Thursday, October 24, 2013

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- October 24, 2013

Image credit: U.S. Army

The US Army Declares Itself Nearly Impotent -- Zachary Keck, The Diplomat

In a series of increasingly dire assessments, the U.S. Army all but declared itself to be on the verge of becoming an impotent fighting force as a result of budget cuts and sequestration.

At a joint press conference with Army Secretary John McHugh on Monday, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno warned that the U.S. Army only currently has two combat-ready brigades in the entire force. According to Odierno, even many of the brigades being sent to Afghanistan are only equipped for training and advisory missions, not for combat roles.

Back in June the Army announced it was cutting 12 combat brigades as part of its efforts to meet its reduced budgetary allocation. A brigade consists of about 3,500 troops.

Read more ....

MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS

Images show new work at North Korean nuclear test site -- Washington Times

Here come the Chinese drones -- Washington Times

British Marines accused in court martial of executing Afghan insurgent after clash -- The Guardian

The Royal Navy now has 15 times as many commanders as it has warships -- Thomas E. Ricks, Best Defense/Foreign Policy

Time for Germany to Flex Military Muscle - Constanze Stelzenmuller, Financial Times

Ukraine abandons bid to join NATO -- Stars and Stripes

Head of D.C.-based Russian cultural center being investigated as possible spy -- Washington Post

NSA's Italy op exposed: ‘Millions’ of private communications intercepted with govt awareness -- RT

Spain Fears NSA Is Targeting Communications Data Of Its Citizens -- ZDNet

Former NSA chief: NSA and U.S. Cyber Command are now ‘indistinguishable’ -- Washington Post

5 Things To Know About The NSA's Surveillance Activities -- NPR

Pause 2014 exit from Afghanistan, say experts -- UPI

Nuclear missile officers twice caught napping with blast door left open to underground bunker -- Washington Post/AP

A look at violations by officers in nuclear force -- Washington Post/AP

Hagel: US missile shield poses 'no threat' to Russia -- The Hill

Army lets air out of battlefield spyship project -- L.A. Times

Next Generation Army Radios Get High Grades in Afghanistan -- Defense Tech

Navistar Pitches New Uses for Old MRAPs -- DoD Buzz

FBI Names New National Security Chief -- CNN

Ex-judge advocates ask Congress to investigate top Marine officer -- Washington Times

Gitmo team seeks ‘black site’ secrets -- The Hill

Service branches to Congress: No money, no new weapons -- Stars and Stripes

Sequester may be new ceiling for DoD budget -- The Hill

Sequester could ax F-35 jets -- The Hill

Army: Furloughs Make Civilian Force a Serious Flight Risk -- DoD Buzz

Vice Chief of Staff Campbell: NCOs still 'backbone' of Army -- Army.mil

Generals: New Congress Leaves Military Vulnerable -- Military.com

Military operations alone can’t solve Africa terror trouble, general says -- John Vandiver, Stars and Stripes

Drone strikes that hit civilians: Time to rethink intelligence -- Christian Science Monitor editorial

Why the Navy Needs to Open Source Its Future -- Gunnar Hellekson, Defense One

Replacing the Boomers & Naval Soul-Searching -- Robert Haddick, War On The Rocks

Combat culture: How civil military perspectives have changed since 9/11 -- and why Trotsky was wrong about war -- Jim Gourley, Best Defense/Foreign Policy

Does Army consider Christians, Tea Party, a terror threat? -- Todd Starnes, FOX News

At least 2,150 US military deaths in Afghanistan since 2001 -- AP

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