Another U.S. Ship Has Positioned Itself Near Syria

Handout of USS San Antonio departing Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia. James DeAngio, Reuters

Sixth U.S. Ship Now In Eastern Mediterranean 'As Precaution' -- Reuters

WASHINGTON (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 that the USS San Antonio, an amphibious ship with several hundred U.S. Marines on board, was in the region for a different reason and there were no plans to put Marines on the ground as part of any military action against Syria.

One of the officials said the San Antonio's passage into the Mediterranean was long-planned, but officials thought it prudent to keep the ship in the eastern Mediterranean near the destroyers given the current situation.

"It's been kept there as a precaution," said one of the officials, who was not authorized to speak publicly.

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My Comment: This is an amphibious ship with a few hundred marines. And while I doubt that they will be put on the ground in Syria, I suspect that among the complement there are few special forces who may end up being put on the ground if the need arises.

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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 America

WASHINGTON — 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 of mass destruction and a desire to end the conflict quickly.

It took until the final days of 2011, though, before the last American troops left Iraq, where an insurgency continues to rage.

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My Comment: This skepticism is justified .... and you can count me as one of the skeptics.

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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 Policy

American 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 -- part of a larger U.S. intelligence briefing on Syria's chemical attacks -- raises all sorts of uncomfortable questions for the American government. First and foremost: What, if anything, did it do to notify the Syrian opposition of the pending attack?

In a call with reporters Friday afternoon, senior administration officials did not address whether this information was shared with rebel groups in advance of the attack. A White House spokeswoman declined to comment on whether the information had been shared.

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My Comment: If the U.S. had intel three days before the Syrians launched their chemical attack .... why did the intelligence community decide to not warn their political masters (and everyone else) on what was about to happen. Was the intel deliberately ignored .... or deemed inconclusive and put on the shelf. Like much of what is being reported on Syria .... this is another report that raises more questions and doubts than answers.

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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 of a chemical weapons attack that U.S. officials say killed 1,429 people.

But Obama decided to seek the backing of U.S. lawmakers before attacking, as polls showed strong opposition from Americans already weary of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Approval will take at least 10 days, if it comes at all.

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More News On President Obama Seeking Congressional Approval For A Military Strike Against Syria

Text of President Obama’s Remarks on Syria -- New York Times
Text of draft legislation submitted by Obama to Congress -- CNN

Obama's Syria strike decision aims to get Congress on the record -- CBS News
President Obama Seeks Congressional Approval for Syria Action -- ABC News
Strike against Syria? Obama backs it, but wants Congress to vote -- CNN
Obama to Seek Congressional Vote on Syria Strike -- Wall Street Journal
Obama says U.S. will take military action against Syria, pending Congress’s approval -- Washington Post
Obama to seek Congress vote on Syria military action -- BBC
Obama asks Congress to OK strike on Syria -- USA Today
Obama approves attacking Syria, but delays that for vote in Congress -- Christian Science Monitor
Shock as David Cameron's Commons fiasco prompts President Obama to seek a Congress vote backing military intervention in Syria -- The Independent
I'm going to copy Cameron! Drama as Obama vows to bomb Syria - but only after U.S. vote (and suddenly Britain is his 'closest ally' again) -- Daily Mail
Obama leaving door open to Syria strike, even if Congress votes no -- FOX News

My Comment: As I have mentioned more than once in the past two weeks .... the White House is doing everything on the fly .... consulting Congress or getting Congressional approval should have been done last week.

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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 House

The White House Walk-And-Talk That Changed Obama's Mind On Syria -- NBC

A 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 strike in Syria, senior White House officials told NBC News.

Obama had been leaning toward attacking Syria without a congressional vote for the past week, the officials said. Obama was convinced he had the evidence to back up a strike and as a result dispatched Secretary of State John Kerry to make a passionate case for U.S. action. But only hours after Kerry called Syrian President Bashar al-Assad "a thug and a murderer" and accused his regime of using chemical weapons to kill 1,429 people, Obama changed his mind as he walked across the South Lawn with Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, the officials said.

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More News On How President Obama Came To His Decision On Delaying A Syrian Military Strike And Seeking Congressional Approval

Obama's last-minute decision to seek congressional approval for Syria strike -- CNN
Obama's Syria decision: a walk, a debate, and a new approach -- Reuters
At the Last Minute, Obama Alone Made Call to Seek Congressional Approval -- Wall Street Journal
After soul searching, Obama blinks on Syria -- AFP
Obama surprised top aides with last minute change of heart on Syria -- Jerusalem Post

My Comment: I suspect that it was during this walk that he first started to truly realized what would have been the consequences and repercussions .... both at home and internationally .... if he had ordered such a military strike. With the exception of France .... no one in the international community wants to have Syrian blood on their hands .... and opposition in the U.N. to such a military engagement is almost universal. Attacking Syria would have also crossed the red lines that Russia has imposed .... thereby ruining U.S. - Russian relations for the next few years. After criticizing President Bush for years on how he conducted war policy .... he would be doing the same thing minus the Congressional approval and the support of dozens of countries that President Bush was successful in putting together .... a prospect that I am sure he finds distasteful. No one in the Pentagon is enthusiastic about such a strike .... they see it for what it is .... an attack that is too small and too inconsequential to have a real impact on the ground .... and as a result the perception will be that he ordered such a strike to "save face".  Blow-back in the form of terrorism is a real possibility .... something that I am sure is on the top of his agenda everyday. But bottom line .... the real reason why he stepped back was the realization that politically there is no support in the American public for such a war. If he had ordered such a strike and the outcome was a regional war .... Democrat election prospects and his legacy will be stuck in the mud for years.

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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 Businessweek

The 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 domestic agenda.

Republicans and Democrats alike praised Obama’s decision today to seek congressional approval to attack Syria. Few offered quick support for his decision to strike, and there are no plans so far for Congress to return to Washington for a vote before the scheduled Sept. 9 start of the fall session.

Instead, lawmakers called for a debate over the virtues of an attack, which may add to the gridlock that paralyzed almost all of Obama’s domestic agenda this year, including government spending, the debt ceiling and changes in immigration law.

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More News On  The Debate In Congress On Giving President Obama The Authority To Launch A Military Strike Against Syria

Lawmakers Begin to Grapple With Syria Question -- ABC News/AP
US Congressional Leaders Welcome Vote on Syria Strike -- Voice of America
Reid: Senate to hold hearings on Syria next week (Video) -- The Hill
Hill leaders weigh tough Syria vote -- Politico
Republicans McCain, Graham say cannot support limited Syria strikes -- Reuters
Sen. Jim Inhofe: I Remain Opposed to Military Action In Syria -- NewsOK
As Obama takes Syria decision to Congress, approval for attack is far from clear-cut -- Washington Post
Analysis: Military action in Syria faces uncertain fate in Congress -- Reuters

My Comment: When you have Senate Republican hawks and neocons already making it known that they will not support such a resolution .... that is when you know that President Obama's request for Congressional approval for a military strike against Syria will not pass. His only hope is if all Senate Democrats come on board .... and all Democrats with a dozen Republicans in the House of Representatives. But my gut is telling me that President Obama is not going to make the necessary calls and do the necessary politics and lobbying to get approval for such a resolution .... that a part of him wants it to not pass.

As to what is my prediction on such a vote .... the American public has been steadfast in their opposition to getting involved in another war .... many politicians are hearing this .... and as a result President Obama will get a positive vote (but barely) in the US Senate, but the House of Representatives will be voting against it and this vote will be bipartisan.

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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 / REUTERS

Obama's Decision A Blow To Syrian Opposition, Relief To Regime -- CBS

Following 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 Elizabeth Palmer reports from the Syrian capital of Damascus.

The president's words would come as a huge blow to the opposition concentrated in the north, Palmer reported. But in Damascus there will be a massive sigh of relief, not only among members of the regime of Bashar Assad, but also among a large majority of the city's population that support the regime, if only because it offers stability.

Still, there could be some lingering consequences.

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More News On Syrian Rebel Reaction To President Obama's Decision To Delay A Military Strike Pending Congressional Approval

Syrians opposed to Assad say Obama’s decision will embolden his regime -- Washington Post
In Syria, Relief and Anger as Obama Delays Strike -- Time
Syrian rebels feel let down by delay on U.S. strikes -- L.A. Times
Rebels disappointed Syrian strike won't be immediate -- USA Today
Syrian rebels say delay in any strike will cost lives, undercut US credibility -- NBC
Strike Delay Likely to Expose Syria Rebels to Attack -- Wall Street Journal

My Comment: I am not surprised to read this .... Kerry seeks to reassure Syrian opposition leader. But if I was a betting man, I would bet that the Syrian rebel leadership do not feel reassured at all.

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Hope In Afghanistan?

U.S. Soldiers Find Surprise on Returning to Afghan Valley: Peace -- New York Times

NANGALAM, 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 here in 2011 after taking heavy casualties.

But the Americans, from the First Battalion of the 327th Infantry, had not come back to fight. Instead, their visit this summer was a chance to witness something unthinkable two years ago: the Afghan forces they had left in charge of the valley then, and who nobody believed could hold the ground even for weeks, have not just stood — they have had an effect.

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My Comment: This is a surprising report. I am still skeptical on Afghanistan's long term prospects .... but this success story is a positive sign.

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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 Boring

But 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 $14.6-$22 million to add the enhancements to an older Super Hornet. The heavily upgraded fighter is an option if admirals start getting cold feet over the troubled, $200-million-per-copy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The upgrades are designed to be subtle. Instead of keeping the weapons attached to the outside of the plane like in a conventional F/A-18, the Advanced Super Hornet holds its missiles and bombs — 2,500-pounds worth — inside an enclosed pod. This smoothes out the plane’s contours and makes it harder to detect with radar.

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My Comment: What appeals to buyers are the costs and the fact that existing F-18 maintenance crews can carry over their training to this new Super Hornet .... saving even more money. If the F-35 continues to have problems .... and the U.S. defense budget continues to be cut .... the F-18 Super Hornet is/will be a viable alternative.

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Obama to seek Congress approval for Syria strike

US President Barack Obama (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

Source: Russia Today

http://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 to be heard. I absolutely agree," said Obama during a press statement outside the White House.

The President insisted that he did not need the approval of the legislative assembly, but would it make the case for the strike “stronger”.

Obama said that he sought to “make the Assad regime accountable” for the August 21 attack near Damascus in which the US says more than 1,500 civilians were killed with a toxic gas.

But he also said that the mission will be "effective tomorrow or next week or one month from now."

"We are prepared to strike whenever we choose,"said the President.

Congress returns to session on September 9, and will immediately begin debating the Syrian operation. Obama said that he was heedful of a similar debate conducted in the UK parliament, in which the Conservative government, which endorses direct military action, was defeated by the opposition.

The President stated that he would not rely on unanimous consensus of the UN Security Council, which was necessary for a United Nations-backed operation, saying the body had been “paralyzed”. Russia and China have repeatedly voted against the West on Syria, and Vladimir Putin has said that claims Bashar Assad’s government was behind the gas attack were “a provocation”.

A UN expert team has completed a survey of the area affected by the August 21 incident, but has not yet presented its results. The US says that it has a “high confidence” in its assertion that government forces were to blame for the toxic gas release, based on intelligence reports, video clips and eyewitness accounts.

"History would judge us extraordinarily harshly if we turned a blind eye to a dictator's wanton use of weapons of mass destruction against all warnings, against all common understanding of decency," said Obama.

But the US leader insisted that the operation against "thug and murderer" Assad would not be “open-ended” and wouldn’t involve “boots on the ground”.

"I know well that we are weary of war. We ended a war in Iraq, we are ending another in Afghanistan."

"That's why we are not contemplating putting our troops in the middle of someone else's war."

The Syrian government, which says that the opposition, who have fought a 30-month long rebellion, are behind the attack, has asserted that it has “its finger on the trigger to face any challenge or scenario they [the US] want to carry out.”


 

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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 Boring

T-50 is fast, long-ranged and has fearsome new weapons

Since 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, one of the world’s top aerospace writers, offers tantalizing hints regarding Moscow’s intentions for the big, twin-engine T-50, an answer to America’s F-22 stealth fighter.

If Sweetman is correct—and he usually is—the angular warplane with the 50-foot wingspan could be bought in small numbers and used as a sort of airborne sniper, elusively flying high and fast to take down enemy radars and support planes using powerful, long-range missiles.

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My Comment: Sober reading for those who work for the Air Force and for F-35 supporters.

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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 Denisov

Russia To Fight Space Invaders, Other Threats, With Advanced ‘Star Wars’ S-500 Missile Defense System -- IBTimes

Russia 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 will be ready for deployment by January 2018. The announcement was made by the commander-in-chief of the Russian Air Force, Lt. Col. Viktor Bondarev on Friday. Bondarev said, “We can now say we can make this system. It will hit ballistic and aerodynamic targets. It will have an excellent range of some 500 km,” reports Interfax.

The S-500 air defense system is an upgrade from the S-400 system, which has a range of 400 km (249 miles), reports Agence France-Presse. According to an anonymous source speaking to Interfax, the S-500 will be able to target threats from space and will be able to protect the entire country as an anti-aircraft and anti-missile system. The AFP article cites an even earlier deployment timeline, with the “star wars” missile system ready for use by 2017.

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More News On Reports That Russia Is Going To Deploy A 'Star Wars' Missile System In 2017

Report: Russia To Deploy 'Star Wars' Missile System in 2017 -- Defense News/AFP
Russia to deploy 'star wars' missile system in 2017, report says -- Phys.org
Supply of S-500 air defense missile weapon systems to Russian army will begin in January 2018 - Russian Air Force -- Russia Beyond The Headlines
Russia Building 'Star Wars' Defense -- Newser

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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 Atlantic

Even 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 tell from the not inconsiderable leaks coming from Washington and elsewhere, the planned strikes would use aerial assets, last only a short period, and decidedly not be aimed at achieving our declared strategic goal.

The president has repeatedly articulated, going back to August 2011, that there is but one acceptable end state: "Assad must go." Dean of the University of Denver’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies and former ambassador Christopher Hill may well be right that this declaration "was not carefully arrived at" and has "boxed us in," it nonetheless remains the administration's policy.

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My Comment: I have mentioned before that I do not understand what is the end-game for the U.S. in the event that they decide to conduct a military strike against Syria. And while I will give the White House the benefit of the doubt (for now) .... I will admit that I am deeply skeptical.

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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 $3.4 billion in the first half of this year, down from $6.3 billion in the year ago period, and $8 billion from the first half of 2011, said the source, who did not want to be named due to the sensitive nature of policy on sanctions.

Washington warned in late 2011 Iran's oil consumer countries that their banks would face being cut off from the U.S. financial system unless they significantly reduced purchases of Iranian oil. The EU has also cracked down on Iranian crude exports.

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My Comment: What must also be galling for Tehran is that they have now been denied access to much of their oil income residing in foreign banks.

Update #1: US says Iran unable to access oil money -- Times of Israel
Update #2: Iran’s oil industry: Dreaming of a new golden age -- The Economist

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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-Arbini

News Source: Russia Today

http://rt.com/news/putin-us-syria-evidence-249/

Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared ‘utter nonsense’ the idea that the Syrian government has used chemical weapons on its own people and called on the US to present its supposed evidence to the UN Security Council.

Putin has further called the Western tactic a ‘provocation.’

Washington has been basing its proposed strategy of an attack on Syria on the premise that President Bashar Assad’s government forces have used chemical agents, while Russia finds the accusations unacceptable and the idea of performing a military strike on the country even more so. Especially as it would constitute a violation of international law, if carried out without the approval of the UN Security Council.

Further to this, Putin told Obama that he should consider what the potential fallout from a military strike would be and to take into consideration the suffering of innocent civilians.

The Russian president has expressed certainty that the strategy for a military intervention in Syria is a contingency measure from outside and a direct response to the Syrian government’s recent combat successes, coupled with the rebels’ retreat from long-held positions.

 

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti / Aleksey Nikolskyi)

“Syrian government forces are advancing, while the so-called rebels are in a tight situation, as they are not nearly as equipped as the government,” Putin told ITAR-TASS. He then laid it out in plain language:

“What those who sponsor the so-called rebels need to achieve is simple – they need to help them in their fight… and if this happens, it would be a tragic development,” Putin said.

Russia believes that any attack would, firstly, increase the already existing tensions in the country, and derail any effort at ending the war.

"Any unilateral use of force without the authorisation of the U.N. Security Council, no matter how 'limited' it is, will be a clear violation of international law, will undermine prospects for a political and diplomatic resolution of the conflict in Syria and will lead to a new round of confrontation and new casualties," said the Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokesman, Aleksandr Lukashevich, adding that the threats issued by Washington “in the absence of any proof” of chemical weapons use.

On Friday, Washington said a plan for a limited military response was in the works to punish Assad for a “brutal and flagrant” chemical attack that allegedly killed more than 1400 people in the capital Damascus 10 days ago.

The Syrian government has been denying all allegations, calling the accusation preposterous and pointing its own accusations against rebel forces, especially Al-Qaeda-linked extremists who have wreaked havoc on the country in the two years since the start of the civil war.

 

 

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World News Briefs -- August 31, 2013

UN Weapons Inspectors Leave Syrian Capital -- Al Jazeera

Teams 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 are seeking to determine what exactly happened in an alleged chemical weapons strike that killed hundreds in the Damascus suburbs on August 21.

The 13 inspectors, led by Ake Sellstrom, were seen loading their luggage into seven UN vehicles before setting off from their hotel, an AFP correspondent said.

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MIDDLE EAST

International weapons experts leave Syria, U.S. prepares attack.

In Damascus, army and civilians scramble for safe havens.

Syrian hackers threaten retaliation for any U.S. strike.

Iraqi militia vows to attack U.S. interests if Syria hit.

Iran threatens payback on Syria; Russia sends warship.

Lebanon tense as Syria strikes loom.

Israel deploys Iron Dome defense system ahead of possible U.S. strike on Syria.

Iraq protesters rally against MP benefits.

Iraq court scraps law barring Iraq PM from third term.

Eyes on nuclear talks, Iran tempers support for Assad.

Iran appoints first foreign ministry spokeswoman.

ASIA

Attacks in southern Afghanistan kill at least 18.

Marines have turned Helmand fight over to Afghans.

High-ranking Chinese says ball in Japan’s court.

China's N. Korea nuclear pointman in Pyongyang.

UN rights chief says Sri Lanka heading in "authoritarian direction".

Liquid ammonia leak kills at least 15 in Shanghai.

India's GDP shows continuing slowdown.

Yasin Bhatkal: India Mujahideen 'leader' flown to Delhi.

How would US attack on Syria affect Washington's Asia pivot?

AFRICA

Egypt: Protests dwindle in crackdown; government refuses to give death toll, arrests.

Congo's army occupies rebel positions in breakthrough.

Displaced women, children at high risk of rape in Somali camps - rights group.

George Clooney's Sudan spy satellites 'inspired by paparazzi'.

Libya oil exports at 20 percent of pre-war level.

Former rebels sow terror in Central Africa Republic: Residents.

Nelson Mandela hospital release reports 'incorrect'.

EUROPE

Russia's Vladimir Putin challenges US on Syria claims.

U.S. criticizes Russia for preventing formation of coalition for possible military action in Syria.

France stands alone in support of Syria attack.

John Kerry slaps Britain in face by calling France 'oldest allies'.

German asylum system hits breaking point.

Bosnian Serbs welcome freed war criminal.

Pope Francis names Pietro Parolin as secretary of state.

Pope Francis takes a selfie, solidifies Catholic Church's newly cool image.

AMERICAS

Obama: US has obligation as world leader to act in Syria.

F.B.I. sharpens scrutiny of Syrians in U.S. for signs of retaliation.

Pentagon insists it is open to foreign investment in the U.S..

Suriname leader's son arrested on US drug charge.

Half of Mexicans say drug violence worse under Pena Nieto: Poll.

Mexico leftist vows to block reforms, warns oil firms.

Brazil GDP beats expectations for second quarter.

Hell's Angels admit murder conspiracy in Canada.

TERRORISM/THE LONG WAR

Al Qaeda affiliate urges attacks on Egyptian army.

US kills local AQAP commander in drone strike in central Yemen.

Drone strike kills 3 suspected militants in Pakistan.

Nigeria al-Qaeda suspect to be extradited to US.

ECONOMY/FINANCE/BUSINESS

Facebook considers adding profile photos to facial recognition.

Justice Department talks with Microsoft and Google stall.

Israel looks to glitter in world diamond trade.

Forget gold: this is the real precious metal.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- August 31, 2013

Meet The Military Forces Gathering On Syria's Doorstep -- Killer Apps/Foreign Policy

While 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 of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from the Mediterranean Sea and a ring of air bases surrounding Syria. Meanwhile, three of America's most powerful military allies -- Britain, Turkey, and Israel -- are publicly staying on the sidelines, albeit with their militaries primed to defend against any Syrian counterattack. Then there are Assad's friends, Russia and Iran, both of which have military personnel on the ground in Syria.

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MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS

So, what exactly are Obama's options on Syria? -- Tom Foreman, CNN

Hagel returns to US from Asia trip amid preparations for possible strike against Syria -- Washington Post/AP

The range of weapons, targets being considered as US mulls strike against Syrian government -- Washington Post/AP

What to Bomb in Syria -- and Why -- Carol Choksy & Jamsheed Choksy, Real Clear World

Limiting action to missile strikes in Syria could prove difficult, analysts say -- Stars and Stripes

Experts: Don't bomb chemical weapon sites in Syria -- AP

Exclusive: Syrian army moves Scud missiles to avoid strike -- Reuters

Syrian Strikes Would Battle-Test Chinese Radars -- Defense news

U.S. military officers have deep doubts about impact, wisdom of a U.S. strike on Syria -- Washington Post

MacDill would be central to any US attack on Syria -- Stars and Stripes/Tampa Tribune, Fla.

Russia Developing Attack Drone From T-50 Fighter Jet – UAC -- RIA Novosti

No Defense Deals With Iran While Litigation Continues - Rogozin -- RIA Novosti

Satellite images indicate North Korea is expanding rocket launch site -- Washington Times/AP

North Korea tops list of critical US intelligence gaps -- The Hill

'Talented and popular' soldier who fought in Afghanistan collapses on moor and dies just a day after his 26th birthday -- Daily Mail

Progress on wider US military role in Philippines: Hagel -- AFP

Hagel assures Philippines no new permanent U.S. bases -- Reuters

NORAD and Russian fighter jets conduct military drills amid tensions surrounding Syria -- RT

BCT reorganization will impact more than 26,000 engineers -- Army Times

Drones tag and track quarry using nanoparticle sprays -- New Scientist

Army scientists max out battery power to save soldiers' lives -- CBS

The Pentagon Has Been Running Top Secret Spy Plane Operations Against Mexican Drug Cartels -- Business Insider

Napolitano warns large-scale cyberattack on US is inevitable (Video) -- The Hill

UK asked N.Y. Times to destroy Snowden material -- Reuters

Microsoft and Google to sue over US surveillance requests -- The Guardian

Government to release annual totals of surveillance orders -- Washington Post

US CIA Role Escalates Since 2001 Terrorist Attacks -- Voice of America

White House peeved at Pentagon leaks -- Politico

An IT Flaw Has Let Unauthorized Users Exploit Army PCs for Years -- Gizmodo

Hasan arrives at Fort Leavenworth prison -- Army Times

Bradley Manning 'is doing well in prison' since announcing sex change and new name of Chelsea -- Daily Mail

Army Launches 50th Anniversary Commemoration of Vietnam War -- US Department of Defense

Sun sets on Marines' historic 'phrogs' -- Stars and Stripes

Gary Sinise named an Honorary Marine -- Stars and Stripes

Bring back mandatory military service in the US and UK -- Christopher Yates, The Guardian

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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, Ohio

DAYTON, 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, secret military projects or whatever it happens to be,” said David P. MacDonald, a Cincinnati area resident and executive director emeritus of the Mutual UFO Network. “Whether or not 50 percent can be attributed to one or two aircraft, I don’t know if I could go along with that or not just because of the diversity of what people were seeing.”

Blue Book investigated 12,618 UFO reports, and 701 of those remain unidentified, according to the Air Force.

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My Comment: I would love to know why they could not identify the 701 sightings that are listed as unknown.

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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 America

PENTAGON — 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, the U.S. defense secretary announced a $500 million deal for the sale of Apache helicopters to the Indonesian military.

“We are signing today the letter of agreement to go forward and sell those helicopters," said Hagel.

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More News On U.S. Boosting Defense Spending And Ties In Asia

US moves to cement Asia Pacific defence ties -- Radio Australia
U.S. Defense Chief Outlines Closer Southeast Asia Ties -- Wall Street Journal
Hagel Issues Warning Over Asian Maritime Disputes -- Defense News/AFP
US Significantly Boosts Military Funding for SE Asia -- Voice of America
U.S. Boosting Military Funds for Southeast Asia, Hagel Says -- Bloomberg
Pentagon Urges Philippines to Allow U.S. Troop Presence -- Wall Street Journal
Talks advance on wider US military role in Philippines -- Channel News Asia
Hagel assures Philippines no new permanent U.S. bases -- Reuters
Asia pivot: US to sell attack helicopters to Indonesia in $500 million deal -- Christian Science Monitor
US and Malaysia looking to expand defence collaboration -- The Star Online
Hagel Underscores Commitment to Partnership With Malaysia -- US Department of Defense

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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 billion

She 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 to bear a name that dates back to victory over the Spanish Armada – will shortly be reduced to tin cans and razor blades.

This picture shows workers from Leyal Ship Recycling – which paid £2.9 million for the aircraft carrier – stripping out valuable scrap items before larger sections are torn away.

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My Comment: A sad end to a proud ship.

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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.com

I 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 own people is the leader of the Baath Party of Syria. Whole other ball of wax.

The administration's ingenious plan is to lose this war in far less time than we usually take. In the unimprovable formulation of an unnamed official speaking to the Los Angeles Times, the White House is carefully calibrating a military action "just muscular enough not to get mocked."

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My Comment: Mark Steyn is brutal in this commentary .... and sadly right.

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The Definitive NSA Parody Site

The definitive NSA parody site.

The Definitive NSA Parody Site Is Actually Informative -- Forbes

When 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 of the equipment that would be used there, as well as links to relevant articles. While the site looks very much like the NSA’s and much of the information — as gleaned from news articles — is accurate, it’s a parody site that takes on the bureaucrasona of the fictional “Domestic Surveillance Directorate.”

What makes the site incredibly fun to read is its taking on the voice of an NSA that embraces the openness about domestic intelligence gathering brought on by the Snowden leaks. The shadowy, secretive agency finally gets to put its feet up and brag about what it’s doing to “secure the future.” (That, by the way, is the NSA’s real tagline.) The “Surveillance Strategies” section raves about PRISM giving the NSA “ important insights into [targets'] thoughts and intentions.” In a candid explanation about why “Your Data” is being collected, the site explains that it’s “ thanks to top-secret Fourth Amendment exceptions allowed by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.”

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WNU Editor: The NSA parody site is here.

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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 Post

Our 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 that were used by al-Qaeda operatives and other ‘persons of interest’ in the bin Laden hunt.”

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More News On The NSA's Elite Hacker Teams

‘Black budget’ leaked by Edward Snowden describes NSA team that hacks foreign targets -- Washington Post
U.S. spy agencies mounted 231 offensive cyber-operations in 2011, documents show -- Washington Post
U.S. spy network’s successes, failures and objectives detailed in ‘black budget’ summary -- Washington Post
Black budget leaked by Edward Snowden gives details of agencies beyond CIA, NSA -- Washington Post
US intelligence agencies' 'black budget' detailed -- BBC
The ‘Black Budget,’ Revealed -- David Firestone, New York Times
Surveillance Spending Vastly More Than Previously Thought -- Bob Adelmann, New American

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Picture Of The Day

CEMETERY WALK

U.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 Hostutler

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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 stolen from the US government, a senior Cabinet adviser has warned.

Documents seized from the reporter’s boyfriend, David Miranda, were so sensitive that agents have since had to be moved to protect their lives.

Oliver Robbins, deputy national security adviser at the Cabinet Office, went on the record to warn that ‘lives may be put at risk’ if the documents fall in to the wrong hands.

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My Comment: This is idle speculation, but from vantage point it appears that British intelligence is running scared .... they must have discovered something that is really "freaking them out" .... and I am not talking about the identities of MI6 agents.

Update: David Miranda accused of carrying secrets that threatened spies´ lives. This looks bad for Glenn -- The Telegraph

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

Edward Snowden. Reuters

Leaked 'Black Budget': Mixed Views On Damage To US Intel Operations -- Christian Science Monitor

Some 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 Snowden – portrays a sprawling global operation that is geared to detect and defeat terrorists, but is dominated by a data-collection program so massive that other priorities could easily be crowded out, analysts and critics said one day after the top-secret document was published.

Details from the 2013 National Intelligence Program budget, portions of which the Washington Post made available as of Thursday on its website, identify top US spending priorities as fighting terrorism, halting the spread of nuclear weapons, warning of critical events overseas, counterintelligence, and cyberespionage and cyberattack operations.

Some information in the 178-page summary document simply validates what was already thought to be true – such as the level of spending for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and National Security Agency (NSA). But the amount of detail, together with a big-picture overview of intelligence operations, provides a much fuller picture of a government activity that has expanded dramatically over the past decade.

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My Comment: What's my view .... many of us always had the belief that the NSA was conducting operations that violated our privacy and rights .... what Edward Snowden has done with his leaks is that he has (so far) only confirmed in detail that we were right. I do not what future leaks will be revealed .... and I do hope that it is something that will not compromise our national security .... but we do have a right to know .... especially since many of us now no longer have confidence in the politicians who have clearly failed in providing the necessary oversight over the NSA and other intelligence agencies.

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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. Raytheon

How Tomahawk Cruise Missiles May Send Messages To (And From) Syria -- NBC

The 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 mph and kill people. They have GPS, onboard digital maps, video cameras and two-way satellite links, and a navigation system that allows the missiles to loiter over an area and wait for their targets to pop up. That's in addition to the 1,000-pound bomb each Tomahawk typically carries.

The U.S. Navy can use those capabilities to send a message to Syria's leaders about their chemical weapons program, just as it sent messages in the past to leaders of Iraq, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen and Libya. Almost as important, the Tomahawks can send messages back — in the form of real-time battle damage assessments.

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My Comment: I suspect that the Syrians have already positioned and hid their more valuable military assets .... so it will be buildings and airfields that these missiles will probably target.

Update: 20 Reasons Why Tomahawk Missiles Should Put Assad In A State Of Panic -- Business Insider

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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 Monitor

Thousands 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 of 50,000 troops to restore calm to the country today.

Colombia's farmers – around 60 percent of the country's population, and the economy's backbone – say they can no longer make a living after years of neglect by the government in which crop prices have fallen, import prices have risen, and trade agreements have opened up the domestic market to large international companies they cannot compete with.

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More News On The Unrest In Colombia

Colombian president deploys 50,000 troops after violent protests -- CNN
Troops Patrol Colombian Capital After Protests -- Voice of America
Colombia troops to patrol Bogota after protests -- BBC
Colombian president orders military patrols in Bogota -- Reuters
Rioting in Bogota as Colombia’s president acknowledges ‘a storm’ is battering farm sector -- AP

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War Fever Is Now Gripping The Middle East

Image from The Economist

Turkey And Jordan Brace For The Worst As War Fever Grips The Region -- Haaretz

Like 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 weapons.

Jordan seems to be the most concerned, as expressed by the stream of reports coming from Amman and the cities and regions adjacent to the Syrian border.

“Naturally it’s the talk of the day and the tension is great,” a Jordanian intellectual and resident of Amman told Haaretz yesterday evening. “I can attest that the pace of commerce and the markets in Amman are showing signs of a slowdown in the past week. There’s no doubt that people are concerned – perhaps in Amman less so, since it is the capital, after all, and there’s faith that the army, with the help of outside forces, will prevent any harm to the city. But as you get closer to the northern regions that are near the Syrian border, the situation is decidedly different.”

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My Comment: Turkish military forces are now on high alert. Military forces in Saudi Arabia are now on high alert. Hezbollah in Lebanon are now repositioning their military forces. Not to be left out .... Israel, Jordan, and Iraq have also put their military forces on high alert. On top of everything else .... Russia is sending in ships, and even more ominous warnings are coming from Iran. Everyone is now on the edge .... war fever and war coverage is on the air 24/7 .... and everyone is waiting for what President Obama will do.

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