Thank You
Robert Serge
VVA 17 Member
Blog Master
To all my fellow veterans friends and family my we all remember
From: no-reply@navytimes.com
To: rserge1@outlook.com
Subject: Navy Times Early Bird Brief
Date: Fri, 12 Sep 2014 04:47:08 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. Retired general to coordinate Iraq, Syria effort(Associated Press) Retired Marine Gen. John Allen will coordinate the broad international effort to battle the Islamic State militants, as the campaign against the extremist group ramps up and nations begin to determine what role each will play, U.S. officials said Thursday. 2. 'Son, Men Don't Get Raped' (GQ) Sexual assault is alarmingly common in the U.S. military, and more than half of the victims are men. According to the Pentagon, thirty-eight military men are sexually assaulted every single day. These are the stories you never hear-because the culprits almost always go free, the survivors rarely speak, and no one in the military or Congress has done enough to stop it 3. Rank And File Sororicide: How Female Marine Officers Hurt The Corps By Thinking Like Men (Matthew W. Morgan in Task & Purpose) As a former Marine infantry officer, I found it illustrating to pick up this month's issue of the Marine Corps Gazette and discover that our infantry is a "cult-like brotherhood ... the one place where young men are able to focus solely on being a warrior without the distraction of women or political correctness." 4. American War Generals' a sobering reflection on U.S. failures in Iraq (Military Times) As the U.S. escalates its campaign against jihadists in Iraq and Syria, a new documentary offers a cautionary tale about putting too much faith in technology and forgetting hard-fought lessons from the past. 5. Lawmakers Rally Around Obama, Few Insist on Approving Islamic State Strikes (Defense News) Lawmakers are rallying around President Barack Obama's plan to increase US military operations against the Islamic State, with some wanting stronger steps and few demanding Congress authorize the strikes. ISLAMIC STATEPentagon: US Troops to Advise Iraqi Units at Brigade Level(Defense News) The 475 additional US troops that President Barack Obama announced on Wednesday would be deployed to Iraq will start arriving over the next week as part of an American effort to "intensify our efforts inside Iraq," a Defense Department spokesman said Thursday. Syria airstrikes need boots on the ground, AF officer says (USA Today) U.S. special operations forces will be needed on the ground in Syria to make the expanded air war President Obama has ordered there more effective, a senior Air Force commander told USA TODAY. Pentagon Advances Plan to Defeat Jihadists (Wall Street Journal) With new marching orders from President Barack Obama in hand, the U.S. military on Thursday began setting in motion an expanded campaign to combat Islamic State militants through airstrikes in Iraq and Syria and military training for fighters from both countries. Pentagon: US war planes to fly from Iraqi air base (Agence France-Presse) US combat aircraft will soon start flying out of a base in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq as part of a "more aggressive" air campaign against Islamic State jihadists, the Pentagon said Thursday. The deal that upended Washington's September (Politico) Last weekend, one of President Barack Obama's top national security advisers scored a major coup during a visit to the Middle East: Saudi Arabia finally agreed to serve as a host country for training Syrian rebels in the fight against Islamic State militants. Confusion surrounds Obama request (The Hill) The White House insisted Thursday it needed congressional approval to move ahead with its proposed program to train and equip the moderate Syrian opposition, amid confusion across the government as to whether that explicit authority was actually necessary. White House's legal rationale for airstrikes in Syria comes under scrutiny (Washington Post) Top lawyers at the Justice Department signed off on the White House's conclusion that President Obama had sufficient legal authority to approve airstrikes in Syria, people familiar with the deliberations said Thursday, as the administration faced growing criticism for not first seeking congressional backing. Obama's new ISIL strategy: Little near-term impact on optempo, budget (Military Times) President Obama's new strategy for confronting the extremists known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is unlikely to have an immediate impact on the U.S. military's operational tempo or overall budget. U.S. Flew 2,700 Iraq Missions Before Obama's New Push (Bloomberg) U.S. Air Force and Navy aircraft flew more than 2,700 missions to combat Islamic State in Iraq even before President Barack Obama announced an expanded military campaign against the Sunni extremists. U.S. authorized to target individual Islamic State leaders, officials say (Washington Post) President Obama has authorized the Pentagon for the first time to target and kill individual leaders of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, a key component of his plan to go on the offense against the Sunni extremist group, according to U.S. military officials. CIA: Islamic State group has up to 31,500 fighters (Associated Press) A CIA spokesman says a new intelligence assessment estimates that the Islamic State group can muster between 20,000 and 31,500 fighters across Iraq and Syria, up from a previous figure of 10,000. Obama's plan to counter Islamic State broadly welcomed in Iraq (Washington Post) President Obama's plan to expand the fight against the Islamic State was broadly welcomed in Iraq on Thursday, though some complained that Washington should have acted faster to confront the threat posed by the militants. How Willing Is Obama's Coalition? (Foreign Policy) Less than 24 hours after President Barack Obama announced that "America will lead a broad coalition" into his new war with the Islamic State, it's already becoming clear that the coalition may not be as broad as he had hoped. Arabs Give Tepid Support to U.S. Fight Against ISIS (New York Times) Many Arab governments grumbled quietly in 2011 as the United States left Iraq, fearful it might fall deeper into chaos or Iranian influence. Now, the United States is back and getting a less than enthusiastic welcome, with leading allies like Egypt, Jordan and Turkey all finding ways on Thursday to avoid specific commitments to President Obama's expanded military campaign against Sunni extremists. David Cameron overrules Philip Hammond on air strikes in Syria (The Guardian) David Cameron has overruled the foreign secretary Philip Hammond after he appeared to rule out UK involvement in air strikes against Islamic State (Isis) forces in Syria. France says will take part in Iraq military air operation if needed (Reuters) France said on Wednesday it would take part in military air action against Islamic State militants in Iraq if necessary, but it said any action it takes against the group in Syria would take a different form. Retraining Iraq's fractured army: Will it work this time? (Stars & Stripes) As American troops prepared to leave Iraq in December 2011, the former head of the military training mission there, Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, had this to say about the Iraqi Security Forces: Russia warns US against strikes on Islamic State in Syria (BBC) Russia has warned that US air strikes against militants in Syria would be a "gross violation" of international law. U.S. Pins Hope on Syrian Rebels With Loyalties All Over the Map (New York Times) President Obama's determination to train Syrian rebels to serve as ground troops against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria leaves the United States dependent on a diverse group riven by infighting, with no shared leadership and with hard-line Islamists as its most effective fighters. The emergence of arm-and-train approach one measure of Islamic State's rapid rise (Washington Post) For more than two years, President Obama and his top aides argued that providing U.S. arms and equipment to the moderate Syrian rebels was an undesirable, high-risk approach with the potential to further destabilize an already chaotic region. INDUSTRYArmy Cyber Chief: Let's Get Closer To Industry(Defense News) To keep pace with rapid changes in the cyber domain, the military needs "a much tighter relationship between industry and government," the head of U.S. Army Cyber Command said Thursday. Carrier drone should be able to do more than spy: U.S. Navy (Reuters) The U.S. Navy's planned unmanned plane for use on aircraft carriers should eventually be able to take on additional roles besides just surveillance, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said on Wednesday. Tianjin expo reveals Chinese UAV innovations, aspirations (IHS Jane's 360) The breadth of China's investment in unmanned technologies was illustrated at a recent exposition in Tianjin and in new information from the China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) that it has produced a four-leg unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) prototype. Airbus CEO criticizes German arms export rules (Reuters) The chief executive of aerospace and defense group Airbus (AIR.PA) criticized the German government on Thursday for its restrictive arms export policy, saying it could deter international cooperation on future defense projects. James Fisher Defence wins Indian Navy submarine rescue contract (IHS Jane's 360) The Indian Navy (IN) has shortlisted the UK's James Fisher Defence (JFD) to supply it with two 30-ton deep submergence rescue vehicles (DSRVs) for about INR4 billion (USD66.66 million). U.S. says still advocating for Raytheon in Turkish missile tender (Reuters) The U.S. government is continuing to advocate for the Patriot missile defense system offered by Raytheon Co and Lockheed Martin Corp in a Turkish tender after Turkey cited disagreements with the Chinese firm that initially won the bid, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday. Swedes launch desperate bid for Oz submarine project (Australia Financial Review) Sweden has emerged from a bitter submarine technology row with Germany to mount a last-ditch effort to outbid Japan and Germany for the contract to build Australia's new submarines. Webcast: Use Advanced Sensors to Catch the "Bad Guys" (Defense News) (Defense News, sponsored by Excelis) Remote sensing can help civil, commercial, military, and government agencies increase efficiency, reduce costs and improve safety. Register for an hour-long webcast on Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. EDT to learn how new airborne sensors can automatically extract information to reduce time, increase decision confidence, and help "catch the bad guys." VETERANSTens of thousands' more medical staff needed, says VA chief(Military Update) The Department of Veterans Affairs needs "tens of thousands" more personnel working in VA hospitals and clinics to meet patient demand, the new VA Secretary, Robert "Bob" McDonald, told lawmakers Tuesday at a hearing of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. Senate passes increase in veterans disability benefits (The Hill) The Senate passed a bill Thursday that would increase compensation benefits for veterans with disabilities. Critics: VA influenced Inspector General to change Phoenix report for spin-control (Arizona Republic) A Department of Veterans Affairs inspector general's report on delayed health care at the Phoenix VA medical center used a standard to evaluate patient deaths that would be virtually impossible to meet, according to medical experts. Lawmakers blast VA on Waco brain imaging program (Austin American-Statesman) Two key members of the U.S. House Veterans' Affairs Committee on Thursday leveled blistering criticism at the troubled Department of Veterans Affairs brain research program at the Waco Center of Excellence, with one pushing to move the program to a new agency such as the National Institutes of Health. 13 vets' unclaimed remains finally laid to rest (Associated Press) Thirteen military veterans whose remains went unclaimed at a Detroit morgue were finally laid to rest Thursday in side-by-side plots after a 60-mile procession in which state troopers on motorcycle accompanied the 13 hearses to the cemetery. Veterans, relatives rip VA at raucous Phila. meeting (Philadelphia Inquirer) More than 75 veterans and their family members, many fuming, packed a town-hall meeting at Philadelphia's veterans hospital Wednesday, scolding administrators about the quality of care and voicing deep skepticism that change is possible. Vets air out frustrations at Hampton VA forum (Virginian-Pilot) Theodore Little, a Vietnam veteran, wanted to know why he is still waiting for answers and an outside cardiologist. It's been months, he said, since he suffered a heart attack because of missteps during a simple skin surgery at the Hampton VA Medical Center. CONGRESSCongress expected to approve Obama's new ISIL strategy(Military Times) In between Sept. 11 remembrance speeches, lawmakers on Thursday promised quick action on the latest threat to American security: Islamic militants in the Middle East with familiar anti-Western rhetoric and brutal acts of violence. Islamic State Unites Congress, But Lawmakers Diverge on the Way Forward (DefenseOne) Many members of Congress gave President Barack Obama their support Wednesday night shortly after a prime-time speech outlining his strategy to "degrade and ultimately defeat" the Islamic State, in both Iraq and Syria. But their "I told you so"'s came from very different political viewpoints on the role of U.S. military force in the world. House Intelligence Committee hearing to focus on extremists (Tampa Tribune) Retired Marine Gen. James Mattis, who ran U.S. Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base from 2010 to 2013, will be one of three witnesses to appear before a House Intelligence Committee hearing on threats posed by the Islamic State, al-Qaida and other Islamic violent extremists. House Delays CR Vote, Bill Still Expected To Pass Next Week (Defense News) US House GOP leaders are delaying a vote on a bill to avoid a government shutdown to let members mull a White House-requested provision to combat the Islamic State, but the delay is unlikely to sink the bill. House Dem: Syria vote in CR lawmakers' 'sneakiest of maneuvers' (The Hill) Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) said Thursday that a vote to authorize arming Syrian rebels should be separate from a stopgap funding bill. Republicans' Newest 2014 Weapon: Foreign Policy (National Journal) Foreign policy and the Middle East as a major issue in the midterms? A few months ago, it would have been almost laughable-but with overseas news dominating the headlines and on voters' minds, Republicans see the issue as the final piece in the puzzle for using fears about President Obama's tenure against Democratic candidates in key races. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTThe Military Just Asked Harvard To Make Them a Spiderman Suit(DefenseOne) The average spider can stay perched in a web for long hours waiting for prey and can lift eight times its own body weight. The average soldier - cannot. The military is trying to change that with help from scientists at Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, called on to develop a so-called "Soft Exosuit." DISA begins JIE-related migration (C4ISR & Networks) Joint Base San Antonio in Texas is the first stop for DISA on the drive to migrate network users from their as-is infrastructure and security posture to the joint regional security stacks, a key step on the road the Joint Information Environment, reports AFCEA. Pentagon report cites missile defense quality assurance problems at Fort Greely (Alaska Dispatch) The missiles in the ground at Fort Greely are designed to propel an immensely complicated 140-pound device into outer space at a moment's notice. DoD takes a new view of risk management (C4ISR & Networks) As Defense Department operations become increasingly interconnected, Pentagon officials are looking at how they can manage missions more effectively by forgoing policies that lump everyone together. ARMYArmy commanders: White men lead a diverse force(USA Today) Command of the Army's main combat units - its pipeline to top leadership - is virtually devoid of black officers, according to interviews, documents and data obtained by USA TODAY. Army officer in uniform denied entry to child's school; supe apologizes (Army Times) A security guard stopped an active-duty Army lieutenant colonel from entering his daughter's Detroit-area high school Tuesday, saying those in military uniform weren't permitted inside. Lawyer: Army reneged on Eisenhauer plea deal in PTSD shooting case (Fayetteville Observer) The parents of Fort Bragg Staff Sgt. Joshua Eisenhauer have been fighting for the Army to take jurisdiction of their son's case since he was charged in January 2012 with shooting at civilian police and firefighters from his Fayetteville apartment. Widow fights Army ruling of Green Beret's death as overdose (Los Angeles Times) Debbie Venetz heard the doorbell ring and saw those familiar Army boots as she peeked through the window onto her front steps. U.S. asks that new trial be denied for Jeffrey McDonald (Fayetteville Observer) In a response to the motion MacDonald's lawyers filed last month, U.S. attorneys argued a government report that discredits one of MacDonald's investigators is not new evidence and does not call into question the July judgment that denied MacDonald, a former Army captain, a new trial for the 1970 murders of his wife and two daughters on Fort Bragg. NAVYReport: Blinding smoke caused helicopter crash that killed 3(Navy Times) Loss of spatial awareness and disorientation due to dense smoke from fire in the upper port wall caused the Jan. 8 MH-53E Sea Dragon crash that killed three, according to a Navy investigation released Thursday. USS Fort Worth to drill MCM, marine corps lift in As-Pac deployment (IHS Jane's 360) The US Navy (USN) expects to deploy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Fort Worth (LCS 3) to the Asia-Pacific region by the end of 2014, according to 7th Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Robert L Thomas. U.S. Navy Pilots Tout Growlers (Aviation Week) As more E/A-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft make their way in the fleet, U.S. Navy aviators are starting to extol the capability they see in the jets now - and the potential missions they envision in the fleet's future. USN showcases SSGN capabilities with USS Michigan in latest Asia-Pacific deployment (IHS Jane's 360) US Navy (USN) Ohio-class cruise missile submarine USS Michigan (SSGN 727) docked at Singapore's Changi Naval Base from 10 August for five days of crew rest and resupply during a four-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific region. It had been underway for three months before making its scheduled call in Singapore AIR FORCEF-15 Crash Raises Concerns on Aging Fleet(DoDBuzz) Lt. Col. Morris "Moose" Fontenot, Jr., took off in a 28-year-old F-15C Eagle fighter from Barnes Air National Guard Base near Boston on a Aug. 27 flight to New Orleans, where the aircraft was to receive a radar upgrade to extend its life cycle. 119 airmen failed the waist measurement test, and alternatives (Air Force Times) Almost one year ago, the Air Force gave airmen a second chance to pass the waist measurement portion of the fitness test by having their body mass index or body fat measured. Since then, 119 total force airmen - including 41 active duty - took the alternative assessments. All 119 failed. USAF image appears to show Gorgon Stare Increment II in Afghanistan (IHS Jane's 360) An image released by the US Air Force (USAF) in early September appears to show Increment II of the Gorgon Stare wide-area airborne surveillance (WAAS) system to be operational aboard a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in Afghanistan. Changes send more captains to Squadron Officer School in residence (Air Force Times) The Air Force wants every active-duty captain to attend Squadron Officer School in residence. To make that happen, courses have been shortened from eight weeks to five weeks, and seven courses will be offered each year instead of five. Military Exercise with Russia Canceled (Associated Press) An Air Force exercise involving the U.S., Canada and Russia was canceled because of Russia's military intervention in Ukraine, a spokesman for NORAD said. Timeline unveiled for new eval, promotion system (Air Force Times) The Air Force has released a timeline for changes to the enlisted evaluation and promotion system announced in July. MARINE CORPSYour next SMMC: Meet 11 Marines who could get the call(Marine Corps Times) As Gen. Joseph Dunford prepares to take over as commandant of the Marine Corps, one of the early items on his agenda will be selection of a new sergeant major of the Marine Corps. Marine Corps times spoke with a range of Marines and veterans with knowledge of those considered among the best and brightest sergeants major. Here are 11 Marines widely viewed as strong candidates to be the Corps' next top leader. Court martial eyed in Iraq vanishing (Associated Press) A hearing officer has recommended a court martial for a Marine accused of deserting his unit a decade ago in Iraq and later winding up in Lebanon for eight years, a defense lawyer said Thursday. Scammer targeted Marines, children, bereaved (San Diego Union-Tribune) An Escondido police detective spoke Wednesday at the sentencing for a man who set up a scam website that claimed to be seeking donations to help the young daughter of slain Escondido police Officer Laura Perez. MIDDLE EASTAttacking Syria may entangle US in rebel rivalries(Associated Press) In expanding its airstrikes into Syria against Islamic State extremists, the U.S. could find itself entangled in a morass of jihadis, rebel rivalries and religious hatred. Syria rebels free UN peacekeepers (Al Jazeera) The United Nations has confirmed the release of all 45 Fijian peacekeepers who had been held for two weeks by the rebels in the Golan Heights on the Israeli-Syrian border. Syria, Iran slam US strategy in fighting militants (Associated Press) Syrian and Iranian officials criticized the Obama administration on Thursday for excluding them from an international coalition coming together in the battle against the Islamic State group, while a state-run Syrian daily warned that unauthorized U.S. airstrikes on Syria may trigger the "first sparks of fire" in the region. ISIS Fight Raises Fears That Efforts to Curb Iran Will Slip (New York Times) President Obama's decision to engage in a lengthy battle to defeat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria reorders the global priorities of his final years in office. The mystery is whether it will deprive him of the legacy he had once hoped would define his second term, or enhance it instead. Yemen, Houthis yet to reach deal to end crisis (Reuters) Yemen's government and Shi'ite Muslim Houthi rebels pursued talks on Thursday to end a crisis that has seen weeks of sometimes bloody protests in the capital, after the two sides gave conflicting accounts of progress in the negotiations. EUROPEE.U. tightens sanctions against Russian banks, defense companies and individuals(Washington Post) The United States and the European Union announced stricter sanctions against Russia on Thursday, ratcheting up pressure against the country for its involvement in the Ukraine crisis as government and separatist forces on the ground struggle to maintain a tenuous, Kremlin-endorsed cease-fire. Newsweek Europe Exclusive: Russian Soldiers Reveal the Truth Behind Putin's Secret War (Newsweek) Lyudmila Malinina's voice trembled as she described the secret funeral she witnessed on a recent night in her small town of Sudislavsky in the Kostroma region of central Russia. Russian General Calls for Preemptive Nuclear Strike Doctrine Against NATO (Moscow Times) A Russian general has called for Russia to revamp its military doctrine, last updated in 2010, to clearly identify the U.S. and its NATO allies as Moscow's enemy number one and spell out the conditions under which Russia would launch a preemptive nuclear strike against the 28-member military alliance, Interfax reported Wednesday. Russia reduces gas exports to Poland (BBC) Russia's gas supplies to Poland have dropped by 45%, Poland's state gas firm PGNiG says, amid tensions over Ukraine. With Gas Cut Off, Ukraine Looks West (New York Times) Keeping Ukraine warm keeps Andriy Kobolev up at night. ASIA-PACIFICJapan, U.S. discussing offensive military capability for Tokyo - Japan officials(Reuters) Japan and the United States are exploring the possibility of Tokyo acquiring offensive weapons that would allow Japan to project power far beyond its borders, Japanese officials said, a move that would likely infuriate China. Former South Korean Spy Chief Convicted in Online Campaign Against Liberals (New York Times) A former South Korean intelligence chief accused of directing agents who posted online criticisms of liberal candidates during the 2012 presidential election campaign was convicted Thursday of violating a law that banned the spy agency from involvement in domestic politics. South Korea Sets Plan to Rebuild North's Economy After a Possible Reunification (Wall Street Journal) South Korea will release a preliminary plan in October to lay out how debt financing could help rebuild North Korea's shattered economy after an eventual reunification, Seoul's top financial regulator said Thursday. North Korea Returns a Defector to the South (New York Times) North Korea returned a South Korean man on Thursday who had defected to the North, in the first such repatriation since October. AFRICAGlobal response to Ebola marked by lack of coordination and leadership, experts say(Washington Post) More than six months into the worst Ebola outbreak in history, there is no clear sense of who is leading the international response, how funds are being collected and disbursed, which organizations are providing equipment and personnel, and when any of these efforts will make a significant difference in slowing the epidemic in West Africa. Ebola Cases Rise Rapidly in Congo (New York Times) The number of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo doubled over the past week to 62, the World Health Organization reported Thursday, and more than half the afflicted patients have died. IMF in Talks With African Nations to Expand Bailouts for Ebola Crisis (Wall Street Journal) The International Monetary Fund on Thursday warned the West African Ebola epidemic requires a "large scale" global intervention to control a crisis that is ravaging economies in the region. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISObama Rejected "Best Military Advice"(Dustin Walker in Real Clear Defense) As he laid out his strategy to combat the Islamic State in both Iraq and Syria, President Obama rejected the "best military advice" of his top military commander in the Middle East. A President Who Ran Promising Peace Cautiously Declares War (George E. Condon Jr. in National Journal) Never has a declaration of war been so cautious. Never has an American president spent so much time talking about what the declaration doesn't mean and left so many questions about what it does mean. A Quick Take on the President's Speech: The Good and Not-so-Good (Bryan McGrath in War on the Rocks) A few weeks ago, I took to War on the Rocks to advocate Presidential leadership in combatting ISIL. After digesting the President's speech last night, I am pleased with his plan, although I obviously would have liked to have seen it earlier. A few quick thoughts: Reality killed Obama's hope to end U.S. military entanglements (Jonathan S. Landay in McClatchy) Unveiling a new defense policy in January 2012 that called for a leaner U.S. military, President Barack Obama assured the nation that more than a decade of foreign conflict that cost thousands of American lives and trillions of dollars was drawing to a close. Obama and the Never-Ending War (David Rothkopf in Foreign Policy) By limiting U.S. goals in Iraq and Syria, the president makes less likely the exit he so desperately wants. Opinion: On Sept. 11, recognizing the future of the military depends on re-energizing support for it (Deborah A. Bradbard in The Washington Post) Sept. 11 is a time to reflect. It is a time to grieve, not just for people lost, but also for the sense of security that was once a part of American culture, and is now diminished and transformed into a new normal. The military, 1 percent of American society, holds a unique lens to view these changes, but it is the American civilian community that bears a considerable vested interest in what happens next. Inviting Arab States To Fight Terrorism is Just Short-Term Gain, Long-Term Pain (Sarah Chayes in Defense One) President Barack Obama, in his address to the nation on Wednesday, sought to conjure the conflicting pressures upon him from the rise of the Islamic State group and its gruesome butchering of two American journalists, and pledged to rally coalition of Arab regimes. Yet, in trying to satisfy public impulses to fight terrorism but avoid a war, Obama formulated a policy trade-off likely in the long run to stoke, not defuse, the threat of extremism. Like Obama, Arab leaders must sell the war against the Islamic State to their own people (Bobby Ghosh in Quartz) Now that president Barack Obama has made his case for war against the Islamic State (IS) to the American people, the harder task falls to secretary of state John Kerry: to get Arab states to join a broad coalition against the terrorist group that controls large parts of Syria and Iraq. Warfare in the Early Caliphate: Revisiting A.I. Akram's 'The Sword of Allah' (Dhruva Jaishankar in War on the Rocks) Over the past two decades, the West has paid an incredible amount of attention to Islamist violence, from grand theories of civilizational decline to a surfeit ofmore contemporarysociological andpolitical studies. After a lull following the drawdown of U.S. and Western forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, the Arab Spring and the rise of new groups - notably the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria - have led to renewedinterest in various subjects related to Islamist violence. Deteriorating U.S.-Russian Relations and Treaty Compliance (Alexander Ely in Lawfare) Proceeding in lockstep with a general chill in relations brought about by the Ukraine crisis, the United States and the Russian Federation are currently at odds over compliance with international arms treaties, most notably the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Agreement (INF). Reuters reported that American and Russian officials will meet in Moscow today to discuss allegations that Russia violated the INF by test-firing a ground-launched cruise missile in violation of the treaty. NATO Must Boost Its Cyber Defense Capabilities Now (Klara Tothova Jordan in Defense One) At the NATO Summit in Wales earlier this month, leaders tackled a host of challenges ranging from Ukraine to Afghanistan to Iraq. Yet, the alliance missed the opportunity to address how to deal with a potential cyber attack that could be the result of new defense posture announced at the summit. Bolstering a Vulnerable Russian Neighbor (New York Times) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's visit last weekend to Georgia was a reassuring gesture to a former Soviet republic that has assisted the United States in recent conflicts and is increasingly worried about Russia's expansionist streak | |||||
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