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: Mon, 3 Nov 2014 05:26:05 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. Military Hates White House 'Micromanagement' of ISIS War(The Daily Beast) Top military leaders in the Pentagon and in the field are growing increasingly frustrated by the tight constraints the White House has placed on the plans to fight ISIS and train a new Syrian rebel army. 2. Military service members complain about sex survey (Associated Press) Shocked and offended by explicit questions, some in the U.S. military are complaining about a sexual-assault survey that hundreds of thousands have been asked to complete. 3. Want to help veterans? Stop pitying them. (Howard Schultz and Rajiv Chandrasekaran in The Washington Post) The platoon mustered at zero-eight-hundred on a balmy Saturday, its members in shorts and standard-issue shirts, ready to be put to work. As they assembled next to the front gate, awaiting orders, a few rocked on the balls of their feet as if preparing for a morning march. Others puffed on menthol cigarettes or rubbed the sleep out of their eyes. 4. Four National Guard soldiers disciplined over bikini shoot (Salt Lake Tribune) One Utah National Guard soldier is being forced to retire and three others are receiving lesser discipline over the British bikini models who were photographed at Camp Williams. 5. Marine veteran freed from Mexican jail (San Diego Union-Tribune) A Mexican federal district judge in Tijuana on Friday ordered the immediate release of a U.S. Marine veteran being held in Baja California on federal weapons charges. DEFENSE NEWS WITH VAGO MURADIANGround Toops and the Fight Against ISIS(Defense News) Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark, author of "Don't Wait for the Next War," discusses the Islamic State, building an integrated national strategy and investment as a national security tool. DSCA's Strategic Plan: Vision 2020 (Defense News) Vice Adm. Joe Rixey, director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, on the agency's future. Turkey's Capabilities and the ISIS Threat (Defense News) Sadat Guldogan, deputy director of Turkey's SSM, discusses Turkey's capabilities and cooperation with the United States. ISLAMIC STATEPossible Islamic State leaflets found near Marine Corps Base Quantico(Marine Corps Times) Officials have launched an investigation into leaflets found near Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., which "may or may not be associated with the terrorist organization known as the Islamic State," base spokesman Maj. Andrew J. Bormann told Marine Corps Times on Friday. Is Islamic State Group Getting Into the Piracy Business? (Defense News) An expert is downplaying concerns raised last week by the United Arab Emirates that Islamic State militants could unite with al-Shabab terrorists and expand to the seas, since no evidence has been established of links between terrorists and pirates. Fearing uprising, Iraq militants hunt ex-police (Associated Press) The Islamic State group is conducting a purge, killing dozens of former policemen and soldiers living in areas of Iraq under its control, in a campaign apparently aimed at preventing any uprising against its extremist rule. Islamic State militants again massacre fellow Sunnis in Iraq (Los Angeles Times) By all accounts, the killings have been summary, brutal and public: At least 200 members of a western Iraqi tribe that has defied the militants of Islamic State have been lined up and shot dead in recent days, including dozens whose executions came to light Sunday. Iraqis Prepare ISIS Offensive, With U.S. Help (New York Times) Iraqi security forces, backed by American-led air power and hundreds of advisers, are planning to mount a major spring offensive against Islamic State fighters who have poured into the country from Syria, a campaign that is likely to face an array of logistical and political challenges. Iraq prepares to deploy Mi-28NE attack helos against the Islamic State (IHS Jane's 360) Iraq will soon deploy its recently acquired Mil Mi-28NE 'Havoc' attack helicopters in the fight against the Islamic State, the defence ministry announced in late October. US-backed forces in Syria suffer big setback (McClatchy) Al Qaida-backed militants Saturday stormed the base of the most prominent civilian commander in the U.S.-backed Syrian rebel force, forcing him and his fighters to flee into hiding in the Jebal al Zawiya mountains of northern Syria. INDUSTRYWork on 'Unique Weapons' for F-35 Partners, EW Tools on Hold Until Congress Acts(Defense News) Work on things like systems to enable the F-35 fighter to wage electronic war on America's enemies is on hold until Congress passes a real defense-spending bill. Rocket Blast Seen Speeding End of Russian-Engine Reliance (Bloomberg) The Antares rocket destroyed in a fireball off a Virginia launchpad could speed efforts by the U.S. space industry to end its reliance on Russian-made engines, Boeing Co. (BA)'s defense chief said. F-35 Heading Toward Block Buy (Defense News) Every year, the Pentagon and its corporate partners hash out contracts for individual low-rate initial production (LRIP) lots of the F-35 joint strike fighter. If the man running the program has his say, those days are numbered. Air Force F-35 IOC May Be In Peril; Pratt, DoD Shake On $1B F135 Deal (Breaking Defense) When Sen. Kelly Ayotte and her supporters blocked retirement of the A-10 fleet, it's not likely they knew the F-35 program might suffer. UAE Negotiating Possible Scorpion Purchase (Defense News) The United Arab Emirates is in discussions with Textron AirLand about becoming an early customer for Textron's new Scorpion jet, according to sources. Gallium arsenide market to reach $500M (C4ISR & Networks) The global market for a chemical used in military electronics is expected to grow, French Official: Russia Has Not Met Conditions For Mistral Delivery (Defense News) The conditions have not been met for France to deliver a Mistral warship to Russia, French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said on Thursday. The comment came one day after a senior Russian official disclosed that the French shipbuilder had invited Russian officials to come to France for a Nov. 14 hand over of the helicopter carrier. Airbus develops Bundeswehr radio (C4ISR & Networks) Company collaborates on German military radio system S. Korea Threatens To Turn to Lockheed for KF-16 Upgrades (Defense News) South Korea's contract with BAE to upgrade its KF-16 fleet remains in danger, with officials in Seoul insisting the company must lower what defense officials claim are unexpected price hikes beyond the original agreement. Sikorsky says not bidding for Polish helicopter contract (Reuters) U.S. firm Sikorsky Aircraft Corp (UTX.N) said it would not bid for a $3 billion contract to supply helicopters to Poland unless the terms of the tender were changed, effectively pulling out of the running. Israeli Brass Urge MoD To Stick With V-22 Deal (Defense News) Top military officers here are urging Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon not to back out of a Pentagon package of Bell Boeing V-22 tilt-rotors offered at a cut-rate price and under conditions set to expire Dec. 10. Making Robot Steering More Like Call of Duty Could Save Lives (Defense One) A team from Sweden was able to greatly improve the ability of operators to perform tasks with remotely piloted emergency robots by making the bots steer less like tanks and more like a first-person shooter video game like Call of Duty. It's a small change that could save lives in an environment where an emergency robot has a limited amount of time to perform a life or death task like finding a survivor in a collapsed building. Sweden Sees New Chance To Sell Gripen to Finland (Defense News) Sweden hopes Saab's $5.4 billion Gripen-E deal with Brazil can open a dialogue with Finland, which is on course to replace its F/A-18 Hornets in the next 10 years. Boeing announces offset agreements ahead of Danish fighter aircraft selection (IHS Jane's 360) Boeing has signed a series of agreements with Danish defence companies relating to opportunities linked to Boeing's offering of the F/A-18 Super Hornet to meet Denmark's next-generation fighter aircraft requirement. Airbus, DCNS Develop Plans To Equip Tanan Unmanned Helo (Defense News) Airbus Defence and Space and shipmaker DCNS have signed a cooperation agreement to further develop the Tanan, an unmanned helicopter designed for naval application, the companies said in a statement. Euronaval 2014: Philippine OPV contract confirmed (IHS Jane's 360) The Philippines Coast Guard will receive a new 82 m offshore patrol vessel (OPV) by around 2016, shipbuilder OCEA told IHS Jane's at the Euronaval exhibition in Paris. MBDA Naval Cruise Missile Conducts Final Qualification Flight (Defense News) The Direction Generale de l'Armement (DGA) conducted a successful final qualification flight of the MBDA naval cruise missile, with a launch from a ground-based site at the Biscarosse test center, the procurement office said in a statement. VETERANSE-mails: VA secretary sought changes in Phoenix report(Arizona Republic) A top Department of Veterans Affairs official and a White House appointee successfully pressed for changes in an inspector general's report on the Phoenix VA medical center. Lead investigator of wait times at Veterans Affairs still gets criticism over report (Washington Post) Richard J. Griffin is known by veterans groups as the one who uttered "that dirty little four-word phrase." Report says 60,000 veterans get triple benefits (Associated Press) Nearly 60,000 veterans were triple dippers last year, drawing a total of $3.5 billion in military retirement pay plus veterans and Social Security disability benefits at the same time, congressional auditors report. Army Sgt. Issac Sims left the war in Iraq, but it didn't leave him (Stars & Stripes) The tattered brown house on Lawndale Avenue bears the scars of a distant war that Issac Sims survived until he returned home. Slivers of glass from broken windows lie beneath walls pocked with bullet holes. In a corner of the garage, a faint stain on the concrete floor has turned the color of rust, time darkening the blood that emptied from his body. Marine battles VA amid failing health (Marietta Daily Journal; Ga.) James Wilson of Kennesaw, who served as a corporal in the Marines from 1993-97, said everybody in the military said the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department medical centers were not to be trusted. High Veterans Affairs turnover prompts outside recruiting (Augusta Chronicle, Ga.) The loss of three directors in one month coupled with a shortage of physicians and nurses in the Department of Veterans Affairs' Southeast Network is leading the agency to turn to national recruiting efforts. CONGRESSFemale vets charge into office(The Hill) A record number of female veterans are running for Congress this year, as both parties make a play for the women's vote. Lawmaker sidelined by military seeks 2nd term (Associated Press) West Virginia state Del. Joshua Nelson spent most of his first term learning to fly military jumbo jets in Texas, and almost none of it casting votes or pushing legislation 1,500 miles away in the state Capitol. Hagel says congressional partnership key to future BRAC round (Federal Times) The Defense Department needs a stronger partnership with Congress if it wants to achieve critical priorities like another round of base closures, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said. As Afghanistan War Ends, Congressional Appetite for Oversight Wanes (DefenseOne) By several key measures, the waste and corruption that has plagued the Afghanistan reconstruction effort for the past 13 years is as bad as it's ever been. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTSuicide surpassed war as the military's leading cause of death(USA Today) War was the leading cause of death in the military nearly every year between 2004 and 2011 until suicides became the top means of dying for troops in 2012 and 2013, according to a bar chart published this week in a monthly Pentagon medical statistical analysis journal. OIR troops to be eligible for GWOT-E medal (Military Times) Pentagon officials have decided that the thousands of service members deployed in support of the newly named Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria will be eligible for a service medal - the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal. Ebola quarantine made optional for DOD civilians (Stars & Stripes) Defense Department civilians can choose whether to be quarantined when they return from Ebola-infected areas of West Africa, unlike troops, who face a mandatory 21 days of "controlled monitoring." DoD, Industry Huddle As Civil Firms Gain (Defense News) The big issues of the day facing the Pentagon and its defense industrial base go far deeper than developing the next generation fighter or aircraft carrier, top industry analysts warn. Pentagon's plans for a spy service to rival the CIA have been pared back (Washington Post) The Pentagon has scaled back its plan to assemble an overseas spy service that could have rivaled the CIA in size, backing away from a project that faced opposition from lawmakers who questioned its purpose and cost, current and former U.S. officials said. DoD to monitor troops exposed to Iraqi chemical weapons (Military Times) The Defense Department will provide medical assessments and health surveillance for troops and veterans exposed to chemical agents during the 2003-2011 Iraq War who may not have received proper treatment, senior officials said. Top US military official asks Muslim man at Syracuse University: 'Are you Taliban?' (Post-Standard; Syracuse, N.Y.) Speaking at Syracuse University this morning, Gen. Martin Dempsey was free and loose with jokes. ARMYFort Bliss garrison commander relieved of duty(El Paso Times) The Fort Bliss Garrison Commander has been relieved of duty following an investigation into misconduct allegations, post officials said Friday evening. Soldiers who don't meet MOS requirements will be reclassified or kicked out (Army Times) Soldiers who don't meet MOS requirements will be reclassified or kicked out Eight who made contributions to Army special operations honored at Fort Bragg (Fayetteville Observer) Eight people who made repeated contributions to Army special operations were honored Friday on Fort Bragg, joining a small fraternity that officials said represents the best of the community. What's new in your MRE - 2015 and beyond (Army Times) About 200 soldiers at Fort Carson, Colorado, chowed down for science in September, participating in Army testing that could yield future Meal, Ready to Eat components like a burrito bowl, a chicken sandwich and what some might consider the Holy Grail of combat-ration cuisine - a slice of pepperoni pizza. Drill sergeant heads to White House for 'Salute to the Troops' (Army Times) From singing in a nine-person "mini-choir" made up entirely of her brothers and sisters to belting out Martina McBride songs on a karaoke machine at Iraq's Camp Liberty to winning an Armywide talent contest, Sgt. Christiana Ball's music career hasn't taken a traditional path. NAVYReport: Squadron CMC kissed and hit on his sailors(Navy Times) Command Master Chief (SW/AW/IDW) James Shumate had an off-color style. Commander issues memo directing SEALs to keep quiet (Tampa Tribune) The head of all Naval Special Warfare personnel has a message for SEALs who feel the urge to seek publicity for or financial gain from their combat experiences. Don't. 'They Don't Call It SEAL Team 6-Year-Old for Nothing': Commandos Clash Over Tell-All Book (The Daily Beast) The author of the inside story of the bin Laden raid is back with a new book, and after the Pentagon and his former teammates spurned him, he's calling them 'SEAL Team 6-Year-Old.' Navy F-35 starts first sea trials with new tailhook (Navy Times) If all goes according to plan, the F-35C Lightning II jet will roar into its first flattop trap Nov. 3 as news cameras roll, an event 17 years in the making. Navy to Begin Preparations for Cyber Warfare (National Defense) U.S. warships that patrol treacherous waterways like the Strait of Hormuz are ready to respond to a wide array of threats, including underwater explosives, kamikaze boats and missile strikes. They are less prepared, though, to cope with a cyber onslaught on their computer systems. Spring petty officer exam dates set (Navy Times) With the fall petty officer exam results about a month away, Navy personnel officials have announced the dates and requirements for the active-duty spring 2015 exams. Americans in Bahrain urged to remain vigilant after threat on jihadist website (Associated Press) U.S. officials here are urging Americans living in the Persian Gulf kingdom to remain vigilant following an anonymous threat posted on a jihadist website calling for attacks against American and other Western teachers at international schools in the Middle East. Bold Alligator 2014 tests new ways of biting the enemy (Navy Times) Exercise Bold Alligator 2014 is poised to take on an array of humanitarian, crisis response and contingency operations in new and unusual ways. Largest international mine countermeasures exercise underway in Middle East (Stars & Stripes) A total of 6,500 personnel and 38 warships from 44 navies are taking part in a U.S.-led mine countermeasures exercise in the Middle East, officials said Sunday. Submarine boss urges better crew rest in the fleet (Navy Times) The fleet's top submariner said getting sub crews the sleep they need is a necessary culture change inside a force that has long viewed sleep as a luxury. AIR FORCEAir Force promotion system changes: Only recent EPRs will count(Air Force Times) Starting next year, enlisted airmen will start with a clean slate each time they come up for promotion. James E. McInerney Jr., major general who received the Air Force Cross, dies at 84 (Washington Post) James E. McInerney Jr., a retired Air Force major general who was a combat pilot during the Vietnam War and who received the Air Force Cross for taking out enemy defensive weaponry in a 1967 raid on a strategic bridge near Hanoi, died Oct. 14 at a hospital in Washington. He was 84. Delayed CCAF transcripts going out to airmen today (Air Force Times) Airmen who've been waiting for their Community College of the Air Force transcripts can breathe easier soon. New US general seeks China air safety dialogue (Associated Press) The U.S. Air Force's new commander in the Pacific said Saturday she's hoping to continue talks with China on avoiding dangerous encounters in the air that have added to regional tensions. Airmen caught in VSP confusion will receive medical benefits (Air Force Times) The Air Force has made an exception for about 1,000 airmen who voluntarily separated and were incorrectly told they would receive Tricare medical benefits for 180 days. The airmen will receive the benefits, the Air Force announced late Friday afternoon. Ex-airman accused of stealing sensitive government files (Dayton Daily News) A complaint filed in Dayton's U.S. District Court alleges that John M. Sember, 28, either destroyed or took sensitive files from government computers after he was removed from a project earlier this year. If the information was erased permanently, it could cost taxpayers 1,000 to 2,000 hours of labor and research worth an undetermined amount of money, according to an affidavit. Air Force crew prepares to test next-generation tanker (Air Force Times) For the group of airmen selected to test the Air Force's next generation tanker, the assignment is bigger than once in a career. Monitoring, but no quarantines, for JBLM airmen returning from short Liberia missions (Tacoma News Tribune) Joint Base Lewis-McChord airmen who've been flying short Ebola-response missions are not subject to mandatory quarantines, but South Sound soldiers preparing for longer assignments in West Africa will be isolated before returning home, officials said Thursday. Enlisted airmen's clothing allowance drops in 2015 (Air Force Times) Enlisted airmen's clothing allowances have decreased slightly for the new fiscal year, largely because of a change in when the Air Force issues boots to airmen. MARINE CORPSMARSOC Marines embrace amphibious role during Bold Alligator(Marine Corps Times) A special operations company from MARSOC will launch from Navy ships and augment larger Marine missions at Bold Alligator this year as the Corps embraces a concept that has elite forces and fleet Marines working in tandem. Lejeune Marine scores perfect pistol quals back to back (Marine Corps Times) A North Carolina-based gunny recently impressed his fellow Marines on the range when he shot a perfect weapons qualification score twice in a single day - with a pistol. Seats would deliver shock-free, safer ride in vehicles and helos (Marine Corps Times) The Office of Naval Research is developing a new seat suspension system that can help protect Marines riding in ground vehicles or flying in helicopters. SMAW upgrade will put rounds on targets faster (Marine Corps Times) Procurement officials are working to make the Corps' Shoulder-launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon lighter and more lethal, but safer for Marines. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANAfghans' plans for gear, buildings at Leatherneck unclear(Marine Corps Times) In the final months Marines spent at Camp Leatherneck prior to their departure from Helmand province in late October, logistics officials took leaders from the Afghan National Army's 215th Corps on an eight-week walk-through of the base, signing over buildings and equipment to them as they went. But despite their careful efforts, the Marines had little idea of how the Afghan troops, much more poorly resourced than their foreign counterparts, planned to use the sprawling base after the American and British forces left. UK ponders Afghan request for air support (IHS Jane's 360) Afghanistan's government has asked the UK to continue to provide close air support (CAS) for its ground troops after NATO forces pull out of the central Asian country at the end of the year amid fears that Kabul's air force is not yet ready to offer a full-spectrum support capability for its army. Afghan Forces Blunted Prime Taliban Goal, Pentagon Says (Bloomberg) Afghanistan's security and military forces blunted one of the Taliban's main objectives this year -- disrupting the nation's contested presidential elections, the Pentagon said in its latest assessment. Suicide bomber strikes in Pakistan at border crossing with India (Long War Journal) A suicide bomber killed more than 50 people in a blast today at the Wagah border crossing in Pakistan. Two major Pakistani jihadist groups claimed credit for the attack. MIDDLE EASTMorocco To Provide UAE With Military, Intel Support Against Terrorism(Defense News) Morocco will provide direct military, operational and intelligence support to the United Arab Emirates to assist in its fight against terrorism, according to the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Assad's Syria truncated, battered _ but defiant (Associated Press) Syrian businessmen start from scratch after their shops and factories were destroyed. Families who lost their homes struggle to rent new dwellings and make ends meet. Along highways stretching through government-controlled areas are the bombed ruins of once-rebellious towns, now dotted with checkpoints. Israel, Gulf States Urge Firm Stance As Deadline Looms on Iran Nuke Talks (Defense News) In the run-up to a Nov. 24 deadline for nuclear talks with Iran, leaders from Israel and gulf states are separately urging Western powers to stand firm and demand a deal that derails the regional threat from Tehran. EUROPEUK Pushes Through Programs Ahead of Polls(Defense News) Britain's Defence Ministry is pushing forward key programs it wants to get under contract before the procurement process gets entangled in an upcoming general election, a new strategic defense and security review and likely budget cuts next year. Europeans worried about US troops returning from Ebola-affected Africa (Stars & Stripes) European nations hosting U.S. bases from which troops are deploying to Ebola-affected areas of Africa are wary of letting them back in, despite the military's planned quarantine measures, officials said. Putin's Secret Agents (Time) On a warm morning in early August, a 68-year-old Chechen man named Said-Emin Ibragimov packed up his fishing gear and walked to his favorite spot on the west bank of the river that runs through Strasbourg, the city of his exile in eastern France. Ibragimov, who was a minister in the breakaway Chechen government in the 1990s, needed to calm his nerves, and his favorite way to relax was to watch the Ill River, a tributary of the Rhine, flow by as he waited for a fish to bite. ASIA-PACIFICTaiwan shipbuilder, Lockheed Martin to build minesweepers for navy(Reuters) A consortium of Taiwan's largest private shipbuilder Ching Fu Shipbuilding Co Ltd, U.S. defense firm Lockheed Martin Corp and Italian firm Intermarine SpA have won a contract to supply six mine countermeasure vessels for Taiwan's navy for an undisclosed amount. Report: Kim Jong-un Executes Another Powerful Aide (The Diplomat) Kim Jong-un may have executed one of his closest aides according to a Seoul-based think tank. Abu Sayyaf militants kill 6 Filipino soldiers (Associated Press) Abu Sayyaf gunmen on Sunday killed six soldiers who were guarding a road project that has been delayed by militant attacks in an impoverished southern Philippine province, the military said. AFRICANigerian extremist says kidnapped girls married(Associated Press) With a malevolent laugh, the leader of Nigeria's Islamic extremists tells the world that more than 200 kidnapped schoolgirls have all been converted to Islam and married off, dashing hopes for their freedom. Burkina Faso's Military Cracks Down on Protests (Wall Street Journal) Soldiers in Burkina Faso drove away thousands of protesters on Sunday as opposition emerged to the military regime that took power two days earlier, when the president of nearly three decades resigned and fled. Libyan Officials Urge the Evacuation of Benghazi Port District (Time) The Libyan Army is urging the evacuation of a central neighborhood of Benghazi, the country's second largest city, in preparation for a military offensive against Islamist groups. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISA halfhearted U.S. war effort in the Middle East(Andrew J. Bacevich in The Los Angeles Times) Having declared that this new threat must be destroyed, the Obama administration refuses to provide the forces needed to do just that. Hence, Washington's unseemly scramble to recruit proxies willing and able to do what the United States won't do: put "boots on the ground." The Pentagon calls the result Operation Inherent Resolve. A more accurate name would be Operation Halfhearted Effort. Where Does Obama Stand on Assad? (Hassan Hassan in The Daily Beast) The Syrian strongman is playing a crafty game that's starting to splinter the opposition. The White House should say he must go. The Foreign Policy Essay: The Key to U.S. Sanctions Happiness? A Short National Memory (Jennifer M. Harris in Lawfare) When President Clinton put this point to reporters 16 years ago, the United States had just imposed sanctions on India for its series of underground nuclear tests (such sanctions were mandatory under U.S. law). The president was hardly alone in his reservations: his view was echoed by plenty of foreign policy experts and extended even to the right-most pockets of the Senate (for instance, with Senators Ashcroft (R-MO) and Brownback (R-KS) supporting sanctions reform legislation in 1999). Back then, as now, this was about as close to a Washington consensus as one might hope to find. The Roots of the Islamic State's Appeal (Shadi Hamid in Defense One) In a long, rambling statement in September, ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani expounded on his group's inherent advantage: "Being killed ... is a victory," he said. "You fight a people who can never be defeated. They either gain victory or are killed." In this most basic sense, religion-rather than what one might call ideology-matters. ISIS fighters are not only willing to die in a blaze of religious ecstasy; they welcome it, believing that they will be granted direct entry into heaven. It doesn't particularly matter if this sounds absurd to most people. It's what they believe. Nigeria Turns to Russia, Czech Republic, and Belarus for Military Training and Materiel (John Campbell in the Council on Foreign Relations) The Vanguard, a Nigerian daily, carried a report on September 28, confirmed by the Ministry of Defense, that 1,200 Nigerian soldiers, police, and Department of State Services (DSS) are being trained by Russian special forces. The Vanguard says that Abuja has turned to Moscow following an "alleged snub or nonchalant attitude of the United States and the United Kingdom toward Nigeria in her fight against Boko Haram terrorists." The Diplomatic Consequences of the Obama Administration's "Chickens#@!" Betrayal (Retired Navy Adm. Mark Fitzgerald in Real Clear Defense) Put aside the absurdity of calling a man who was a commander in Israel's special forces unit, Sayeret Matkal, a "coward." Forget the spectacular hypocrisy - even by Washington D.C. standards - of calling a world leader "chickens#@!" while hiding behind an anonymous quote. Such crude attacks speak infinitely more about the officials who made them than about the Prime Minister. Even Israel's Best Friends Understand That It Is Disconnecting From Reality (Jeffrey Goldberg in The Atlantic) More proof, if more proof were needed, that there is a crisis in U.S.-Israel relations, and that the crisis goes deeper than simply the dysfunctional personal relationship between Prime Minister Netanyahu's government and the Obama administration (or between their colorful staffs): A lead editorial in The New York Jewish Week, the flagship American Jewish newspaper, center to center-right in orientation, with many thousands of Orthodox Jews among its readers and an ardently pro-Israel editorial line, bluntly asks whether the Israeli government has become unmoored from reality. | |||||
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