Defense
Simpson-Bowles is back. Several small groups of U.S. senators from both political parties are quietly trying to piece together legislation that would avoid twin $500 billion cuts to national defense and domestic programs. – Defense News
Republican lawmakers are wary about potential plans to streamline floor debate on the Defense authorization bill in an effort to squeeze it into a jam-packed lame-duck session. – DEFCON Hill
The major mine countermeasure exercise underway in the Arabian Gulf region is a signal that the U.S. and at least 30 of its allies are prepared to keep open the Strait of Hormuz should any attempt be made to close it. But the maneuvers are also an indication of the rising importance of mine warfare in the U.S. Navy. – Defense News
The Pentagon’s top money man again urged Congress to stop across-the-board budget cuts that he said would devastate the U.S. military, but downplayed the prospect of billions of dollars in contract termination fees forecast by some in industry. – Reuters
The War
The Justice Department on Friday made public the names of 55 detainees at the Guantánamo Bay prison who have been approved for transfer to the custody of other countries, releasing information sought by human rights organizations. – New York Times
A new, key addition to American-led naval efforts to ensure Mideast oil keeps flowing has emerged as an unusual mix of a ship combining decades’ worth of wear and tear with state-of-the-art technology and a largely civilian crew. – Associated Press
Cybersecurity
Many members of Congress don’t really understand cyber issues and that’s getting in the way of passing legislation to protect the country, [says] the leader of the House Homeland cybersecurity subcommittee. – AOL Defense
Private companies have innovated and invested heavily to protect themselves without regulatory prodding. What they need from the government is an information-sharing program and liability protection. These measures are simple and useful, and therefore not surprisingly missing from the Obama Administration’s command-and-control approach to cybersecurity. – Wall Street Journal (subscription required)
