Another U.S. Ship Has Positioned Itself Near Syria

Handout of USS San Antonio departing Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia. James DeAngio, ReutersSixth U.S. Ship Now In Eastern Mediterranean 'As Precaution' -- ReutersWASHINGTON (Reuters) - A sixth U.S. warship is now operating in the eastern Mediterranean, near five U.S. destroyers armed with cruise missiles that could soon be directed against Syria as part of a "limited, precise" strike, defense officials said late on Friday.They stressed...

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Americans Are Skeptical Of A U.S. Military Strike Against Syria

Skepticism Grows In US Over Syria Military Strike -- Voice of AmericaWASHINGTON — With Americans weary over more than a decade of war, and strong memories of the faulty intelligence that led to the invasion of Iraq, skepticism appears to be growing about the proposed military attack on Syria. Polls show a majority of Americans are firmly opposed to such a move.It was called “shock and awe,” the application of massive military force designed to overwhelm the Iraqi military in 2003. Necessary, U.S. officials said, because of concern about weapons...

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U.S. Intelligence Agencies Had Intel Three Days Before Syria Launched It's Massive Chemical Attack Last Week

Activists inspect the bodies of people they say were killed in a toxic gas attack. (Bassam Khabieh/Reuters)U.S. Had Intel On Chemical Strike Before It Was Launched -- The Cable/Foreign PolicyAmerican intelligence agencies had indications three days beforehand that the Syrian regime was poised to launch a lethal chemical attack that killed more than a thousand people and has set the stage for a possible U.S. military strike on Syria.The disclosure...

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President Obama Seeks Congressional Approval For A Military Strike Against Syria

Obama Delays Strike Against Syria To Seek Congress Approval -- Reuters(Reuters) - President Barack Obama stepped back from the brink on Saturday and delayed an imminent military strike against Syria to seek approval from the U.S. Congress in a gamble that will test his ability to project American strength abroad and deploy his own power at home.Before Obama put on the brakes, the path had been cleared for a U.S. assault. Navy ships were in place and awaiting orders to launch missiles, and U.N. inspectors had left Syria after gathering evidence...

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Decision To Go To Congress For Approval To Attack Syria Came After A 45 Minute Walk

President Barack Obama meets with his national security advisers in the White House Situation Room on Saturday to discuss strategy in Syria. Chief of Staff Denis McDonough is fourth from right. Pete Souza/White HouseThe White House Walk-And-Talk That Changed Obama's Mind On Syria -- NBCA stroll around the White House grounds with his top adviser on Friday evening changed President Barack Obama’s mind about getting Congress to sign off on a military...

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Will The U.S. Congress Support President Obama's Call To Launch A Military Strike Against Syria?

U.S. President Obama speaks about Syria next to Vice President Biden at the Rose Garden of the White House (MIKE THEILER, REUTERS / August 31, 2013)No Guarantee of Congress Backing Syria Strike Has Obama Exposed -- Bloomberg BusinessweekThe U.S. Congress is by no means certain to give President Barack Obama the go-ahead to attack Syria, a stance that would pose a political obstacle to any military strike and prolong a looming showdown on Obama’s...

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With A U.S. Military Strike Against Syrian Forces Now Delayed, Rebels Feel Abandoned

A Free Syrian Army fighter watches U.S. President Barack Obama's speech with his family in Ghouta, Damascus Aug. 31, 2013. Mohamed Abdullah / REUTERSObama's Decision A Blow To Syrian Opposition, Relief To Regime -- CBSFollowing President Obama's announcement Saturday that he has decided the U.S. should take military action against the Syrian regime in retaliation for its use of chemical weapons, the mood inside Syria was mixed, CBS News correspondent...

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Hope In Afghanistan?

U.S. Soldiers Find Surprise on Returning to Afghan Valley: Peace -- New York TimesNANGALAM, Afghanistan — The Americans arrived under cover of night, the static electricity from their helicopter blades casting halos of blue in the pitch black. It was their first return to the Pech Valley — a rugged swath of eastern Afghanistan so violent they nicknamed it the Valley of Death — since the American military abruptly ended an offensive against the Taliban...

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A Look At The Upgraded F-18 Super Hornet

The Navy’s Carrier-Launched Fighter is Getting a Spiffy Upgrade -- Robert Beckhusen, War Is BoringBut will America’s admirals buy it over the F-35?The Navy hasn’t put the money down for it yet. But this week, Boeing wheeled out a major upgrade to the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the Navy’s standard carrier-launched fighter plane. The new Advanced Super Hornet is stealthier, more powerful and boasts a much greater flying range than its predecessor.It’s practically a brand-new jet. And an affordable one: $56 million for a factory-fresh copy or an estimated...

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Obama to seek Congress approval for Syria strike

US President Barack Obama (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)Source: Russia Todayhttp://rt.com/usa/obama-syria-strike-congress-259/ Barack Obama will seek authorization from legislators before proceeding with a "limited" strike on Syria, in response to its government’s alleged use of chemical weapons. The president says the proposed strike is not "time-sensitive". "Over the last several days, we have heard from members of Congress who want their voices...

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Is Russia's T-50 The Jet That Will Outfly And Outshoot American Jets

Russia’s Stealth Fighter Could Outfly, Outshoot American Jets -- David Axe, War Is BoringT-50 is fast, long-ranged and has fearsome new weaponsSince its public debut four years ago, Russia’s first stealth fighter has quietly undergone diligent testing, slowly expanding its flight envelope and steadily working out technical kinks. But for all this hard work there have been precious few indications just how many copies of the Sukhoi T-50 Moscow plans to build … and how it means to use them.Until now.Fresh reporting from Aviation Week’s Bill Sweetman,...

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Is Russia Going To Deploy A 'Star Wars' Missile System In 2017?

S-400 anti-aircraft missile system launchers. © RIA Novosti. Anton DenisovRussia To Fight Space Invaders, Other Threats, With Advanced ‘Star Wars’ S-500 Missile Defense System -- IBTimesRussia has announced plans to deploy the S-500 air defense missile weapon system by 2018. The S-500 system can hit targets in space and has a range of 500 kilometers, approximately 310 miles.Interfax news agency reports the S-500 air defense missile weapon system...

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Does President Obama's Plan To Strike Syria Make Strategic Sense?

Protesters outside the White House (Jason Reed/Reuters)Why Obama's Plan to Strike Syria Makes No Strategic Sense -- James Joyner, The AtlanticEven a humanitarian operation demands a logical premise and a well-designed goal. The administration's proposal has neither. Having backed himself into a corner by declaring a "red line" that has now been crossed, President Obama is by all appearances ramping up for military action in Syria. As best we can...

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Sanctions Are Crippling Iran's Oil Industry

Iran has rejected reports that the country’s oil output is falling. (Reuters)Iran's Oil Revenues Drop 58 Percent Since 2011 As Sanctions Bite: U.S. -- Reuters(Reuters) - Iran's monthly revenues from oil sales have dropped 58 percent since just before the United States imposed harsher sanctions on the country in 2011 because of Tehran's disputed nuclear program, a senior U.S. official said.The OPEC member's monthly crude oil revenues averaged an estimated...

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US should present Syria evidence to Security Council - Putin

  Video Source: Russia Today http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUyPpT0_8Gg   A handout image released by the Syrian opposition's Shaam News Network shows smoke above buildings following what Syrian rebels claim to be a toxic gas attack by pro-government forces in eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of Damascus on August 21, 2013. (AFP Photo / Ammar al-ArbiniNews Source: Russia Todayhttp://rt.com/news/putin-us-syria-evidence-249/Russian...

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World News Briefs -- August 31, 2013

UN Weapons Inspectors Leave Syrian Capital -- Al JazeeraTeams finish gathering evidence of alleged gas attack near Damascus, though UN says sample analysis may take weeks.UN chemical weapons inspectors, in Syria to probe an alleged poison gas attack that killed hundreds, have left Damascus for Beirut, having completed four days of site visits and evidence-gathering, witnesses and officials say.The experts departed their hotel in the Syrian capital on Saturday morning, after having carried out a final day of inspections on Friday. The inspectors...

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- August 31, 2013

Meet The Military Forces Gathering On Syria's Doorstep -- Killer Apps/Foreign PolicyWhile the United States is ready to strike a handful of targets on the ground in Syria, any international conflict there will take place on a much larger stage. The entire region is full of a witches' brew of military hardware from more than half a dozen nations with interests in the Syrian conflict.The United States and France are prepared to strike the government...

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According To The CIA Most UFO Sightings In 50s, 60s Were Of Spy Planes

CIA: Most UFO Sightings In 50s, 60s Were Of Spy Planes -- Stars and Stripes/Dayton Daily News, OhioDAYTON, Ohio — A recently declassified CIA report on the development of the U-2 and SR-71 spy planes said the high-flying jets were mistaken for UFOs more than half the time in the late 1950s and 1960s during Project Blue Book, a Wright-Patterson Air Force Base operation that investigated reports of UFOs.Not everyone is convinced, however, of the explanation.“There’s no question that a lot of the sightings that take place are in fact our own aircraft,...

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U.S. Boosting Defense Spending And Ties In Asia

US Bolsters Asian Militaries in Face of China's Growth -- Voice of AmericaPENTAGON — U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is traveling in Southeast Asia in a bid to strengthen ties with the militaries of partners and allies in the face of China's growing influence in the region. Hagel has arrived in Brunei for a meeting of defense ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN.It is a visit meant to reassure partner nations that the United States stands behind them in their efforts to build their militaries.At a stop in Indonesia,...

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The End Of The HMS Ark Royal

Pride Of The Fleet, Hacked Apart In A Turkish Scrapyard: HMS Ark Royal Cuts A Sorry Sight As It's Reduced To Tin Cans And Razor Blades -- Daily Mail* Aircraft carrier built in 1981 and cost £320 million to build* Leyal Ship Recycling strips valuable items from hull for scrap* Two new aircraft carriers ordered for more than £6 billionShe once ruled the waves. Now the 22,000-ton HMS Ark Royal is being ripped apart in a Turkish scrapyard, another victim of British defence cuts.After a quarter of a century of service, Ark Royal – the fifth vessel...

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Is The U.S. Losing It's Credibility In Syria?

Bombing Or Not, We're Losing Our Credibility In Syria -- Mark Steyn, Investors.comI see the Obama "reset" is going so swimmingly that the president is now threatening to go to war against a dictator who gassed his own people.Don't worry, this isn't anything like the dictator who gassed his own people that the discredited warmonger Bush spent 2002 and early 2003 staggering ever more punchily around the country inveighing against.The 2003 dictator who gassed his own people was the leader of the Baath Party of Iraq. The 2013 dictator who gassed his...

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The Definitive NSA Parody Site

The definitive NSA parody site. The Definitive NSA Parody Site Is Actually Informative -- ForbesWhen I was working on a story about how much information the NSA data center in Utah might actually hold, a colleague sent me a link to this site, suggesting that the NSA was actually pretty transparent about its plans in Bluffdale. The “nsa.gov1.info” site had maps and photos of the data center, an overview of the plan for the site, and a description...

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The NSA Has It's Own Team Of Elite Cyber Hackers

The NSA Has Its Own Team Of Elite Hackers -- Washington PostOur Post colleagues have had a busy day. First, they released documents revealing the U.S. intelligence budget from National Security Agency (NSA) leaker Edward Snowden. Then they recounted exactly how the hunt for Osama bin Laden went down.In that second report, Craig Whitlock and Barton Gellman shared a few tidbits about the role of the government’s hacking unit, Tailored Access Operations (TAO) in the hunt, writing that TAO “enabled the NSA to collect intelligence from mobile phones...

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Picture Of The Day

CEMETERY WALKU.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel visits the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, Philippines, Aug. 30, 2013. The 152-acre cemetery is the resting place of 17,201 U.S. service members killed in World War II, most of whom died during operations in New Guinea and the Philippines. DOD photo by U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Aaron Hostut...

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Has The NSA Leaks Endangered The Lives Of MI6 Agents

Lives Of MI6 Agents 'Put At Risk' By 58,000 Secret Files Seized From Guardian Journalist's Partner At Heathrow -- Daily Mail* High Court hears David Miranda had 'highly classified' UK intelligence files* Partner Glenn Greenwald helped Edward Snowden expose US secrets* Cabinet adviser tells court said material could ‘threaten life directly’ The lives of British agents may have been put at risk by a Guardian journalist’s possession of top-secret documents...

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Are Edward Snowden's NSA Leaks Damaging US Intel Operations?

Edward Snowden. ReutersLeaked 'Black Budget': Mixed Views On Damage To US Intel Operations -- Christian Science MonitorSome analysts, as well as the US government, say Edward Snowden's new leak, of the 'black budget' for US clandestine operations, reveals too much about US intelligence priorities. Others, who argue for more transparency, practically cheer.The "black budget" for US clandestine operations – newly leaked by former US contractor Edward...

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A Look At How Tomahawk Cruise Missiles May Be Used In Syria

The Tomahawk cruise missile flies fast and relatively low to the ground. RaytheonHow Tomahawk Cruise Missiles May Send Messages To (And From) Syria -- NBCThe Tomahawk cruise missiles being readied for possible use against Syrian government targets are part of a line going back to the Cold War — but these are definitely not your father's cruise missiles.The most advanced Tomahawks are like driverless cars, except that they fly through the air at 550...

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Colombian President Deploys 50,000 Troop After Major Demonstrations Turn Violent

Colombia On Edge As Protests Sweep The Country -- Christian Science MonitorThousands of miners, truck drivers, health workers, and teachers have joined farmers in strikes that have blocked major arteries across Colombia.Colombia's major cities erupted into violence yesterday as tens of thousands took to the streets in support of the nation's farmers, who have been on strike for eleven days.Five people were reported killed, including a 15-year-old boy, in clashes with riot police that led President Juan Manuel Santos to announce the mobilization...

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War Fever Is Now Gripping The Middle East

Image from The EconomistTurkey And Jordan Brace For The Worst As War Fever Grips The Region -- HaaretzLike Israelis, people living in countries bordering Syria fear the violence may spill over and affect them.Israelis aren’t the only ones in the region bracing themselves for a possible American attack on Syria; other nations that share a border with Syria are also tense, fearing a regional campaign that is liable to involve further use of chemical...

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