McCONNELL’S REBUKE: President Trump’s move to accelerate the drawdown of U.S. troops from Afghanistan during his final days in office has drawn a sharp rebuke from Republicans in Congress, most notably from Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, who depending on the outcome of Senate runoff elections in Georgia is poised to be the second most powerful person in Washington.
McConnell took to the Senate floor to denounce the troop cuts that leaked out yesterday in various press reports, including plans to roughly halve U.S. forces in Afghanistan from roughly 5,000 to 2,500 by Jan. 15, five days before Joe Biden takes office. In Iraq, about 500 troops would be brought home, a reduction from about 3,000 to 2,500 troops. “Military leaders were told over the weekend about the planned withdrawals and an executive order is in the works but has not yet been delivered to commanders,” reported the Associated Press.
“Of course all wars must end, the question is how they end, and whether the terms on which they end are favorable or unfavorable to the security and interests of the United States. And nothing about the circumstances we face today suggests that if we lose resolve, the terrorists will simply leave us alone,” McConnell said. “A rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan now would hurt our allies and delight the people who wish us harm. Violence affecting Afghans is still rampant. The Taliban is not abiding by the conditions of the so-called peace deal.”
‘A PREMATURE US WITHDRAWAL’: Echoing McConnell was Rep. Michael McCaul, the Republican leader on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “A premature U.S. withdrawal would not only jeopardize the Afghan government’s ability to negotiate, but would endanger U.S. counterterrorism interests,” said McCaul in a statement. “The U.S.-Taliban agreement is conditions-based for a reason — the Taliban cannot be permitted to not fulfill their commitments while we fulfill ours. We need to ensure a residual force is maintained for the foreseeable future to protect U.S. national and homeland security interests and to help secure peace for Afghanistan.”
CONDITIONS ARE NOT RIGHT: It was Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s classified memo to the White House outlining why conditions on the ground were not yet right for a drawdown of troops in Afghanistan that precipitated his firing shortly after Election Day, and a purge of Pentagon officials who might oppose Trump’s plans.
“Taliban violence in Afghanistan continues to be the greatest obstacle to moving forward with the peace process. The sheer volume of Taliban initiated attacks against the people of Afghanistan are not indicative of an organization that’s serious about peace,” U.S. Central Commander Gen. Frank McKenzie told The Burn Bag podcast.
The most recent quarterly report to Congress by Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said Taliban violence remains “unacceptably high,” with average daily enemy-initiated attacks in Afghanistan up 50% over the past three months.
“They’re not seizing the opportunity before them to lower tensions and negotiate a peaceful settlement of the conflict,” said McKenzie. “While the Taliban has clearly demonstrated a will to prevent ISIS from gaining a foothold in Afghanistan, and pronounced a willingness to prevent al Qaeda from doing the same, it is less clear to me that they are committed to denying al Qaeda a presence in Afghanistan.”
CUT WAS ADVERTISED: Trump’s national security adviser Robert O’Brien had already suggested in public remarks last month that Trump was planning to reduce troops in Afghanistan to 2,500 by early 2021 — an announcement that took Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley by surprise. In an interview with NPR, he dismissed the plan as speculation.
It’s believed that President-elect Joe Biden favors keeping a small counterterrorism force in Afghanistan to pursue ISIS and remnants of al Qaeda, as well as pressuring the Taliban to keep their end of the Feb. 29 agreement to negotiate a peace deal with the U.S.-backed Afghan government.
THE OPPOSING VIEW: “Leaving permanent U.S. forces behind in Afghanistan or Iraq would be a mistake. Small numbers of forces, whether labeled as counterterrorism or not, are no magic bullet,” said Benjamin Friedman, director of the group Defense Priorities. “Intelligence gathering with local help, and targeted raids, if necessary, are more effective and can be done from afar with the U.S. military’s ISR [Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance]-Strike capabilities.”
“Reducing the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq to 2,500 would be progress, but the drawdown should continue to zero,” Friedman said. “Full withdrawal should be as orderly and deliberate as possible — but not to the point of needless delay.”
Good Tuesday 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 Victor I. Nava. 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: Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown provides virtual remarks on the Air Force, equity, and inclusion at 11 a.m. to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Pentagon Chief Information Officer Dana Deasy and Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael Groen, director, Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, discuss “The Evolution of the DOD Joint AI Center” at FedScoop FedTalks at 11 a.m.; and Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite speaks at 12 p.m. at the virtual Navy Submarine League Annual Symposium.
‘THERE’S ONLY ONE PRESIDENT AT A TIME’: President-elect Joe Biden continues to hold his planned changes to Trump’s foreign policy agenda close to the vest, but yesterday he did confirm he has had informal conversations with several world leaders.
“I told them under the law, I’m not able to begin to discuss with them; there’s only one president at a time, as to who can say what our policy will be,” Biden said while acknowledging he has signaled the U.S. will likely return to the Paris Climate Accords and the World Health Organization, without giving any specifics.
“That’s a generic notion of rejoining, but I didn’t get into the detail of what we’ll do in that agreement. The same with rejoining the World Health Organization,” Biden told reporters. “You’re asking me about would I join a specific proposal, the details of which are now only being negotiated among those nations. They require negotiation.”
Biden also suggested he will reengage on trade agreements that Trump has rejected as bad deals. “I’m not looking for punitive trade,” Biden said. “The idea that we are poking our finger in the eyes of our friends and embracing autocrats makes no sense to me.”
Biden promised he will have “a pretty thorough plan” to announce on Jan. 21. “I want you to know that there are three things that are going to happen if I’m elected. One, we’re going to invest in American workers and make them more competitive. No. 2, we’re going to make sure that labor is at the table and environmentalists are at the table in any trade deals we make.”
Related: The Biden doctrine: ‘Goodbye, America First. Hello, multilateralism’
LANKFORD: I … WOULD NEVER SAY THAT: Republican Sen. James Lankford tells the Washington Examiner’s Rob Crilly that his widely reported remarks about the need for Joe Biden to get presidential transition intelligence briefings were misconstrued as a concession that Biden won, and Trump lost the election.
Lankford said he would “step in” if the sessions had not started by last Friday. “It suddenly became that I’m out there undercutting the president, declaring … CNN ran a story that I was saying he’s ‘President-elect Biden,’ and he needs to get this,” he told Crilly. “And no, I never said, would never, say that.”
“I referred to him as Joe Biden in all the interviews. We don’t know who the president is yet.”
Yesterday, Trump tweeted: “I won the Election!” but a warning by Twitter stated, “Multiple sources called this election differently,” and clicking on the link takes readers to a post that says, “Joe Biden is the projected winner of the 2020 presidential election.”
IT’S A HIT! The U.S. Missile Defense Agency announced this morning another successful test of the Aegis ship-based missile defense system in the Pacific Ocean area northeast of Hawaii.
The target, designed to replicate a “threat-representative Intercontinental Ballistic Missile” from North Korea, was launched from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands and intercepted by an unnamed U.S. Navy destroyer which fired an SM-3 Block IIA guided missile, destroying the target in flight.
“This was an incredible accomplishment and critical milestone for the Aegis BMD SM-3 Block IIA program,” said the MDA director, Vice Adm. Jon Hill, in a statement. “We have demonstrated that an Aegis BMD-equipped vessel equipped with the SM-3 Block IIA missile can defeat an ICBM-class target, which is a step in the process of determining its feasibility as part of an architecture for layered defense of the homeland.”
FOUR-MONTH SUPPLY OF PPE: The Pentagon says it’s ready for the second wave of COVID-19, having stockpiled a four-month supply of personal protective equipment, including respirators, surgical masks, and gloves.
“The supplies, which aren’t part of the department’s pandemic reserves, were procured by the Defense Logistics Agency to help replenish on-hand stock for military services and geographic combatant commands,” says the Pentagon on its website. “Much of it will be used for patient care at military treatment facilities and by service members training or deployed,” said Army Col. Matthew Voyles, director of DLA Troop Support’s medical supply chain.
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: Military and security experts fear raft of Trump loyalists at DOD could lead to ‘mistakes’
Washington Examiner: McConnell opposes Trump troop withdrawal plan from Afghanistan: Reminiscent of ‘humiliating’ departure from Saigon
Washington Examiner: Republican senator says comments he would ‘step in’ over Biden intel briefings were misinterpreted
Washington Examiner: US uncovered half-dozen Chinese military researchers lying on visas in 2020, DOJ says
Washington Examiner: China will replace concentration camps with high-tech oppression, US diplomat warns
Washington Examiner: The Biden doctrine: ‘Goodbye, America First. Hello, multilateralism’
New York Times: Trump Sought Options For Attacking Iran To Stop Its Growing Nuclear Program
Stars and Stripes: NATO, Acting US Pentagon Chief Discuss Afghanistan
Military.com: 10th US Service Member Dies As Military Coronavirus Cases Near 100,000
Foreign Policy: The World’s Largest Trade Agreement Doesn’t Include The United States
Washington Post: European leaders eager to start a ‘new chapter’ in U.S. relations under Biden
Washington Post: Australia, Japan To Bolster Defense Ties Amid China’s Rise
Reuters: Putin, Extending Russian Footprint, Approves New Naval Facility In Sudan
Reuters: Pompeo Says Europe, U.S. Need To Work Together To Address Turkey
Defense News: The Pentagon Failed Its Audit Again, But Sees Progress
Air Force Magazine: Senate Appropriators Question ABMS Spending
Seapower Magazine: Adm. Caldwell: Submarine Force In ‘Very High Demand’
Defense News: The U.S. Navy Is Moving To Put More Ship-Killer Missiles On Submarines
USNI News: Navy May Extend Life Of Ohio SSBNs To Provide Cushion For Introduction Of Columbia-Class
USNI News: Rare Electric Narco Submarine Seized in Colombia
Breaking Defense: Eye On Arctic, Congress Pushes More C-130Js; Including Ski Planes
Military.com: Marine Corps Creates New Space-Focused Command
Marine Corps Times: Are Phoneless Deployments The Future For Marines?
Daily Beast: I Was a Military COVID Planner. The Vaccine Rollout Is Going to Be a Nightmare.
Real Clear Defense: Three Ways To Make The M1 Abrams The Tank Of The Future
19fortyfive.com: China’s DF-21D And DF-26B ASBMs: Is The U.S. Military Ready?
Calendar
TUESDAY | NOVEMBER 17
9:30 a.m. — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs webinar: “Cross-Strait Relations in Pandemic Times,” with former Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Strategy and Force Development Elbridge Colby, co-founder of the Marathon Initiative; and Shelley Rigger, professor of political science at Davidson College. https://calendar.gwu.edu/cross-strait-relations-pandemic-times
10 a.m. — National Council on U.S. Arab Relations virtual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, with Saudi Prince Turki Al Faisal Al-Saud, chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies. https://ncusar.org/auspc/2020
10 a.m. — Middle East Institute webinar: “U.S. and Iranian Strategies for a Biden Administration,” with Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies; Jon Alterman, director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Middle East Program; Hannah Kaviani, staffer at Radio Farda; and Alex Vatanka, director of the MEI Iran Program. https://www.mei.edu/events
11 a.m. — The Heritage Foundation releases its 2021 Index of U.S. Military Strength, with Texas Rep. Mac Thornberry, ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee; Dakota Wood, senior research fellow for defense programs at Heritage; and Kim Holmes, executive vice president of Heritage. https://www.heritage.org/defense/event/virtual-event
11 a.m. — Chicago Council on Global Affairs discussion with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown. https://www.thechicagocouncil.org/event
1 p.m. — Vice Adm. John Nowell, chief of naval personnel, and Fleet Master Chief Wes Koshoffer, senior enlisted adviser to CNP, host a live town hall event on the MyNavy HR Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/MyNAVYHR
2 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies webcast: “The U.S. Army in the Indo-Pacific,” Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy; and Gen. Paul LaCamera, commander of U.S. Army Pacific. https://www.csis.org/events/online-event
4 p.m. — Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies webinar: “Measure Twice, Cut Once: Assessing Some China-U.S. Technology Connections,” with former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig, assistant director of policy and analysis at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory; former Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Christine Fox; and Eliot Cohen, dean of SAIS. https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events
WEDNESDAY | NOVEMBER 18
8 a.m. — Heritage Foundation webinar: “U.S.-Taiwan Partnership in Challenging Times,” with Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.; Republic of China Mainland Affairs Council Minister Chen Ming-tong; and Kay James, Heritage president. https://www.heritage.org/asia/event
10 a.m. — Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Nuclear Deterrence Forum with retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, a senior fellow at the RAND Corporation and former under secretary of energy for nuclear security. Video posted afterward at https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/aerospace-nation
10 a.m. — National Council on U.S. Arab Relations Annual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, with Former Kuwait Finance Minister Nayef Falah Al-Hajraf, cooperation council for the Arab States of the Gulf Secretary-General; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Joey Hood; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Arabian Gulf Affairs Timothy Lenderking; and Saudi Ambassador to the United States Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. https://ncusar.org/auspc/2020
11 a.m. — Senate Foreign Relations Chairman James Risch, R-Idaho, holds a virtual discussion on a new report, “The United States and Europe: A Concrete Agenda for Transatlantic Cooperation on China,” with Tom Tugendhat, chair of the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee; David McAllister, chair of the EU Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs; and Jamie Fly, senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. https://docs.google.com/forms
12 p.m. — Hudson Institute webinar: “The Role of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in Military Operations,” with Gen. Richard Clarke, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command; Richard Shultz, director of the Tufts University International Security Studies Program; Bryan Clark, director of the Hudson Center for Defense Concepts and Technology; and former Deputy National Security Adviser for Strategy Nadia Schadlow, senior fellow at Hudson. https://www.hudson.org/events
12 p.m. — Association of the U.S. Army “Noon Report” webinar on Army modernization, with Lt. Gen. James Pasquarette, the Army deputy chief of staff, G-8. Register at https://info.ausa.org
12 p.m. — Washington Post Live discussion with former national security adviser John Bolton, with national political reporter Robert Costa. https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live
12 p.m. — Naval Submarine League virtual symposium: “Enabling All-Domain Maneuver Warfare from the Undersea,” with Rear Adm. William Houston, director of Undersea Warfare. https://www.navalsubleague.org/events/annual-symposium
3 p.m. — Ploughshares Fund forum: “Transforming National Security: Nuclear Policy for a New Era,” with Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass.; House Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash.; and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. https://www.ploughshares.org/issues-analysis
3 p.m. — George Washington University Project for Media and National Security Defense Writers Group conversation with Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, commander U.S. Pacific Air Forces. https://nationalsecuritymedia.gwu.edu/
THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 19
9:30 a.m. — Henry L. Stimson Center and the Center for Civilians in Conflict webinar: “Exceptions to the Rules: Civilian Harm and Accountability in the Shadow Wars,” focusing on CIA and Special Operations Forces rules on the lawful use of lethal force. https://www.stimson.org/event/exceptions-to-the-rules
10 a.m. — National Council on U.S. Arab Relations virtual Arab-U.S. Policymakers Conference, with Marine Corps Gen. Frank McKenzie, commander of the U.S. Central Command; U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia John Abizaid; Former CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus, chairman of the KKR Global Institute. https://ncusar.org/auspc/2020
12 p.m. — Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies webinar: “Iran and the U.S. – A Critical Juncture,” with former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, director of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership. https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events
1:30 p.m. — Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies webinar, “China’s Increased Influence in Latin America: Is it a Threat to the Region and the U.S.?” with Army Lt. Col. Albert Marckwardt, Colombia country director in the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Policy and adjunct professor at SAIS. https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events
3:30 p.m. — U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Defense and Aerospace Export Council virtual discussion with former Defense Undersecretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall. https://www.uschamber.com/event
4:30 p.m. — Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies webinar: “U.S. Foreign Policy and Ukraine,” with former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor, vice president for strategic stability and security at the U.S. Institute of Peace. https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events
FRIDAY | NOVEMBER 20
9 a.m. 2118 Rayburn/Webex — House Armed Services Committee Committee hearing: “The US military mission in Afghanistan and implications of the peace process on US involvement,” with Ryan Crocker, nonresident senior fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Stephen Biddle, professor of international and public affairs, Columbia University; Seth Jones, Harold Brown, Center for Strategic and International Studies. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
TUESDAY | DECEMBER 1
TBA — NATO foreign ministers meet for two days via secure teleconference. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will brief reporters both days online. https://www.nato.int
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“A rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan now would hurt our allies and delight the people who wish us harm.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
