14 May Media Summary

Early Bird summary

Thursday’s Early Bird leads with a report from the Associated Press stating that Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday said his decisions to scrap multibillion-dollar defense projects, like a new White House helicopter, were "no brainers."But some lawmakers expressed concerns over certain planned cuts and about the secrecy surrounding them.
Gates told the House Armed Services Committee that some programs, like the presidential helicopters, "didn't require deep analysis to figure out that (they) ought to be stopped as poster children for an acquisition process gone wrong."

Reuters reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Wednesday he hoped momentum in the Afghan war would shift to the United States and its allies by the end of this year.
The United States is pouring tens of thousands of troops into Afghanistan this year as part of a new strategy by the Obama administration to reverse gains by a resurgent Taliban and other insurgent groups.

The Obama administration is weighing plans to detain some terror suspects on U.S. soil -- indefinitely and without trial -- as part of a plan to retool military commission trials that were conducted for prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The proposal being floated with members of Congress is another indication of President Barack Obama's struggles to establish his counter-terrorism policies, balancing security concerns against attempts to alter Bush-administration practices he has harshly criticized.
On Wednesday, the president reversed a recent administration decision to release photos showing purported abuse of prisoners at U.S. military facilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Obama cited concern that releasing the pictures could endanger U.S. troops. Mr. Obama ordered government lawyers to pull back an earlier court filing promising to release hundreds of photos by month's end as part a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the U.S. military has flown drones into Pakistan at least a dozen times in recent weeks in cooperation with the Pakistanis as part of a new program, U.S. officials acknowledged Wednesday.The military conducted test flights in March to demonstrate intelligence gathering capabilities to the Pakistanis. Those were followed by Pakistani requests for additional Predator flights to collect intelligence on suspected militants, said an official from U.S. Central Command, which oversees forces in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Lower oil prices are threatening Iraq's efforts to build a military capable of defending the country, raising the possibility that the Iraqis will need substantial U.S. help for years after the Americans leave by 2012, according to the Arizona Daily Star.
The budget crunch not only affects ground forces that bear the brunt of the fight against Sunni and Shiite extremists — it also slows development of an air force capable of defending the skies and a navy able to protect vital oil-exporting facilities in the Persian Gulf from terror attacks.All that is forcing U.S. and Iraqi planners to make tough choices during the countdown to the withdrawal of all American troops by the end of 2011. With the Obama administration shifting resources to Af-ghanistan, the U.S. is not in a position to finance the Iraqi budget shortfall.

USA Today reports that a Marine Corps official says he may be fired for demanding accountability for military leaders who have failed to provide troops with equipment urgently needed in combat, according to testimony he's scheduled to deliver to Congress on Thursday.Marine procurement problems led to "many lives unnecessarily lost" because of delays in fielding equipment such as armored vehicles, Marine science adviser Franz Gayl says in a copy of his testimony to the House oversight committee.The civilian official, a retired Marine major, says he anticipates being reprimanded for his appearance before the committee.Committee Chairman Edolphus Towns, D-N.Y., said Gayl's case shows that whistle-blower protections need to be strengthened.

Lt. Gen. Dennis Hejlik, the commander of the II Marine Corps Expeditionary Force, on Tuesday called the V-22 Osprey a good aircraft for combat search and rescue missions, according to The Hill.Pentagon leaders are trying to figure out the next step in replacing the Air Force’s existing search and rescue helicopter fleet after canceling the service’s high-profile replacement program over cost concerns. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he would like to find a solution that would work for all the services, or the so-called joint forces. The V-22, which was once a target for termination, is now being bandied about as a possibility.

Congressional Quarterly Today reports that Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, in his first interview since President Obama submitted additional details of his fiscal 2010 budget request to Congress last week, said May 12 that the proposed Navy budget, which he will discuss before Skelton’s committee Thursday, would enable the Navy to continue to respond adroitly to perils as diverse as insurgents, pirates and cyberwarriors.Other countries and terrorist groups are amassing increasingly sophisticated weaponry to combat the Navy close to shore, and the emerging threats drove a major Navy decision recently, Roughead said. The inability of the Navy’s newest class of destroyer, the DDG-1000 Zumwalt, to deal with these adversary systems was the main reason the Navy decided to buy only three of them, not the originally planned 32. The Navy will instead buy more of its current class, the DDG-51 Arleigh Burkes, starting with one in fiscal 2010, plus parts for future destroyers.Among the eight ships the Navy has requested for the coming fiscal year is a Virginia-class submarine, along with parts for future subs and nearly a half-billion dollars to develop a new nuclear-missile submarine.Also included are three Littoral Combat Ships, which are fast, light, shore-hugging vessels that can deploy manned and unmanned aircraft and miniature submarines. The program has suffered from technical glitches, considerable cost growth and delays, but Roughead said the Navy is committed to it.

The London Times reports that Russia raised the prospect of war in the Arctic yesterday as nations struggle for control of the world’s dwindling energy reserves.The country’s new national security strategy identified the intensifying battle for ownership of vast untapped oil and gas fields around its borders as a source of potential military conflict within a decade.“The presence and potential escalation of armed conflicts near Russia’s national borders, pending border agreements between Russia and several neighbouring nations, are the major threats to Russia’s interests and border security,” stated the document, which analysed security threats up to 2020.

Media summary

1. Leading newspaper headlines: The Washington Post leads with President Obama's decision to try to block the release of photographs showing the abuse of detainees by U.S. soldiers. (Slate Magazine)
2. Marine receives rare opportunity: Lance Cpl. Sean R. Padfield, hardly ever gets the chance to show his family what he does in the Marine Corps. (military.com)

Leading newspaper headlines

The Washington Post leads with President Obama's decision to try to block the release of photographs showing the abuse of detainees by U.S. soldiers. Last month, the administration said it wouldn't fight a court order to release 44 photos by May 28, but Obama changed his mind after he saw some of the photographs and heard from top Pentagon officials that releasing the images could endanger troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Wall Street Journal leads its world-wide newsbox with word that the Obama administration is discussing ways to detain terror suspects. The administration is apparently considering a proposal to indefinitely hold some Guantanamo detainees inside the United Stats with the approval of a new national security court.
The New York Times leads with the unveiling of a new plan to increase oversight of derivatives, the complex financial instruments that were largely responsible for sparking the financial crisis. The Obama administration has called on Congress to increase regulation over derivatives, which largely managed to escape federal oversight even though the market has grown exponentially in the last few years. The Los Angeles Times leads with a look at how the hearing about the Colgan Air crash near Buffalo, N.Y., that killed 50 people is raising questions about the safety of regional airlines as a whole. The pilot was apparently unfamiliar with important emergency procedures, the co-pilot was paid $16,200 a year, they both commuted hundreds of miles to work, and they probably flew tired that fateful day. USA Today leads with a look at how around 20,000 soldiers are unavailable for combat because of wounds and injuries, the largest number since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began. At a time when investigators are looking into the soldier who shot five fellow service members in Baghdad, the Army says it might have to scrap plans to increase the time off between deployments. But Army officials are optimistic that the plan to withdraw troops from Iraq will be enough to help the situation.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he changed his mind about releasing the photographs that depict detainee abuse after the top commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan raised objections. It appears that is what swayed Obama as well. How shocking are these photographs? Last month, published reports made it seem as though the images wouldn't be anywhere as graphic as the infamous Abu Ghraib photographs. Now it's not so clear. The executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union, which had fought for the release of the photographs, says officials have described them as "worse than Abu Ghraib." The WP hears the same view from a congressional staff member who says that the release of the photos would lead to "a major outcry for an investigation by a commission or some other vehicle." But one Pentagon official tells the NYT that while the photos do depict detainees in humiliating positions, they're not as provocative as the images from Abu Ghraib. For his part, Obama said the photos aren't "particularly sensational."
The LAT notes that while Obama's reversal has angered his liberal base, the president might see it as a "showdown" that is "politically necessary." After all the criticism he has received from the right lately, this is one decision that won him praise from Republicans. And now, even if the courts eventually force the release of the photographs, Obama can always say he tried to do what was best for the troops. The White House said the argument that the photos shouldn't be released because they could spark a backlash had never been made in court. But the LAT says that's not true and points out that the issue was rejected by both a district court judge and a court of appeals.
Currently, a big part of the trading in derivatives markets goes on behind closed doors. In fact, no one can even say how big the market is. Now the administration wants trading in these exotic instruments, such as the credit-default swaps that brought on AIG's demise, to be more open and transparent. Although one might expect the financial industry to be up in arms against the plan, it seems everyone recognizes that some sort of regulation is inevitable. The WP notes that under Obama's plan, specialized derivatives, such as those negotiated between companies, would still be allowed to continue trading largely outside the control of regulators. This has led some to worry that traders will be motivated to create even more complex derivatives just to stay one step ahead of regulation.
The WSJ goes inside with the administration's new drug czar declaring that he wants to end the idea that the United States is fighting "a war on drugs." The statement illustrates how the Obama administration is likely to focus on treatment rather than jail time for drug abusers. Gil Kerlikowske, the head of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said that the popular phrase has become an impediment to dealing with the country's drug issues. "[P]eople see a war as a war on them," he said.
Remember yesterday's lead story in the LAT that revealed the U.S. military had begun working on a new joint program with Pakistani officials to operate armed Predator drones and go after insurgents? Well, today the NYT's sources say that's not true. And apparently there are no plans in the works for the military to even operate its own armed drones inside Pakistan. The NYT does say that the U.S. military flew "a handful" of unarmed drone surveillance missions and provided Pakistan with information that was collected along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. In an attempt to build up goodwill, the military offered a large amount of images and real-time footage, but it's "not clear whether the cooperation will continue," particularly since "requests for additional flights abruptly stopped without explanation," notes the NYT.

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Marine Receives Rare Opportunity
May 13, 2009
Marine Corps News

Lance Cpl. Sean R. Padfield, hardly ever gets the chance to show his family what he does in the Marine Corps. With Marine Week Chicago in full swing he’s taking advantage of the opportunity, including a static display at Sears Holdings today.
Marine Week Chicago is a week-long Marine Corps-sponsored event, which is currently underway with events scheduled through Sunday.
Padfield, a rifleman with the Chicago-based 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, volunteered to participate in Marine Week Chicago to give back to his community and showcase the Marine Corps.
“The idea behind Marine Week is great,” said Padfield, 23, from Zion, Ill. “It’s a good chance to show the people we’re not just warriors and to give back to the community.”
During Marine Week, Marines belonging to 2nd Bn., 24th Marines and other units, in an effort to help the community have been involved in cleaning up parks, providing vehicles at events and handing out and serving food to those in need within the Chicago area.
Families of the battalion have followed the Marines’ efforts and seem pleased with their Marines’ contributions.
“I’m incredibly proud of what my son is doing,” said David Padfield, Sean’s father. “I don’t think they get the credit they deserve. I wish every American taxpayer could see the quality of material the Marines work with. They’re getting their money’s worth.”
The materials Marines use to accomplish their mission have also been displayed during Marine Week Chicago. Many of the vehicles and the equipment Marines use have been showcased throughout the week at various locations. At these events both children and adults were found walking through the vehicles and handling an assortment of weapons.
“These events will answer a lot of questions for people,” said Sgt. James Guerra, 35, the scout sniper platoon sergeant for 2nd Bn., 24th Marines. “You can tell someone what a job is in the Marine Corps, but to actually see it in person is a different experience.”
Sean is hoping that brining his parents to an event will help them understand what he does in the Marine Corps.
“Sunday my family is coming out to the show in Arlington Park,” Sean said. “It’s going to be first chance for them to see what I do and what I used in Iraq.”

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