Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel brief reporters at the Pentagon, March 28, 2013. Hagel and Dempsey discussed the ongoing sequester affecting the Defense Department's budget and North Korea's recent provocative actions. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett
Hagel, Dempsey Defend $1 Billion Missile Shift, Blame North Korea For Tensions -- The E-Ring/Foreign Policy
Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey said their decision to commit $1 billion for additional ballistic missile defenses in Alaska is an appropriate response to North Korea’s nuclear threats and the regime’s potential long-range missile capabilities in the future.
“We don’t have any choice,” Hagel said, “in defending this country but to anticipate worst-case scenarios. We do know the North Koreans have missile capability. We know that they have significant capability.”
Since Hagel announced the Defense Department’s plan to deploy additional ground-based interceptors (GBIs) by 2017, critics outside the Pentagon have argued that President Barack Obama’s national security team was duped by Kim Jong Un’s regime into responding to “fake missiles.”
Read more ....
MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS
Iran, North Korea, Syria block U.N. arms trade treaty -- Reuters
French troops to remain in Mali all year -- The Telegraph
UN approves DR Congo 'intervention brigade' -- Al Jazeera
China-Russia military technology cooperation to expand: spokesman -- Xinhuanet
Chinese Naval Fleet Heads Deep Into Disputed Waters -- Voice of America
Submarines: China Once Again Tries To Get Its Boomer On -- Strategy Page
Germany Begins Training on ‘Future’ Gear -- Defense News
Running the JSF fighter jet currently 'too expensive' says minister - - Dutch News
Australia-Based U.S. Radar To Watch China Launches -- Aviation Week
Futenma to move no earlier than 2019 -- Stars and Stripes
US ready for 'any eventuality' after activity at North Korea's missile sites -- Sydney Morning Herald
SOCOM may pick truck winner in May -- DoD Buzz
Navy Wants Lasers on Marines’ Trucks to Shoot Down Drones -- Danger Room
Video: This Massive Jellyfish Is Really an Aquatic Spy Robot -- Danger Room
Army Eyes Samsung smartphones -- Defense Tech
Pentagon to Cut $41 Billion After Getting More Funding -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Pentagon revises unpaid leave plan for civilian workers -- Reuters
Reports say Pentagon cutting furlough days for civilian employees from 22 to 14 -- al.com
DoD: $22B Shortfall in Operations and Maintenance -- Defense News
Space Chief: Cuts Limit Tracking Orbiting Junk -- Defense News
Traditions threatened by cuts, military academies brace for impact -- Reuters
General Discusses Focus on Younger Force, Cyber Capabilities -- US Department of Defense
Drone industry worries about privacy backlash -- Stars and Stripes/AP
USS Stennis group commander reprimanded -- Stars and Stripes
Court-martial recommended for Marine who urinated on Taliban corpse -- Stars and Stripes
When the Crisis Comes, Will the Navy Be Ready? -- Michael Rubin, Commentary
Marine F-35 Jump-Jet PR: Caveataxpayer Emptor -- Battleland/Time
Columnist advocates ending military honors at funerals for most vets -- Rick Moran, American Thinker
Prince William to give up his day job? -- Stars and Stripes/USA Today