Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 5, 2011

Image: Getty Images

Covert Action Makes a Comeback -- Max Boot, Wall Street Journal

Once in disrepute, secret warfare is now embraced even by the Obama administration to fight terrorism and weapons proliferation.

We're in an era of "covert action."

That phrase went into disrepute in the 1970s, when Congress's Church Committee exposed hare-brained CIA plots to eliminate foreign leaders, such as assassinating Fidel Castro with exploding cigars. President Ford banned assassinations, a chastened CIA cast many veteran officers into the cold, and Congress imposed new limits on covert activities. From then on the president would have to approve all operations in writing and notify senior members of Congress. There would be no more "wink-and-nod" authorizations.

Read more ....

MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS

Cyber Warrior to Take Enterprise Command -- Military.com

'Kim Jong-il hides himself underground for fear of F-22 Raptors' -- Korea Times

India Breaks Ground On Warship Research Center -- Defense News

Russia plans 50 space launches, 10 ICBM launches in 2011 -- Barents Observer

Strategic Weapons: The Last Charge Of The Heavy Brigade -- Strategy Page

US, Russia plan more anti-hijacking exercises -- AP

U.S. denies Iran shot down drones in Gulf -- Reuters

Lockheed Missile-System Funds Are Withheld Until Program's Fate Is Decided -- Bloomberg

DARPA seeks 'smart jammer' technology for combat -- GCN

DARPA Developing Mobile Networks For War Communications -- Information Week Government

Pentagon issues conflict of interest rule for contractors -- Washington Post

Is This The End for The Marines’ Swimming Tank? -- The Danger Room

SLAMRAAM, EFV Getting Axed? -- DoD Buzz

US military fields new mine roller technology to defeat IEDs -- Defpro

Army relieves 172nd Infantry Brigade Commander
-- Stars And Stripes

The future of warfare -- David Ignatius, Washington Post (Commentary)

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