Russian President Vladimir Putin (C) speaks with newly appointed armed forces Chief-of-Staff Valery Gerasimov (R) and Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu during their meeting in Moscow's Kremlin November 9, 2012. Image by: RIA Novosti / REUTERS
Circling The Wagons? Putin Urges 'Drastic Upgrade' To Russia's Military -- Christian Science Monitor
Experts say that Putin's message was meant to play well to Russian generals who have resented the dramatic reforms of recent years.
In a speech to Russia's top military brass, President Vladimir Putin has urged them to make a "drastic upgrade" to Russia's armed forces within the next five years to counter a series of emerging external threats and what he described as "systematic attempts to undermine the balance of power" by the United States.
Russian military experts caution that Mr. Putin's hawkish rhetoric in his Wednesday address to the Defense Ministry Board, which includes the defense minister and most top generals, was probably not intended for a foreign audience.
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MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE NEWS BRIEFS
Officials: France in Mali until July or later -- AP
India hikes defence spending by 21% -- Space Daily/AFP
China defense spending seen rising as territorial rows deepen -- Reuters
China Accuses U.S. Of Hacking Military Sites - -NPR
China to launch major aircraft engine project -- China.org.cn
Gadhafi’s weapons flooded Africa, Middle East as the West looked for missiles -- Washington Times
Russia Plans to Keep 10 Warships in Mediterranean -- RIA Novosti
Iraq and Russia Going Ahead With $4 Billion Arms Deal -- Al-Monitor
Iraq Accuses Ukraine of Selling Inferior Armored Vehicles -- RIA Novosti
Britain’s MoD Under Fire for ‘Wasting’ 1.5 Billion Pounds -- Defense News
U.S. acquisition mistakes put Afghan air force’s new fleet at risk -- DoD Buzz
US special ops, activists working together against LRA -- Stars and Stripes
Hundreds of Japanese troops to join US soldiers at Camp Zama -- Stars and Stripes
Analysis: U.S. deal has Brazil's Embraer flying high in defense -- Reuters
U.S. military clears F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to fly -- CNN
F-35 Lightning II Resume Flying – ‘Blade Crack Caused By Stressful Testing’ -- Defense Update
F-35 stealth fighter purchase faces challenges in Canada and abroad -- Yahoo News
DoD’s new mobile device plan looks to get more phones, tablets to troops -- Defense Tech
Hagel to hear from Joint Chiefs on spending cuts -- CNN
Officials: Cuts, Unstable Budget Threaten Intelligence Mission -- US Department of Defense
Cuts would affect readiness in Pacific, military leaders say -- Stars and Stripes
Spending cuts create challenges for Army -- Washington Post
Sequester, CR: Navy's Top Spokesman Says There's 'Still Hope' -- Aol Defense
Army bracing for budget cuts: Training, child care and more to be impacted by April -- McClatchy News
Federal budget cuts would end flyovers at sports events -- Stars and Stripes/AP
U.S. Spending cuts threaten military town's businesses -- CNN
Bradley Manning pleads guilty to misusing classified data in WikiLeaks case -- The Guardian
Disgraced WikiLeaker Pfc. Bradley Manning admits to 10 of 22 charges -- Washington Times
2 US Navy sailors convicted in Okinawa rape -- AP
Ex-CIA officer Kiriakou 'made peace' with leak decision -- BBC
Commentary: Defense: Mutatis mutandis -- Arnaud De Borchgrave, Space Daily/UPI
Targets for Chuck Hagel’s new ax: Some military spending cuts would be a good thing -- Ken Allard, Washington Times
Sequester Insanity: Why the Pentagon budget cuts are far worse than you think. -- Fred Kaplan, Slate
Navy vet pays homage to Afghan war dead by writing all 2,200 names on a wall — from memory -- Stars and Stripes/Fort Worth Star-Telegram