Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testify before the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., June 15, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jacob N. BaileSenate Moves To Halt U.S. Force Changes In East Asia -- Foreign Policy
The Senate Armed Services Committee unveiled a new bill on Friday that includes provisions to halt the Obama administration's plans to reshape the U.S. military presence in Okinawa, Guam, and South Korea.
Committee chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) and ranking Republican John McCain (R-AZ), along with Jim Webb (D-VA), called for an entirely new plan for basing U.S. troops in East Asia on May 11, arguing that the current plans were no longer feasible or cost effective. They proposed halting the realignment of U.S. troops in South Korea, scaling back the plan to drastically increase the U.S. military presence on Guam, and changing the plan to relocate the controversial Futenma Air Base on Okinawa to a new facility elsewhere on the island.
Read more ....
MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS
RAF strips jets for spare parts: Typhoons torn up for Libya air fleet -- Daily Mail
Construction Gear Being Removed From China’s Carrier -- Defense Tech
Russia buys 2 Mistral-class warships from France -- Washington Examiner/AP
U.S. congresswoman says Russian-French Mistral deal threatens U.S. security -- RIA Novosti
Israel hits $7.2 billion in arms exports -- UPI
Taiwan Develops Advanced Missiles -- Voice of America
US to replace aircraft destroyed in Karachi attack -- Hindustan Times
US reveals Stuxnet-style vuln in Chinese SCADA 'ware -- The Register
US ABMs in Europe - moving to the point of no return -- Voice of Russia
U.S. Senate Bill Requires Fixed-Price JSF Contract -- Defense News
Special Operations: It's Raining Commandos and Dogs -- Strategy Page
Gates: $400B From DoD Budgets 'Not A Minor Cut' -- Defense News
Navy has spike in commanding-officer firings -- Washington Post
Gates recommends new leader for the Navy -- Washington Post
Military spending on the agenda as US mayors meet -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Services split over push for unified medical command -- Stars and Stripes
Microsoft Helps Army Avoid ‘Death by PowerPoint’ -- Danger Room
Gates: Anti-war resurgence understandable -- Stars and Stripes
Actor Gary Sinise to begin military charity foundation -- Washington Scene
China's military modernization a cause for concern? -- Jaime FlorCruz, CNN
Navy Chief Calls for Larger Debate on the Future of U.S. Military Power -- National Defense