'I don't rule anything out': White House Press Secretary Jay Carney (R) whispered to U.S. President Barack Obama before he announced that military options against Iraqi insurgents were on the table; the remarks came during a bilateral meeting with Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott (L) in the Oval Office
'I Don't Rule Out Anything': Obama Vows To Help Iraqis After He's Accused Of 'Taking A Nap' While Terrorist Horde Marches On Baghdad – But What Can He Do? -- Daily Mail
* WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
* President suddenly said all options are on the table against violent militant group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which conquered key cities in Iraq this week
* Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is said to have asked the U.S. to carry out drone strikes on the areas occupied by the insurgents
* But a senior U.S. military official told the Daily Beast, 'There are no plans right now to participate in anything like this'
* House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday that 'they're 100 miles from Baghdad. And what’s the president doing? Taking a nap!'
* US has 35,000 troops in the Middle East, with 10,000 stationed in Kuwait
* A US Air Force base is in Jordan where F-16 fighters are on standby
* The US Navy's Fifth Fleet is in nearby Bahrain with two Nimitz-class aircraft carriers capable of launching dozens of F/A Super Hornet fighters
* The fleet also has an unknown number of nuclear submarines armed with Trident and Tomahawk cruise missiles
* So far the US has only committed to providing the ailing Iraqi army with more Hellfire missiles and other military hardware as part of $14bn deal
President Barack Obama abruptly changed course Thursday on Iraq, saying that 'I don't rule out anything' as he searches for ways to help the ailing Iraqi army push back a terrorist horde that has captured to major cities and is marching toward Baghdad.
'What we've seen over the last couple of days indicates Iraq’s going to need more help' from the United States and other nations, Obama said in the Oval Office.
He added that the U.S. has been working 'around the clock' to find appropriate ways to intervene.
'I don't rule out anything.' he said, because we do have a stake in making sure that these jihadists are not getting a permanent foothold in Iraq – or Syria, for that matter.
Read more ....
Military And Intelligence News Briefs
White House weighs options for halting gains by insurgents in Iraq -- Washington Post
Pentagon plans massive arms shipment to Iraq -- Press TV
The Iraqi Army Was Crumbling Long Before Its Collapse, U.S. Officials Say -- New York Times
Collapse of Iraqi army a failure for nation’s premier and for U.S. military -- Washington Post
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICER: What's Happening In Iraq Is 'Exactly What We Forecasted' -- Paul Szoldra, Business Insider
Ex-US commander defends US training of Iraq forces -- AP
Pentagon Officials Cautious on Iraq, Point to Maliki -- Defense One
Rasmussen Sees No Role For NATO In Iraq -- RFE
UK rules out taking military action in Iraq -- BBC
Major players in the Iraq conflict -- Stars and Stripes
Former US Diplomat: Consider Giving Israel Bunker-Busters to Hedge Against Nefarious Iran -- Defense News
Nigeria military studies Sri Lankan tactics for use against Boko Haram -- Reuters
South Sudan Army Spokesman Says Desertion is 'Normal' -- VOA
Ukrainian Military Waits For Government To Act On Promises Of Support -- RFE
Russian Sailors To Begin Mistral Training June 22 -- Defense News
Russia Warns Sweden and Finland Against NATO Membership -- Defense News
South Korea calls on US military to keep servicemembers in line -- Stars and Stripes
UK seeks to renew pact with US on nuke data exchange, warhead design -- RT
U.S. and Australia to Cooperate on Asian Missile-Defense Plans -- WSJ
Tony Abbott and Barack Obama strike deal to let the US build military facilities in Australia -- The Australian
Big Test Coming for Missile Defense System -- Defense Tech
NORAD Scrambles Fighters Against Russian Bombers -- DoD Buzz
Pentagon Looks to Lower Costs of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program -- WSJ
US House panel backs EA-18 and, F-35, but nixes A-10 and OH-58 -- Flight Global
US Military Developing Anti-Drone Lasers For Ground Vehicles -- CBS
Study to Assess Threats to U.S. Military Technological Superiority -- Roll Call
Special Forces Deaths Fuel A-10 Debate -- Military.com
Leaders must watch their words on military sexual assault -- The Hill
McCain calls for entire Obama national security team to be fired -- Washington Times
Military spending: Don’t save the Warthog -- The Economist
Back on U.S. soil: Bowe Bergdahl arrives at San Antonio military medical center after five years of captivity in Afghanistan. -- Daily Mail
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