MOSCOW DENIES CONVOY ATTACK: Russia insists it did not attack the convoy of trucks delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo, disputing unnamed U.S. officials who blamed Russian airstrikes for the attack that killed 20 people and effectively scuttled the already foundering U.S.-Russian cease-fire agreement. Officially, the U.S said it was either Syria or Russia that hit the convoy, but in either case Moscow is responsible because under the agreement Russia was supposed to make sure Syria’s air force was grounded. The Russian Defense Ministry released drone footage showing it monitored the convoy, but spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said, “No airstrikes were carried out against a humanitarian aid convoy in a southwestern suburb of Aleppo by Russian or Syrian aviation.” Russia suggested that “militants” on the ground were responsible for the attack.
At the White House, Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes rejected that narrative “All of our information indicates clearly that this was an airstrike. That means there only could have been two entities responsible, either the Syrian regime or the Russian government. In any event, we hold the Russian government responsible for airstrikes in this space given that their commitment under the Cessation of Hostilities was to certainly ground air operations in places where humanitarian assistance is flowing.” Rhodes said the attack showed a “complete failure to demonstrate good faith on the Russian side.” But despite all that, Rhodes insisted Secretary of State John Kerry has not yet given up on the cease-fire deal.
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RETURN OF THE LANCER: In the latest show of force intended to send a message of resolve to North Korea in the wake of its nuclear testing, the U.S. dispatched another pair of B-1B Lancer bombers from Guam to fly over South Korea, and this time one of the B-1s landed at Osan Air Base. The first time the B-1s flew over the South, Pyongyang professed to be unimpressed, dismissing the flight of the American bomber, which no longer has a nuclear mission, as a “bluff.” This time, the U.S. included this language about the Cold War era B-1’s muscular capabilities. “The B-1 Lancer is a four-engine supersonic variable-sweep wing, jet-powered heavy supersonic strategic bomber with Mach 2 speed. The aircraft is capable of carrying the largest payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory. It can rapidly deliver massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against any adversary, anywhere in the world, at any time. The aircraft holds almost 50 world records for speed, payload, range, and time of climb in its class.”
U.S. GENERAL: NORTH KOREA “WILL GET THERE”: A day after Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the prospects for a diplomatic solution to North Korea are dim, the Air Force general nominated to be the next commander of America’s nuclear arsenal told Congress he thinks North Korea will succeed in becoming a nuclear-armed state. At his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Air Force Gen. John Hyten said while North Korea’s testing is crude by U.S. standards, it’s just a matter of time before it achieves a credible nuclear capability. “So what concerns me most is they will get there. They’re gonna get there, and once they have those capabilities, what are they going to do with them? That’s my biggest concern. And if I’m confirmed as commander of STRATCOM that will be at the top of my list, to figure out how we best respond to that threat.”
At the hearing, Hyten also expressed unqualified support for rebuilding all three legs of America’s nuclear triad of bombers, submarines and land-based missiles, although he balked at the estimated cost of $1 trillion. And Hyten advocated elevating U.S. Cyber Command to a full-fledged combatant command, given the increasing importance of cyber warfare.
FLYNN DEFENDS PROFILING: In an wide-ranging interview for the Washington Examiner’s “Examining Politics,” podcast, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, a top adviser to Donald Trump, defended profiling as a necessary tool for police to prevent the kind of terrorist bombing that occurred in New York and New Jersey. “In many cases, you find cities where there’s a lot of withholding of this idea,” Flynn said, “because law enforcement professionals are going to be held back from what they know they need to be doing.” Asked if that was a factor in the case of Ahmad Khan Rahami, the suspect arrested in connection with the New York and New Jersey bombings, Flynn said, “I think if there’s a detailed lesson learned, you sorta peel the onion back, you do the serious forensics of why and what was going on with this individual I think you are going to find out those kinds of things.”
In the podcast, Flynn discusses his advice to Trump on defeating ISIS and compelling China to use its influence on North Korea, gives his reaction to Colin Powell’s disparaging description of Flynn in leaked emails, explains why he was fired as Defense Intelligence Agency director by the Obama administration, and discusses the prospect he might serve in a Trump administration.
FOWL PLAY: Sen. John McCain on Tuesday finally confirmed what many analysts have been speculating for months: we’re not going to see a final fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act until the lame duck. The biggest hold up? Lawmakers are apparently unable to reach a compromise on whether to designate the sage grouse as an endangered species. Progress has been made on other fronts, like acquisition reform, but McCain said he couldn’t get into any specifics until the bill is done since nothing is final until everything is final.
TOP BRASS TO THE HILL: Tomorrow, McCain will host Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford at his Senate Armed Services Committee. Asked what prompted the hearing, McCain said he plans to ask some questions about how much more money it’ll take to keep more troops in Iraq and Syria than the president’s budget calls for.
“It’s primarily a regular update, but also, they say they’re going to have to come to Congress with a supplemental to pay for the other activities in Iraq and Syria that they’ve been having to spend, obviously, additional money for. That’s one of the reasons,” McCain said.
CYBER AT THE FOREFRONT: Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, released an updated counterterrorism strategy on Tuesday that emphasizes countering cyber threats from jihadist groups. “I think the main difference is the digital age. The fact [is] that Bin Laden was very top to down command and control, very primitive in his communications,” McCaul said during an event at the American Enterprise Institute. “Now we have this new generation of terrorists who are very savvy on the Internet. They know how to exploit it to both recruit, to train and radicalize from within.”
FAMILIES CALL FOR JUSTICE: On Tuesday, Sen. Richard Blumenthal joined families who lost a loved one in the 9/11 terrorist attacks in calling for President Obama to sign the bill that would allow them to sue Saudi Arabia for damages. “I respect him and his office and his reasons for opposing this measure, but I disagree strongly,” Blumenthal said, adding that Congress has the votes to overcome a veto.
MOVEMENT ON MOSUL: Signs point to an October timeframe for the Iraqi offensive to liberate Mosul from the grip of the Islamic State. Speaking to reporters after a trip to Europe, Dunford said, “Our job is to actually help the Iraqis generate the forces and the support necessary for operations in Mosul and we’ll be ready for that in October,” he said. “The noose is gradually tightening around Mosul.” And when President Obama met with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in New York this week he said, “So, hopefully, by the end of this year, we will have seen further progress with respect to Mosul.” Reports from Iraq indicate Iraqi forces are moving to retake a northern town of Sherqat about 60 miles south of Mosul.
REAL TALK ON RIYADH: The Senate will vote on a resolution that would signal its “disapproval” of U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday, Susan Ferrechio and Joel Gehrke write. McConnell said he won’t support the measure but is going to bring it to the floor. The GOP sponsor is McConnell’s fellow Kentuckian, Sen. Rand Paul, an important state ally. Paul authored the resolution with Sen. Chris Murphy. “The joint resolution of disapproval allows … Congress to force a vote on blocking the Saudi arms sale of Abrams tanks and associated major defense articles,” Paul said in a statement.
Earlier in the day, Paul referred to Saudi Arabia as America’s “frenemy.” “I would say sometimes they’re our ally, sometimes they’re our enemy,” Paul said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I think [New York Times columnist] Thomas Friedman put it well about a year ago when he said they’re both arsonists and firefighters — sometimes they help us, and sometimes they don’t.”
NATO COMMITMENT: Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein didn’t reference Donald Trump by name, but he did soundly dispute the GOP nominee’s assertions that NATO is obsolete and rejected the premise that the U.S. may not support its allies who don’t pay up. “We stand with you. This is the strongest alliance on the planet and we have stood with you before as you have stood with us and we will stand with you in the future,” Goldfein said.
OBAMA AT THE U.N.: You didn’t have to listen too closely to Obama’s final speech to the U.N. General Assembly to hear a warning about a Trump presidency, Susan Crabtree writes. “Today, a nation ringed by walls would only imprison itself,” Obama said. He warned several times against persecuting people of different faiths and cultures, and said the world is at a crossroads, and must choose to either move ahead with global cooperation, or retreat inward. “We all face a choice,” Obama told world leaders. “We can choose to press forward with a better model of cooperation and integration, or we can retreat to a world sharply divided and ultimately in conflict along age-old lines” of tribes, religion and cultures.
He also pressed the case for admitting more Syrian refugees. Writes Crabtree: “Today, now, we have to do more to open our hearts to refugees” who need a home. “We have to follow through even when the politics are hard.” The world is facing a refugee crisis like none since World War II, with 65 million refugees displaced worldwide, and 5 million from Syria alone, according to administration figures. Obama also issued his call just days after terrorist attacks in New York and New Jersey that rekindled fears about how immigrants and refugees might increase the risks of terrorism. But Obama said countries need to see refugees as people who desperately need help.
SPY PLANE CRASH: After first tweeting that two pilots of a U-2 reconnaissance ejected safely when the plane went down in northern California yesterday, the Air Force later said one pilot died and the other was injured when the plane crashed in the Sutter Buttes, a mountain range about 60 miles north of Sacramento.The U-2 is a single-seat spy plane, but there are some two-seat versions that are used for training.
THE RUNDOWN
Defense News: Bogdan: F-35 Coolant Line Fix Coming in Weeks
Breaking Defense: Artificial Intelligence For Air Force: Cyber & Electronic Warfare
Defense News: Air Force Could Pursue Stealthy Aerial-Refueling Tanker
UPI: Al Raha gets $355 million U.S. contract for Saudi F-15s
USNI News: Next-Generation Destroyer Zumwalt Sidelined for Repairs After Engineering Casualty
Navy Times: This Navy electronic attack jet took flight on beef fat
Military.com: Marines’ F/A-18 Hornet Stand-Down Addressed Ground Mishaps: Neller
Military Times: Lindsey Graham wants bomb suspect held as enemy combatant
Wall Street Journal: U.S. Intelligence Chief Suggests Russia Was Behind Election-Linked Hacks
Military Times: The U.S. military just froze its plans to cooperate with Russia in Syria
Defense One: To Counter Russian Disinformation, Look to Cold War Tactics
MSNBC: Does Donald Trump’s rhetoric aid ISIS?
Reuters: Clinton calls national security team after attacks, as Trump challenges her credentials
CNN: Amal Clooney wants to take ISIS to court
New York Times: 15 Years Into Afghan War, Americans Would Rather Not Talk About It
Military.com: North Korea Claims Successful Ground Test of New Rocket Engine
Calendar
WEDNESDAY | SEPTEMBER 21
8:30 a.m. National Harbor, Md. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford kicks off the third day of the Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference. afa.org
9:30 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. A panel of experts discusses the future of the Army. atlanticcouncil.org
10 a.m. Rayburn 2118. Former officials and experts testify on the state of the fight against Islamic terrorism 15 years after 9/11. armedservices.house.gov
10 a.m. Cannon 311. The House Homeland Security Committee holds a hearing on preventing terrorist attacks in the U.S. homeland.house.gov
12 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW. A panel of academic experts talks about a smarter strategy for countering violent extremists like the Islamic State. atlanticcouncil.org
2 p.m. Rayburn 2212. Analysts testify about U.S. seapower and projection forces in the South China Sea. armedservices.house.gov
6 p.m. Livestream. Vice President Joe Biden speaks about the future of U.S. foreign policy. cfr.org
THURSDAY | SEPTEMBER 22
9:30 a.m. Dirksen G-50. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee. armed-services.senate.gov
10 a.m. Cannon 311. The House Homeland Security Committee holds a hearing on identifying and defeating the threat from Islamic radical terrorists. homeland.house.gov
11 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. Rep. Ryan Zinke and Rep. Steve Russell, two veterans serving in Congress, speak about the unique perspectives veterans can bring to the legislative process. heritage.org
12:30 p.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW. Rep. Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, speaks at a luncheon hosted by the Stimson Center. stimson.org
2 p.m. Rayburn 2172. Think tank analysts testify about diplomacy in the South China Sea following the decision this year by an international tribunal. foreignaffairs.house.gov
FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 23
9:30 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Industry representatives from Boeing, Bell Helicopter and Rockwell Collins speak at an event about the Pentagon’s future vertical lift program. csis.org
12 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW. The Atlantic Council hosts an event analyzing Iran’s conventional missile program. atlanticcouncil.org
4:30 p.m. Livestream. Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks about U.S.-Iran relations and nuclear security. cfr.org
MONDAY | SEPTEMBER 26
10 a.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW. Stimson hosts a public symposium on the global security challenges for the U.S.-Japan alliance and partnership. Stimson.org
TUESDAY | SEPTEMBER 27
10 a.m. Dirksen 342. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson testifies about threats to the homeland 15 years after 9/11. hsgac.senate.gov
