THE THREAT REMAINS: The top commander of U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf region says the threat from Iran that prompted the deployment of reinforcements to the area has not diminished.
U.S. Central Commander Gen. Frank McKenzie told reporters traveling with him to Iraq yesterday that the strong U.S. response — accelerating the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group, B-52 bombers, and Patriot missile batteries — has caused Iran to back off, but not back down. “I don’t actually believe the threat has diminished,” McKenzie said. “I believe the threat is very real.”
“I hesitate to say that deterrence has been established,” he said, according to the Associated Press. “We continue to see possible imminent threats” of a potential Iranian attack, he said, calling the intelligence as clear and compelling as any he has seen in years.
In a separate interview with NBC’s Courtney Kube, McKenzie also described the threat by Iran or their proxies as “imminent,” adding: “We continually evaluate our force posture in the region.” Kube reported that McKenzie is particularly concerned about Iranian drones that have been probing U.S. bases in the region.
McKenzie was in Baghdad for just one day, meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi and Gen. Othman Al-Ghanmi, the Iraqi Army chief of staff.
TRUMP DOWNPLAYS DIFFERENCES: President Trump, in France for D-Day commemoration ceremonies, downplayed the rift between the U.S. and its European allies over Iran policy. Britain, France, and Germany all support the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that Trump pulled the U.S. out of a year ago.
“I don’t think we have differences over Iran,” said Trump speaking beside French President Emmanuel Macron. “I don’t think that the president wants to see nuclear weapons, and neither do I.”
“I think we do share the same objectives on Iran,” Macron noted in response, but pointedly mentioned that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action restricts Iran nuclear program for 10 years. “What do we want to do? First, you want to be sure they don’t get nuclear weapon. I mean, we had an instrument until 2025.”
Trump said with U.S. sanctions crippling Iran’s economy, he expects they will agree to a new, tougher deal, eventually. “The sanctions have been extraordinary — how powerful they’ve been,” Trump said. “I understand they want to talk. And if they want to talk, that’s fine. We’ll talk. But the one thing that they can’t have is they can’t have nuclear weapons.”
Good Friday 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 Kelly Jane Torrance (@kjtorrance). 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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HAPPENING TODAY: Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan welcomes Greek Defense Minister Evangelos Apostolakis to the Pentagon at 11 a.m.
US NAVY ACCUSES RUSSIA IN NEAR-COLLISION: Word this morning is that the U.S. Navy is accusing a Russian destroyer of “unsafe and unprofessional” maneuvers that risked a collision with the U.S. guided missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville in the Philippine Sea.
“At approximately 11:45 am on June 7, 2019 while operating in the Philippine Sea, a Russian Destroyer (UDALOY I DD 572) made an unsafe maneuver against USS Chancellorsville , closing to between 50 and 100 feet, putting the safety of her crew and ship at risk,” said Cmdr. Clayton Doss, a spokesman for the U.S. 7th Fleet, in a statement.
The Navy says the Chancellorsville was recovering its helicopter on a steady course and speed when the Russian maneuvered from behind and to the right of the U.S warship and “accelerated and closed to an unsafe distance.”
“This unsafe action forced Chancellorsville to execute all engines back full and to maneuver to avoid collision,” Doss said. “We consider Russia’s actions during this interaction as unsafe and unprofessional and not in accordance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.”
ANOTHER SIGN THE TURKEY TALKS AREN’T GOING WELL: The U.S. has been getting nowhere in its effort to convince NATO ally Turkey to cancel its purchase of Russian S-400 air defenses, which the Pentagon says are incompatible with the U.S. F-35 joint strike fighter jet.
Turkey is a production partner in building the plane, and has plans to buy 100 of the fifth-generation stealth fighters, but the U.S. says it can’t operate the Russian system alongside the F-35, because it would compromise some of the plane’s classified flight characteristics.
Now Reuters is reporting the U.S. has decided to stop accepting any additional Turkish pilots to train on F-35 fighter jets at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, where four pilots are training on two Turkish F-35s delivered to Turkey, but still on U.S. soil.
Two U.S. officials told Reuters there is a possibility that the decision could be reversed, if Turkey altered its plans.
KEPT IN THE DARK: Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J, chairman of the Foriegn Relations Committee complains it’s “a continuing challenge” to get intelligence briefings or even routine information from the Trump Administration, which is needed to make informed policy decisions.
Often, members of Congress are not aware of intelligence, such as recent reports that China has been helping Saudi Arabia escalate its ballistic missile program, until it’s reported in the media. “They do not share information,” Menendez said on CNN yesterday. “And it is only when you find out through sometimes other sources and you challenge them that you finally get the information.”
“This is dangerous. Because at the end of the day, we cannot make foreign policy and national security decisions in Congress without having the totality of the information, to understand what actions we should and should not take,” Menendez said.
GAO SAYS ICE NOT FULLY CONSIDERING VETS’ RECORDS: You don’t have to be an American citizen to serve in the U.S. military, but you do have to be in the country legally. And military service can in certain cases lead to citizenship.
So before Immigration and Customs Enforcement deports any noncitizens for violation of immigration law, it is supposed to follow a number of requirements, such as considering their service record.
A Government Accountability Office report finds that often doesn’t happen. “We found ICE did not consistently follow these policies from 2013-2018,” the report states. “ICE also does not maintain complete electronic data on these veterans. As a result, ICE does not know how many veterans have been placed in removal proceedings or removed.”
WEST POINT ACCIDENT: One West Point cadet was killed and 20 cadets and two soldiers were injured after a roll-over accident yesterday that involved a M1085 medium tactical vehicle long wheelbase cargo truck.
“A troop vehicle carrying 20 cadets, operated by two soldiers, was traveling to a land navigation training site when it was involved in a rollover accident,” said Lt. Gen. Darryl Williams, West Point superintendent. “The cadets were involved in a standard training exercise that occurs as a part of their military training program here at West Point.”
The injuries were described as “non-life-threatening,” ranging from facial abrasions to a broken arm.
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: Border Patrol’s secret eyes in the skies: 1,200 active-duty troops lead agents to illegal crossers
Washington Examiner: Big ideas for the Pentagon, going nowhere
Military Times: The military is being pulled deeper into the climate change debate
Bloomberg: As North Korea Threat Grows, U.S. Anti-Missile Warhead Stumbles
Al-Monitor: US Syria envoy says ‘no role’ for Europe in proposed safe zone
Air Force Magazine: Flight Suits Designed for Women
Air Force Times: Beard and turban approved for Sikh airman
New York Times: Marine Pleads Guilty to Hazing Death of Green Beret in Mali
Air Force Magazine: Head of Air Force Warfare Center Relieved of Command ‘
Wall Street Journal: Opinion: Rep. Mike Turner — A Dangerous Plan to Limit U.S. Nukes
Calendar
FRIDAY | JUNE 7
8:30 a.m. 300 First Street S.E. National Defense Industrial Association, the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, the Air Force Association and the Reserve Officers Association forum on “Escalation and Limited Wars with China or Russia?” Speakers: Elbridge Colby, director of defense programs at New America; and James Acton, co-director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Nuclear Policy Program.
9:30 a.m. 215 Dirksen. U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission receives testimony on “Competition in Artificial Intelligence: Policy, Industry, and Strategy” and “New and Critical Materials: Identifying Potential Dual-Use Areas.” Full agenda at www.uscc.gov/Hearings
1 p.m. 2212 Rayburn. House Armed Services Committee majority staff hold an off-camera background briefing for Capitol Hill credentialed media only ahead of the June 12 full committee markup of FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. All information from the briefing is embargoed until Monday, June 10 at 10 a.m.
MONDAY | JUNE 10
9 a.m. 2201 G. St. N.W. Defense Writers Group breakfast with Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, who discusses Democratic priorities in Wednesday’s markup of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. Nationalsecuritymedia.gwu.edu
2 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W. Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion with Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee on the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. www.csis.org/events
TUESDAY | JUNE 11
8 a.m. 2201 G. St. N.W. Defense Writers Group breakfast with Rep. Mac Thornberry, R, Texas, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, who discusses Republican priorities in Wednesday’s markup of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. Nationalsecuritymedia.gwu.edu
8 a.m. 923 16th St. N.W. All day symposium on “Poland’s Security & Economic Partnership with the United States: An Enduring Alliance,” to coincide with the visit of Poland’s President Andrezj Duda to Washington. Speakers include: Poland’s Minister of Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak, Polish Ambassador to the U.S. Piotr Wilczek, and U.S. Ambassador to Poland Georgette Mosbacher.
10 a.m. 226 Dirksen. Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan testifies before Senate Judiciary Committee on “The Secure and Protect Act: A Legislative Fix to the Crisis at the Southwest Border.” www.judiciary.senate.gov
WEDNESDAY | JUNE 12
8:30 a.m. 1301 K St N.W. Washington Post Beijing Bureau Chief Anna Fifieldl speaks with Post columnist David Ignatius about her forthcoming book “The Great Successor: The Divinely Perfect Destiny of Brilliant Comrade Kim Jong Un.” Steamed live at www.washingtonpost.com/post-live-worldview-north-korea
10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn. House Armed Services full committee markup of the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
3 p.m. 215 Dirksen. Senate Finance International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness Subcommittee hearing on “China’s Belt and Road Initiative.” Witnesses: Carolyn Bartholomew, chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission; Roy Kamphausen, commissioner of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission; Daniel Kliman, senior fellow and director of the Center for a New American Security’s Asia-Pacific Security Program, Washington, D.C.; and Derek Scissors, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. www.finance.senate.gov/hearings
THURSDAY | JUNE 13
9 a.m. 1100 Longworth. House Select Intelligence Committee hearing on “National Security Challenges of Artificial Intelligence, Manipulated Media, and ‘Deepfakes.'”
https://intelligence.house.gov
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“When you are a piggybank that everybody steals and robs from and they deceive you … like they’ve been doing for 25 years, tariffs are a beautiful thing. It’s a beautiful word, if you know how to use them properly.”
President Trump, in a Fox interview with Laura Ingraham defending his plan to impose tariffs on Mexico to force it to do more to secure its border with the U.S.
