The Insider

By Thomas Duffy
June 29, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Gen. David Petraeus, nominated by President Obama to take over as commander of all coalition forces in Afghanistan following last week's resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, is testifying this morning before the Senate Armed Services Committee. In answers submitted to the committee before the nomination hearing, Petraeus provides a brief assessment of the enemy he will be facing if he takes over the Afghanistan command:

It is difficult to arrive at quantitative estimates of Taliban manpower. Even though the increase in ISAF ((International Security Assistance Force)) strength in 2010 caused some concern for insurgent leaders, they continue to show an ability to adapt and respond to ISAF changes, and the size and intensity of the insurgency has increased in proportion to ISAF’s expansion. The Taliban’s increasing ability to project its influence in Regional Command-South, Regional Command-Southwest and Regional Command-East and to create instability in Regional Command-West and Regional Command-North indicate the Taliban suffer no shortage of manpower. They likely believe they will be able to maintain their current strength and possibly grow.

Petraeus told the committee that if he is confirmed, he will do his own assessment of the Afghan security forces to judge whether their size needs to be increased. That review will be done within 90 to 120 days, he said.

An assessment of the Afghan forces is being done by the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan, Petraeus said. "While the exact numbers needed are still being determined, I am not willing to say that the currently approved strength of 305,600 will prove sufficient," he added.

By John Liang
June 29, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved via voice vote the nomination of Army Gen. David Petraeus to become the head of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, according to a committee statement.

Once confirmed by the full Senate, Petraeus would replace Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who resigned his post last week following the publication of a profile piece in Rolling Stone magazine.

By Jason Sherman
June 29, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The White House yesterday unveiled a new National Space Policy, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates said the Pentagon -- in response -- is gearing up for a new strategy formulation assignment, this one focused on U.S. military needs far beyond the atmosphere.

Together with other departments and agencies, the Department of Defense will take a number of steps to support the new National Space Policy, and will work with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to develop a strategy document to address specific national security requirements for outer space. We will look to leverage growing international and commercial expertise to enhance U.S. capabilities and reduce vulnerabilities.

During the last two decades the U.S. military has become reliant on satellites orbiting the planet for precision in executing essential tasks including navigation, striking targets and collecting intelligence.

Once dominated by the United States, outer space is now a domain other actors seek to influence, Gates said.

Today, space is increasingly contested as our systems face threats of disruption and attack, increasingly competitive as more states, private firms, and others develop space-based capabilities, and increasingly congested with orbital debris.

In articulating U.S. military outer space requirements, the secretary stressed the Defense Department will “pursue activities consistent with the inherent right of self-defense, deepen cooperation with allies and friends, and work with all nations toward the responsible and peaceful shared presence in space.”

By John Liang
June 29, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The House Armed Services oversight and investigations subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing this afternoon titled "Beyond the Defense Language Transformation Roadmap: Bearing the Burden for Today's Educational Shortcomings."

Nancy Weaver, director of the Defense Language Office, and Army Brig. Gen. Walter Golden, director of manpower and personnel on the Joint Staff (J-1), will testify.

The Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act contains a provision that "would authorize the Secretary of Defense to carry out a program to establish language training centers at accredited universities, senior military colleges, or other similar institutions of higher education for the purposes of accelerating the development of foundational expertise in critical and strategic languages and regional area studies for members of the armed forces, including reserve component members and Reserve Officers' Training Corps candidates, and civilian employees of the Department of Defense," according to the report accompanying the conference bill.

Inside the Pentagon reported in September 2009 that the Pentagon resisted the inclusion of such a provision, arguing the effort would siphon money from higher-priority defense language programs. Specifically:

DOD is urging conferees to drop the House provision. In a Sept. 4 appeal to Congress, the department opposes the House provision because it would require "the expenditure of already limited resources," including funding and personnel for oversight and management, "to the detriment of higher priority defense language programs."

The provision does not allocate any funding to establish the pilot program and language training center, the appeal complains. This lack of additional resourcing would "negatively impact" existing defense language program resources, DOD argues. It would be similar to the pilot program for foreign language proficiency training for reserve members mandated by the FY-09 National Defense Authorization Act that DOD funded through other programs, adds the Pentagon.

"Additionally, program management and oversight are also major considerations, because experiences in our Language Flagship and Grant programs demonstrate that the department would have to outsource and/or create new positions to provide the required management and oversight of this new pilot program," argues the appeal.

By Jason Sherman
June 28, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Ashton Carter, the Pentagon's acquisition executive, this afternoon will unveil “new initiatives on procurement, contracting and the acquisition workforce,” in a 2:30 p.m. briefing to Defense Department reporters, according to his spokeswoman.

The roll-out will follow a much-publicized closed-door meeting with defense industry executives taking place this morning at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Carter's exact agenda is closely held, but he is expected to propose efforts that aim to support Defense Secretary Robert Gates' goal of wringing $102 billion from overhead costs over the next five years.

By John Liang
June 28, 2010 at 5:00 AM

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) gave a speech this morning on congressional Democrats' national security efforts. Some excerpts:

First, Democrats have aggressively stepped up the fight against terrorists. We’ve strengthened America’s military by funding its re-equipment after years of war, and we have put new and better weapons into the battlefield, including the body armor and mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles our troops need, as well as more aerial drones. Under President Obama, the United States has killed or captured hundreds of terrorist leaders, including much of the top leadership of al-Qaeda and the Taliban, disrupting their ability to plot attacks on our Country. . . .

Second, though force is, at times, clearly necessary, we learned from the Cold War that force alone does not win ideological struggles. Then, it was the promise of a better life that led so many to abandon communism and its false promise of progress. Today, chronic lack of opportunity drives the appeal of the jihadism of Islamic extremists and its hatred of a modern world that seems to have left too many behind. Chronic oppression of women and girls condemns nations to poverty and abandons young men to extremist ideologies. And the failure of institutions in distant states, as we see from Somalia to Afghanistan, is a direct threat to our own people. So a strong development policy must be a pillar of our national security. . . .

Third, the Cold War taught us that democracy, human rights, and economic freedom are the most powerful weapons in an ideological struggle. Today's autocrats understand that, as well, as they carefully channel their own people’s frustration into rage against America. The eight years of the Bush Administration showed what we knew already: that democracy cannot be imposed by force; that elections alone do not equal democracy; that democratization and economic growth do not always go hand-in-hand; and that failing to lead by example weakens democracy around the world. But the trials of those years taught us that there are wiser ways to build democracy and respect for human rights in the world—not that that objective is out of keeping with our character as a nation. Indeed, it is an integral part of that character. . . .

Fourth and finally, every one of these policies comes with a cost; every choice rules out other choices. The deeper our Nation sinks into debt, the more our choices will be constrained—and the more our leadership will be challenged by nations, especially China, that hold our debt. As a matter of fact, on the path we’re on, the day will come, I fear, when our strength will be sapped by our debt. So it’s time to stop talking about fiscal discipline and national security threats as if they’re separate topics: debt is a national security threat. Unsustainable debt has a long history of toppling world powers. As financial historian Niall Ferguson writes, 'This is how empires decline: it begins with a debt explosion.'

By Zachary M. Peterson
June 28, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The Pentagon announced earlier today that Rear Adm. Bill Landay, the program executive officer for ships at Naval Sea Systems Command, has been selected by President Obama for a third star and a new assignment as the director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. At DSCA, Landay will oversee the sales of U.S. military equipment to foreign countries.

Rear Adm. David Lewis, currently the deputy commander of NAVSEA, will take over for Landay pending Senate confirmation. Lewis' appointment to PEO ships was announced earlier this year. Lewis will inherit a portfolio that includes the Littoral Combat Ship program. The sea service plans to announce a winner of the ongoing LCS design competition by the end of this summer.

By Christopher J. Castelli
June 28, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter reiterated today the shipbuilding sector has excess capacity that ought to be eliminated. Industry should look to close "excess facilities," he told reporters -- without naming specific shipyards.

"Capitalization in general is very much an example where there is excess -- there are excess facilities and a larger plant for floor space or number of facilities is being used to conduct a given activity then is necessary to do it," he said. "And there are examples like that. Shipbuilding is one -- that's clearly an example where savings can be had and productivity can be increased."

As Inside the Pentagon reported June 17, Carter complained of “gross over capitalization” in the shipbuilding industry in remarks at National Defense University.

A recent report from the Pentagon’s industrial policy shop warns the six major U.S. shipyards may not all have enough work in the future to continue operating. “Fewer healthy shipyards capable of attracting talent and capital investment will be able to provide a price and quality than more shipyards that are operating with excess capacity,” states the department's annual report on industrial capabilities.

By John Liang
June 25, 2010 at 5:00 AM

U.S. Strategic Command operationally accepted command and control of its third Wideband Global SATCOM satellite, the WGS-3, the Air Force announced today.

"This significant achievement reflects the successful collaboration between numerous organizations, including Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Air Force Space Command, Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, and the Boeing Company," an Air Force statement reads, adding:

WGS provides flexible, high-capacity communications for Marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen throughout the world. WGS is a key enabler of Command and Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, as well as battle management and combat support information functions. WGS-3 is the third of six planned satellites in the wideband constellation. WGS-3 launched from Cape Canaveral on the evening of December 5, 2009. The Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing at SMC accepted delivery of WGS-3 from Boeing on March 1, 2010 following extensive ground and in-orbit testing. WGS-3 was then relocated to its final operational location. WGS-3’s payload configuration is now optimized to support operations. Upon the recommendations of AFSPC and SMDC/ARSTRAT, USSTRATCOM accepted Combatant Command authority for WGS-3 and assumed responsibility of the system. WGS-3 is operated by the 3rd Space Operations Squadron at the 50th Space Wing, Schriever Air Force Base, CO, under the operational command of Joint Forces Component Commander for Space at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. The JFCC SPACE Joint Space Operations Center continuously monitors WGS-3's orbital safety and operational status, assisting USSTRATCOM with any performance issues “I am extremely proud to add WGS-3 to our 50th SW constellation as another great asset to deliver space effects to the warfighter,” said Colonel Wayne R. Monteith, 50th SW commander.

WGS-3 provides a bridge between (the Continental United States) and our forces in Europe, Africa, South America and parts of the Middle East as well as forces afloat in the Atlantic Ocean. “I am proud of the tremendous dedication and commitment of the Military Satellite Communications Wideband Group, as we field this critical communication capability” said Colonel Donald W. Robbins, commander of MCWG. “The success of WGS-3 is a testament to the professionalism and expertise of the entire Wideband SATCOM team."

WGS-3 is the last satellite to be procured via the Block I contract and is a significant milestone for the program.

In related news, Inside the Air Force reported this morning that Defense Department officials are confident that the cancellation of the Transformational Satellite Communications System will only have a minimal impact on the space industrial base, according to a recently released Pentagon report. Specifically:

DOD officials canceled the program in April 2009 and directed the Air Force to explore enhancements to existing satellite communication systems, according to an Air Force Space Command spokeswoman. The fiscal year 2009 TSAT research, development, test and evaluation budget accounts for only 1 percent of the entire 2008 U.S. government space budget, according to the May 2010 industrial capabilities report from the office of the under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.

The future procurement of Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) and Wideband Global SATCOM satellites will help to mitigate the loss of the TSAT program, according to the report.

“While there has been no decision to proceed with upgrades to either program, studies and technology risk reduction efforts have been funded and will maintain the critical military satellite communications industry base until a future SATCOM architecture is defined,” the spokeswoman wrote in a June 17 e-mail, referring to AEHF and WGS.

There is a robust satellite forecast and the civilian industrial base will be healthy in the near future, according to the report. The world satellite industry has seen double-digit growth in revenue from 2005 to 2008 and the private sector dominates the satellite communications market, the report states.

By Christopher J. Castelli
June 25, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Pentagon acquisition executive Ashton Carter is slated to meet with defense industry executives Monday to discuss the department's efforts to cut costs.

An industry source said the session is being put together with help from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, led by former Deputy Defense Secretary John Hamre. Carter is also expected to brief reporters at the Pentagon sometime Monday, but Defense Department spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin declined to comment on the details.

InsideDefense.com reported this week that Senior Pentagon officials responsible for the U.S. military budget and five-year investment plan have issued guidance to the services and defense agencies on how to carry out Defense Secretary Robert Gates' June directive to squeeze $102 billion from business operations between fiscal years 2012 and 2015.

By John Liang
June 24, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) didn't wait long to schedule the nomination hearing for Army Gen. David Petraeus to replace departed Gen. Stanley McChrystal as head of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan.

The hearing will take place at 9:30 a.m. on June 29. Petraeus is the head of U.S. Central Command.

Meanwhile, the committee this morning is considering the nominations of Army Gen. Raymond Odierno to become head of U.S. Joint Forces Command and Lt. Gen. Lloyd Austin III to become chief of U.S. Forces-Iraq.

By Christopher J. Castelli
June 23, 2010 at 5:00 AM

President Obama’s big meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan, which could decide the fate of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, is scheduled to wrap up shortly after 1 p.m., according to the administration. The following officials are slated to join Obama in the Situation Room for the session:

Vice President Joe Biden
Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State
Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury
Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense
Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff
General James Jones, National Security Adviser
Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Adviser
John Brennan, Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Adviser
Ambassador Susan Rice, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
David Gompert, Acting Director of National Intelligence
Leon Panetta, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
Rajiv Shah, Administrator, USAID
James Steinberg, Deputy Secretary of State
Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Doug Lute, Coordinator for Afghanistan and Pakistan
John Tien, Senior Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan
General David Petraeus, U.S. Central Command
General Stanley McChrystal, Commander, International Security Assistance Force and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan
Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan (via videoconference)
Ambassador Anne Patterson, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan (via videoconference)

By Christopher J. Castelli
June 23, 2010 at 5:00 AM

The New York Times reports that Gen. Stanley McChrystal met with President Obama privately for about 20 minutes this morning -- and then the general left the White House before today's scheduled major meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan, which he had been slated to attend. (Obama and McChrystal's private one-on-one meeting was not listed on the schedule of White House events released earlier to the press.)

By Christopher J. Castelli
June 23, 2010 at 5:00 AM

President Obama has accepted the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, and replaced him with U.S. Central Command chief Gen. David Petraeus. Speaking in the Rose Garden, the president stressed the need to uphold the civilian control of the military. Obama said no diversion must complicate the mission in Afghanistan. "We need to remember what this is all about. Our nation is at war," he said. This is a change in personnel but not in policy, the president stressed. Obama urged the Senate to swiftly confirm Petraeus for his new post.

By Christopher J. Castelli
June 22, 2010 at 5:00 AM

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has released a statement on Gen. Stanley McChrystal's profile in Rolling Stone magazine:

I read with concern the profile piece on Gen. Stanley McChrystal in the upcoming edition of 'Rolling Stone' magazine. I believe that Gen. McChrystal made a significant mistake and exercised poor judgment in this case. We are fighting a war against al Qaeda and its extremist allies, who directly threaten the United States, Afghanistan, and our friends and allies around the world. Going forward, we must pursue this mission with a unity of purpose. Our troops and coalition partners are making extraordinary sacrifices on behalf of our security, and our singular focus must be on supporting them and succeeding in Afghanistan without such distractions. Gen. McChrystal has apologized to me and is similarly reaching out to others named in this article to apologize to them as well. I have recalled Gen. McChrystal to Washington to discuss this in person.

Earlier today, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) released a statement:

When General McChrystal called me this morning, I emphasized that my concern is our policy in Afghanistan and what it will take to be successful there. I respect General McChrystal as a soldier and always have. What’s most important is the 94,000 American troops serving in harm’s way in Afghanistan. Their safety and their mission should be the priority we stay focused on above all else. The Commander in Chief and his national security team, including his top commander on the ground, must have confidence in each other and confidence in the path forward in Afghanistan. It would be a grave mistake to allow this unfolding news drama to distract anyone from the mission at hand. Now is not the time for Washington to be sidetracked by chatter. Everyone needs to take a deep breath and give the President and his national security team the space to decide what is in the best interest of our mission, and to have their face-to-face discussion tomorrow without a premature Washington feeding frenzy.