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: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 04:38:35 -0600
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF DEFENSE NEWS & MILITARY TIMES
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TODAY'S TOP 51. New US Marine Corps Crisis Unit To Be Based in Kuwait(Defense News) The US Marine Corps is preparing to deploy about 2,100 grunts to be based out of Kuwait in a new unit configuration designed to respond to crises in the region, according to Corps officials. 2. We Finally Have a Security Agreement With Afghanistan--What's Next? (National Journal) After almost a year of delays, U.S. and Afghan officials will sign a bilateral security agreement Tuesday that will allow nearly 10,000 U.S. troops to stay in Afghanistan after the end of the year. 3. The World is on Fire: Where is the U.S. Army? (Douglas Macgregor and Young Kim in Small Wars Journal) Russia's revitalized Army seizes Crimea and skillfully exerts control in Eastern Ukraine. The Islamic State, a collection of fanatical Sunni Muslim terrorists in pickup trucks crush the U.S. trained Iraqi Army and overrun territory from Aleppo to Baghdad. On the Anniversary of Japan's defeat in WW II, China's leaders pledge to expunge corruption from the PLA's senior ranks and build a more powerful Chinese Army. 4. White House fence-jumper made it far deeper into building than previously known (Washington Post) The man who jumped the White House fence this month and sprinted through the front door made it much farther into the building than previously known, overpowering one Secret Service officer and running through much of the main floor, according to three people familiar with the incident. 5. Indian Prime Minister Modi: U.S. Should Be Cautious In Withdrawal From Afghanistan (USNI News) India is calling for the United States to be cautious as it withdraws its forces from Afghanistan to ensure that country's future stability. ISLAMIC STATEF-22 Continuing Operations in Syria(Defense News) The kid gloves appear to be fully removed from the F-22 Raptor, with a US Air Force general indicating Monday that the fifth-generation fighter will be available for future operations over Syria for the foreseeable future. Al Nusrah Front leader says Americans and Europeans will pay the 'tax' of war (Long War Journal) Abu Muhammad al Julani, the emir of the Al Nusrah Front, has released an audio message discussing the US-led airstrikes in Syria. Julani threatens civilians in the US and Europe, saying they should not be tricked into believing they are "safe from the strikes of the mujahideen" simply because Western leaders say that their "soldiers will not be on the ground, and that they will strike from afar." The rise in U.S.-led airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, in one graphic (Washington Post) As outlined a short time ago on Checkpoint, the cost of the U.S. military campaign against the Islamic State is likely closing in on $1 billion, and could rise at a cost of between $200 million and $320 million per month as it continues. Is Khorasan a real threat - or a way to avoid a vote on US military action? (Christian Science Monitor) Some experts see a real threat from Khorasan, but the previously unnamed group also gives the White House more flexibility in dealing with Congress. Pentagon: No evidence airstrikes killed civilians (The Hill) The Pentagon on Monday said they had no evidence yet of any civilian casualties from airstrikes targeting Islamic militants in Syria. Dueling ISIL Ops Costs Estimates: $3.B A Year Or $15B A Month? (Breaking Defense) The Pentagon has been pegging the operations against the terror group known as ISIL at $7 million to $10 million a day. Majority say US will send ground troops: poll (MSNBC) Top Talkers: President Obama says in a new "60 Minutes" interview that the U.S. underestimated ISIS and overestimated the Iraqi army's ability to fight ISIS. Also, 72 percent of Americans believe the U.S. will send ground troops to fight ISIS, according to a new poll. With the rise of Islamic State, Iraq is splintering along religious and ethnic lines (Washington Post) For millennia, Iraq has been one of the Middle East's most religiously and ethnically diverse lands. Its cities and villages are dotted with the decaying hallmarks of ancient Babylonian civilization, the mosques of the first Muslim empires, the castles of foreign conquerors, and the churches and shrines of early Christians and Jews. McCain: Ground troops needed to fight ISIL (USA Today) USA TODAY sits down with Sen. John McCain of Arizona at the Concordia Summit to talk about the crisis in Ukraine, threat from Islamic State and President Obama's stategies. Islamic State ambushes Iraqi military column near Ramadi (Long War Journal) Fighters from the Islamic State in Anbar Province ambushed and destroyed a large Iraqi Army column in a village north of Ramadi. The successful attack occurred despite almost eight weeks of airstrikes by the US military on Islamic State forces throughout Iraq. Opposition in Syria Is Skeptical of U.S. Airstrikes on ISIS (New York Times) Across insurgent-held Syria over the past week, images have proliferated of protesters burning American flags, calling President Obama "the enemy of God," and declaring that the American-led airstrikes against the Islamic State extremist group are helping the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Residents of Kobane, Syria, flee to Turkish border after Islamic State attacks (Washington Post) Supplies of medicine and other goods are drying up in Kobane, a Syrian border city under siege by militants from the Islamic State. Meet the Controversial Muslim Leader Who Has Advised the White House (National Journal) Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah issued a fatwa condemning ISIS violence last week. How Belgium Became a Jihadist-Recruiting Hub (Wall Street Journal) Nabil Kasmi left for Syria's battlefields in May 2012, the first jihadist an extremist Islamic group named Sharia4Belgium dispatched from this city, Belgian authorities allege. Iraqi troops retake 16 villages from militants (Reuters) Iraq's Ministry of Defence says its forces have taken back 16 villages held by Islamic State militants in Diyala province. New Iraqi comedy show aims to counter Islamic State extremists (Washington Post) Reclining on a gold-rimmed purple sofa, the leader of the Islamic State extremist group mulls his social-media strategy as an overaffectionate sword-wielding dwarf looks on. INDUSTRYUAE requests more than 4,500 surplus MRAPs(IHS Jane's 360) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has submitted a request to buy 4,569 surplus mine-resistance, ambush-protected vehicles (MRAPs) from the United States, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 26 September. Boeing to shift most defense work out of Washington state (Reuters) Boeing Co (BA.N) on Monday said it would move the majority of its defense services and support work out of Washington state to other U.S. cities, affecting the jobs of about 2,000 of its 5,200 defense employees in the Puget Sound region. Honeywell, Tata Partner To Produce TALIN Systems (Defense News) Coinciding with the visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US Sept. 25-30, Honeywell International has inked a partnership agreement with India's Tata Power to license-produce the tactical advanced land inertial navigator (TALIN) system. The Defense Industry Is Expanding the Use of 3D Printing (Defense One) The Pentagon and the defense industry are rapidly expanding the use of 3D printing to make parts and tools for more sophisticated military equipment. Exelis says better balanced after spinoff of services business (Reuters) Exelis Inc (XLS.N) on Monday said the spinoff of its lower-margin government services business into a separate firm, Vectrus Inc (VEC.N), would leave it with a more balanced portfolio, and should position it to outperform the overall defense budget in coming years. BAE Australia wins LHD support contract (IHS Jane's 360) Australia's military procurement agency, the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), has awarded BAE Systems Australia a contract to provide support for the Royal Australian Navy's Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) vessels. Barco to sell defense and aerospace business to Esterline (Reuters) Belgian visual technology company Barco NV has agreed to sell its defense and aerospace business to U.S. firm Esterline Corporation for 150 million euros ($190 million). Afghanistan orders additional MD 530F helos (IHS Jane's 360) The Afghan Air Force (AAF) has exercised an option for additional MD 530F Little Bird helicopters, according to a US Department of Defense (DoD) contract modification announced on 26 September. Turkish Defense Sector Eyes Bigger Markets (Daily Sabah) Chairman of the Turkish Defense and Aerospace Industry Exporters' Association Latif Aral Alis said exports from the country's defense industry are going to increase. VETERANSCompensation won't match price paid by VA whistleblowers(Arizona Republic) There a price to be paid for having a conscience, and for having the guts to follow it. Veterans contract Legionnaires' disease from VA facility's water (WFTV; Orlando) Channel 9 discovered three elderly veterans contracted a dangerous bacteria after moving in to a new Veterans Affairs facility in Lake Nona. A romantic affair, conflict of interest and character assassination involved in a Veterans Affairs contract: New report (New Orleans Times-Picayune ) A secret affair, an attempt to "assassinate" the character of an official who got in the way of a contract, and blatant conflicts of interests: This isn't a TV soap opera, but a report from the inspector general for the Department of Veterans Affairs about a contracting scandal at the agency's health services agency. Man shoots himself outside Orlando VA clinic (WFTV; Orlando) Few details have been released after a man shot himself outside an Orlando Veterans Affairs clinic. Why '6 Reasons I'm Happier Because I Went to War' went viral (Washington Post) It's counter-intuitive: Why would combat veterans who risk their lives repeatedly, experience gruesome events and witness their fellow service members die be happy that they went to war? Vietnam veteran receives Silver Star 48 years later (WBIR TV Knoxville, Tenn.) A Vietnam War veteran received the Silver Star Sunday for his heroic actions in heavy combat 48 years ago. Grit and granite: A monument to disabled veterans (Philadelphia Inquirer) At one point during the chaos and carnage of D-Day, the USS Frankford sailed so close to Omaha Beach that it scraped bottom. The Unintended Consequence of Hiring Veterans (Government Executive) The federal government hired more women in 2000 than it did in 2012, according to anew analysis, part of an upcoming report from the Merit Systems Protection Board. CONGRESSDelay vote on authorizing airstrikes, key GOP lawmaker says(Military Times) By the time Congress decides whether it wants to vote on authorizing new military intervention in Iraq and Syria, the fight could be over. Rogers: Sequestration 'not compatible' with ISIS war (The Hill) House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) on Monday said potential across-the-board spending cuts at the Pentagon next year could be problematic as the U.S. battles the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Pelosi Says Boehner Should Start War Debate in Congress (Bloomberg) House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called on Speaker John Boehner to initiate a debate in Congress over granting President Barack Obama a new authorization to use military force to defeat Islamic militants. Ted Cruz Is Prepping a Foreign Policy-Focused Presidential Campaign (National Journal) The junior senator from Texas thinks he has found a policy "sweet spot" to anchor a 2016 run. The Many, Many Ideas to Fix the Broken Security Clearance Process (Government Executive) In just a few months beginning mid-2013, the American people's confidence in the federal government's ability to administer security clearances was upended. Senior House Dem: Avoid 'Rose-Colored' Cost Projections of Fighting Islamic State (Defense News) US officials and lawmakers should conduct a "realistic assessment" of the cost of fighting the Islamic State, setting aside promises tainted by "rose-colored glasses." DEFENSE DEPARTMENTPentagon quietly works to bolster cybersecurity accountability(Inside Cybersecurity) A White House official's call for the U.S. military, agencies and industry to boost accountability for cybersecurity has after a month elicited only a terse comment from the Defense Department, but the Pentagon is taking initial steps to address the thorny problem, according to documents and a former DOD policy chief. Emotional Toll Taxes Military Drone Operators Too (Associated Press) President Barack Obama has assured Americans he opposes sending U.S. ground troops to crush Islamic extremists in Iraq and Syria - well aware the country is not ready to return to the battlefield with its war wounded still recovering from a decade of conflict. DoDEA schools' course work to be in sync, chief says (Military Times) Whether they are attending Defense Department schools in Germany, Japan or Fort Bragg, North Carolina, military children in the same grades should be learning the same concepts at the same time, said Thomas Brady, the director of the Department of Defense Education Activity. ARMYWomen in Ranger School: New details, application deadlines(Army Times) Female soldiers have until Dec. 1 to volunteer to attend Ranger School this spring as part of an assessment to determine whether and how to open combat arms military occupational specialties to women. Friends, family of Sgt. Cory Muzzy say thanks to those who helped after Bragg accident (Fayetteville Observer) Sgt. Cory Muzzy sat in his wheelchair in the Family Life Center at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church on Sunday, greeting well-wishers, shaking hands and accepting hugs. Dana White says UFC shares blame in Yoel Romero vs. Tim Kennedy controversy (MMAjunkie) Yoel Romero's cornermen weren't exactly on their best behavior Saturday night at UFC 178, UFC President Dana White told MMAjunkie, but the UFC is also partially to blame for a controversial delay between rounds in the middleweight fight with Tim Kennedy. Interview: Leno on USO, entertaining troops and his 'tank car' (Army Times) It would be tough to script a better opening line for a story from Jay Leno: "I had a funny thing happen to me the other day at my garage," the former "Tonight Show" host told Army Times via telephone Monday afternoon, shortly before departing for a USO tour - his first since leaving the late-night game in February. "The first [USO tour] I did was back in 1991. And the other day a soldier comes into my garage, fatigues on and everything, introduces himself and says, 'I want to show you a picture.' Moving from signal to cyber (C4ISR & Networks) The Army Signal Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon, Georgia, is being augmented by the Army Cyber Center of Excellence and designation as the center for all Army cyber activities. C4ISR and Networks recently spoke with COL Jennifer Buckner, commandant of the Cyber School at the Army Cyber Center of Excellence, for her view of the transition. NAVYSingapore-based research center CO fired(Navy Times) Capt. Carlos LeBron, the commanding officer of the Singapore-based Naval Medical Research Center-Asia, was relieved of his duties Monday "due to a loss of confidence in his judgment and ability to command," the Navy's Bureau of Medicine and Surgery said Monday. Families, vets hope 'Lost 74' of 1969 tragedy will finally be counted (Seattle Times) A national group meeting in Seattle this week is hoping to get greater recognition of the 1969 deaths of 74 U.S. sailors in a collision with an Australian aircraft carrier. Chief season screwups: These 4 cases may have crossed the line (Navy Times) No more shenanigans. That was the bottom line of Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (AW/NAC) Mike Stevens' controversial chief training overhaul two years ago, which ended decades of initiation rites. AIR FORCEAir Force takes the lead on airstrikes against Islamic State(Air Force Times) The Air Force has flown a large majority of all airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, with the mission expected to change as Islamic State fighters adjust to the aerial bombardment. USAF to roll out automatic recovery system for F-16s (IHS Jane's 360) The US Air Force (USAF) will field an automatic terrain avoidance system on its Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft in the coming weeks, the service announced in late September. Air Force appeals court tosses MTI rape conviction (Air Force Times) The Air Force appeals court has overturned the 2013 rape conviction of a former military training instructor at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, ruling there was not enough evidence to find him guilty in the first place. Kadena airman gets 2 1/2 years for statutory rape (Stars & Stripes) An airman from Kadena Air Base has been found guilty of statutory rape for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. Barksdale military dog died of heat stroke last month (Air Force Times) A military working dog who died at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana last month succumbed to heat stroke after his handler accidentally left him in the backseat of a patrol vehicle, officials said. Nearly 2,000 NCOs will add a stripe in October (Air Force Times) Nearly 2,000 senior airmen through senior master sergeants will add a stripe in October as part of the monthly promotions that continue throughout the year. MARINE CORPSMarksmanship overhaul was a long time coming, say Marines(Marine Corps Times) Significant changes are in the works for Marine Corps marksmanship that are likely to make basic rifle qualifications more challenging, if not more complex, affecting everyone from the freshest boots to the grizzled infantrymen on predeployment workups. Florida mother fights for freedom of Marine jailed in Mexico (Tampa Tribune) Sitting in a Mexican jail, cut off from the post-traumatic-stress-disorder therapy that prompted his move from Florida to California, Marine Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi "was more anxious than usual" today, said his mother Jill Tahmooressi. Okinawa Marine goes missing in heavy surf off Tinian (Stars & Stripes) The Coast Guard's Guam sector is coordinating the search for a Camp Foster Marine reported missing Friday after wading into heavy surf on the northwestern shore of Tinian. Lee County dedicates bridge to fallen soldier (Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal) The unofficial entrance to the Eggville community is now marked by the Lance Corporal Stephen Baldwyn Memorial Bridge. AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTANMilitants In Afghanistan, Pakistan Claiming Allegiance To IS(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Amid fears the Islamic State (IS) extremist group could expand to Afghanistan, there are already signs that some militants in the region are eager to claim affiliation with the group. Daughter thought dual citizen tortured and killed in Afghanistan would be ransomed and released (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) The daughter of an Afghan-Australian dual citizen tortured and killed by the Taliban while visiting relatives says she thought her father would be held to ransom. Pakistan Seeks Improved Ties With New Afghan Leader (Wall Street Journal) Pakistan hopes to work with Afghanistan's new president, Ashraf Ghani, to reverse a recent sharp deterioration in its relations with Kabul. Airstrikes kill suspected militants in North, South Waziristan (Deutsche Welle) Taliban militants have been killed in multiple airstrikes in restive northwest Pakistan. The area, which borders Afghanistan, has long been a safe haven for Islamist insurgents. MIDDLE EASTAQAP Twitter-warrior killed in latest US drone strike in Yemen(Long War Journal) Arabic media outlets and Twitter accounts linked to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) announced the death of an AQAP leader named Abd al Aziz al Omari as result of a US drone strike in al Jawf on Sept. 26. Arab Twitter users dislike Iran even more than they dislike the US (Quartz) After decades of bombings, invasions, and other military interventions, it's no surprise that attitudes toward the United States are overwhelmingly negative in the Arab world. But according to a recent study, there's at least one country that's less popular than the US in the region-that would be Iran, at least on Twitter. (Israel was not monitored in the study.) Iran To Help Lebanon Army Fight Extremists (Associated Press) A senior Iranian official says Tehran will supply the Lebanese army with military equipment to be used in fighting Muslim extremist groups. Netanyahu Links Hamas With ISIS, and Equates ISIS With Iran (New York Times) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Monday called Hamas and the group known as the Islamic State "branches of the same poisonous tree," and he said Iran was the most dangerous country in the world. EUROPEGermany Unable To Meet NATO Readiness Target(Associated Press) Germany's military is unable to meet its medium-term readiness target should NATO call on its members to mobilize against an attack, officials said Monday. Renewed Fighting Around Donetsk Airport Tests Ukraine Cease-Fire (New York Times) Deadly fighting has broken out again between the government and rebels around the strategically important airport outside Donetsk, a continuing source of friction that is testing the resilience of a recent cease-fire agreement. For Putin Ally, U.S. Sanctions Only Add to Anti-Russia Conspiracy Theory (Wall Street Journal) Vladimir Yakunin, a longtime friend of President Vladimir Putin, is still indignant that he was slapped with U.S. sanctions in March. But asked whether they have changed the minds of Kremlin insiders like himself regarding Russian policy in Ukraine, his answer is a resounding no. Russia's Sergei Lavrov: the US cannot change the cold war in its 'genetic code' (The Guardian) The Russian foreign minister issued a blistering attack on the US, the west and Nato on Saturday, accusing them of being unable to change their cold war "genetic code" and saying the US must abandon its claims to "eternal uniqueness". UK Voyagers to gain further refuelling clearances (IHS Jane's 360) The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) is to increase the aerial refuelling clearances of its Airbus Defence and Space (DS) Voyager KC2/3 tanker-transport aircraft to include two new large aircraft types, a senior service official disclosed on 26 September. ASIA-PACIFICAl Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent claims attacks on Pakistani ships were more audacious than reported(Long War Journal) Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), the newest official branch of al Qaeda's international organization, has released a nine-page "press release" explaining its "targeting of [the] American and Indian Navies" on Sept. 6. The group says the operations were part of "a plan to strike America's military strength on the seas" that was prepared "on the orders of the respected [Emir], Shaykh Ayman al Zawahiri." U.S. says it has 'no confirmation' of rumors of military coup in N. Korea (Yonhap News Agency) The United States said Monday it cannot confirm rumors of a military coup in North Korea that have spread widely amid growing questions about leader Kim Jong-un's prolonged absence from public view. Hong Kong's Leader Calls for Protests to End 'Immediately' (New York Times) Hong Kong's Beijing-appointed leader on Tuesday called for the pro-democracy demonstrators who have blocked major roads in the city to return home "immediately" and gave no sign that he was prepared to compromise on their demands for more open elections to choose his successor. China launches latest of military, 'experimental' satellites (IHS Jane's 360) China launched a Long March-4B rocket carrying the Yaogan-21 remote sensing satellite and an experimental satellite, Tiantuo-2, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre on 8 September. In battle to stop encroaching Chinese rule, protesters in Hong Kong ready for long haul (Washington Post) Swelling crowds of pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong on Monday plunged Asia's normally staid financial hub into a tense standoff with Beijing that strikes directly at China's expanding political grip in the former British colony. Japan puts helicopter carrier Izumo on sea trials (IHS Jane's 360) The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) has begun sea trials of its helicopter carrier JS Izumo (DDH 183), a JMSDF official confirmed to IHS Jane's on 29 September. AFRICASouth Africa to place troops on standby for African crisis response(IHS Jane's 360) The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is expected to soon place a contingent on standby for short-notice deployments within the framework of the African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises (ACIRC). German Ebola Aid Plane Grounded (Wall Street Journal) A German military transport plane delivering medical aid to Ebola-stricken regions spent the weekend grounded by technical problems in the Canary Islands, further highlighting the country's poor state of military readiness. Fauci: 'inadequate' world response won't stop Ebola | Capital Download (USA Today) Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institiute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health discusses the Ebola outbreak on Capital Download with Susan Page. Shannon Rae Green, H. Darr Beiser COMMENTARY AND ANALYSISColumn: A Threat The F-22 Can't Eliminate(John T. Bennett in Defense News) Taking out an Islamic State command-and-control facility is one thing. Obama's Syria Strategy: Hit And Hope (John Cassidy in The New Yorker) Having spent last week trying to persuade other countries to support the U.S.-led military assault on the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham, President Obama used an interview with Steve Kroft, of CBS News' "60 Minutes," to give Americans an update. In general, his tone was upbeat. But Obama is the rare politician who finds telling whoppers difficult, and he couldn't, or wouldn't, hide some of his concerns about where this all is leading. Commentary: Don't Obsess Over Islamic State (William Hawkins in Defense News) President Barack Obama has taken heat for supposedly referring to groups like the Islamic State as a minor league threat, "a JV team" as he put it. Yet he was correct. Column Obama's mixed messages on war (Jonah Goldberg in The Los Angeles Times) It's funny how President Obama is always talking about "I" and "me" whenever it makes him look good, but suddenly it's "they" and "we" when mistakes are made. Limp into Iraq, Limp Out: Time to Revive the 'Powell Doctrine'? (Chris Miller in Cicero Magazine) Recently White House and Pentagon officials have hinted that the U.S.-led bombing campaign against ISIS may last many months, if not years. The White House has held firm that there will be no more boots on the ground in Iraq, except the hundreds of advisers stationed in Iraq (and likely hundreds more there unofficially). Regarding troop commitments, the Pentagon has been noncommittal or even made comments contrary to the White House position. If "no boots" holds true and recent history is any guide, expect a protracted conflict with dwindling public support and an indecisive outcome. Islamic State's bloody message machine (Walter Pincus in The Washington Post) The Islamic State may practice medieval barbarism in Syria and Iraq, but its worldwide media operations are 21st century. Editorial: Persistence in Eradicating Islamic State Group (Defense News) While fighting Islamic State group (IS) militants is an enormous and long-term job, the speed with which the international community has united into a coalition and launched coordinated air strikes against the cruel Islamist movement is encouraging. Obama cannot keep ignoring Bashar al-Assad (Jackson Diehl in The Washington Post) In the past month, President Obama has launched an open-ended Middle East war, built an impressive coalition of allies and entirely reversed his previous strategy of standing back from the region. Curiously, however, Obama has so far refused to reckon with the actor that more than any other is responsible for ruining his foreign policy doctrine, creating the security crisis and dragging U.S. military forces back to Iraq and Syria. Navy Lt. Kessler: Col. Anderson is wrong to call on General Dempsey to resign (Navy Lt. Mike Kessler in Foreign Policy) It is unfortunate to read another call from the officer ranks for threats of resignation to be used by flag and general officers to influence national policy. At its best, it represents a fundamental misunderstanding of the oft-cited "dereliction of duty"; at its worst, it brandishes pockets of willingness among the officer corps to compromise the principles of our oath. Readings: Geoff Corn on Precautionary Measures in the Law of Armed Conflict (Kenneth Anderson in Lawfare) When the Gaza war broke out over the summer, I'm certain I wasn't alone in sighing and thinking, here we go again on the issue of precautions in attack. I'd wager that was so whatever views one holds on the underlying legal questions. But my next thought was, if we're back to reprising the post-Operation Cast Lead Gaza arguments over facts and law, it might be a good moment to ask what position the United States takes of "precautionary measures," as a matter of legal doctrine and operational practice in its own targeting? Commentary: The States Need Their Apaches (Air Force Maj. Gen. Michael T. McGuire in Defense News) In the national debate over the US Army's ill-conceived plan to commandeer all 192 National Guard AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, there is more at stake than aircraft. Why Is The Military Getting Involved In The NFL's Domestic Violence Scandal? (Tessa Poppe in Task & Purpose) As the NFL grapples with its poor handling of the Ray Rice domestic violence case, it is taking a few tips from the U.S. Army. Opinion: The Third Iraq War Deserves Its Own Campaign Medal (Retired Navy Cmdr. Daniel Dolan in USNI News) The official entrance of the United States into a third Iraq War means it is time to authorize a new campaign ribbon for those currently carrying out operations in Iraq and Syria. Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) officially concluded with the departure of U.S. Forces from Iraq in December 2011. 5 Reasons Every Service Member Should Be Writing About Their Military Service (Army Maj. Crispin Burke in Task & Purpose) In addition to official military accounts, there's a thriving online community of military and veterans affairs bloggers sharing their ideas and experiences through long-form blog posts, 140-character Tweets, Facebook pages, and even images. You'll find them everywhere from established blogs like Small Wars Journal to up-and-comers like The War Council (and also here at Task and Purpose). Military bloggers have even loaned their pens to their pens to mainstream outlets like the New York Times and Foreign Policy. Opinion: Nuclear Deterrence Back On The Policy Menu (Bill Sweetman in Aviation Week) Four years ago, a North American Aerospace Defense Command officer sang the praises of a joint exercise with Russian forces, named Vigilant Eagle. "This exercise is one milestone in working together. Our folks are proud to be a part of such an important event and are passionate about partaking in efforts to protect our borders," said Lt. Col. John Oberst, the 176th Air Control Sqdn. operations officer. The Protests in Hong Kong: What Next? (David Chmiel in War on the Rocks) Over the weekend, police in Hong Kong used pepper spray and teargas against thousands of pro-democracy protesters occupying key areas of the city center. Can Vietnam's Maritime Strategy Counter China? (Carl Thayer in The Diplomat) Just how developed and credible is Vietnam's counter-intervention strategy? Four Early Steps to Salvage Afghanistan (Scott Smith & Andrew Wilder in Real Clear World) Monday saw the first peaceful and democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan's history, as Ashraf Ghani was inaugurated to succeed Hamid Karzai as president. Ghani and his electoral rival, Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah, now must make immediate, impactful decisions to demonstrate that the divisions and tension generated by their unity government's protracted and painful birth are in the past. | |||||
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