President Trump Appoints A New Director Of The Defense Agency

Politico: Trump picks Army lieutenant general to lead Pentagon's spy branch

DIA has come under intense scrutiny in recent years from congressional lawmakers who fear its roles and missions have grown so bloated over time.

President Donald Trump has tapped Army Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier to be the U.S. military’s next top spy, according to two people informed of the appointment.

Berrier, the deputy chief of staff for Army intelligence, was one of a handful of candidates submitted by the military branches to Pentagon brass earlier this year to be the next director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. The continuation of his rank was submitted to the Senate on July 1. The people who confirmed the appointment spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss information not yet publicly announced.

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WNU Editor: Army Lt. Gen. Scott Berrie is who the military branches want as the head of the DIA. And it looks like President Trump has given it his approval.

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency Releases Its Report On "Russian Military Power"

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu provided details of Russia's latest snap exercise at the National Defence Control Centre in Moscow on 16 March Source: Russian MoD

Washington Free Beacon: DIA Reveals New Details of Russian Information Warfare

Report highlights Moscow's 'information confrontation' plans for future conflict.

Russian military forces are using information warfare tools to confront the United States, according to a new Defense Intelligence Agency report.

"Moscow's long-term goal is building a military prepared to conduct the range of conflicts from local war through regional conflict to a strategic conflict that could result in massive nuclear exchange," the 116-page report, "Russia Military Power," states.

The report was published last week and is the first of its kind since the 1980s, when the Reagan administration directed DIA to begin highlighting the strategic threat posed by the Soviet Union. Those reports were called "Soviet Military Power" and were published annually for more than a decade.

The latest report includes new information on Russian information warfare operations, including the cyber-enabled psychological warfare operations.

"Russia views the information sphere as a key domain for modern military conflict," the report said. "Information warfare is a key means of achieving its ambitions of becoming a dominant player on the world stage."

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WNU Editor: The Defense Intelligence Agency report on "Russian Military Power" is here.

U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency Director: North Korea Is On The Path Of Developing The Capability To Launch A Nuclear Strike Against The U.S.

VOA: Top US Intel Official: North Korea on Trajectory to Nuclear-armed Missile

A top American intelligence official has warned that North Korea is on the path of developing the capability of carrying out a nuclear strike against the United States.

Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart told lawmakers Tuesday on Capitol Hill that although "shortfalls remain," North Korea continues to learn from the missile and nuclear tests it has conducted in recent years.

"If left on its current trajectory, the regime will ultimately succeed in fielding a nuclear armed missile capable of threatening the United States homeland," Stewart said before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

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Update: North Korea Missile Test Seen as Step to Put U.S. in Range (Bloomberg)

WNU Editor: I am not surprised by Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart's testimony, what I am surprised about is that apparently that this is the Defense Intelligence Agency's first official assessment on North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Where have they been for the past few years?

U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency Director: No Evidence Russia Is Transferring Weapons Or Money To The Taliban

Members of the Taliban. © Reuters

Reuters: U.S. official: No physical evidence Russia gave weapons to Taliban

The director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said on Tuesday that while there were indications that Russia had offered some support to Taliban militants in Afghanistan, he had not seen physical evidence of a transfer of weapons or money.

"We have seen indication that they offered some level of support but I have not seen real physical evidence of weapons or money being transferred," Marine Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart said at a Senate hearing.

Last month the head of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan said he would not refute reports that Russia was providing support, including weapons, to the Taliban.

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WNU Editor: The director of the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency is completely contradicting what the top U.S. General in Afghanistan has been saying for the past month .... Top U.S. General In Afghanistan Is Accusing Russia Of Providing Support To The Taliban (April 15, 2017). More here .... More Claims That Russia Is Providing Military Support To The Afghan Taliban (May 19, 2017). And while the U.S. press (with the exception of Reuters) are avoiding this story, the Russians are all over it .... No Evidence Russia Transfers Weapons, Money to Taliban - US Defense Intelligence (Sputnik). More here .... No proof to back allegations Russia gave weapons to Taliban – US military intel chief (RT).

Head of U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency: Iraq And Syria May Not Survive As States

DIA Photo: Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart

Navy Times/AP: DIA chief: Iraq and Syria may not survive as states

WASHINGTON — Iraq and Syria may have been permanently torn asunder by war and sectarian tensions, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency said Thursday in a frank assessment that is at odds with Obama administration policy.

"I'm having a tough time seeing it come back together," Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart told an industry conference, speaking of Iraq and Syria, both of which have seen large chunks territory seized by the Islamic State.

On Iraq, Stewart said he is "wrestling with the idea that the Kurds will come back to a central government of Iraq," suggesting he believed it was unlikely. On Syria, he added: "I can see a time in the future where Syria is fractured into two or three parts."

That is not the U.S. goal, he said, but it's looking increasingly likely.

WNU Editor: Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart is probably correct. When one looks at what both Syria and Iraq have gone through .... and are going through .... I have trouble seeing how these two countries can survive in any unified form.

U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency: Assad Will Win The Syrian Civil War Thanks To Strategic Backing From Iran, Russia

Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad walk inside the government-controlled Hanano barracks after what they said was an offensive against them by Free Syrian Army fighters in Aleppo, Syria, April 17, 2014. George Ourfalian/Reuters

World Tribune: DIA sees Assad winning war thanks to strategic backing from Iran, Russia.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. intelligence community continues to see President Bashar Assad as winning the war against Sunni rebels in Syria.

The Defense Intelligence Agency said the Assad regime has overcome a manpower shortage to block the rebel advance throughout Syria, Middle East Newsline reported. In an assessment, DIA expected the Syrian military and its Iranian allies to target rebel control of Aleppo, the nation’s business capital.

WNU Editor: The Syrian regime may win the civil war .... but it will be a "hollow victory" aided with soldiers from Iran and Hezbollah .... and the sectarian tensions will still be there. So unless Iran and Hezbollah are prepared to deploy tens of thousands of soldiers for occupation purposes and "keeping the peace" .... this "victory" will probably only last a short time.

The Pentagion Wants Analysts Specializing In Foreign Laser Weapons, Railguns And Satellite-Killers

Worried About China’s Ray Guns, Pentagon Places Ad for Tech Spies -- Robert Beckhusen, War is Boring

Defense Intelligence Agency wants analysts specializing in foreign laser weapons, railguns and satellite-killers

Want to work as a Pentagon spy? Then you better brush up on your directed energy weapons.

The military plans to grow its corps of spies focused on foreign laser weapons. It’s no surprise to see why. Not only could rival countries like China fire laser weapons to shoot down American aircraft, they could also blast beams into space to target U.S. satellites.

That’s the thrust of a request for proposal sent out on April 21 by the Virginia Contracting Activity, the Defense Intelligence Agency’s obliquely-named contracting arm.

In addition to studying laser weapons, the agency wants its expanded spy team to analyze foreign “air defense, surface-to-air missile systems, anti-tactical ballistic missile defense, ballistic missile defense, anti-satellite defense [and] anti-tank guided missile systems,” the DIA stated.

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My Comment: No mention on what is the pay.

A Rival To The CIA?

DIA Sending Hundreds More Spies Overseas -- Washington Post

The Pentagon will send hundreds of additional spies overseas as part of an ambitious plan to assemble an espionage network that rivals the CIA in size, U.S. officials said.

The project is aimed at transforming the Defense Intelligence Agency, which has been dominated for the past decade by the demands of two wars, into a spy service focused on emerging threats and more closely aligned with the CIA and elite military commando units.

When the expansion is complete, the DIA is expected to have as many as 1,600 “collectors” in positions around the world, an unprecedented total for an agency whose presence abroad numbered in the triple digits in recent years.

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More News On The Pentagon To Expand It's Intelligence Gathering Abilities

Pentagon Plans to Expand Intelligence Gathering -- Voice of America
Pentagon reportedly planning to double size of its worldwide spy network -- The Guardian
U.S. to transform the Defense Intelligence Agency into a massive force with THOUSANDS of spies around the world -- Daily Mail
Pentagon builds military network to rival the CIA -- The Independent
Pentagon Plans New Spy Network As Big As CIA -- SKY News
Bulletin: DIA will rival CIA in espionage networks -- Examiner
What you need to know about the Pentagon's new spy service -- Mark Ambinder, The Week

My Comment: No budget cuts for this department.

Critic Of U.S. Military Intelligence Now Has The Opportunity To Run The Department

White House Taps Intel Critic To Head Military Intelligence -- The Hill

The former head of military intelligence in Iraq and Afghanistan and outspoken critic of U.S. intel operations has been tapped to head the Pentagon's premiere intelligence agency.

On Tuesday, the White Hose nominated Army Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn as the new chief of the Defense Intelligence Agency.

If confirmed by the Senate, Flynn will replace the current DIA director Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess. Flynn currently the Assistant Director of National Intelligence for Partner Engagement.

House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) backed Flynn's nomination as the new DIA chief.

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More News On The White Hose Nomination Of Army Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn As The New Chief Of The Defense Intelligence Agency

Military Intelligence Gadfly Will Lead All Military Intelligence -- Danger Room
US military intelligence critic to lead spy agency -- AFP
General who vowed to ‘fix intel’ in Afghan war nominated to head Defense Intelligence Agency -- Washington Post/AP
One-time critic tapped to head Defense Intelligence Agency -- Government Executive
US Army General Michael Flynn tapped to be Director of the Defense Intelligence -- Examiner

A Sobering Report From The Defense Intelligence Agency Director

Defense Intelligence Agency Director Army Lt. Gen. Ronald L. Burgess addresses the Senate Armed Services Committee, March 10, 2011. DIA photo

Intel Official: Iranian Missiles Could Hit Nearby U.S. Targets, Europe -- US News And World Report

Iran has the ability to fire missiles at U.S. targets in the Middle East and "temporarily" close a key sea transit route, a senior intelligence official said Thursday.

Tehran has a missile arsenal capable of reaching "targets throughout the region and into Eastern Europe," Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess, Defense Intelligence Agency director, told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"Iran has … threatened to launch missiles against the United States and our allies in the region in response to an attack" on its nuclear facilities or other targets, he said.

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Previous Post: U.S. Director Of Defense Intelligence Agency: Iran Unlikely to Strike First

More News On The Testimony From Lt. Gen. Ronald Burgess, Defense Intelligence Agency Director

U.S. intelligence officials: Iran not about to abandon nuclear program, but unlikely to provoke conflict -- Haaretz
Iran Unlikely to Strike First, U.S. Official Burgess Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Iran 'unlikely' to provoke conflict, US official says -- MSNBC
Intelligence Chief Concerned About Al Qaeda in Syria Conflict -- ABC News
U.S. intel head doesn't expect Assad to fall yet -- Haaretz
U.S. intelligence officials offer grim words on Afghanistan -- L.A. Times
U.S. military keeps close watch on possible N. Korea's attacks -- Yonhap News

U.S. Director Of Defense Intelligence Agency: Iran Unlikely to Strike First

Defense Intelligence Agency Director Army Lt. Gen. Ronald L. Burgess addresses the Senate Armed Services Committee, March 10, 2011. DIA photo

US: Iran Unlikely To Initiate Conflict In Nuclear Dispute -- Voice of America

A top U.S. intelligence official says Iran would respond if attacked for its nuclear activities, but is unlikely to initiate or intentionally provoke a conflict.

That assessment comes from the director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Lieutenant General Ronald Burgess. He told a Senate hearing Thursday that if Iran is attacked, it could respond by closing the Strait of Hormuz and launching missiles at U.S. forces and allies in the region.

Burgess said it is believed that Israel has not made a decision to attack Iran.

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More News On The Director Of The Defense Intelligence Agency's (Lieutenant General Ronald Burgess) Assessment That Iran Will Not 'Strike First'

Iran Unlikely to Strike First, U.S. Official Burgess Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek
US intelligence official: Iran unlikely to start conflict -- Reuters
General: Iran unlikely to strike unless hit -- CBS/AP
Intel: Iran not likely to attack if not provoked -- The Hill

My Comment: I find it hard to agree with the General's assessment .... especially in view of the terror attacks that occurred this week in Georgia/India/Thailand, Iran's continued support of the Assad regime in Syria, Iran's rhetoric against Israel, and Teheran's threats to close the Strait of Hormuz because of sanctions. The Iran conflict is intensifying step by step, and if Iran feels cornered politically and economically .... who knows what they will be capable of .... especially if unrest in Iran continues to escalate because of economic and political issues.