TEARLINE

Not a program, but an apparatus: the Washington Post is out with a wide-ranging profile of John Brennan, chock-full of assertions previously left unsaid in public. Among them, Brennan struggles to constrain the Central Intelligence Agency’s burgeoning, self-professed paramilitary mandate and their slow but steady drive away from intelligence collection. Similarly, Brennan struggles to temper more aggressive policy proposals emanating from military circles. Lawfare interprets this as a not-so-new, just bolder assertion of the scope of traditional military activities, ostensibly to hand the paramilitary portions of the Agency’s portfolio to Joint Special Operations Command. The profile closes with on a remarkably introspective note, with the observation that the breadth and depth of the apparatus’ reach means the mechanisms necessary to sustain such a campaign will remain in perpetuity — indeed, far after he or the incumbent president have left the sixteen acres.

ON THE FIGHT

U.S. intelligence community believes…well, no one is sure anymore. But the latest reports are that assailants connected to al-Qa’ida in Iraq were among the core group that attacked the diplomatic mission in Benghazi. That would represent the second al Qaeda affiliate associated with the deadly September 11 attack. Previously, intelligence officials said there were signs of connections to al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the North African wing of the terror group.

Allegedly, the chief of the National Counterterrorism Center was reprimanded after publicly stating the September 11th assault was terrorism.

Secretary Panetta has no knowledge of the United States supplying Stinger missiles to Syrian rebel forces, after Moscow said the rebels had acquired the U.S.-made surface-to-air missiles. Asked about reports that the rebels had such weapons, Panetta declined comment, saying: “I don’t know what the reports are – and I certainly don’t know of us providing any such missiles in that area.” Russia’s top military officer, general staff chief Nikolai Makarov, said Russia’s military had learned that rebel forces “have portable missile launchers of various states, including American-made Stingers.”

ON SECRECY – OR LACK THEREOF

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency has launched a Counter Illicit Trafficking initiative, led by veteran DTRA hand, Lt. Col. Veronica Cowher.

Full, official statement from Director Petraeus on the conviction of Kiriakou.

CONTRACT WATCH

Cubic Defense Applications has won a $6 million contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to enhance existing static and dynamic sniper emplacements.

The Department of State is having trouble executing its existing contracts to train deploying DS agents and Foreign Service personnel.

Rest assured: a small planet still costs less than anything pertaining to the Joint Strike Fighter.

 

Robert Caruso is a veteran of the United States Navy, and has worked for the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, Business Transformation Agency and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

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Robert Caruso is a veteran of the United States Navy, and has worked for the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, Business Transformation Agency and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.