Thursday, April 17, 2014

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- April 17, 2014

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Image from VOA

America’s Peacetime Retreat From Europe Now Leaves U.S. Powerless In Ukraine -- Washington Times

Combat teams, aircraft, tanks pulled from Europe

The Obama administration has removed all operational combat tanks from Europe and key strike aircraft, limiting the options for a show of force to bolster eastern NATO allies as Russia contemplates invading Ukraine.

Most analysts, and President Obama, say direct military aid to Kiev in the form of weapons, air power or ground troops is off the table.

That makes it a top priority to show Russian President Vladimir Putin that Washington stands militarily behind NATO members such as the Baltic states, Poland and other countries once under Soviet domination.

The problem is, the U.S. shelf is a bit bare. In the past two years, the Obama administration has deactivated the only two armored combat brigade teams in Europe equipped with the Army’s main M1 battle tanks. It also disbanded a squadron of A-10 ground-attack jets that proved effective over Libya.

While Mr. Putin is flexing his muscle in the east, Washington is tilting military away from Europe and toward Asia.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs

Putin stresses right to use force in Ukraine amid deadly clashes at base -- FOX News

Obama: Russia doesn’t want ‘any kind of military confrontation with us’ -- Washington Post

Ukraine military push appears to lose momentum in the east -- CNN

EU spy chief rules out Russian military presence in Ukraine -- RT

Multinational naval fleet to depart Germany for Baltic Sea within days -- Washington Times

Poland Wants Larger US, NATO Troop Presence -- Defense News

The military balance: Gathering storm -- The Economist

First Borey-Class Strategic Sub Ready for Combat Patrols - Russian Navy -- RIA Novosti

Iran's ballistic missiles off limits at nuclear talks, says official -- AP

Saudi Intelligence Chief Replaced -- Voice of America

Syrian opposition fighters obtain U.S.-made TOW antitank missiles -- Washington Post

UN mulls peacekeeper medal named after Capt Mbaye Diagne -- BBC

HMCS Chicoutimi One Step Closer to Returning to Operations, Canadian Navy Says – Dive Planned For Today -- Ottawa Citizen

Despite doubts, Japan prepares end to ban on defending allies -- Stars and Stripes

Al-Sweady Inquiry: MoD says murder claims are 'conspiracy' -- BBC

News Analysis: Snags seen in proposed Philippine-U.S. military access pact -- Xinhuanet

Goodbye, Afghanistan — hello, Africa: Air Force to shift as U.S. exits Middle East -- Washington Times

New US Navy Submarine's Delivery Delayed -- Defense News

GAO to US Air Force: Improve Morale for Drone Pilots -- Defense News

Navy Set to Pick Presidential Helicopter Contractor -- DoD Buzz

Lockheed to Lose 17 F-35s Under Automatic Pentagon Cuts -- Bloomberg

Pentagon Develops F-35’s 4th Generation Software -- Defense Tech

Navy Plan to Halt MH-60 Buy Rattles Sikorsky -- DoD Buzz

Pentagon Plans to Ax Missile-Interceptor Redesign Under Sequestration -- National Journal

Defense cuts prompt Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopter to seek new markets -- Dallas News

Pentagon report finds sequestration cuts would reduce national security -- Stars and Stripes

Pentagon report on sequester cuts -- The Hill

CIA’s former top lawyer fires back at Senate report, criticizes Feinstein -- Stars and Stripes/McClatchy News

CENTCOM commander lauds US intelligence advantage -- Stars and Stripes/Tampa (Fla.) Tribune

‘Zero knowledge privacy’: NSA-proof email service goes online -- RT

Security holes in power grid have federal officials scrambling -- Stars and Stripes/Tribune Washington Bureau

FBI’s facial-recognition database projected to have 52M images by 2015: report -- Washington Times

Lawmakers slam current Air Force religious expression rules -- The Hill

3 Ways a Corrupt Chinese Military Hurts the U.S. -- Aki Peritz, US News and World Report

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