior units still needed
(Military Times) The military may be winding down from more than 13 years of war, but military wounded warrior programs remain a top priority within the Pentagon, officials told Congress Tuesday.
Lawmakers: Speed US Arms Sales To Jordan
(Defense News) Two influential US lawmakers want to speed arms shipments to Jordan, saying the burning death of a Jordanian pilot by the Islamic State should allow for the bypassing of red tape.
Senators move to demand DOD audit penalties
(The Hill) A bipartisan group of senators has introduced legislation that would impose penalties on the Defense Department if the agency fails meet a legally mandated goal of being fully auditable by September 2017.
Israeli officials fail to quell Democratic revolt
(Politico) Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer and Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein rushed to meetings on Capitol Hill on Wednesday trying to calm a furor created by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned speech to Congress next month and quell a Democratic revolt that has dozens threatening a boycott.
Lawmakers skeptical of call to abolish Tricare
(The Hill) Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday grilled members of a military commission that recommended abolishing Tricare, the healthcare system for service members.
INDUSTRY Two US Army Events Explore COTS
(Defense News) When it comes to modernization, the US Army has come to recognize it does not always need to reinvent the wheel - or the router, server stack or tactical radio - especially when the commercial sector has ready or near-ready technology.
GD and Excalibur Army team for armoured vehicle offering
(IHS Jane's 360) A General Dynamics (GD) subsidiary has joined Czech firm Excalibur Army to market the PANDUR II armoured vehicle in Eastern Europe and potentially Asia
Winners and losers in military communications
(C4ISR & Networks) In the ever-evolving world of tactical radios and other communications systems, the flow of budgetary dollars says a lot about priorities. Comparing the budget request for 2016 to that from 2015, for example, shows that the Army is spending less on buying equipment for the Joint Tactical Radio System, while the Navy is spending quite a bit more on JTRS research and development, year over year.
Russia will Add 200 New Aircraft to Defense Arsenal to Maintain Higher Operational Readiness
(International Business Times) As the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation becomes well entrenched in Eastern Europe, Russia has decided to boost its air capabilities, with almost 200 new airplanes and helicopters to be inducted into its air force and naval branches.
Embraer KC-390 Makes First Flight
(Aviation Week) Embraer successfully completed the first flight of the KC-390 tanker-transport from its Gavião Peixoto facility in Brazil on Feb. 3, marking the start of an intensive two-year flight test and certification program.
DOD to 'maximize' Air Force One system competition: Kendall
(Bloomberg) The Pentagon doesn't want to repeat "bad experiences" of presidential helicopter canceled in 2009 after technical requirements, costs grew, Pentagon weapons buyer Frank Kendall says in interview.
Next-Generation Fighter Will Be Less Reliant on Stealth
(Seapower) In response to a question while speaking Feb.4 to a forum audience at the Naval Future Force Science and Technology Expo sponsored by the Office of Naval Research and the American Society of Naval Engineers in Washington, ADM Jonathan Greenert warned that "stealth may be over-rated."
Russia exercises with Il-76 'bombers'
(IHS Jane's 360) The Russian Air Force (Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily: VVS) has performed bomb-carrying trials with its Ilyushin Il-76 'Candid' strategic transport aircraft.
Army turns to commercial partners to keep ISR edge
(C4ISR & Networks) Facing both shrinking research and development budgets and a need to adopt faster and more flexible ISR network technologies, such as software-defined networks (SDNs), the Army is now looking to its commercial partners for assistance in developing innovative solutions
VETERANS HillVets names its 100 most influential on vets issues
(Military Times) HillVets on Wednesday released its choices for the 100 most influential personalities on veterans issues, highlighting the lawmakers, business leaders, community organizers and advocates "giving back to those that have sacrificed so much for our nation."
Wounded Warriors Treated as 'Slackers' at Hood, Bliss and Brooke
(Military.com) A top Army official confirmed to Congress on Tuesday that hundreds of wounded warriors at three Texas treatment centers had been harassed and abused by staff who considered them "slackers."
Cop acquitted in fatal beanbag shooting of WWII vet
(Chicago Tribune) The judge was only halfway through his ruling Wednesday when it became clear that Park Forest Police Officer Craig Taylor would not be held criminally responsible for firing beanbag rounds at a knife-wielding World War II veteran who died hours later of internal bleeding.
8 North Carolinians receive French Legion of Honor
(The News & Observer) Some of the aging warriors could stand with creaky knees to receive their honor from the French consul, some had to sit. One couldn't come at all, and another, Leon E. Bernard of Greensboro, died last summer. His daughter, Candy, came instead.
Obama's budget aims to eliminate for-profit colleges' GI Bill loophole
(Fortune) The President's proposed budget would get rid of the financial incentive among for-profit colleges to recruit military veterans.
Veterans lobby Hollywood, with an assist from the First Lady
(Washington Post) At the headquarters for National Geographic, "American Sniper" star Bradley Cooper, veteran producer Bruce Cohen, and even First Lady Michelle Obama turned out for the announcement of a new program from Got Your 6, a veteran's organization. The plan? A new certification called 6 Certified will be given to deserving films in order to identify them as veteran-friendly.
Congress Considers Expanding War Vets' Access To Medical Marijuana
(ThinkProgress) If a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers have their way, doctors in states that have legalized medical marijuana will soon be able to recommend the plant to military veterans who suffer from serious injuries and a host of chronic conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Wisconsin congressman gives whistleblower names to VA investigator, urges investigation
(La Crosse Tribune, Wis.) Veterans Affairs officials looking into allegations of overmedication and a culture of intimidation at a VA Medical Center in Tomah, Wisconsin, won't have to rely solely on media reports and hospital leaders.
Maine veteran earns diploma during grandson's basketball game
(WGME) Maine veteran Sonny Lafreniere was presented with his high school diploma during his grandson's basketball game at Spruce Mountain High School. The 80-year-old Jay resident never received his diploma because he quit school to join the Marine Corps.
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT Loophole allows sex offenders to evade registration
(11Alive) When a civilian is convicted of something as heinous as rape or child molestation, under the Adam Walsh Act, they are to be fingerprinted, have their DNA taken and name added to the sex offender registry before being released from prison. But in the military it's an honor system - ironically for those who've already proven dishonorable.
DoD Needs Commercial Tech, but How To Get It?
(Defense News) As commercial and small technology firms move ever faster to develop next-generation software, communications and hardware solutions to push into a tech-hungry marketplace, governments find themselves struggling to keep pace.
Off-base stores won't commit to military discounts
(Military Times) Despite previous indications from major discount stores that they would commit to providing discounts to service members as an alternative to the commissary benefit, none really appear willing to take that step, compensation experts have told Congress.
Full budget details on cyber, cloud, networks
(C4ISR & Networks) The Defense Department's ongoing move to enterprise-wide IT services got a boost in the form of President Barack Obama's proposed 2016 defense budget, with the Pentagon's leading enterprise IT effort receiving more than a six-fold increase in spending.
The Pentagon's Weapon Wish Lists Could Disappear
(DefenseOne) The military's billion-dollar wish lists for weapons that did not make it onto the Pentagon's budget might disappear as lawmakers decide whether they're worth it.
DoD budget highlights technology for military's future
(C4ISR & Networks) In President Barack Obama's 2016 federal budget, Defense Department priorities include a number of tech-focused initiatives that officials hope will start to mold the military of the future.
ARMY 19 percent pass rate for women in Ranger prep
(Army Times) Five female soldiers successfully completed the Ranger Training Assessment Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, moving them one step closer to attending the Army's storied Ranger School this spring.
Two former Army recruiters convicted in kickback scheme
(Houston Chronicle) Two Army soldiers from Katy who participated in a nationwide National Guard recruiting kickback scheme were convicted Wednesday by a Houston federal jury.
Chaplain's film to chronicle soldiers at war
(Army Times) U.S. Army Chaplain (Capt.) Justin Roberts knows very well the difficulties soldiers encounter connecting with the civilian world after successive combat deployments.
Wounded Warriors Treated as 'Slackers' at Hood, Bliss and Brooke
(Military.com) A top Army official confirmed to Congress on Tuesday that hundreds of wounded warriors at three Texas treatment centers had been harassed and abused by staff who considered them "slackers."
National Guard plans to transform Maine engineer battalion into infantry to save jobs
(Bangor (Maine) Daily News) The Army National Guard is planning to change the role of Maine's oldest and largest military force in order to save as many jobs as possible amid federal defense belt-tightening, according to officials.
Army IT Day: Army rolls out Network Campaign Plan
(C4ISR & Networks) The Army CIO on Feb. 4 announced a new plan for modernizing the service's network, updating previous related guidance and aligning with broader Army planning and operating constructs.
Army: New courts-martial roundup adds transparency
(Army Times) The Army began publishing monthly summary results of courts-martial in November as a way to add "an additional degree of transparency in the court-martial process," an officer told Army Times.
Cadets earn medals for rescue after Army-Navy game
(Army Times) Two first-year U.S. Military Academy cadets earned Army Commendation Medals last month for their response to a car wreck the day after the Army-Navy game, but their response to a simple question from the driver of one of the cars made their actions just a bit sweeter.
Legislator plans hearing on Alaska National Guard investigation
(Alaska Dispatch News) A state Senate committee will hold a hearing Thursday on the effort by Gov. Bill Walker's administration to investigate allegations of misconduct and sexual assault in the Alaska National Guard.
654 promotions scheduled for RA officers in March
(Army Times) The Army plans 654 promotions to the grades of chief warrant officer three through colonel for the Regular Army in March, with most of those advancements being made from selection lists compiled in fiscal 2014.
NAVY CNO wants more high-tech assets, delivered quickly
(Navy Times) Nearly half of the Navy's $2 billion science and technology budget will be spent on discovery and the invention of technologies that may not reach the fleet for another five to 20 years. Leaders are therefore looking at ways to more quickly put emerging technologies in the hands of sailors and Marines.
Navy contractor at center of scandal is helping investigators, documents show
(Washington Post) The Navy's sex-for-secrets corruption scandal may be about to get worse: Investigators' prize catch has started to squawk.
Semi-autonomous aviation controls coming to the fleet
(Navy Times) They say the most stressful job in the world is landing on an aircraft carrier at night in rough weather. On Thursday, Navy aviation officials are carrying out another round of tests on a control system that promises to take the edge off that sometimes harrowing experience.
Pilot safety: how the road to better training was paved
(Pensacola News Journal) The dawn of naval aviation was a time of trial and error, and it was the failures that paved the way to better aviation innovations and training. During his 37-year Navy career, Rear Adm. George "Skip" Furlong, Naval Aviation Museum Foundation Board of Trustees member, flew 32 different aircraft, each with a different story and memory.
Science and tech chiefs: Stop erosion of U.S. tech superiority
(Navy Times) Science and technology chiefs for each service and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency urged a united effort with military, academia and industry to develop a "new technology offset" that will reverse the loss of technological superiority and overcome the resulting erosion of operational capabilities
AIR FORCE Air Force seeks more flight hours to recover from 2013 stand down
(Air Force Times) The Air Force is asking for a small increase in its flight hours as it still tries to dig itself out of a readiness hole dating back to a stand down of combat squadrons in 2013.
Obama's budget proposal includes F-35 simulators at Eielson
(Associated Press) President Obama's proposed budget includes a request for $37 million to build an F-35 flight simulator facility at Eielson Air Force Base.
Air Force wants to replace Hueys with Black Hawks
(Air Force Times) The Air Force wants to get rid of the Vietnam-era UH-1N helicopters used to protect its nuclear missile fields. The fiscal 2016 budget proposal calls for buying and upgrading Army UH-60 Black Hawks to replace them.
Air Force officials announce land acquisition for new refueling aircraft
(Associated Press) Tinker Air Force Base officials have announced the purchase of 158 acres of land on the west side of the base for a maintenance facility for the Air Force's next-generation aerial refueling aircraft, the KC-46A Pegasus.
Hyten: 'A hard path' to modernizing military computing
(Colorado Springs Gazette) The Air Force is working on key features for computing, including "identity management", which controls how users access data, safeguarding top security items while letting all airmen access what they need for their jobs.
MARINE CORPS Kasal replaces Green as I MEF's top enlisted leader
(Marine Corps Times) Sgt. Maj. Bradley Kasal became the top enlisted leader of I Marine Expeditionary Force Wednesday, taking over from Sgt. Maj. Ronald Green, who will become the next sergeant major of the Marine Corps. It marked a transfer of leadership between two of the service's best-known enlisted Marines in some of the most influential positions in the Corps.
9 things to know about the Corps' 2016 spending plans
(Marine Corps Times) A look at how the Corps plans to spend $25.3 billion next year.
Next live Bold Alligator exercise won't be until 2017
(Marine Corps Times) Last fall's live Bold Alligator exercise proved to be so large and elaborate the Marine Corps and Navy are waiting an extra year before hosting the next one.
Dunford proposes psych evals for poolees, recruits
(Marine Corps Times) Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford wants a better understanding of whether a poolee will make a successful Marine and he is turning to psychology for help.
ISLAMIC STATE Pilots weigh in on UAE suspending airstrikes against IS
(Military Times) The fight against the Islamic State group is down one key ally for now: the United Arab Emirates.
Source: ISIS video may show woman linked to kosher grocery attack
(CNN) French authorities say a woman in the latest video released by French-speaking ISIS fighters may be Hayat Boumeddiene, who is believed to have knowledge about the deadly January 9 attack on a Paris kosher grocery, a source close to the investigation told CNN.
After Jordanian pilot's death, king signals he will escalate fight against Islamic State
(Washington Post) Jordan's King Abdullah II vowed Wednesday that his military forces would hit Islamic State militants with "relentless" strikes upon "their own homes," an escalation that could place Jordan in the middle of the Syrian civil war.
Islamic State Commander Said Killed In Iraq In Coalition Air Strike
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) An Islamic State commander and a number of his escorts have reportedly been killed in a coalition air strike on the road to Akashat in Iraq's northwestern Anbar Province.
Former members of France's military have joined Islamic State
(McClatchy) At least 12 former members of the French military are among the estimated 1,000 French citizens who've joined the Islamic State, including one highly trained special forces commando who was radicalized while working as a security contractor in the Persian Gulf, according to French officials and analysts as well as Arab security services.
ISIS Infiltration into Afghanistan
(Mohammad Harris ARIFI in Khaama Press) It has been a month or so that Afghan National Security Forces ANSF officials from different parts of Afghanistan raise their voice about ISIS activities and recruitment campaign. In overall the government of Afghanistan has on various occasions rejected the reports. In recent days, some senior officials in southern Zabul province and in the Northeastern Kunduz province clearly admitted that ISIS has a marginal presence in their areas and are in the process of establishing camps and recruitment of fighters.
UN: Islamic State Torturing, Killing Children in Iraq
(Associated Press) The United Nations says the Islamic State group is systematically killing, torturing and raping children and families of minority groups in Iraq, and it is calling on government forces there to do more to protect them.
2016 election campaign will debate U.S. troops to stop Islamic State
(McClatchy) The horrifying murder of a Jordanian pilot, made public this week, suggests that U.S. efforts to stop the Islamic State extremist group are ineffective, making it more likely that the 2016 election campaign will become a debate about ground troops.
MIDDLE EAST Jordanian King Pleads for US Weaponry
(Defense News) King Abdullah of Jordan wants US lawmakers to speed delivery of sophisticated weaponry to fight the Islamic State after the group burned one of its military pilots to death.
Special Report: How Cairo is taking the fight to Sinai militants
(Reuters) At a remote spot in the Sinai desert last month, a commander of Egypt's most feared Islamist group outlined his hopes of toppling the country's government.
Moussaoui Says Saudis Supported 9/11 Attackers
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) The so-called 20th hijacker of the September 11 attacks has claimed members of the Saudi royal family directly supported the Al-Qaeda plotters.
EUROPE Ukraine situation 'dire' and worsening, U.S. official says
(CNN) The current scenario in eastern Ukraine is a "dire security situation and grave acceleration of the fighting on the ground," a senior U.S. State Department official said Thursday.
Russian court backs order evicting Polish diplomats in St. Petersburg
(Los Angeles Times) A Russian court on Wednesday upheld a government agency's order evicting Polish envoys from their consulate in St. Petersburg in a move Warsaw called a breach of diplomatic convention and the Kremlin said was simply a matter of overdue rent.
Ukraine to Call Up Women Over 20 for Armed Forces
(Newsweek) Ukraine's armed forces could call up all female citizens of Ukraine aged between 20 and 50 to join the fight against pro-Russian separatists in the country's eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk, Vladislav Seleznev, spokesperson for the armed forces' high command told Ukrainian news agency Unian today.
Pentagon 2008 study claims Putin has Asperger's syndrome
(USA Today) A study from a Pentagon think tank theorizes that Russian President Vladimir Putin has Asperger's syndrome, "an autistic disorder which affects all of his decisions," according to the 2008 report obtained by USA TODAY.
Greece Defence Minister Reassures NATO Over Russia Ties
(Agence France-Presse) Greece's new government remains committed to its NATO role despite close ties with Russia that have worried its allies, Defence Minister Panos Kammenos told AFP on Wednesday.
EU seeks Ukraine truce to evacuate embattled crossroads town
(Bloomberg) The European Union on Wednesday urged the warring parties in Ukraine to cease hostilities for three days to allow the evacuation of a town that's at the center of a battle for control over the country's easternmost regions.
NATO to meet on Russia; U.S. may send officers to East Europe
(Associated Press) With NATO officials calling Russia more unpredictable now than during the Cold War, alliance defense ministers on Thursday are expected to approve further measures to enhance the organization's ability to deter or respond to military threats from Moscow.
Kerry to Offer Ukraine $16.4 Million in New Humanitarian Aid: U.S. Officials
(Reuters) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who arrived in Kiev on Thursday for talks with the embattled Ukrainian leadership, intends to provide an additional $16.4 million in humanitarian aid to help civilians in eastern Ukraine, U.S. officials said.
ASIA-PACIFIC Indian AF Transport Program Hits Hurdle
(Defense News) A reassessment of Air Force priorities has jeopardized India's first effort to produce military aircraft in the domestic private sector.
China Voices Concern About US Missile Defense in South Korea
(Agence France-Presse) China expressed concern about the possible deployment of an advanced US missile defense system in South Korea during talks Wednesday between their defense chiefs, Seoul military officials said.
In Latest Purge, Kim Jong Un Executes Army General
(Bloomberg) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un executed an army general last month in his latest purge of senior officials.
US analysis suggests Philippines killed terror suspect
(Associated Press) DNA analysis suggests that Philippine authorities have killed one of Southeast Asia's most wanted terror suspects in a recent clash with Muslim rebels, the FBI said Wednesday.
Abe Wants to Revise Pacifist Constitution as Early as 2016, Ally Says
(New York Times) Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said that he wants to start the process of revising Japan's Constitution as early as next year, according to a senior lawmaker quoted in newspapers Thursday, giving the clearest indication yet that he will seek to change a document that has undergirded the country's postwar pacifism.
AFRICA Boko Haram goes on deadly rampage after Chad offensive
(Al Jazeera America) Nigerian Boko Haram fighters went on a rampage in the Cameroonian border town of Fotokol on Wednesday, massacring dozens of civilians and torching a mosque before being repelled by regional forces.
UN demands Congo replace 2 generals in fight against rebels
(Associated Press) The United Nations will not support a Congolese government military operation against Rwandan rebels unless two generals leading the offensive who have been accused of serious human rights violations are replaced, a senior U.N. official said Wednesday.
Libya Releases Russian, Tajik Members Of Detained Air Crew
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) A Libyan official says authorities in Tripoli have released a Russian and a Tajik citizen, both members of an air crew detained after it flew into the country from the United Arab Emirates last year without permission.
Former U.S. envoy: Nigerian vote shaping up as 'train wreck'
(Los Angeles Times) Amid predictions that Nigerian elections scheduled for next week will be a "train wreck" leading to disputed results and violence, protesters in the capital called Wednesday for the nation's independent electoral commission to delay the vote.
Ebola Drug Aids Some in a Study in West Africa
(New York Times) For the first time, a drug is showing promising signs of effectiveness in Ebola patients participating in a study. The medicine, which interferes with the virus's ability to copy itself, seems to have halved mortality - to 15 percent, from 30 percent - in patients with low to moderate levels of Ebola in their blood, researchers have found. It had no effect in patients with more virus in their blood, who are more likely to die.
THE AMERICAS Claims Against Saudis Cast New Light on Secret Pages of 9/11 Report
(New York Times) A still-classified section of the investigation by congressional intelligence committees into the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks has taken on an almost mythic quality over the past 13 years - 28 pages that examine crucial support given the hijackers and that by all accounts implicate prominent Saudis in financing terrorism.
Files show FBI closing in on al Qaida blogger Samir Khan before he slipped away
(McClatchy) FBI agents in Charlotte, N.C., had been actively engaged in gathering evidence for terrorism charges against al Qaida propagandist Samir Khan just months before the slipped out of the country, newly released files show.
U.S. won't return Gitmo to improve ties with Cuba
(Associated Press) The Obama administration on Wednesday ruled out handing over the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, rejecting a central demand of Cuban President Raul Castro for restoring normal relations between the two countries.
Veteran female diplomats leading US-Cuba negotiations
(Los Angeles Times) As Cuba and the United States prepare for their next landmark meeting in Washington, the future of their relations, at least in the short term and at the critical nuts-and-bolts level, rests in the hands of two veteran female diplomats.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS Defense Nominee Will Have an Easy Path to a Difficult Job
(Foreign Policy) Senators lined up to praise Ashton Carter, but the Pentagon's former No. 2 will return to a different Defense Department and a different set of threats.
Jordan's Retaliation Is the Real Arab Awakening the Pentagon Has Been Waiting For
(DefenseOne) This is the moment the Pentagon has been waiting for. All those years of "building partner capacity," to train, equip, fund, strengthen and professionalize the militaries of Middle East dictators and kingdoms, are about to pay off.
What Really Drives Obama's Military Strategy?
(Peter Feaver in Foreign Policy) Is President Barack Obama casualty-phobic? That is the question raised by an intriguing think-piece by Greg Jaffe in the Feb. 1 edition of the Washington Post. Though Jaffe does not use that term, I suspect that he was wondering the same thing when he sat down to explore President Obama's curious ambivalence and hesitancy regarding the military missions Obama has ordered the U.S. military to execute - and the equally odd messaging coming from the administration on these military operations.
8 Common Myths About PTSD Debunked
(Pamela Holtz in Task & Purpose) Despite the influx of post-traumatic stress research, popular myths surround the disorder and it is important for them to be addressed.
It's Time To Arm the Ukrainians
(Rep. Mike Turner in DefenseOne) The Obama administration must stop the handwringing that has characterized the president's foreign policy and immediately provide lethal military assistance to Ukraine. After failing for nearly a year to change Russian President Vladimir Putin's calculus, the United States needs to finally take action.
Russian threat perceptions: Shadows of the Imperial past
(Hanna Smith in War On The Rocks) Russia's new military doctrine is making waves and has already generated a great amount of analysis. However, in general it does not give an answer to certain questions: why does Russia see NATO as a threat to its security? In what way is NATO enlargement a military risk? And how is NATO a rival for Russia?
The Men Who Love the Islamic State
(David Kenner in Foreign Policy) It may not be the vicious killers hundreds of miles away who pose the greatest threat to Jordan, but the angry young men cheering on the jihadis in the country's own towns and cities.
When America and Its Writers Knew War
(Sarah Stodola in Cicero Magazine) In his celebrated recent book of short stories, Redeployment, Phil Klay takes the imbroglio that was the Iraq War and turns it into the pulsing sum of very individual experiences. His characters do not necessarily understand the entirety of the situation any better than the typical reader, but, assembled as they are in this book, they assume a collective force that at its best facilitates an appreciation of just why the invasion and occupation were so difficult to get a handle on.
How Iraq Subsidizes Islamic State
(Aki Peritz in The New York Times) The Islamic State generates all sorts of funds to power its terrorist empire - by smuggling oil, imposing taxes from the locals, plundering archaeological treasures and ransoming hostages. But there's one major source of revenue that often goes unmentioned: funds earmarked for Iraqi civil servants.
Sustaining Ambition in the U.S.-India Relationship
(Peter Lavoy and Joshua White in Foreign Policy) Obama's India trip last week brought symbolism but also substance. This is a moment to press forward and demonstrate what the U.S.-India relationship can become.
A new beginning for the United States in Central America?
(R. Evan Ellis in War On The Rocks) The announcement by the White House on January 29 that it would ask Congress for $1 billion for Central America in its FY2016 budget is welcome news for the region, and for the United States. The proposed request would triple the resources earmarked for Central America by the U.S. government in recent years, although the amount of money contemplated remains modest by comparison to the magnitude of problems that those countries face.
Islamic State Brutality Could Backfire
(Barbara Slavin, Voice of America) Given the events surrounding the Jordanian's murder, it is clear that there can be no assurance that the jihadis are telling the truth when they claim that their captives have not already been killed. If fewer ransoms are paid, that will dry up the group's resources - already depleted because of falling oil sales - and perhaps discourage what has become a wave of abductions.
|
Walang komento:
Mag-post ng isang Komento