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, 24 Oct 2014 04:44:18 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. U.S., South Korea delay transfer of wartime control(Military Times) The U.S. and South Korea have delayed transferring wartime operational control of allied forces by taking on a "conditions-based approach" and scrapping the previously set deadline of 2015. 2. Military immigrant program halted (Politico) A popular military enlistment program for immigrants with specialized skills is now stuck in bureaucratic limbo - after the Pentagon announced last month it would begin allowing some young immigrants without legal status into the program. 3. The Imploding U.S Strategy in the Islamic State War? (Anthony H. Cordesman in the Center for Strategic and International Studies) It is too early to say that the U.S. strategy against the Islamic State is imploding, but it is scarcely too soon to question whether this is possible. In fact, it is far from clear that the original U.S. strategy ever planned to deal with the complications that have arisen since President Obama officially announced a portion of what that strategy really had to be. 4. Erik Prince on Blackwater verdicts: 'A lot of politics surrounding this' (Washington Post) The founder and former CEO of the Blackwater Worldwide security firm said Thursday that the conviction of four of his former employees for their roles in the 2007 fatal shooting of 14 unarmed Iraqis was unexpected, and raised questions whether they received a fair trial. 5. Patient in New York City Tests Positive for Ebola (New York Times) A doctor in New York City who recently returned from treating Ebola patients in Guinea tested positive for the Ebola virus Thursday, becoming the city's first diagnosed case. ISLAMIC STATEBehind the numbers: 'Kills' against ISIS(The Hill) Is the United States killing enough Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants? Jihadist training camps proliferate in Iraq and Syria (Long War Journal) Since the Syrian civil war began in the spring of 2011, the Islamic State, al Qaeda, and other allied jihadist groups have operated more than 30 training camps inside Iraq and Syria. While global jihadist groups have primarily used camps to indoctrinate and train fighters for local insurgencies as part of the effort to establish a global caliphate, in the past al Qaeda has used its camps to support attacks against the West. Islamic State militants allegedly used chlorine gas against Iraqi security forces (Washington Post) Dizzy, vomiting and struggling to breathe, 11 Iraqi police officers were rushed to a government hospital 50 miles north of the capital last month. The diagnosis: poisoning by chlorine gas. The perpetrators, according to the officers: Islamic State extremists. Kobani Remains at Risk of Falling Amid Street-Fighting (Bloomberg) Kobani may fall to Islamic State fighters even after U.S. airstrikes have focused on the Kurdish town in Syria, U.S. military officials said today. In Iraq, U.S. sees hints of Islamic State's defense plan (Washington Post) The Islamic State has laid improvised explosives along a major highway north of Baghdad, revealing for the first time how the militant group is seeking to defend territory it controls from counterattack, U.S. defense officials said on Thursday. Baghdad Airport Now Out of Militants' Reach, U.S. Says (Wall Street Journal) Iraqi security forces aren't yet able to mount a counteroffensive against Islamic State fighters, but they have been able to conduct strategically disruptive "spoiling attacks" and have developed a plan to retake parts of the country conquered by the Sunni extremists. Robust Reponse to ISIS Appears Far Off for Iraqis (New York Times) Despite increasing assistance from the United States, Iraq's ability to mount a sustained counteroffensive to retake territory seized by the Islamic State is still months away, American military and defense officials here said on Thursday. Islamic State, Syrian Kurds Battle For Territory in Kobani (Wall Street Journal) Islamic State and Syrian Kurdish forces engaged in a fierce battle for patches of territory in Kobani on Thursday, with both sides making gains and suffering losses in and around the Syrian border city. Syrian Rebels Oppose New U.S. War Strategy (Foreign Policy) The Obama administration's strategy to train Syrian rebels to defend, but not seize, territory from Islamic State militants is facing stiff resistance from America's partners in the Syrian opposition. Hunting ISIS's Mystery Planes (The Atlantic) While Syrian officials seem sure the two planes were wiped out, others remain uncertain. Islamic State was making $1 million a day from oil sales before airstrikes began (Washington Post) The Islamic State sells oil from territory it controls in Syria and Iraq to Turkish middlemen, Iraqi Kurds and even the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, according to the Obama administration's point man on terrorist financing. ISIS rakes in donations on Twitter (The Hill) The United States is "very focused" on disrupting the social media fundraising by supporters of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the Treasury Department said Thursday. Germany Is Sending a Military Training Mission to Northern Iraq (New York Times) Germany is sending a mission to northern Iraq to examine whether its military, and possibly those of other European nations, can expand the training of Kurdish forces battling jihadists there, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Thursday. Iraqi PM Abadi's government finally complete (Al-Monitor) The new Iraqi Interior Minister Mohammed Salem al-Ghabban has vowed to fight sectarianism, stating that the Ministry of Interior will become a ministry for all Iraqis, regardless of religion, sect or denomination. INDUSTRYExclusive: Lockheed, Pentagon reach $4 billion deal for more F-35 jets(Reuters) Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and U.S. defense officials have reached agreement on the terms of a contract worth about $4 billion for an eighth batch of 43 F-35 fighter jets, sources familiar with the deal said on Thursday. Run Silent, Run Scared: 'A Crucial Year' For Navy's New Nuke Sub (Breaking Defense) "No one should be sleeping comfortably at night," Rear Adm. Dave Johnson warned Navy submariners and contractors today. For the fleet's top priority program, the replacement for the aging Ohio-class nuclear missile submarine, fiscal 2015 "is a crucial year," the Program Executive Officer for all submarine programs said this morning. Navy Starting Work on New SSN(X) Nuclear Attack Submarine (USNI News) The U.S. Navy is starting early preparation work to design a new nuclear attack submarine to replace the Virginia-class boats (SSN-774) in the 2030s. The new attack boat would become operational in 2044 after the last Block VII Virginias are built. DoD picks Defense Research for UAV anti-collision contract (C4ISR & Networks) Defense Research has been awarded a $23.5 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract for a collision warning system that can be used by manned and unmanned aircraft. Raytheon acquiring privately held firm for $400 million: CFO (Reuters) U.S. weapons maker Raytheon Co (RTN.N) on Thursday said it was acquiring a privately held company in its core defense business for about $400 million, and the deal should close next month after completing regulatory reviews. DHS tests Army aerostat for border protection (C4ISR & Networks) DHS is testing a U.S. Army aerostat surveillance system along the U.S.-Mexico border. Kremlin Threatens to Sue France Over Possible Mistral Contract Breach (RIA Novosti) Russia will sue France if Paris refuses to honor a contract on construction of two Mistral-class helicopter carriers for the Russian Navy, Kremlin chief of staff Sergei Ivanov said Thursday. Outgoing Thales CEO says new focus to hold as orders rise (Reuters) The outgoing head of France's Thales (TCFP.PA) sought to reassure investors that a new global focus at the aerospace and defense group was irreversible, as he unveiled his last quarterly figures containing a boost from developing economies. Boeing, Thales confirmed as preferred tenderer for Australian HATS programme (IHS Jane's 360) Boeing Defence Australia and partner Thales Australia have been formally confirmed as preferred tenderer to provide a new joint helicopter aircrew training system (HATS) for Australian Army (AA) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) personnel. If Necessary, Alone: The Shield of Poland (Defense Industry Daily) In the wake of events in Georgia and Crimea, Poland has emerged as NATO's key eastern bastion. The Tarcza Polski (Shield of Poland) aims to give it an advanced air defense system to match. Saab Expects Slight Rise in Swedish Defense Spending -- Update (Wall Street Journal) Hakan Buskhe, chief executive of Swedish defense group Saab AB (SAAB-B.SK), said he expects the country to slightly raise military spending in response to increased tensions in the Baltic Sea region, but doesn't see defense investments to reach Cold War-era levels anytime soon. Argentina to negotiate with Brazil for Gripen E multirole fighters (IHS Jane's 360) Argentina is to begin negotiations towards potentially buying 24 Saab Gripen E multirole fighters from the Brazilian production line, the Brazilian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 21 October. VETERANSFew vets use free credit monitoring after VA breaches(Military Times) Only about one in 25 veterans offered free credit monitoring in the wake of Veterans Affairs Department security breaches has signed up for the service, a figure that VA officials call disappointingly low. McCain, other lawmakers blast new VA director for reform delays (Stars & Stripes) The VA and its inspector general were hit with new criticism from Congress this week over the handling of records manipulation in the Phoenix veterans' hospital system. VA whistleblower threatened after Fox News appearance? (Fox News) Scott Davis explains Prosecutors: VA Doctor likely producing child pornography since 2008 (KULR; Billings, Mont.) The Stevens County Sheriff's Office told KHQ they arrested Morgenstern again Wednesday night after they found child pornography during a search of his home. Mental health services at Togus veterans hospital to be probed (Morning Sentinel; Waterville, Maine) A watchdog agency will be in Maine next week to inspect mental health care at the federal veterans hospital at Togus amid alleged issues with services. CONGRESSLawmaker uses Canadian case to criticize Obama(Military Times) The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee used Canadian leaders' response to the Ottawa shootings to take his own swipe at President Obama on Thursday. House GOP Leader: 'Every Committee' Will Participate in 2015 Gov't-reform Agenda (Defense News) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy plans a sweeping legislative agenda for 2015 that includes eliminating scores of reports to Congress that existing laws require from federal agencies. Warner: Military shipper still losing, damaging cars (Virginian-Pilot) Despite promises to improve, the contractor hired to ship military members' cars overseas continues its "terrible performance" - losing and damaging vehicles and providing flawed customs paperwork, according to Sen. Mark Warner. Rangel: ISIS not a direct threat to US (The Hill) Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) says that the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is not a direct threat to U.S. security and is questioning President Obama's strategy against the terror group. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTStudies Link Mental Issues and the Rigor of the Military(New York Times) New recruits enter the Army with roughly the same rates of mental problems as their civilian peers, but those disorders can persist for longer amid the demands of service than in civilian life, new research suggests. We cannot accept average,' surgeons general say (Military Times) The message the Army, Navy and Air Force surgeons general have taken from the military health system review released earlier this month is that their hospitals and clinics are performing on par with the nation's top private systems. Contractors' deal averts new breakdown in POV shipments (Stars & Stripes) The military's troubled system for shipping privately owned vehicles appears to have dodged a major breakdown Wednesday after a dispute was settled by the main contractor and a subcontractor responsible for overseas transport. Experts call for national debate on U.S. military priorities (Military Times) A prestigious defense review panel has warned that the U.S. government must "sound an alarm" to build public support among the American people for increased defense spending. Troops Issued Government Travel Cards for PCS Expenses (Military.com) Most troops moving to a new duty station will no longer be paying costs out of pocket, according to new guidance from the Department of Defense. Instead they will charge permanent change of station (PCS) expenses to an issued government travel credit card. ARMYNew quick-reaction NATO force to stand up next year(Army Times) NATO is pushing forward with a new quick-reaction force that will combine the armies of multiple member nations and is intended to serve as a deterrent to Russian aggression. US Army Medical Lab Joining Ebola Fight in West Africa (Defense News) A US Army medical laboratory designed to detect battlefield contaminants is joining the fight against Ebola in West Africa and will be deploying next week, according to an Army announcement. Army setting up comms for Ebola response in West Africa (C4ISR & Networks) As U.S. troops deploy to combat the deadly Ebola virus in West Africa, the Army is laying the groundwork for the communications networks vital to international crisis response on the ground. USARAF reassures Italians that troops on Ebola mission have no contact with victims (Stars & Stripes) If Col. Pedro Almeida has said it once, he's said it a dozen times: Only sick, symptomatic Ebola virus disease sufferers can infect anyone else, and only through transmission of body fluids. JBLM soldier charged with murder in wife's death (Tacoma News Tribune) Pierce County prosecutors contend a Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier shot and killed his 19-year-old wife last week because he was angry that another man had bought liquor for her. US Army Set to Drop $600K on WWI Art (Defense News) The US Army has found what it believes to be a great deal on a group of paintings, and has been approved to spend $600,000 in order to add them to its already huge collection of art. Army announced November officer promotions (Army Times) Congratulations to the active component officers being promoted to the ranks of chief warrant officer 2 through colonel in November. NAVYVirginia subs to get berthing changes for female crew(Navy Times) Sub designers are puzzling out how to fit enlisted women into the berthings on the Virginia-class attack submarines already in the force. Can the Navy's $12 Billion Stealth Destroyer Stay Afloat? (The Daily Beast) It features a radical design and next-gen gear. But the U.S. Navy's most advanced ship may have a wee problem: it just might fall into the sea. Greenert wants Sea Dragons retired "sooner than later" (Virginian-Pilot) The Navy's top officer says he would like to retire the service's aging fleet of mine-sweeping helicopters "sooner than later," primarily because they are expensive to operate and not as efficient as the underwater and surface robots that will someday replace them. Navy readies for 1st F-35 carrier landing (Stars & Stripes) Before the Navy's oldest active aircraft carrier docks for a 16-month maintenance period, it's helping other ships get ready for deployment, and next month, will host the first landing of the F-35C on a carrier. CNO Greenert Bullish on Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (USNI News) The U.S. Navy's top uniformed officer said that while he does not expect an autonomous unmanned strike aircraft to emerge in the coming decades, autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) might prove to be very useful. North Dakota joins submarine fleet Saturday (The Day; New London, Conn.) After an initial setback, the attack submarine North Dakota is set to secure its place in the fleet. A commissioning ceremony for the submarine will take place Saturday at the Naval Submarine Base. Illinois man sentenced for hacking U.S. Navy, other victims (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) A Salem, Ill., community college student has been sentenced to two years in prison for hacking the U.S. Navy, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and over 50 other computer systems. AIR FORCEFirst weapons crew certified on F-35A(Air Force Times) The latest milestone in the F-35A program belongs to airmen on the ground. The F-117 is still flying. But why? (Defense News) The F-117 "Nighthawk" was officially retired in 2008, and in theory the fleet of stealthy fighters has mothballed up. But rumors have persisted in recent years about one or more Nighthawks still flying out in the desert. Those rumors were proven this month when posted photos appeared to show an F-117 taking off for a flight at Tonopah Test Range in Nevada. Air Force wants to expand desert test range for F-35s (Standard-Examiner; Ogden, Utah) The Air Force wants to create a 700,000-acre buffer around the perimeter of the Utah Test and Training Range in Utah's west desert. Hackers face off this weekend to solve Air Force's cyber challenges (Air Force Times) Even as national cybersecurity awareness month comes to a close, the Air Force is producing an event that will bring all kinds of hackers together to test their best coding skills. Beale airman guilty in sex assault (Appeal-Democrat; Marysville, Calif.) A senior airman was found guilty of multiple counts of sexual assault in a court-martial on Beale Air Force Base, according to information released Wednesday. MARINE CORPSFallen Marine awarded Bronze Star for heroism in 'Operation Nightmare'(Marine Corps Times) The family of fallen Marine Sgt. Daniel Vasselian accepted his Bronze Star with combat "V" device last week for heroism in Afghanistan. PTSD argued in case of Marine jailed in Mexico (Associated Press) There's no dispute retired Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi drove with three loaded guns in his truck into Mexico where firearms are illegal. After delay in Philippines, 31st MEU returns to Japan (Marine Corps Times) The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit returned to Okinawa, Japan, on Thursday after the unit was ordered to stay in the Philippines while officials investigated the alleged slaying of a local transgender person. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANShift in control of Kandahar Airfield is the latest change in Afghanistan military drawdown(Washington Post) The military drawdown in Afghanistan continues, with thousands of coalition troops departing the country this month and the organization of those remaining is shifting to include new names and missions. Parting shot: No fond farewell for 82nd paratroopers in Afghanistan (Stars & Stripes) American paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division have spent the last seven months closing down bases in eastern Afghanistan. Russian fighter suspected of terrorism and held in Afghanistan to be prosecuted in U.S. (Washington Post) A Russian captured fighting with insurgents in Afghanistan and held for years at a detention facility near Bagram air base will be flown to the United States to be prosecuted in federal court, according to U.S. officials. Afghan Corruption a Tougher Job After Taking on the Mafia (Bloomberg) John Sopko says taking on the Mafia in Ohio as a young federal prosecutor was less daunting than his current job rooting out waste and corruption in the U.S.- financed attempt to rebuild Afghanistan. Bond set for Afghan soldiers who fled for Canada (Associated Press) Three Afghan soldiers detained since abandoning a Massachusetts training exercise to avoid returning to Afghanistan are hoping financial help from supporters will allow them to go free as they challenge deportation and pursue asylum. Violence in Pakistan Kills at Least 13 (New York Times) A barrage of shootings and bombings shook the Pakistani city of Quetta on Thursday, leaving at least 13 people dead in three separate attacks that each reflected a different facet of the violence afflicting Baluchistan Province. MIDDLE EASTSaudi convicts 27 for plotting attack on US forces(Associated Press) A court in Saudi Arabia sentenced 27 people to prison for planning a series of attacks against U.S. forces in Qatar and Kuwait, with more than half of the defendants charged on Wednesday with also trying to join forces with a group in Syria to smuggle fighters to Iraq, official media reports said. Frank Gardner: Yemen at risk of civil war, says ambassador (BBC) The security situation in Yemen is deteriorating so badly the country is at risk of being torn apart by civil war. That is the warning given this week by Yemen's ambassador to the UK, Abdullah al-Radhi. Concerns rise in Lebanon as another soldier defects (Al-Monitor) A few defections in the ranks of the Lebanese army have provoked some alarm, the latest being soldier Khaled Shmatieh, who defected Oct. 20 and announced his allegiance to Jabhat al-Nusra. Shmatieh announced that he "repudiates this tyrannical and miscreant army before God," as he put it in a video posted on Al-Manara al-Bayda' channel, which is affiliated with Jabhat al-Nusra. Lebanon Cabinet votes to stop accepting Syrian refugees (The Daily Star; Lebanon) The Cabinet agreed on a policy to stop the flow of Syrian refugees into Lebanon, Information Minister Ramzi Joreige announced after a session Thursday. EUROPEExclusive: Charred tanks in Ukraine point to Russian involvement(Reuters) The burnt-out remains of dozens of tanks and armored vehicles in fields near this small village bear witness to the ferocity of a battle that turned the tide of the conflict in eastern Ukraine. Poland's Tusk Denies Claim Putin Offered To Partition Ukraine (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Poland's former prime minister, Donald Tusk, has denied that Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested that Russia and Poland carve up Ukraine. Sweden calls off search for submarine (Associated Press) Swedish authorities called off their weeklong search for a suspected submarine in the Stockholm archipelago Friday, saying the presumed intruder had probably escaped into the Baltic Sea. ASIA-PACIFICLatest North Korean Mystery: A Diplomatic Charm Offensive(New York Times) For weeks, American intelligence agencies puzzled over the mysterious disappearance of Kim Jong-un, the North Korean dictator. Now Mr. Kim is back on the public stage - a walking stick in his left hand - and it is the State Department's turn to puzzle. Among The Young And Privileged In North Korea (National Public Radio) In the summer of 2011, American journalist Suki Kim got a job teaching English at the elite, all-male Pyongyang University of Science and Technology in the North Korean capital. Malaysia dismantles lighthouse in disputed maritime territory (IHS Jane's 360) Malaysia has begun to dismantle the foundations of a lighthouse that it tried to build in disputed waters off the Kalimantan coast, the Indonesian Navy's (Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL) corporate communications chief Admiral Manahan Simorangkir confirmed to local media on 17 October. China's Communist leaders promise legal reforms - under party authority (Washington Post) China's Communist leaders promised legal reforms on Thursday that could give judges more independence from interference by local officials but will leave the party essentially above the law, after a high-level meeting that had been billed as a pivotal moment in the country's legal history. China commissions Type 81A MCMV into North Sea Fleet (IHS Jane's 360) The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has commissioned a new Type 81A mine countermeasure vessel (MCMV) into the North Sea Fleet. KFC touts new all-meat sandwich in South Korea (Army Times) This could be the best reason yet to be assigned to South Korea. AFRICAMali reports first Ebola case, a toddler from Guinea(Los Angeles Times) Mali reported its first case of Ebola late Thursday, marking a major setback for West African efforts to contain the deadly virus that now has affected six countries in the region and left nearly 5,000 dead. Vaccine Trials for Ebola Are Planned in West Africa (New York Times) Federal officials and pharmaceutical companies are planning in the near future to start two large clinical trials of Ebola vaccines in West African countries devastated by the outbreak, a government official said Thursday. Travel Restrictions Hamper African Medical Staff in Ebola Fight (Wall Street Journal) Scores of African doctors and nurses-many of them with experience treating Ebola-have experienced delays getting to affected regions because of flight bans and travel restrictions, an African Union official said on Thursday. Boko Haram Said to Abduct More Women in Nigeria (New York Times) Scores of young women have been kidnapped in new abductions by Islamist militants in Nigeria, according to local journalists, a Roman Catholic bishop and news reports, indicating that Boko Haram's campaign of violence is continuing despite official reports of a cease-fire with the group. AP Interview: Libya FM wants Tripoli negotiations (Associated Press) Libya's newly appointed foreign minister said Thursday that he hopes to see a negotiated solution to the standoff in the capital, Tripoli, where Islamist-allied militias have taken over the city and forced out the elected lawmakers. 1 Dead in Tunisia Shootout as Tensions Rise Ahead of Elections (New York Times) One Tunisian policeman was killed and several others wounded in a shootout with gunmen on the outskirts of the capital on Thursday morning, news reports said, as police forces increased security measures just days before national elections on Sunday. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISDo We Really Understand Unconventional Warfare?(Retired Army Col. David S. Maxwell in Small Wars Journal) The United States has the most powerful conventional military force and the strongest nuclear deterrent in the world. It remains the sole superpower because it is well prepared to fight and win in state on state conflict. Yet the majority of wars, conflicts, and threats in the 21st Century are unlikely to be purely conventional or nuclear. Counter-Unconventional Warfare Is the Way of the Future. How Can We Get There? (Navy Capt. Robert A. Newson in the Council on Foreign Relations) The U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) released a timely white paper last month, titled "Counter-Unconventional Warfare (Counter-UW)." This white paper correctly argues that the United States requires, but does not have, a credible strategic-level ability to interdict and roll back external sponsorships of insurgent and separatist movements. Why Kobani Must Be Saved (New York Times Editorial Board) If Kobani survives, it will have defied the odds. This embattled city on Syria's northern border with Turkey has been on the verge of falling for weeks in the face of a brutal siege by Islamic State militants. But the Syrian Kurds who call Kobani home continue to fight hard, and on Sunday the United States made airdrops of weapons and other supplies to bolster them. To Defeat ISIS (Again), Support Sunni Tribal 'Awakening' (Carolyn Schapper in Cicero Magazine) To defeat ISIS in Iraq, the support of the Sunni tribes is essential. The Sunni tribes felt disenfranchised and, therefore, over the last several years they have protested and struggled against Shi'a-led groups and leadership they believed were favored over them politically and economically by the government of former Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. This internal schism was the distraction ISIS needed to gain a foothold in Iraq, leading eventually to its occupation of vast amounts of territory there and in Syria this past summer. Eugene Robinson: The Islamic State fight is turning into a 'dumb' war (Eugene Robinson in The Washington Post) "I don't oppose all wars," said Barack Obama, then an Illinois state senator, in 2002. "What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war." The Teenage Fans of ISIS (Polly Mosendz in The Atlantic) ISIS's online recruitment efforts have attracted the interest of young people far outside the Middle East. How We Lost Touch With Our Friends in Iraq (Army Maj. Andrew Lembke in War on the Rocks) In December 2009, the infantry company I commanded took over an area of western Baghdad Province that stretched from just west of Baghdad International Airport to the eastern outskirts of Fallujah. The United States was in the midst of drawing down in Iraq, so as units departed, those remaining inherited successively larger areas of operation. The region, referred to as Zaidon, was a traditional smuggling route before the 2003 invasion and became particularly dangerous during the height of the war. Although the region is often most closely associated with Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), its real legacy was the 1920s Revolutionary Brigade. President Obama Is Right (Benjamin Wittes in Lawfare) He was right when he said, as a presidential candidate in 2007, that "The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation." And he was right that "military action is most successful when it is authorized and supported by the Legislative branch. It is always preferable to have the informed consent of Congress prior to any military action." Editorial: Who's kidding whom? (Military Times) The next time you hear a four-star whine to Congress about how military pay and benefits are wreaking havoc on the defense budget and must be rolled back, think about this item buried deep in the news mix last week: The CNO is Wrong When He Says Seven Month Deployments are "Achievable and Sustainable" (Bryan McGrath in Information Dissemination) There exists in the brain of a much better mathematician than I a formula to describe the relationship among the following variables (not inclusive): number of ships, operational availability, requirements for those ships, and deployment length. Generally speaking, in order to control deployment length--or as in this example, reduce it--one could increase the number of ships in the fleet, get more time deployed per hull (operational availability) by a number of different measures, or reduce requirements. Cyber resilience: Why networks matter (Bob Kimball in C4ISR & Networks) To encourage a more stable, safe and resilient cyberspace, President Obama issued Executive Order 13636 in early 2013, which called for the establishment of a set of security standards for critical infrastructure, including military operations. To that end, earlier this year the National Institute of Standards and Technology issued its first "Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity." Analysis: European yards face Soryu-shaped hurdle to replacing Collins class (Julian Kerr in IHS Jane's 360) European companies lobbying to build Australia's next generation of conventionally powered submarines are facing a complex situation that may lack clarity but is awash with speculation. The Russians Have Us Over a Rocket (Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula in The Wall Street Journal) In early October President Obama sent several hundred troops and 20 tanks to three Baltic states and Poland to shore up the NATO alliance. This is the first time since the Cold War that the U.S. has deployed armored reinforcements to Europe. | |||||
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