MISSILE DEFENSE
US House Blocks Democratic Effort to Zero Funds for East Coast Missile Shield
John T. Bennett, Defense News — July 23, 2013
The US House started work on a 2014 Pentagon spending bill by blocking a Democratic effort to zero funding for a GOP-proposed East Coast missile shield while voting to build Israel’s Iron Dome missiles in America.
IRAN
Russia’s Putin to visit Tehran for nuclear talks – media reports
Alissa de Carbonnel, Alexei Anishchuk, and Marcus George, Reuters — July 24, 2013
Russian leader Vladimir Putin will meet Iran’s newly elected president in Tehran next month to discuss restarting talks on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear programme, Russian and Iranian media reports said on Wednesday.
U.S. Senator Wants Resolution Authorizing War With Iran If ‘Nothing Changes’ In Two Months
Ben Armbruster, Think Progress — July 23, 2013
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said on Tuesday that he plans to introduce a resolution authorizing war with Iran if “nothing changes” regarding the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program by the end of the year.
NORTH KOREA
Chinese vice president to visit North Korea following period of strained ties
The Associated Press — July24, 2013
China’s vice president will visit North Korea this week for Korean War commemorations following a period of strained relations between the communist neighbors…Vice President Li Yuanchao will be the highest ranking Chinese official to visit North Korea since Kim Jong Un took over as leader of the impoverished hard-line communist state upon his father’s death in December 2011.
Leveraging ASEAN’s Role in North Korean Denuclearization
Jonathan B. Milller, Forbes — July 23, 2013
…[T]here are opportunities for ASEAN and the ARF to shed this cloak of criticism and affect meaningful results in the region. One such area is the long stalled denuclearization talks with North Korea.
DEFENSE SPENDING
Defense firms weathering budget cuts more easily than expected
Marjorie Censer and Jim Tankersley, The Washington Post — July23, 2013
Big defense contractors are weathering the federal budget sequester far more easily than they projected, in part because they have gradually eliminated jobs over the past few years in anticipation of spending cuts.
NATO needs defense spending to keep edge: commander says
Alexandra Hudson, Reuters — July 24, 2013
NATO is at its most cohesive yet, its new commander said, but must ensure that spending cuts do not erode the power of an alliance facing tasks as diverse as a new training mission in Afghanistan and protecting Turkey’s border with Syria.
UK
Commentary: The Future of Britain’s Nuclear Deterrent
Frank Klotz, The National Interest — July 24, 2013
…A decision on the future of Britain’s nuclear deterrent could depend as much on the dynamics of intracoalition and interparty politics—and a referendum on Scottish independence—as it does on strategic analysis.
