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, 21 Jul 2014 04:41:15 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. 3-star: 'The fighting season is not over'(Army Times) The U.S. military continues to draw down in preparation for the end of its combat mission in December, but the fight in Afghanistan is not over, the No. 2 American commander there tells Army Times. 2. Pro-Russian separatists removed bodies from crash site, officials and observers say (Washington Post) Ukrainian rebels on Sunday moved the decomposing bodies of victims of the downed Malaysian jet liner to refrigerated railway cars at a nearby train station as a diplomatic uproar continued over U.S. allegations that Russia supplied sophisticated antiaircraft missile launchers to the rebels suspected of shooting down the plane. 3. Here's the last time Russia shot down a passenger plane (Marc Ambinder in The Week) It's impossible to observe the world react to the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine without thinking of the day the Russians shot down Korean Air Lines Flight 007 over the Sahakin Islands on Sept., 1, 1983. Then, as now, the area was saturated with intelligence sensors, and the two superpowers had a very good idea about what exactly had happened within hours. But the battle to gain geopolitical leverage from the tragedy poisoned the public's understanding. 4. Obama awards more Medals of Honor to modern veterans - but it takes longer, too (Washington Post) When President Obama drapes the Medal of Honor around the neck of Army Staff Sgt. Ryan J. Pitts on Monday, it will symbolize all of the heroism and sacrifice that occurred in a ferocious battle in Afghanistan. But it will represent something else, too: a dramatic rise in the amount of time it takes for troops to be honored with the nation's highest award for combat valor. 5. Both Sides Report Deadliest Day in Gaza War (New York Times) After weeks of escalating conflict in Gaza, both sides reported death tolls that made clear Sunday was the deadliest day so far in the war. The Palestinian Health Ministry reported that 87 Palestinians had died, and the Israeli military said 13 soldiers were dead. DEFENSE NEWS WITH VAGO MURADIANUK Confidence in the JSFFuture of the RAF UK Defense Industry Vago's Notebook MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH17Hagel on MH17 Crash: Political Capital(Bloomberg) On this week's "Political Capital," U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on the Malaysian Airlines crash and the crisis in Gaza. Also, Bloomberg's John Walcott with more on Ukraine and the Middle East and Margaret Carlson and Megan McArdle debate Rand Paul and corporate inversion. Ukrainian Security Service releases video claiming rebels confess to downing MH17 (Washington Post) Ukraine's government released what it says are intercepted telephone conversations that reveal pro-Russian rebels were responsible for shooting down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. Neither the claims nor the authenticity of the recordings have been verified by The Washington Post. SBU releases more conversations implicating Russia in shooting down Malaysia Airlines flight (Kyiv Post) Ukraine's security service, known as the SBU, on July 18 published additional intercepted telephone conversations that further implicate Russia in the downing of the Malaysia Airline Flight 17, killing all 298 people on board on July 17. The conversations allegedly took place between Russian military intelligence officers and their armed proxies who discussed the delivery of a Buk missile system from Russia ahead of the downing of the Malaysian passenger jet. Ukrainian Security Service releases video claiming Moscow's interest in rebel-secured MH17 'black boxes' (Washington Post) Ukraine's government released the above video of what it says are telephone conversations between pro-Russian rebels conferring about the "black boxes" from Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. The Washington Post has not confirmed the authenticity of this set of recordings. The State Department released a statement Sunday saying that it believes previous Ukrainian recordings of rebel phone conversations are authentic. (Ukrainian Security Service/YouTube) Without radar, missile may not have identified jet (Associated Press) If Ukrainian rebels shot down the Malaysian jetliner, killing 298 people, it may have been because they didn't have the right systems in place to distinguish between military and civilian aircraft, experts said Saturday. How Can a Civilian Plane Accidentally Be Shot Down? (MIT Technology Review) It's not certain whether Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was brought down because of mistaken identity, but it is plausible. 3 Uncomfortable Truths We Already Know About the MH17 Shootdown (Popular Mechanics) We don't yet know who shot down a Malaysian Airlines 777 over Ukraine today. But we do know these grim truths about the future of aviation safety. Airliner Strike Intensifies Urgency for E. European Procurement, Cooperation (Defense News) The shooting down of a Malaysian Airlines passenger aircraft over eastern Ukraine, where Russia-backed separatists are fighting against Ukraine's pro-government troops, is likely to further contribute to security concerns in Eastern Europe, where NATO allies eye increased cooperation in the field of defense and joint arms procurements. Russia Expands List of Barred Americans (New York Times) Russia's Foreign Ministry announced Saturday that it was expanding its list of Americans barred from the country, including a congressman and several senior military officers. After MH17 shot down, video shows Buk missile launcher allegedly being moved from Ukraine to Russia (National Post) A missile launcher allegedly used to destroy Flight MH17 has been smuggled across the Ukrainian border into Russia to cover up its role in the strike, Ukraine's interior minister claimed Friday. In the Killing Fields of Ukraine with Children Who Saw the MH17 Horror (The Daily Beast) Investigators will have a hard time explaining why the Malaysia Airlines plane was shot down. But no one who saw the bodies fall will ever forget. Obama rules out military response to downing of passenger jet (Military Times) The U.S. will not take military action in response to the downing of a Malaysian passenger jet over Ukraine, President Obama told reporters Friday. Analysts: Airliner Shootdown Points to Russian-Made System (Defense News) US officials said on July 18 that they were unsure if the BUK surface-to-air missile system suspected of shooting down a Malaysian Air flight on July 17 was transported over the border from Russia, or a Ukrainian system captured by pro-Russian separatists. ISRAELI GROUND OPERATIONS IN GAZAIn Gaza, whatever the target, children often the victims(Agence France-Presse) Ten-year-old Afnan Shuheiber was playing on a Gaza City rooftop with her cousins when she became one of at least 73 children killed by Israeli fire in the Gaza Strip. Elite Israeli Unit Loses 13 in Gaza Battles (Wall Street Journal) The Golani Brigade is renowned in Israel for being the army's roughest infantry unit. But on Sunday, fighting in Gaza added a bitter chapter to the Golani lore when 13 of its soldiers were killed battling Hamas militants in Gaza City. 'Only God saved our souls,' says resident of Gaza area pounded by Israel (Washington Post) All night, the people of Gaza heard rumors of what was happening in Shijaiyah, the town glowing orange on the horizon, the scene of the most intense Israeli bombardment of the 13-day-old conflict. Two Americans killed in Gaza fighting (USA Today) Two Americans are among the Israeli soldiers reported killed in Gaza during weekend fighting. Netanyahu: Israel seeks 'sustainable quiet' with Gaza (CNN) CNN's Wolf Blitzer interviewed Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv Sunday. Fox confronts Kerry with hot-mike comment on Israel: 'Hell of a pinpoint operation' (Washington Post) In an unusual moment during "Fox News Sunday," host Chris Wallace presented Secretary of State John Kerry with video recorded before he came on air. IDF releases Iron Dome interception rate (IHS Jane's 360) Israel's Iron Dome system has successfully intercepted 86% of the Palestinian rockets that it has engaged during Operation 'Protective Edge', according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). INDUSTRYAir Force Examines Anomalies as Musk's SpaceX Seeks Work(Bloomberg) The Air Force is examining several anomalies that occurred during Space Exploration Technologies Corp.'s three civilian space flights as part of its review of billionaire Elon Musk's quest to launch military satellites. Experts: Don't Bet on Revival of 2nd F-35 Engine (Defense News) The revival of the Pentagon's storied F-35 alternative engine program is unlikely despite a US Senate panel raising that possibility, experts say. BAE 'Bullish' Army Will Buy Missile Guidance Kits (DoDBuzz) The U.S. subsidiary of British defense giant BAE Systems Plc is confident the Army will begin buying its kits to convert unguided rockets on helicopters into "smart" heat-seeking missiles, a company official said. US Doubles Down on Foreign Military Sales (Defense News) The United States military-industrial complex, battered by budget cuts and drops in domestic procurement, made it clear at this year's Farnborough International Airshow that it is targeting the world market as never before. U.S. firms urge new export policy for drones, change near (Reuters) The U.S. government is nearing release of a revamped policy for exports of unmanned aerial vehicles and technology amid growing pressure by U.S. manufacturers who say the current cumbersome rules are giving firms in other countries a competitive edge. New Finmeccanica CEO Eyes Shake-ups (Defense News) Finmeccanica returned to the Farnborough International Airshow this year with its hard-to-miss white bubble pavilion, but in his first air show appearance, new CEO Mauro Moretti promised that just about everything else at the Italian group is due for a radical shake-up. Costly Fighters, Cash-Poor Customers Set Fighter Trends (Aviation Week) Two factors are likely to dominate the fighter market that is accessible to Western-aligned manufacturers over the next decade. The first could be termed "F-35 versus the world." The Joint Strike Fighter business plan, as shown in official briefing documents, envisages the close of production for all other U.S. and European fighters before 2020. Although there are U.S. studies starting up that point to follow-on fighters, and Japan, South Korea and Turkey have aspirations to build new aircraft, none is likely to have a great impact on the market before 2024. Japan's Military Contractors Make Push in Weapons Exports (Wall Street Journal) Japanese military contractors are taking their first steps toward selling weapons abroad since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe relaxed an export ban, a politically sensitive shift for a nation that long hesitated to turn its technology prowess into arms-sales profits. Turkey To Formalize Fast Missile Boat Race (Defense News) Turkey's procurement authorities are preparing to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for up to 10 fast missile boats, formalizing the planned competition. Cobham, Tata agree aerial refuelling manufacturing deal (IHS Jane's 360) Tata Advanced Systems (TASL), a subsidiary of Indian conglomerate Tata, has entered a collaboration agreement with UK defence and aerospace group Cobham to manufacture aerial refuelling equipment in India. India's 20-Year Late LCA Faces Fresh Delays (Defense News) India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark-1, already 20 years late, likely will miss its final operational clearance (FOC) deadline set for the end of 2014, an Indian Air Force source said. New Zealand approves replenishment tanker replacement (IHS Jane's 360) The New Zealand government has given approval for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to seek a replacement for the Royal New Zealand Navy's fleet replenishment tanker HMNZS Endeavour . Civil Firms Looking to Military Space (Defense News) Some of the biggest names and deepest pockets in Silicon Valley are looking to space as their next big investment opportunity, and while the targets of their investment are primarily commercial, the Pentagon's in-house tech think tank is also drawing these entrepreneurs into its own orbit in an ambitious new space launch project. Croatia seeks PzH 2000 purchase (IHS Jane's 360) Croatia's plans to purchase PzH 2000 155 mm tracked self-propelled artillery systems received a substantial boost on 14 July when the Defence Committee of the Croatian Parliament moved to support their acquisition. S. Korea Opts for Twin-Engine Fighter Development (Defense News) The South Korean military has chosen to equip its future fighter jet with two engines instead of one amid lingering worries over the economic and technical merits of the twin-engine aircraft development. VETERANSUse your VA loan benefit(Military Times) After a tornado ripped through Air Force Tech. Sgt. Rhonda Stockstill's house in Moore, Oklahoma, in May 2013, she and her husband began the hunt for a new home, thinking they would go through their previous lender to get another VA home loan. Study: Indirect link between combat and suicide risk (USA Today) One of the first comprehensive efforts to explain record suicides among soldiers during and after their deployments in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan finds an indirect link between deployment, combat and self-destructive urges, according to a paper published Thursday. Injured veterans program in danger (The Hill) A program that allows veterans with traumatic brain injuries to receive treatment in assisted living facilities is in danger of closing down. VA asks Hill not to open 'floodgates' to private care (Military Update) The ambitious push by Congress and its veteran affairs committees to swiftly solve a health care wait-time crisis for tens of thousands of veterans by granting access to private-sector care appears to have run hard aground. Iraq Vet Cited for owning 14 Therapeutic Pet Ducks (Associated Press) Darin Welker said officials in the village of West Lafayette told him to get rid of the ducks in May and cited him for a minor misdemeanor on June 23 for failing to comply. Walker is scheduled to appear in Coshocton Municipal Court for a hearing Wednesday and could face a $150 fine. 620,000 trees to honor fallen Civil War soldiers (Military Times) Visitors along the scenic byway between Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and Charlottesville, Virginia, will begin to notice clusters of trees lining the route. CONGRESSDespite Opposition, US War Funding Likely To Pass(Defense News) Republicans and Democrats showed a rare display of bipartisanship last week when members of both parties criticized the Pentagon's $58.6 billion war budget request, but experts say Congress will likely approve the measure. Congress Plans to Boost the Tomahawk Missiles Fleet (DoDBuzz) All four Congressional defense committees have aligned to support an increase in Tomahawk missile production in 2015 and beyond. Senate Panel: Obama Seeks 'Broad Exemptions From Current Laws' on Counterterrorism (Defense News) The first congressional panel to take action on a White House-proposed counterterrorism program breathed life into the effort - but also raised a slew of questions the Obama administration is struggling to answer. Hunter: Bring in Mattis, OIF vets to advise on Iraq (Marine Corps Times) Congress should call on "the old hands" including Marine Corps Gens. Jim Mattis and John F. Kelly to navigate political and military pitfalls in Iraq, a California lawmaker said this week. Senate Intel chief: Putin should 'man up' on plane disaster (CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin should "man up" and offer clear explanations amid important questions about the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein said on Sunday. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTDoD still hasn't released final 2013 suicide numbers(Military Times) In 2012, the U.S. military hit a record for the number of suicides among troops on active duty - 319 - since the Pentagon began closely tracking the numbers in 2001. U.S. Military Stepping Up Space Cooperation with Japan, Australia (National Defense) The U.S. military plans to strengthen its alliance in the space realm with allies such as Japan and Australia in order to help it cover the vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean, a senior Defense Department official said July 17. Interview: Gen. Charles Jacoby (Defense News) The Pentagon has placed an emphasis on defense of the US, and Army Gen. Charles Jacoby has been in charge of aligning US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) with those priorities. Among the changes since he took over the command in 2011 is the addition of a subordinate special operations command. Jacoby is also overseeing a NORAD strategic review. DOD resumes transferring military vehicles to first responders (Military Times) The Defense Department has resumed transferring excess military vehicles to civilian emergency personnel after reaching an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency, said Jeffrey Curtis, executive director, logistics operations support for the Defense Logistics Agency. ARMYMedal of Honor recipient wants son to know about outpost attack(Stars & Stripes) Years from now, his son will want to know. Officer promotion list for August is out (Army Times) These active-component officers have been selected for promotion in August, the Army announced Friday: Dad pleads guilty to helping Army son with bribes (Associated Press) Federal prosecutors say the father of a former soldier has pleaded guilty to helping his son launder $250,000 in bribes from contractors in Afghanistan. Lawsuit filed against Tyler Perry's Fort McPherson plans (Atlanta Journal-Constitution) A local entertainment company has filed a legal challenge to Tyler Perry's plans to build a motion picture studio at Fort McPherson NAVYNew special pay levels set(Navy Times) A handful of helicopter rescue swimmers and air traffic controllers are getting a big - and unexpected - payout. Naval officer acquitted of sexual assault charges (Virginian-Pilot) A naval officer court-martialed on sexual assault charges stemming from an incident in Hawaii in 2009 was acquitted Friday by a Navy jury in Norfolk. Training boss talks classroom changes (Navy Times) Whether training recruits, operating schoolhouses or overseeing the force's general military training, Naval Education and Training Command runs sailor education and development from cradle to grave. Navy: No Ship Moves to Black Sea Following Airliner Crash, Plans Could Change (USNI News) The U.S. Navy has not yet tasked any of its surface ships to move closer to Ukraine following the suspected shoot down of Malaysian Airliners Flight 17 on Thursday, service officials told USNI News on Friday. USS Elrod back in Norfolk having completed its final deployment (Navy Times) The frigate Elrod made her last homecoming Saturday morning having completed a final six-month deployment to 6th Fleet. The 29-year-old ship is to be decommissioned Jan. 30 and sold to a foreign military. Peregrine falcons delay USS Saratoga departure (Associated Press) The Navy is ready to say goodbye to the USS Saratoga, but a family of peregrine falcons is not. Ex-Navy SEAL gets 16 months for stealing munitions (Virginian-Pilot) Attorneys for a former Navy SEAL convicted of stealing grenades, gas masks and ammunition from his Virginia Beach command argued Friday their client had suffered enough. AIR FORCEAlcohol ban in South Korea reflects 'fight tonight' readiness(Air Force Times) Airmen new to South Korea need to know what they're getting into. Fort Bragg airman killed Thursday in training exercise has been identified (Fayetteville Observer) Senior Airman Timothy J. Wright, 30, died in a Humvee accident at Pope Army Airfield during a unit readiness training exercise, according to a Fort Bragg news release. Silver Star PJ recounts 5 hours in firefight with Taliban (Air Force Times) Master Sgt. Roger Sparkshad deployed to war zones too many times to count when he descended into a firefight in Afghanistan's Watapur Valley on the evening of Nov. 14, 2010. Airman charged with killing AFN broadcaster could face death (Stars & Stripes) The American airman accused of killing Petty Officer 2nd Class Dmitry Chepusov could face the death penalty if his case goes to trial, military officials said Friday. 460 selected for captain (Air Force Times) The Air Force has selected 460 first lieutenants in a variety of career fields for promotion to captain, the Air Force Personnel Center said Friday. Air Base Defense (Air Force Magazine) With the "strategic rebalance" to the sprawling Asia-Pacific region, the US armed services increasingly are sending small forces to unfamiliar, remote locations far different from their usual established overseas bases. MARINE CORPSQandA spotlights Dunford's view on key issues(Marine Corps Times) Ahead of his confirmation hearing July 17 in Washington, Gen. Joseph Dunford provided the Senate Armed Services Committee with written responses to several policy questions designed to glean how he would lead the Marine Corps as its 36th commandant. An overview, edited for space and style: Marine convicted of beating outside Jason Aldean concert gets year in jail (Stars & Stripes) A Camp Pendleton Marine convicted last month of a brutal beating at a country music concert was sentenced Friday to a year in county jail and three years of formal probation. After 2 years aboard PI, Marine finishes MCT as honor graduate (Marine Corps Times) Lance Cpl. Tallia Goodale got the typical 10 days of leave all new Marines get after boot camp,but when it was over, she had to go back to the training depot. Many mourn for Marine who few knew (Austin American-Statesman) Everyone dies alone. Joseph Jackson Gwatney died more alone than anyone should. Especially a Marine. One star: Survival is crisis response, not combat ops (Marine Corps Times) With the Corps focused on crisis response and disaster relief in place of major combat operations, a major amphibious landing on contested soil wouldn't look too pretty, according to a one-star general. Erin Corwin, missing Marine wife, chronicled life on Facebook (Desert Sun; Palm Springs, Calif.) Erin Corwin has been missing for 23 days. She vanished without a trace, but left behind a chronicle of her young life. Four U.S. troops injured after firearm mishap in Japan (Marine Corps Times) Four Japan-based U.S. service members were injured on Thursday following a negligent discharge of a firearm that occurred at a Marine Corps base in northeast Okinawa. IRAQIslamic State overwhelms Iraqi forces at Tikrit in major defeat(McClatchy) Islamic State gunmen overran a former U.S. military base early Friday and killed or captured hundreds of Iraqi government troops who'd been trying to retake Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, the worst military reversal Iraqi troops have suffered since the Islamist forces captured nearly half the country last month. Iraqi Forces Take Military Base In Fight With Islamist Militants (Wall Street Journal) Iraqi officials said special forces secured full control of a former U.S. military base on the outskirts of Tikrit on Sunday, three days after insurgents began pushing into the base with suicide bombers in a bid to thwart a government campaign to retake the area. Iraqi Army comes under attack in Haditha (Long War Journal) The Islamic State's Anbar Division released a series of photos that purport to document the overrunning of Iraqi Army bases in the city of Haditha. UN: More Than 5,500 Iraqi Civilians Killed In 2014 (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) The United Nations says that at least 5,576 Iraqi civilians have been killed as a result of violence in Iraq so far in 2014. Iraq president Talabani returns after long absence (Reuters) President Jalal Talabani returned to Iraq on Saturday for the first time since he suffered a stroke a year and a half ago and was flown abroad for medical treatment, state television said. Concern and Support for Iraqi Christians Forced by Militants to Flee Mosul (New York Times) A day after Christians fled Mosul, the northern city controlled by Islamist extremists, under the threat of death, Muslims and Christians gathered under the same roof - a church roof - here on Sunday afternoon. By the time the piano player had finished the Iraqi national anthem, and before the prayers, Manhal Younis was crying. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANAfghan elections: Audit of disputed run-off halted(BBC) Afghanistan's election commission has suspended an audit of votes from June's hotly-disputed presidential run-off. Afghan army's rusty tank relics still roll into battle (Stars & Stripes) With a collective belch of black smoke, the line of old Soviet tanks rattles to life. No two vehicles have the same fading paint scheme, and some still feature the insignia of Afghanistan's communist government of the 1980s. U.S. Drone Kills 15 Militants in Pakistan (New York Times) Fifteen militants were killed early Saturday morning when an American drone struck a compound in the Pakistani tribal region of North Waziristan, according to local residents and a security official. It was the fourth known drone strike in the region since Pakistan launched a military operation there last month. 6 al Qaeda operatives thought killed in recent drone strike in Pakistan (Long War Journal) A senior al Qaeda leader who is based in Syria and has close ties to al Qaeda's General Command in Pakistan said that six of his "dearest comrades" were killed in an airstrike in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region. The six al Qaeda operatives were likely killed in a US drone strike on July 10. MIDDLE EASTNegotiators Agree to Extend Iran Nuclear Talks Four More Months, Diplomats Say(New York Times) Iran, the United States and the five other countries negotiating the future of the Iranian nuclear program have agreed to a four-month extension of the talks, giving them more time to try to bridge major differences over whether Tehran will be forced to dismantle parts of its nuclear infrastructure, according to a statement released early Saturday in Vienna by all seven nations. Lebanese Troops Kill Militant Linked to Bombing (Associated Press) Lebanese soldiers killed a wanted militant Sunday suspected of involvement in a suicide bombing at a Beirut hotel last month and arrested another man, setting off gunbattles in the tense northern city of Tripoli, state media reported. More Western fighters joining militants in Iraq and Syria (Los Angeles Times) Thousands of foreign fighters have bolstered the ranks of militant groups in Syria and Iraq in recent months, according to U.S. officials, driving fresh concern about potential terrorist plots aimed at the United States or its allies. Syrian troops seek to retake jihadi-held gas field (Associated Press) Syrian government forces have launched a counter-attack to recapture a gas field seized by Islamic extremists, activists said Saturday, as the death toll from three days of fighting there rose to more than 200 people killed. ASIA-PACIFICChina Sends Uninvited Spy Ship to RIMPAC(USNI News) China slipped an uninvited guest into the world's largest naval exercise. Chinese Businessman Charged With Hacking Boeing, Other Arms Companies (Defense News) Boeing was hit hard by a Chinese cyber intrusion into one of the US company's most protected files on the C-17 Globemaster program, according to a 50-page criminal complaint filed by the FBI in a June 27 affidavit that revealed the extent of a three-man group's alleged hacking activities. Data on "dozens of US military projects," including the F-35 and F-22 stealth fighters, also was stolen in intrusions into other companies' networks. In Remote Corners of India, Immunity for Soldiers Who Kill and Rape Civilians (New York Times) A dozen soldiers burst through the front and back doors of a small home here in the middle of a July night, dragged Thangjam Manorama into a room and began to torture her. Her older brother tried to stop them and was badly beaten. Her mother rose to defend her and was knocked unconscious. AFRICAAircraft with US personnel lands in Ugandan road(Associated Press) A small aircraft carrying U.S. military personnel made an emergency landing in the middle of a highway after running out of fuel, Ugandan police said Friday. Boko Haram Captures Nigerian Town (Wall Street Journal) Boko Haram hoisted its black al Qaeda-inspired flag above the strategic town of Damboa in northeast Nigeria on Saturday, with an estimated more than 100 of the town's residents killed by the militant group since Thursday. France Reorganizes Military Presence in Sub-Saharan Africa (Defense News) France is rebasing its military and intelligence presence in sub-Saharan Africa with the cooperation of five nations to fight insurgents in the region, the spokesman for the chief of the Defense Staff said. Kony's rebels change tactics to evade hunt (Associated Press) Knives, ropes, tarpaulins, AK-47s, and gun lubricant. These are some of the items handed over to the Ugandan army by three fighters who defected last month from Joseph Kony's rebels, the Lord's Resistance Army, in Central African Republic. S. Sudanese opposition forces claim capture of Nasir town (Sudan Tribune) Forces loyal to South Sudan former vice-president, Riek Machar claimed they were fully in control of Nasir, a strategic Upper Nile state town. Death Toll Rises to 22 in Egypt Border Post Attack (Associated Press) The death toll from a brazen attack on a border post in Egypt's western desert along the border with Libya has risen to 22 troops, including three officers, the military said Sunday. Islamists renew assault on Libyan airport (Deutsche Welle) Islamist militia have launched their heaviest attack so far on Libya's main airport, security officials say. The assault comes two days after a truce with rival militants collapsed. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISMalaysia Airlines Ukraine Crash: Fateful Errors, Fatal Decisions(Mark Thompson in Time) Common thread in shootdowns is multiple mistakes Putin's Deadly Doctrine (Timothy Garton Ash in The New York Times) Sometimes, just sometimes, you should pay attention to annoying things said by tiresome people at worthy conferences. We know the Army is about to get smaller. So here is how we can make it better. (Michael M. Crow and John Paul Parker in Foreign Policy) History demonstrates that the nation's defense planners cannot accurately foresee where we will need to send our soldiers, nor what we will ask them to do. What we do know is that wherever we send soldiers will be a complex and dangerous environment where we will expect them to be flexible, innovative, and adaptive in order to deal with unforeseen contingencies and emergent threats. Ospreys help Marines protect, assist our allies - on Okinawa and beyond (Marine Brig. Gen. Steve R. Rudder in Stars and Stripes) The MV-22B Osprey, a tilt-rotor aircraft that takes off and lands like a helicopter, has operated in the Asia-Pacific theater for nearly two years, and with it has come amazing benefits for the Japan-U.S. alliance and for partner nations where the Osprey operates. Lasers Are No Longer a 'Star Wars' Fantasy (Erik Schechter and Dave Majumdar in The Wall Street Journal) The two Iranian-designed Abadil-1 drones that Hamas flew from the Gaza Strip into Israel last week were little more than over-glorified toy planes. So why did the Israeli military shoot them down with $3 million Patriot missiles? After all, Israel has multiple Iron Dome missile-defense batteries in the south of the country. Factionalism of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan: Can the Pakistani Government Correct Past Deficiencies (Brian Perkins in Small Wars Journal) Over the past year, the vitality of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan's insurgency has waxed and waned but the group has still managed to define Pakistan's security landscape. In the midst of a TTP split, the government will face emerging threats to national security and a new set of challenges in regards to establishing peace. | |||||
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