Security in Afghanistan, Pounding Raqqa and Kobane, and The Third Offset Legacy

FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM

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THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT

1. Ashraf Ghani takes on security in Afghanistan. AP’s Lynne O’Donnell reports from Kabul, “Facing an intensified Taliban insurgency, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani plans to fire senior civilian and military leaders in the country’s most volatile provinces to reinvigorate the battle against militants . . . . Already, Kabul police chief Gen. Mohammad Zahir has resigned following a string of attacks in the capital over three days that killed four foreigners—including an employee of the British embassy—and several Afghan civilians. Officials and diplomats . . . say Ghani next will remove governors and generals in five provinces where the Taliban have held territory for years.” See also, “Afghan forces ill equipped to fight Taliban without NATO.”

2. Iran rejects U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Khaama.Com reports, “The government of Iran has once again opposed with the conclusion of the Bilateral Security Agreement between Kabul and Washington, claiming that the presence of American troops and military bases in Afghanistan would threaten the stability of the region. The remarks by Iran comes the Lower House and Upper House of the parliament of Afghanistan ratified both the security agreements with US and NATO by majority during the recent weeks. President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani also ratified the security agreements with US and NATO on Sunday night.” See also, “Taliban assault Camp Bastion, storm foreign guest house in Kabul” and “Taliban attacks foreign guesthouse as violence in Kabul rages.”

3. New SecDef possibilities. DoDBuzz.Com’s Richard Sisk reports, “The Pentagon sent what could be seen as a strong message on who is favored inside the building to succeed Chuck Hagel as defense secretary by having Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work show up in Afghanistan for Thanksgiving with the troops. . . . ‘The simplest solution would be to just promote Bob Work’ . . . . Another possible nominee was former Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter . . . . The names of Air Force Secretary Deborah James and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson have also been floated in recent days.” See, “Is White House Micromanagement Scaring Off Likely Defense Secretaries?” Also, “Deputy Secretary Visits Deployed Troops in Afghanistan” and “Israel Names Infantryman as New IDF Chief.”

4. Pounding ISIS in Raqqa and Kobane. Christian Science Monitor’s Dan Murphy reports, “US-led airstrikes pounded positions of the self-styled Islamic State in and around the Syrian city of Raqqa, which the group considers its capital . . . . The Obama administration says its long term goal for Syria is regime change, but that IS is the most important problem. The US has said it’s going to construct a system to vet and train a reliably US-friendly rebel army outside of the country, that will eventually return to the country and hopefully win the war.” See also, “U.S. will use psych evaluations, stress tests to screen Syrian rebels for training,” “Iraqi PM: common ISIS threat encourages resolution of disputes with Erbil” and “Egypt outlaws ISIL and affiliated groups.”

CONTRACT WATCH

1. Nuts and bolts of Third Offset. FederalTimes.Com interviews Bob Work: “America’s adversaries are increasingly harnessing fast-moving, commercial and defense technologies to counter U.S. capabilities. To stay ahead of rising adversaries, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel recently unveiled the Defense Innovation Initiative. The multifaceted effort will use advanced war gaming and exercises to identify future capability needs that in turn will shape long-range research and development investment. Hagel also wants broader institutional reforms to streamline the Pentagon to improve agility.”

2. VETS II: Veterans Technology Services (VETS) contract renewal. FederalTimes.Com’s Aaron Boyd reports, “Despite significant drops in spending on the Veterans Technology Services (VETS) contract, the General Services Administration lauds the program and is in the early stages of preparing to launch VETS II when the current vehicle period runs out in 2017. GSA conducted a survey in November of stakeholders that have used VETS governmentwide acquisition contract (GWAC) to acquire IT services from service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses and is combing through that data now before putting together an early framework for the second generation. The next step will be a sources-sought solicitation, expected in March 2015 . . . .”

3. Iraq buys Lockheed package. GovConWire.Com reports, “The State Department has approved Iraq’s request to purchase equipment, parts and associated training, logistics and sustainment services for Lockheed Martin‘s (NYSE: LMT) C-130E/J aircraft under a potential five-year, $800 million contract. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Wednesday that the proposed foreign military sale includes maintenance, documentation, spare and repair parts, personnel training, support equipment and U.S. government and contractor logistics support.”

TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY

1. Third Offset, a Hagel legacy. DefenseNews.Com’s Paul McLeary reports, “The third offset program is envisioned as a multi-administration effort to encourage rapid innovation in the defense sector in the fields of robotics, autonomy, long-range strike and big data. And its ambitions demand that the Pentagon find ways to work with the commercial tech sector in order to gain from the rapid advancements that have been made there; leaps in capability that have left many in the defense sector trying to catch up.”

2. Shopping safely online. VentureBeat.Com contributor Mark Stanislav offers, “While online shopping may seem less dangerous than shopping at big-box retailers these days, don’t be fooled about the inherent safety of online shopping. Attackers can still access important details from you if you aren’t cautious. Be proactive about your financial security this holiday shopping season and follow these five tips to keep you safe . . . .”

3. Private flying arriving in China. Wired.Com’s Michele Travierso reports, “The Texas-based Mooney Aviation Company was founded in 1929 and is known for making blazing fast metal propeller planes. In 2009, it stopped production due to financial difficulties, entering a sort of cryogenic survival mode until it was acquired by a Chinese real estate firm a year ago. Back in action, the company, still headquartered in the US, with some production of the M10 planned for China, got to work developing two versions of the M10: the M10T, a 135-hp trainer, and the M10J, a 155-hp long-range tourer.”

POTOMAC TWO-STEP

1. Dancing through a minefield: “[T]he next two weeks have morphed into a minefield. Government funding is suddenly in peril, as conservatives fume over President Barack Obama’s decision to end the deportation threat for millions of undocumented immigrants. Republicans and Democrats and the White House are locked in battle over extending lapsed tax provisions popular with corporate America. Congress had already punted a few issues into the new year, such as a broader debate about the president’s war powers and voting on important executive-branch nominees.”

2. Countdown to shutdown: “House Republican leaders are beginning to coalesce around a strategy to avoid a government shutdown in less than a month. The likely proposal would fund nearly the entire government through September 2015, but immigration enforcement related funding would be renewed on a short-term basis, according to several high-ranking GOP lawmakers and aides who described the plan as it stands now. The strategy is designed to keep the government open, while satisfying the base, which is livid with President Back Obama for issuing an executive order that ends deportations for millions of undocumented immigrants.”

OPINIONS EVERYONE HAS

1. “The Kurdish exchange over Kirkuk: oil for land.” Rudaw.Net contributor Shorish Haji argues, “We have to come to an agreement with the Iraqi government to decide the future of Kirkuk. This is what we can do: we straightforwardly ask for the reincorporation of both Kirkuk and other Kurdistani areas outside the KRG and in return we officially recognize that the oil in Kirkuk and disputed areas is the property of the whole of Iraq and should be redistributed equally among Kurds, Arabs and other components of Iraqi society.”

2. “A pulpit rebuke of Nigeria’s terrorists.” Christian Science Monitor’s Editorial Board argues, “Nigeria has many ways to beat Boko Haram: a stronger and less-corrupt Army, more development of its northern region, and a more accountable government. Until then, affirmations of peace by Muslim leaders are as good a weapon as any. Boko Haram can’t grow if Muslims take to heart their religion’s emphasis on tolerance and peace.”

3. “Here’s why killing the head of Islamic State wouldn’t yield results.” Reuters contributor Arie W. Kruglanski argues, “However useful [targeted killings] are in the short run . . . they are unlikely to bring an end to terrorism. They are a vehicle, not a panacea, and the billions of dollars spent on their implementation might not be worth it after all.”