‘RETWEETS ≠ ENDORSEMENT’: It’s a caveat from the early days of Twitter that has largely fallen by the wayside, “Retweets are not an endorsement.” But when President Trump retweets from the account of Rita Katz, director of SITE Intelligence Group, about the death of an prominent al Qaeda leader in Yemen, is he lending credence to the report, or just mudding the waters?
“All but confirmed that #AQAP leader Qassim al-Rimi was killed in a U.S. drone strike. AQAP, although reduced in vitality in recent years, remains dangerous + has est. itself as a rival to Houthi and ISIS militants in the country,” tweeted Katz, which Trump retweeted Saturday morning, along with another tweet from her thread that noted “Of all living #AlQaeda leaders, al-Rimi was the most compelling, known for his charisma & beloved across the AQ community. #AQAP in Yemen has a longstanding history as being the most directly symbiotic w/ AQC. Thus, this is not only a blow to #AQAP but to AQ as a whole.”
HEIR APPARENT: If true the U.S. drone strike last weekend would have taken out the man most experts saw as the next-in-line to lead al Qaeda after Ayman al-Zawahiri, but so far there is no official claim that al-Rimi was killed, in what appears to have been a drone attack carried out by the CIA, not the U.S. military.
“I have no additional information on that for you,” said Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman, repeating the answer when pressed as to whether the strike was conducted by the U.S. military or another government agency.
U.S. officials are cautious because in the past they have announced the killing of a high-level terrorist leader, only to have the dead leader resurface months later.
NICE TRY: Later in yesterday’s Pentagon briefing Jeff Schogol, a reporter with Task & Purpose, thought he’d give it one more try. “I understand you can’t comment on the reported strike.” Schogol asked Hoffman. “Can you say whether AQAP has, to put it politely, a job opening at the executive level?”
“Like I said, I have no information for you on that topic,” said Hoffman.
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HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Mark Esper along with most of the joint chiefs of staff are scheduled to attend tonight’s State of the Union address by President Trump to a joint session of Congress. The theme of the speech will be the “Great American Comeback.”
WAITING FOR IRAQI POLITICS TO SETTLE: Esper has yet to talk to Iraq’s new prime minister-designate, who was picked by rival Iraqi factions Saturday after weeks of political deadlock. Iraq’s former communications minister Mohammed Allawi, 66, was named to replace outgoing Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, who had assumed caretaker status.
“My understanding is that there’s some steps that need to take place with the new prime minister in terms of building the government and appointing ministers and some of the officials that we may interact with,” said Hoffman, explaining why Esper has yet to engage with Allawi. “But we obviously have commanders on the ground who are there and are having conversations with their Iraqi counterparts on a daily basis.”
ANALYSIS FROM ISW: “Allawi holds no parliamentary, popular, or military leverage and is unlikely to gain the necessary political capital to address the demands of protesters or challenge parliamentary powerbrokers,” says an analysis from the Washington, D.C.-based Institute for the Study of War. “Allawi will not immediately take office – his cabinet must still be formed and approved.”
In picking Allawi, President Barham Salih has re-created the conditions of the previous government of Abdul-Mahdi “by choosing a compromise candidate who cannot implement the reforms favored by protesters or ensure that Iraq’s elections break the elite politicians’ monopoly on power,” ISW says.
PATRIOTS STILL BLOCKED: Hoffman confirmed the U.S. has still not recieved the green light to deploy Patriot missiles defenses to protect U.S. forces in Iraq from potential future Iranian missile attacks, such as the one last month that left more than five dozen American troops suffering mild traumatic brain injuries.
“All of our efforts inside of Iraq, even movement of equipment, is done at the invitation of the host nation and the Iraqis,” said Hoffman. “I know we were working through that with the Iraqi government. My understanding is that conversation is still ongoing.”
SCRAMBLE FOR QUARANTINE HOUSING: Where do you put Americans returning home from China or other Asian nations who need to be monitored for up to 14 days to make sure they’re not infected with the coronavirus? On U.S. military bases, for one.
Esper conferred by phone yesterday with U.S. Northern Command chief Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy to go over plans for the evacuation of some servicemembers and their families as well as plans to provide temporary housing for Americans who may have to be quarantined for up to two weeks.
“I approved a request for assistance from HHS for housing support for 1,000 individuals who may need to be quarantined from overseas,” Esper tweeted. “DoD is following CDC guidelines and monitoring the situation. I talked with Gen. O’Shaughnessy to ensure he has all the resources he needs.”
“We are doing everything possible to safeguard our personnel. My highest priority is the protection of our members, families and base communities,” Esper said, reiterating that the military will provide only housing support. “DoD personnel will not be in direct contact w/evacuees, nor will the evacuees have access to the base facilities beyond their housing,” he tweeted.
‘JACK AND JILL’ BATHROOMS: The Pentagon says it’s making every effort to ensure the accommodations are suitable for the quarantined population, who will be put up in blocks of military housing of about 250 rooms at four bases.
“Right now, at March Air Force Base, I think we have just under 200, I think it’s 198 individuals. So that is the only number that we have,” said Hoffman, adding the preparations are being made for up to 1,000 people.
“They have individual bathrooms or at worst, Jack-and-Jill bathrooms so that individuals can be quarantined, and then access to quality hospital systems within the local community that the CDC and HHS have identified that can handle the potentiality of anyone who comes down with the virus, in being able to be moved off to an off-base health facility,” he said.
“We have a handful more flights that will be heading to China to bring Americans back home from Hubei province,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo yesterday. “The exact timing of those we’re still coordinating with the Chinese Government, but we anticipate that they will happen in the next handful of days and we’ll return those American citizens.”
POMPEO: TALIBAN MUST SHOW ‘DEMONSTRABLE EVIDENCE’: As Pompeo wrapped up his latest overseas trip, he issued a challenge to the Taliban to show they are really serious about reaching a deal that would bring peace to Afghanistan, and pave the way for the withdrawal of U.S. troops after more than 18 years of war.
“We got close once before to having an agreement, a piece of paper that we mutually executed, and the Taliban weren’t able to demonstrate either their will or their capacity, or both, to deliver on a reduction in violence,” Pompeo said in response to a question at a news conference in Uzbekistan. “And so what we are demanding now is demonstrable evidence of their will and capacity to reduce violence, to take down the threat.”
“We’re working on a peace and reconciliation plan, putting the commas in the right place, getting the sentences right,” he said. “So we’re hopeful we can achieve that, but we’re not there yet, and work certainly remains.”
BYRNE OUT: Veteran’s Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, citing a “loss of confidence” has fired his deputy after less than four months on the job, reports Abraham Mahshie in the Washington Examiner.
No other specific reason was given in a two-line statement from Wilkie: “Today, I dismissed VA Deputy Secretary James Byrne due to loss of confidence in Mr. Byrne’s ability to carry out his duties.”
Byrne replaced Thomas Bowman, who resigned in June 2018. It took 10 months for the deputy slot to be filled, with President Trump nominating Byrne in April and the Senate confirming him 81-11 in September.
Byrne had served in an acting role since August. Before that, the Marine Corps veteran served as the department’s general counsel, joining the department from Lockheed Martin.
INDUSTRY WATCH:
Leidos Holdings, Inc. a FORTUNE® 500 science and technology leader, has completed the acquisition of Dynetics, Inc., an industry-leading applied research and national security solutions company, for approximately $1.65 billion in cash.
“Dynetics will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leidos, and Dynetics’ Chief Executive Officer David King will continue to lead the business, reporting directly to Leidos’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Roger Krone,” said a company news release.
Intelsat has selected Maxar Technologies to build Intelsat 40e, a next-generation geostationary communications satellite. Maxar also will integrate NASA’s Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution payload with the Intelsat 40e satellite, which is scheduled to launch in 2022, reports Via Satellite.
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: ‘Where this disease has emanated from’: Pompeo needles China about coronavirus on Central Asia tour
Washington Examiner: Swimming for the fallen: Florida frogmen take SEAL fundraiser to waters beyond Tampa
Washington Post: Rare and deadly clashes between Syria and Turkey highlight tensions in rebel-held Syrian province
AP: Turkish President Denounces Russia’s Annexation Of Crimea
Bloomberg: Russia Strong-Arms UN To Bolster Assad And Putin’s Mideast Clout
AP: US adds ‘low yield’ nuclear weapon to its submarine arsenal
Bloomberg: North Korea’s Next Submarine May Make Nuclear Talks Even Harder
Jane’s Defence Weekly: USN Acting Secretary Details Hypersonic Development Goals
Inside Defense: DOT&E: Navy fielded new torpedo modifications prior to finishing initial testing
Defense One: The Pentagon Is Spending Millions on Hunter Drones With Nets
USNI News: SECNAV Modly: Path to 355 Ships Will Rely on New Classes of Warships
Defense News: Destroyer Wrecked In Deadly 2017 Accident Returns To Sea
Popular Mechanics: The USS Ford Is Coming Together…Very Slowly
Military.com: Troops Treated for TBI After Iran Missile Strikes May Be Getting Purple Hearts
Reuters: In Death, Iran’s Soleimani Bequeaths Perilous Dilemma For Iraq
Politico: ‘Truly bizarre circumstances’: Anonymous book agents refute whisper campaign against Trump official
Washington Post: Leaked audio shows Tehran knew missile hit Ukrainian passenger jet
Calendar
TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 4
10 a.m. 1789 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — American Enterprise Institute conversation with Rep. Michael McCaul R-Texas, “ How to counter China’s global malign influence.” https://www.aei.org/events
10 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. — Center for Strategic and International Studies Maritime Security Dialogue “An Update on the Second Fleet at Full Operational Capability,” with Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, commander of U.S. Second Fleet; and Kathleen Hicks, director of the CSIS International Security Program https://www.csis.org/events
1 p.m. 58 East 68th Street, New York, N.Y — Council on Foreign Relations discussion on “The Road Ahead with Iran,” with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Richard Haass, president of CFR. Livestream at https://www.cfr.org/event
9 p.m. House Chamber, U.S. Capitol — Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley, and other members of the joint chiefs of staff attend the annual State of the Union address by the president of the United States to a joint session of Congress..
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 5
9 a.m. 2118 Rayburn. — House Armed Services Future of Defense Task Force Hearing: “Supercharging the Innovation Base,” with Eric Fanning, president & CEO, Aerospace Industries Association; Raj Shah, chairman & co-founder Arceo.ai, and Chris Brose, chief strategy officer, Anduril Industries.https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
9:30 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. — Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion “Making the Case for Sustained U.S. Engagement in a Transitioning Afghanistan,” with Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla.; Peter Bergen, vice president of global studies at New America; Rina Amiri, senior fellow at the New York University Center for Global Affairs; former U.S. Agency for International Development Executive Vice President for Programs Earl Gast, executive vice president for programs at Creative Associates International. https://www.csis.org/events
10 a.m. 14th and F Sts. N.W. — Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie news conference on the Trump administration’s plan to prevent veteran suicide https://www.press.org/events
10 a.m. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace book discussion on “Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty Year Rivalry that Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East,” with author Kim Ghattas, nonresident senior fellow at CEIP; David Ignatius, foreign affairs columnist for the Washington Post; and former Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns, president of CEIP. https://carnegieendowment.org
12 p.m. 1135 16th St. N.W. — American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security luncheon, with remarks by Jason Klitenic, general counsel, Office of the Director of National Intelligence https://www.americanbar.org
2:30 p.m. 2118 Rayburn. — House Armed Service Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and Subcommittee on Readiness Joint Hearing: “Update on Navy and Marine Corps Readiness in the Pacific in the Aftermath of Recent Mishaps, with Vice Adm. Richard Brown, commander, Naval Surface Forces U.S. Pacific Fleet; and Marine Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder, Deputy Commandant for Aviation. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 6
8 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. — Center for Strategic and International Studies China Initiative Conference, with Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers; FBI Director Christopher Wray; National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina; and keynote address by Attorney General William Barr. https://www.csis.org/events/china
8:30 a.m. 300 First St. S.E. — Air Force Association Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies “Space Power to the Warfighter” seminar with Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Space Policy Stephen Kitay. http://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/
9 a.m. 3401 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Atlantic Council conference on “Looking North: Security in the Arctic,” with Norwegian Ambassador to the U,S. Kare Aas; Kim Holmen, international director of the Norwegian Polar Institute; Thomas Nilsen, editor of the Independent Barents Observer; Stephanie Pezard, senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation; Sherri Goodman, senior fellow in the Wilson Center’s Polar Institute; Ali Rogin, foreign affairs producer for PBS’s “NewsHour”; and Aaron Mehta, deputy editor and senior Pentagon correspondent at Defense News. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event
10 a.m. G50, Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Cyber Command, with testimony from Thomas Alexander, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense, special operations and low-intensity conflict; Gen. Richard Clarke, head of U.S Special Operations Command; and Gen. Paul Nakasone, head of U.S. Cyber Command. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings
12 p.m. 1000 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Cato Institute forum “Is War Over?” with Paul Poast, associate professor of political science at the University of Chicago; John Mueller, political scientist at Ohio State University; Christopher Fettweis, professor of political science at Tulane University; Bethany Lacina, associate professor at the University of Rochester; and John Glaser, director of foreign policy studies at Cato. https://www.cato.org/events/is-war-over
2 p.m. 1111 19th St. N.W. — Washington Institute for Near East Policy discussion on “The Persistent Threat from the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda: The View from the UN,” with Edmund Fitton-Brown, former coordinator of the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team Concerning the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and the Taliban. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org
4 p.m. 1740 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies hosts Defense Secretary Mark Esper for a discussion, “The National Defense Strategy at Year Two.” Moderated by Mara Karlin, director of strategic studies school’s Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies. Open to the public and media. https://sais.jhu.edu Register at https://www.eventbrite.com
4:30 p.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. N.E. — Heritage Foundation Lecture on “Why the U.S. Needs a Strong NATO,” with Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. ambassador to NATO; and Kim Holmes, executive vice president of Heritage. https://www.heritage.org/europe/event
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 7
10 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Brookings Institution discussion on “The Air Force in 2020: A Strategy to Modernize,” with Thomas Ehrhard, vice president for defense strategy at the Long Term Strategy Group; Rebecca Grant, president of IRIS Independent Research; and Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow at Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/events
12:15 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. — Hudson Institute a discussion on “NATO and the New Decade: Assessing the Transatlantic Alliance,” with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana; Peter Rough, senior fellow at Hudson; and Ken Weinstein, president and CEO of Hudson. https://www.hudson.org/events
8 p.m. 100 St. Anselm Dr., Manchester, N.H.— Democratic presidential primary debate, beginning at St. Anselm College to be aired on ABC.
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 12
All Day Brussels, Belgium — Defense Secretary Mark Esper attends meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Defense Ministers at the NATO Headquarters, chaired by the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg https://www.nato.int
THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 13
All Day Brussels, Belgium — Day two of NATO Defense ministerial at NATO Headquarters, with U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. https://www.nato.int
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 14
All Day, Munich, Germany — Defense Secretary Mark Esper attends the 56th Munich Security Conference will take place at Hotel Bayerischer Hof Friday through Saturday. https://securityconference.org/en/msc-2020/
WEDNESDAY | MARCH 4
9 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. — McAleese Defense Programs Conference. Register at [email protected]
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I understand you can’t comment on the reported strike. Can you say whether AQAP has, to put it politely, a job opening at the executive level?”
Task & Purpose reporters Jeff Schogol, trying one more time to get Pentagon Spokesman Jon Hoffman to confirm the death of an al Qaeda leader in Yemen.
