4 February SWJ Roundup

US Naval Institute Daily – USNI

Real Clear World – RCP

Afghanistan

NATO: Forces Will Not Back Down During Afghan Transition – VOA

NATO Members Rattled by US Combat Plan on Afghanistan – LAT

Cost Drives NATO Bid for Smaller Afghan Army – Reuters

Petraeus, with Plenty of Practice, Sticks to Message – WP

Analysis: Politics Drives Exit from Afghanistan – AP

Obama Got Message Supporting Talks With Taliban – NYT

Taliban’s Omar Sent Letter to Obama – AP

Amid Peace Bid, US Got Purported Letter From Taliban – Reuters

UN: Afghan Civilian Deaths in War Hit 5-Year High – AP

Army Drops Last Stryker Murder Case – TNT

Afghan Soldier Forged Papers, Deserted Before Killing French Troops  – S&S

Driven Away by War, Now Stalked by Winter’s Cold – NYT

Air Force Camp to be Named for JTAC Airman – AFT

ISAF Operations Summary – AFPS

Pakistan

Pakistan PM to Visit Qatar to Talk Afghan Peace – AP

Pakistan PM to Discuss Afghanistan Reconciliation in Qatar – Reuters

Pakistani Taliban Kill 7 Soldiers, Abduct 4 – AP

Iran

UN Nuclear Inspectors’ Visit to Iran a Failure, West Says – NYT

Diplomats: UN Nuclear Agency Pressures Tehran – AP

US Concerns Grow Over Possible Israeli Strike on Iran – VOA

Panetta: Pressure Must be Kept on Iran – AP

Iran Threatens to Strike Back Against Sanctions, Attack – VOA

Khamenei: Iran Backs Foes of Israel – WP

Iranian Leader Warns US, Israel Against Strikes – AP

Iran Threatens Retaliation Over Oil Embargo – Reuters

Will Israel Attack Iran? – LAT

Israeli Official Says Iran Creating Missile that Could Reach US – LAT

BBC Accuses Iran of Intimidation – BBC

Iran Reports Launch of Small Satellite Into Orbit – AP

Trading Threats With Iran – NYT editorial

Syria

Activists: Syrian Troops Kill More Than 217 in Homs – VOA

Government Is Said to Kill 200 in Attack in Homs – NYT

At Least 200 Reported Killed in Syrian City – WP

Syrian Activists: 200 Dead in Government Assault – AP

Over 200 People Killed in Syria's Homs Before UN Vote – Reuters

Damascus Avoids Blood of Uprising, but Not Pain – NYT

UN to Vote Amid Syria Violence – BBC

UN Council Meeting Saturday to Consider Syria – AP

Russia Cannot Support Amended UN Syria Draft – Reuters

Syrian Colonel Defects and Joins Rebels – LAT

Emboldened Syrian Rebels Tear at Assad Power – Reuters

Uprising Finally Hits Syria's 'Silk Road' City – Reuters

Waiting in the Wings, Survivor of 3 Decades of Syrian Politics – NYT

Israeli Minister Says Assad's End May Be 'Long and Bloody' – Reuters

In Lebanon, a Refuge for Syria's Wounded – AP

Insight: Syria's Assad Set for Long Conflict – Reuters

Egypt

US Lawmakers Step Up Warnings on Egypt Military Aid – Reuters

Renewed Clashes Grip Egypt – VOA

Cairo Clashes Over Football Anger – BBC

Soccer Riot Becomes Metaphor for Gov’t Failure – NYT

Islamist Leader: West Ignoring Egypt – WP

Two US Women Freed in Sinai – WP

Sinai Gunmen Release US Tourists – BBC

Kidnappers Free 2 Americans, Egyptian Guide – AP

Egypt's Heavy Handed Military – LAT editorial

In Egypt, the Wrong Revolution – WP opinion

Can Egypt Avoid Pakistan’s Fate? – NYT opinion

Middle East / North Africa

Turkey Tries to Navigate Sectarian Divides in Middle East – VOA

Iraq's Sectarian Tensions Create Opportunities for Attacks – VOA

Kuwait Election: Islamist-led Opposition Makes Gains – BBC

Libyan Diplomat Omar Brebesh Dies 'Under Torture' – BBC

US Still Backing Mideast Autocrats – WP opinion

WikiLeaks

US WikiLeaks Soldier Gets Court-Martial – VOA

Army Orders Court-Martial in WikiLeaks Case – AP

Wikileaks Suspect to Face Trial – BBC

Anonymous

Hackers Release FBI-Scotland Yard Call – WP

Hackers Intercept FBI-Scotland Yard Call – AP

FBI Admits Hacker Group’s Eavesdropping – NYT

FBI Probes Anonymous Phone Hack – BBC

NATO

Senior Official Sums Up NATO Defense Meetings – AFPS

US Department of Defense

US Military Future: What Makes the Cut? – CNN

Panetta Outlines ‘State of DOD’ to Troops in Germany – AFPS

Air Force to Cut Nearly 10,000 Troops in Cost-saving Effort – S&S

Obama to Revamp Plan to Move Okinawa Marines to Guam – S&S

Army Interrogates Crime Lab Workers After Critical News Reports – McClatchy

Army IG Testifies to Congress on Arlington Cemetery Progress – AFPS

Congressmen Question Pace of Probe at Arlington – AP

Air Force Leaders Chart Service Changes – AFPS

Operation Deep Freeze Supports Antarctica Research Mission – AFPS

United States

Justice Department Lawyers Play Role In Guantanamo – NPR

Obama Seeks $6B to Hire Thousands of Vets for Public Service Jobs – S&S

US Government, Military to Get Secure Android Phones – CNN

More Cities Consider Parades for Iraq War Vets – AP

Africa

UN Declares End to Somalia Famine – WP

UN: Somalia Famine Ended, Crisis Isn’t Over – NYT

Famine 'Over' in Somalia, UN Says – BBC

Surveillance Drone Crashes in Somali Capital – AP

Shoot-out at South Sudan Peace Talks – BBC

Sudan's Bashir Says Tensions With South Could Spark War – Reuters

Sudan's President Warns of Possible War With South – AP

Sudan Rebels 'Seeking Way' to Hand Over Abducted Chinese – Reuters

Renewed Atrocities Threaten IDPs in Eastern DRC – VOA

Americas

Mexico's Ruling PAN to Choose Presidential Candidate – LAT

Mexico Former Ruling Party Fights Drug Link Report – AP

Mexico Activist in Juarez Women Killings Wounded – AP

Colombia Emerald Tsar Faces Paramilitary Probe – BBC

Colombia Rebel Undergoes Tests at Caracas Hospital – AP

Police Strike Hits Brazilian City Hard – AP

Cuba's Raul Castro Visits Venezuela's Chavez – AP

Cuban Blogger Denied Travel Visa – BBC

Cuban Dissident Blogger Says Exit Visa Denied – AP

Asia Pacific

Tibetan Group Releases Photos of Chinese Crackdown – VOA

More Leaks Found at Crippled Japan Nuclear Plant – AP

Army, Navy Ships Take Part in Tokyo Evacuation Drill – S&S

Burma: Karen Rebels Deny Signing a Cease-Fire – NYT

Europe

Panetta Tells Troops at Ramstein Europe Still Important – S&S

Europe Hit by Russia Gas Shortage – BBC

Russia’s Democracy Movement Faces a Test of Strength Saturday – VOA

Russians in Provinces Support Putin But Not His Party – LAT

Putin Aide Says Foreign Hands Are Behind Russia Protests – NYT

Russia’s Capital Braces For Protests – VOA

Low-key Oligarch Stumps in Siberia – WP

Italy: Berlusconi to Quit Frontline Politics – WP

Bosnia Passes Laws Key to EU Bid, Muslims Agree to Census – Reuters

Europe is No Socialist Nightmare – WP opinion

South Asia

Privacy Concerns Mount in India – WP

State Election Has Big Implications for All India – AP

Nepal Releases Thousands of Former Fighters as Part of Peace Deal – NYT