IRAQ

McCain Sees Troops Leaving Iraq by 2013 - Shear and DeYoung, Washington Post
McCain Predicts Troops Out by 2013 - Neuman and Reston, Los Angeles Times
McCain: US Can Win Iraq War Within Four Years - Reuters
Arab Neighbors Reluctant to Offer Embrace - Karen DeYoung, Washington Post
More Pressure Needed to Curtail Iran’s Destabilizing Activities - AFPS
General Cites Iranian Links to ‘Special Groups’ Terrorists in Iraq - AFPS
Gunmen Wound Three Iranian Embassy Staff in Baghdad - Reuters
Iraqi Forces Mount al-Qaida Hunt in Mosul - Associated Press
Al-Maliki Offers Amnesty in Mosul - Associated Press
Iraqi PM Vows to Impose Order in al Qaeda Haven - Reuters
US General Cites Steady Progress in Baghdad, Basra, Mosul - AFPS
Commander Charts Progress in Baghdad, Diyala - AFPS
‘Village of Hope’ Graduates Ready to Rebuild in Iraq - AFPS
House GOP Strips War Funds From Bill - S.A. Miller, Washington Times
House Blocks Iraq War Money and Sets Pullout Plan - Reuters
Blackwater’s Impunity - New York Times editorial
Attacks Decrease in Sadr City - Bill Roggio, The Long War Journal
We Lied - Richard Fernandez, The Belmont Club
What Truce? The War Over the Wall - Dr. iRack, Abu Muqawama
How to Exploit Sucess in Iraq - Uncle Jimbo, Blackfive
In Pictures: From Rusafa to Sadr City - Bill Ardolino, The Long War Journal
Another AP Photographer, a Magic Bullet... - Steve Schippert, The Tank
Iraq Status Report - Iraq Status Report

AFGHANISTAN / PAKISTAN TRIBAL AREAS

Pakistan Defies U.S. on Halting Afghanistan Raids - Jane Perlez, New York Times
Pakistan: No Knowledge of Missile Strike - Ali and King, Los Angeles Times
Afghanistan's President Wants $50bn - Bronwen Maddox, London Times
UN Official Raises Alarms Over Killings - Carlotta Gall, New York Times
UN Official Says Foreign Agents are Killing Afghans - Associated Press
Hunger and Food Prices Push Afghanistan to Brink - Carlotta Gall, New York Times
Afghan Aid that Works - Mohammad Ehsan Zia, Christian Science Monitor opinion
Successful Marine Operations in Helmand - Herschel Smith, The Captain's Journal

IRAN

Iran Calls UN Sanctions Illegal, Offers a Proposal for Talks - Associated Press
Iran Says Nuclear Talks With UN Watchdog Positive - Reuters
Iran's Pawns Move - Arnaud de Borchgrave, Washington Times opinion

THE LONG WAR

Euro 2008: al-Qa'eda Threatens Attack - Alexandra Williams, London Daily Telegraph
Torture's Blowback - Washington Post editorial
Former 'Islamic Extremists' - James Zumwalt, Washington Times opinion
The French for Terrorist Prosecution - Phillip Carter, Intel Dump
We’re the Real Enemy - Emanuele Ottolenghi, Contentions

US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DoD Scales Back AFRICOM Ambitions - Gordon Lubold, Christian Science Monitor
GI Bill Blues - Los Angeles Times editorial
Reagan and the Draft - Lawrence Korb, Washington Times opinion
Proper Promotions - Max Boot, Contentions
This is Promising News - David Betz, Kings of War
The New Generalship - Mark Safranski, ZenPundit
McMaster Promoted, Finally... - Abu Muqawama, Abu Muqawama
Last War, This War, Next War - Jules Crittenden, Forward Movement
Prisoners in Kosovo - Phillip Carter, Intel Dump

US DEPARTMENT OF STATE

State Nominee Defends VOA - Nicholas Kralev, Washington Times
Passport Cards Called Security Vulnerability - Bill Gertz, Washington Times
Gates on Diplomats, Again... - Galrahn, Information Dissemination

US INTERAGENCY

Gates Lauds Moves to Bolster Civilian Agencies - AFPS
Of Budgets and Priorities and the War of Ideas - Matt Armstrong, MountainRunner

US INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY

The Impartial Intelligence Analyst - Richard Fernandez, The Belmont Club

AFRICA

Council Backs Stronger UN Presence in Somalia - Reuters
Darfur Rebel Leader Gains Momentum - Derek Kilner, VOA
Zimbabwe's Opposition Seeks Intervention - Craig Timberg, Washington Post
Zimbabwe’s Rulers Unleash Police on Anglicans - Celia Dugger, New York Times
Zimbabwe Presidential Runoff on June 27 - Associated Press
Zimbabwe Bank Issues $500m Note - BBC News
Kenya Intimidating Refugees Out of Camp-aid Group - Reuters
Lagos Pipeline Blast 'Kills 100' - BBC News
Algeria Issues Rare Kidnapping Tally - Associated Press

AMERICAS

Venezuelan Help to Colombian Rebels Highly Disturbing - David Gollust, VOA
Colombia Did Not Alter FARC Files - Sibylla Brodzinsky, Christian Science Monitor
FARC Computer Files Are Authentic - Juan Forero, Washington Post
Interpol Says Colombia FARC Documents Authentic - Reuters
FARC Rebel Link Files 'Genuine' - BBC News
Chávez and Colombia - Wall Street Journal editorial
Why is Chavez Supporting FARC? - Westhawk, Westhawk
Congress Cuts Back Bush Anti-drug Plan for Mexico - Reuters
Three Killed as Violence Mars Dominican Election - Reuters

ASIA PACIFIC

China Quake Toll 'To Top 50,000' - BBC News
Rescue, Recovery Efforts Continue After China Quake - Jill Drew, Washington Post
Toll Rises Amid Struggle to Reach Survivors - Andrew Jacobs, New York Times
China Allows Foreign Teams - Magnier and Demick, Los Angeles Times
Hope Fades for China Missing - Jane Macartney, London Times
In Departure, China Invites Outside Help - French and Wong, New York Times
Rescuers Aim for Chinese Villages Yet Unreached - Jim Yardley, New York Times
China Earthquake: 50,000 May Have Died - David Blair, London Daily Telegraph
What's Still to Fall in China - Boston Globe editorial
China Shows a Human Face - Con Coughlin, London Daily Telegraph opinion
Burma Requests Aid to Rehabilitate Farms - Kazmin and Branigin, Washington Post
Burma Farmers May Miss Harvest - New York Times
Burma Junta Hails Poll Win as People Suffer - Kenneth Denby, London Times
Burma: Monks vs. Junta - Christopher Johnson, Christian Science Monitor
Pentagon Calls on Burma's Junta to Accept Aid - Al Pessin, VOA
Aid for Burma 'Must be Monitored' - BBC News
Limited Options in Burma - Austin Bay, Washington Times opinion
Burma's Junta Will Survive the Cyclone - Leslie Hook, Wall Street Journal opinion
N. Korea May be Hit by a New Famine - Leo Lewis, London Times
Protest Over New Fiji Death Threat - Mark Dodd, The Australian
Australian Anger Over Fiji Threat - BBC News

EUROPE

New Russian President Vows to Fund Nuclear Weapons - Associated Press
Italy Arrests Nearly 400 in Security Crackdown - Associated Press
Italian Police Swoop on Migrants - BBC News
Russia, Georgia Joust Over Talk on Abkhazia Base - Associated Press
Russia Accuses Georgia of Aiding Rebels - Reuters
Serbians Close to Coalition Government - Associated Press
Cyprus, Turkey Peace Talks Fading - Andrew Borowiec, Washington Times
Serbia's Mighty Challenge - Washington Times editorial

MIDDLE EAST

Bush Denounces Mideast Extremists - Abramowitz and Branigin, Washington Post
Bush Exalts Ties to Israel - Joshua Mitnick, Washington Times
Bush Outlines Blunt Vision for ME - Ilene Prusher, Christian Science Monitor
Bush to Hold Talks With Saudi King on Oil Prices - VOA
Bush to Press Saudi King on Oil Prices and Iran - Reuters
Abbas Pledges to End Israeli Occupation - BBC News
Israel Warns of Gaza Rocket Range - BBC News
Bin Laden Marks Israel Anniversary with Combat Vow - Reuters
Olmert's Political Abyss - Washington Times editorial
A Test for Abbas - Adam Brodsky, New York Post opinion
Lebanese Adversaries to Meet - Challiss McDonough, VOA
Lebanese to Hold Crisis Talks in Qatar - Reuters
Feuding Lebanese Factions Reach Deal to Elect President - Associated Press
Deal Seeks to End Lebanon Strife - BBC News
Hezbollah Shows Might in Lebanon, but Faces Limits - Associated Press

SOUTH ASIA

Mystery Militants Claim Jaipur Carnage - Bruce Loudon, The Australian
Islamist Group Threatens India Tourist Attacks - Rhys Blakely, London Times
Militant Group Claims India Bombing - Associated Press
Jihad in Jaipur - Wall Street Journal editorial
Bickering in Pakistan - London Times editorial
Sri Lanka Fighting Kills 29 - Associated Press
Suicide Blast Kills 10 in Sri Lanka - Associated Press

WORLD

Is Democracy Advancing or Retreating? - Clifford May, Washington Times opinion

RECOMMENDED READING

Links I Liked - Chris Blattman, Chris Blattman
Iraq Status Report - Iraq Status Report
UK CT & COIN Features - Will Hartley, Insurgency Research Group

EVENTS OF INTEREST

4-5 June 208 - 2008 Joint Symposium - Strategic Re-Assessment: From Long-Range Planning to Future Strategy and Forces (Public Event). Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Institute for National Strategic Studies, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and US Joint Forces Command. Fundamental to the development and implementation of a successful future defense posture is a foundation comprised of a well-reasoned assessment of the future security environment, a clear understanding of the “realm of the possible” for and limitations of military forces, and an understanding of the nation’s security objectives. Developing an appropriate assessment of the future security environment is not something done in a vacuum as it is impossible to fully separate purely military or national security issues from other elements of the national and global environment. This is particularly true for the United States. Technical innovation and adaptation, the rise and decline of other actors on the international stage, domestic politics, globalization and its effects on trade, migration, communications, and the power of nonstate actors all, bear heavily on any security assessment. There is no shortage of assessments of the future security environment. In the last decade, National Defense University itself has produced several, most recently, Strategic Challenges – America’s Global Security Agenda. The objectives of this symposium are to examine some of these strategic assessments, to review our success at incorporating their key elements into strategic and operational plans, and to propose ways to institutionalize best practices into the process for future force development and joint force planning. We will explore these issues through a series of panel discussions and keynote addresses. Featured speakers will include military officers, government officials, and experts from research institutes.

17-19 June 208 - 3rd Annual North American Security Colloquium: Wars Without Borders (Public Event). Kingston, Ontario. Sponsored by the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College, Queen's Centre for International Relations, and Defence Management Studies at Queen's University, and the Canadian 'Forces' Land Doctrine and Training System. The conflicts today in Iraq and in Afghanistan are examples of what some leading scholars and many commanders have termed “continuous wars among the people.” This type of conflict is developing or occurring in other regions of the world, in Africa and in Latin America for example. In many of these situations traditional and legal borders no longer define or contain the conflict, nor do obvious sovereign entities control belligerents. International commitments to control these conflicts necessarily demand complex, multi-dimensional diplomatic, military, police, and humanitarian responses. What has been learned about such conflicts from operations in Iraq and Afghanistan may to some degree be transferable to conflicts in other regions. Assuming that the international community may well face future operations characterized by regional, borderless “wars among the people”, the centres at Queen’s University and their partners propose convening a distinguished group of approximately 200 experts from academic, military, governmental, and international institutions to examine how best to prepare commanders, military units and governments to plan for and conduct complex, multi-dimensional stability campaigns in this new environment.

16-18 September 2008 - The U.S. Army and the Interagency Process: A Historical Perspective (Public Event - Conference / Call for Papers). Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Sponsored by the U.S. Army Combat Studies Institute. The symposium will include a variety of guest speakers, panel sessions, and general discussions. This symposium will explore the partnership between the U.S. Army and government agencies in attaining national goals and objectives in peace and war within a historical context. Separate international topics may be presented. The symposium will also examine current issues, dilemmas, problems, trends, and practices associated with U.S. Army operations requiring close interagency cooperation.