The Case Against WikiLeaks Suspect Bradley Manning Continues

Judge Refuses To Dismiss Charges Against WikiLeaks Suspect Bradley Manning -- Washington Post

A military judge refused Tuesday to toss out the case against WikiLeaks suspect Bradley Manning but ruled that any sentence the Army private receives should be reduced by 112 days because of his mistreatment in confinement.

Manning’s confinement at a military jail in Quantico, Va., was “more rigorous than necessary,” said Army Col. Denise Lind, the military judge presiding over the hearing at Fort Meade, Md. Maintaining him in suicide risk over mental health recommendations “became excessive in relation to legitimate government interests.”

Read more ....

More News On The Trial Of Wikileaks Suspect Bradley Manning

Judge denies Manning motion to dismiss charges in WikiLeaks case -- NBC
WikiLeaks soldier's sentence reduced - if convicted -- Reuters
WikiLeaks: Bradley Manning was treated improperly in lockup, judge rules -- Christian Science Monitor
Judge: Army GI in WikiLeaks Illegally Punished -- ABC News/AP
Bradley Manning awarded sentencing credit by judge -- Politico
Bradley Manning ensured leaks would not harm US, lawyer insists -- The Guardian

Former British Military Chiefs Warn That National Security Is Being Compromised By Budget Defense Cuts

Defence Of UK Has Diminished 'To A Perilous Degree', Warn Former Armed Forces Bosses As They Hit Out At Cuts In Spending And Lack Of Investment -- Daily Mail

* Damning report by former defence chiefs calls for investment to plug gaps
* They warn national security is being 'severely compromised' by the cuts
* Armed Forces are the 'Cinderella' and 'sacrificial lamb' of the public services'

The Armed Forces' ability to defend the country has diminished to a 'perilous degree' because of spending cuts, former defence chiefs have warned.

They argue in a damning report from the UK National Defence Association (UKDA) that investment is needed to plug gaps in the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force created by the funding squeeze.

The UKNDA's chief executive, Commander John Muxworthy, branded the Armed Forces a 'sacrificial lamb' and 'Cinderella of the public services', and said the nation's security is being 'severely compromised'.

Read more ....

Update: Military chiefs call for reversal of defence cuts -- The Guardian

My Comment: The British government is not paying any attention to them. The cuts are here to stay.

Are British Military Forces At Risk Of A 'Fatal' Cyber-Attack

UK Armed Forces At Risk Of 'Fatal' Cyber-Attack, MPs Warn -- The Guardian

Defence select committee says there are worrying gaps in MoD's cyber-strategy and calls for urgent ministerial intervention.

Britain's armed forces are at risk of being "fatally compromised" by a sustained cyber-attack because the military is dependent on technology that has no proven back-up, MPs have warned .

The potential vulnerability must be addressed urgently, according to the Commons defence select committee, as part of a broader effort across government to face up to the threats posed from cyberspace.

In a withering critique of the government's cyber-strategy, the committee concludes: "The government needs to put in place – as it has not yet done – mechanisms, people, education, skills, thinking and policies which take into account both the opportunities and the vulnerabilities that cyber presents. It is time the government approached this subject with vigour."

Read more ....

More News On British MPs Being Warned That The UK Armed Forces Are At Risk Of A 'Fatal' Cyber-Attack

British military at risk from cyber attack - watchdog -- Reuters
Reliance on computers could see Armed Forces 'fatally compromised' by terrorists mounting cyber attack -- Daily Mail
U.K. Must Focus on Defense Cyber Security, Lawmakers Say -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Cyber attack could defeat UK armed forces, MPs warned -- Scotsman
Cyber Attack Threat: UK Armed Forces Warned -- SKY News

Military Scientists On The Frontline

What Do UK's Military Scientists Do On The Frontline? -- BBC

It's a little known fact that the UK Ministry of Defence deploys scientists to the frontline in Iraq and Afghanistan. But what do military science advisers do?

To find out, Quentin Cooper from BBC Radio 4's Material World programme interviewed Nick Barrett, programme leader for support to operations at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL).

QC: Nick, a lot of us are used to the idea that alongside soldiers there are embedded journalists. But aside from medics and engineers, we don't really hear about scientists going to war.

NB: I guess it's not something which has received a lot of media attention in the past, but it's a growing capability. It's a growing initiative to send scientists on to the front line to assist and support our troops.

Read more ....

My Comment: Fascinating reading .... there is a lot of smart people out there who are risking their lives everyday to better protect the soldiers.

Picture Of The Day

RUNNING LAPS

U.S. sailors run laps around the ship during physical training aboard the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, Jan. 5, 2012. The sailors are assigned to the 1st Class Petty Officer Mess and the Chief’s Mess. The Mobile Bay is deployed with the John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group to conduct maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Armando Gonzales

Flying A B-2

We Fly A B-2 Stealth Bomber -- Popular Mechanics

More people have been to space than have flown in a B-2 stealth bomber. PopMech gets an extremely rare ride, flying a B-2 training mission and going behind the scenes to meet the people (and dogs) who've kept the B-2 at the forefront of American power projection for 20 years.

I Am Spirit 544

I never expected to step inside the cockpit of a B-2 Spirit, the Pentagon's long-range stealth bomber. So you can imagine the shock of being at 27,000 feet and hearing an Air Force pilot tell me over the cockpit intercom, "Okay, you have the jet."

I place one suddenly damp left hand on the throttle and the right on the stick, taking nominal control of a $2 billion aircraft. There are only 20 B-2s in the Air Force arsenal, including a second B-2 flying formation with us, slicing through clouds a scant 4 miles ahead. It occurs to me that with some exceptionally bad luck, I could endanger one-tenth of the American B-2 fleet and cause a rebalance in global military power.

Read more .....

My Comment: That must have been one cool ride.

How To Fly A U-2 Spy Plane

How To Fly A U-2 Spy Plane -- Jalopnik

Got your eye on a sweet used '59 U-2 spy plane you saw on Craigslist? Would you go ahead and take the plunge if you just, you know, knew how to fly it? Then boy, are you in luck.

That's because a couple days ago an entire flight manual for the U-2 from 1959 was declassified and released by the CIA. You can tell it's declassified because on each page where the word "secret" appears, someone has carefully drawn a line through it. We've got a copy here for you.

The U-2 is, of course, one of the most legendary and well-known aircraft of all time. It was one of the first true purpose-built spy planes, created at the height of the Cold War to fly over the Soviets and snap photos at high enough altitudes to prevent them from finding out or shooting it down. Of course, the U-2 may best be known for the time that both the finding out and shooting down part actually happened in 1960 over the Soviet Union.

Read more ....

My Comment: Amazing .... this was classified super-duper top secret 50 years ago .... and now it can be read by anyone in the world.