Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Military and Intelligence News Briefs -- June 4, 2014



On Taliban Video, a Message as Soldier Is Released: ‘Don’t Come Back’ -- New York Times

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl Was Exchanged for Detainees at Guantánamo

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban released a video on Wednesday showing its fighters handing over Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl to American troops, providing a direct look at a moment in the Afghan war that has prompted relief in some quarters but has drawn sharp criticism in Afghanistan and Washington.

Sergeant Bergdahl is seen in the video wearing traditional Afghan robes, and his face and head appear to have been recently shaved. For much of the video, he is seen waiting in a silver and red pickup truck surrounded by Taliban fighters armed with assault rifles and at least one rocket-propelled grenade launcher, standard armaments for the insurgents. The faces of many of the Taliban fighters are covered by scarves.

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Military and Intelligence News Briefs

The trade that turned toxic for Obama: Taliban twist the knife with propaganda video of moment fighters waving white-flag-on-a-stick handed 'deserter' Bowe Bergdahl over to Black Hawk special forces -- Daily Mail

WH apologizes to Senate intel chief for prisoner swap secret -- The Hill

Gold Star mom: 'This guy was worth my son's life?' -- Military Times

Bergdahl's Release Spurs Backlash among Soldiers -- Military.com

A Matter of Honor: Why So Many Soldiers Are Angry at the Bergdahl Deal -- David French, NRO

Military brass try to damp down furor over Guantánamo release -- Miami Herald/McClatchy News

Critics Are Questioning American Military Credo of Leaving No One Behind -- Eric Schmitt, Mark Mazzetti and Peter Baker, New York Times

Why Poland wants a U.S. military base -- Adam Taylor, Washington Post

Germany Launches Drive to Make Military Attractive -- AP

A glance at military spending in NATO's European members -- FOX News/AP

Ukrainian Army Shows Mixed Performance Against Insurgents -- Radio Free Europe

Obama, Ukraine president-elect discuss US help to train Kiev's military -- RT

General: Russians are staying on Ukraine border -- AP

NATO’s merry-go-round electronic surveillance in the Black Sea -- RT

Jump jets on Australian navy's agenda as Tony Abbott orders air strike rethink -- Sydney Morning Herald

Army of Serbia does not have a single fighter jet in working condition -- In Serbia

Israel Defense Forces to deploy more unmanned ground vehicles -- UPI

Merkel's Mobile: Germany Launches Investigation into NSA Spying -- Spiegel Online

Russian Arms Supplies to Pakistan Not Aimed Against Third Countries - Moscow -- RIA Novosti

Russian Missile Troops Test-Fire Iskander Systems During Military Drills -- RIA Novsoti

Russian Military Jet Intercepted U.S. Plane Near Japan -- Bloomberg

Senate Intel moves first on NSA reform -- The Hill

Edward Snowden 'Probably' Not a Russian Spy, New NSA Chief Says -- NBC

Snowden: I Wasn’t a ‘Low-Level’ Employee at NSA -- Defense One/National Journal

NSA whistleblower Snowden seeks Brazil asylum -- Al Jazeera

How the NSA Could Bug Your Powered-Off iPhone, and How to Stop Them -- Threat Level

Michael Vickers: Pentagon to Revamp Space Intell Gathering Strategy -- Executive Gov

‘Reset the Net!’ Reddit, Greenpeace, Amnesty unite in anti-NSA hit campaign -- RT

Why The Osprey Is The Future Of The US Military -- Carl Forsling, Business Insider/Task & Purpose

Fort Hood Sergeant Accused Of Setting Up Prostitution Ring With Cash-Strapped Female Soldiers -- CBS

Getting more women into Army leadership -- Jena McGregor, Washington Post

Welcome to Checkpoint, The Washington Post’s new military blog -- Washington Post

Eight Ways In Which The US Army Is Strategically Unique -- Loren Thompson, Forbes

Chaos of D-Day revealed in newly released photographs taken from RAF reconnaissance planes that flew over the beaches as allies fought their way ashore -- Daily Mail

US military deaths in Afghanistan at 2,182 -- AP

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