SUMMER OF ATTACKS: Saudi Arabia is the latest to suffer coordinated suicide attacks from Islamist extremists, who hit three cities and killed four security officers as the holy month of Ramadan comes to an end. No claim of responsibility yet.
In Iraq, the death toll continues to rise. The Iraqi government was hopeful that securing the Islamic State stronghold of Fallujah would lessen the threat of attacks in the capital Baghdad, but that has not been the case. The latest grim count of the truck bombing in the crowded marketplace: 175 dead, 200 wounded, with three dozen people still missing. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi has ordered new security measures and there are calls in the city to crack down on “sleeper cells.”
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FLIRTING WITH DISASTER: Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham arrived in Afghanistan as part of a congressional delegation visiting U.S. troops over the July 4th holiday, and made the case for scrapping President Obama’s plan to drawdown the number of U.S. troops there from 9,800 to 5,500 by the end of the year. “I cannot guarantee success if we keep 9,800, but I can ensure you failure if we go to 5,500,” Graham told reporters in Kabul. Rudy Takala reports McCain labeled Obama’s policies in Afghanistan “almost criminal.”
SORRY NO MORE MRAPS FOR YOU: Documents reviewed by Reuters show U.S. officials scrapped plans in 2014 to provide about 300 potentially life-saving armored vehicles to Afghan forces, just as they were preparing to take on the Taliban without NATO combat support. The decision, Reuters says, appeared to be based largely on budgetary reasons
THANK YOU VLAD: Russian President Vladimir Putin had an Independence Day message for America: He pointed to what he called the history of the U.S. and Russia working together to solve “the most difficult international problems to the benefit of both our nations and all humankind.”
Meanwhile comes word that Putin is preparing to send Russia’s biggest battleship to Syria to crush ISIS at source.
CONFERENCE BEGINS: The fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act conference process kicks off this week when the House Rules Committee meets tomorrow at 3 p.m. to begin hammering out differences between the two chambers’ bills, beginning with appointing who will be on the conference committee.
And if you think the amendments that didn’t make it into the NDAA are dead, think again. Some of those amendments may find a new life in other bills. That includes getting visas for Afghan interpreters and what to do about the draft.
DO YOU FEEL SAFER? That’s the question Rep. Mike McCaul wants you to ask when you vote in November. In an interview with Cassi Pollock, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee lists all the national security issues he views as priorities.
NEXT STEPS: Advocates for transgender troops say that Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s decision to allow transgender troops to serve openly leaves very few unanswered questions for services to address. “It’s not difficult to let people be honest about who they are,” said Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center. The services now have 90 days to finalize their plans and create education materials for troops and commanders who may now have transgender troops serving openly with them.
ANNAPOLIS SALUTES SMARTLY: A U.S. Naval Academy spokesman told the Annapolis Capital the academy “will follow direction from the Department of Defense regarding transgender military service.” It’s awaiting the new rules, such as whether it will need to provide single dorm rooms in Bancroft Hall. So far no midshipmen have identified as trans.
RED TAPE AND THE RED PLANET: As we awake to news that NASA’s Juno spacecraft has reached Jupiter, Rudy Takala reports private companies could be making great gains in space exploration, if it wasn’t for all the government regulations. “Right now, American companies that want to be involved in space have to jump through hoops for three federal agencies and their armies of lawyers and bureaucrats,” Florida Republican Rep. Bill Posey told the Washington Examiner. Those agencies include the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Defense and NASA.
ELECTION: President Obama and his former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will travel to Charlotte, North Carolina, together on Air Force One today for that joint campaign appearance that was postponed in the aftermath of the massacre in Orlando. Donald Trump, who has his own plane, wasted no time crying foul: “Why is President Obama allowed to use Air Force One on the campaign trail with Crooked Hillary?” Donald Trump tweeted. “Who pays?” The White House said, “As in other Administrations, we follow all rules and regulations to ensure that the [Democratic National Committee] or other relevant political committee pays what is required for the President to travel to political events.”
DEMS CALL FOR AUMF: The Democrats platform for 2016 calls for a new war authorization specifically tailored to the fight against the Islamic State — something that has so far been a nonstarter on Capitol Hill.
OPINION: OUR UNDIPLOMATIC DIPLOMATS: Matt Purple weighs in with an opinion piece suggesting the dynamic has shifted between the State Department and the Pentagon. “Once cautious operators, our diplomats have become distinctly undiplomatic. Start with the reckless memo that emerged from Foggy Bottom last week, demanding that the United States bomb the forces of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.” Read more at the Examiner.
COOK TIMER: Peter Cook gets another chance today to make his first on time start to the Pentagon briefing since we started the “Cook Timer” for the punctuality-challenged press secretary. Nothing personal, and as of press time the usual 1:30ish briefing was not yet on the official schedule.
CHINA WANTS TO TALK: China is ready to start negotiations with the Philippines on South China Sea-related issues if Manila ignores an arbitration ruling expected next week, reports Reuters quoting the official China Daily. The Philippines brought the case to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague and a ruling is expected on July 12.
“MAGIC CARPET” MAY EASE NAVY PILOTS’ SCARIEST JOB: It stands for “Maritime Augmented Guidance with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision Enabling Technologies,” and what it does reports the Navy Times is put a fighter jet landing on an aircraft carrier into a sort of automatic landing mode that guides the plane’s trajectory to the deck and reduces the frantic adjustments. The “Magic Carpet” system could go on newer F/A-18s, and will be standard on the F-35.
FALLUJAH IN RUINS: It shouldn’t be any surprise to discover that after a year of fighting to wrest control of Fallujah from the Islamic State, the city looks like what it’s been: a war zone. A short video shot by the the BBC shows just how much of the city has been reduced to rubble. We found the video posted here.
THE RUNDOWN
Naval-Technology.com: HII to build new amphibious assault warship LHA 8 for US Navy
Breaking Defense: DepSecDef Work Leads US To Farnborough; F-35B, P-8, & F-18 To Fly
UPI: Raytheon gets $23M Evolved Sea Sparrow contract
Politico: Lockheed’s top government affairs official not registered as lobbyist
Defense One: No, Rubio, ISIS Attacks Are Not About ‘Hating Freedom’
Defense News: Netanyahu Hints at V-22 Orders
Marine Corps Times: Marines to test new GPS-guided mortar round this fall
Breaking Defense: Army’s New Rapid Capabilities Office Studies Electronic Warfare Boost
Washington Post: NATO chief: Surveillance planes to aid anti-IS operations
New York Times: As ISIS Loses Land, It Gains Ground in Overseas Terror
Calendar
WEDNESDAY | JULY 6
10 a.m. Rayburn 2118. House Armed Services committee will hear testimony from four flag officers on aviation readiness. armedservices.house.gov
2 p.m. Dirksen 342. Senate Homeland Security committee will examine the threat of ISIS online radicalization and recruitment, and how to counter it. hsgac.senate.gov
THURSDAY | JULY 7
8:30 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Rep. Mac Thornberry will discuss national security challenges facing the U.S. in light of the FY17 NDAA. heritage.org
10 a.m. Location TBD. House Armed Services committee will discuss the way ahead with Goldwater-Nichols reform. armedservices.house.gov
10 a.m. Rayburn 2167. House Homeland Security committee will examine the threat of smuggling nuclear materials around the globe. homeland.house.gov
10 a.m. Rayburn 2172. House Foreign Affairs committee will hear testimony on the administration’s reckless release of detainees from Guantanamo Bay. foreignaffairs.house.gov
3:30 p.m. Rayburn 2118. House Armed Services committee holds a hearing on maritime disputes in the South China Sea. armedservices.house.gov
FRIDAY | JULY 8
10 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. CSIS and USNI host a discussion with Rear Adm. Charles Richard and Rear Adm. Michael Jabaley on the future of submarine warfare. csis.org
TUESDAY | JULY 12
9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. CSIS hosts its sixth annual South China Sea conference. csis.org
