Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 4, 2017

Sebastien A. Roblin, War Is Boring: Baghdad Doesn’t Want You to Know How Many of Its Soldiers Are Dying

Urban warfare exacts a terrible toll

On Dec. 1, 2016, the United Nations Assistance Mission to Iraq reported that 1,959 Iraqi Security Forces troops had died in combat during the month of November, including army, police on combat operations, Kurdish Peshmerga and other allied militias.

The casualty report came six weeks after Iraq launched an operation aimed at liberating Mosul from Islamic State.

On Dec. 2, the Iraqi Joints Operations Command angrily refuted the United Nations’ claim. “This figure is not accurate and much exaggerated,” the command stated. However, JOC refused to offer casualty figures of its own, claiming it wasn’t obligated to do so — and that such figures would only boost Islamic State’s morale.

By Dec. 3, 2016, UNAMI backtracked, sort of. Amid the bureaucratic squabbling, one thing is obvious. Baghdad doesn’t want anyone to know how many of its troops are dying in the war against ISIS.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- January 4, 2017

Official total of civilians killed by US-led coalition air strikes against Isis in Syria and Iraq rises to 188 -- The Independent

1st British soldier dies in Iraq since 2009, cause unknown -- AP

Watch a US-led coalition airstrike destroy part of ISIS' oil network near the Iraq-Syria border -- Business Insider

Iraqi coalition forces 'won't be able to defeat Isis' until the summer -- The Independent

‘US anti-ISIS Mosul operation will likely take an entire year’ – former Pentagon official -- RT

North Korea cannot 'tip' missile with nuclear warhead: U.S. State Department -- Reuters

Trump claim on North Korean nukes may underestimate program -- AP

North Korea's New Year's Message -- Anthony Ruggiero, RCD

Russia to Upgrade Tank Force With Deadly New Fire Control System -- The Diplomat

Russia’s Admiral Makarov frigate to continue trials in 2017 -- TASS

Russia Announces Intent to Establish Air Base in Tajikistan -- Eurasianet.org

Knock-Off Kalashnikovs: A Look at the Sequels to Russia's World-Famous AK-47 -- Sputnik

The U.S. Army Fears Russia's (And Others) 'Helicopter-Killer' Mines -- National Interest

Parrikar: India to Kick Off Competition for New Foreign Single-Engine Fighters -- Defense News

Pakistan Builds New Missile Boat to Protect Key Trade Routes -- Defense News

Pakistan Commissions 2 New 600-Ton Maritime Patrol Vessels -- The Diplomat

Indonesia Suspends Military Cooperation With Australia -- Sputnik

Lithuania confirms presence of US special forces as a ‘deterrence against Russian aggression’ -- RT

Petition to Restore Compulsory Military Service Launched in Latvia -- Sputnik

Poland, the U.S., and NATO: Key Security Allies -- Piotr Buras, The Cipher Brief

NATO's Jittery Baltic Members Move to Beef Up Own Defense -- WSJ

Army Builds New Lightweight .50-Cal Machine Gun -- Scout Warrior

What does the future hold for tanks? -- Army-technology.com

Navy, Air Force Are Exploring Concepts for a Next-Generation 6th Generation Fighter to Come After the F-35 -- Scout Warrior

New in 2017: 20 big changes coming to the Air Force this year -- Air Force Times

US Navy to deploy USS Carl Vinson in Asia -- Naval-technology.com

First female infantry Marines joining battalion on Thursday -- Marine Times

Pentagon subcontractor leaks classified personnel data -- Federal Times

No, Mr. Trump, You Can’t Replace F-35 With A ‘Comparable’ F-18 -- Breaking Defense

New in 2017: Trump's first military budget will reveal what's in store for the next 4 years -- Military Times

Pentagon Seeks to Avert Low-Ball Bids on Development Contracts -- Bloomberg

Trump may have a tough time curbing biggest U.S. defense contracts -- Bloomberg