Pentagon Investigation Finds ‘Weaknesses And Flaws’ In ISIS Intelligence Gathering

http://dailycaller.com/2017/02/01/pentagon-investigation-finds-weaknesses-and-flaws-in-isis-intelligence-gathering/?utm_campaign=atdailycaller&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social

Pentagon Investigation Finds ‘Weaknesses And Flaws’ In ISIS Intelligence Gathering

A Department of Defense Inspector General report has found several “weaknesses and flaws” in the military’s intelligence reporting on the Middle East, specifically the Islamic State.

Iraqi Special Operations Forces (ISOF) carry weapons during clashes with Islamic State militants in frontline near university of Mosul, Iraq, January 13, 2017. REUTERS/Ahmed Saad

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2017/02/01/pentagon-investigation-finds-weaknesses-and-flaws-in-isis-intelligence-gathering/#ixzz4Xkoqf3iC

The Pentagon released an unclassified version of its investigation into U.S. Central Command’s intelligence processes Wednesday. The investigation was a response to internal accusations which claimed senior leaders within the command where distorting intelligence reports to portray the Obama administration’s fight against ISIS in a more positive light.

Investigators confirmed that numerous problems existed within the command and that there was an understandable “widespread perception that CCJ2 senior intelligence leaders were distorting intelligence to present a more positive view of the success of the ISF (Iraqi Security Forces) and a more negative view of the success of ISIL (ISIS).” CCJ2 is the acronym which refers to a combat command’s intelligence division.
During the investigation, the IG discovered “several specific weaknesses and flaws in the CCJ2 management processes for creating intelligence products.” Officials believe these problems contributed to the perceptions. Investigators identified “ineffective communication and guidance, lack of adequate feedback, ambiguity and uncertainty” about policies and the “ambiguous status of DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) analysts assigned to USCENTCOM” impaired effectiveness, efficiency and morale within the analyst community.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2017/02/01/pentagon-investigation-finds-weaknesses-and-flaws-in-isis-intelligence-gathering/#ixzz4Xko7GcgX

http://www.dodig.mil/pubs/documents/DODIG-2017-049.pdf

Republicans and Democrats Agree: CENTCOM Cooked ISIS War Intel
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/11/republicans-and-democrats-agree-centcom-cooked-isis-war-intel.html

Senior officials at U.S. Central Command manipulated intelligence reports, press statements, and congressional testimony to present a more positive outlook on the war against the so-called Islamic State, a House Republican task force concluded in a damning report released Thursday.

The report, written by the members of the House Armed Services and Intelligence committees and the Defense Appropriations subcommittee, confirmed more than a year of reporting by The Daily Beast about problems with CENTCOM analysis of the war against ISIS.
House Democrats, who conducted their own separate investigation, reached a similar conclusion as their Republican colleagues, finding that CENTCOM “insufficiently accommodated dissenting views,” Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement.

The altering of intelligence reports, which included information that made its way into briefings to President Obama, was systematic, lawmakers found.

Read more here.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/08/11/republicans-and-democrats-agree-centcom-cooked-isis-war-intel.html

Congressional Task Force on CENTCOM Releases Initial Report
http://wenstrup.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399373
A Congressional joint task force (JTF) investigating allegations of intelligence manipulation at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) released an initial report today detailing persistent problems in 2014 and 2015 with CENTCOM analysis of U.S. efforts to train the Iraqi Security Forces and combat the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The JTF found that intelligence products approved by senior CENTCOM leaders typically provided a more positive depiction of U.S. anti-terrorism efforts than was warranted by facts on the ground and were consistently more positive than analysis produced by other elements of the Intelligence Community. It further determined that numerous process changes implemented at CENCTOM as well as leadership deficiencies resulted in widespread dissatisfaction among CENTCOM analysts who felt their superiors were distorting their products.
Created in response to a whistleblower allegation, the JTF was established by the Chairmen of the House Armed Services Committee, House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Subcommittee on Defense of the House Appropriations Committee. It is led by Reps. Ken Calvert, Mike Pompeo, and Brad Wenstrup.
Rep. Calvert said, “The leadership failures at CENTCOM reach to the very top of the organization. I hope that the new CENTCOM commander and the new Director of Intelligence can turn things around quickly. As for the task force, it is critical that we follow up on the deficiencies highlighted in this initial report. What happened at CENTCOM is unacceptable – our warfighters suffer when bad analysis is presented to senior policymakers. We must continue our efforts until we fix it.”

Read Full Report here.
http://intelligence.house.gov/uploadedfiles/house_jtf_on_centcom_intelligence_initial_report.pdf

Libya attack: U.S. attacks targets in Libya At War Again.

Image via WikipediaHere we go again. Back at War yet again. See the link for the full article.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/sc-dc-0320-us-military-libya-20110319,0,7579064.story

Reporting from Washington—

U.S. warships launched airstrikes at targets along
Libya's
coast on Saturday in an opening attack to degrade
Moammar Kadafi
's air defense systems and allow international allies to establish a no-fly zone aimed at protecting civilians.

The U.S. and
Britain
launched more than 110 Tomahawk missiles at more than 20 targets. The strikes targeted specifically surface-to-air missile sites and radar detectors that are part of the Libyan military's air defense infrastructure, said Vice Admiral William E. Gortney, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command.

The U.S. had identified sites along the coast of Libya, including around the capital of Tripoli and the city of Misratah, the Pentagon confirmed.

While President Obama has emphasized that American forces would play a subordinate role in enforcing the no-fly zone over Libya, the Pentagon said the U.S. had to lead the operation in its early days because it has the greatest capability to destroy Kadafi's air defenses, a key prerequisite to taking control of Libya's airspace.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8004316/ns/video

Libyan official: Attacks resulted in 'tremendous casualties'

Libyan officials called Saturday's coalition missile strikes "barbaric aggression" that directly contradicted a previously announced cease-fire by the African country's government. NBC's Richard Engel reports. Full story
Official: 'Just first phase of coalition

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Related articles

• Pentagon Briefing Announces U.S. Missile Strikes On Libyan Air Defense Targets (mediaite.com)
• U.S. Cruise Missiles Hit Libyan Air Defense Targets (outsidethebeltway.com)
• Pentagon: 110 missiles fired on Libya thus far (cbsnews.com)
• U.S. Military Gets Into The Fight In Libya (dekerivers.wordpress.com)
• Operation Odyssey Dawn: U.S. Launches Military Strikes In Libya (huffingtonpost.com)
• Samuel J. Locklear To Command Operation Odyssey Dawn In Libya (huffingtonpost.com)
• US Tomahawk Missiles Fired at Tripoli (firedoglake.com)
• Obama on Libya: This is not what we wanted (cbsnews.com)
• Military push against Gaddafi in full swing (rt.com)
• U.S. Missiles Strike Libyan Air Defense Targets (worldtruthtoday.com)

Gallery: Inside the Secret Space Plane Landing | Danger Room | Wired.com

 Se more photos at the link.
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/12/gallery-inside-the-secret-space-plane-landing?pid=147

When the Air Force launched its secret, robotic space plane this spring, military officials confessed that they weren't exactly sure when it was coming back. More than seven months later, the X-37B landed at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where it was met with Air Force personnel in SCAPE suits (self-contained atmospheric protective ensemble). They gave the robo-orbiter an initial once-over — and made sure the area was safe for humans, too.
Here are the pictures (and infrared video) of the landing, courtesy of U.S. Air Force Space Command.
What the 29-foot-long craft did during all those months in orbit is still a matter of intense speculation. Conspiratorially minded types conjectured that it might be a prototype for an orbiting bomber. Others warned of "a johnny-on-the-spot weapons platform to take out the satellite assets of an enemy."
Prominent members of the Russian military establishment screamed that Moscow needed to build up its own space arsenal, ASAP. The British press, meanwhile, made dark insinuations about "the testing of new laser weapon systems" in space.
Better-informed observers believe the X-37B could be used by the Pentagon as a cheap replacement for the all-but-defunct Space Shuttle — a way to get spy sensors into orbit in a hurry.
And the U.S. military's use of space planes is only getting started. As David Axe noted last week, the Air Force has commissioned a second X-37, to enter service next spring. The first X-37 could find itself back in orbit in short order, as well. Which means we could see more dudes in crazy-looking suits meeting up with robotic spacecraft soon.

Related articles

• Gallery: Inside the Secret Space Plane Landing (wired.com)
• First Landing Photos: Secret X-37B Robot Space Plane Lands in Calif. (space.com)
• Secret X-37B Robotic Space Plane Returning to Earth Soon (space.com)
• Secretive X-37B robot space plane returns to Earth (msnbc.msn.com)
• "Air Force on Secret Space Plane: Nothing to See Here, Move Along" and related posts (xenophilius.wordpress.com)
• Secretive X-37B Robot Space Plane Returns to Earth on Autopilot (space.com)
• X-37B Space Plane Returns From Secretive Mission, Captured on Video (techeblog.com)
• The Air Force's Top Secret Space Plane, in Orbit for Seven Months, is Coming Home (popsci.com)
• Secret US space plane returns to Earth (newscientist.com)
• Air Force's Secret Space Plane Lands In California (informationweek.com)

Mystery Missile Launch Off California Coast, Navy, DHS & Pentagon None the Wiser (Video) | REPUBLICAN REDEFINED

http://republicanredefined.com/2010/11/09/mystery-missile-launch-off-california-coast-navy-dhs-pentagon-none-the-wiser-video/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mystery-missile-launch-off-california-coast-navy-dhs-pentagon-none-the-wiser-video

The case of the mystery missile launch… A missile was seen departing the waters off the coast of California last evening and video of the missile and its contrail make any attempt to dispute a launch rather ridiculous to say the least.  There was a launch.  The only question is – who’s the responsible party here?  Oh, and it seems no one – and I mean no one – from the Navy to NORTHCOM to The Pentagon to DHS has a friggin clue!!
Accordingly, speculation is all over the grid.  I obviously have no credible information as to its origin, so I will not add to the confusion.  I will follow and update as I learn more.

CBS: Magnificent images were captured by the KCBS news helicopter in L.A. around sunset Monday evening. The location of the missile was about 35 miles out to sea, west of L.A. and north of Catalina Island.
A Navy spokesperson told KFMB it wasn’t their missile. He said there was no Navy activity reported in the area Monday evening

BakersfieldNow:  Pentagon spokesman Col. Dave Lapan said Tuesday that officials can’t confirm that there was a launch and if there was, by whom. He says officials are talking to the Air Force, Navy and NORAD as well as civilian authorities who control and monitor air space.

Related articles

• Mystery Missile Launched In California [Video] (realestateradiousa.com)
• Mystery Missile: Who Launched Missile Off California Coast? (abcnews.go.com)
• Pentagon stumped by apparent missile launch off U.S. coast (theglobeandmail.com)
• Missile Shot Off Los Angeles Still a Mystery for Pentagon Officials (foxnews.com)
• Video: Mystery missile lights up sky near L.A. (thestar.com)
• Pentagon can't explain 'missile' off California (ctv.ca)
• Mystery Missile Launches Off California Coast (space.com)
• Pentagon, Everybody Else Confused By Mysterious Missile Launched Near California (mediaite.com)
• Pentagon can't explain apparent mystery rocket off California coast (cnn.com)
• Mysterious Missile Launch Off Calif. Coast Sparks Investigation (space.com)

U.S. Is Said to Expand Secret Actions in Mideast

Image via Wikipedia

The seven-page directive appears to authorize specific operations in Iran, most likely to gather intelligence about the country’s nuclear program or identify dissident groups that might be useful for a future military offensive. The Obama administration insists that for the moment, it is committed to penalizing Iran for its nuclear activities only with diplomatic and economic sanctions. Nevertheless, the Pentagon has to draw up detailed war plans to be prepared in advance, in the event that President Obama ever authorizes a strike.

clipped from www.nytimes.com WASHINGTON — The top American commander in the Middle East has ordered a broad expansion of clandestine military activity in an effort to disrupt militant groups or counter threats in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and other countries in the region, according to defense officials and military documents. While the Bush administration had approved some clandestine military activities far from designated war zones, the new order is intended to make such efforts more systematic and long term, officials said. Its goals are to build networks that could “penetrate, disrupt, defeat or destroy” Al Qaeda and other militant groups, as well as to “prepare the environment” for future attacks by American or local military forces, the document said. The order, however, does not appear to authorize offensive strikes in any specific countries.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Report: Pentagon OKs spy missions in Mideast (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Petraeus Signed Order To Expand, Institutionalize Secret Military Action (huffingtonpost.com)
• U.S. Is Said to Order Further Clandestine Military Action (nytimes.com)
• NYT: U.S. said to order secret military action (msnbc.msn.com)
• NYT: U.S. said to order covert military action (msnbc.msn.com)
• Sharmine Narwani: Washington Just Lost the Middle East in a Big Way (huffingtonpost.com)
• Arab League chief pushes for closer ties with Iran (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Russia Urges U.S. To Take Active Role In Mideast Peace Process (huffingtonpost.com)
• Pentagon Plan to Upgrade Afghan Base Near Iran May Rile Regime (businessweek.com)
• Russia urges active US role in Mideast (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Obama administration revives controversial Bush's Prompt Global Strike scheme

clipped from www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com One of the more controversial schemes of the Rumsfeld-era Pentagon was the Prompt Global Strike: equipping ICMSs with conventional warheads, and using the missiles to strike any target around the world -- such as terrorists fleeing the scene of an attack -- within an hour; there was only one problem with the plan: the missile launch could start a Third World War because, as a congressional; study said: "For many minutes during their flight patterns, these missiles might appear to be headed towards targets in [Russia and China}" The Obama administration is about to take up one of the more controversial schemes of the Rumsfeld-era Pentagon. Noah Shachtman writes that there is just one problem: the launches could very well start a Third World War. The reason was simple: these missiles, even if they aim at terrorists, look and fly exactly like the nuclear missiles the United States would launch at Russia or China in the event of Armageddon.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Obama Revives Rumsfeld's Missile Scheme, Risks Nuke War (wired.com)
• Obama To Decide On New Weapons (tech.slashdot.org)
• How to start a nuclear war in one hour (trueslant.com)
• A cruise missile in a shipping box on sale to rogue bidders (telegraph.co.uk)
• Iran could have missiles for US strike in five years (telegraph.co.uk)
• US confident it could defeat Iranian missile (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• William Hartung: Missile Defense and Arms Reduction (huffingtonpost.com)
• Iran fires short-range missiles in Gulf war games (sfgate.com)

Special army unit ready to be deployed on American soil just before Nov. elections

Be sure to read and check out the links posted here. Study them for yourself as an American we should know about these things.
More links to check out.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/10/03/army.unit/

http://community2.myfoxorlando.com/_Military-Police-State-Coming/blog/228699/72667.html

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/

clipped from www.godlikeproductions.com Special army unit ready to be deployed on American soil just before Nov. elections In October of this year, one month prior to the November midterm elections, a special army unit known as 'Consequence Management Response Force' will be ready for deployment on American soil if so ordered by the President. The special force, which is the new name being given to the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry, has been training at Fort Stewart, Georgia and is composed of 80,000 troops. clipped from www.blacklistednews.com Special army unit ready to be deployed on American soil just before Nov. elections The special force, which is the new name being given to the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry, has been training at Fort Stewart, Georgia and is composed of 80,000 troops. According to the Army Times, clipped from www.cato.org Be Wary of Using Military as Police The mainstream media has finally gotten around to reporting that the Pentagon has assigned active-duty troops to a homeland defense mission, a historical first.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Soldier discharged after threat, rap song (bendbulletin.com)
• US troops train for both combat and conversation (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• US troops train for both combat and conversation (sfgate.com)
• Army Wants Sensors to Nab Sweaty, Smelly Security Threats (wired.com)
• 'Whenever there's a need'; Deployed to Iraq: the Oregon National Guard Central Oregon soldiers are among those tasked with protecting the VIPs (bendbulletin.com)

DARPA Radar System Will Track Cars Anywhere

clipped from blogs.cars.com DARPA Radar System Will Track Cars Anywhere This is something they will love over at “24” and its fictitious and nearly omnipotent Counter Terrorist Unit. The Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is developing a radar system that can track suspects or vehicles around corners and “down into urban canyons”— essentially anywhere in a city. Using a few unmanned air drones, DARPA will use the new Multipath Exploitation Radar to create 3-D urban maps and something called a Ku-band radar, which will run at high enough frequencies to get detailed images of vehicles. The drones bounce radars off the ground and buildings and match the patterns to 3-D maps, creating a full, vivid picture of a city in motion. DARPA will first try to create the ability to track a single vehicle before expanding the system to follow multiple targets. This makes Jack Bauer’s job easier, the “24” writers’ harder and privacy advocates more perplexing and complicated than ever.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Coming Soon, Tracking Your Car As You Drive In A City (dvorak.org)
• Honeywell awarded $49M contract for weather radar (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Father of GPS and Pioneer of Satellite Telemetry and Timing Inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame (eon.businesswire.com)
• Despite the absurdities, we'll miss Jack Bauer (windsorstar.com)
• DARPA's Iron Curtain Detects, Explodes RPGs From a Moving Humvee [Military] (gizmodo.com)

Pentagon resists Army's desire to stop development of MEADS missile system

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

clipped from www.washingtonpost.com Another battle is brewing at the Pentagon over a costly weapons program that many military leaders do not want but that so far has proven difficult to kill. After several failed attempts, the Army is trying again to cancel a $19 billion missile defense system that the United States is developing in partnership with Italy and Germany. Known as the Medium Extended Air Defense System, or MEADS, it has been in the works for more than a decade and is designed to replace, in part, the Army's aging Patriot system. "At a time of growing threats, MEADS represents the United States' first all-new air and missile defense system of its kind in decades and is the only such program in which allies are sharing the cost to develop a capability that each country needs," Lockheed Martin said in a statement. "In the Pentagon, it's pretty tough to make a program go when a service doesn't want to do it," Young said.

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Obama administration says missile defense isn't as important as it used to be. Its budget says otherwise. (slate.com)
• The New Missile Defense Agency Logo Looks Familiar (riehlworldview.com)
• Lockheed, Raytheon Gain in Gates's Europe Missile-Defense Plan (businessweek.com)
• Raytheon Missile Contract Extended (seekingalpha.com)
• Missile defense to simulate Iran attack (tech.bl0x.info)
• Northrop Wins Army Contract - Analyst Blog (benzinga.com)
• Missile Defense Agency Logo Looks Familiar (PHOTO) (blippitt.com)
• U.S. missile defense test fails (cnn.com)