Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- May 28, 2014


'Harder To End Wars Than It Is To Begin Them': Obama Will Keep 9,800 US Troops In Afghanistan After December Despite State Of The Union Promise To Have All Troops Out By End Of This Year -- Daily Mail

* A senior White House official told reporters Tuesday that 'we want to maintain a counterterrorism ability ... we're going to train Afghan National Security Forces to help us in mitigating that threat'
* But Obama said Tuesday afternoon that in 2015 'Afghans will be fully responsible for securing their country' and the US will be limited to 'an advisory role'
* 'This year we will bring the war in Afghanistan to a responsible end,' he said
* The conference-call official said by the end of 2016 the US would have only an 'embassy presence with a security assistance office' – meaning Bagram Air Base could be closed or given to the Afghans
* Obama said in January's that only 'a small force' of Americans might stay behind, but nearly 10,000 U.S. military personnel will remain
* Originally the White House said they would help a few thousand NATO troops train Afghan fighters, and man 'counterterrorism operations to pursue any remnants of al-Qaeda'
* President Hamid Karzai has not signed a Bilateral Security Agreement that would keep U.S. personnel there while making them immune from Afghan law; both of his possible successors have said they will sign it

In a stunning admission Tuesday afternoon, a senior White House official told reporters on a conference call that part of the continuing U.S. mission in Afghanistan will involve training security forces in that country to 'help us' defeat al-Qaeda – not the other way around.

The White House has sought to assure the press that the U.S. role after 2014 would be reduced to what President Barack Obama called 'an advisory role' just an hour later.

But the official's statement, which drew no follow-up inquiry from the few reporters permitted to ask questions, indicates that American forces will take on a more substantial part of Afghanistan's coming security needs.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs

Obama Details Plan for Forces in Afghanistan -- WSJ

How much money will Obama want for Afghanistan troops? -- The Hill

Relief in Afghanistan after Obama makes troop commitment -- Stars and Stripes

It’s a mistake to set strict Afghanistan withdrawal deadlines: Hayden -- Washington Times

With Afghanistan plan revealed, Obama to spell out foreign policy vision -- CNN

Obama to answer foreign policy critics in Military Academy speech -- Reuters

U.S. to Train Moderate Syrian Rebels, Sets $5 Billion Fund to Fight Terrorism -- Wall Street Journal

Chinese Fighters Intercept Japanese Surveillance Planes -- Defense Tech

Russian Naval Aviation Monitoring NATO Warships in Black Sea – Source -- RIA Novosti

Russia Lays Down 6th Kilo-Class Sub for Vietnam -- RIA Novsoti

Djibouti-based troops restricted to base following bombing -- Stars and Stripes

McKeon Hits Back at Critics of Defense Bill -- DoD Buzz

Why Can’t America’s Newest Stealth Jet Land Like It’s Supposed To? -- Bill Sweetman, Daily Beast

HAYDEN: Questions that still puzzle me about the Snowden, NSA spying story -- Washington Times

White House to investigate inadvertent naming of CIA officer -- Washington Post

The U.S. Army’s New Drone Is a Hunter and a Killer -- David Cenciotti, War Is Boring

DARPA introduces 'invulnerable' hack-proof drone -- RT

Chastened Pentagon promises better ammo count -- USA Today

U.S. Military's 'Iron Man' Suit Prototype Debuts This Month -- Yahoo News/Live Science

Hagel Orders Review of Military Health System -- AP

Hagel orders review of military health system amid VA scandal -- FOX News/Wall Street Journal

US Military Defeats British Forces--in Surfing -- Breitbart

Why the U.S. Should Welcome Japan’s ‘Spear’ Capability -- Ayumi Teraoka, The Diplomat

Military Official Says They’ll Be ‘Tweeted Into Combat’ -- Daily Caller

US Military in Afghanistan by the Numbers: 2,184 Dead, 19,600 Wounded -- ABC News

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