Iran
Iran says detected “massive cyber attack:” state TV
Zahra Hosseinian, Reuters – June 21, 2012
Iran has detected a planned “massive cyber attack” against its nuclear facilities, state television said on Thursday, after talks with major powers this week failed to resolve a row over Tehran’s disputed nuclear activities.
Afghanistan
Taliban Attack Lakeside Resort Hotel Near Kabul, Taking Families Hostage
Habib Zahori and Jawad Sukhanyar, New York Times – June 21, 2012
As families ate a late dinner at a popular lakeside resort hotel here on a warm summer night, at least three Taliban shot their way into the compound, entered the dining room and took an unknown number of hostages, Afghan officials said early Friday.
Defense Spending
The Downturn Begins: Revenue Declines Are Just Beginning As U.S. Budget Cuts Loom
Zachary Fryer-Biggs, Defense News – June 21, 2012
Only two of the top dozen companies on this year’s Defense News Top 100 list saw defense revenue growth, with combined defense revenue for the Top 100 companies dropping by about 1 percent to $414.3 billion, down from $418.8 billion in 2010. In the previous year’s list, total revenue grew by more than 4 percent.
Efficiency Savings Tend To Fall Short of Goal: Analysts
Marcus Weisgerber, Defense News – June 21, 2012
The Pentagon should not count on achieving the $238 billion in planned savings over the next five years from initiatives to operate more efficiently, two Washington defense analysts said.
Pentagon Gets Attention, but Planned Spending Cuts Range Far and Wide
Jennifer Steinhauer, New York Times – June 21, 2012
It is no secret here that come January, barring Congressional action, huge spending cuts will hit the Pentagon. Congressional Republicans, President Obama’s secretary of defense and military contractors have taken pains to denounce the planned reductions, which were scheduled as part of the resolution to the debt-ceiling crisis of last year.
Syria
Clip 1 Title
Phil Stewart, Reuters – June 22, 2012
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta defended the Obama administration’s decision not to arm the Syrian opposition, saying the country risked being pushed into an all-out civil war if efforts to secure a smooth political transition fail.
Nuclear Modernization
Administration defends nuclear modernization
Donna Cassata, AP – June 22, 2012
The Obama administration insisted on Thursday that it is modernizing the nation’s nuclear arsenal in the face of withering criticism from Republicans that it is moving slowly in anticipation of President Barack Obama’s push for further reductions.
