Rapid Fire July 10, 2013: Administration, Congress at Odds On Syria, Afghanistan

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* US intelligence congressional committees are putting the brakes on the Administration’s plans to arm Syrian rebels, according to the Hill. * Buck McKeon [R-CA, HASC chairman] is opposed to a complete American withdrawal from Afghanistan. President Karzai thinks this option, conveniently floated via the Administration-friendly New York Times, is just a pressure tactic. * […]

* US intelligence congressional committees are putting the brakes on the Administration’s plans to arm Syrian rebels, according to the Hill.

* Buck McKeon [R-CA, HASC chairman] is opposed to a complete American withdrawal from Afghanistan. President Karzai thinks this option, conveniently floated via the Administration-friendly New York Times, is just a pressure tactic.

* Afghanistan’s national security forces recently opened a center to train procurement staff, with support from the US Defense Acquisition University and other similar international institutes.

* The Department of State published another amendment [PDF] to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) as part of ongoing implementation of export control reform. Will this open trade floodgates?

* A large bond vote in Pima County, AZ, may benefit Raytheon’s presence in Tucson as the city’s largest private employer, reports Bloomberg.

* DefenseNews has the latest from US Navy Rear Adm. Bill Moran on their long-term F/A-XX plans, which he doesn’t want you to call a 6th-gen fighter.

* What these stories from the two sides of the pond may possibly have in common? Furloughs to curtail F-35 flight testing | UK RAF Tornado squadron grounded over staff shortages (in October last year).

* Russia says with typical bombast that they will soon have awesome ballistic missile detection capabilities.

* The US Air Force is testing iPad Minis aboard C-21As to replace binders of maps and manuals.

* How to survive low-price-technically-acceptable (LPTA) contracting?

* Today’s video below shows a CH-53E Super Stallion transporting fuel drums in Afghanistan, which are not made out of brass but metaphorically could:

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