Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 30, 2014

The view is shown from a turret of a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle making its way back to Camp Leatherneck after a combat logistics patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand province, July 14, 2014. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alex Roberts

Afghanistan To Cost More Than Marshall Plan, Watchdog Says -- Stars and Stripes

KABUL, Afghanistan — By the time its combat troops depart at the end of 2014, the United States will have appropriated more money trying to fix Afghanistan than it did on the Marshall Plan that helped Europe recover economically after World War II, according to an analysis by a government watchdog.

The comparison in the latest quarterly report of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction draws attention to the mixed results of U.S. investments in Afghanistan — $104 billion appropriated since 2002 — versus the success of the Marshall Plan, which is credited with helping to spur the economic revival of Western Europe.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- July 30, 2014

Questions raised about Afghanistan’s Mobile Strike Force Vehicle fleet -- Washington Post

US Ambassador: Advanced Weapons on Russia-Ukraine Border -- VOA

Armor: More TOWs For Syrian Rebels -- Strategy Page

Israel Deploys Robots to Clear Hamas Tunnels -- Defense Tech

Russia Could Build Mistral-Class Ships on Its Own – Rogozin -- RIA Novosti

Chinese military exercises a 'natural evolution,' US commander says -- Stars and Stripes/Bloomberg

PACOM chief: China spying on RIMPAC brings 'good news' -- Stars and Stripes

PACOM Chief: US Not Worried About Chinese Intel Ship off Hawaiian Coast -- Defense News

Japan practices amphibious landing in Hawaii -- AP

Japan, France Agree on Defense Equipment Cooperation -- Defense News/AFP

Attrition: India Grows Desperate Over Unreliable Russian -- Strategy Page

Google Might Have Accidentally Leaked the Locations of Sensitive Military Bases in India -- Newsweek

'US Looks Forward to Enhance Military-to-Military Ties with India': Top Commander -- NDTV

Emerging Threats Won’t Stop Pacific Pivot: Locklear -- DoD Buzz

'African' stowaway's body found on US military plane raises fears over Ebola virus containment -- Daily Mail

Pentagon Denies 'notion That US Did Nothing' To Help Iraq In Fighting Extremists -- RTT

Dempsey Says Iraq Air Strikes By U.S> Forces Still a Possibility -- Military.com

Some F-35 Flight Restrictions Lifted -- Defense News

U.S. loosens rules for Lockheed F-35, allows faster flight, tighter curves -- Reuters

Analyst: F-35C to Cost $337 Million Apiece in FY15 -- DoD Buzz

General: Air Force already looking ahead to 6th-generation fighter plane -- Stars and Stripes

US Launches Satellites To Spy On Other Countries’ Spacecraft -- Business Insider/Reuters

Feinstein: Interrogations report could be released during recess -- The Hill

Bergdahl could face questioning next week -- The Hill

New VA Secretary McDonald faced with firing VA management -- Stars and Stripes

Middle Eastern firm’s deal to manage U.S. cargo port raises security concerns -- Washington Times

Pentagon: F-22 whistleblower inquiry to finish in August -- Stars and Stripes/Virginian Pilot

Defense Department to oversee Walsh plagiarism probe -- AP

Thank You for Your Service: How One Company Sues Soldiers Worldwide -- Prop Publica

Servicemembers get debt relief after consumer bureau cites predatory lender -- Stars and Stripes

Troops told to refrain from eating, drinking in front of Muslims -- Todd Starnes, FOX News

Murphy's Law: Where MREs Are Really Loved -- Strategy Page

Jesse Ventura awarded $1.8 million in defamation suit -- Stars and Stripes/(Minneapolis) Star Tribune

Phony Navy SEAL buried with military honors -- KIRO-TV

US Military Deaths in Afghanistan at 2,197 -- AP