Situation Report Newsletter

Panetta in Kuwait, says intel on chemical weapons in Syria has “leveled off”

Afghanistan progress still a mixed bag; Vince Brooks to the Pacific; Defense bill requires notification of “successful penetration,” and more.

DECEMBER 11, 2012

John Campbell to be nom’ed to be Army vice

Panetta on Afghanistan rescue; Why the Corps isn’t dining out; Global Trends report out this AM: what’s a conflict game changer; A Marine lieutenant colonel may need his major insignias back, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | DECEMBER 10, 2012

How does the Pentagon stop Syria?

Panetta bids Johnson adieu; Austin to Central Command; The Pakistanis and the fertilizer problem; Those crazies at the Naval Academy, and more.

DECEMBER 7, 2012

Ash Carter to DOE?

The Pentagon is trimming the brass; Did the Chinese target Mullen? The Air Force’s search for Farah Fawcett posters; Psst: the push for fewer secrets in government, and more.

DECEMBER 6, 2012

Why JIEDDO is not only about Afghanistan

The 15 people who don’t want to kick the can down the road on debt, SecDef Watch: what’s not completely crazy, and more.

DECEMBER 5, 2012

Why “No Drama Obama” might like Joe Dunford

McCain made similar points as Rice on Benghazi; Why “strategic communications” just became “communications synchronization” at the Pentagon; Petraeus as “Fat Elvis”? And more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | DECEMBER 4, 2012

A novel idea: the U.S. should buy Syria’s WMDs

Afghanistan, open for business; Panetta watch continues; Cyber-missions coming for the services, and more.

DECEMBER 3, 2012

Why DOD investigators are finding more wrongdoing among senior officers

Pentagon's Jeh Johnson to AG?; Release the trial balloons: Flournoy as SecArmy; PAO John Kirby on the military and the media, why close relationships matter, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 30, 2012

Why John Allen’s investigation could take months

The firing at the Naval Postgraduate School: it wasn’t all about the barbecue and lawn chairs; The drop in the Pentagon’s R&D budget, Are Micah Zenko’s criticisms beyond the pale? And more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 29, 2012

News flash: the Pentagon’s in fiscal hot water

Role reversal: Panetta plays it different than he did in 1991; Why the SecDef may stay longer; Women want combat roles; and a little more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 28, 2012

The Pentagon’s sequestration bubbas sit on their hands

A “fundamentalist con artist” cancels visit to Pentagon; Mattis, off the record?; Where a general shops for shoes; Is Tom Ricks rude? And more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 27, 2012

WH might leave 10k in Afghanistan

The push for diplomacy on Iran; McRaven on FP’s Top Global Thinkers list and a little more.

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

Allen returns to Afghanistan

The big step for mining in Afghanistan, Panetta: al-Qaida remains a cancer, Why Mullen had a chef, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 21, 2012

How the Pentagon is cutting a rug in Afghanistan

Marines on standby in the Med; Dempsey is concerned about the scandal; Commanders behaving badly, The Navy gets a Biden, and more.

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

Good intel: get out of buildings, onto the streets

The trouble with the Asia pivot; Cyber vulnerabilities at DOE; Allen’s hope for a quick investigation, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Dempsey models Afghan Hands program for Asia

The Navy’s Greenert talks rebalancing, Panetta: back to school for ethics training, What a Marine staples to his desk and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 16, 2012

Tension over the Allen issue in Asia

Dunford to testify, Panetta to visit shrine, Services would get cut under a new blueprint for defense spending, McChrystal’s book out in January, and more.

NOVEMBER 15, 2012

What the volume of Allen e-mails say

Ward gets a demotion, Asia Foundation: new optimism in Afghanistan, The shallow bench for NATO if Allen’s promotion falters, What is a social liaison, anyway? and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 14, 2012

More girl trouble: sex scandal expands to include ISAF commander Allen

Allen’s nomination on hold, WaPo: Kerry considered for SecDef job, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 13, 2012

New scrutiny on the F.B.I. investigation of Petraeus

Paula Broadwell’s singular focus; The biographer’s athletic reputation, Mansoor: Petraeus will rise again, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 12, 2012

U.S. has “strong concerns” about Iranian warplane shooting at drone

Stavridis cleared of any wrongdoing, Service associations to Congress: get off your bum, the Washington parlor game of Obama’s cabinet continues, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 9, 2012

The cliff that could happen

How the election shook up committees on the Hill, The national security team that might have been, Billability versus vulnerability: law firms and the cyber threat, and more

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 8, 2012

It’s back to work at the Pentagon

Michael Rhodes can put away the binders, The personnel changes that won’t happen right away, The budget battle really begins, and more.

NOVEMBER 7, 2012

News flash: the next president faces enormous challenges around the world, seriously

The other races to watch tonight; The general’s sex crimes in a war zone; Why no one cares about Yemen; Defense cuts won’t kill the economy; and more.

NOVEMBER 6, 2012

Obama or Romney: winners take all

Changes on the Hill; Regardless of who wins, the Pentagon sends more Guard to the northeast; and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 5, 2012

New documents from Benghazi show pointed concern

Marines are so littoral, The Navy tries its hand at motorboat drones, The “red herring” of the military vote, What would make Stan McChrystal cringe, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | NOVEMBER 2, 2012

Watchdog SIGAR blasts the ANSF

What Karzai’s election announcement means, Did the F-35 father a new Chinese baby? and more.

NOVEMBER 1, 2012

Thousands of Guardsmen are activated for Sandy

Dempsey: rumors around Carter Ham’s departure from AFRICOM are “absolutely false;” At portrait unveiling, Gates explains what contributed to his departure, unleashes zingers, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 30, 2012

Big Army goes SF

AID sends William Hammink to Afghanistan, What $71 million to DynCorp paid for, Panetta: Benghazi was too risky for U.S. forces, The Brits are the bomb, and more.

BY GORDON LUBOLD | OCTOBER 26, 2012