Pentagon So Far Quiet On Afghanistan War Leaks

Hours after three major newspapers published front-page stories based on thousands of classified documents that were obtained by the whistleblower website WikiLeaks, the Pentagon has yet to issue an official statement.

Multiple attempts by the Talk Radio News Service to obtain a comment from spokespersons at the Pentagon have been unsuccessful. An official at the Pentagon did tell Talk Radio News Service this morning that there were no plans to brief the media on DoD’s response to the leaks.

Today’s editions of The New York Times, Great Britain’s The Guardian and Germany’s Der Spiegel all featured extensive reports on the leaked documents. According to The Guardian, the over 90,00 mostly classified documents reveal “threat reports from intelligence agencies, plans and accounts of coalition operations, descriptions of enemy attacks and roadside bombs, [and] records of meetings with local politicians.”

In an effort to get out ahead of the story, the White House yesterday released a statement from National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones, who condemned the leaks, calling them “irresponsible.”

“The United States strongly condemns the disclosure of classified information by individuals and organizations which could put the lives of Americans and our partners at risk, and threaten our national security,” he said.

Pelosi Celebrates Small Business Vote, Slams GOP On Variety Of Issues

By Miles Wolf Tamboli
Talk Radio News

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appeared giddy during her weekly press conference on Thursday over the fact that her chamber passed an important bill aimed at providing relief to small businesses.

Earlier in the day, the House passed the Small Business Lending Fund Act of 2010, legislation that will provide small businesses with credit from a $30 billion trust, by a vote of 241-182.

"Small businesses are the creators of jobs in our country, they're the creators of capital...but they need credit," said Pelosi.

The Speaker then went to work on responding to criticism waged by Republicans over aspects of a financial regulatory reform bill making its way through conference.

"For too long now, Republicans in Congress have favored Wall Street over Main Street," she said.

Pelosi also blasted Republicans over a statement made by Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) earlier in the day, in which he apologized to BP CEO Tony Hayward during a hearing in the House for what he referred to as a "shakedown" by the White House on BP's earnings.

"I think that Mr. Barton's comments fit comfortably among the leadership of the Republicans in the House of Representatives...He is not alone in his association with sympathy for the oil companies," said Pelosi.

The Speaker also condemned the GOP for voting against a defense authorization bill that passed the House last month.

"Their mantra: 'defense, defense defense; it's our first responsibility. We all care about it.' Nine Republicans voted for it, because it had 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in it. Over 160 Republicans did not vote for it," Pelosi said.

DOD Requests $549 Billion From Congress

By Benny Martinez - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Michael Mullen pleaded with Congress to approve a $549 billion DOD budget for FY2011 during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Wednesday.

But this request does not include an extra $159 billion to support Overseas Contingency Operations, primarily in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as a $33 billion war supplemental to support the President’s new agenda in Afghanistan.

Mullen said that Afghanistan is becoming the “center of gravity” for U.S. forces and added that the nation’s efforts will yield positive results within the next 18 months. Mullen also said that in that time, the number of American soldiers should decrease to 50 thousand and the military’s role should shift from combat to an advise-and-assist role.

“Getting there will demand discipline and hard work,” Mullen said. “It will most assuredly demand more sacrifice and more bloodshed, but the stakes are far too high for failure.”

Both Mullen and Gates stressed the importance of balancing the dissemination of funding to a variety of DOD initiatives.

The $549 billion budget is said to support a wide array of new and continuing Armed Forces initiatives. The modernization and creation of new ground, sea and air combat vehicles are key investments in preparing the military for the future, Gates said.

According to Mullen, the budget will also secure nearly $9 billion to support military families and advocacy programs. This includes child care and youth programs, counseling for veterans, military spouse employment and $2.2 billion for wounded, ill, and injured soldiers.

“It’s about balance, it’s about deterring and winning the big and the small wars, the conventional and unconventional,” Mullen said. “But where balance is most needed is in the programs and policies of our most important resource, our people.”

Lawmakers Urge DoD To Deny European Company Defense Contract

By Laura Smith - University of New Mexico/Talk Radio News Service

A bipartisan collection of lawmakers urged the Department of Defense Wednesday not to award a military contract to European based aviation company Airbus following a recent World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling that the company received illegal subsidies from the European Union.

“We need fair competition with fair rules. [The] Department of Defense should not favor Airbus more than the WTO does. This is not a French government decision, this is a U.S. government decision,” Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) said.

Airbus is competing for a $40 billion contract from the Air Force against U.S. based manufacturer Boeing to replace aerial refueling tankers. The Department of Defense has said in September that they won’t consider the ruling by the WTO that Airbus received illegal subsidies.

Lawmakers, such as Brownback, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO), are asking the Department of Defense to “level the playing field.”

"Airbus and the European Union have refused to allow fair competition," charged Murray. "They use the Aerospace industry as a jobs program and they use billions of dollars in illegal launch aid to fund it. They don’t even require Airbus to repay the subsidies if the aircraft does unsuccessful. So it’s no risk, all reward for the company."

“We can’t afford to undercut American companies," added Bond. "We need a fair competition and a level playing field for American workers and American companies.”

Officials From DOD, DHS Say Communication Between Agencies Will Soften Disaster Effects

By Courtney Costello- Talk Radio News Service

A number of preparedness experts from the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security emphasized the need for a better communication network between all federal agencies that have a hand in disaster prevention and relief during a House Armed Services Subcommittee hearing on “Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-Yield Explosives (CBRNE) Consequence Management.”

Chairman Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) detailed the necessity for a “framework of guidance” that would comprehensibly lay out the “roles and responsibilities of local, state and federal responders." Smith went on to describe that integration of federal agencies like the FBI, DoD, DHS, and FEMA as the cornerstone of efficient disaster prevention and relief in the U.S.

"Our efforts at NorthCom to prepare for and to assist in the aftermath of a CBRNE event, are apart of a combined national response framework. Our collaboration with federal and state partners, government and National Guard are all key to this homeland response strategy and to our level of preparedness as well," said General Victor Renuart Commander at the U.S. Northern Command.

The panel pointed to the government's response to Hurricane Katrina as an example of the need for preparedness across all lines of disaster relief.