Defense
Officials throughout the U.S. Defense Department have committed to the Pentagon’s new 10-year military strategy, giving it a chance to endure. “I think they’re bought into it,” Michèle Flournoy, undersecretary of defense for policy, who is stepping down from her position Feb. 3, said during a Jan. 23 roundtable with reporters at the Pentagon. – Defense News
Massive budget cuts announced by the Pentagon last week will likely force the Marine Corps to slash an additional infantry battalion and some light armored reconnaissance elements while scaling back planned expansion of its special operations command, a Marine general said Tuesday. – Military Times
Kori Schake writes: The Obama administration’s reluctance to undertake the defense planning and political lifting that will make Secretary Panetta’s budget a blueprint for enacting legislation means the Pentagon will be scrambling next summer to produce a wholly new strategy and a wholly new budget that conform to spending limits the Congress has already passed. – Shadow Government
The War
White House spokesman Jay Carney rebuffed questions Tuesday about whether President Obama had violated intelligence restrictions on the secret U.S. drone program in Pakistan when he openly discussed the subject the day before. – Washington Post
The Democratic chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee hinted Tuesday at criticism of President Obama for openly discussing the still-classified CIA program of drone missile strikes against al Qaeda leaders. – Washington Times
The al-Qaida terrorist network has not and maybe never will recover from the death of Osama bin Laden, the top U.S. intelligence official said Tuesday. – Military Times
Cybersecurity
The U.S. ranked behind Finland, Israel and Sweden in a new report analyzing the ability of countries to defend themselves against cyber attacks. – Defense News
