Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- August 7, 2014

U.S. Weighs Airstrikes On Iraq -- Wall Street Journal

Washington Wants to Aid Religious Minority Besieged by Insurgents



The U.S. military is considering launching airstrikes and dropping emergency relief supplies into Iraq to aid members of a religious minority driven into the mountains last weekend by Sunni extremist militants who now are imperiling other areas in northern Iraq, U.S. defense officials said.



Last Sunday, the militant group Islamic State took over Sinjar, a Kurdish-controlled town with a large population of Yazidis, a Kurdish-speaking group that follow a pre-Islamic religion. About 40,000 members of the minority fled to a mountainside and are trapped there, with all access roads out controlled by the Islamic State.



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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- August 7, 2014

U.S. Mulls Action to Help Threatened Iraqis as ISIS Advances -- Time



US considers 'military options' in Iraq to save Yazidis, Christians -- RT



U.S. considers 'other military options' in Iraq -- CNN



No American Military Solutions in Iraq, White House Says -- VOA



Afghan troops’ rocky past offers clues into shooting that killed U.S. general -- Washington Post



Spanish Navy Training Ship Caught Smuggling Cocaine -- Maritime Executive



Pakistan Appoints New Defense Secretary -- Defense News



Warplanes: Heron Rises Above Predator -- Strategy Page



Warplanes: The Secret Taiwan UAV Program -- Strategy Page



Infantry: Israeli Robots Under Gaza -- Strategy Page



The Softer Side of China’s Military -- Shannon Tiezzi, The Diplomat



More Chinese missiles will be revealed soon: report -- Want China Times



Hypersonic missiles are the future for India and Russia – new BrahMos Chief -- Russia & India Report



U.S. Leads WMD Exercise without China, India -- Defense Tech



Russia Defense Ministry to open social network accounts to bring unbiased info to Pentagon -- ITAR-TASS



Russia Dismisses Pentagon’s Claims of Building Military on Ukraine Border, UN Calls for ‘Immediate Action’ -- IBTimes



Op-Ed: Russia denies NATO and Pentagon claims on Ukraine buildup -- Digital Journal



Obama Says Ukraine Doesn't Need U.S. Military Aid -- Radio Free Europe



Pentagon may review force levels in Europe, senior official says -- Military Times



Hagel Visits India Seeking to Sell Weapons -- Bloomberg Businessweek



India offers to buy more U.S. helicopters, hopes to drive down costs -- Reuters



US missile cruiser enters Black Sea again ‘to promote peace’ -- RT



Lawmakers Remain Skeptical of Obama's Quiet Military, Intel Pivot to Africa -- Defense News



Lockheed defends F-35 program -- The Hill



Navy: Cuts Threaten 306-Ship Fleet Goal -- DoD Buzz



Future Carrier to Feature More Prebuilt Parts -- Defense Tech



Obama signs landmark VA reform law -- Stars and Stripes



Dempsey Sets Expectations for Defense University, Students -- US Department of Defense



U.S. Military Plugs Into Social Media for Intelligence Gathering -- Wall Street Journal



Snowden’s Revelations Bring Changes to US Intelligence Gathering -- VOA



Snowden granted 3-yr residence permit - lawyer -- RT



Military begins questioning Bergdahl on his capture -- CSM



Bergdahl read his rights -- The Hill



With Shrinking Budgets, Pentagon Should Rely More on Guard, Reserve Troops -- Ret. Lt. Gen. David Barno, Defense One