Pentagon Officials Say Islamic State Fight May Need U.S. Combat Forces -- Wall Street Journal

Defense Secretary, Joint Chiefs Chairman Say U.S. Military Strategy Remains an ‘Iraq-First’ Approach

WASHINGTON—Top Pentagon officials said on Thursday that the U.S. military strategy in Iraq and Syria remains an “Iraq-first” approach aimed at stabilizing that country and doesn’t include plans for American combat troops, but that conditions on the ground could change U.S. calculations.

In testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, outlined scenarios that could prompt a review of the U.S. strategy against the militant group Islamic State.

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Military And Intelligence News Briefs -- November 13, 2014

Pentagon considers having U.S. ground troops fight beside Iraqi forces -- L.A. Times

Iraq needs 80,000 good troops to retake lost territory: U.S. general -- Reuters

US Forces Carry Out Most Strikes Against Islamic State -- Defense News

U.S. has ‘disrupted’ ISIS financial support: Pentagon -- New York Daily News

Hagel: 'I Don't Know' When White House Will Seek AUMF for Islamic State -- Defense News

$300,000 an Hour: The Cost of Fighting ISIS -- The Atlantic

The Pentagon’s ‘nine-brigade gamble’ on Iraq -- Robert H. Scales, Washington Post

France Mulls Military Deployment in Jordan for Islamic State Fight -- Newsweek/Reuters

Pentagon Not Engaged in Russian-US Intelligence Dialogue on IS: Dempsey -- Sputnik

Russia to Expand Military Presence Further From Its Borders -- WSJ

Russia to Open Arctic Military Drone Base 420 Miles off the Alaskan Coast -- Newsweek

Russia to Build First Hypersonic Missiles by 2020: Missiles Corporation -- Sputnik

France: Still No Date For Warship Delivery To Russia -- Defense News/AFP

Mistral ships won’t be delivered to Russia Nov. 14 – French Defense Minister -- RT

US Fighter Jets Begin Exercises Over Estonia: Estonian Defense Forces -- Sputnik

Dutch fighters intercept Russian plane over Baltic Sea -- Reuters

Russian Military Activity in Europe’s Airspace Is ‘Dangerous,’ Says U.K. -- WSJ

Northern European nations to boost military cooperation against Russia -- Reuters

Poland mulling military intelligence brigade close to border with Belarus -- ITAR-TASS

China Displays New Air Defense System -- Defense News

China Unveils First Amphib UAV -- Defense News

China's CASIC Reveals New Stealthy WJ-500 UAV -- Defense News

The Chinese DF-21 Arsenal: The Finale -- Information Dissemination

Japan's Declining Population Could Prevent It From Being A Military Counterweight To China -- Jeremy Bender, Business Insider

Pakistan's Test of Intermediate-Range Nuclear-Capable Missile Successful -- Sputnik

'No way!': Pentagon trashes Iranian replica of US drone -- RT

Turkish nationalist group defiant after attack on US Navy sailors -- FOX News

Turkey frees 12 radicals after 'ugly' attack on US sailors -- Daily Star/AFP

U.S. Scaling Back Troop Presence in Ebola-Hit Liberia -- NBC

Republicans Press to Save A-10 Following New Air Force Proposal -- DoD Buzz

Congress Likely To Reject A-10 Partial Retirement Plan -- Defense News

Special Operations: SOD-X -- Strategy Page

Study: Pentagon could save up to $4.4 billion a year by shaking up military retirement pay -- Washington Post

Inside One Victim’s Military Sexual Harassment Investigation -- Buzz Feed News

US Army Tries to Identify Soldiers Most Likely to Commit Suicide -- Military.com/L.A. Times

Atomic Amnesia: Hey GOP Congress, Don't Forget about America's Nuclear Arsenal -- Tom Nichols, National Interest