Iran
Panetta: ‘We will not let Iran develop a nuclear weapon’
Arizona Daily Star – August 2, 2012
Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta stressed Wednesday that if economic sanctions do not compel Iran to end its nuclear program, the United States would have to consider military options to destroy it.
Syria
US eases arms purchases for Syrian rebels
Hannah Allam, Kansas City Star – August 1, 2012
The Obama administration quietly has cleared the way for U.S. residents to buy weapons for rebels who are fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad, granting a Washington-based advocacy group a rare license to collect money for arms and other equipment.
Asia-Pacific
U.S. model for a future war fans tensions with China and inside Pentagon
Greg Jaffe, Washington Post – August 1, 2012
When President Obama called on the U.S. military to shift its focus to Asia earlier this year, Andrew Marshall, a 91-year-old futurist, had a vision of what to do.
U.S. to mull more bombers, submarines for Pacific
Jim Wolf, Reuters – August 1, 2012
Pentagon planners will consider adding bombers and attack submarines as part of a growing U.S. focus on security challenges in the Asia-Pacific, a senior Defense Department official said on Wednesday.
US sets sights on Perth naval base
Nick O’Malley and Dylan Welch, Sydney Morning Herald – August 2, 2012
THE presence of US forces in Australia could be expanded dramatically under plans due to be presented to Congress today, including an option to base an entire US aircraft carrier battle group at the country’s largest naval base.
Defense Spending
Congress urged to take steps to avert looming budget cut
David Alexander and Jim Wolf, Reuters – August 1, 2012
Congress should stop fretting over the mechanics of implementing a huge, indiscriminate budget cut early next year and instead try to figure out how to avoid it by passing a more reasonable deal to reduce deficits, administration officials told lawmakers on Wednesday.
