Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- August 7, 2014

U.S. Weighs Airstrikes On Iraq -- Wall Street Journal

Washington Wants to Aid Religious Minority Besieged by Insurgents

The U.S. military is considering launching airstrikes and dropping emergency relief supplies into Iraq to aid members of a religious minority driven into the mountains last weekend by Sunni extremist militants who now are imperiling other areas in northern Iraq, U.S. defense officials said.

Last Sunday, the militant group Islamic State took over Sinjar, a Kurdish-controlled town with a large population of Yazidis, a Kurdish-speaking group that follow a pre-Islamic religion. About 40,000 members of the minority fled to a mountainside and are trapped there, with all access roads out controlled by the Islamic State.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- August 7, 2014

U.S. Mulls Action to Help Threatened Iraqis as ISIS Advances -- Time

US considers 'military options' in Iraq to save Yazidis, Christians -- RT

U.S. considers 'other military options' in Iraq -- CNN

No American Military Solutions in Iraq, White House Says -- VOA

Afghan troops’ rocky past offers clues into shooting that killed U.S. general -- Washington Post

Spanish Navy Training Ship Caught Smuggling Cocaine -- Maritime Executive

Pakistan Appoints New Defense Secretary -- Defense News

Warplanes: Heron Rises Above Predator -- Strategy Page

Warplanes: The Secret Taiwan UAV Program -- Strategy Page

Infantry: Israeli Robots Under Gaza -- Strategy Page

The Softer Side of China’s Military -- Shannon Tiezzi, The Diplomat

More Chinese missiles will be revealed soon: report -- Want China Times

Hypersonic missiles are the future for India and Russia – new BrahMos Chief -- Russia & India Report

U.S. Leads WMD Exercise without China, India -- Defense Tech

Russia Defense Ministry to open social network accounts to bring unbiased info to Pentagon -- ITAR-TASS

Russia Dismisses Pentagon’s Claims of Building Military on Ukraine Border, UN Calls for ‘Immediate Action’ -- IBTimes

Op-Ed: Russia denies NATO and Pentagon claims on Ukraine buildup -- Digital Journal

Obama Says Ukraine Doesn't Need U.S. Military Aid -- Radio Free Europe

Pentagon may review force levels in Europe, senior official says -- Military Times

Hagel Visits India Seeking to Sell Weapons -- Bloomberg Businessweek

India offers to buy more U.S. helicopters, hopes to drive down costs -- Reuters

US missile cruiser enters Black Sea again ‘to promote peace’ -- RT

Lawmakers Remain Skeptical of Obama's Quiet Military, Intel Pivot to Africa -- Defense News

Lockheed defends F-35 program -- The Hill

Navy: Cuts Threaten 306-Ship Fleet Goal -- DoD Buzz

Future Carrier to Feature More Prebuilt Parts -- Defense Tech

Obama signs landmark VA reform law -- Stars and Stripes

Dempsey Sets Expectations for Defense University, Students -- US Department of Defense

U.S. Military Plugs Into Social Media for Intelligence Gathering -- Wall Street Journal

Snowden’s Revelations Bring Changes to US Intelligence Gathering -- VOA

Snowden granted 3-yr residence permit - lawyer -- RT

Military begins questioning Bergdahl on his capture -- CSM

Bergdahl read his rights -- The Hill

With Shrinking Budgets, Pentagon Should Rely More on Guard, Reserve Troops -- Ret. Lt. Gen. David Barno, Defense One