| November 25, 2014 |
THE EARLY BIRD BRIEF |
Get the most comprehensive aggregation of defense news delivered by the world's largest independent newsroom covering military and defense.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
 |
|
ADVERTISEMENT
 |
TODAY'S TOP 5
1. When Hagel leaves, new SecDef faces big questions about the military's future
(Military Times) President Obama's new pick to run the Pentagon will face a dizzying set of challenges affecting the Defense Department's mission, budget and culture.
2. Senate Source: 'Logistically Impossible' to Move SecDef Nomination This Year
(Defense News) The US Senate, with a scant amount of days left this session and a busy agenda, will leave the nomination of a new defense secretary to the next Congress, according to a senior Senate source.
3. A Shake-Up Stops at One
(Mark Landler in The New York Times) Shortly after President Obama announced the resignation of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel at the White House on Monday, he walked over to a meeting of his entire National Security Council staff, where he told the embattled group that they were critical to an ambitious foreign policy agenda.
4. Who Will Be the Next Secretary of Defense?
(Defense One) Following Monday's surprise announcement from the White House, the Pentagon will soon be led by its fourth defense secretary since President Barack Obama took office in 2009. Here's a brief review of some of the names being tossed around as possible replacements for the soon-to-be-departing Chuck Hagel, who will leave office after less than two years on the job.
5. VA fires Phoenix hospital director
(Associated Press) The head of the troubled Phoenix veterans' hospital was fired Monday as the Veterans Affairs Department continued its crackdown on wrongdoing in the wake of a nationwide scandal over long wait times for veterans seeking medical care and falsified records covering up the delays.
HAGEL RESIGNS
Chuck Hagel's resignation underscores defense rifts
(Politico) As President Barack Obama searches for his fourth defense secretary in six years, Chuck Hagel's resignation Monday only confirms the perception of how tightly the White House controls the most important national security decision making.
Reed not interested in Defense secretary job
(The Hill) Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) is taking himself out of the running for secretary of Defense, saying he wants to remain in the Senate.
Pentagon Policy, Budget Issues Not Likely to Change in Wake of Hagel Firing
(National Defense) But as rumors swirl about Hagel's potential successors, defense insiders say it really does not matter who steps in to run the Defense Department because the White House National Security Council is going to continue to set the agenda on most major issues. Further, Hagel's successor would have limited influence on key issues such as military budgets before a new administration takes over in 2017
How Obama and Chuck Hagel reached the end of the line
(The Hill) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's exit from the Obama administration came after weeks of discussion with President Obama over what role he would play in shaping defense policy over the last two years of his term.
McCain: Hagel 'Frustrated' With Obama's National Security Policies
(Defense News) US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel revealed to an old friend his frustrations with the Obama White House just days before he announced his resignation.
Hagel was meant to cut military; Islamic State's rise changed that
(McClatchy) As the Pentagon absorbed the shock of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's unexpected resignation Monday, another realization set in: Neither Hagel's departure, just like those of his two predecessors, nor the arrival of his successor promises major changes in the administration's approach to national security policy.
Hagel Takes a Bullet for Obama: Inside the Defense Secretary's Sudden Firing
(The Daily Beast) From practically the day he took office as the 24th Secretary of Defense less than two years ago, Chuck Hagel was a marked man. After one of the more brutal confirmation hearings of a senior Cabinet official in recent memory-Hagel had to apologize for saying a "Jewish lobby" in the U.S. exercised political influence by intimidation, and he erroneously described the Obama administration's Iran policy as "containment"-Washington was filled with whispers that Hagel wasn't up to the job and wasn't long for it, either.
Hagel Latest Defense Secretary to Clash With White House
(Wall Street Journal) Mr. Hagel complained about the slow pace of decision-making and clashed privately with White House national security officials over strategies in Ukraine and Syria, U.S. officials have said. In turn, Mr. Hagel's predecessors, Robert Gates and Leon Panetta, leveled harsh criticisms at President Obama in their memoirs and accused him of micromanaging the Pentagon.
First Take: Hagel exit signals a return to war footing
(USA Today) President Obama's decision to replace Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel reflects, among other things, the administration's reluctant return to a wartime footing.
Requiem for Chuck Hagel's many Pentagon reviews
(Washington Post) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and President Obama announced the Pentagon chief's resignation on Monday, capping weeks of speculation about Hagel's future and raising questions about just how much he butted heads with White House officials.
INDUSTRY
United Technologies CEO To Retire
(Defense News) Louis Chenevert, chairman and CEO of United Technologies, plans to retire, according to a company statement released Monday.
Hagel move not seen scuttling efforts on innovation, warships
(Reuters) Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's resignation will not derail a major Pentagon technology initiative unveiled this month and should not delay a decision on how to improve a new class of smaller warships, U.S. defense officials said.
Is Oshkosh Weighing a Spin-off of its Defense Unit?
(Wall Street Journal) Is Oshkosh Corp.OSK -0.17%, the specialty truck manufacturer that successfully managed to fend off Carl Icahn's campaign to split up the company, weighing a spinoff?
Israeli Panel Rejects Proposed Increase Of F-35
(Aviation Week) An Israeli cabinet panel has rejected a decision of the defense minister to procure an additional 31 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and limited the procurement of Israel's second batch of JSFs to only 13.
DAM: A GPS-INS Add-on Adds Accuracy to Airstrikes
(Defense Industry Daily) Israel is buying 3,000 JDAM tail kits with "the ultra-tightly coupled capability," using a maximum $82.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification. This isn't Israel's first buy (q.v. Dec 12/10 request, April 12/13).
Meeting to Appoint New Thales Chairman Postponed
(Defense News) Monday's board meeting to appoint the successor to Thales Chairman Jean-Bernard Levy has been postponed until Wednesday, a company executive said.
UK orders first operational F-35 combat aircraft
(IHS Jane's 360) The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed for its first four operational Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft as part of the Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP 8) production lot, it was announced on 21 November.
BMC Speeds Up Production of MRAPs for Turkish Army
(Defense News) Turkish armored vehicles maker BMC has increased the pace for production of the Kirpi, the country's first mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicle, after it was penalized รข‚¬8 million (US $9.9 million) for late deliveries.
CONGRESS
Senator: Extend medical benefits for post-9/11 vets
(Military Times) In one of his final acts as a U.S. senator, Iraq War veteran and Montana Democrat John Walsh implored the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee to double the period of automatic medical benefits for post-9/11 combat veterans.
Cruz to Obama: Pick Lieberman for Pentagon
(The Hill) Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Monday suggested President Obama nominate former Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) to replace outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.
The Iran Nuclear Deal Extension Has Powerful Republicans Fuming
(National Journal) The seven-month extension gives Iran and the U.S. more time to discuss an agreement on Iran's nuclear program. It also gives Congress ample time to intervene.
Rand Paul Calls for a Formal Declaration of War Against ISIS
(New York Times) Senator Rand Paul is calling for a declaration of war against the Islamic State, a move that promises to shake up the debate over the military campaign in Iraq and Syria as President Obama prepares to ask Congress to grant him formal authority to use force.
Cruz wants tax break for soldiers exposed to Ebola
(The Hill) Cruz introduces S. 2965, the Operation United Assistance Tax Exclusion Act, which would extend an existing tax break for soldiers in combat zones to those who undergo a 21-day quarantine.
ISLAMIC STATE
2 Democrats open to 'spotters' helping to fight ISIL
(Politico) President Barack Obama has ruled out sending a large ground force to the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, but support is growing in Congress for dispatching small numbers of U.S. troops near the front lines of combat against the militant group.
Islamic State toughens tactics in Iraq's Anbar, targeting potential enemies
(McClatchy) A recent Islamic State offensive in Iraq's Anbar province suggests that the extremist organization is changing tactics, relying less on local Sunni Muslim tribes for support and carrying out what one coalition strategist called a "counterinsurgency campaign" intended to undercut any U.S.-led effort to enlist tribes against it.
Humanitarian Catastrophe Looms In Anbar Province As IS Pushes To Take Ramadi
(Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) An RFE/RL correspondent in Iraq reported on November 22 that the humanitarian situation in Anbar Province is the worst it has been for nine months. Anbar residents are not able to leave or enter residential districts because roads have been cut, and local people are concerned about the complete lack of food and fuel, the correspondent said.
Turkey, US Agree to Train and Arm Syrian Opposition
(Defense News) Turkey and the US have narrowed their differences and agreed to train and arm opposition fighters in Syria
Saudis Link Deadly Attack to Islamic State
(Wall Street Journal) The leader of an attack that killed eight people in a small Shiite village this month was connected to Islamic State militants, the government said, as it announced the arrest of 77 people it linked to the assault.
ARMY
U.S. Army Europe looks to add 100 more armored vehicles
(Army Times) The head of U.S. Army Europe expects more than 100 armored vehicles to be added to Europe by the end of 2015.
First flight of quarantined troops from West Africa to arrive Tuesday at JBLM
(Tacoma News Tribune) A group of military service members coming home from recent missions in Liberia will spend the next few weeks in a containment area at Joint Base Lewis-McChord while the Army monitors their health for signs of Ebola infection, the Army announced Monday.
Soldiers with Fort Bragg's 1st Brigade Combat Team return from Afghanistan
(Fayetteville Observer) About 100 paratroopers from 1st Brigade Combat Team arrived at Fort Bragg Monday afternoon after a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan.
Army PME now gives you more college credits
(Army Times) Soldiers can now earn up to two years' worth of college credits toward their bachelor's degrees - just by attending Army professional military education courses.
Fort Sam Houston lockdown lifted; man in custody
(KSDK; St. Louis) Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio was put on lockdown for several hours Sunday evening while authorities investigated a vehicle that failed to stop at an entrance checkpoint, officials said.
NAVY
Senate delay slows Navy command changes
(Stars & Stripes) The nominee to lead the Navy's fleet in Europe and Africa continues to await Senate confirmation, resulting in a backup in command changes at several top military billets.
Grand jury indicts Norwich man on federal assault charges
(The Day; New London, Conn.) The indictment alleges that on Nov. 13 Brunache assaulted two Department of Defense police offers at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton. During the assault, Brunache wielded a knife, which he used to stab one of the officers in the leg.
System admin sentenced for hacking Navy database
(C4ISR & Networks) A former nuclear systems administrator with the Navy was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the 2012 hacking of the Navy's Smart Web Move database and publicly releasing personal records of some 222,000 service members.
AIR FORCE
OSI completes CMSGT Eric Soluri investigation
(Air Force Times) Investigators have completed their probe into a technical sergeant's rise to the highest enlisted rank following his 2006 conviction and six-month jail sentence, an Air Force spokesman said Monday.
Lackland ends practice of intubating ferrets
(San Antonio Express-News) The Pentagon has scaled down its controversial use of live animals in training, but the practice will not end completely, and one program in San Antonio will continue to use live goats.
Air Force: General did not send tweet criticizing Obama
(Air Force Times) Brig. Gen. Kathleen Cook, the Air Force's public affairs director, on Monday denied she retweeted a Fox News tweet criticizing President Obama's immigration policy.
Moving Targets: Old F-16s make 'really good bad guys' when converted for unmanned flight
(Panama City News Herald; Fla.) Not a lot of people crash three planes in a day and call it a job well done.
A leaner force: Key changes emerge after tough year of airmen cuts
(Air Force Times) They're the Air Force's steepest force cuts in two decades. And a close look at where the force management programs have shed airmen provides a glimpse into how the Air Force is changing.
MARINE CORPS
Corps' new seminar grooms lance corporals to become NCOs
(Marine Corps Times) At zero-six hundred, lance corporals with 8th Engineer Support Battalion dressed in physical training gear took turns staring into a cardboard box filled with assorted office supplies in a race to memorize every detail about the contents before their 30-second time limit was up.
The impact of grounding "Pedro" on local EMS departments
(WCTI; New Bern, N.C.) The Marine Corps may soon ground its four "Pedro," search and rescue helicopters at MCAS Cherry Point and disband its crew.
Bradenton Korean War veteran receives Purple Heart 63 years later
(Bradenton Herald; Fla.) The retired Marine received his first Purple Heart for shrapnel wounds in his left hand he got while on patrol near Hon Son in May 1951. He has also received the Bronze Star and was recommended for a Navy Cross. Blomely is considered one of the "Chosin Few," a nickname given to those who survived the deadliest battle during the Korean War on Nov. 27, 1950.
AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN
As Bombing Toll Rises, Afghan Villagers Direct Anger at Government
(New York Times) Three years ago, villagers from the dusty Afghan district of Yahya Khel, near the Pakistani border, rose up against the Taliban, driving the insurgents away. They say they did it on their own, winning themselves a degree of security that felt tolerable.
Haqqani Network launched suicide attack at soccer game, Afghan intel claims
(Long War Journal) The National Directorate of Security (NDS), Afghanistan's intelligence service, accused the Pakistan-supported Haqqani Network of executing yesterday's mass-casualty suicide attack at a soccer match in Paktika province. The accusation has been made just as the US has extended the US military's combat mission in Afghanistan for one year.
Peace Effort With Taliban Is Excluding Women, Report Says
(New York Times) Afghan women have been systematically excluded from the government's efforts to start peace talks with the Taliban, according to a report released on Monday by the international aid group Oxfam.
MIDDLE EAST
Iran nuclear talks extended for 7 months amid impasse ahead of deadline
(Washington Post) World powers and Iran agreed Monday to extend negotiations over Iran's nuclear program for up to an additional seven months after they failed in a last-minute push to conclude a broad deal by a midnight deadline.
A Nuclear Deal for U.S. and Iran Slips Away Again
(New York Times) By the time Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart checked into a luxury hotel near the famous beaches of Oman earlier this month, a long-sought deal that has eluded the last two American presidents to roll back Tehran's nuclear program seemed to be slipping out of reach.
Twitter account associated with Iran leader hits out at 'arrogant' powers
(Reuters) A Twitter account Iran experts believe is run by the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday "arrogant" powers had tried hard to bring the Islamic Republic to its knees but had failed.
EUROPE
Russia to develop A-100 AWACS based on upgraded Il-76MD-90A airlifter
(IHS Jane's 360) Russia is to begin developing a prototype Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) aircraft based on the upgraded Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A (Il-476) airframe, it was announced on 21 November.
Russia gets greater control over Black Sea region
(Associated Press) Russia tightened its control Monday over Georgia's breakaway province of Abkhazia with a new treaty envisaging closer military and economic ties with the lush sliver of land along the Black Sea.
Poroshenko: Ukrainians will vote on joining NATO years from now
(Los Angeles Times) The divisive issue of whether Ukraine should join NATO will be put to a vote years from now, after the necessary reforms have been completed, President Petro Poroshenko announced Monday.
Further Strains in Unresolved War Between Armenia and Azerbaijan Over Disputed Territory
(New York Times) Armenia announced on Monday ceremonial funerals for three soldiers killed this month when Azerbaijani forces shot down a helicopter in the fiercely disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, an event that signaled a grave escalation in the more than 25-year-long conflict.
ASIA-PACIFIC
U.S-Philippine Military Pact Defended in Court
(Wall Street Journal) The Philippine government told the country's Supreme Court Tuesday that it should be free to implement a new security pact allowing U.S. troops to deploy to Philippine bases.
North Korea Threatens Retaliation Over UN Rights Resolution
(Voice of America) North Korea has issued a strongly worded statement warning of catastrophic consequences for the United States and other countries that supported the recent U.N. resolution condemning North Korea's human rights record. North Korea's threat to retaliate could signal that it intends to soon conduct a new nuclear test.
Hong Kong authorities begin clearing Mong Kok protest site
(Los Angeles Times) Under the watch of more than 200 police officers, the clearance action remained peaceful. Many protesters had removed most of their tents and other belongings overnight.
AFRICA
U.S. Buys Up Ebola Gear, Leaving Little for Africa
(Wall Street Journal) Protective suits were running low in Sierra Leone this month, when a Christian charity decided ship some over. The charity turned to American medical-wear suppliers, which came back with bad news: The suits needed to treat Ebola are running low in America, too.
Second air strike hits airport in Libya's capital
(Reuters) An air strike hit the last functioning commercial airport in Libya's capital Tripoli for a second day running on Tuesday, residents said, as a power struggle in the oil-rich nation intensified.
Libya is destroying itself'
(Deutsche Welle) Libya is at risk of becoming a failed state. The country is threatened by both militias and jihadis made up of disaffected young Libyans with a radical agenda, says conflict expert Andreas Dittmann.
COMMENTARY AND ANALYSIS
How Did Chuck Hagel End Up as the White House's Scapegoat?
(Peter D. Feaver in Foreign Policy) The news that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is stepping down has been foreshadowed for weeks, so it does not qualify as a shock. But neither does it qualify as an obvious and logical next move for an administration so clearly struggling to manage myriad foreign policy challenges.
Bumbling Start, White House Micromanagement Doomed Hagel
(George E. Condon Jr. in National Journal) Much of official Washington was surprised when news broke Monday that Chuck Hagel was out as Defense secretary. They shouldn't have been. For both personal and systemic reasons, Hagel's tenure was always destined to be as troubled as it was short.
What Chuck Hagel Got Right
(Michael O'Hanlon in The Wall Street Journal) I was not convinced two years ago that Chuck Hagel was the strongest choice for defense secretary, but he is, to an extent, being scapegoated. Ultimately, most of the mistakes in the administration's foreign policy-which, I would argue, still has considerable strengths-have been in and from the White House.
Is a National-Security Shakeup Coming?
(Max Boot in Commentary Magazine) So Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is gone but the nuclear talks with Iran seemingly go on and on and on. Tell me: How much has changed?
Chuck Hagel's Rise and Fall Had Nothing to Do With Foreign Policy
(Peter Beinart in The Atlantic) The media didn't understand that the defense secretary's role is not to set a course, but to execute it. Hagel never did that well.
Changing World Shrunk Hagel's Appeal to Obama
(Gerald F. Seib in The Wall Street Journal) Chuck Hagel was chosen to be the secretary of defense who could help his boss, President Barack Obama , complete the exit from conflicts in the Middle East. It was his misfortune to arrive just when the president instead needed to consider re-entering conflicts in that tortured region.
Commentary: Don't Forget Defense
(Former Air Force Secretary Michael Donley in Defense News) US defense leaders have been warning since 2012 about the destructive effects of the 2011 Budget Control Act (BCA). The BCA set in motion approximately $1 trillion in defense reductions over 10 years from projected budget baselines, including a midyear sequestration in fiscal 2013 that grounded air wings, halted training and maintenance across the military, and furloughed civilian personnel.
DoD Can't Command Industry to Innovate
(Daniel Goure in Real Clear Defense) Like King Canute ordering the tides to recede, the Department of Defense (DoD) has ordered its contractors to provide more innovation. Earlier this month, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced the Defense Innovation Initiative, described as an ambitious, department-wide effort to identify and invest in innovative ways to sustain and advance America's military dominance for the 21st Century. In part, the Initiative will focus on identifying areas for investment.
Here's Why Women in Combat Units is a Bad Idea
(Anna Simons in War on the Rocks) Three problems plague the debate over whether all combat units should finally be opened to women. (Actually, there are four problems: The fourth and most important being the likelihood that there will be no real debate, something that I hope this article will help to mitigate). Most career soldiers and officers I know believe the integration of women into Special Forces teams, and into SEAL, Ranger and Marine infantry platoons, is already a forgone conclusion. From their perspective, politicians in uniform (namely, top brass) don't have the intestinal fortitude to brook the vocal minority in Congress - and the country, really - who think mainstreaming women into ground combat units is a good idea.
Male-Female Cohesion in the Military: Yes, It's Possible
(Jessica Scott in War on the Rocks) Another day, another article arguing why women shouldn't be allowed to serve in combat units. I've already written about it elsewhere, so I'm not going to rehash my arguments in depth, but let's take a look at the arguments in Anna Simons' recent War on the Rocks article, "Here's Why Women In Combat Units is A Bad Idea."
Rethinking the Role of Religion in Counterinsurgency
(Jason Klocek in Cicero Magazine) Insurgent violence in the name of religion dominates our headlines. This summer, Boko Haram advanced rapidly across northeastern Nigeria in pursuit of its announced goal to create an Islamic state in the region. ISIS enjoyed similar success when it combined threats against Western involvement in the Middle East with the gruesome beheading of journalists and aid workers. More recently, the threat of domestic terrorism inspired by foreign guerrillas has surfaced in Ottawa and just last week, a horrific attack on worshippers in a Jerusalem synagogue resulted in the city's deadliest mass killing in years.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment