Today's Headlines and Commentary

A Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777, travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur with 280 passengers and 15 crew members, crashed in Ukraine near the Russian border. Reuters notes that all 295 people aboard died in the crash.  We don't yet know the cause; a Ukrainian official apparently said the plane had been struck by an anti-aircraft missile. FOX News reports, as do USA Today and the New York Times and Washington Post.   Tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate. Army Times notes that as many as 12,000 Russian troops have lined up along the border between the two countries. A Ukrainian military spokesperson also announced today that a Ukrainian jet pilot was forced to eject yesterday evening, after being shot down by a Russian military plane. USA Today has details. Reuters reports that the U.S. has sanctioned some of Russia’s largest companies. No surprise: President Vladimir Putin denounced the move. The AP has more on his statement. Meanwhile, the Guardian tells us that following an agreement with Cuba, Russia is poised to open a Cold War-era intelligence base right in America’s backyard. So much for Russia-Ukraine; on to another conflict. From 10 a.m. (3 a.m. EST) to 3 p.m. (8 a.m. EST), Israel and Hamas honored a “humanitarian truce” requested by the U.N. The Post reports that during this five-hour window, Gaza citizens stocked up on food, water, and money. However, according to the Guardian, at least three mortars were fired into southern Israel during the ceasefire.  Per the Times,  immediately after 3 p.m., rocket fire from Gaza resumed.  The Daily Beast's Eli Lake argues that during the current hostilities, Hamas has actually won “a significant victory.” For his part, President Obama announced in a statement that the U.S. “has been working with our partners in the region to pursue a cease-fire.” The AP has more on his remarks. President Obama also noted that the U.S. has “a credible way forward” in nuclear talks with Iran. The Times informs us that the President is likely to request an extension of the negotiations. Reuters reports that Iran and the P5+1 group are now working on the details of such an extension. Both the Post and the Times Editorial Boards argue that the United States should continue participating in the discussions in Vienna. Yesterday, Afghan officials amended the death toll estimates from Tuesday’s car bomb attack in the Paktika province. Reuters reports that 43, rather than 89, people died. Meanwhile, the AP shares news that this morning, militants attacked Kabul International Airport in the Afghan capital. The Times reports that Bashar al-Assad was sworn in yesterday for a third, seven-year presidential term in Syria. The move is seen as a gesture of defiance towards the United States and other powers who encouraged his ouster. The United Nations remains committed to brokering peace in Syria, and the Hill tells us that last Friday, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appointed U.N. official Staffan de Mistura to negotiate on his behalf. Reportedly, given the situation, de Mistura is not expected to fare much better than his unsuccessful predecessors. At the same time, The Wall Street Journal reports that a Pentagon plan to aid rebels in Syria is emerging, but advocates for a large support package are likely to be disappointed. Military officials told congressional committees that the $500 million program would train a 2,300 man force, but probably would not begin until next year. In the Daily Beast, Leslie Gelb, President Emeritus and Board Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, articulates his view of the best course of action for the U.S. in the Middle East. Remember the early 2016 foreign policy debate, that Governor Rick Perry and Senator Rand Paul previewed last week? A.B. Stoddard has the score: Paul 1. Perry 0. Nick Gillespie weighs in too, writing in the Daily Beast that it is time to try a Libertarian foreign policy. The Times reports that six low-level Guantanamo prisoners will be transferred to Uruguay as early as next month. The detainees include four Syrians, a Palestinian, and a Tunisian. A State Department spokesperson noted, “The United States is grateful to our partner, Uruguay, for this significant humanitarian gesture.” The Post has more. Yesterday, Secretary Kerry named retired Coast Guard Adm. Robert J. Papp as the first U.S. Special Representative for the Arctic. In a statement, Kerry noted, “The Arctic region is the last global frontier and a region with enormous and growing geostrategic, economic, climate, environment, and national security implications for the United States and the world.” The AP has details. Following an unusually extended period of artillery fire and missile launches by North Korea, the United States and South Korea have launched a five day, joint naval exercise in the East Sea. North Korea has denounced the routine drill, which will emphasize search and rescue operations, as modern day “gunboat diplomacy.” Defense News has the story. From the Hill: as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) reviews technology encryption standards, outside experts are encouraging the agency to “consult with but not submit anything to the NSA.” According to the Times, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s lawyer, Eugene Fidell, said that because of a lack of precedent, Bergdahl’s case is “open to almost complete discretion in what course the Army might take.” In an interview with the Daily Beast, though, Fidell said “Sergeant Bergdahl is deeply grateful to President Obama for saving his life.” During a hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, acting VA Secretary Sloan Gibson announced that it will take “as little as two years” for the beleaguered department to change. National Journal has more on her statement. Defense News reports that for the first time in a decade, the U.S. Air Force has opened competition for a national security space launch. The mission would be scheduled for 2016. Email the Roundup Team noteworthy law and security-related articles to include, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for additional commentary on these issues. Sign up to receive Lawfare in your inbox. 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