Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 22, 2015

Jonathan Marcus, BBC: Sangin: Kabul and Nato's failures laid bare

The grim strategic geography of Afghanistan, the province of Helmand and towns like Sangin and Lashkar Gah, is back in the headlines.

They are places etched into the collective memory of the British military, which suffered over 100 combat fatalities in and around Sangin, almost a quarter of all those killed during Britain's Afghan intervention.

Now the Taliban has swept across Helmand, taking control of all but two of its districts, and pushing Afghan forces in Sangin to the brink.

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- December 22, 2015

How NATO Advises Afghanistan’s National Security Forces -- Franz-Stefan Gady, The Diplomat

Afghanistan Attack: 6 NATO Troops Killed Near Bagram Airbase -- NBC

N.Y. cop, female Air Force major among 6 U.S. troops killed in Afghan attack -- CNN

UN Warns Islamic State Extremists Increasing in Afghanistan -- AP

ISIL lost 5,000 square miles of territory largely in Northern Syria, Iraq -- USA Today

ISIS orders forces to impersonate Iraqi military, torture civilians -- The Hill

Behind the scenes in the Marine Corps mission against the Islamic State -- Thomas Gibbons-Neff, Washington Post

F-22 Has Flown Almost 300 Sorties Against Islamic State -- Bloomberg

Pentagon: Fight against ISIS costing U.S. $11 million per day -- Washington Times

Iraqi Leader: We Want More U.S. Airstrikes, But Not U.S. Ground Troops -- NPR

French General is Happy Russia, France 'Working Together' to Fight Daesh -- Sputnik

France, Russia To 'Strengthen' Information Exchange on IS -- Defense News

Russian national security strategy envisages fighting terrorism — Security Council chief -- TASS

Russian Fighting 'Vehicle of Future' to Become Multirole Digital Unit -- Sputnik

Russia develops attack multicopters armed with grenade launchers, flame throwers -- TASS

Russia’s new generation "doomsday plane" to be created in 5-7 years — official -- TASS

High Demand for Russia's S-400 'Sends Shivers Down Washington's Spine' -- Sputnik

President Says Philippines To Spend $1.8B on Military Modernization -- AFP

India Cleared Purchase of Russian S-400 Missile Defense System -- The Diplomat

Taliban resurgence: British troops re-deployed to Helmand, Afghanistan -- RT

UK, US deploy troops in AfghanistanUS, UK Deploy Forces in Afghanistan After 14 Year Failure to Defeat Taliban -- Sputnik

Lithuania To Acquire Javelin Missiles, Hikes Defense Spending -- Defense News

NATO's AGS Global Hawk Completes First Flight -- Defense News

Canada close to deciding CF-18 withdrawal plan -- Flight Global

F-35 not ruled out of Canadian fighter competition -- Flight Global

Congress to Pentagon: Don’t Even Think About Closing Military Bases -- Fiscal Times

Bowe Bergdahl Enters No Plea at Arraignment -- ABC News

Obama marks 5 years since end of 'don't ask, don't tell' -- AP

21-gun funeral salutes: Still banned -- Air Force Times

Apple hits out at British plans to extend online surveillance -- Reuters