Tsarnaev Guilty, Brennan on Iran, and “Iraq is Finished”

FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM

1. Jobs around the states. Contributor Jennifer Cary offers, “Things are looking up for veterans interested in working for the federal government in a civilian capacity. In FY 2014, veteran new hires hit an all-time high of 33.2 percent for federal jobs. And according to a recent Gallup survey, federal workers are better off financially than non-federal workers. . . . So right now you’re probably thinking two things. The first is – where can I find a government job? The second is – can I avoid Washington D.C.? Fortunately for you, you can find a government job almost anywhere.”

2. A little restraint. Editor Lindy Kyzer advises, “Young people with dreams of espionage and intrigue may do well to temper their interest in social networking. Every year the CIA has to drop several potential spies due to things they’ve said on public networking sites . . . . So what’s a social spy to do? You don’t need to give up social networking entirely, but following a few tips could help you preserve your intelligence community career potential.”

THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT

1. Tsarnaev guilty on all counts. The Washington Post’s Adam Goldman reports, “All that was left for the jury of seven women and five men to do was to find him guilty on the 30 counts he faced. They did so swiftly, convicting him on every count Wednesday, including 17 that carry the death penalty. It took the jury about 11 hours over two days to reach its verdict, less than half the time it took for a jury to convict Timothy J. McVeigh in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City.” See also, “Relief in Boston as Tsarnaev convicted on all counts.” “Jury to decide life or death” and “Where does trial go from here?”

2. Director Brennan on Iran. New York Times’ David E. Sanger reports, “The director of the Central Intelligence Agency has provided the first public glimpse of American intelligence assessments about why Iran’s leadership agreed to the tentative nuclear accord last week, saying that Iran’s president persuaded its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that their country’s economy was ‘destined to go down’ unless he reached an understanding with the West.” See also, “Iran will only sign nuclear deal if sanctions lifted ‘same day’: Rouhani.”

3. American Soldier killed in Afghanistan. The Long War Journal’s Bill Roggio reports, “An Afghan soldier opened fire on US troops in eastern Afghanistan today, killing one and wounding several more. The insider or green-on-blue attack, where a member of the Afghan security forces kills Coalition personnel, is the second of its kind recorded this year. [The] insider attack took place in Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar province, as NATO officials and four governors from eastern Afghanistan met at the government center . . . .”

4. The fate of Army’s Matt Golsteyn. The Washington Post’s Dan Lamothe reports, “A former Green Beret officer who was stripped of one of the military’s top awards for heroism by the Army secretary will soon face a panel of officers that can throw him out of the service . . . . It is believed the board will review evidence against Golsteyn in the 2010 death of a Taliban bomb maker that the Army Criminal Investigation Command already has reviewed. That probe closed last year without Golsteyn being charged with any crime . . . .”

5. Marines and littoral warfare. Breaking Defense’s Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. reports, “The Navy’s long been nervous about the survival of its high-cost high-seas warships in coastal knife fights. . . . Iran, in particular, is notorious for its shallow water mini-submarines and its light-weight but heavily armed attack boats. But as Marines come back aboard ship after a decade spent deep inland in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Navy is rediscovering America’s own littoral brawlers. Just as the Marine Corps’ recent Expeditionary Force-21 doctrine reemphasizes the value to Marine operations of ships and the sea, the Navy is refocusing on what Marines can do for the fleet.” Read Marine Corps Expeditionary Force 21 Capstone Concept. See also, “Navy Prepares Amphibs for F-35B’s First Deployment in 2018.”

CONTRACT WATCH

1. Hellfire to Egypt: $57 million for Lockheed in Orlando. Defense News’ Aaron Mehta reports, “An Egyptian procurement of 356 AGM-114K/R3 Hellfire II missiles has been cleared by the State Department, the first new procurement since the White House lifted a freeze on weapon sales to that nation. The sale also comes as Egypt takes part in anti-militant operations in Yemen, which the US is indirectly aiding with logistical support. If the sale is given the OK by Congress and details are worked out between the two governments, it would represent the first sale of the R model of Hellfire to Egypt. Egyptian military forces currently operate the F and K variants.” See also, “Iranian president calls for halt to Yemen air strikes.”

2. LGBT contractors protected. Government Executive’s Kellie Lunney reports, “President Obama’s executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against applicants and employees based on their sexual orientation or gender identity officially took effect on Wednesday. The order, which expands on an executive order issued by President Lyndon Johnson in 1965 that prohibited federal contractors from discriminating against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, ‘makes clear that the federal government will not do business with anyone who discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender workers’ . . . .”

TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY

1. Anonymous Russia: Shaltai Boltai sat on a wall . . . . Quartz’ Will Wright reports, “In Russia, the data-leaking group Anonymous International struck again on Mar. 31, releasing an online archive (Russian) of around 40,000 text messages that the group claims belong to Timur Prokopenko, an influential Kremlin official. . . . Anonymous International emerged at the end of 2013, when it published the full text of Vladimir Putin’s New Year’s national address a few hours before the speech was broadcast on television. Ever since, the group has busied itself with exposing the inner workings of certain political forces in Russia.”

2. Top Secret certified: the KG-175X TACLANE-10G. Military & Aerospace Electronics Editor John Keller reports, “The U.S National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade, Md., has certified the KG-175X TACLANE-10G in-line network encryptor from the General Dynamics Corp. Mission Systems segment in Fairfax, Va., for government cyber security use at the Top Secret level and below. The NSA certification authorizes U.S. government organizations to order the 10G data encryption device, company officials say. The TACLANE-10G is the newest member of the General Dynamics cyber defense product family and can encrypt the equivalent of a high-definition feature film in moments.”

3. Gotta get one: the DJI Phantom 3 Professional drone. Wired’s Tim Moynihan reports, “The flying machine—an update to DJI’s previous, popular Phantom drones—comes equipped with an integrated 4K camera mounted on a three-axis gimbal that keeps footage as butter-smooth as it is tack-sharp. In 4K mode, the camera captures at either 24 or 30 frames per second. It also shoots 1080p video at 24, 30, or 60fps.”

POTOMAC TWO-STEP

1. She’s what? “President Obama has offered a new endorsement of his former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in an NBC interview on climate change. Obama called Clinton ‘wonderful’ in offering her election advice. ‘If she’s her wonderful self, I’m sure she’s going to do great,’ he said.”

2. Fast and furious. “Liberal Democrats have mounted a furious offensive to convince Senate Democrats to oppose legislation the White House warns could kill a nuclear deal with Iran. In moves that appeared coordinated, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced her opposition to a bill that would give Congress a vote on the emerging deal. Minutes later, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) urged the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to postpone a planned vote next week.”

OPINIONS EVERYONE HAS

1. “’Iraq Is Finished.’” The Atlantic contributor Emma Sky argues, “The state of Iraq has indeed failed. It no longer has the legitimacy or the power to extend control over its whole territory, and the power vacuum is being filled by a multitude of non-state actors, increasingly extreme and sectarian, who will likely continue to fight each other for years to come, supported by regional powers.”

2. “After the Tsarnaev verdict, the real drama begins.” The Boston Globe contributor Harvey Silvergate argues, “Tsarnaev’s crimes indeed are particularly heinous, but we cannot let emotions cloud judgment. Regardless of the jury’s sentencing decision, this trial has starkly illustrated a decline in Massachusetts’ state sovereignty in deciding — literally — life-or-death matters.”

3. “How to prevent more Tsarnaevs.” CNN contributor Haroon Mohgul argues, “We need to show the young Dzhokhars that, if they want to help, then violence isn’t going to help. To fight extremism, we need to pose this question to young Muslims: ‘Do you want to help your brothers and sisters in faith?’ Because those who claim to be defending us are making things so much worse. Their narrative has failed. Their solution is bankrupt. The Caliph wears no clothes.”