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: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 04:36:59 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. Analysis: Long Road for F-22's First Combat Mission(Defense News) The F-22 Raptor has flown its first combat operation, a major milestone for the small air dominance fleet. 2. CDC: Ebola could infect 1.4 million in Liberia and Sierra Leone by end of January (Washington Post) The Ebola epidemic in West Africa, already ghastly, could get worse by orders of magnitude, killing hundreds of thousands of people and embedding itself in the human population for years to come, according to two worst-case scenarios from scientists studying the historic outbreak. 3. Why doesn't D.C. listen to the field on life-and-death issues?: A medical example (Tracey Perez Koehlmoos in Foreign Policy) I am going to write candidly here about this issue because when I spoke about it, I went unheard. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal confirms that this is an important issue to those who work in casualty care and as the scientific publication on the issue fell flat, apparently no one is hearing them either. 4. Forcewide sexual assault survey underway (Military Times) In recent weeks, hundreds of thousands of service members saw an innocuous-looking email pop into their official inbox urging their participation in a "workplace study and survey." Those who clicked the link found questions focusing on issues of sexual assault - in explicit and graphic detail. The official survey is part of a forcewide campaign to get fresh input on what life is really like in military offices and workplaces around the world. Here are five things to know: 5. US Will Destroy Landmines Everywhere But Korea (Defense One) The United States is limiting its use and stockpiling of landmines outside the Korean Peninsula, but will not join more than 160 other nations who signed a total ban on the weapons, citing the threat from North Korea, the Obama administration said Tuesday. ISLAMIC STATEAttacks on Syria 'beginning of sustained' war, Pentagon says(Military Times) It was the first time the U.S. has mounted airstrikes in Syria. U.S. Invokes Defense of Iraq in Saying Strikes in Syria Are Legal (New York Times) The United States said on Tuesday that the American-led airstrikes against the Islamic State - carried out in Syria without seeking the permission of the Syrian government or the United Nations Security Council - were legal because they were done in defense of Iraq. Apache Sale to Iraq Thrown Into Doubt Because of Iraqi Inaction (Defense News) A proposed $4.8 billion sale to Iraq of the latest Apache AH-64E helicopter may have fallen through because Baghdad failed to sign an offer made by the US government for 24 of the aircraft. Air war in Syria could last years (USA Today) The U.S.-led airstrikes mounted early this week in Syria are the opening salvo of what is likely to be a years-long campaign to rout al-Qaeda-linked terrorists and Islamic State fighters from the war-torn country, according to military leaders. In Syria, Obama stretches legal and policy constraints he created for counterterrorism (Washington Post) After spending nearly six years of his presidency installing a series of constraints on U.S. counterterrorism operations, President Obama has launched a broad military offensive against Islamist groups in Syria that stretches the limits of those legal and policy enclosures. Obama to seek world help stopping Americans, others, who go to join terrorists (McClatchy) President Barack Obama will push other countries this week to join the United States in an unprecedented program to stop the often deadly activities of the thousands of so-called foreign fighters who travel abroad to join terrorist organizations, including the Islamic State, in the Middle East. Army chief: Division headquarters will deploy soon to Iraq (Army Times) As the U.S. expands its war against the Islamic State, the Army is preparing to deploy a division headquarters to Iraq. Airstrikes Alone May Not Defeat Sunni Militants (Associated Press) In their Syrian strongholds, extremists from the Islamic State group had been moving into civilian apartment buildings for cover days before the U.S. and its allies began pounding them before dawn Tuesday, activists say. It's just one sign of the difficulties in trying to destroy the group by relying mainly on airstrikes. Combat footage: U.S. releases video stockpile showing Syria strikes (Military Times) U.S. Central Command posted three videos on its YouTube page showing combat footage of U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State group facilities in Syria on Tuesday. A fourth video was also posted showing a KC-135 refueling of U.S. F-16s, also on Tuesday, during operations in Syria. So What Took The F-22 Target Photo? (Aviation Week) The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor performed its first combat mission today, 28 years after the first major Advanced Tactical Fighter contracts were awarded, and the Pentagon duly issued before-and-after shots of its target. Syrians say civilians killed in U.S. airstrikes (Los Angeles Times) The video, said to have been shot Tuesday in northwestern Syria, shows Idlib province residents going through motions that have become all too familiar in three years of civil war between antigovernment rebels and the forces of President Bashar Assad: surveying the remnants of flattened homes and picking through the debris. Panel: Islamic State One of Many Threats to the United States (National Defense) While the Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS, continues to dominate headlines, it is but one player in a growing list of threats to the United States and its allies, a report released by the Bipartisan Policy Center on Sept. 23 found. Islamic Militants Parade Captured Iraqi Soldiers (Associated Press) The Islamic State group on Tuesday paraded captured Iraqi troops through the streets of a militant stronghold west of Baghdad, residents said. Targeted by U.S. airstrikes: The secretive al-Qaeda cell was plotting an 'imminent attack' (Washington Post) In addition to a broader campaign of airstrikes against Islamic State targets across Syria on Monday night, the United States also pounded a little-known but well-resourced al-Qaeda cell that some American officials fear could pose a direct threat to the United States. Mideast Countries Play Major Role in Islamic State Strikes (Defense News) Jordan was compelled to join US airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria after the government uncovered a number of militants crossing its border with Iraq, a Jordanian government source told Defense News. Exclusive: Georgia Offers to Host Training Camp for Syrian Rebels (Daily Beast) In a potential boost for the Obama administration, the former Soviet republic of Georgia has offered to host a training facility for the Syrian rebels as a part of the U.S.-led war against Islamic State militants in both Syria and Iraq, according to an American administration official. Exclusive: U.S. told Iran of intent to strike Islamic State in Syria - source (Reuters) The United States informed Iran in advance of its intention to strike Islamic State militants in Syria and assured Tehran that it would not target the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a senior Iranian official told Reuters. Iran Leader: Strikes In Syria Illegal, No Gov't OK (Associated Press) Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Tuesday the U.S.-led coalition's airstrikes in Syria are illegal because they were not approved by or coordinated with Syria's government. Syria informed in advance of U.S.-led airstrikes against Islamic State (Washington Post) Syria was informed by the United States in advance of airstrikes against targets including Islamic State strongholds, but there was no strategic coordination with the Syrian government, a State Department spokeswoman said Tuesday. INDUSTRYManufacturers Offer Vehicles That Travel Light(Defense News) Got a light? Two vehicle manufacturers are banking on their stripped-down, jeep-like, ultra-light vehicle offerings, on display at Modern Day Marine this week. Boeing, Liquid Robotics to cooperate on maritime surveillance (Reuters) Boeing Co (BA.N), the No. 2 supplier to the U.S. Defense Department, and Liquid Robotics, a top supplier of autonomous ocean vehicles, on Tuesday said they had signed a multiyear agreement to collaborate on products for maritime surveillance. Will USMC Pursue Engine Upgrade for V-22? (Defense News) While Rolls-Royce has completed a successful flight test of its new engine upgrade for the V-22, it is unclear whether the US Marine Corps will pursue a re-engine plan. WIN-T planners aim for increased user-friendliness (C4ISR & Networks) Since its 2004 rollout, the Army's Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) platform has dramatically enhanced communications in the field. By drawing satellite connections into the communications chain, the system allows war fighters to remain in constant contact, even without an available line of sight. Finmeccanica unit sues to block U.S. helicopter deal for Airbus (Reuters) AgustaWestland, a unit of Italy's Finmeccanica SpA, has sued the U.S. Army to block its plans to buy 155 helicopters built by Europe's Airbus without a competition, arguing that its own helicopters would be cheaper to buy and operate. Experts Say Pakistan-US MRAP Deal Likely To Win Approval (Defense News) Analysts say that a proposition to supply hundreds of mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles to Pakistan is likely although the war against the Pakistani Taliban and its allies and affiliates is winding down. First A400M for Malaysia takes shape (IHS Jane's 360) The first of four Airbus Defence and Space (DS) A400M Atlas transport aircraft for Malaysia will shortly begin ground testing ahead of delivery in 2015, the company announced on 23 September. India's Fighter Upgrades: Mirage 2000s Grounded for Parts, Waiting for Upgrades (Defense Industry Daily) AIN reports that a quarter of India's Mirage 2000 fleet is grounded because a contract for spares has been stuck in the bureaucracy for years. This means some planes are scavenged for parts. Malaysia selects UK torpedo launch system for Gowind corvettes (IHS Jane's 360) The Royal Malaysian Navy's (RMN's) Second Generation Patrol Vessel - Littoral Combat Ships (SGPV-LCSs) will be equipped with torpedo launchers from UK-based marine and naval systems developer J+S Ltd, the company confirmed to IHS Jane's on 23 September. Exclusive: Courting Vietnam, U.S. prepares to ease arms embargo (Reuters) Nearly 40 years after the United States helicoptered its last soldiers out of Vietnam in an ignominious retreat, Washington is moving closer to lifting an arms embargo on its former enemy, with initial sales likely to help Hanoi deal with growing naval challenges from China. AAD 2014: Denel developing course-corrected artillery fuze (IHS Jane's 360) Denel Dynamics is conducting proof of concept work on a new, low-cost precision fuze for artillery. Israel turns self-defence into industry boom for cyber techs (Reuters) Israel's dedication to developing its defence capabilities has been extended to cyberspace in recent years, spawning an industry which has attracted a near four-fold increase in venture capital investment since 2010 as a growing overseas market for cyber security experts beckons. VETERANSCost of Living Adjustment Will Be Announced on Oct. 22(Government Executive) Federal retirees will know their 2015 cost-of-living adjustment soon, and it's expected to be somewhere between 1.6 percent and 1.8 percent. Ex-Augusta VA director paid $76k, retired after death investigation launched (Augusta Chronicle; Ga.) Rebecca Wiley, the former director of the Charlie Norwood Veterans Affairs Medical Center, was paid more than $75,000 when she retired last October, one week after Congress began investigating her administration for its role in nine preventable patient deaths in Augusta and Columbia. VA to investigate whether Minnesota veteran's appointment data was doctored after death (Associated Press) The Department of Veterans Affairs said Tuesday it will investigate allegations that the appointment records of a retired Marine who died after having seizures were falsified to cover up delays in patient care at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. Bill would prohibit VA from spending money on alternative energy projects (The Hill) Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas) has introduced legislation that would prevent the Department of Veterans Affairs from spending funds on alternative energy projects. U.S. reps call for better VA access (San Diego Union-Tribune) In response to a U-T Watchdog report, San Diego congressional representatives are calling on the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve access and transportation to a new clinic in Sorrento Valley. Operation Homefront CEO resigns (Military Times) Operation Homefront Chief Executive Officer Jim Knotts has resigned to accept another position, according to officials with the charity that provides emergency financial and other assistance to families of service members and wounded warriors. CONGRESSAnalysis: As Syria Strikes Begin, House Democrats' Support Could Prove Key(Defense News) If Congress votes on formal authorization of US airstrikes in Syria, which began Tuesday, the White House would have some work to do with skeptical House Democrats. Congress under pressure to vote on Syria (Politico) Congress was already under pressure to vote on giving President Barack Obama authority to use force in Syria - then the Obama administration started dropping bombs on Monday. Dem: Pentagon will need more funds to fight ISIS (The Hill) Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) said Tuesday the Pentagon will need more money to fund the military campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) - and suggested Arab nations should bear the cost. Kaine Raps Justification for War on Islamic State (Defense News) One US senator believes his colleagues will provide funds to fight the Islamic State (IS) group, but he wants the strikes to cease unless Congress formally authorizes them. With National Security Emerging as Top Issue, Candidates Adjust Strategies (National Journal) The shifting politics of foreign policy has scrambled the calculations for both parties ahead of the November elections. It has put some Senate candidates, unaccustomed to talking about national security issues, in an uncomfortable position, while elevating others with military experience and foreign policy bona fides. DEFENSE DEPARTMENTAs cyber force grows, manpower details emerge(Military Times) The military will need to expand its force of cyber warriors beyond plans for 6,200 personnel, and the individual services are hammering out the manpower-related details of precisely how to build that force from the ground up, according to a new Pentagon report. Rights Of Same-Sex Military Spouses Vary By State (Associated Press) On the wall over her bunk in Kuwait, Marine Cpl. Nivia Huskey proudly displays a collection of sonogram printouts of the baby boy her pregnant spouse is carrying back home in North Carolina. If all goes as planned, the 28-year-old military policewoman will return to Camp Lejeune in time for a January delivery at an on-base hospital. Tricare 'meeting the needs' of children, with some caveats (Military Times) A recent Defense Department report finds that the military health system is meeting the needs of its youngest beneficiaries - but raises concerns that Pentagon officials don't have enough data or information in some areas to make a complete assessment on the quality of care provided to dependent children. DoD pursuing options for BYOD, SIPRNet mobility (C4ISR & Networks) Defense Department officials remain focused on mobility as a priority for the military, especially when it comes to being able to communicate securely and in ways that allow users to be productive whether in the Pentagon or deployed in the theater. ARMYManning Sues Defense Dept. For Gender Treatment(Associated Press) Convicted national security leaker Chelsea Manning asked a federal court Tuesday to order the Defense Department to provide hormone therapy and other treatment for her gender identity condition while she serves her 35-year sentence in military confinement. Sources: Army drawdown could lead to closure of two-star medical headquarters at JBLM (Tacoma News Tribune) A medical headquarters built at Joint Base Lewis-McChord during years of heavy fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan could close as the Army continues a postwar drawdown, according to documents obtained by The News Tribune. Army guardsman: Superior said more sexual assault reports could threaten graduation (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) An Army National Guardsman testified here Tuesday that her company of soldiers in training was told by a high-ranking noncommissioned officer that the group might not graduate if additional reports of sexual assault surfaced Woman killed in Fayetteville crash Sunday was Fort Bragg soldier (Fayetteville Observer) Staff Sgt. Wadiyah Samirah Northern, 32, of Norfolk, Virginia, died after crashing at Owen Drive and Gillespie Street the morning of Sept. 21. Fort Bliss soldier arrested on suspicion of beating child to death (El Paso Times) A 20-year-old Fort Bliss soldier was arrested and charged with capital murder for allegedly beating his 2-year-old daughter to death Saturday in a Central El Paso apartment because the girl soiled her diaper, El Paso Police reported Sunday. Fort Bragg soldier pleads guilty in plot to steal more than 1 million gallons of fuel in Afghanistan (Fayetteville Observer) Sgt. Christopher Ciampa, 32, of Lillington, pleaded guilty Tuesday to bribery and conspiracy to defraud the government, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. NAVYSeabees deploy to Liberia to build Ebola treatment center(Stars & Stripes) A team of 15 Seabees from Djibouti has deployed to Liberia as part of the U.S. military effort to stem the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Port of Port Royal resident threatened during military training exercise (The State in Columbia, S.C.) The first time Port Royal resident Richard Poore heard gunfire pierce the silence in his neighborhood, he thought Parris Island was under attack. In first, Fire Scout drone helicopters being deployed to Pacific (Stars & Stripes) The Navy will soon deploy unmanned surveillance helicopters to the Pacific for the first time, according to defense contractor Northrop Grumman. AIR FORCEUSAFE's Gorenc: High optempo requires relook at force reductions in Europe(Stars & Stripes) The high operations tempo for airmen in Europe shows no sign of abating given the heightened uncertainty in the region and the world, says the Air Force's top commander in Europe. Minuteman 3 Test Missile Launches From California (Associated Press) The U.S. Air Force has test-launched an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile from California. Bacteria discovered in Kadena Air Base water (Stars & Stripes) Air Force officials are urging caution after the discovery of bacteria in a water system servicing 43 buildings on Kadena Air Base. MARINE CORPSMicrosoft's Kinect aids in 'Augmented reality sand' mapping tool for Marines, Army(Marine Corps Times) Video game technology has aided researchers in creating realistic 3-D battlespace maps using a simple sand box. Financial relief finally coming for Camp Lejeune toxic water victims (McClatchy) The Department of Veterans Affairs on Tuesday announced it will soon start to cover out-of-pocket health care costs for Marine dependents who contracted cancer and other illnesses from toxic water at Camp Lejeune, as promised two years ago by law. Obama salutes Marine with coffee cup, outrage ensues (Battle Rattle) On his way to participate in a United Nations talk on Climate Change, and coming from his national address on airstrikes in Syria, President Barack Obama stepped off Marine One and proceeded to salute Marines with a coffee cup in his hand. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANAfghanistan's CEO Won't Be His Own Boss(Foreign Policy) A tense, fifteen-minute ceremony at Kabul's presidential palace ended with an awkward hug between Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, who had spent months trading accusations of wide-ranging voter fraud, signing a power-sharing deal that will make Ghani president and Abdullah Afghanistan's chief executive officer, a title created especially for the agreement. Next Afghan Leader Seeks Influence In Washington (Associated Press) Months before becoming president-elect of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai began spending tens of thousands of dollars on lobbyists in the United States, using his ties to the West to seek influence in Washington. Afghan President Hamid Karzai slams U.S. government policy in Afghanistan (Washington Post) Afghan President Hamid Karzai slammed the United States during his farewell address Tuesday, saying the U.S. war effort had failed to make Afghanistan peaceful. MIDDLE EASTAbu Qatada cleared of terror charges(BBC) Radical Muslim cleric Abu Qatada has been found not guilty of terrorism offences by a court in Jordan. Startling Sight Where Blasts Are the Norm (New York Times) When the predawn blasts rattled their windows and jolted them from sleep, residents of Raqqa, the Syrian city that is the de facto capital of the Islamic State, thought they were in for a new round of airstrikes from the Syrian government. Airstrikes in Syria against Islamic State bring together Persian Gulf nations at odds (Washington Post) The four Persian Gulf nations whose warplanes flew in concert with U.S. jets over Syria this week have spent the past few years acting with far less harmony, riven by divergent approaches to address the growth of Islamist political movements in the Arab world. While Syrian Volunteers Seek Support, Crisis Worsens at Home (New York Times) Raed Saleh woke up in his Manhattan hotel room at 8 a.m. on Tuesday to news of airstrikes at home in Syria. UAE Central Bank Hits Refresh with New Governor (Wall Street Journal) This week's shake-up at the United Arab Emirates' central bank could have a big impact on local financial-system oversight, but the ripples might not spread as far as they normally do when a policy-setting chief is replaced. The Cost for Arab Bank Is a Complex Calculation (New York Times) With a landmark judgment on Monday declaring Arab Bank liable for knowingly supporting terrorism, the case now turns to another complicated calculation: the cost of that liability. German couple kidnapped in Yemen is dead, foreign ministry says (Deutsche Welle) Germany's foreign ministry has confirmed the death of a German couple and their young child kidnapped five years ago in Yemen, a family spokesman says. The two had been working for an aid organization. EUROPENATO urged to embed cyber defence into mission planning(IHS Jane's 360) NATO needs to further simplify its networks to minimise the risk of cyber intrusion, while embedding cyber defence as a permanent feature of exercise and mission planning, according to the NATO's top cyber security official. German police raid flats, mosque over suspected Islamic State ties (Reuters) German authorities raided a mosque, an Islamic community center and radical Islamists' flats in cities across Germany on Tuesday on suspicion of having connections to militants in Syria. Putin Renames Police Unit After Bloody Cheka Founder Dzerzhinsky (Moscow Times) President Vladimir Putin signed a decree restoring the title "Dzerzhinsky Division" to an elite police unit that was previously named after the founder of the Bolshevik secret police, the Interior Ministry's internal troops press service said Monday. Russia Moves to Extend Control of Media (New York Times) Russia's Parliament passed a preliminary bill on Tuesday that would limit foreign ownership of Russian media outlets to 20 percent, targeting several prominent publications critical of the government and extending the Kremlin's control over the nation's independent news media. Gazprom, Hungary Talk Natural Gas Supply, South Stream in Budapest (Wall Street Journal) Hungary and Russian natural gas firm OAO Gazprom GAZP.RS -3.54% on Monday discussed natural gas supplies for Hungary this winter and the planned construction of a natural gas pipeline dubbed South Stream as Budapest appears to be unharmed by the shortage of Russian gas some countries experienced amid the separatist conflict in Ukraine. ASIA-PACIFICUS, S Korean sources suggest North has SLBM ambitions(IHS Jane's 360) US and South Korean sources have claimed that North Korea is building a tube capable of firing a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), a move that could potentially give Pyongyang a second strike nuclear capability. Philippines Concerned About China, Leader Says (New York Times) The president of the Philippines expressed concern on Tuesday about what he called the "hot to cold" messages from China in the protracted territorial disputes with his country - and others in the region - over areas of the South China Sea. Valiant Shield wraps up (Stars & Stripes) An estimated 18,000 servicemembers wrapped up Valiant Shield in Guam Tuesday. Kazakhstan announces 36.6% increase in defence spending over next three years (IHS Jane's 360) Kazakhstan has announced plans to increase defence spending by 36.6% in nominal terms over the next three years. Australian Police Say Terror Suspect Was Killed After Slashing Officers (New York Times) An 18-year-old man who was shot dead after wounding two police officers near Melbourne was a "known terror suspect" whose passport had been confiscated, Australian officials said Wednesday. India becomes first Asian nation to reach Mars orbit, joins elite global space club (Washington Post) India became the first Asian nation to reach the Red Planet when its indigenously made unmanned spacecraft entered the orbit of Mars on Wednesday - and the first nation in the world to successfully reach Mars on its first attempt. AFRICAExclusive: Libya asks chemical weapons watchdog to remove stockpile - sources(Reuters) Libya has asked the global chemical weapons watchdog to draw up plans to ship a stockpile of 850 tonnes of chemicals overseas due to deteriorating security, sources have told Reuters. Niger, Kenya to get Cessna 208 ISR aircraft (IHS Jane's 360) Niger is to get two Cessna 208B Caravan light aircraft that have been converted into intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has told IHS Jane's . Islamist Siege Turns Women Into Beggars in Northeast Nigeria (Bloomberg) Aishat Abba, a 35-year-old mother, spends her days in a crush of beggars soliciting alms from people in passing cars in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri. She's says it's the only way her family can survive. Journalist Kidnapped in Somalia Is Released (New York Times) A German-American journalist who was abducted more than two years ago while in Somalia researching a book about piracy was freed by his captors on Tuesday, German officials said. COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISI Was a Pair of Boots on the Ground in Iraq(Army National Guard Capt. Clay Hanna in Politico) I was once a pair of "boots on the ground," so I know a little about what the phrase means. And I can tell you that, listening to the back-and-forth between the White House and the Pentagon over who exactly we're sending to Iraq (and now possibly Syria), neither side is giving the American people the whole story. War Powers and the ISIL Threat (Army Capt. John Ford in War on the Rocks) In July of 1806, William Smith and Samuel Ogden were put on trial in New York City for their efforts to provide military aid to Francisco de Miranda, a Latin American revolutionary fighting for Venezuela's independence from Spain. How to Assess Risk in a World of Threats like ISIS (Retired Air Force Col. Eric Jorgensen in Cicero Magazine) As U.S. efforts to build an international coalition to confront ISIS continue, so does the national debate regarding if, when, where, and how America should engage the threat. Questions still loom over our decision to intervene: Why should we care about ISIS in particular, and what should that mean? More specifically, how should we react to what ISIS has already done? Perhaps more importantly, how should we assess and manage the risk that comes with what ISIS might do in the future? Rooting for Obama's Success (Ron Fouriner in National Journal) Hawks wanted him to act sooner. Doves didn't want him to act at all. The rest of us-the ambivalent Americans-wanted President Obama to do something. He did this: persuaded five Arab states to participate in airstrikes against militants in Syria, including an al-Qaida affiliate plotting an imminent attack against the United States. The Reluctant Loner President Builds a Coalition and Goes After Terrorists Across Syria (Jeffrey Goldberg in The Atlantic) So, our reluctant, hesitant, wan, diffident loner egghead of a president somehow managed to pull together a potent Arab coalition and launch an air war against extremists of the Islamic State terror group on their home turf. Very surprising, given his reputation. America's wartime president (Peter Bergen in CNN) Quick: Which U.S. president has authorized wars of various kinds in seven Muslim countries? ISIS and Foreign Fighters: Cutting off the Global Pipeline (Stewart M. Patrick and Daniel Chardell in the Council on Foreign Relations) The videos depicting beheadings of Western civilians by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have shocked audiences worldwide. But perhaps more surprising is something more mundane: the distinctly British accent of the English-speaking, knife-wielding militant. Obama Must Strike Assad, Too (Mohammed Alaa Ghanem in Politico) Bombing ISIL isn't enough. The real problem is the Syrian regime. What China Should Learn from Russia's Ukraine Adventure (Ali Wyne in War on the Rocks) A prevalent strain of Western commentary suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin is outfoxing a hapless and disunited West. If one evaluates the current round of Russia's revanchist campaign - beginning with its annexation of Crimea - on its persistence in face of Western pressure, it has indeed been a success. Many observers fear, accordingly, that Russia's effort will embolden China to act more aggressively in settling its territorial disputes, particularly in the maritime arena. It seems more likely, however, that China has learned a different set of lessons from Russia's conflict with Ukraine, lessons that will compel it to double down on its strategy of persistent incrementalism and perhaps take even greater care to avoid a conflagration. Unpacking the Anatomy of the Mpeketoni Attacks in Kenya (Herman Butime in Small Wars Journal) The attacks on Mpeketoni, a small coastal town located near Lamu, a popular tourist resort, have re-cast the spotlight on Kenya as a terrorism hotbed in East Africa. Opinion: Private Equity Needs Long View On Defense (Andrew J. Schoulder and Robert G. Burns in Aviation Week) Since 2010, the U.S. military budget has declined by approximately 17 percent. These cuts have taken a significant toll on defense industry revenues, resulting in an industry shift toward earnings preservation. | |||||
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