Early Bird summary
Wednesday’s Early Bird leads with a story from the Washington Post reporting that as President Obama prepares to formally authorize the April deployment of two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan, perhaps as early as this week, no issue other than the U.S. economy appears as bleak to his administration as the seven-year Afghan war and the regional challenges that surround it.A flurry of post-inauguration activity -- presidential meetings with top diplomatic and military officials, the appointment of a high-level Afghanistan-Pakistan envoy and the start of a White House-led strategic review -- was designed to show forward motion and resolve, senior administration officials said.But newly installed officials describe a situation on the ground that is far more precarious than they had anticipated, along with U.S. government departments that are poorly organized to implement the strategic outline that Obama presented last week to his National Security Council and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Wednesday’s Early Bird leads with a story from the Washington Post reporting that as President Obama prepares to formally authorize the April deployment of two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan, perhaps as early as this week, no issue other than the U.S. economy appears as bleak to his administration as the seven-year Afghan war and the regional challenges that surround it.A flurry of post-inauguration activity -- presidential meetings with top diplomatic and military officials, the appointment of a high-level Afghanistan-Pakistan envoy and the start of a White House-led strategic review -- was designed to show forward motion and resolve, senior administration officials said.But newly installed officials describe a situation on the ground that is far more precarious than they had anticipated, along with U.S. government departments that are poorly organized to implement the strategic outline that Obama presented last week to his National Security Council and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Boston Globe reports that a classified Pentagon report urges President Obama to shift US military strategy in Afghanistan, deemphasizing democracy-building and concentrating more on targeting Taliban and Al Qaeda sanctuaries inside Pakistan with the aid of Pakistani military forces.Defense Secretary Robert Gates has seen the report prepared by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but it has not yet been presented to the White House, officials said yesterday.The recommendations are one element of a broad policy reassessment underway along with recommendations to be considered by the White House from the commander of the US Central Command, General David Petraeus, and other military leaders.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Afghan authorities said Tuesday that they had broken up a suicide bombing cell responsible for a string of attacks in the capital, including a massive explosion last month that killed an American serviceman and wounded five other U.S. soldiers.In a disclosure likely to stoke tensions with Pakistan, a spokesman for Afghanistan's main intelligence service said the 17 men arrested in Kabul were believed to be affiliated with a Pakistan-based militant group known as the Haqqani network and that the cell's ringleader was a Pakistani national.
An entire section of Wednesday’s Early Bird is devoted to “Afghanistan – Supply Routes,” with stories from the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor and Fox News Channel devoted to that issue. The two lead stories in the segment report that the president of Kyrgyzstan said Tuesday that his government had decided to close the last remaining American air base in Central Asia, a move that could present a significant setback to U.S. plans to send more troops to Afghanistan and to open new supply routes that would allow NATO to reduce shipments through a dangerous corridor in Pakistan.
NBC conducted a cursory interview with Gen. Ray Odierno in which the General stated that challenges remain, including the transition of power after this weekend's provincial elections, and Iran.“They are still supplying weapons. They're still conducting training. They're still paying some surrogates, groups to conduct operations inside of Iraq,” Odierno was quoted as saying.
The Washington Post reports that Iran said Tuesday it had successfully sent its first domestically produced satellite into orbit using an Iranian-made long-distance missile, joining an exclusive club of fewer than a dozen nations with such capabilities.The Iranian launch was tracked by amateur and professional satellite observers from North America to Australia, while its significance was debated by military and intelligence analysts and arms control experts. Many agreed that Iran had achieved a milestone: Only 10 other countries have successfully launched satellites into orbit. Iran says it is has previously launched two satellites, but with foreign help.The country's space, missile and nuclear programs are a source of pride for Iran but have long generated concern in the region and the West, whose leaders say Iran's government is developing the capacity to build and deliver nuclear weapons. Iran says its programs are peaceful.
In a related story, the New York Times reports that The Obama administration may take a tough line with Tehran in coming months even as it signals a willingness to move toward direct talks with Iranian officials, according to President Obama’s aides and outside experts who have consulted with the government about Iran.While Mr. Obama is expected to soften the Bush administration’s line against talking to Iran, the aides said, he may also seek to toughen sanctions. Iran’s announcement on Tuesday that it launched its first satellite into orbit — a matter that Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, described as being of “acute concern to this administration” — may reinforce the impulse to get tough.“This action does not convince us that Iran is acting responsibly to advance stability or security in the region,” Mr. Gibbs said, adding that the Obama administration “will use all elements of our national power to deal with Iran and to help it be a responsible member of the international community.”
USA Today reports that Army and Marine Corps officials knew nearly a decade before the invasion of Iraq that its workhorse Humvee vehicle, was a "deathtrap" even with armor added to protect it against roadside bombs, according to an inspector general's report.Reports distributed throughout the Army and Marine Corps after the 1991 Persian Gulf War and the Somalia conflict in 1994 urged the development of armored vehicles to avoid the devastating effects of roadside bombs and land mines, but the Pentagon failed to act, the report says.
USA Today goes on to report that the Pentagon plans to field an all-terrain armored vehicle later this year to provide off-road maneuverability and enough armor to deflect the growing threat of roadside bombs in Afghanistan.Such a vehicle will combine the maneuverability of the Humvee, the military's workhorse vehicle, with the protection of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) troop carrier, Pentagon documents show.The Pentagon could buy up to 10,000 of the new trucks, which the military will need as it plans to almost double the number of servicemembers in Afghanistan to 60,000 over the next few years. So far, the Pentagon says it will buy at least 2,080 of the new MRAPs.
USA Today goes on to report that the Pentagon plans to field an all-terrain armored vehicle later this year to provide off-road maneuverability and enough armor to deflect the growing threat of roadside bombs in Afghanistan.Such a vehicle will combine the maneuverability of the Humvee, the military's workhorse vehicle, with the protection of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) troop carrier, Pentagon documents show.The Pentagon could buy up to 10,000 of the new trucks, which the military will need as it plans to almost double the number of servicemembers in Afghanistan to 60,000 over the next few years. So far, the Pentagon says it will buy at least 2,080 of the new MRAPs.
The New York Times reports that North Korea has been moving what appear to be components of a long-range missile to a launching site, a South Korean official and news reports said Tuesday, raising fears that it might test-fire a missile.The North Korean move, first reported by the South Korean news agency Yonhap and the Japanese newspaper Sankei Shimbun, came amid concern among political analysts in Seoul, South Korea’s capital, that the North might also try some sort of military provocation to help make its nuclear program a foreign policy priority for the Obama administration.
The Washington Post says that Al-Qaeda's deputy leader dismissed President Obama's expression of concern over killings in the Gaza Strip as an empty gesture. "Obama said he was concerned about the killings of civilians in Gaza," Ayman al-Zawahiri said in an audio recording posted on Islamist Web sites. "We thank Mr. Obama for his concern, which we received with thousands of shells and . . . white phosphorus," a reference to Israeli attacks on Gaza.
Media summary
Media summary
1. Leading newspaper headlines: The New York Times leads with, the Wall Street Journal banners, and everyone fronts, Tom Daschle withdrawing his nomination as secretary of health and human services after days of mounting controversy regarding his failure to pay more than $140,000 in taxes on time and his lucrative work in the private sector after he lost his Senate seat in 2004. (Slate Magazine)
2. USMC lightens its load with Office of Naval Research Technology: At the joint meeting of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC), held 26 January 2009, ONR showcased current and future technology investments aimed at providing lighter load solutions for Marine Corps warfighters. (eurakalert.org)
3. Sources sought for Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity: A Request for Information (RFI) from interested small business sources has been issued by the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity. Response to this RFI is voluntary and at the contractor's expense. (San Diego Daily Transcript via Yahoo News)
4. Brothers plead guilty to conspiring to steal military optics from U.S. Marine Corps and export them overseas: Timothy Oldani, 24, of Scott Depot, W.Va., and Joseph Oldani, 21, of Camp Lejeune, N.C., both pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of West Virginia to conspiring to steal military optics from the U.S. Marine Corps and illegally export them from the United States, the Justice Department announced. (Department of Justice via Yahoo News)
5. Kyrgyzstan moves to close U.S. Base: Kyrgyzstan's government has submitted a decree to parliament for the closure of a key US air base in the Central Asian state, Kyrgyz officials say. (BBC)
6. Iraqi death researcher censured: An academic whose estimates of civilian deaths during the Iraq war sparked controversy has been criticised for not fully co-operating with an inquiry. (BBC)
7. Iraq’s female ‘bomber recruiter’: Suspected militant recruiter Samira Jassim reportedly calls herself "the Mother of Believers". (BBC)
Leading newspaper headlines
The New York Times leads with, the Wall Street Journal banners, and everyone fronts, Tom Daschle withdrawing his nomination as secretary of health and human services after days of mounting controversy regarding his failure to pay more than $140,000 in taxes on time and his lucrative work in the private sector after he lost his Senate seat in 2004. Daschle's withdrawal came hours after President Obama's nominee to become the government's first chief performance officer, Nancy Killefer, also stepped aside because of a tax problem. The Los Angeles Times leads with an analysis that says "Obama is punching the restart button on his presidency." After two weeks in office, Obama pretty much admitted that the tax controversies surrounding three of his nominees had taken attention away from his efforts to boost the ailing economy. "I screwed up," Obama said.
2. USMC lightens its load with Office of Naval Research Technology: At the joint meeting of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC), held 26 January 2009, ONR showcased current and future technology investments aimed at providing lighter load solutions for Marine Corps warfighters. (eurakalert.org)
3. Sources sought for Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity: A Request for Information (RFI) from interested small business sources has been issued by the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity. Response to this RFI is voluntary and at the contractor's expense. (San Diego Daily Transcript via Yahoo News)
4. Brothers plead guilty to conspiring to steal military optics from U.S. Marine Corps and export them overseas: Timothy Oldani, 24, of Scott Depot, W.Va., and Joseph Oldani, 21, of Camp Lejeune, N.C., both pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of West Virginia to conspiring to steal military optics from the U.S. Marine Corps and illegally export them from the United States, the Justice Department announced. (Department of Justice via Yahoo News)
5. Kyrgyzstan moves to close U.S. Base: Kyrgyzstan's government has submitted a decree to parliament for the closure of a key US air base in the Central Asian state, Kyrgyz officials say. (BBC)
6. Iraqi death researcher censured: An academic whose estimates of civilian deaths during the Iraq war sparked controversy has been criticised for not fully co-operating with an inquiry. (BBC)
7. Iraq’s female ‘bomber recruiter’: Suspected militant recruiter Samira Jassim reportedly calls herself "the Mother of Believers". (BBC)
Leading newspaper headlines
The New York Times leads with, the Wall Street Journal banners, and everyone fronts, Tom Daschle withdrawing his nomination as secretary of health and human services after days of mounting controversy regarding his failure to pay more than $140,000 in taxes on time and his lucrative work in the private sector after he lost his Senate seat in 2004. Daschle's withdrawal came hours after President Obama's nominee to become the government's first chief performance officer, Nancy Killefer, also stepped aside because of a tax problem. The Los Angeles Times leads with an analysis that says "Obama is punching the restart button on his presidency." After two weeks in office, Obama pretty much admitted that the tax controversies surrounding three of his nominees had taken attention away from his efforts to boost the ailing economy. "I screwed up," Obama said.
The Washington Post leads with Senate Democratic leaders admitting that they don't have enough votes to pass the massive stimulus package and will have to cut some of its provisions in order to gain more support. Moderate Republicans want to cut as much as $200 billion from a bill that has already passed the $900 billion mark. USA Today leads with an inspector general's report that reveals military officials were well aware that the Humvee vehicle was a "deathtrap" almost 10 years before the Iraq invasion. Reports that were distributed throughout the Army and Marine Corps in the 1990s urged the military to develop new armored vehicles that would be able to better withstand roadside bombs and landmines. But the Pentagon waited until 2007 to significantly boost production of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Even though the reports made it clear that humvees fitted with extra armor were still inefficient, that is exactly the road that the Pentagon followed when the threat from roadside bombs escalated in Iraq.
The NYT says Tuesday was "the rockiest day yet for the new White House" while the USAT calls it "the biggest crisis of [Obama's] young presidency." The news of Daschle's withdrawal came as a shock to many key lawmakers because on Monday night the former Senate majority leader seemed to be on track to win confirmation. But by yesterday morning, "that estimate had changed," notes the LAT. While no one says Obama pushed Daschle to withdraw, it doesn't look like the White House tried to convince him to keep on fighting.
The two withdrawals were particularly ill-timed because Obama had already scheduled five Oval Office network television interviews in which he planned to tout the economic stimulus package, "a decision that magnified the troubles at the White House by giving them increased prominence on the evening news," notes the NYT. Obama was quick to take responsibility for the controversy that suddenly engulfed the White House. "I've got to own up to my mistake, which is that ultimately it's important for this administration to send a message that there aren't two sets of rules," Obama said. "You know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes."
Considering that the withdrawal came a day after the president said he "absolutely" stood by Daschle, it has the potential to "dent the reputation for steadiness and managerial prowess that the 47-year-old president had cultivated," says the WSJ. The WP highlights that the White House had sought to get the new Cabinet in place at a record pace, but now there are suggestions "that speed may have come at a cost."
Most of the papers focus their stories on Daschle's tax problems and give only a passing mention to his lucrative work with a lobbying firm. The WSJ gives the most prominence to the issue in its main Daschle story and points out that he was "increasingly being portrayed as a Washington insider who made a fortune by trading on his Beltway connections." In a separate front-page piece, the WP says that "some observing the debacle wondered if the capital's ways were changing." It's common for Washington insiders to parlay their government experience into lucrative work in the private sector, and the fact that it led to the undoing of a nominee who was regarded as a shoo-in for confirmation left many in shock. "It indicates that there are new lines," the president of the advocacy group Democracy 21 said. "In some ways, this is a warning signal to the city that the rules are changing."
Everybody wonders how much Daschle's withdrawal will affect Obama's efforts to revamp the U.S. health system. Obama had entrusted Daschle with that massive task and even created a new White House health czar position for him in order to emphasize its importance. Everyone was so sure he'd be confirmed that Daschle had already started unofficially working, and yesterday the White House was left scrambling trying to figure out who can take his place. While the LAT says that the withdrawal "is unlikely to derail" the efforts to reform health care, the process "likely will be harder without Daschle," who was seen as uniquely qualified to bring together lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. The NYT says that Obama's health care initiatives could be slowed down, and Congress could "step into the vacuum during that delay."
The LAT points out that Obama's acknowledgment that he had made a mistake was surprising partly because his predecessor "famously refused to admit error, at least until his final days in the White House." But it is seen as a sign that Obama recognizes that getting the stimulus bill through Congress has proved harder than many expected. Republicans have been surprisingly unified and have forced Democrats to assume a defensive posture. And the controversy over the tax troubles of three of Obama's nominees didn't help things since it allowed Republicans to open up a new argument against Democrats by saying that they "are cavalier about taxing other people because they do not abide by the tax laws themselves," as the NYT puts it.
While Republicans continue to criticize what they say is unnecessary and wasteful spending in the stimulus package, the WP points out that "unease also is stirring among moderate Democrats." The LAT cites a new poll that suggests Republican criticism of the measure has had an effect on the public. Even though most Americans continue to support a stimulus plan, only 38 percent said Congress should pass the plan "basically as Barack Obama has proposed it." Senate Democratic leaders emphasized they're willing to make some cuts to things that may not provide a quick boost to the economy, although it's unclear whether they'd be willing to sacrifice some of Obama's priorities. While senators voted down several amendments that would have increased the total cost of the package, they did approve others that pushed the cost of the legislation to more than $900 billion.
The NYT fronts a separate story on, and the rest of the papers mention, word that the White House will announce a $500,000 cap on salaries of top executives at companies that receive a significant amount of money from Uncle Sam. Executives would not be allowed to receive bonuses, except for normal stock dividends. According to the LAT, any additional income would have to come from restricted stocks that would only be paid out once taxpayers have been repaid. Most of the papers say it's still unclear whether the limits would apply to all companies that receive taxpayer money, but the WP states that "most firms that get federal aid would not face severe pay conditions."
The NYT says Tuesday was "the rockiest day yet for the new White House" while the USAT calls it "the biggest crisis of [Obama's] young presidency." The news of Daschle's withdrawal came as a shock to many key lawmakers because on Monday night the former Senate majority leader seemed to be on track to win confirmation. But by yesterday morning, "that estimate had changed," notes the LAT. While no one says Obama pushed Daschle to withdraw, it doesn't look like the White House tried to convince him to keep on fighting.
The two withdrawals were particularly ill-timed because Obama had already scheduled five Oval Office network television interviews in which he planned to tout the economic stimulus package, "a decision that magnified the troubles at the White House by giving them increased prominence on the evening news," notes the NYT. Obama was quick to take responsibility for the controversy that suddenly engulfed the White House. "I've got to own up to my mistake, which is that ultimately it's important for this administration to send a message that there aren't two sets of rules," Obama said. "You know, one for prominent people and one for ordinary folks who have to pay their taxes."
Considering that the withdrawal came a day after the president said he "absolutely" stood by Daschle, it has the potential to "dent the reputation for steadiness and managerial prowess that the 47-year-old president had cultivated," says the WSJ. The WP highlights that the White House had sought to get the new Cabinet in place at a record pace, but now there are suggestions "that speed may have come at a cost."
Most of the papers focus their stories on Daschle's tax problems and give only a passing mention to his lucrative work with a lobbying firm. The WSJ gives the most prominence to the issue in its main Daschle story and points out that he was "increasingly being portrayed as a Washington insider who made a fortune by trading on his Beltway connections." In a separate front-page piece, the WP says that "some observing the debacle wondered if the capital's ways were changing." It's common for Washington insiders to parlay their government experience into lucrative work in the private sector, and the fact that it led to the undoing of a nominee who was regarded as a shoo-in for confirmation left many in shock. "It indicates that there are new lines," the president of the advocacy group Democracy 21 said. "In some ways, this is a warning signal to the city that the rules are changing."
Everybody wonders how much Daschle's withdrawal will affect Obama's efforts to revamp the U.S. health system. Obama had entrusted Daschle with that massive task and even created a new White House health czar position for him in order to emphasize its importance. Everyone was so sure he'd be confirmed that Daschle had already started unofficially working, and yesterday the White House was left scrambling trying to figure out who can take his place. While the LAT says that the withdrawal "is unlikely to derail" the efforts to reform health care, the process "likely will be harder without Daschle," who was seen as uniquely qualified to bring together lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. The NYT says that Obama's health care initiatives could be slowed down, and Congress could "step into the vacuum during that delay."
The LAT points out that Obama's acknowledgment that he had made a mistake was surprising partly because his predecessor "famously refused to admit error, at least until his final days in the White House." But it is seen as a sign that Obama recognizes that getting the stimulus bill through Congress has proved harder than many expected. Republicans have been surprisingly unified and have forced Democrats to assume a defensive posture. And the controversy over the tax troubles of three of Obama's nominees didn't help things since it allowed Republicans to open up a new argument against Democrats by saying that they "are cavalier about taxing other people because they do not abide by the tax laws themselves," as the NYT puts it.
While Republicans continue to criticize what they say is unnecessary and wasteful spending in the stimulus package, the WP points out that "unease also is stirring among moderate Democrats." The LAT cites a new poll that suggests Republican criticism of the measure has had an effect on the public. Even though most Americans continue to support a stimulus plan, only 38 percent said Congress should pass the plan "basically as Barack Obama has proposed it." Senate Democratic leaders emphasized they're willing to make some cuts to things that may not provide a quick boost to the economy, although it's unclear whether they'd be willing to sacrifice some of Obama's priorities. While senators voted down several amendments that would have increased the total cost of the package, they did approve others that pushed the cost of the legislation to more than $900 billion.
The NYT fronts a separate story on, and the rest of the papers mention, word that the White House will announce a $500,000 cap on salaries of top executives at companies that receive a significant amount of money from Uncle Sam. Executives would not be allowed to receive bonuses, except for normal stock dividends. According to the LAT, any additional income would have to come from restricted stocks that would only be paid out once taxpayers have been repaid. Most of the papers say it's still unclear whether the limits would apply to all companies that receive taxpayer money, but the WP states that "most firms that get federal aid would not face severe pay conditions."
The NYT fronts news that federal immigration officials have been rounding up more illegal immigrants without criminal records. Even though Congress was repeatedly assured that the focus would be on arresting criminals and terrorism suspects, an internal directive in 2006 raised arrest quotas and removed a requirement that 75 percent of those arrested had to be criminals. This led to a surge in arrests of illegal immigrants who were discovered by chance and didn't have a deportation order. Although the trend appears to be reversing a bit, the impact of the internal directives "shows the power of administrative memos to significantly alter immigration enforcement policy without any legislative change," notes the NYT.
The LAT and NYT front Iran's first successful satellite launch, which raised concerns in the United States about what this means for Iran's ability to fire long-range missiles. While experts were quick to point out that the act was mainly symbolic because the satellite was very small, it still placed Iran "among elite company," as the LAT puts it, since only nine other countries have launched satellites into orbit.
Top of the Document
USMC lightens its load with Office of Naval Research Technology
At the joint meeting of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC), held 26 January 2009, ONR showcased current and future technology investments aimed at providing lighter load solutions for Marine Corps warfighters.
"The Marine Corps equipment is getting too heavy," said LtGen George G. Flynn, Commanding General of the Quantico-based MCCDC, "Everything has to be lighter and we need to put the Marine Air Ground Task Force on a diet."
LtGen Flynn emphasized that ONR's S&T investments would continue to lighten the combat load currently carried by Marines. In particular, ONR's Advanced Weapons Material technology has already reduced the weight of the Marine Corps' 60 mm and 81 mm mortar systems by 30 percent while achieving an 80 percent reduction in fabrication costs and a 10 percent reduction in life cycle costs.
The combat gear of the future would feature improved and lighter body armor, helmets, weapons and sights, communications equipment and other man-portable devices carried by Marines. The resulting increased mobility of the individual Marine would contribute to his or her survivability. Referring to vehicles, Flynn remarked that, "future vehicles need to balance the iron triangle of payload, protection and performance."
The annual joint meeting provides ONR and Marine Corps leaders with a dedicated forum for reviewing current programs and the opportunity to identify emerging S&T needs. During the meeting, Chief of Naval Research RADM Nevin P. Carr emphasized ONR's commitment to working closely with MCCDC to equip the next generation of Marines.
"The fact that ONR's Vice Chief of Naval Research, BGen Thomas Murray, is a Marine Corps flag officer speaks volumes about our commitment to ensuring the Marine Corps always has the technological edge they need," RADM Carr said.
Over the course of the event, portfolio managers from ONR's Expeditionary Warfare and Combating Terrorism, Command, Control Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), Sea Warfare and Weapons, and Warfighter Performance departments discussed ONR's technology investments currently underway to enhance Marine Corps warfighting capabilities.
S&T programs and initiatives funded by ONR on behalf of Marines include those in the following research areas:
Dominating in the Distributed Battlefield:
Lighten the Load: New technology for helmets, body armor and vehicles
Advanced Weapons Materials
On-The-Move Long Haul Command & Control (C2)
Long-Range, High-Accuracy Fires
Survive and Perform:
Blast Consortium
Cognitive Performance and Mixed Reality Training
Physical Performance in All Environments (e.g., altitude, heat, etc.)
Detect, Define and Defeat Terrorist Networks:
Improving Actionable Intelligence
Tagging, Tracking, Locating/Biometrics
Social and Cultural Behavioral Modeling
Operational Adaptation
"The Corps' view of Expeditionary Warfare means being adaptable along the entire spectrum of military operations, fighting on distributed battlefields, 'living hard' and using its unfair advantage in leadership, mobility, firepower, connectivity, sustainment and warrior ethos to accomplish any mission. This meeting was all about delivering the needed technologies to support that view," said George Solhan, ONR's Director for Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare and Combating Terrorism Department.
Top of the Document
Sources sought for Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity
Mon Feb 2, 8:46 pm ET
A Request for Information (RFI) from interested small business sources has been issued by the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity. Response to this RFI is voluntary and at the contractor's expense.
The government is seeking qualified small business sources with specific and recent Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS) and Multi-Band Multi-Mission Radio (MBMMR) experience.
The Marine Corps Tactical System Activity evaluates 1-2 firmware and software releases annually. The intent of this effort is to provide assistance in technical evaluations of tactical radio software and firmware, assessments of antenna performance and Tactical Radios.
The work to be performed involves access to and handling of classified material up to and including Secret; contractor's staff shall possess at least a Secret clearance. Industry responses to this RFI may determine the government's acquisition strategy.
The draft statement of work can be found at http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/sddt/lo_sddt/storytext/sourcessoughtformarinecorpstacticalsystemssupporta/30817129/SIG=10qhb97ip/*http:/www.neco.navy.mil.
Responses shall explain in detail: (1) the contractor's specific and unique experience with regards to EPLRS and MBMMHR hands on experience and latest version, (2) any anticipated teaming arrangements; (3) a reference list of related government contracts within the past three (3) years, to include contract number, dollar value, a brief description of services, and points of contact with phone number; (4) information related to the contractor's business size and socioeconomic status; (5) a copy of the GSA Federal Supply Schedule if the contractor has a GSA contract identifying the applicable labor categories; and (6) a statement as to the capability of providing contractor employees with the required security clearances.
It is anticipated the North American Industry Classification System code will be 541618. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only, and it does not constitute a solicitation and should not be construed as a commitment of any kind by the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract.
Interested parties having the required experience and skills to meet all the above requirements are invited to submit a capability statement to both susan.humann@usmc.mil and sandra.ingram@usmc.mil by Wednesday.
Top of the Document
Brothers plead guilty to conspiring to steal military optics from U.S. Marine Corps and export them overseas
To: NATIONAL EDITORS
Contact: U.S. Department of Justice, +1-202-514-2007, TDD: +1-202-514-1888
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Timothy Oldani, 24, of Scott Depot, W.Va., and Joseph Oldani, 21, of Camp Lejeune, N.C., both pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of West Virginia to conspiring to steal military optics from the U.S. Marine Corps and illegally export them from the United States, the Justice Department announced.
At his hearing, Joseph Oldani admitted that while on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps, he stole high-grade optics from his station in Kings Bay, Ga. Timothy, Joseph's brother, is a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps reserves. Joseph admitted he transported the stolen optics to Timothy, in Scott Depot, where Timothy subsequently sold the stolen items on the Internet - mainly on eBay.
The convictions stem from a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General -- Defense Criminal Investigative Service and by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The stolen optics are not the type available for public purchase, but are specially designed for military purposes. In fact, these stolen optics are on the U.S. Munitions List and subject to presidential control as defense articles prohibited from export without a special license. Neither Oldani had a license.
The investigation revealed that the Oldani's sold and shipped the stolen optics to purchasers in Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.
The duo each face up to 60 months in prison and a $250,000 fine when they are sentenced on May 18, 2009. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven I. Loew is handling the prosecution in coordination with the Counterespionage Section of the Justice Departments National Security Division.
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Kyrgyzstan moves to shut US base
The US base has been the focus of local protests
Kyrgyzstan's government has submitted a decree to parliament for the closure of a key US air base in the Central Asian state, Kyrgyz officials say.
The move was prompted by popular disapproval of the base, government spokesman Aibek Sultangaziyev said.
US officials say they have received no notification of the closure, and are talking to the Kyrgyz government.
The air base supports US and Nato operations in Afghanistan and is the only US base in Central Asia.
Its closure would be a major blow for those operations, the BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow says.
We have been in discussions with Kyrgyz authorities on the future of Manas air base. These discussions will continue
US embassy
US Kyrgyz base is pressure point
The announcement comes at a critical moment, just as the new administration of US President Barack Obama plans a sharp increase in the number of American troops in Afghanistan.
For Russia, on the other hand, it is a significant diplomatic victory as it seeks to reassert its influence in all former Soviet republics and beyond, our correspondent says.
Decree submitted
"A draft decree on terminating the agreement on the US airbase has been sent to parliament," said Aibek Sultangaziyev.
"It is up to parliament now to decide when to hold discussions on this."
The spokesman told the BBC that the United States would have six months to close down operations after the measure was approved.
The move follows a statement by President Kurmanbek Bakiyev that the Manas air base would close.
President Bakiyev made his announcement on Tuesday in Moscow, where he was promised more than $2bn (£1.4bn) in Russian aid.
He said the Manas base - set up in 2001 to assist the US military operation against al-Qaeda and the Taleban in Afghanistan - was only meant to be open for two years at the most.
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Iraqi death researcher censured
Estimates vary on the number of Iraqi civilians killed since 2003
An academic whose estimates of civilian deaths during the Iraq war sparked controversy has been criticised for not fully co-operating with an inquiry.
Gilbert Burnham said in the Lancet medical journal in 2006 that 650,000 civilians had died since 2003 - a figure far higher than other estimates.
A polling association in the US said Dr Burnham had refused to supply "basic facts" for its inquiry into his work.
It did not comment on the accuracy of his conclusion.
The American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR)began investigating Dr Burnham's work in March 2008 after a complaint by one of its members.
His research was based on a survey of Iraqi households and concluded that by July 2006 about 655,000 Iraqi civilians had died as a result of the US-led invasion.
The Iraqi government does not keep precise records of civilians killed and neither do US forces, but in 2006 the Iraqi health ministry estimated that between 100,000 to 150,000 civilians had died.
Dr Burnham provided only partial information
Mary LoschAAPOR
The AAPOR's executive council said in a statement carried by the Associated Press news agency: "When asked to provide several basic facts about this research, Burnham refused."
It said it wanted to know the wording of questions asked and instructions and explanations given to respondents.
"Dr Burnham provided only partial information and explicitly refused to provide complete information about the basic elements of his research," said Mary Losch, chair of the association's standards committee.
She added that Dr Burnham's refusal to co-operate "violates the fundamental standards of science, seriously undermines open public debate on critical issues and undermines the credibility of all survey and public opinion research."
Non-members
A spokesman for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where Dr Burnham works, said they were disappointed AAPOR had said he violated the code of ethics.
However, the spokesman pointed out to AP that neither the researcher nor the school were members of the association.
The level of civilian casualties in Iraq has been a controversial issue ever since the US-led invasion of 2003.
For Dr Burnham's study, researchers spoke to more than 1,800 families comprising 12,800 people, comparing mortality rates in selected areas before and after the invasion.
Its conclusion was undermined by allegations that the number of people surveyed was too small and that the authors may have inflated the figures for political reasons.
The Lancet said it had no comment.
The independent Iraq Body Count, which counts only confirmed deaths, currently has a range of between 90,556 and 98,850. Top of the Document
The LAT and NYT front Iran's first successful satellite launch, which raised concerns in the United States about what this means for Iran's ability to fire long-range missiles. While experts were quick to point out that the act was mainly symbolic because the satellite was very small, it still placed Iran "among elite company," as the LAT puts it, since only nine other countries have launched satellites into orbit.
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USMC lightens its load with Office of Naval Research Technology
At the joint meeting of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC), held 26 January 2009, ONR showcased current and future technology investments aimed at providing lighter load solutions for Marine Corps warfighters.
"The Marine Corps equipment is getting too heavy," said LtGen George G. Flynn, Commanding General of the Quantico-based MCCDC, "Everything has to be lighter and we need to put the Marine Air Ground Task Force on a diet."
LtGen Flynn emphasized that ONR's S&T investments would continue to lighten the combat load currently carried by Marines. In particular, ONR's Advanced Weapons Material technology has already reduced the weight of the Marine Corps' 60 mm and 81 mm mortar systems by 30 percent while achieving an 80 percent reduction in fabrication costs and a 10 percent reduction in life cycle costs.
The combat gear of the future would feature improved and lighter body armor, helmets, weapons and sights, communications equipment and other man-portable devices carried by Marines. The resulting increased mobility of the individual Marine would contribute to his or her survivability. Referring to vehicles, Flynn remarked that, "future vehicles need to balance the iron triangle of payload, protection and performance."
The annual joint meeting provides ONR and Marine Corps leaders with a dedicated forum for reviewing current programs and the opportunity to identify emerging S&T needs. During the meeting, Chief of Naval Research RADM Nevin P. Carr emphasized ONR's commitment to working closely with MCCDC to equip the next generation of Marines.
"The fact that ONR's Vice Chief of Naval Research, BGen Thomas Murray, is a Marine Corps flag officer speaks volumes about our commitment to ensuring the Marine Corps always has the technological edge they need," RADM Carr said.
Over the course of the event, portfolio managers from ONR's Expeditionary Warfare and Combating Terrorism, Command, Control Communications, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), Sea Warfare and Weapons, and Warfighter Performance departments discussed ONR's technology investments currently underway to enhance Marine Corps warfighting capabilities.
S&T programs and initiatives funded by ONR on behalf of Marines include those in the following research areas:
Dominating in the Distributed Battlefield:
Lighten the Load: New technology for helmets, body armor and vehicles
Advanced Weapons Materials
On-The-Move Long Haul Command & Control (C2)
Long-Range, High-Accuracy Fires
Survive and Perform:
Blast Consortium
Cognitive Performance and Mixed Reality Training
Physical Performance in All Environments (e.g., altitude, heat, etc.)
Detect, Define and Defeat Terrorist Networks:
Improving Actionable Intelligence
Tagging, Tracking, Locating/Biometrics
Social and Cultural Behavioral Modeling
Operational Adaptation
"The Corps' view of Expeditionary Warfare means being adaptable along the entire spectrum of military operations, fighting on distributed battlefields, 'living hard' and using its unfair advantage in leadership, mobility, firepower, connectivity, sustainment and warrior ethos to accomplish any mission. This meeting was all about delivering the needed technologies to support that view," said George Solhan, ONR's Director for Expeditionary Maneuver Warfare and Combating Terrorism Department.
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Sources sought for Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity
Mon Feb 2, 8:46 pm ET
A Request for Information (RFI) from interested small business sources has been issued by the Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity. Response to this RFI is voluntary and at the contractor's expense.
The government is seeking qualified small business sources with specific and recent Enhanced Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS) and Multi-Band Multi-Mission Radio (MBMMR) experience.
The Marine Corps Tactical System Activity evaluates 1-2 firmware and software releases annually. The intent of this effort is to provide assistance in technical evaluations of tactical radio software and firmware, assessments of antenna performance and Tactical Radios.
The work to be performed involves access to and handling of classified material up to and including Secret; contractor's staff shall possess at least a Secret clearance. Industry responses to this RFI may determine the government's acquisition strategy.
The draft statement of work can be found at http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/sddt/lo_sddt/storytext/sourcessoughtformarinecorpstacticalsystemssupporta/30817129/SIG=10qhb97ip/*http:/www.neco.navy.mil.
Responses shall explain in detail: (1) the contractor's specific and unique experience with regards to EPLRS and MBMMHR hands on experience and latest version, (2) any anticipated teaming arrangements; (3) a reference list of related government contracts within the past three (3) years, to include contract number, dollar value, a brief description of services, and points of contact with phone number; (4) information related to the contractor's business size and socioeconomic status; (5) a copy of the GSA Federal Supply Schedule if the contractor has a GSA contract identifying the applicable labor categories; and (6) a statement as to the capability of providing contractor employees with the required security clearances.
It is anticipated the North American Industry Classification System code will be 541618. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only, and it does not constitute a solicitation and should not be construed as a commitment of any kind by the Government to issue a solicitation or award a contract.
Interested parties having the required experience and skills to meet all the above requirements are invited to submit a capability statement to both susan.humann@usmc.mil and sandra.ingram@usmc.mil by Wednesday.
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Brothers plead guilty to conspiring to steal military optics from U.S. Marine Corps and export them overseas
To: NATIONAL EDITORS
Contact: U.S. Department of Justice, +1-202-514-2007, TDD: +1-202-514-1888
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Timothy Oldani, 24, of Scott Depot, W.Va., and Joseph Oldani, 21, of Camp Lejeune, N.C., both pleaded guilty today in the Southern District of West Virginia to conspiring to steal military optics from the U.S. Marine Corps and illegally export them from the United States, the Justice Department announced.
At his hearing, Joseph Oldani admitted that while on active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps, he stole high-grade optics from his station in Kings Bay, Ga. Timothy, Joseph's brother, is a former member of the U.S. Marine Corps reserves. Joseph admitted he transported the stolen optics to Timothy, in Scott Depot, where Timothy subsequently sold the stolen items on the Internet - mainly on eBay.
The convictions stem from a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General -- Defense Criminal Investigative Service and by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The stolen optics are not the type available for public purchase, but are specially designed for military purposes. In fact, these stolen optics are on the U.S. Munitions List and subject to presidential control as defense articles prohibited from export without a special license. Neither Oldani had a license.
The investigation revealed that the Oldani's sold and shipped the stolen optics to purchasers in Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan.
The duo each face up to 60 months in prison and a $250,000 fine when they are sentenced on May 18, 2009. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven I. Loew is handling the prosecution in coordination with the Counterespionage Section of the Justice Departments National Security Division.
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Kyrgyzstan moves to shut US base
The US base has been the focus of local protests
Kyrgyzstan's government has submitted a decree to parliament for the closure of a key US air base in the Central Asian state, Kyrgyz officials say.
The move was prompted by popular disapproval of the base, government spokesman Aibek Sultangaziyev said.
US officials say they have received no notification of the closure, and are talking to the Kyrgyz government.
The air base supports US and Nato operations in Afghanistan and is the only US base in Central Asia.
Its closure would be a major blow for those operations, the BBC's Richard Galpin in Moscow says.
We have been in discussions with Kyrgyz authorities on the future of Manas air base. These discussions will continue
US embassy
US Kyrgyz base is pressure point
The announcement comes at a critical moment, just as the new administration of US President Barack Obama plans a sharp increase in the number of American troops in Afghanistan.
For Russia, on the other hand, it is a significant diplomatic victory as it seeks to reassert its influence in all former Soviet republics and beyond, our correspondent says.
Decree submitted
"A draft decree on terminating the agreement on the US airbase has been sent to parliament," said Aibek Sultangaziyev.
"It is up to parliament now to decide when to hold discussions on this."
The spokesman told the BBC that the United States would have six months to close down operations after the measure was approved.
The move follows a statement by President Kurmanbek Bakiyev that the Manas air base would close.
President Bakiyev made his announcement on Tuesday in Moscow, where he was promised more than $2bn (£1.4bn) in Russian aid.
He said the Manas base - set up in 2001 to assist the US military operation against al-Qaeda and the Taleban in Afghanistan - was only meant to be open for two years at the most.
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Iraqi death researcher censured
Estimates vary on the number of Iraqi civilians killed since 2003
An academic whose estimates of civilian deaths during the Iraq war sparked controversy has been criticised for not fully co-operating with an inquiry.
Gilbert Burnham said in the Lancet medical journal in 2006 that 650,000 civilians had died since 2003 - a figure far higher than other estimates.
A polling association in the US said Dr Burnham had refused to supply "basic facts" for its inquiry into his work.
It did not comment on the accuracy of his conclusion.
The American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR)began investigating Dr Burnham's work in March 2008 after a complaint by one of its members.
His research was based on a survey of Iraqi households and concluded that by July 2006 about 655,000 Iraqi civilians had died as a result of the US-led invasion.
The Iraqi government does not keep precise records of civilians killed and neither do US forces, but in 2006 the Iraqi health ministry estimated that between 100,000 to 150,000 civilians had died.
Dr Burnham provided only partial information
Mary LoschAAPOR
The AAPOR's executive council said in a statement carried by the Associated Press news agency: "When asked to provide several basic facts about this research, Burnham refused."
It said it wanted to know the wording of questions asked and instructions and explanations given to respondents.
"Dr Burnham provided only partial information and explicitly refused to provide complete information about the basic elements of his research," said Mary Losch, chair of the association's standards committee.
She added that Dr Burnham's refusal to co-operate "violates the fundamental standards of science, seriously undermines open public debate on critical issues and undermines the credibility of all survey and public opinion research."
Non-members
A spokesman for the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where Dr Burnham works, said they were disappointed AAPOR had said he violated the code of ethics.
However, the spokesman pointed out to AP that neither the researcher nor the school were members of the association.
The level of civilian casualties in Iraq has been a controversial issue ever since the US-led invasion of 2003.
For Dr Burnham's study, researchers spoke to more than 1,800 families comprising 12,800 people, comparing mortality rates in selected areas before and after the invasion.
Its conclusion was undermined by allegations that the number of people surveyed was too small and that the authors may have inflated the figures for political reasons.
The Lancet said it had no comment.
The independent Iraq Body Count, which counts only confirmed deaths, currently has a range of between 90,556 and 98,850. Top of the Document
The Mother of Believers
Iraq's 'female bomber recruiter'
Samira Jassim is accused of recruiting dozens of female attackers
Suspected militant recruiter Samira Jassim reportedly calls herself "the Mother of Believers".
Detained in January by Iraqi security forces, the mother of six is accused of converting dozens of vulnerable women into suicide attackers.
In an apparent video confession, the middle-aged woman described how she identified potential bombers, helped supply them with explosives and led them to their targets.
She also explained, in a separate interview with the Associated Press, how insurgents used rape as a tool, with the "shamed" women persuaded to redeem themselves through suicide attacks.
Her apparent confession could help throw light on the recent increase in attacks in Iraq involving female bombers.
In 2007 there were eight suicide attacks by women; in 2008 there were 32, the US military says. In early January, a female bomber killed at least 35 Shia pilgrims in a blast near a Baghdad shrine.
Insurgents use female bombers because they can hide explosives under their robes and are less likely to be searched by male guards at security checkpoints.
'Bring her to us'
Samira Jassim worked with Sunni militants from the Ansar al-Sunnah group in Diyala province, one of the last remaining centres of Sunni insurgency, Iraqi security officials said.
Women can sometimes bypass the security checks in Iraqi cities
She had recruited 80 women to act as bombers, 28 of whom had gone on to launch attacks, a military spokesman told journalists at a news conference in Baghdad.
In a filmed confession, the black-robed Jassim described how she recruited one woman for an attack in the city of Mukdadiyah, 100 km (62 miles) northeast of Baghdad.
"I talked to her a number of times," she said. "I went back to them (the militants) and gave them the details on her. And they told me, bring her to us... And I took her to the police station and that's where she blew herself up."
She also described the long process of persuading a woman named Amal, who had family problems, to launch an attack.
"I talked to her many times, sat with her and she was very depressed," she said.
In a separate interview with AP a week after her 21 January arrest, Jassim also described how insurgents used organised rape as a way of generating more bombers.
Her role was to persuade the traumatised victims that carrying out a suicide attack was their only way out.
That claim was impossible to verify, AP said, and during their interview with her police interrogators sat in an adjoining room.
But in a culture where rape is considered very shameful for the victim, it is not implausible, correspondents say.
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1 comment:
Great job adding photos - keep up the good work!
Salas
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