Friday, September 6, 2013

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- September 6, 2013



Forces Were Ready To Strike Syria, Surprised By Obama Decision -- CNN

U.S. forces in the Middle East tasked with carrying out military action against Syria were ready to go this past weekend and were caught off guard by President Barack Obama's decision to first seek congressional approval.

Navy destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean equipped with cruise missiles had ramped up operations from the previous week, thinking they would be ordered to launch a strike as early as Saturday.

"I thought that was the night," a Defense Department official told CNN.

"We were standing multiple watches. Everyone was pretty sure it was going to happen," the official added.

He said the sudden change in direction from the White House late on Friday was surprising.

Read more ....

MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS

US Military Leaders Lay Out Goals for Syria Attack -- Voice of America

US military has revised Syria strike plan 50 times, source says -- FOX News

In U.S. and around world, doubts grow over attack on Syria -- Washington Times

France cannot afford military operation in Syria -- RT

Here's How Much A Military Strike Against Syria Would Probably Cost -- Business Insider/Reuters

Cost of Syria strikes would not be 'extraordinary': US Navy -- AFP

Russian Troop Carrier Heads to East Mediterranean as Syrian Crisis Escalates -- International Business Times

USS Mahan Left Mediterranean, Standing By for Air Strike: CNO -- Defense Tech

Mideast Spy Agencies Nervous Syria May Use Bioweapons -- Global Security Newswire

U.S. has bombs designed to ‘vaporize’ chemical, biological weapons -- Washington Times

Aircraft Carriers or Not? Flattops in the Pacific -- Mike Yeo, The Diplomat

Japan faces hurdles in plan to deploy drones -- Asahi Shimbun

Inside China: Military entertainers -- Washington Times

Top USN Admiral Wants More Team-Ups With Chinese Navy -- Defense News

Chinese navy warships will arrive at Pearl Harbor Friday -- Stars and Stripes/The Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Suspend aid to Egypt, national security team tells Obama -- CNN

Does the US Have Leverage Over Egypt’s Military? -- Voice of America

Lawmakers Uneasy Over US-Myanmar Military Ties -- AP

The Startling Size of US Military Operations in Africa -- Mother Jones

The costs and doubts keep growing for carrier Ford -- Virginia-Pilot

US Navy, GAO at Odds Over Carrier Issues -- Defense News

Navy Chief: Quality of Force More Important Than Number of Ships -- National Defense

Troops Demand More Switchblade -- Strategy Page

A GI's next target? That autonomous moving robot at 50 yards -- Stars and Stripes

All-Female Crew Makes Historic Flight -- Military.com/Dvids

New Snowden documents say NSA can break common Internet encryption -- Reuters

Following Benghazi, report finds security not State Dept. priority -- CNN

Greenert Details Navy’s Fiscal 2014 Budget Realities -- US Department of Defense

Official Predicts Bleak Budget Picture for Fiscal 2014 -- US Department of Defense

Navy midshipman rape accuser sues the academy, superintendent -- NBC

The Military's Latest Rape-Case Mess -- Time

A war the Pentagon doesn’t want -- Robert H. Scales, Washington Post

Don't use Syria to pump up Pentagon spending -- William D. Hartung, Special to CNN

Doolittle Raiders Set 'Final Toast' for November -- AP

Taking the military's coffee obsession to the next level -- USA Today

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