Israel is deploying Iron Dome anti-missile system battery to assess its performance. Israel is looking to test the performance of the Iron Dome anti-missile system's radar and interceptors.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
The Cost Of War In Iraq And Afghanistan -- A News Roundup
The sun sets behind U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Jamie R. Johnson, a platoon sergeant assigned to Bayonet Company, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, Task Force No Slack, as he patrols Afghanistan's Kunar province, March 17, 2011. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Mark BurrellWas Obama Low-Balling The Cost Of War? -- Robert Zeliger, Foreign Policy
The price tag for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq since the 9/11 attacks is somewhere between $3.7 and $4.4 trillion, according to a new report released today. The staggering figure is nearly four times higher than the U.S. government estimate. Just last week, President Barack Obama pegged the cost over the last decade at $1 trillion.
The new estimated cost provided by a research project at Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies, is also much higher than most previous attempts to quantify the operations.
Read more ....
More News On Brown University's Watson Institute For International Studies On The Cost Of Our Wars
Afghanistan, Iraq Wars Killed 132,000 Civilians, Report Says -- The Danger Room
U.S. cost of war at least $3.7 trillion and counting -- Reuters
New estimate of U.S. war costs: $4 trillion -- Washington Post
Report: Iraq, Afghanistan Wars Cost US Nearly $4 Trillion -- Voice of America
Study: US war spending could top $4 trillion -- Al Jazeera
New Estimate For The Cost Of U.S. Wars: About $4 Trillion -- NPR
Wars to Leave $4 Trillion Hole in US Budget: Study -- Wall Street Journal
Costs of U.S. war on terror up to 4.4 trillion U.S. dollars: report -- Xinhuanet
Price of U.S. wars: $4.4 trillion? -- Politico
FACTBOX-Highlights of "Costs of War" research -- Reuters
'War on terror' set to surpass cost of Second World War -- Independent
U.S. Special Operations Forces Under Stress
Vice Adm. William McRaven. NavyCommander: Special Operations Forces Under Stress -- Washington Times/AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — The military commander who directed the raid that killed Osama bin Laden is warning that the escalating demands on U.S. special operations forces are hampering their training and could slowly eat away at their combat readiness.
Vice Adm. William McRaven said demand for the elite forces around the world continues to grow, so there often isn’t enough time to train between deployments. And he said the helicopters and other equipment they need are not available to units in the United States who are preparing to deploy.
Read more ....
My Comment: On the one hand, the U.S. is facing huge deficits and generational bankruptcy .... on the other hand, we have demands being made on our special forces to do a job that entails enormous resources and manpower .... all of which will probably be short changed as we come to grips on managing our fiscal mess.
U.S. Special Operations Forces may be under stress right now, but this will pale with what they may face and go through in the next few years.
Picture Of The Day
SHARED SALUTE - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and President Barack Obama salute during the March-in-Review at the Armed Forces Farewell Tribute to honor the retiring secretary at the Pentagon, June 30, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeleyIs Air Power Enough To End The Libyan War?
Can Air Power End Libya War? -- CNN
It was supposed to have been over in a few days. World powers would go in with fighter jets and the world's most sophisticated precision-guided weapons to render Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi powerless.
But that's not the way things happened.
As NATO's airstrikes crossed the 100-day mark, analysts blamed a host of faulty assumptions, including success based solely on surgical airstrikes, for a protracted war that some fear could drag on for more months.
Read more ....
My Comment: When the Libyan civil war broke out and Western powers made the decision to support the rebellion, I said in March exactly the same thing that Moni Basu is saying in this CNN post ....
.... "In reality, Libya is divided along lines of clan and tribe, some of whom benefit greatly from Gadhafi, and therefore defend him fiercely," he said. "Any expert on ethnic conflict and intervention could have told the White House that ahead of time."
Libya is a country made up of numerous clans and tribes who do not get along with each other. Gaddafi's genius .... until now .... was that he was able to manipulate and convince these groups that they should support him, and he would then support them.
While Gaddafi has made numerous mistakes, the number one mistake that the Western powers have made stems from not being sensitive to the cultural and social makeup of Libya as well as not being aware that the dissident movement was not capable of overthrowing Gaddafi .... an ignorance that is unfortunately becoming very costly to everyone right now.
In the end .... and the Russians have been saying this since the Libya civil war first started .... Western ground troops will be necessary to not only end the war, but to also prevent the humanitarian disaster that is slowly evolving and becoming a reality in Libya.
Night Vision Contact Lenses May Become The Standard For Night Operations
Seeing in the dark: Navy Seals wear conventional goggles during an operation. A website has said that those involved in the mission to kill Osama Bin Laden wore night vision contact lensesU.S. Navy Seal Team Who Killed Bin Laden May Have Used Night Vision Contact Lenses -- The Daily Mail
They sound like something Q branch would issue to James Bond ahead of a difficult assignment.
But this gadget was used to fight a very real target - the world's most wanted terrorist.
A website has reported that the team of U.S. Navy Seals used pairs of night vision contact lenses during their mission to kill Osama Bin Laden.
Read more ....
My Comment: Because this technology's can significantly impact night operations, I suspect that this technology (if it exists) will not be available to the public for a long time.
Learning How To Pilot A Drone
Flying Lessons: Learning How To Pilot A Drone -- CNN
Paris (CNN) -- Police and military forces are increasingly reliant on unmanned aerial vehicles to do jobs deemed too risky for humans to do in person, with drones regularly used in surveillance and warfare, from Liverpool to Libya.
So just how easy is it to pilot one? CNN got a drone flying lesson to find out.
The makers of one drone recently exhibited at the Paris Air Show claim their UAV is designed to be easier to use than a computer game -- which is just as well but I've never been much good with games either, whether World of Warcraft or Wii.
Read more ....
Soldiers Seeing The Funny Side Of Life On The Frontline
A man and his dog: This canine shows off his surveillance skills as he looks through a telescope next to an armed soldierSomeone Get Him A Dog Tag... Hilarious Collection Of Photos Of Soldiers Seeing The Funny Side Of Life On The Frontline -- Daily Mail
Soldiers are known for their black humour on the frontline as they see the funny side of life in the face of adversity.
But these military personnel have taken things a step beyond in these hilarious images from the battlefield.
These photographs, released by slightlywarped.com, celebrate the best humour from our soldiers, airmen and sailors.
Read more ....
My Comment: Yup .... it's a slow news day.
The Geopolitical Impact Of China's Aircraft Carrier
Chinese aircraft carrier Shi Lang under constructionChinese Aircraft Carrier Enters Geopolitical Tempest -- Peter Goodspeed, National Post
The Chinese navy’s first aircraft carrier, a rebuilt Soviet-era ship, will undertake its first sea trials Friday in time to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.
More importantly, the muscular new addition coincides with a tempest of new conflicts as China confronts its neighbours over competing claims to potentially rich oil and natural gas fields in the South China Sea.
Read more ....
My Comment: Peter Goodspeed puts too much credit in China's first carrier .... many naval analysts see it as one big easy target. But it will serve China's goal of projecting power, and in this case perception becomes more important than what is China's actual military capabilities.
International Crisis Group: Afghan Government Will Probably Fall If U.S. Withdraws
Smoke and flames rise from the Intercontinental Hotel during a battle between NATO-led forces and suicide bombers and Taliban insurgents in Kabul on Wednesday. (REUTERS)Report: Afghan Government At Risk If U.S. Withdraws -- L.A. Times
Capitalizing on government corruption, the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan has found safe haven in areas far beyond its traditional stronghold in the country’s southeast, raising questions about whether the government of Hamid Karzai will be able to survive as U.S. troops withdraw, says a report out Thursday by the International Crisis Group, a nonprofit think tank that studies conflict zones.
The report, titled “The Insurgency in Afghanistan’s Heartland,” argues that during the U.S. military surge to combat the insurgency in Afghanistan’s south, stability in the center of the country has steadily eroded.
Read more ....
My Comment: The report is blunt .... to change the dynamics of the conflict, there must be a concerted effort to stamp out the culture of corruption, tribalism, unemployment, lack of security, absence of government (and accountability), collusion of our allies with the Taliban, and an ineffective Afghan security force.
Sighhhh ... yeah right.
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials -- June 30, 2011
Notes: Data unavailable for some months in 2001 and 2002.Source: Department of Defense, White House. Credit: Credit: Alyson Hurt and JoElla Straley/NPR
Will Afghan Drawdown Spur U.S. Policy Rethink? -- Jackie Northam, NPR
President Obama's message to the nation last week was unequivocal: It was the beginning of the end for large-scale American military operations in Afghanistan.
Obama announced that 10,000 U.S. forces would be out by the end of this year. The drawdown would then steadily continue until 2014, when the U.S. would hand over security to Afghan forces. In other words, the U.S. is winding down the war in Afghanistan, much as it has the war in Iraq.
Read more ....
Commentaries, Opinions, And Editorials
U.S. and Taliban Diverge on Meaning of Kabul Siege -- Wall Street Journal
Kabul Hotel Attack Demonstrates Taliban's Persistence -- Max Fisher, The Atlantic
Kabul hotel attack is down to political gameplay -- Bette Dam, The Guardian
Kabul attack: Is Afghanistan ready to take over NATO's security duties? -- Howard LaFranchi, Christian Science Monitor
The Kabul Intercontinental Attack: The Taliban's Clear Message -- John Wendle, Time
Taliban talks bombing -- Washington Times editorial
As US slowly withdraws from Afghanistan, regional neighbors should step up -- Walter Rodgers, Yahoo News/Christian Science Monitor
How the Taliban and America met in Munich -- Ahmed Rashid, Financial Times
How to depose Kadafi -- L.A. Times editorial
In Tunisia and Egypt, still waiting on real change -- Anne Applebaum, Washington Post
Why Cairo's Tahrir Square Is Heating Up Again -- Abigail Hauslohner, Time
Yet Again in Sudan -- Nicholas Kristof, New York Times
Analysis: Gandhi scion yet to prosper in heat of Indian politics -- Henry Foy, Scotsman
Washington's Favorite Terrorists -- Trita Parsi, Huffington Post
Obama Afghanistan War Policy to Shift to Covert, Drone Tactics -- International Business Times
Greece ties Europe in knots. Tiny nation's chaos threatens world's economic order. -- Rosemary Righter, Chicago Tribune
The new Rome is not the new Greece yet, but the US must look to its laurels -- Timothy Garton Ash, The Guardian
Debt Woes: Could America Go the Way of Greece? -- Fareed Zakaria, Time
A Sober, Steady Hand: Robert Gates’ Legacy at the Pentagon -- Mark Thompson, Time
Robert Gates' last day at Pentagon: three reasons he'll be missed -- Anna Mulrine, Christian Science Monitor
Gates makes his exit -- Tom Mahnken, Shadow Government/Foreign Policy
World News Briefs -- June 30, 2011 (Evening Edition)
Sarkozy Is Assaulted as He Meets Voters -- New York Times
PARIS — President Nicolas Sarkozy of France was rubbing shoulders with voters Thursday when one of them literally grabbed his, violently yanking his suit collar, and would have been pulled to the ground had it not been for a metal barricade that caught his fall.
The exact motives of the assailant, who the police say was unarmed, remain unclear. But his ability to get so close to France’s head of state and physically assault him, before being tackled by security guards seconds later and detained, may raise concerns about presidential security just as the campaigning for the 2012 election gets under way.
Read more ....
MIDDLE EAST
Israel warns Assad: Attack us, we'll hit you personally.
Yemen president orders talks on deal to end crisis.
Israel 'sabotages two ships bound for Gaza', activists claim.
June bloodiest month for U.S. in Iraq in 2 years. U.S. monthly combat deaths in Iraq at 3-year high.
US backs Syria reform plan leaving Assad in place. U.S. urges Lebanon to act on Hariri indictments. UN court indicts four Hezbollah members over Hariri car bomb. Indictments issued in Hariri death probe.
Syrian forces take mountainous province; 11 killed. Syria pulls its armed forces from some contested cities.
Iran facing new U.S. sanctions.
Riyadh will build nuclear weapons if Iran gets them, Saudi prince warns.
ASIA
Kim Jong-un unpredictable, warns next USFK chief
China’s Communist Party tries to reclaim glory.
Senior commander in Haqqani network 'killed'. Nato 'kills senior Haqqani militant in Afghanistan'.
Pakistan ends U.S. use of base for drone attacks: report.
North Korea rejects holding nuke talks with south.
Kim cancelled Russia trip on security worry: Report.
AFRICA
AU summit opens, Libya crisis expected to dominate talks.
Commander refutes report that France supplied weapons to Libya's rebel forces. France provides weapons, food to Libyan rebels.
African Union is in an economic crisis, needs more money, Obiang says.
Deadly gunfight in DR Congo mining capital Lubumbashi.
U.S. drone targets two leaders of Somali group allied with al-Qaeda, official says.
Senegal cracks down on riots.
South Sudan President steers nation to independence.
Egypt unprepared for September elections.
EUROPE
Nicolas Sarkozy attacked during walkabout.
Putin says Russian 2012 election will be dirty.
Greece's Parliament implements austerity measures. Buyers' market as Greece starts assets fire sale.
Britons strike over pensions, government says impact limited. U.K.: 'Hundreds of thousands' of public sector workers strike. Public 'at risk' after 999 operators strike.
French journalists arrive home after 18-month Taliban hostage ordeal.
Gaza activists say ship sabotaged in Greece.
AMERICAS
Venezuelans scour video for Chavez health clues.
New Mexico wildfires approach Los Alamos nuclear lab.
As poppy fields flourish in Mexico, heroin use surges in U.S..
Most Jamaicans believe UK rule better according to poll.
William, Kate off to Canada, US in first tour.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
CIA cleared in all but two interrogation investigations.
On reports that bin Laden wasn't really running al Qaeda.
Jihadist web forum knocked off Internet.
Al Qaeda remains top threat to U.S.
U.S. anti-terror strategy targets peril from within.
White House aims to disrupt al Qaeda online.
ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS
Shutdown: NBA owners lock out players.
Geithner said to consider leaving treasury after debt debate.
Web retailers say they'll fight new California sales tax.
Libya rebel chief says oil exports may take years.
London Stock Exchange £4.2bn merger with Canada's TMX collapses.
U.S. caught China buying more debt than disclosed.
Civil War In Libya -- News Updates June 30, 2011
France Admits It Armed Libyan Rebels -- Christian Science Monitor
France's admission Wednesday that it provided weapons to Libyan rebels renews debate on the legality and wisdom of arming rebels in conflicts whose outcome is unpredictable.
France revealed Wednesday that its forces parachuted weapons to Libya's rebels earlier this month, making it the first NATO country to disclose that it provided arms to rebel forces and renewing debate on the merits of such action.
The ambiguous wording of UN Resolution 1973, which authorized foreign intervention in Libya, has led to clashing interpretations of what is allowed under the guise of protecting civilians. There is no consensus on whether arming the rebels is permissible under the resolution's guidelines. According to NATO, France is the only country to provide weapons, the Associated Press reported.
Read more ....
More News On Libya's Civil War
FACTBOX-Latest developments in Libyan conflict 1400 GMT -- Reuters
Rebels take Gaddafi base and set sights on Tripoli -- Sydney Morning Herald
Libyan Base Falls to a Rebel Raid in the West -- New York Times
Rampant rebels push Gaddafi troops from military base -- Scotsman
Tripoli pipeline attack means endgame for Gadaffi -- Channel 4
Libya's Gadhafi calls for volunteers, women answer -- CNN
France Says It Gave Arms to the Rebels in Libya -- New York Times
France Provides Weapons, Food to Libyan Rebels -- Voice of America
Libyan rebels armed by France -- Sydney Morning Herald
France supplies arms to rebels: Airdrops appear to be in violation of a UN weapons embargo -- Vancouver Sun/AFP
France airdrops weapons to Libyan rebels -- UPI
Libyan rebel leader denies receiving weapons from France -- L.A. Times
Libya opposition says need more weapons -- Yahoo News/AP
Libya's cash-strapped rebels appeal for funds -- Yahoo News/Reuters
UK Sends Body Armor, Police Uniforms to Libya -- New York Times/AP
Britain won’t help arm Libya rebels -- Washington Times
French arms sales to Libya in breach of UN resolution - Lavrov -- RIA Novosti
Russia: France May Have Violated UN Arms Embargo on Libya -- Voice of America
Russia says arming Libyan rebels violates U.N. vote -- Reuters
Libya: Russia decries French arms drop to Libya rebels -- BBC
China avoids criticising France over Libya arms -- Reuters
Africans worried by French arms for Libya rebels -- DAWN/AFP
Libya: AU condemns French arms drop to rebels -- BBC
NATO vexed as French arm Libyan rebels -- Sydney Morning Herald
NATO: not involved in French arms aid to Libya rebels -- Reuters
No "mission creep" in Libya, NATO chief vows -- Reuters
Libyan rebels would review Gaddafi contracts -- Reuters
Libya risks extremism if war drags on: World Bank -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Libya: War and rape. Have Muammar Gadaffi's forces used rape as a weapon to suppress Libya's uprising? -- Al Jazeera
French arms move shows Libya pressures on West -- Reuters
Keep calm, keep going: The world must intensify the pressure against Muammar Qaddafi—and help plan for the future. -- The Economist
Is France right to arm Libyan rebels? -- Brian Whitaker, The Guardian
How to depose Kadafi -- L.A. Times editorial
U.S. Senate Unanimously Confirms Petraeus As CIA Director
Petraeus Confirmed By Senate Unanimously As New CIA Director -- CNN
Washington (CNN) -- Gen. David Petraeus won unanimous Senate confirmation Thursday to succeed Leon Panetta as director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
The 58-year-old commanding general of U.S. forces in Afghanistan has said he will retire from the military before assuming his new post later this year. For now, he will continue overseeing the Afghanistan mission during the first phase of troop withdrawals beginning next month.
Read more ....
More News On The U.S. Senate Confirming Petraeus As CIA Director
U.S. Senate confirms Petraeus as CIA chief -- Reuters
US Senate confirms Petraeus as CIA chief -- Yahoo News/AFP
Petraeus unanimously confirmed as CIA chief -- CBS/AP
Senate Confirms Petraeus as 20th CIA Director -- FOX News
David Petraeus CIA nomination clears Senate -- Politico
Senate confirms David Petraeus as CIA director -- L.A. Times
Senate Confirms Petraeus as CIA director -- IBTimes
Senate Confirms Petraeus as CIA Director -- Wall Street Journal
David Petraeus confirmed as CIA director -- BBC
Petraeus unanimously confirmed as CIA director -- Stars and Stripes
Senate confirms Petraeus as next CIA director with 94-0 vote -- The Hill
Justice Department Moving Forward With Criminal Investigations Into CIA Interrogations That Resulted In The Deaths Of Two Detainees
Justice Department to Investigate 2 Deaths in CIA Interrogation Review -- FOX NewsThe Justice Department is moving forward with criminal investigations into CIA interrogations of two detainees who died in the agency's custody.
The decision is the result of a nearly two-year preliminary review into the Bush-era interrogations by prosecutor John Durham, Attorney General Eric Holder said Thursday
In a statement, Holder said further investigation of the other cases under review is "not warranted."
Read more ....
My Comment: The key sentence in this report is the following ....
.... Holder said further investigation of the other cases under review is "not warranted."
In short, they want someone's scalp .... and not to spook anyone else in the CIA/intelligence community they are going to close all the other files.
This is a breaking news story, and I will update it either later tonight or first thing tomorrow morning.
UN Court Issues Arrest Warrants For Four Hezbollah Members
Indictments Issued In Hariri Death Probe -- Al Jazeera
Lebanese media says UN-backed court has charged four Hezbollah members for 2005 killing of former prime minister.
A United Nations-backed court has handed down indictments requesting the arrest of four members of the Shia movement Hezbollah in connection with the 2005 killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, according to media reports.
Lebanon state prosecutor Saeed Mirza has received the indictments, which are meant to remain sealed for 30 days to allow him to examine them. But local and international media, some citing judicial sources, immediately reported that the arrest warrants named four men: Mustafa Badreddine, Salim al-Ayyash, Hassan Issa and Asad Sabra.
Read more ....
More News On The Hariri Indictments
Tribunal Names 4 in ’05 Killing of Lebanese Leader -- New York Times
UN court indicts four Hezbollah members over Hariri car bomb -- The Guardian
Hariri murder: UN tribunal issues arrest warrants -- BBC
UN-backed court issues Hariri indictment and warrants -- AFP
Court issues indictments in 2005 Hariri assassination -- UPI
UN Tribunal Delivers Arrest Warrants in 2005 Killing of Lebanon’s Hariri -- Bloomberg
UN court delivers indictments over Hariri -- Financial Times
UN tribunal seeks arrests over Lebanon Hariri killing -- Euronews
Lebanon court says indictment to remain sealed -- Reuters
Lebanon’s Day in Court: The Controversial Life of the Hariri Tribunal -- William Harris, Foreign Affairs
Timeline: Al-Hariri investigation -- Al Jazeera
U.S. Secretary Of Defence Gates Makes His Exit: A News Roundup
RENDERING HONORS - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, President Barack Obama and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, render honors during the playing of the national anthem at the Armed Forces Farewell Tribute in honor of Gates at the Pentagon, June 30, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeleyOn Final Day As Defense Secretary, Obama Honors Gates With Presidential Medal of Freedom -- Washington Post
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has honored outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ four decades of public service with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It is the highest honor the president can give a civilian.
Gates’ last day on the job is Thursday after 4 1/2 years at the Pentagon.
Read more ....
More News On Robert Gates
Gates Reflects on Service as U.S. Defense Secretary (A Retrospective) -- U.S. Department of Defense
Gates Sends Message Thanking Troops for Service -- U.S. Department of Defense
Mullen Lauds Gates’ ‘Distinguished Legacy’ at Farewell -- U.S. Department of Defense
Obama Calls Gates One of Nation’s Finest Public Servants -- Bloomberg
Gates, on eve of retirement, is sent off in fashion -- Washington Post
Robert Gates gets the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- Poltiico
Gates Awarded Medal Of Freedom At Farewell Tribute -- NPR
President surprises Gates with Medal of Freedom -- MSNBC
Gates lauds US troops in farewell statement -- New York Post
Robert Gates' Last Day -- ABC News
Gates Ends US Defense Secretary Tour -- Voice of America
Curtains Closing on Robert Gates' Years as Defense Secretary -- ABC News
Our view: Robert Gates leaves with non-partisan success -- USA Today
Opposing view: Robert Gates' disappointing legacy -- USA Today
Goodbye to Gates. Now for the difficult part. -- DoD Buzz
A Sober, Steady Hand: Robert Gates’ Legacy at the Pentagon -- Mark Thompson, Time
Robert Gates' last day at Pentagon: three reasons he'll be missed -- Anna Mulrine, Christian Science Monitor
Gates makes his exit -- Tom Mahnken, Shadow Government/Foreign Policy
The Wars That The New U.S. Secretary Of Defense Will Face
Panetta Must Fight Four Wars: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Waste -- Boston.com editorial
WHEN LEON Panetta takes the helm at the Defense Department tomorrow, he will be facing difficult choices about the US military efforts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya. But an equally pressing — and potentially even more intractable — problem is the Pentagon’s budget and spending. Outgoing secretary Robert Gates was good at paying lip service to the need to control spending; he noted recently that “the United States should spend as much as necessary on national defense, but not one penny more.’’ But the department’s baseline budget has risen every year since Gates took over — from $450 billion to more than $550 billion four years later. This year alone, the Pentagon is seeking a 3.4 percent increase from its 2010 budget.
Read more ....
My Comment: Fighting Four wars!?!?!? I am counting six if you add this hot spot and this one. The war on terror is (also) another conflict .... but because of it's general nature, I am incorporating that conflict as "the general one".
Iraq Violence Is Escalating With 3 U.S. Soldiers Killed Today
Iraq Combat Operations Over? -- Christian Science Monitor
June has been the worst month for US troops in two years. And violence is surging in Afghanistan.
The Iraq war is winding down. It's been 10 months since the US declared an end to "combat operations" in the country and US troop levels are at their lowest levels since the war started in 2003.
The war itself feels all but ignored by the general public here at home. On the desk at the Monitor, Internet traffic is our lifeblood and we follow how many "hits" individual stories receive. For at least a year now, it's felt like all our Iraq stories – whether features with strong, unique reporting; analysis pieces on the security situation; or simply straightforward accounts of a major bombing or political meeting – can't get any traction at all.
Yet, this month has been the deadliest for US troops in Iraq in two years.
Read more ....
More News On Iraq
Rocket attack kills 3 American soldiers in Iraq -- Yahoo News/AP
June deadliest month for U.S. in Iraq since '08 -- Reuters
U.S. Monthly Combat Deaths in Iraq at 3-Year High -- New York Times
Three US soldiers killed in southern Iraq -- BBC
Iraq rocket attack kills three American soldiers -- The Guardian
June bloodiest month for U.S. in Iraq in 2 years -- CBS
Three U.S. troops killed in southern Iraq -- UPI
Iraq: 15 US troops killed this month -- Al Bawaba
U.S. military sees Iran behind rising troop deaths in Iraq -- Washington Post
Iraq cleric pursues U.S. troop ban in strongholds -- Reuters
Iraq Sunni politician talks of secession, angers allies -- Alertnet
Separate attacks kill four in Iraq -- Press TV
Two attempts to assassinate Interior Ministry officers in Baghdad fioled -- Aswat al-Iraq
Iraqi former female minister wounded in grenade attack -- People's Daily
Iraq Oil Assets May Be at Risk of Seizure -- Bloomberg
Iraqi oil assets subject to seizure? -- UPI
Iraq Oil Assets May Be at Risk of Seizure as UN Mandate Expires -- SFGate/Bloomoberg
Iraqi pilgrims swarm Baghdad to mark imam's death -- Yahoo News/AP
Iraqi Kurdish leader boosts power to disputed city -- Boston.com/AP
Timeline: Iraq 2003 - 2011 -- Al Jazeera
US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,466 -- AP
Saudi Arabia Will Build Nuclear Weapons If Iran Does
Image: (Credit: CBS)Riyadh Will Build Nuclear Weapons If Iran Gets Them, Saudi Prince Warns -- The Guardian
Prospect of a nuclear conflict in the Middle East is raised by senior diplomat and member of the Saudi ruling family.
A senior Saudi Arabian diplomat and member of the ruling royal family has raised the spectre of nuclear conflict in the Middle East if Iran comes close to developing a nuclear weapon.
Prince Turki al-Faisal, a former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to Washington, warned senior Nato military officials that the existence of such a device "would compel Saudi Arabia … to pursue policies which could lead to untold and possibly dramatic consequences"
Read more ....
More News On Saudi Arabia's Intent To Develop Nuclear Weapons If Iran Does
Saudi Arabia Threatens to Build Nukes if Iran Acquires Them -- Global Security Newswire
Saudi Arabia: If Iran builds nukes, so will we -- CBS
If Iran Really Is Testing Nukes, Saudi Officials Say It "Would Be Unacceptable And We Will Have To Follow Suit" -- Business Insider
Saudi will seek nuclear arms if Iran gets them - report -- Reuters
Saudi Arabia will build nukes if Iran does -- Pan Armenian
Tehran tests Saudis' nerve on nuclear weapons -- The Australian
My Comment: The last thing that the Middle East needs right now is a nuclear arms race .... but the groundwork is now being shaped to have such a unfortunately development occur.
U.S. Drones Strike Against Al Qaeda In Somalia
Residents reported huge explosions near Kismayo, a southern port town controlled by Shebab, followed by the sound of aircraft Photo: GETTYU.S. Drone Targets Two Leaders Of Somali Group Allied With al-Qaeda, Official Says -- Washington Post
A U.S. drone aircraft fired on two leaders of a militant Somali organization tied to al-Qaeda, apparently wounding them, a senior U.S. military official familiar with the operation said Wednesday.
The strike last week against senior members of al-Shabab comes amid growing concern within the U.S. government that some leaders of the Islamist group are collaborating more closely with al-Qaeda to strike targets beyond Somalia, the military official said.
Read more ....
More News On Yesterday's Drone Strikes In Somalia
Report: US Drone Targets Militants in Somalia -- Voice of America
US fires drone at commanders of Somalia’s Shabaab Islamist insurgency -- The telegraph
Report: U.S. Drones Target Al Qaeda Militants in Somalia -- FOX News
US drone attack on al Qaeda group in Somalia - report -- Reuters
Drones attack two Somali militant leaders -- UPI
US Expands Drone War -- Antiwar.com
U.S. Drone Targets Two Leaders Of Somali Group Allied With Al Qaeda, Official Says -- Huffington Post
Somalia: United States Using Drones to Attack Al-Shabaab -- AllAfrica.com
Pakistan Closes CIA Drone Base
Pakistan Calls For US To Leave Base Used For Drones -- Voice of America
Pakistan's defense minister has called for the United States to leave a remote air base in southwestern Pakistan that he says is used to launch drone strikes against Taliban and al-Qaida militants.
Defense Minister Ahmed Mukhtar says Pakistan has told the U.S. to leave the Shamsi air base in Baluchistan province, as tensions between the two countries continue following the May 2 raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
Read more ....
More News On Pakistan Shutting Down The CIA's Drone Base
Pakistan orders US out of drone base -- The Guardian
Pakistan kicks U.S. off air base -- CBS News
Pressure from Pakistan on U.S. in base dispute -- Reuters
Pakistan ends U.S. use of base for drone attacks - FT -- Reuters
Pakistan shuts US out of drone base -- Financial Times
Pakistan tells US to leave 'drone' attack base -- AFP
US troops to vacate Shamsi base soon: Mukhtar -- DAWN
US told to vacate Shamsi airbase: Mukhtar -- Pakistan Observer
Pakistan tells US to leave Shamsi airbase -- Express Tribune
Pakistan: US must leave drone base -- Defence Management
A most troubling signal of defiance towards US -- The Australian
Afghanistan War News Updates -- June 30, 2011
NATO Airstrike Kills Militant Leader Linked to Kabul Hotel Attack -- Voice of America
NATO says it has killed a top Haqqani network leader in Afghanistan who is suspected of aiding militants who attacked a Kabul hotel late Tuesday.
In a statement Thursday, NATO said it killed Ismail Jan and several Haqqani fighters in an airstrike in Paktiya province near the Pakistani border. It said Jan was the deputy to the senior Haqqani commander in Afghanistan, and has led a group of fighters in attacks against Afghan and coalition security forces since late 2010.
Read more ....
More News On Afghanistan
NATO kills militant tied to Kabul hotel attack -- Seattle Times/AP
NATO Airstrike Kills Haqqani Militant Involved in Afghan Hotel Attack -- FOX News/AP
Nato 'kills senior Haqqani militant in Afghanistan' -- BBC
Senior commander in Haqqani network 'killed' -- The Telegraph
NATO strike kills militant blamed for Kabul hotel suicide attack -- Global Post
NATO Says It Has Killed Senior Militant Linked To Hotel Attack -- NPR
ISAF: Afghan hotel attack suspect killed -- CBS
Militant leader killed in Afghanistan -- UPI
NATO says Haqqani commander killed in Afghanistan -- AFP
Was deadly Kabul hotel attack an inside job? -- CBS
Attack at Kabul Hotel Deflates Security Hopes in Afghanistan -- New York Times
Afghan Taliban sends message with hotel attack -- L.A. Times
Afghan Attack Left Mass of Bodies at Luxury Hotel -- New York Times/AP
Kabul attack throws spotlight on troop pullout -- BBC
Obama Weighed Military and Political Risk for Afghan Plan -- New York Times/Reuters
Afghanistan: Attack won't derail security transfer -- Yahoo News/AP
US exit strategy from Afghanistan faces many challenges -- Deutsche Welle
Benefits of 'economy of force' missions in Afghanistan remain unclear -- Stars and Stripes
Officials tripling Afghan defense forces -- USA Today
Top special ops nominee defends night raids in Afghan war -- Stars and Stripes
Afghans Arrest Two Officials Over Kabul Bank Collapse -- New York Times
Banker Flees Afghanistan In Fear For His Life -- NPR
Afghan delays in addressing banking problems imperil foreign aid -- Washington Post
Kabul Bank Scandal Tests Afghan Stability -- Voice of America
Kidnapped French journalists return home from Afghanistan -- Deutsche Welle
French journalists arrive home after 18-month Taliban hostage ordeal -- The Guardian
Did Money on Mules Free French Hostages? -- CNBC
The Struggle for Afghanistan's Youth -- the Guardian
Fallen Marine Honored With Intelligence Medal for Valor -- U.S. Department of Defense
Marine's last words to family from Afghanistan: 'I'll see you soon' -- CNN
For suspected insurgents, NATO jails trump Afghan justice -- Miami Herald
U.S. and Taliban Diverge on Meaning of Kabul Siege -- Wall Street Journal
Kabul Hotel Attack Demonstrates Taliban's Persistence -- Max Fisher, The Atlantic
Kabul hotel attack is down to political gameplay -- Bette Dam, The Guardian
Kabul attack: Is Afghanistan ready to take over NATO's security duties? -- Howard LaFranchi, Christian Science Monitor
The Kabul Intercontinental Attack: The Taliban's Clear Message -- John Wendle, Time
Taliban talks bombing -- Washington Times editorial
As US slowly withdraws from Afghanistan, regional neighbors should step up -- Walter Rodgers, Yahoo News/Christian Science Monitor
How the Taliban and America met in Munich -- Ahmed Rashid, Financial Times
World News Briefs -- June 30, 2011
Greece Set For Final Vote On Austerity Measures After 2 Days Of Riots -- Washington Post/AP
ATHENS, Greece — Greek lawmakers are set to pass a bill Thursday to fast-track fresh austerity measures demanded by creditors, following two days of rioting in Athens that left some 200 people injured and 50 stores damaged.
Greece’s international creditors have insisted that Greece back an austerity package and the associated implementation bill in return for giving more money to the country. On Wednesday, parliament approved the five-year €28 billion ($40 billion) package of spending cuts and tax increases, leaving details of the cuts to be approved Thursday.
Read more ....
MIDDLE EAST
June bloodiest month for U.S. in Iraq in 2 years. U.S. monthly combat deaths in Iraq at 3-year high.
UN court indicts four Hezbollah members over Hariri car bomb. Indictments issued in Hariri death probe.
Syrian forces take mountainous province; 11 killed. Syria pulls its armed forces from some contested cities.
Iran facing new U.S. sanctions.
Riyadh will build nuclear weapons if Iran gets them, Saudi prince warns.
ASIA
Senior commander in Haqqani network 'killed'. Nato 'kills senior Haqqani militant in Afghanistan'.
Pakistan ends U.S. use of base for drone attacks: report.
North Korea rejects holding nuke talks with south.
Kim cancelled Russia trip on security worry: Report.
AFRICA
Commander refutes report that France supplied weapons to Libya's rebel forces. France provides weapons, food to Libyan rebels.
U.S. drone targets two leaders of Somali group allied with al-Qaeda, official says.
Senegal cracks down on riots.
South Sudan President steers nation to independence.
Egypt unprepared for September elections.
EUROPE
Buyers' market as Greece starts assets fire sale.
U.K.: 'Hundreds of thousands' of public sector workers strike. Public 'at risk' after 999 operators strike.
French journalists arrive home after 18-month Taliban hostage ordeal.
Gaza activists say ship sabotaged in Greece.
AMERICAS
New Mexico wildfires approach Los Alamos nuclear lab.
As poppy fields flourish in Mexico, heroin use surges in U.S..
Most Jamaicans believe UK rule better according to poll.
William, Kate off to Canada, US in first tour.
TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR
Al Qaeda remains top threat to U.S.
U.S. anti-terror strategy targets peril from within.
White House aims to disrupt al Qaeda online.
ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS
Web retailers say they'll fight new California sales tax.
Libya rebel chief says oil exports may take years.
London Stock Exchange £4.2bn merger with Canada's TMX collapses.
U.S. caught China buying more debt than disclosed.
Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- June 30, 2011
Curtains Closing On Robert Gates' Years As Defense Secretary -- ABC News
This morning, it's likely that from his office Defense Secretary Robert Gates could see the military bands and honor guards gathered on a parade field to practice the pomp and circumstance of a departure ceremony tomorrow to be held in his honor as he leaves the Pentagon for the last time.
On Thursday, Gates will finish out a four and half year tenure as Defense Secretary that began when President George W. Bush asked him to return to government service and replace the controversial Donald Rumsfeld.
Read more ....
MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS
Gates Sends Message Thanking Troops for Service -- U.S. Department of Defense
Obama, Pentagon plan big send-off for Gates -- Stars and Stripes
June bloodiest month for U.S. in Iraq in 2 years -- CBS
A400M Program Clouded By Concerns Over Maintenance -- Defense News
UAE wanted armed Predator drones in 2004 -- DAWN
Australia Plots Biggest Postwar Military Sale -- Defense News/AFP
Russia ‘No Obstacle’ To U.S.-Armenian Military Ties -- Radio Free Europe
British Desert Rats help build closer ties with French Army -- MoD
Chavez's health an issue for arms deals -- Space Wars
China Could Make 5th Gen Engines By 2021 -- Defense Tech
China Exporting Submarines For Pakistans Nuclear Triad -- Information Dissemination
Intelligence: China's Graduate Schools For Spies -- Strategy Page
Artillery: Smart Rockets Rule The Battlefield -- Strategy Page
Report: Iraq, Afghanistan Wars Cost US Nearly $4 Trillion -- Voice of America
Defense Budget Hinges on Debt Talks -- Defense News
Obama hints at deeper cuts to defense spending -- Stars and Stripes
How Far Will the Humvee Ride Into the Future? -- Ares
Another chance for DDG 1000? -- DoD Buzz
Killer Drones, Stealth Jets, Spy Planes: Bob Gates’ Legacy in Military Tech -- Danger Room
WNAN: DARPA’s Idea for Next-Generation Soldier Networks -- Defense Industry Daily
Boeing found to have overcharged Army for helicopter parts -- GoveExec
Commander: Special operations forces under stress -- Forbes/AP
Obama Denies ‘Kill not Capture’ Mission -- Military.com
Female Special Operators Now in Combat -- Military.com
New Program Aims to Find Military Spouses Work -- FOX News
Military vet accused of passport fraud weighs offer -- CNN
How Much Does the DoD Spend on Air Conditioning? -- Ares/Aviation Week
Spitfire down: The WWII camp where Allies and Germans mixed -- BBC
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