Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 1, 2017

NBC: Pentagon Weighs More Aggressive Role in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is considering an expanded and more aggressive role in Afghanistan, one that would include the American military once again targeting both Taliban and Haqqani network fighters, according to four U.S. defense officials.

Both Pentagon and White House officials have been considering the expanded authority for several months as they have worked through a strategy review for Afghanistan. The new strategy will also focus heavily on the relationship between Afghanistan and Pakistan and terror networks throughout the region.

Read more ....

Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- June 1, 2017

War and waste: Cautionary tales as US ponders Afghan boost -- Robert Burns, AP

Russia's New 90R1 Sub-Killing Rocket Will Challenge NATO's Underwater Supremacy -- Sputnik

China Tests New Tank in Tibet -- Franz-Stefan Gady, The Diplomat

Taiwan approved for U.S. arms buy worth nearly $1.4 billion -- UPI

Taiwan's president welcomes first U.S. arms deal under Trump -- UPI

Taiwan President Tells Military Graduates Being Battle-Ready Keeps the Peace -- US News and World Report

Saab receives contract to upgrade Swedish patrol vessels -- UPI

Germany intelligence knew Kabul embassy truck bomb was imminent -- DW

South Korea Says Drills With US Stand Apart From North Korea Nuclear Issue -- Sputnik

Navies of US & Philippines conduct joint patrol (VIDEO) -- RT

U.S., Ukraine Near Agreement On Increasing Military Equipment Sales, Ties -- RFE

U.S. army gear could be 'Made in Ukraine' under new defence deals -- Reuters

Corker Hold Puts Saudi Arms Deal at Risk -- Jack Detsch, Al-Monitor

Ex-CIA agent says US sanctions against Chinese bank aiding Pyongyang 'extremely long overdue' -- CNBC

Lockheed wins $3.8 billion Black Hawk helicopter contract: Pentagon -- Reuters

New Reaper drone variant performs first combat mission -- UPI

F-35 unreliability risks strain on Pentagon budget, tester says -- Virginia Pilot/Bloomberg

Trump officially requests second LCS for the Navy -- Washington Examiner

Congress must stop soft ‘earmarking’ in Pentagon spending bill -- The Hill

Pentagon Broke Budgetary Limits Almost 75% of Time for Past Decade -- Sputnik

On eve of deadline, Pentagon delays plan to allow transgender recruits by 6 months -- Washington Post

Pentagon delays decision on transgender recruits -- CNN

LGBT groups blast Pentagon decision to delay transgender troop enlistment -- The Hill

Slim Majority Says Women in US Military Face Unfair Obstacles -- Gallop

White House aide Omarosa Manigault tackling Pentagon racial bias in military justice -- USA Today

Judge Will Allow Evidence of SEAL's Injuries in Bergdahl Sentencing -- Military.com/The Fayetteville Observer

Glorious Amateurs: The Spies of World War II’s OSS Celebrate a Birthday -- NBC

Can the CIA and NSA Be Trusted With Cyber Hacking Tools? -- Ken Dilanian, NBC

The US Military Still Wants Psychic Marines and We've Got the Manual -- War Is Boring

DARPA's Ex-Leader's Speculative Dream of Mind-Melding Empathy -- The Atlantic

The future of war is necessitating more soldier-intuitive systems -- C4ISRNet

How US Marines saved South Korean president's parents in epic battle -- Robert Sisk, FOX News/Military.com