National Security report - 8/15/14

1. Iraq: Nouri al-Maliki Finally Steps Down
After eight years in power, Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki announced late Thursday that he would resign and endorse Haider al-Abadi (Reuters), the longtime political ally chosen by al-Maliki's own political bloc to succeed him and form the country's next government.
The White House commended the move, saying it marked "encouraging developments" that Washington hoped could set Iraq on "a new path."
The resignation follows weeks of international and domestic pressure on al-Maliki, who has been accused of exacerbating the country's sectarian divisions and facilitating the arrival of the Sunni Islamist insurgency engulfing the country.

2. Ukraine: Ukraine Says It Destroyed Part of Armed Vehicles From Russia
Ukraine on Friday said its troops attacked and partially destroyed an armed convoy that had crossed the border from Russian territory.
Ukrainian government troops engaged the vehicles that had arrived overnight through a rebel-held section of the border, Andriy Lysenko, a spokesman for the country’s military, told reporters in Kiev today. Ukrainian soldiers continue to come under shelling, including rounds fired from Russia, he said.
The government in Kiev has for months said that separatist rebels in its easternmost regions are receiving support from Russia, which backs them with artillery fire. Russia has repeatedly denied any involvement in the Ukrainian unrest.

3. Asia-Pacific: Asia Pivot on Track According to Pentagon
The Defense Department’s spokesman on Thursday said military leaders remain committed to carrying out President Obama’s pivot to Asia, despite ongoing unrest in other parts of the world.
“I mean, more than 350,000 American troops are based somewhere in the Pacific, 200 ships, the majority of the Navy is in the Pacific. And we have five of our seven treaty alliances are in the Pacific region. We're very committed to that region,” Pentagon press secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby told reporters.
Kirby also pointed out that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel just returned from his sixth trip to the region and plans to make four visits this year. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work will travel to the region next week, Kirby added.
The pivot, or rebalance, of U.S. military forces away from Europe and the Middle East toward the Pacific has been a major strategic goal for the Obama administration. The move is widely viewed as a means to counter China’s rapidly expanding military and a belligerent North Korea.
However, U.S. military operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and Russia’s aggressive behavior toward Ukraine have overshadowed the effort.
But, Kirby warned, if sequestration “remains the law of the land, it's going to be harder and harder" for the U.S. to live up to its security obligations.

3. Border Security:
More than 600 convicted criminals, including felons, were among thousands of illegal immigrants freed under the Obama administration in advance of 2013 budget cuts mandated under sequestration.
That’s according to a new report this week from the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security.
According to the IG’s report, at least two-dozen “aliens” were released by Immigration and Customs Enforcement even though they were in a “mandatory detention category.” (After an internal review, ICE later redetained them.)
The report provides a scathing portrayal of budget mismanagement and flawed processes at the highest levels inside the nation’s immigration enforcement agency.
The report can be found here: http://www.oig.dhs.gov/assets/Mgmt/2014/OIG_14-116_Aug14.pdf

4. POW/MIA Update
• 1st Lts. William D. Bernier and Bryant E. Poulsen, U.S. Army Air Forces, 321st Bombardment Squadron, 90th Bombardment Group, 5th Army Air Forces, was lost April 10, 1944, in Papua New Guinea. They were accounted for July 18, 2014, and July 16, 2014, respectively. They will be buried with full military honors.
• Master Sgt. Lawrence O. Jock, Battery A, 955th Field Artillery, 8th U.S. Army, was lost July 14, 1953, in North Korea. He was accounted for June 25, 2014. He was buried with full military honors Aug. 1, 2014, in Malone, N.Y.
• Staff Sgt. Gerald V. Atkinson, U.S. Army Air Forces, 358th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, Eighth Air Force, was lost April 10, 1945, north of Berlin. He was accounted for June 20, 2014. He will be buried with full military honors Aug. 16, 2014, in Chattahoochee, Fla.
A complete listing of recently account-for servicemembers can be found on the Recently Accounted-For page.