Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 2, 2014

Child soldier, center, known as "Kadogo," meaning "small one" in Swahili, stands at the front line at Kanyabayonga in eastern Congo.

UN Reports On Child Rights Violations -- Voice of America

UNITED NATIONS — A U.N. report released Tuesday documents cases of children recruited and used as soldiers by eight national armies and 51 armed groups in the past year.

Some of the most serious situations are reported in Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and South Sudan.

According to Leila Zerrougui, U.N. envoy on children and armed conflict, grave rights violations of children, including death, maiming, sexual violence and attacks on schools and hospitals, are highlighted.

In Syria, where a civil war is raging into its fourth year, the U.N. estimates more than 10,000 children have been killed.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 2, 2014

General: US assessing whether Iraq forces can hold -- AP

More US Troops to Iraq, Raising Total to About 775 -- Defense News

Pentagon says growing US forces in Iraq need 'flexibility' for mission -- The Guardian

Iran Has Deployed All Of Its Su-25 Attack Planes To Iraq -- Business Insider/The Aviationist

Pentagon sends attack helicopters to Iraq -- The Hill

Iraq says it ‘can’t wait’ for US military aid -- Gulf News/AP

Iraq to Get 5-10 Russian Su-25 Attack Aircraft by September -- RIA Novosti

On Russia's growing involvement in Iraq -- The Hill

Russian Navy To Acquire New Minesweepers, Boost Military Presence in Arctic -- Defense News

West Never Treated Russia as Equal in Missile Defense – Russian Security Council -- RIA Novosti

Experts: China General's Ousting Tightens Xi's Grip on Military -- Defense News/AFP

India a global military power by 2045, says UK study -- Hindustan Times

Japan Ends Ban on Military Self-Defense -- Time

Japan flexes its muscles, shifts its defense policy with Pentagon support -- Washington Post

How Japan might use its military in the future -- Japan Times/AP

Dempsey applauds Japan's move to expand military role -- Stars and Stripes

China rounds on Japan over plan to ease military restrictions -- The Guardian

North Korea Fires More Projectiles off East Coast -- VOA

Top military commanders from S. Korea, U.S., Japan discuss North Korean nuclear threats -- Arirang News

Australian soldier dies of gunshot wound in Kabul -- AP

Top-secret court to weigh ban on MI5 and GCHQ spying on MPs in public -- The Guardian

Save the Red Arrows! -- The Telegraph

German defense minister seeks armed drones for military -- Deutsche Welle

Former NATO chief: ISIS ‘jihadists’ will target western nations next -- The Hill

Expect cuts to F-15 fleet in Europe, Breedlove says -- Stars and Stripes

Privacy board backs NSA's foreign spying -- The Hill

Dempsey Discusses Use of Military Instrument of Power -- US Department of Defense

Cost of ‘green’ initiatives is U.S. security- US Senator Inhofe: President values climate over military readiness -- Washington Times

US Gets First Female Four-Star Admiral -- VOA

World War II vet, 90, closer to getting Marines to fix AWOL error in war record -- FOX News

6 things new VA secretary must focus on -- Chris Carroll, Stars and Stripes

Stop Persecuting Bowe Bergdahl -- Matthew Hoh, Politico Magazine

From Sarajevo to Baghdad: The Lessons of War -- John Cassidy, New Yorker

US military deaths in Afghanistan at 2,194 -- AP