THEY’RE IN: Elite Iraqi counterterrorism troops have entered Mosul from the east, two years after the Islamic State captured the northern city, and declared it the capital of its caliphate in Iraq. The parts of the city they have secured are largely devoid of civilians, since much of the city’s population fled the fighting or were forced into the city center by ISIS to serve as human shields. At this point, it’s impossible to predict how long the fighting will last. The Islamic State has dug extensive defenses, including a network of tunnels to avoid attack by air. The advancing Iraqi forces face snipers, truck bombs, smokescreens, and booby-traps.
STAYIN’ ALIVE: Next door in Syria, President Bashar Assad is feeling good about himself. Almost certain to outlast the American president who repeatedly demanded he must go, Assad invited Western journalists into his palace in Damascus this week exuding “confidence and friendliness,” according to an account in the New York Times. It was a “surreal meeting” writes Times reporter Anne Barnard. “While hundreds of thousands of Syrians are besieged and hungry, here was Mr. Assad, secure in his palace because he has outsourced much of the war to Russian, Iranian and Hezbollah forces whose influence has grown to a degree that makes some of his own supporters uncomfortable,”
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 Jacqueline Klimas (@jacqklimas) 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 be sure to add you to our list.
Want to learn more about Daily on Defense? See our introductory video here.
MARINE AVIATION AUDIT: The Pentagon Inspector General’s office is going to put Marine Corps Aviation under the microscope. The Corps was informed by way of a one-page letter from Carol Gorman, assistant inspector general for readiness and cyber operations. She writes: “We will determine if United States Marine Corps aviation squadrons have sufficient fully mission-capable aircraft and proficient pilots to meet minimum standards for their mission-essential tasks.” The audit is the second in a series addressing military readiness, and follows several deadly Marine Corps crashes, including the mid-air collision of two CH-53 helicopters in January in which low aircraft availability was a factor in maintaining pilot proficiency.
THE $6 BILLION SURCHARGE: Bloomberg reports this morning that the Pentagon will ask for an additional $6 billion to cover the cost of overseas operations, including the increase of U.S. troops in Iraq, and the slower pace of the drawdown in Afghanistan. Bloomberg quotes Pentagon Comptroller Mike McCord as saying he hopes the White House will agree to submit the request right after the election, ‘‘hopefully in time to inform an omnibus funding bill’’ that would replace a stopgap spending measure set to expire in December.
PROGRESS? The House Armed Services Committee sent an update on Tuesday that, while there won’t be any hearings between now and Veteran’s Day, “the committee continues to conference the FY17 National Defense Authorization Act.” Between the sage grouse and concerns over what Democrats say amounts to discriminatory hiring practices, lawmakers still have some work to do before we see a final product.
On that latter issue, President Obama’s reported plan to veto the defense spending legislation constitutes a “deeply disturbing” attack on religious liberty, according to a top Republican, Joel Gehrke writes. “It is deeply disturbing that President Obama would threaten a veto over what had, until now, been settled law on religious liberty,” Sen. Orrin Hatch said Tuesday. The outcome of the bill will be dictated, in part, by which side wins the messaging war over language that Democrats say would authorize defense contractors to discriminate against LGBT people, while Republicans say they are simply allowing religious groups to follow their beliefs.
BIG SUPPORT FOR AYOTTE: More than 50 New Hampshire Democrats crossed party lines to announce their support for incumbent Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte on Tuesday, giving her one final opportunity to tout her bipartisan appeal before Election Day, Gabby Morrongiello writes. “Some things have to transcend politics, and this year especially, I think all voters have to look beyond party labels at a person’s real record and beliefs,” Lou Prince, a Democrat and the oldest World War II veteran in the Granite State, said in a statement released by Ayotte’s campaign. Prince cited Ayotte’s work in the Senate to improve veterans’ access to medical care and her commitment to solving New Hampshire’s opioid crisis as primary reasons he’s backing her.
UPHILL BATTLE: If Democrats are going to retake the House, they’re going to need to overperform, Jason Russell writes. To regain control, they have to win almost every district that’s considered leaning in their direction, plus pure toss-up districts, in addition to 10 seats that seem to be leaning toward Republican victories. Read about those 10 seats here.
WHERE’S CARTER? Defense Secretary Ash Carter is in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, today observing Army battlefield engineers in training and speaking to troops. Tomorrow he’ll be at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for the change of command at U.S. Strategic Command. Air Force Gen. John Hyten take over from Adm. Cecil Haney as America’s nuclear forces commander. From there Carter goes to the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, for an update on the development of the new long-range stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider.
RECRUITING ROADBLOCKS: While in New York yesterday, Carter complained that some high schools around the country have not gotten the memo about the value of military careers, and the rules about granting access to recruiters. Carter says the Pentagon plans a survey of schools that are not so recruiter-friendly, and plans to gently remind them of the law requiring that military recruiters be allowed access to students. Carter’s speech to the City College of New York extolled the changes in military policies and benefits he’s shepherded through during his tenure, and ended with an appeal to nobility of service.
HAPPY CARRIER MONTH: November is National U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Month and is also the anniversary of multiple naval aviation historic milestones. Watch a moto video here to celebrate.
THE WOMAN WHO WASN’T THERE: Hillary Clinton claimed incorrectly during an address Tuesday evening that she was in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001, T. Becket Adams writes. “I know what happened not far from here at Pulse nightclub in Orlando,” the Democratic nominee said at a campaign rally in Sanford, Fla. “I was in New York City on 9/11 as one of two senators,” Clinton added. “I will defeat ISIS.”
Clinton was in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2001. Congress was still in session. When transportation became available on Sept. 12, she traveled to New York City to survey the damage with then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. Clinton later used her position as an Empire State senator to secure benefits and aid for victims of the 9/11 attacks.
TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE: How big was the Titanic compared to a modern day aircraft carrier? Could you fit the B-2 bomber on a football field? Wonder no more — Huffington Post is sharing visualizations from Kevin Wisbith that show how these defense platforms stack up to other objects in size. In a non-defense tidbit, it also shows how the Death Star would compare to the state of Florida.
NO CONFIRMATION ON KREMLIN CONNECTION: The White House said Tuesday it can’t confirm whether the FBI is investigating Donald Trump’s alleged ties to Russia, Nicole Duran reports. Rumors of some kind of investigation are swirling, although no government official has confirmed a probe is underway. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid chided FBI Director James Comey last week for not thoroughly investigating Trump’s alleged improper ties to the Kremlin, and Democrats have been trying to make Trump’s relationship to Russia part of the campaign.
THE RUNDOWN
Time: China Shows Off Latest Military Innovations at Air Show
Military Times: Special ops troops say the next president needs to give them more people or less work
Buzzfeed: “Same Uniforms, Same Job”: Life On The Mosul Front Before The Election
Military Times: The military may relax recruiting standards for fitness and pot use
USA Today: Pentagon OKs general’s rent-free living courtesy of defense contractor
Military.com: Army Acquisition Chief Retires After Nine Months on the Job
UPI: Lockheed gets $60 million Aegis Weapon System contract modification
Defense One: The NSA Chief Has A Phone For Top-Secret Messaging. Here’s How It Works
Breaking Defense: AUSA Annual Conference Grows For 1st Time In 6 Years
USNI News: Defense Minister: Russian Carrier Group Now in the Mediterranean
Reuters: U.S. officials say North Korea preparing missile launch: report
Calendar
WEDNESDAY | NOVEMBER 2
9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Rear Adm. Christian Becker, the program executive officer for space systems, talks about the role of space in maritime operations. csis.org
12 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW. The Atlantic Council hosts a discussion on what ISIS will become once it is militarily defeated. atlanticcouncil.org
5 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Arnold Punaro launches his new book, On War and Politics: The Battlefield Inside Washington’s Beltway. csis.org
THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 3
9 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. A panel of experts discusses the relationship between Russia and the West after the U.S. presidential election. atlanticcouncil.org
MONDAY | NOVEMBER 7
9:30 a.m. Capitol Visitor’s Center 208/209. Pilots of the F-35 and F-22 talk about fifth generation air combat and maintaining air superiority. mitchellaerospacepower.org
10:30 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. A panel of experts discuss how to improve the security relationship between the U.S. and Georgia. heritage.org
