Paul Ryan, Other Republicans Take Distance From Donald Trump After Russia Comments - Wall Street Journal
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Wall Street Journal |
Paul Ryan, Other Republicans Take Distance From Donald Trump After Russia Comments
Wall Street Journal WASHINGTON—House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) and other Republicans distanced themselves from Donald Trump on Russia Thursday, criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin one day after Mr. Trump said he welcomed praise from the Russian ... Donald Trump already negotiating with RussiaWashington Times Donald Trump's answer on Russia and Vladimir Putin at the NBC forum was totally bananasWashington Post Russia-US deal on Syrian reconciliation 'not yet finalized,' talks to continue – KremlinRT ABC News -New York Times all 438 news articles » |
LONDON (AP) - U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter has appointed a retired U.S. Army general as aspecial adviser to Ukraine's defense minister.
The Pentagon says John Abizaid (AB'-ih-zayd) will advise defense chief Stepan Poltorak as Ukraine tries to strengthen democratic civilian control of its military, take on corruption and ...
Terror attacks on the United States are an inevitability but Americans shouldn't allow the threat to alter their daily lives, said former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge in an assessment of the nation's safety.
"The threat surface has changed, the number of actors has increased, the profile of those actors ...
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Marines: Recruit killed himself in March amid widespread culture of hazing and abuse in his battalion.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The Latest on the investigation into the suicide of a Marine recruit (all times local):
4 p.m.
The Michigan congresswoman who pressed the Marine Corps to look into the March death of a recruit says she is going to visit the South Carolina training site this ...
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A majority of Americans disapprove of Obamacare, according to a new Gallup poll released Thursday.
Fifty-one percent of the poll respondents said they have a negative view of the Affordable Care Act, while 44 percent of Americans support the health care law. Only 18 percent of those surveyed said that Obamacare has helped them, the Hill noted.
Gallup mentioned in its release that insurance companies have made significant moves leaving the Obamacare exchanges.
Insurance giant Aetna decided in August to pull out of most of the healthcare exchanges it had entered in 2014 and announced it would not expand into any more states. This news followed similar announcements from other major insurers such as United Healthcare and Humana.
Gallup also noted that the cost of many Americans’ health care plans is expected to increase “significantly” in the coming years.
The survey found that 29 percent of Americans believe Obamacare has hurt them and their family, an increase of 3 percent since May, and the highest figure Gallup has measured to date.
Negative feelings toward Obamacare have increased since last November, when 49 percent of respondents disapproved of the health care law and 47 percent approved.
The day before the poll was released, the Boston Herald reported that analysts say health care costs have skyrocketed in Massachusetts since Obamacare was implemented.
The post Poll: Over Half of Americans Disapprove of Obamacare appeared first on Washington Free Beacon.
The U.S. military has reported persistently low readiness levels as threats from Russia and China have demanded increased American presence in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, according to a government watchdog.
The Pentagon lacks a comprehensive plan to rebuild readiness across the force as manpower and spending cuts have threatened the armed services’ preparedness for commitments abroad, concluded a Government Accountability Office report publicly issued on Wednesday.
The military services expect low levels of readiness to persist into the next decade, according to interviews conducted by auditors.
“The military services have reported persistently low readiness levels, which they have attributed to emerging and continued demands on their forces, reduced force structure, and increased frequency and length of deployments,” the GAO wrote in the report.
Between fiscal years 2013-16, the active component end strength decreased by about 7 percent across the force and the reserve component end strength by 4 percent, according to the GAO.
The Department of Defense has also faced spending cuts across the board due to sequestration, which kicked in more than three years ago.
Service leaders have warned about reductions in force structure and budgetary constraints.
The U.S. Navy, for example, has been allocated $30 billion less than it has requested over the last four years, according to congressional testimony delivered earlier this year by Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations. The Navy has also seen an 18 percent decrease in its fleet of ships over the last two decades, according to the GAO, which has resulted in increased deployment lengths for its naval craft.
The Army and Marine Corps have each undergone years-long drawdowns of active duty members. The Obama administration plans to decrease the number of active-duty Army soldiers from 490,000 to 450,000 by the end of 2016. The count of Marine Corps personnel will also drop to 182,000 by the end of this year, which the Marine commandant recently described as a “red line” for the service.
Gen. David Goldfein, the new Air Force chief of staff, said in June that the Air Force is short about 4,000 active-duty airmen at the current decades-low level of 311,000. While the service is expected to increase the number of airmen to 317,000 by the end of the year, the Air Force secretary has saidthe service will need thousands more to ease current strains on the service.
In the face of reductions in budgets and manpower, overall demand for forces has remained high despite reduced commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Obama administration. Combatant command officials who spoke to auditors emphasized the growing demand for forces in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
“For example, U.S. European Command officials noted that the command’s assigned forces are now staying in Europe and being used to meet the growing needs of the command, such as the response to Russian aggression, which officials noted has been the most significant driver of changes to the command’s needs since February 2014,” auditors wrote.
“Moreover, U.S. Pacific Command officials noted that their operational requirements have steadily increased to ensure adequate capability exists to address increasingly unpredictable and provocative actions of North Korea and China,” they wrote.
The services’ plans to resolve persistent readiness challenges have fallen short, according to the GAO report, which faulted the Pentagon for exercising insufficient oversight of efforts to rebuild readiness across the force.
While the Defense Department has made rebuilding readiness a priority, the department lacks a comprehensive plan for recovering readiness with long-term goals and ways to measure progress.
“Without metrics against which to measure the services’ progress toward agreed-upon, achievable readiness recovery goals, DOD will be unable to determine the effectiveness of readiness recovery efforts to assess its ability to meet the demands of the National Military Strategy, which may be at risk,” auditors concluded.
Lawmakers appropriated $1 billion into a warfighting account for the Defense Department’s readiness improvement efforts during the current fiscal year.
The GAO was mandated by Congress to review the Pentagon’s efforts to rebuild military readiness. Auditors delivered a classified version of the report to congressional lawmakers in June, a “secret” assessment that provided greater detail of classified readiness assessments made by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and military commanders.
“The high pace of operations has created challenges for the all-volunteer force in its ability to respond to current demands,” GAO auditors wrote in a note to congressional defense committees accompanying the report.
“The global security environment will likely continue to require significant reliance on U.S. military forces to respond to a range of demands even as the department faces a period of budget constraints including across-the-board spending reductions through sequestration and force structure reductions. As a result, DOD must ensure that the force is poised to meet a range of global needs,” they wrote.
The Pentagon, which concurred with the watchdog’s recommendations to establish a comprehensive plan for recovering readiness, did not respond to a request for comment.
The post Military Services Report Low Readiness Levels as Russia, China Demand Increased Commitments appeared first on Washington Free Beacon.
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· · · ·
Hillary Clinton did not answer a reporter’s question about her memory after her 2012 concussion at the end of a quick press conference she held Thursday.
Clinton was holding her first official press conference since December 2015 when a reporter from theDaily Mail asked the Democratic nominee about her concussion as she walked away from the podium, the newspaper reported.
“Read the reports” is all Clinton said in response.
There have been renewed questions surrounding Clinton’s health since the FBI released notes from its three-hour interview with the former secretary of state in which she told investigators there were things she could not recall after her concussion. Clinton said she could not remember every briefing she received after the concussion, which caused a blood clot in her head.
“Can you clarify what you told the FBI about your concussion?” Daily Mail correspondent Francesca Chambers asked Clinton.
“Read the reports,” Clinton said.
The Daily Mail said that microphones were not able to pick up the exchange between Clinton and Chambers as the engines on Clinton’s plane were revving up.
Clinton gave a six-question, 16-minute press conference in New York in front of her campaign’s airplane right before she left for North Carolina.
The post Clinton Refuses to Answer Question on Concussion During Press Conference appeared first on Washington Free Beacon.
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· · ·
Get new generals, steal Iraq’s oil, reinvent military justice – Commander-in-Chief Forum showcases Republican candidate’s loose grasp of defense priorities
In October 2011, as Mitt Romney prepared to win the Republican presidential nomination, his campaign prepared a guiding document outlining what to expect from Romney as commander-in-chief. Troop reductions in Afghanistan would not necessarily end, but their pace would be determined by ground commanders. Missile defenses would again be aimed at protecting eastern Europe from Russia, rather than focusing on Iran, as Barack Obama had shifted them. The country would spend 4% of its gross domestic product on defense. The navy would see a shipbuilding surge to 15 ships annually, up from nine.
Continue reading...Hillary Clinton Rips Donald Trump for Lauding Vladimir Putinby By AMY CHOZICK and JONATHAN MARTIN
Mrs. Clinton asked, “What would Ronald Reagan say about a Republican nominee who attacks American generals and heaps praise on Russia’s president?”
Clinton Vows to Hunt Down ISIS Leaderby By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hillary Clinton said the United States should hunt down and kill the Islamic State leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as it did with Osama bin Laden, at a news conference in White Plains, N.Y.
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Fox News |
Self-styled sleuths sue FBI for DB Cooper files
Fox News A team of self-styled “cold case” sleuths believes they have solved the 45-year-old mystery of D.B. Cooper, and on Thursday announced a federal lawsuit they claim could force the FBI to prove they are right. On Nov. 24, 1971, a passenger who called ... |
10TV |
“Soft” Targets are the new focus of terrorists, says FBI
10TV CBS news has learned the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have issued a joint bulletin to law enforcement nationwide advising vigilance of civilian facilities as possible targets of ISIS. It's a trend CrimeTracker10 has been talking ... |
Donald Trump's statement that Russian President Vladimir Putin enjoys an 82 percent approval rating among his people wasn't hyperbole. Russia's two main polling agencies consistently give the man in the Kremlin ratings that would be the envy of Trump or his rival in the U.S. presidential election, Hillary Clinton.
Before the start of business, Just Security provides a curated summary of up-to-the-minute developments at home and abroad. Here’s today’s news.
IRAQ and SYRIA
Secretary of State John Kerry will meet his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, in Geneva over the next 48 hours to try again to reach a ceasefire deal for Syria, Kerry said yesterday. They had been hoping to announce a deal at the G20 summit in China Monday, but the agreement collapsed after the US accused Russia of going back on its previous commitments. [The Guardian’s Patrick Wintour]
While a deal might result from the Kerry Lavrov meeting, “no one should expect a durable peace,” warns the Wall Street Journal editorial board: the problem is that the Obama administration has “little leverage and less credibility,” most of the progress in Syria so far having been achieved by Kurdish and now Turkish fighters.
Syrian Kurdish fighters fired on a Turkish border post yesterday, with Turkish soldiers returning fire, reports Reuters.
An Iraqi Shi’ite militia has dispatched over 1,000 fighters to the frontline in Syria, it said yesterday, adding more foreign involvement to the battle for Aleppo, report Angus McDowall and Ahmed Rasheed for Reuters, citing Turkish military officials.
Israel has conducted air strikes on Syrian Armed Forces mortar launchers after a projectile hit the Israel-controlled part of the Golan Heights, the Israeli military said today. [AP]
The Oranization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons will investigate the suspected chlorine gas attack on an opposition-held area of Aleppo, Syria, yesterday, it said today. The UN Security Council is due to discuss a report by the watchdog and the UN, which blames the Syrian government for the attacks. Reuters’ Ju-min Park reports.
Who killed Islamic State “spokesman” Abu Muhammad al-Adnani? Most agree it was the Obama administration, but could it have been Russia, or a rival within the Islamic State? News of the Islamic State operative’s death last week has given rise to several conspiracy theories, Roula Khalif writes at the Financial Times.
US-led airstrikes continue. US and coalition forces carried out five airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria on September 6. Separately, partner forces conducted twelve strikes against targets in Iraq. [Central Command]
IRAN
Sen. James Lankford laid out a set of 13 questions for President Obama pertaining to cash payments delivered to the Iranian government in a letter sent to the White House today, reports Louis Nelson atPOLITICO.
Why do the US and Iran keep facing off in the Persian Gulf? John Gambrell answers this question at the AP.
Iran has never been held responsible for its “enabling” role in 9/11, even though the 9/11 Commission found “strong evidence that Iran facilitated the transit of al-Qaeda members into and out of Afghanistan before 9/11, and that some of these were future 9/11 hijackers,” Joseph I. Lieberman, chairman of United Against Nuclear Iran, writes at the Wall Street Journal.
SAUDI ARABIA
The House will vote on a bill allowing families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in US courts Friday, reports Katie Bo Williams at the Hill.
Staunch attempts to water down the draft report of the UK’s Committee on Arms Export Controls calling for the halt of arms exports to Saudi Arabia were made by Members of Parliament yesterday,with over 130 amendments being tabled – including removing the call for a suspension of arms sales. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister defended his country’s conduct in Yemen at a lengthy private session with Members of Parliament, reports Patrick Wintour at the Guardian.
CHINA
President Obama put the South China Sea dispute back on the agenda at the ASEAN summit in Laos today as it became apparent that the other leaders present were willing to let China off with a mild rebuke over its territorial expansion, report Vijay Joshi and Jim Gomez at the AP.
Beijing wants to work with other countries to “dispel interference” from non-regional countries in the contested South China Sea, China’s premier Li Keqiang said, Martin Farrer at the Guardian calling the comment a “coded warning” to the US to stay out of the region.
The lukewarm rebuke of China by the other Southeast Asia nations at the ASEAN summit in a “carefully worded” draft statement is a reflection of its military clout, suggests Al Jazeera.
Attempts to change the status quo in the South and East China Seas have “been continuing for the past few months,” Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said today, an apparent criticism of China, reports Reuters.
There is “cautious optimism” that a code of conduct can be agreed in the South China Sea, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said before a meeting with the Chinese premier today. [The Guardian’s Katharine Murphy]
China is refusing to send a delegation to this week’s Seoul Defense Dialogue amid an ongoing row over South Korea’s decision to deploy a US THAAD missile defense system, the AP reports.
There is “significant unfinished business in Mr. Obama’s Asia policy,” argues to the New York Times editorial board, including the apparently gridlocked 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. However, Obama has made headway in reassuring Asian nations that the US will remain a “stabilizing presence” in the region and a counterweight to China’s growing power.
RUSSIA
A Russian fighter plane flew within around 10 feet of a US reconnaissance aircraft operating over the Black Sea yesterday, the Pentagon said, describing the maneuver as “dangerous and unprofessional.” [BBC]
Defense Secretary Ash Carter accused the Russian government of demonstrating a “clear ambition to erode” international order and warned Russia to stay out of US elections yesterday, Helene Cooper reports at the New York Times.
The relevant question is whether President Obama is willing to do anything to punish Russia for its hacks or deter them in the future, and its response to China and North Korean hacks in the past has been “tepid,” says the Wall Street Journal editorial board.
AFGHANISTAN
The Taliban entered the capital of Afghanistan’s southern Uruzgan province today, triggering fierce fighting and sending government officials fleeing from the city, according to an Afghan official. [AP’s Mirwais Khan]
The recent spate of Taliban attacks on Afghan capital Kabul seem to mark a leap into urban warfare by the terrorist group, suggest Sayed Salahuddin and Pamela Constable at the Washington Post.
Mullah Sheerin Akhond, the Taliban leader believed to be responsible for the Kabul attacks, believes that it is permissible to kill “anyone who lives in areas controlled by the Afghan government”because, in his view, “they are supporting the Afghan government,” reports Sami Yousafzai at The Daily Beast, quoting an Afghan Taliban source.
FRANCE
November Paris terror attack suspect Saleh Abdeslam has invoked his right to silence for a third time today in protest against the 24-hour video surveillance of his prison cell, refusing to respond to a judge’s repeated questions. [AP’s Philippe Sotto]
Two couples have now been arrested in connection with the seven gas canisters found in an abandoned car near to Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral, and French police have established that the car also contained three jerry cans of diesel fuel. [Reuters]
French police are seeking a 19-year-old woman in connection with the car, Reuters reports. She is reported to be the daughter of the car’s owner, who was arrested and then released because he had gone to police Sunday to report that his daughter had disappeared with his car.
GUANTANAMO BAY
The 100-cell maximum security prison at Guantánamo Bay, Camp 5, has been shut down, reports Carol Rosenberg at the Miami Herald. The plan is to convert it to a new clinic and psychiatric ward, the military said yesterday.
Uruguay is searching for a country to take former Guantánamo Bay detainee Abu Wa-el Dhiab who is threatening to kill himself by hunger strike if he is not allowed to reunite with his family abroad, theAP’s Leonardo Haberkorn reports.
HILLARY CLINTON EMAIL INVESTIGATION
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell sent Hillary Clinton a detailed explanation of how he bypassed some of the State Department’s security measures in a 2009 email exchange that has become a part of the investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email server, reports the Hill’s Harper Neidig. The email exchange, in which Clinton sought advice from Powell as to how she could continue to use a Blackberry in the executive suite at the State Department, was made public yesterday by a top House Democrat, reports Josh Gerstein at POLITICO.
The FBI’s decision not to charge Clinton for her use of a private email server was “not a cliff-hanger” and there “really wasn’t a prosecutable case,” Director James Comey said in a memo to the FBI’s employees. [Washington Post’s Matt Zapotosky]
The FBI’s report on its investigation into Clinton shows it did not pursue evidence of potential false statements, obstruction of justice and destruction of evidence, leaving the Wall Street Journal editorial board wondering whether Director James Comey “always intended to let her off the hook.”
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
The US has hardly made any net gains against the brand of radical extremism that inspires al-Qaeda and other groups in the almost 15 years since 9/11, the co-chairmen of the 9/11 Commission said yesterday. [The Hill’s Julian Hattem]
Decisions made during the Vietnam War, including the US’s intense bombing over neighboring Laos, didn’t necessarily serve America’s interests, President Obama said during his historic visit to Laos yesterday. The AP is providing updates on the visit.
Acknowledging the US’s “unsavory history” in a country he was visiting has become “practically routine” for President Obama, points out Max Fisher at the New York Times. As well as Laos, Obama has confronted American “misdeeds” – decades old but still sensitive – in Cuba, Argentina, Vietnam and Japan this year.
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Newcanaanitect.com |
Memorable quotes from the presidential forum
Newcanaanitect.com Amid reports that some intelligence officials had deep reservations about sharing sensitive information with Trump, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. said in late July that "it is not up to the administration and not up to me ... and more » |
Council on Foreign Relations |
The State of Intelligence: Fifteen Years After 9/11
Council on Foreign Relations Director of National Intelligence, James R. Clapper Jr., joins Frances Fragos Townsend, executive vice president at MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc., to discuss the state of the intelligence community, and current challenges and successes experienced ... and more » |
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Washington Post |
Men who allegedly hacked top government officials arrested
Washington Post The hacking collective has claimed to have gained access to the private email accounts of CIA Director John O. Brennan and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. The group regularly bragged about its escapades to reporters, explaining ... and more » |
Washington Post |
Fact-checking Clinton and Trump in NBC's Commander-in-Chief Forum
Washington Post That's because FBI Director James B. Comey disclosed that there were three emails sent to Clinton's server that bore the marking “(c)” but did not have a header. The “(c)” stands for “confidential.” The State Department says that two of the emails were ... Trump compares Clinton's email practices to WatergateLos Angeles Times Hillary Clinton: 'I take classification seriously'Washington Times FBI accused of playing politics with damaging report on Hillary ClintonCosumnes Connection (subscription) all 5,657 news articles » |
Washington Post |
FBI-recovered Clinton emails contain only one related to 2012 Benghazi attacks
Washington Post The Justice Department closed the email investigation without criminal charges on July 7, and FBI Director James B. Comey said investigators did not believe emails on the private server were intentionally deleted in an effort to conceal them, but ... |
Los Angeles Times |
Could Russian hackers mess with the US election results? It wouldn't be easy; here's why
Los Angeles Times James B. Comey, the FBI director, reiterated that view during a security forum in Washington on Thursday, saying that the U.S. election system's antiquated nature is beneficial from a security standpoint. “The voting system is dispersed among 50 states. and more » |
The NSA Report by fredslibrary
Title: The NSA Report
Author: Richard A. Clarke
Clarke, Richard A. (2014), Michael J. Morell, Geoffrey R. Stone, Cass R. Sunstein, Peter Swire. The NSA Report: Liberty and Security in a Changing World. Princeton. NJ: Princeton University Press
LCCN: 2014001797
Corporate name
Contents
- Principles — Lessons of history — Reforming foreign intelligence surveillance directed at united states persons — Reforming foreign intelligence surveillance directed at non-united states persons — Determining what intelligence should be collected and how — Organizational reform in light of changing communications technology — Global communications technology : promoting prosperity, security, and openness in a networked world — Protecting what we do collect.
Subjects
- United States. National Security Agency.
- Intelligence service–Law and legislation–United States.
- Electronic surveillance–Law and legislation–United States.
- National security–Law and legislation–United States.
- Data protection–Law and legislation–United States.
Other edition
Date Posted: September 8, 2016
Reviewed by Joseph C. Goulden[2]
On 27 August 2013, in response to the furor created by the unauthorized release of NSA documents by Edward Snowden, President Barack Obama announced the formation of the Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technologies. The group’s mission was to recommend actions that would permit the Intelligence Community to meet its national security obligations while protecting the public’s privacy concerns. The group was made up of Richard Clarke, a former White House national security advisor; Michael Morell, the former deputy director of CIA; Edward Levi, a law professor at the University of Chicago; Cass Sunstein, a professor at Harvard University; and Peter Swire, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Following the precedent of most government documents, The NSA Report is something of a literary brick. Nevertheless, it presents a succinct summary of the country’s national security threats—terrorism, WMD proliferation, cyber espionage, and warfare—and NSA’s role in dealing with them while simultaneously protecting public privacy and civil liberties. On the latter point, the report assumes that these “fundamental values have at times been eroded by excessive intelligence collection” (p. xv) and makes 46 recommendations intended to correct the problem. The recommendations cover personal surveillance, organizational reform, global security issues, the collection and protection of data, and managing the associated risks.
For those wanting a quick look at the recommendations, there is a section listing each one without any analysis of the justification involved. This is followed by a chapter summarizing the historical lessons that led to the collection of communications data, and the impact of 9/11. The balance of the report repeats each recommendation and adds the supporting rationale. For example, they explain the reasons for recommending that communications data be held by private firms.
The NSA Report recommends many changes intended to protect national security and personal privacy. Whether they will accomplish both must await another report.
[1] On occasion, personal loyalties and opinions can be carved in stone and defended with a vengeance — at times with some venom thrown in. In these situations, the actual importance of the subject matter is dwarfed by the amount of aggression expressed. Retain a sense of proportion in all online and in-person discussions. [From The Intelligencer: Journal of U. S. Intelligence Studies.]
[2] Goulden, Joseph C. in The Intelligencer: Journal of U.S. Intelligence Studies (22, 2, Spring 2016, p. 124). Joseph C. Goulden’s 1982 book, Korea: The Untold Story of the War, was published in a Chinese-language edition in 2014 by Beijing Xiron Books. He is author of 18 nonfiction books. Goulden is a long-time reviewer of espionage and spy books for The Washington Times, for AFIO’s Intelligencer, for law journals, and other publications. Some of the reviews appeared in prior editons of The Washington Times or The Washington Lawyer (DC Bar Association) and are reprinted by permission of the author. Goulden’s most recent book [as of 2016] is Goulden, Joseph C. (2012).The Dictionary of Espionage: Spyspeak into English. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications.
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· · · ·
House to vote on allowing Sept. 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabiaby In Homeland Security Staff
The House will vote Friday on a bill that could allow families of the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia over its alleged support for terrorism.
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Trump promises huge boost in military spendingby In Homeland Security Staff
Republican Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to boost defense spending and deploy more active troops, fighter planes, Navy ships and submarines.
Washington Post |
House to vote on allowing Sept. 11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia
Washington Post was still cagey about a vote on the 9/11 bill, deferring scheduling questions to the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over the issue. But pressure to pass the legislation has intensified as the election draws closer. Passing the ... House to vote on 'sue the Saudis' bill before 9/11 anniversaryRT Suing the Saudis: House GOP pressed to pass 9/11 bill - POLITICOPolitico House plans to vote to allow 9/11 lawsuits against Saudi ArabiaPolitico all 46 news articles » |
Wall Street Journal |
The Evidence the FBI Ignored
Wall Street Journal The FBI investigative file on Hillary Clinton's emails shows that the Bureau “didn't pursue evidence of potential false statements, obstruction of justice and destruction of evidence,” observes the editorial board. The notes show “the G-men never did ... FBI director: Clinton email case 'was not a cliff-hanger'Washington Post Comey defends Clinton private email server investigation in FBI memoFox News FBI Director Comey Defends Clinton Decision, Says Case 'Not a Cliff-Hanger'NBCNews.com CBS News- ABC News- Federal Bureau of Investigation all 543 news articles » |
DNAinfo |
FBI Agent Still Plagued by Guilt Because He Didn't Stop 9/11
DNAinfo "It is the guilt of knowing that 9/11 100 percent did not have to happen," said Rossini, a former top FBI agent who worked at the Central Intelligence Agency. Fifteen years ago this Sunday, Rossini, the Bronx-born son of a blacksmith and social worker ... |
FBI reaching out to high schools to combat drug problem
WLWT Cincinnati LOUISVILLE, Ky. —The FBI is reaching out to high school students in Kentucky as part of the strategy to combat the state's illegal drug scourge. Trading immunity for drugs: How police are dealing with... It was an unprecedented move Wednesday as a ... and more » |
Wall Street Journal |
FBI Arrests Two Men for Allegedly Hacking Computers of Senior Government Officials
ABC News In February, British authorities, with help from the FBI, arrested an unnamed teenager they believed to have been behind some of the cyberattacks on high-profile officials after information about rank-and-file employees working for the FBI, Justice ... FBI Arrests Two in String of Breaches at CIA, Justice DepartmentWall Street Journal FBI arrests hackers who allegedly leaked info on government agentsPCWorld all 34 news articles » |
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WIRED |
Trump Finally Says Something Coherent About 'the Cyber'
WIRED Yesterday when Donald Trump was asked during a televised interview how he would deal with ISIS's spread online he responded with a fairly incoherent answer that amounted to “the cyber is so big. ... In addition to investing heavily in the military ... Meet Donald Trump's 88 military advisersPolitiFact BIAS ALERT: Media dismisses military brass backing TrumpFox News Trump's List of Military Endorsements Seen by Some as Lacking FirepowerNBCNews.com The Atlantic -New York Times all 189 news articles » |
The New Yorker |
What to Make of Military Endorsements
The New Yorker Not to be outdone, Hillary Clinton's campaign released a letter of endorsement on Wednesday, signed by ninety-five similarly credentialled retired military officers. In releasing her list, Clinton's campaign noted that she is “getting the backing of ... |
CNBC |
Here's the bill for Trump's military buildup
CNBC Trump has made a proposed buildup of the U.S. military a centerpiece of his wider agenda to "take back our country." "I'm going to make our military so big, so powerful, so strong, that nobody — absolutely nobody — is gonna mess with us," Trump says ... Trump Finally Says Something Coherent About 'the Cyber'WIRED Donald Trump's plan to cut taxes and dump money on the military has been tried beforeQuartz all 166 news articles » |
CNBC |
Here's the bill for Trump's military buildup
CNBC Trump has made a proposed buildup of the U.S. military a centerpiece of his wider agenda to "take back our country." "I'm going to make our military so big, so powerful, so strong, that nobody — absolutely nobody — is gonna mess with us," Trump says ... and more » |
Politico |
Trump's shot at top brass rankles military circles
Politico Nonetheless, any attempt to sideline top officers in one fell swoop — while the prerogative of the president — is viewed by some retired officers and longtime Pentagon officials as undermining a tradition of keeping the active-duty military out of ... and more » |
People Magazine |
Hillary Clinton Holds Long-Awaited Press Conference, Ices Donald Trump for Talking About His CIASecurity Briefings
People Magazine The morning after voters had their first general-election chance to size up Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump back-to-back as potential commanders in chief, Clinton broke her fast on news conferences to coolly condemn Trump's televised discussion of the ... and more » |
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Las Vegas Review-Journal |
Men alleged to have hacked CIA director's email account arrested
Las Vegas Review-Journal In this file photo, CIA Director John Brennan testifies before the Senate Intelligence Committee in Washington. Men alleged to have gained access to Brennan's private email account of and email accounts of other US intelligence officials have been ... FBI Arrests Two Alleged Members of Group That Hacked the CIA DirectorMotherboard Two charged with hacking CIA chief, DNI, other top officialsFedScoop 2 men charged with hacking senior US officialsThe Detroit News all 19 news articles » |
Wall Street Journal |
FBI Arrests Two in String of Breaches at CIA, Justice Department
Wall Street Journal Two North Carolina men were arrested Thursday on charges that they were part of the hacking group "Crackas With Attitude'' that pulled off a series of embarrassing data breaches against the head of the CIA, a senior FBI official, and the Justice ... Two men accused of hacking CIA director, other top US officialsFox News Guy Who Allegedly Hacked CIA Director: I Participated In Government Program To Hack The PentagonBuzzFeed News Two charged with hacking CIA chief, DNI, other top officialsFedScoop Motherboard-Washington Examiner (blog) all 32 news articles » |
Reuters |
Islamic State to remain a challenge despite battlefield defeats: CIA chief
Reuters WASHINGTON Islamic State will remain a presence inside Syria and Iraq for "quite a while to come" despite the battlefield defeats the militant group has suffered, CIA director John Brennan said on Thursday. "I do think a number of them are going to ... Iraq, Syria might not 'be put back together again': CIA headDaily Mail ISIS to remain a challenge despite battlefield defeats: CIA chiefThe Daily Star all 8 news articles » |
Al-Arabiya |
CIA head says Iraq, Syria might not 'be put back together again'
Al-Arabiya Iraq and Syria have been so thoroughly damaged by warfare, sectarian conflict and killing that it is unclear they “can be put back together again,” CIA Director John Brennan said. In an interview this week with the CTC Sentinel, a publication from the ... and more » |
Fox News |
Two men accused of hacking CIA director, other top US officials
Fox News ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two North Carolina men were arrested Thursday and charged in connection with a computer hacker network that allegedly targeted CIA Director John Brennan and other senior government officials. Federal prosecutors in Alexandria said ... FBI Arrests Two in String of Breaches at CIA, Justice DepartmentWall Street Journal NC men arrested for 'Crackas With Attitude' cyber-attack against CIA chief BrennanRaw Story Guy Who Allegedly Hacked CIA Director: I Participated In Government Program To Hack The PentagonBuzzFeed News Las Vegas Review-Journal -FedScoop -Washington Examiner (blog) all 33 news articles » |
Donald Trump’s Remarks Show He’s Mistaken on Sexual Assault in Militaryby By JENNIFER STEINHAUER and MATTHEW ROSENBERG
In defending his suggestion that the integration of women led to assaults, Mr. Trump exposed a faulty understanding of a complex issue and of the military justice system.
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Despite the Islamic State group's loss of territory, the Islamic extremists will continue to pose serious national security problems for the United States and Europe in coming years, the directors of the FBI and CIA said Thursday.
Kurdish Fighters Blame Turkey for Deadly Border Attackby webdesk@voanews.com (Amina Misto, Sirwan Kajjo)
Six Syrian Kurdish fighters were killed and a dozen were wounded as Turkish military artillery fired across the border Thursday into Syria, Kurdish officials and rights activists said. Some of those wounded in the attack on the northern town of Afrin were civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group that has researchers across the country. "Two members of our security forces were killed by Turkish snipers before their artillery attacked us," Ahmed Ali, a wounded Kurdish fighter, told VOA. Another Kurdish fighter said he came under a Turkish mortar attack while he was trying to retrieve the body of a fellow fighter. Afrin is controlled by the Kurdish People's Protection Units, known as YPG, that are allied with the United States in the fight against Islamic State in Syria. Turkey views the YPG as a terror group linked to the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Turkish military sources said the Afrin incident began when border guards came under machine-gun fire from unknown forces inside Syria. Turkey's Dogan News Agency reported that Turkish military responded to "harassment fire in accordance with rules of engagement." Turkey fears that a strong Kurdish entity in Syria would aid and embolden PKK fighters who have been fighting against the Turkish military for decades. Tensions between Turkey and Syrian Kurds have increased since Turkish-backed Syrian rebels not affiliated with the YPG entered the border town of Jarablus in late August, pushing back IS fighters and preventing further expansion of the U.S.-backed militias. WATCH: Wounded Kurdish Fighter Talks about Attack The United States has repeatedly called on both sides to exercise restraint and focus more on fighting IS militants. "We have agreed with them about where each party will be, geographically, in such a way that they can conduct their operations against [Islamic State] and not run into each other," U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said in a recent interview with CNN. Otherwise, he added, there could be a "collision between the two [sides] … which we don't want to see." VOA's Uzay Bulut contributed to this report from Washington.
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Apple Is Betting Big on a Wireless Worldby webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)
Apple wants to push consumers further into a wireless world. Its tactics: eliminate the standard headphone jack in its newest iPhones and market new “AirPods” - tiny wireless earbuds that the company claims greatly improve on standard Bluetooth technology. But that strategy has some risks. Airpod angst Start with the AirPods themselves. These are a pair of earbuds, each with an inch or so of protruding plastic, and nothing else - no wires to hold them together, no dangling cords. If they live up to Apple's claims, they're a technological marvel, tiny and expensive. And, perhaps, also easily dislodged or misplaced. Analysts at IHS Technology say that Apple used a smooth-surfaced design that doesn't conform to the shape of the ear, and note that having AirPods fall out while running or biking “is less forgivable at the $159 cost level.” Or as Bob O'Donnell, a veteran consumer tech analyst at Technalysis Research, puts it: “You start losing those things at $160 a pair, you're going to go crazy.” The alternative - plugging a headphone cord into the iPhone's power port - has plenty of downside as well. Older headphones that aren't compatible with Apple's “Lightning” power port will need an adapter. Those will come standard with new iPhones, but many consumers could find it annoying to use the extra “dongle.” And they won't be able to plug in headphones if there's a power cord in the Lightning port. Apple cuts the cord Apple Senior Vice President Philip Schiller made it clear Wednesday that the company sees a future where its sleek gadgets are no longer encumbered by cords at all. “It makes no sense to tether ourselves with cables to our mobile devices,” he said during the company's annual fall product event. Eliminating the standard analog jack freed up some space inside the new iPhones, allowing Apple to increase the battery size and add another speaker as it redesigned the interior of the device. Despite some earlier rumors, Apple didn't use the extra space to make the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus any slimmer than last year's models, the 6S and 6S Plus. Apple did make an effort to improve on standard Bluetooth technology, which can be unreliable and obstinate when used to “pair” wireless headsets with phones or other devices. The new AirPods are based on Bluetooth standards. But in addition to special sensors, a microphone and noise canceling technology, they have a processor chip designed by Apple, combined with software that Apple says will make it simple to sync them with an iPhone, Apple Watch and other Apple gadgets. The result allows a “seamless connection between you and your devices,” said Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive in a promotional video. “We're just at the beginning of a truly wireless future we've been working towards for many years.” Apple says the new “AirPods” will work for five hours before their batteries need re-charging; they come with a small charging case that's supposed to provide 24 hours of additional juice before the case itself needs to be recharged. The “AirPods” will work with Bluetooth-enabled devices made by Apple's rivals, but they won't have the ease-of-pairing that comes with Apple's software. Schiller didn't mention rival devices during his presentation, nor did he even use the word “Bluetooth.” Bound by wireless Analysts say Apple clearly wants to promote its own brand of wireless listening gear, including new headphones from its own “Beats” division, since the market for such accessories is growing at a time when sales of iPhones - and other smartphones - are slowing. Some early reviewers are already captivated by the AirPod. “They fixed Bluetooth headsets,” said tech analyst Patrick Moorhead, of Moor Insights & Strategy, after trying a pair. “I think Apple has a real winner here.” But mobile tech analyst Carolina Milanesi of the Creative Strategies firm thinks Apple has a bigger goal in mind - to make it easier for consumers to use one set of wireless earpieces with a variety of Apple's products. “It's not just about your iPhone anymore,” she said. “It's about getting consumers thinking more about that ecosystem of Apple products - and how they all play nicely together.” It's an expensive ecosystem: Buying a new iPhone 7, Apple Watch and a set of AirPods will cost over $1,000. But Apple has never been shy about marketing its products at a premium price. Countering the iPhone slump Apple is hoping its new iPhone and an updated Apple Watch, known as Series 2, will help reverse a recent decline in sales. While the company sold nearly 92 million iPhones in the first six months of this year, that's about 15 percent fewer than the same period last year. Industry analysts say the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, which Apple introduced last fall, didn't offer many compelling new features over the previous year's models. With the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, Apple may face a similar challenge. O'Donnell, for instance, considers the changes from last year's iPhones “modest” overall. A new dual-lens camera in the iPhone 7 Plus may be impressive, he said, but it's only available in the larger and more expensive phone, limiting its appeal. “Smartphone advancements are slowing down as the market is maturing, so minor things like look and feel get more attention,” O'Donnell said, noting that Apple spent several minutes of its presentation extolling the virtues of an optional “jet black” finish for the new phones. Other smartphone makers are also having trouble dazzling consumers with new advances. But Forrester Research analyst Julie Ask figures consumers will appreciate the faster chip and other improvements once they try the new iPhones. And she's not worried about any backlash over elimination of the hardware jack. “Apple has a very long history of removing features we all thought were necessary, and then convincing us that we didn't need them,” said Ask, noting that Apple paved the way in phasing out the use of floppy discs and optical drives in computers. “Three months later, it will be, `Why did we ever have that?”'
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Two North Carolina men were arrested Thursday and charged in connection with a computer hacker network that allegedly targeted CIA Director John Brennan and other senior government officials. Federal prosecutors in Alexandria said Andrew Otto Boggs, 22, known online as “INCURSIO,” of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, and Justin Gray Liverman, 24, also known as “D3F4ULT,” of Morehead City, North Carolina, were charged and will make initial appearances next week. Prosecutors say Boggs and Liverman were members of a hacking group called “Crackas With Attitude.” Beginning in October, the hackers gained access to personal online accounts of senior U.S. government officials. The officials are not identified in a 37-page affidavit. Earlier this year, British authorities arrested a 16-year-old boy who they said used the name “Cracka” to target Brennan and others. The affidavit cites email exchanges in which Boggs tells another individual, “I want to carry on (Cracka's) legacy if or when he is arrested. I know he'll receive a harsh sentence because our government doesn't like being embarrassed.” According to the affidavit, Boggs and Liverman lived in their respective parents' homes. They used the hacked accounts to send harassing messages to their victims. While Brennan is not named in the affidavit, he appears to be “Victim 1.” The affidavit states that Victim 1's emails were released by WikiLeaks on Oct. 21, 2015, which corresponds with a WikiLeaks disclosure pertaining to Brennan. In one exchange, Boggs tells “Cracka” that he wants to hack Victim 1's agency because “I've been looking for evidence of aliens,” according to the affidavit. Authorities also accuse the hackers of calling in a false bomb threat to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's office in Florida earlier this year. Online court records do not list attorneys for Boggs or Liverman.
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Ryan Disavows Trump’s Putin Remarksby By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
House Speaker Paul D. Ryan called Vladimir V. Putin an “aggressor” and an “adversary” on Thursday, after the Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump had lauded the Russian president on Wednesday.
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Marines: Recruit killed himself amid culture of abuseby By SUSANNE M. SCHAFER
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- A Marine recruit committed suicide in March amid a widespread culture of hazing and abuse in his battalion at Parris Island that could lead to punishments for as many as 20 officers and enlisted leaders, the Marine Corps said Thursday....
Dozens of people who are trapped in cable cars suspended about 12,000 feet in the air above theMont Blanc range in the French Alps will remain stuck overnight until rescue efforts resume, officials said Thursday.
An unknown technical problem caused the cable cars to stop moving while 110 people were inside a series of them, according to the Associated Press.
Authorities were able to airlift 65 people out of the cars before they needed to suspend rescue operations due to rough flight conditions.
The remaining 45 people who are stuck are being given blankets, food and water until the operation resumes in the morning, officials said.
[AP]
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Syria’s rebranded al-Qaida affiliate says a senior commander who led military operations in the war-wrecked Aleppo has been killed in an airstrike.
US Agrees to Help Enhance Ukrainian Forces, Dispatches Adviser by webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters)
The United States and Ukraine agreed Thursday to cooperate on defense technology and improve Ukraine's forces in a move aimed at boosting Ukrainian defense and enhancing U.S. assistance, the Pentagon said. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter also named a senior U.S. adviser to oversee the effort. Carter and Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak signed the partnership agreement at a meeting in London in which they also discussed the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where Ukrainian government forces confront Russian-backed separatists. The partnership aims "to enhance the defense capacity of Ukraine's forces, advance critical Ukrainian defense reforms, improve resource management processes and boost defense technology cooperation," the Pentagon said in a statement following the meeting. Carter, speaking to reporters, called it a "very, very important agreement" to help further Ukraine's capabilities for defending its territory. He did not suggest it would change the nature of U.S. assistance, which has been focused on defensive support. Carter also named retired U.S. Army General John Abizaid, former head of U.S. Central Command, as a senior defense adviser to Ukraine to help Poltorak and other Ukrainian officials implement the reforms. Russia-backed fighters took up arms against Ukrainian government forces in eastern Ukraine in April 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea in response to the downfall of a Moscow-backed president. Also on Thursday, Germany's foreign minister called for more urgent work to fully implement a cease-fire and voiced dissatisfaction at the slow pace of efforts to resolve the conflict in which more than 9,500 people have been killed. Efforts also are underway to arrange four-way talks between Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia on the conflict.
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The Afghan government deployed additional troops to a southern provincial capital as Taliban insurgents entered the city and sent people fleeing from their homes.
Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, the new commander of the U.S.-led military coalition against Islamic State, says fight to retake the jihadist-held city will be long and difficult.
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The U.N. agency monitoring the Iran-six power nuclear pact is reporting no clear violations of the agreement meant to crimp the ability of Tehran to make atomic arms.
Donald Trump’s statement that Russian President Vladimir Putin enjoys an 82 percent approval rating among his people wasn’t hyperbole. Russia’s two main polling agencies consistently give the man in the Kremlin ratings that would be the envy of Trump or his rival in the U.S. presidential election, Hillary Clinton.
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