Defense
Pentagon is planning deep spending cuts this year to a new mobile computing network for soldiers – a move that critics say punishes Army technology buyers for not spending appropriated funds fast enough. – Washington Times
The Senate attached a compromise amendment that requires the 44th admin to release a report on the impact of $1 trillion in automatic cuts through sequestration. – The Hill’s Floor Action Blog
House Armed Services Committee chairman Buck McKeon seethed with frustration at Senate Democrats [Thursday] when asked about Senate Armed Services chairman Carl Levin’s proposals for a “grand compromise” to avert sequestration. – AOL Defense
House Armed Services Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) on Thursday said Congress isn’t “mature enough” to reach a deal to reverse automatic defense cuts, and suggested Congress should “kick it down the road” to resolve uncertainty. – DEFCON Hill
Inching his party closer toward an agreement on deficit reduction, U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said he’s open to a plan that includes measures to raise revenues. – Defense News
The Pentagon should not count on achieving the $238 billion in planned savings over the next five years from initiatives to operate more efficiently, two Washington defense analysts said. – Defense News
While the U.S. Navy touted the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS-1) USS Freedom’s completion of special trials in May as a solid success, service officials still found issues on the ship that need to be addressed, according to ship documents recently obtained by Aviation Week. – Aviation Week
The Pentagon should overhaul its combat pay system to provide more money to the younger enlisted troops who face the most danger on combat deployments, according to a recently released report. – Military Times
Cybersecurity
Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House intelligence committee, cast doubt [Thursday] on reports that the Stuxnet and Flamer viruses were the work of Great and Little Satan. In fact, he argued, it’s against America’s interest to be staging any cyber attacks because the US is so vulnerable to retaliation. – AOL Defense
Nuclear Weapons
Two senior leaders of the House Armed Services Committee this week criticized 44’s forthcoming plan to seek deeper cuts in strategic nuclear warheads, calling a Pentagon study on the matter “unilateral disarmament.” – Washington Free Beacon
The 44th administration insisted on Thursday that it is modernizing the nation’s nuclear arsenal in the face of withering criticism from Republicans that it is moving slowly in anticipation of 44’s push for further reductions. – Associated Press
Missile Defense
44 “was really stating the obvious” when he told Russian leader Dmitri Medvedev that he’d have “more flexibility” to deal with Russia’s concerns on missile defense after the election, the State Department’s top arms-control official told Congress on Thursday. – The Hill’s Global Affairs
The War
The United States government is seeking to reject lawsuits demanding information about drone strikes that target suspected terrorists overseas, saying releasing details on the program would have a major effect on counterterrorism efforts. – CNN’s Security Clearance
A U.S. warship designed as a floating base for naval special forces is scheduled to transit through the Suez Canal for the first time as early as Friday, Navy officials say. – CNN’s Security Clearance
Nearly one year ago, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta predicted the strategic defeat of al Qaeda was within reach if the United States could kill or capture up to 20 leaders of the core group and its affiliates. In an interview on Thursday with Reuters, Panetta disclosed that only a “small handful” of the individuals on that original list remained on the battlefield and that Saudi Arabia – the birthplace of late al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden – was reporting a drop-off in recruitment. – Reuters
International Criminal Court
No president should submit the Rome treaty to the Senate until the concerns identified by Clinton and Bush have been addressed. But Congress must balance these concerns with the United States’ long-standing and bipartisan commitment to international justice. When the partisanship of this election year subsides, Congress should modify the restrictions in the 2002 law that have prevented the United States from supporting the court in cases where justice for international atrocities cannot be achieved through other means. – Washington Post
