ULTIMATUM: When Defense Secretary Mark Esper welcomes his South Korean counterpart Kyeong-doo Jeong to the Pentagon this afternoon there will be heartfelt expressions of the unbreakable bonds between the two countries and America’s “ironclad” commitment to defending the South against the North.
But underlying the bonhomie is a simmering dispute over the Trump administration’s demands that Korea vastly increase the annual payments to U.S. to reimburse the Pentagon for the cost of maintaining more than 28,000 U.S. troops on South Korea soil — from the current $870 million to roughly $5 billion.
THREAT: In advance of the Jeong’s arrival, the Pentagon issued a rare Sunday night statement warning that failure to come to terms by the end of the month on what’s known as the Special Measures Agreement will force the U.S. military to furlough nearly 9,000 South Korean workers currently employed American bases.
TIME IS RUNNING OUT: When Esper visited Seoul late last year, he delivered a blunt message, in line with President Trump’s insistence that U.S. allies pay their fair share of the burden of their own defense, “South Korea,” he said, “is a wealthy country and could and should pay more to offset the cost of defense.”
The current SMA expired Dec. 31, and the Pentagon says it has been using other funds to keep workers on the job, but that will stop April 1. The vast majority of SMA contributions go back into the South Korean economy,” the U.S. argues, “with the money going for salaries of South Korean workers, logistics support, or construction projects.”
“Unless the ROK [Republic of Korea] government agrees to materially increase its support for U.S. forces committed to the defense of the ROK,” the Pentagon warns, “It will be necessary to furlough most [Korean National] employees on April 1, 2020, and suspend many construction and logistics activities.”
CRITICAL SERVICES MAINTAINED: U.S. Forces Korea says it has been conducting “continuous planning to mitigate risk to life, health, safety and minimize impacts to readiness.”
“The Department of Defense will fund critical USFK logistics cost sharing contracts and the salaries of key USFK Korean National employees who provide these services. All other services supported by KN employees will need to be suspended in an orderly and deliberate fashion,” the Sunday night statement said.
Good Monday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Susan Katz Keating (@SKatzKeating). Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.
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HAPPENING TODAY — ‘NAMASTE PRESIDENT TRUMP’: The president and First Lady Melania Trump have been given a thunderous welcome by tens of thousands of cheering citizens as they arrived in India on a whirlwind 36-hour visit.
At a newly-built cricket stadium in the home state of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump addressed an enthusiastic crowd of more than 100,000 people who almost all wore white baseball caps emblazoned with “Namaste, Trump” or “Welcome, Trump.” Trump told the cheering crowd that the United States “will always be a loyal and faithful friend to the Indian people.”
The event was Trump’s biggest rally crowd ever, and before he left Washington Trump told reporters he was expecting his visit to be “the biggest event they’ve ever had in India.”
“That’s what the prime minister told me — this will be the biggest event they’ve ever had,” he said. “I’ll never be satisfied with a crowd if we have 10 million people in India.”
SANDERS: TRUMP RIGHT ABOUT ONE THING: Current Democratic presidential frontrunner Bernie Sanders says while he’s criticized Trump for “everything under the sun,” in an interview with CBS 60 Minutes, Sanders says Trump was right to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to try to lower tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
“Meeting with people who are antagonistic is, to me, not a bad thing to do,” Sanders told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “I think, unfortunately, Trump went into that meeting unprepared. I think it was a photo opportunity and did not have the kind of diplomatic work necessary to make it a success. But I do not have a problem with sitting down with adversaries all over the world.”
Asked by Cooper to say when he would consider the use of military force, Sanders cited, “threats against the American people, to be sure, threats against our allies.” When Cooper asked if China moving against Taiwan would provoke a U.S. military response, Sanders said, “That’s something, yeah. I mean I think we have got to make it clear to countries around the world that we will not sit by and allow invasions to take place, absolutely.”
But Sanders said he believes “everything being equal,” the U.S. “should be working with other countries in alliance, not doing it alone.”
TRIAL PERIOD UNDERWAY: Over the weekend Gen. Scott Miller, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, announced that the U.S. military has ceased offensive operations against the Taliban, in accordance with the “reduction of violence” agreement that went into effect midnight Friday night Kabul time.
“We stopped our offensive operations as part of our obligations, but we remain committed to defend our forces,” Miller said at a news conference. Now it’s just a matter of waiting to see if the Taliban are true to their word.
“This is a conditional effort. It’s a trial period,” Miller said. “We are all looking at this to see that all sides are able to meet their obligations.”
On CBS’s Face the Nation, White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said that while the U.S. is anxious to end the 18-year plus war in Afghanistan, a lot will depend on the Taliban’s actions.
We’ve got to get out of the war in Afghanistan, but we’re going to do it in a way that protects American interests,” O’Brien said. “So if the Taliban does not live up to their agreement on the reduction-of-violence plan, then we’ll take a very careful look at it, and I think it’d be unlikely that we’d sign a peace treaty.”
SOME US TROOPS TO STAY: The plan is to sign a peace agreement with the Taliban on Saturday, Feb. 29, assuming no major violations by the Taliban. Under the deal the U.S. would begin withdrawing forces, beginning with roughly 3,400 troops that U.S. commanders say are no longer needed to support Afghan government forces.
“It’s time for us to stop bringing our sons and daughters home through Dover Air Force Base and dignified transfers,” said O’Brien. “But we’re not going to reduce troops to a level below what is necessary to protect American interests and our partners in Afghanistan. I can assure you of that.”
Currently the Pentagon plans to keep 8,600 U.S. troops in Afghanistan mostly to continue to pursue al Qaeda, ISIS, and other terrorist groups. That’s roughly the same number that President Obama left in Afghanistan after he declared an end to major combat operations at the end of 2014.
KUWAIT PLEDGES $10 MILLION FOR DESERT STORM MEMORIAL: The government of Kuwait, the country liberated by a U.S.-led coalition in 1991, has pledged $10 million to help build a national memorial to commemorate Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield.
In pledging the funds, Kuwaiti Ambassador to the U.S. H.E. Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al Sabah said the memorial “will embody and eternalize the strong relationship that exists between the State of Kuwait and the United States of America, and “stand as a reminder to all current and future generations of the countries, soldiers, and martyrs that liberated the State of Kuwait,” according to a release from The National Desert Storm War Memorial Association.
INDUSTRY WATCH:
— Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky has been awarded a $471 million follow-on contract to build six production VH-92A “Marine One” presidential helicopters under a contract from the U.S Navy.
These helicopters are part of the 23 aircraft program of record for the U.S. Marine Corps. The VH-92A is derived from the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter design, and will replace VH-3D Sea King and VH-60N White Hawk helicopters by the Marines for presidential transport.
“The men and women of Sikorsky treasure our legacy of building and providing helicopter transportation for every President and Commander in Chief since Dwight D. Eisenhower,” said Dave Banquer, Sikorsky VH-92A program director in a statement. “We are proud to continue that legacy with the VH-92A helicopter.”
— Boeing says an internal investigation into undelivered 737 Max jets has found dozens of the aircraft with debris in their fuel tanks. The findings are a troubling sign for Boeing, an aviation industry giant that has been rattled by scandal.
In late December, Boeing fired CEO Dennis Muilenburg over his failure to address quality concerns in the Boeing 737 Max after two planes crashed and killed more than 346 people. “This is unacceptable and won’t be tolerated on any Boeing aircraft when it’s delivered to the customer,” said a statement from Boeing released on Saturday.
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: Trump national security adviser: Spy chief ‘wasn’t pushed out’ over Russia briefing
Washington Examiner: ‘Haven’t seen that analysis’: National security adviser contradicts reports on Russia helping Trump reelection
Talk Media News: Afghan violence reduction begins with Afghan-Taliban clash and new civilian casualty numbers
AP: New Army training team heads to Africa
Washington Post: Al-Qaeda and Islamic State groups are working together in West Africa to grab large swaths of territory
McClatchy: Kansas Air Force base finds high levels of chemical made famous in ‘Erin Brockovich’
McClatchy: Do military pilots have a higher risk for cancer? Lawmakers want to find out
USNI News: Navy $40 Billion Savings Effort Linked to Force Structure Assessment
Seapower Magazine: Digital Modernization Among the Money Savers That Could Help Navy Reach 355 Ships, Modly Says
Popular Mechanics: The U.S. Army Has a Tank Named ‘Baby Yoda’
Wall Street Journal: Russia Leans on Mercenary Forces to Regain Global Clout
Defense One: Esper Plays Nuclear War: Russia Nukes Europe, U.S. Fires Back
Navy Times: Is Trump’s New Navy Budget Dead On Arrival?
Forbes: Army Risks Election Fallout As It Slashes “Lower Priority” Weapons Programs
AP: Turkey Closes Borders With Iran Over Coronavirus Concerns
Washington Post: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps wrestles with new reality after killing of its chief military strategist
Washington Examiner: Opinion: Keep Moscow and Tehran at bay by putting a US military base in Georgia
Calendar
MONDAY | FEBRUARY 24
9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. — Center for Strategic and International Studies conference “After Suleimani: Crisis, Opportunity, and the Future of the Gulf,” with former Acting CIA Director John McLaughlin; former Defense Undersecretary for Policy Christine Wormuth; Former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Anne Patterson; former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman; Ali Vaez, director of the International Crisis Group’s Iran Project; Retired Army Gen. Joseph Votel, former commander of U.S. Central Command. https://www.csis.org/events
5:30 p.m. Pentagon Briefing Room 2D972 — Defense Secretary Mark Esper and South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo hold a joint news conference. Esper welcomes Jeong to the Pentagon with an “an advanced honor cordon” at 4:30 p.m. on the steps of the River Entrance. News conference streamed live at https://www.defense.gov/Watch/Live-Events
6 p.m. Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich. — Council on Foreign Relations Election 2020 U.S. Foreign Policy Forum, with former Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker; former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson; former national security adviser Stephen Hadley, Rana Foroohar, global business columnist and associate editor at the Financial Times; and Richard Haass, president of CFR Livestream at: https://www.cfr.org/event
TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 25
11 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Brookings Institution discussion: “Global China: Assessing China’s Relations with the Great Powers,” with Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska. http://www.brookings.edu
8 p.m. Charleston, S.C. — Democratic presidential primary debate at Gaillard Center to be aired on CBS.
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 26
8 a.m. Orlando, Fl. — Day one of the Air Force Association 2020 Air Warfare Symposium. Agenda at https://www.afa.org/events/airwarfare/agenda
8:45 a.m. 3301 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — National Defense Industrial Association “U.S.-Finland Defense and Security Industry Seminar,” with Kirsti Kauppi, Finnish ambassador to the U.S.; Ellen Lord; Undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment; Jukka Juusti, permanent secretary in the Finnish Ministry of Defense. https://www.ndia.org/events
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley testify before the House Armed Services Committee on “The Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of Defense.” https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
12 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. — Hudson Institute discussion on “Prospects for a Stable Transformation of the Korean Peninsula,” with State Department Deputy Special Representative for North Korea Alex Wong; Jina Kim, research fellow at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses; Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation; Seong-hyon Lee, director of the Sejong Institute’s Center for Chinese Studies; Patricia Kim, senior policy analyst at the U.S. Institute of Peace; and Patrick Cronin, senior fellow at Hudson. https://www.hudson.org/events
12 p.m. 1000 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Cato Institute discussion on “The Failure of Forcible Regime-Change Operations,” with Lindsey O’Rourke, assistant professor at Boston College; Alexander Downes, associate professor of political science and international relations at George Washington University; Ben Denison, postdoctoral fellow at the Tufts University Center for Strategic Studies; and Christopher Preble, vice president for defense and foreign policy studies at Cato. Livestream at http://www.cato.org/live
5 p.m. 1521 16th St. N.W. — Institute of World Politics lecture on the impact of the Internet in “promoting disinformation, lies, propaganda, deep flakes, troll swarms, personal attacks, and conspiracy theories, with Donald Bishop, chair of strategic communications at the Marine Corps University. https://www.iwp.edu/events
THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 27
8 a.m. Orlando, Fl. — Day two of the Air Force Association 2020 Air Warfare Symposium, with Barbara Barrett, Secretary of the Air Force; Gen Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, Commander, North American Aerospace Defense Command & U.S. Northern Command; Gen Charles Q. Brown Jr., Commander, Pacific Air Forces; Gen Jeffrey L. Harrigian, Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe; Gen James M. Holmes, Commander, Air Combat Command, and others. Agenda at https://www.afa.org/events/airwarfare/agenda
8:30 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. — “Fiscal Note” CQ Roll Call discussion on the “Defense and the Federal Budget 2021,” with House Budget ranking member Steve Womack, R-Ark.; Matt Padilla, national security counsel in the office of Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M.; John Luddy, vice president of national security policy at the Aerospace Industries Association; John Nichols, partner at the Potomac Advocates; and John Donnelly, senior national security reporter at CQ Roll Call https://pages.fiscalnote.com
9 a.m. 201 Waterfront St., National Harbor, Md.— The American Conservative Union holds its annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Agenda: http://cpac.conservative.org/agenda
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “The Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Budget Request for the Department of the Navy, with acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday, and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
2 p.m. 2154 Rayburn — House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on National Security hearing on U.S. troops who say they were exposed to chemical and radiological hazards while deployed to Karshi-Khanabad (K2) Air Base in Uzbekistan after Sept. 11, 2001, with testimony from retired Air Force Master Sgt. Paul Widener, K2 Veteran; Kim Brooks, spouse of Army Lt. Col. Timothy Brooks; and retired Army Chief Warrant Officer Scott Welsch. Livestream at https://www.youtube.com/user/OversightDems
2:30 p.m. 2212 Rayburn — House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces hearing: “Strategic Forces Posture,” with John Rood, outgoing undersecretary of defense for policy; U.S. Space Commander Gen. John Raymond; and U.S. Strategic Commander, Adm. Charles Richard. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
3:30 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces hearing: “Air Force Projection Forces Aviation Programs and Capabilities Related to the 2021 President’s Budget Request, with William Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force, acquisition, technology and logistics; and Lt. Gen. David Nahom, Air Force deputy chief of staff, plans and programs. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 28
8 a.m. Orlando, Fl. — Day three of the Air Force Association 2020 Air Warfare Symposium, with, Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology And Logistics; Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett; Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein; and Elon Musk, SpaceX Chief Engineer and Lt. Gen. John Thompson, commander, Space and Missile Systems Center. Agenda at https://www.afa.org/events/airwarfare/agenda
9 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Brookings Institution discussion: “How a Modernized Navy will Compete with China and Russia,” with acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly, and Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow at Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/events
9 a.m. 201 Waterfront St., National Harbor, Md.— The American Conservative Union holds its annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). Agenda: http://cpac.conservative.org/agenda
5 p.m. 1521 16th St. N.W. — Institute of World Politics book discussion on “To Catch a Spy: The Art of Counterintelligence,” with author Jim Olson, former chief of CIA counterintelligence. https://www.iwp.edu/events
MONDAY | MARCH 2
10 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Brookings Institution discussion: “Congress and defense policy: A conversation with Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas.” https://www.brookings.edu/events
10 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Brookings Institution discussion: “Defending NATO’s eastern flank: A conversation on Russia with Estonia’s minister of defense,” with Jüri Luik Estonian MoD. https://www.brookings.edu/events
WEDNESDAY | MARCH 4
9 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. — McAleese Defense Programs Conference. Register at [email protected]
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I mean, why would the Russians want the president, who’s increased NATO spending $400 billion from non-American NATO member states over through 2024, who has spent $2.2 trillion in upgrading our military, which had been in a terrible state of readiness because of sequestration of the prior administration, who’s moving out of endless wars and moving American troops into Europe and Asia to confront the great powers, why would they want him reelected? That doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Robert O’Brien, White House national security adviser, speaking on ABC’s This Week
