Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 11, 2014

President George W Bush 'Knew Everything' About CIA Interrogation -- BBC

Former US President George W Bush was "fully informed" about CIA interrogation techniques condemned in a Senate report, his vice-president says.

Speaking to Fox News, Dick Cheney said Mr Bush "knew everything he needed to know" about the programme, and the report was "full of crap".

The CIA has defended its use of methods such as waterboarding on terror suspects after the 9/11 attacks.

The Senate report said the agency misled politicians about the programme.

But the former Republican vice-president dismissed this, saying: "The notion that the committee is trying to peddle that somehow the agency was operating on a rogue basis and that we weren't being told - that the president wasn't being told - is a flat-out lie."

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 11, 2014

Cheney defends CIA interrogation techniques, calls Senate report 'deeply flawed' -- FOX News

CIA chief John Brennan to face down pressure over torture report -- The Guardian

US Trains, Equips Syrian Opposition to Start Fighting IS in 2016: Official -- Sputnik

Israel moots security cooperation with Lebanese military -- Reuters

Russian Military Plans to Buy 100 Planes, 600 Armored Vehicles Annually -- Sputnik

Third Borei-class nuclear sub handed over to Russian Navy -- ITAR-TASS

Russian military builds futuristic helipad on Moscow embankment -- RT

Russian Baltic military actions 'unprecedented' - Poland -- BBC

NATO Military Activity Near Russia Is Response to Moscow's Actions -- Sputnik

NATO Land Command fully operational, says commander -- Stars and Stripes

Pentagon to Press Russia on Arms Pact Violation -- New York Times

Pentagon Considering Deployment of Nuclear Missiles in Europe -- Washington Free Beacon

NATO cooperation must be resumed to prevent chaos in Afghanistan – Russia's chief of General Staff -- RT

Chinese special mission aircraft cross Okinawa into West Pacific -- Janes 360

Taiwan says to buy two U.S. frigates despite China anger -- Reuters

British female soldiers to be allowed to fight on the front line for the first time after historic Ministry of Defence ruling -- Daily Mail

Why India Has Become a Major Military Space Market -- Kiran Krishnan Nair, Space News

North Korean Military ‘Extraordinarily Active’, But Hacking Is the New Frontline -- Newsweek

ANALYSIS: World air forces fighting on many fronts -- Flight Global

Old A-10 and New F-35 Both Win in Spending Deal -- DoD Buzz

U.S. lawmakers Boost Budgets for Abrams, Army Vehicles in Defense Bill -- Defense News

A $4,000 Paint Job to Keep the Pentagon's New $400 Billion Fighter Jets Running -- Bloomberg Businessweek

A Look at F-35 Close Air Support Tactics Development -- Intercepts/Defense News

Navy: New laser weapon works, ready for action -- CNN

Cyber Command trying to get running start, add staff -- Stars and Stripes

The 'Way Forward' to the Cloud: Policy Invites Commercial Vendors Into DoD Data Centers -- Defense News

US to give back pay to troops who have flown Syria air operations -- AP

Chinese national charged for allegedly stealing US military documents -- RT

The US Military Is The Largest Buyer Of Jack Daniel's Single Barrel -- Business Insider

Firm: More Troops Would Prefer Lump-Sum Retirement Checks -- Military.com

Rules of Engagement, Still Missing: Authorizing Military Force Must Have Limits -- New York Times editorial

Death shapes life for teams that prepare bodies of fallen troops for final flight home -- Stars and Stripes

Shutting down Guantanamo: Who's left and what's in the way -- Jeremy Diamond and Michael Martinez, CNN