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WHO’S NEXT? The abrupt and messy firing of Rex Tillerson, three and half months after President Trump mocked reports of his imminent demise as “fake news,” has sparked another round of leaks from the White House about who will be next to go. The latest speculation is fueled by Trump himself who, in explaining his Tillerson decision, hinted at more staff changes to come. “I’ve gotten to know a lot of people very well over the last year,” Trump said as he prepared to depart for California. “And I’m really at a point where we’re getting very close to having the Cabinet and other things that I want.” Trump made clear that he wants to be surrounded by people who agree, not argue with him. “We’re always on the same wavelength,” Trump said of CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who he’s nominated to head State. WHITHER THE GENERALS? It’s no secret that Trump has bristled about the pushback he’s gotten from his national security adviser Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, an active-duty general who could be easily given another assignment in the military and even a fourth star to move him out of the White House. Even retired Gen. John Kelly could be on the outs as chief of staff, according to several reports, although CNN reported that “Kelly’s departure is seen as less imminent than McMaster’s,” quoting “outside advisers” who say Trump has been feeling out potential candidates. But most of the focus now is on embattled Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, with whom Trump has grown increasingly irritated. Energy Secretary Rick Perry is seen as Shulkin’s likely successor. TILLERSON’S IGNOMINIOUS, UNCEREMONIOUS END: According to the State Department, Tillerson didn’t see the hit coming. “The Secretary had every intention of staying because of the critical progress made in national security,” said a statement issued by State Department spokesman Steve Goldstein. “The Secretary did not speak to the President and is unaware of the reason,” contradicting the White House timeline that Tillerson was asked for his resignation Friday. For that Goldstein was also fired, on the spot. Kelly did call Tillerson, who was on an overseas trip Friday night/Saturday morning Africa time to give him a heads up the president might be tweeting something bad about him, but apparently Tillerson didn’t connect all the dots until he got home yesterday, and saw Trump’s tweet thanking him for his service. In his goodbye at the State Department, Tillerson said he’d stay on the job until the end of the month to facilitate a smooth transition, but turn over all day-to-day operations to his deputy John Sullivan. Tillerson leveled some harsh criticism at Russia, had warm words for his relations with the Pentagon, and nothing to say about the president who fired him. MATTIS LOSES AN ALLY: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis spoke often about his close, joined-at-the-hip relationship with Tillerson, in which the two consulted regularly and provided a united front in their sometimes unwelcome advice to the president on tough foreign policy decisions. “I am told for the first time in most people’s memory the Department of State and the Department of Defense have a close working relationship where we all agree the U.S. leadership starts with diplomacy,” Tillerson said is his valedictory remarks. In January, Mattis described the relationship with Tillerson as one based on real friendship and shared values. “It starts with me having breakfast every week with Secretary of State Tillerson. We talk two, three times a day, sometimes. We settle all of our issues between he and I, and then we walk together into the White House meetings. That way, State and Defense are together.” Mattis will no doubt forge a relationship with Pompeo, but the question is whether his influence will be diminished, and whether Trump relies more on someone who shares his worldview. NO COMMENT: Mattis, traveling in Afghanistan while all of this was happening in Washington, had no comment on Tillerson’s departure, according to a Wall Street Journal reporter making the trip with him. Tillerson and Mattis, you’ll recall, made up two-thirds of the so-called “suicide pact” with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, in which they agreed to all leave if one of them is ousted. OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: I polled a random sample of national security experts yesterday about whether Mattis will find himself with a weaker hand to play. Here’s what they said: “There is no reason that Pompeo’s appointment should present problems for Secretary Mattis, or in relations between State and Defense. If anything, Pompeo has a military background and has focused more of his recent time on national security issues.” — Anthony Cordesman, Center for Strategic and International Studies. “There is no question he’s losing one of his closest allies in the administration. Because they would often align their policy positions in advance, the duo was an effective force in NSC meetings and elsewhere.” — Mackenzie Eaglen, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. “Mattis is losing an ally, but a weak one. Tillerson managed simultaneously to alienate both his boss and his staff, leaving him without much to bring to the table on Mattis’ (or anyone’s) behalf.” — Stephen Biddle, professor of political science and international affairs, The George Washington University. “Secretary Mattis and Secretary Tillerson had a very close relationship, and that close working relationship insured that the foundation of American foreign policy these last chaotic 14 months was not broken. We still have strong relations with Japan, with NATO, with Australia, India and South Korea. All of them were challenged by an impulsive president, but thanks to these two men, the fundamental relationships are intact.” — John Hamre, president and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and former deputy secretary of defense. “I thought the team was functioning well and had balance. They put out a good series of solid foreign and security policies. Remains to be seen how this affects the ability of Trump’s team to storm and norm. Pompeo is close to President and part of the team. So we’ll see.” — James Carafano, fellow at the Heritage Foundation. HASPEL’S INAUSPICIOUS START: Trump’s pick to replace Pompeo at CIA immediately drew fire from Sen. John McCain, still convalescing at his home in Arizona. McCain, who endured brutal torture at the hands of the North Vietnamese, said Gina Haspel must explain her role in employing so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques” at a secret prison in Thailand where she was in charge in the aftermath of 9/11. “The torture of detainees in U.S. custody during the last decade was one of the darkest chapters in American history,” McCain said in a statement. “Ms. Haspel needs to explain the nature and extent of her involvement.” McCain said the CIA’s program “squandered precious moral authority in a futile effort to produce intelligence by means of torture.” Because of his health, it’s not clear if McCain will have the chance to question Haspel himself, but he said, “I know the Senate will do its job.” It’s another instance in which Mattis may find himself the outlier. Recall that Mattis famously counseled Trump that “beer and cigarettes” work better than waterboarding. JUST FOLLOWING ORDERS: On CNN, Rep. Will Hurd, a Republican member of the Intelligence and Homeland Security committees, and former CIA officer, offered a version of the Nuremberg defense on Haspel’s behalf. “Well, first off, this wasn’t Gina’s idea. She was following orders,” Hurd said. “The attorney general at the time and the president at the time had said this was lawful. And you have to remember where we were at that moment, thinking that another attack was going to happen. “She implemented orders and was doing her job,” Hurd said noting there has not been another major terrorist attack on the U.S. in the intervening 17 years. “Gina is a solid professional. She has great experience. She’s smart. She’s talented. She’s tough. She has the support of the rank and file,” he said. “There’s not going to be much of a transition issue with her going from the deputy position to the head of the CIA.” A detailed account of Haspel’s role in the interrogation program, and her alleged efforts to cover it up by ordering the destruction of video tapes, can found in a report by ProPublica last year, as well as in the New York Times. Good Wednesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre), National Security Writer Travis J. Tritten (@travis_tritten) and Senior Editor David Brown (@dave_brown24). Email us here for tips, suggestions, calendar items and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here. 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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AN INCONVENIENT POSITION: Considering that one of the reasons Trump gave for dumping Tillerson was his opposition to scrapping the Iran nuclear agreement, which Trump has called the “worst deal ever negotiated,” U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Joseph Votel might be finding himself at odds with the president as well, that is if Trump asks his opinion. “When you look at the Iran deal, I think it’s terrible,” Trump said yesterday explaining why he fired Tillerson. “I guess he thought it was OK. I wanted to either break it or do something, and he felt a little bit differently. So we were not really thinking the same.” Around that same time, Votel was telling Senate Armed Services Committee the deal — known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA — has dealt with the central threat of Iran’s nuclear weapons program. He also aligned himself with the views Mattis and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford that sticking with the agreement is in America’s national security interest. “From my perspective, the JCPOA addresses one of the principal threats that we deal with from Iran. So, if the JCPOA goes away, then we will have to have another way to deal with the nuclear weapons program. So, yes … I share their position,” he said. Under questioning from Sen. Angus King, Votel conceded that if the agreement is terminated, in a matter of months the U.S could have two rogue states with nuclear weapons to deal with, North Korea and Iran. “This could certainly be the case,” Votel said. Trump has threatened to tear up the deal brokered by the Obama administration along with other world powers, but agreed to negotiate with Germany, France and the U.K. on new measures to counter Iran, which the U.S. blames for a broad range of malign activity in the Middle East. “The JCPOA was not intended to address all of Iran’s bad behavior, just the nuclear aspect. If Iran behaves this way without a nuclear weapon, imagine how much worse it would be with a nuclear-armed force,” said Sen. Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Withdrawing from the JCPOA would be a devastating blow in the Middle East, but also for our efforts diplomatically with North Korea and for any future diplomatic efforts to constrain aggressive behavior by our adversaries.” NOW THAT IT’S HIS IDEA: In his troop talk at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Trump appeared to just have thought of something that’s been hotly debated on Capitol Hill for the past year: the idea of creating a new, separate branch of the armed forces to deal with space. “My new national strategy for space recognizes that space is a warfighting domain, just like the land, air and sea. We may even have a Space Force — develop another one; Space Force. We have the Air Force; we’ll have the Space Force. We have the Army, the Navy,” said Trump, seeming to warm to the idea the more he talked about it. “You know, I was saying it the other day, because we are doing a tremendous amount of work in space. I said maybe we need a new force. We’ll call it Space Force. And I was not really serious. Then I said what a great idea. Maybe we’ll have to do that. That could happen. That could be the big breaking story.” The idea is considered a needless addition to the Pentagon’s already bloated bureaucracy by Air Force leaders, and Mattis himself who helped scuttle the proposal last year with a letter of opposition to Congress. The idea for a Space Corps came from Reps. Mike Rogers and Jim Cooper, the chairman and ranking member of a House Armed Services subcommittee, and Trump’s endorsement could be a big boost as they try to resurrect the idea this year. Rogers has said he still believes the new military service will be a reality within three to five years. Travis reached out to his office last night after Trump’s surprise announcement. “I am so proud of President Trump’s support of this important and historic initiative to create an independent Space Force. At the end of the day this isn’t about personalities or individuals, it’s about supporting our space warfighters, it’s about making sure those warfighters have the equipment to execute future space operations and it’s about making sure that we continue to outpace our strategic competitors to preserve our national security,” Rogers said. “I look forward to working with the Trump administration to make this a reality in the near future.” Cooper told Travis through a statement that he is optimistic about the development. “Chairman Rogers and I have long said America needs a Space Corps. Last year, the House agreed with us on a bipartisan vote. While I have not seen anything beyond President Trump’s comments today, his remarks seem encouraging,” he said. STEADY ON YEMEN: The U.S. should continue supplying fuel, intelligence and munitions to Saudi Arabia for its war against Houthi rebels in Yemen despite a Senate push to cut the support, Votel told the committee. Senators such as Independent Bernie Sanders and conservative Republican Mike Lee are sponsoring legislation calling for an end to the support after reports of civilian deaths at the hands of Saudi forces. “Recently, Saudi Arabia has followed many of the things that we have done in terms of how we stand up architectures to investigate civilian casualties. These are problems that we have on occasion even as good as we are,” Votel said. “From my perspective, it is better for us to stay engaged with them and continue to influence. They want this type of support and they want to improve their capabilities.” The U.S. is backing its old Middle East ally Saudi Arabia in what has essentially become a three-year proxy war with Iran, which has supplied the Houthis with missiles capable of reaching the international airport in Riyadh. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who co-sponsored the Sanders-Lee resolution, said the U.S. support could be making a sinking humanitarian crisis worse. She cited a press report in February that said a Saudi strike killed five civilians and wounded 14. Under her questioning, Votel said the U.S. does not track the Saudi planes that it refuels or the munitions it supplies. “We need to be clear about this. Saudi Arabia is the one receiving American weapons and American support and that means we bear some responsibility here, and that means we need to hold our partners and our allies accountable for how those resources are used,” Warren said. TRUMP’S MISSTEP ON NORTH KOREA: The Heritage Foundation’s Bruce Klingner is out with a new analysis of Trump’s decision to meet with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. His key takeaway: The summit comes with “heavy strings attached” and Trump “accepted the offer too quickly” without getting something in return, such as the release of the three Americans held captive in North Korea. COTTON’S WARNING: Sen. Tom Cotton is warning that North Korea isn’t interested in relinquishing its nuclear weapons and can’t be trusted to negotiate in good faith, just as Trump is preparing to meet with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un without preconditions. “We should be taking more steps than we are right now to be ready to fight a war, if that’s what’s necessary, with North Korea,” the Arkansas Republican said in an interview with “Behind Closed Doors,” a Washington Examiner podcast. Cotton, 40, is a combat veteran of the Iraq war. Cotton, a close ally of the White House, discussed the matter one day before Trump surprised the world by announcing plans to hold a summit with Kim, currently planned for May. The administration is trying to force North Korea to dismantle a nuclear weapons program that threatens U.S. allies in Asia and could soon endanger the American mainland. WHY IS AFRICOM NOT IN AFRICA? During the Senate Armed Services hearing, Sen. Dan Sullivan asked a simple question: Why is U.S. Africa Command not located in Africa? The command, which was created about a decade ago, is headquartered at a U.S. military base in Stuttgart, Germany. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, the AFRICOM commander who appeared Tuesday with Votel, said the main issue might be cost. “But the second- and third-order effects, if you move to a country in Africa, what does that mean to surrounding countries or other partners? They may view that as something, perhaps skeptical,” Waldhauser said. So far, there is no effort to move, he said. Sen. James Inhofe, who helped create the command, had a simpler explanation for why an African location was rejected. “The reason is perceived colonialism,” he said. Some nations were wary of the U.S. intentions in Africa. Meanwhile, AFRICOM, which runs military operations across the continent, is now being pushed into the spotlight as Islamic State splinter groups surge and China and Russia seek to expand influence there. “Maybe we should re-look at that” decision to locate the command in Europe, Sullivan said. MANIPULATING ISIS’ THOUGHTS: The Russians are not the only ones using cyber influence operations. Gen. Paul Nakasone, the head of Army Cyber Command, confirmed Tuesday that the military’s Joint Task Force Ares used cyber operations in an attempt to “manipulate the thinking” of Islamic State followers. Sen. Bill Nelson, a senior committee Democrat, questioned Nakasone on what he learned from the task force, which was formed in 2016 and publicized for its efforts to disrupt the Islamic State by knocking out its networks and blocking it from social media. “Have you conducted operations in Task Force Ares designed to manipulate the thinking of ISIS adherents?” Nelson asked. Nakasone, who Trump has nominated to head U.S. Cyber Command, said he had. “I would offer that that is perhaps the piece of Ares that I’ve learned most about, being able to provide a message, being able to amplify a message to impact our adversaries,” he said. The information operations were conducted at the military’s tactical and operational level, rather than the higher levels of command, Nakasone said. “But I think that’s where it begins, understanding how you provide that message, the infrastructure that you need, the capabilities that are going to underpin your messaging,” he said. “Are there lessons from the task force that can be elevated to the strategic level and applied to the information warfare threat from Russia?” Nelson asked the general. Nakasone said, “There probably are.” The military must start building its cyber offensive capabilities early, provide the needed infrastructure for its operators, and cultivate the experience and talent needed for such operations, he said. RUSSIA SAYS NYET: Russian diplomats on Tuesday dismissed British Prime Minister Theresa May’s demand for an explanation about the poisoning of a former spy in southern England. “Bearing in mind what the president [of Russia Vladimir Putin] said [in his State-of-the-Nation Address], no one can appear in his or her country’s parliament to say ‘I give Russia 24 hours,’” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Tuesday, according to state-run media. “One should not threaten a nuclear power,” she said. DOD VS. DOE: Trump faces a nuclear weapons program rife with distrust between the Energy Department and Pentagon as he pushes for a new and improved nuclear weapons arsenal, according to a study by the National Academies of Sciences issued Tuesday. The new report funded by the Energy Department says one of the biggest problems stems from “misunderstanding, distrust and frustration” between the Energy Department and the Pentagon. The report looks to address the trust issue as one of “five serious concerns” across the U.S. nuclear weapons program, which is housed within the Energy Department at the National Nuclear Security Administration. The Defense Department is the Department of Energy’s customer for nuclear weapons. THE RUNDOWN New York Times: U.K. Has Weapons to Use Against Russia, All With Drawbacks Bloomberg: Lockheed F-35 Cost Stabilizes at $406 Billion, Pentagon Says AFP: Novichok nerve agent a Russian speciality says expert Business Insider: Russia just announced it will test its allegedly unstoppable new ‘Satan 2’ nuclear missile Air Force Times: Air Force on new secrecy rules: ‘Think like the enemy’ Daily Beast: Gina Haspel, Trump’s CIA Pick, Ran a Laboratory for Torture AP: Pentagon often fails young sex assault victims on bases Breaking Defense: Top Gun For Grunts: Mattis May Revolutionize Infantry Defense News: Trump’s tariffs tied to defense spending irks German officials Army Times: Some soldiers may not be able to handle new pace of training, Guard chief says Defense One: Here’s What the Services Want from Congress This Year Foreign Policy: A Requiem for Rex’s Redesign Military.com: Syrian Regime Has Won Civil War, CentCom Commander Says Defense Tech: Marines Release Specifications for New Mega-Drone USNI News: Electric Boat Awarded Long-Lead Contract for Virginia-Class Block V Attack Boats Navy Times: Navy boots sailor who staged racist attack on his own rack Task and Purpose: Why The Air Force Wants To Keep American Taxpayers In The Dark |
CalendarWEDNESDAY | MARCH 14 7 a.m. 6715 Commerce St. 2018 Human Systems Conference. ndia.org 730 a.m. 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. 2018 Federal Innovation Summit with Neil Mazuranic, Chief of the Mobility Capabilities Branch, DoD Mobility Portfolio Management Office at the Defense Information Systems Agency. fedscoop.com 8 a.m. 800 17th St. NW. Manufacturing Division Meeting. ndia.org 8 a.m. 2401 M St. NW. Defense Writers Group breakfast with IARPA Director Jason Matheny. 8 a.m. 1501 Lee Hwy. Mitchell Hour: Current Acquisition Challenges and Opportunities with a Discussion with Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski, Commander of Air Force Materiel Command. mitchellaerospacepower.org 9 a.m. 1789 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Present and future dangers on the eve of Vladimir Putin’s reelection with Rep. Seth Moulton. aei.org 9 a.m. 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW. The Future of BRAC: A Conversation with Rep. Adam Smith, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee. cato.org 10 a.m. House 140. Subcommittee Hearing on Fiscal Year 2019 Air Force Budget with Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Gen. David Goldfein, Air Force chief of staff. appropriations.house.gov 10 a.m. Dirksen 419. Subcommittee Hearing Somalia’s Current Security and Stability Status. foreign.senate.gov 10 a.m. Rayburn 2118. Hearing on Space Warfighting Readiness: Policies, Authorities, and Capabilities. armedservices.house.gov 10 a.m. Rayburn 2172. Hearing on Modernizing Export Controls: Protecting Cutting-Edge Technology and U.S. National Security. foreignaffairs.house.gov 10 a.m. FY19 Budget Hearing for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation with R. D. James, Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, and Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, Commanding General and Chief of Engineers. appropriations.house.gov 2 p.m. Rayburn 2212. Subcommittee Hearing on Department of the Air Force FY 2019 Budget Request for Sea Power and Projection Forces with Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force; Lt. Gen. Mark Nowland, Deputy Chief of Staff; and Lt. Gen. Jerry Harris, Deputy Chief of Staff. armedservices.house.gov 2:30 p.m. Russell 232-A. Subcommittee Hearing on Department of Energy Atomic Energy Defense Activities and Programs with Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, Undersecretary For Nuclear Security, Department Of Energy, and Adm. James Caldwell, Deputy Administrator For Naval Reactors, National Nuclear Security Administration. armed-services.senate.gov 3:30 p.m. Rayburn 2118. Subcommittee Hearing: A Review and Assessment of the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request for Department of Defense Science and Technology with Michael Griffin, Under Secretary of Defense; Rear Adm. David Hahn, Chief of Naval Research; and Steve Walker, Director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. armedservices.house.gov 5:30 p.m. 1124 9th St. NW. Cocktails & Conversations: Why the Future of the Military is Miles Up. defenseone.com THURSDAY | MARCH 15 8 a.m. 800 17th St. NW. Manufacturing Division Meeting. ndia.org 9:30 a.m. Dirksen G-50. Hearing on United States Pacific Command with Adm. Harry Harris. armed-services.senate.gov 10 a.m. House 140. Subcommittee Hearing on Fiscal Year 2019 Army Budget with Army Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, Chief of Staff of the Army. appropriations.house.gov 10 a.m. Rayburn 2118. Hearing on Security Challenges in Europe and Posture for Inter-state Competition with Russia with Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, Commander of U.S. European Command. armedservices.house.gov 10 a.m. Hart 216. Open Hearing: Nomination of Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone to be the Director of the National Security Agency. intelligence.senate.gov 12:15 p.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. Countering Authoritarianism and Advancing U.S. Interests in Latin America with Sen. Marco Rubio. heritage.org 1:30 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. The My Lai Massacre: History, Lessons, and Legacy. A panel discussion with historians and military law experts. csis.org 2 p.m. Rayburn 2212. Subcommittee Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request on Air Force Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Programs with Lt. Gen. Jerry Harris, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff, and Lt. Gen. Anthony Ierardi, Director of Force Structure, Resources, and Assessments at the Joint Chiefs of Staff. armedservices.house.gov 3:30 p.m. Rayburn 2118. Subcommittee Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request for National Security Space Programs with Kenneth Rapuano, Assistant Secretary of Defense, and Gen. John Raymond, Commander of Air Force Space Command. armedservices.house.gov 4 p.m. 740 15th St. NW. Book discussion of “No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria” with author Rania Abouzeid. newamerica.org FRIDAY | MARCH 16 9:30 a.m. Legal Implications Surrounding the Use of Human Shields. defenddemocracy.org 10 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Strengthening Alliances and Partnerships through Defense Cooperation with Lt. Gen. Charles Hooper, Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. csis.org 11 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. The Logic of American Nuclear Strategy: Why Strategic Superiority Matters. heritage.org 11:15 a.m. 1700 Army Navy Dr. March Women in DoD Luncheon with Vice Adm. Nancy Norton, Director of Defense Information Systems Agency. dcevents.afceachapters.org 1:30 p.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. The National Security Implications of Withdrawing from NAFTA. heritage.org 1:30 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Responding to Russia: Deterring Russian Cyber and Grey Zone Activities. csis.org MONDAY | MARCH 19 1 p.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW. Japan’s Balancing Between Nuclear Disarmament and Deterrence. stimson.org 4 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. 2018 U.S.-Japan Security Seminar: Next Steps on North Korea. csis.org TUESDAY | MARCH 20 7 a.m. 2121 Crystal Dr. Precision Strike Annual Review (PSAR-18). ndia.org 9 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. Kremlin Aggression in Ukraine: Seeking Restitution for Private Property. atlanticcouncil.org 9:30 a.m. Hart 216. Hearing on U.S. Strategic Command with Gen. John Hyten. armed-services.senate.gov 10 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave NE. Public Diplomacy Challenges for the Trump Administration. heritage.org 2:30 p.m. Russell 232-A. Hearing on Marine Corps Ground Modernization with Jimmy Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary Of The Navy For Expeditionary Programs And Logistics Management, and Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, Deputy Commandant For Combat Development And Integration. armed-services.senate.gov WEDNESDAY | MARCH 21 6:45 a.m. 1250 South Hayes St. Special Topic Breakfast with Vice Adm. Charles Ray, Deputy Commandant for Operations, U.S. Coast Guard. navyleague.org 8 a.m. 2101 Wilson Blvd. Health Affairs Breakfast featuring Kenneth Bertram, Principal Assistant for Acquisition for the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. ndia.org 8 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Directed Energy Summit 2018 with Nadia Schadlow, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy. csbaonline.org 10:15 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. Army Vision and Modernization Priorities with Secretary Mark Esper. atlanticcouncil.org 12 noon. Iran’s Ballistic Missiles: Capabilities, Intentions, and the Evolving Threat. defenddemocracy.org 2:30 p.m. Russell 222. Subcommittee Hearing on Ballistic Missile Defense Policies and Programs with John Rood, Under Secretary Of Defense For Policy; Gen. Lori Robinson, Commander of U.S. Northern Command; Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Director of the Missile Defense Agency; and Lt. Gen. James Dickinson, Commanding General of Army Space And Missile Defense Command. armed-services.senate.gov 2:30 p.m. Russell 232-A. SUbcommittee Hearing on Navy Shipbuilding Programs James Geurts, Assistant Secretary of the Navy; Vice Adm. William Merz, Deputy Chief Of Naval Operations; and Brig. Gen. James Adams, Director of Marine Corps Capabilities Development Directorate. armed-services.senate.gov
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