Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- September 5, 2014

Nato Agrees On New 'Spearhead' Force Amid Ukraine Crisis -- BBC

The Nato military alliance has agreed on a new "spearhead" force amid growing concern at the Ukraine crisis and the rise of Islamic State militants.

The move was announced at a meeting of Nato leaders in Wales.

Talks on a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine have begun, but more clashes were reported close to the city of Mariupol.

Ukraine, Russia and pro-Russia rebels are attending the talks in Belarus, while Western countries ponder further sanctions on Russia.

The West accuses Russia of sending arms and troops to back the rebels in eastern Ukraine. Moscow denies this.

More than 2,600 people have died during the five-month conflict.

The enhanced sanctions are expected to target Russian banking, energy and defence, as well as what British sources call "Putin cronies".

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- September 5, 2014

NATO leaders approve rapid response force -- AP

NATO agrees to form joint rapid-action force -- Al Jazeera

No new Nato bases in eastern Europe -- EUObserver

NATO Unable to Finalize Troop Numbers for Afghanistan -- Defense News

Time to pay your way: France and Germany told to 'urgently' increase military spending as the price of Nato membership -- Daily Mail

NATO agrees cyber attack could trigger military response -- Reuters

Report: Britain's Defense Spending to Fall Below 2% GDP in 2015 -- Defense News

Stavridis: Russian Mistrals Could Work Well As NATO Rapid Reaction Force Asset -- Sam LaGrone, USNI

Russian Defense Ministry: Russian MiG-31 Supersonic Interceptor Crashes, Pilots Survive -- RIA Novosti

Russian Naval Aviation Forces to Receive 10 MiG-29K Fighter Jets by End of 2014 -- RIA Novosti

Russia, China in talks over Su-35 fighter jet deal -- ITAR-TASS

Fourth advanced German submarine en route to Israel -- Times of Israel

Japan Enters Global Submarine Market With Soryu Offering -- The Diplomat

Promise and Potential Peril: Japan’s Military Normalization -- Paul J. Leaf, The Diplomat

Exclusive: Canada seen buying fighter jets from U.S., not Europe - source -- Reuters

A Canadian F-35 purchase? Or will it be a Canadian Super Hornet purchase? -- David Pugliese, Ottawa Citizen

British Army reforms risk leaving capability gaps, say MPs -- BBC

B-1s Continue to Prove Worth Over Iraq -- CIMSEC

Navy Receives First Block III Virginia-Class Submarine -- DoD Buzz

F-35 has emerged from 'tragic past': US general -- Flight Global

Army now says it won’t put cameras on surveillance aircraft in Maryland -- Washington Post

Army’s New Laser Cannon Blasts Drones Out of the Sky, Even in Fog -- Autopia/Wired

Pentagon official sees 'very, very painful' 2016 budget process -- Reuters

The CIA’s Mop-Up Man: L.A. Times Reporter Cleared Stories With Agency Before Publication -- The Intercept

Former NSA Official: Edward Snowden Leak Has 'Clearly' Helped ISIL -- Wire

US commandos claim CIA station chief delayed Benghazi rescue -- The Hill

Investigation: Friendly fire airstrike that killed U.S. Special Forces was avoidable -- Washington Post

U.S. Army Suspends Head of Western Medical Command -- AP

Diego Garcia: Heavy Rain That 'Destroyed' Flight Logs in CIA Rendition Row Wasn't So Heavy -- Ben Bryant, Vice News

Ex-Navy SEAL turned TV star is charged after 'faking a story about being shot by attackers at shopping mall' -- Daily Mail

The Woman Stuck in a Navy SEAL's Body -- Nina Strochlic, Daily Beast

In Photos: Elite Soldiers Compete in a Special Forces Olympics -- Vice

Does the CIA Believe Obama? -- Philip Giraldi, American Conservative