CUTTING ARMS FOR THE KURDS: The U.S. continues to walk a fine line with Turkey, as it navigates a contentious relationship with a NATO ally infuriated over U.S. military backing for Syrian Kurds fighting the Islamic State in Syria. On Sunday, Turkey’s foreign minister said President Trump told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call that he had “given clear instructions” that no more weapons are to be provided to the Kurds, and quoted Trump as saying “this nonsense should have ended a long time ago.”
A White House statement following the call said Trump simply informed Erdogan of “pending adjustments to the military support” given that the battle for Raqqa was over, and the counter-ISIS campaign is moving into a “stabilization phase.”
Yesterday both the Pentagon and the White House portrayed the move as the logical next step as the fighting against ISIS winds down. “We’ve been clear with Turkey that weapons provided to the Syrian Democratic Forces, which includes Kurdish elements of the SDF, would be limited, mission-specific, and provided incrementally to achieve our objectives,” said Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman. Manning said the Pentagon is constantly assessing what arms and equipment it provides to Syrian forces fighting ISIS, and that the review is simply part of that process. “We are taking a hard look at the adjustments that need to be made to the military support provided to our Kurdish partners,” Manning said. “We’re always taking a look and assessing how we can do that better.”
At the White House, press secretary Sarah Sanders denied the “adjustments” amount to an abandonment of America’s Kurdish partners who provide the crucial combat power to defeat ISIS on the ground. “Look, once we started winning the campaign against ISIS, the plan and part of the process is to always wind down support for certain groups; now that we’re continuing to crush the physical caliphate, that we’re in a position to stop providing military equipment to certain groups,” Sanders said. “But that doesn’t mean stopping all support of those individual groups.”
Turkey considers the Kurdish YPG militia, which make up part of the U.S.-backed Syrian fighters, to be closely linked to the PKK. The U.S. and Turkey consider that to be a terrorist group.
THE PERILS OF PEACE: The U.S. is pinning its hopes on a stable Syria during a new round of U.N.-brokered peace talks in Geneva that began again today. The talks are aimed at finding a political settlement between the Syrian government of Bashar Assad and opposition forces. But two reports this week cast a cloud over the prospects.
The Institute for the Study of War is warning that al Qaeda is growing stronger in southern Syria. “An assassination campaign targeting mainstream opposition commanders and governance officials is facilitating al Qaeda’s consolidation of power along the borders of Jordan and Israel. Southern Syria stands at increasing risk of becoming a second Idlib Province, which currently serves as a formidable safe haven for al Qaeda,” the think tank says.
Meanwhile, Conflict Monitor by IHS Markit predicts the Syrian government is unlikely to adhere to the de-escalation zones established by an agreement once it has fully re-established control over Syria’s Deir al-Zour province. The analysis by IHS Markit principal Middle East analyst, Columb Strack, also concludes it’s likely U.S.-backed Kurdish components of the SDF will be compelled to give back Deir al-Zour’s oilfields to the Syrian government as well as territory captured from ISIS by the SDF in return for a degree of political autonomy within the north.
FICTIONAL TROOP NUMBERS: Despite published reports suggesting the Pentagon was ready to provide a more accurate number of U.S. forces in Syria, and a pledge by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to be more transparent with the American public about the number of U.S. troops in harm’s way, the Pentagon yesterday continued to hide behind its official “force management level” of 503. It’s a number that no one believes, as veteran CBS national security correspondent David Martin pointed out in a spirited back and forth with Pentagon spokesman Manning.
“I do not have an announcement today regarding force management level number in Iraq or Syria. As we’ve said in the past it’s approximately 500 in Syria. Could be more could be less. And its approximately 5,000 in Iraq” Manning said. “Do you believe those numbers? Do you believe that’s an accurate count?” Martin asked. “Those are our official numbers,” Manning replied. “Don’t you think it’s a problem when all the sets of official numbers are wrong?” Martin countered. Manning said the process of determining the actual number of troops is ongoing. “We just have not gotten to a point where we can officially announce that right now.”
The Pentagon’s own Defense Data Manpower Center, as of September, listed 9,123 DoD personnel in Iraq and 1,723 in Syria.
SOMALIA: The U.S. does admit to having some 500 U.S.troops in Somalia helping the Somali government and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). U.S. Africa command announced an airstrike yesterday that killed a terrorist suspected to be connected to ISIS. It’s the latest of 30 airstrikes conducted in Somalia, three of which have targeted ISIS in Somalia.
Last week the U.S. said it hit an al-Shabaab training camp 125 miles from the Somali capital of Mogadishu, killing an estimated 100 enemy fighters. Pentagon officials said it was a dynamic strike, meaning it was a target of opportunity involving multiple aircraft. The U.S. does not reveal what aircraft carried the attack, but most strikes in Somalia are conducted by drones. The Pentagon estimates 3,000 to 6,000 al Shabaab militants are still in Somalia.
DRAMATIC WATER LANDING: Navy officials have been tight lipped about the circumstance that led the crash of a C-2 COD flight that was heading for the USS Ronald Reagan in the Philippine Sea, but the sister of Lt. Steven Combs, who perished in the crash, is describing her brother as a hero for landing a crippled prop plane in the water, facilitating the egress and rescue of eight of the 11 people on board. “That aircraft is not meant to do a water landing and he was able to land it in a way that let people get back to their family,” said Elizabeth Combs, according to The Berkshire Eagle.
Yesterday, Navy officials confirmed to the Washington Examiner that the C-2 Greyhound suffered an engine malfunction short of the the carrier, but said it was too early in the investigation to name that as the cause of the crash. Officials say the investigation is still trying to determine how close the carrier the transport plane was when it went down, and whether it had already started its approach for a landing on the aircraft carrier.
Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre), National Security Writer Travis J. Tritten (@travis_tritten) 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 add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter @dailyondefense.
HAPPENING TODAY: U.S. Afghanistan commander Army Gen. John “Mick” Nicholson, who last week outlined his plan to demoralize and defund the Taliban by targeting their drug labs over the winter, has a follow-up briefing this morning. The commander of the NATO-led Operation Resolute Support and U.S. Forces Afghanistan will be piped into the Pentagon briefing room from his headquarters in Kabul. Streamed live here.
ALSO TODAY: Round two of the briefings from the top noncommissioned officers who are gathered at the Pentagon this week for a conference of senior enlisted advisers. Today’s panel facing off with reporters in the Pentagon briefing room include the senior enlisted advisers from America’s worldwide combatant commands at 3 p.m. Streamed live here.
WHAT READINESS CRISIS?: Earlier this month, Sen. John McCain and Rep. Mac Thornberry pushed a $700 billion defense policy bill with a hike in military spending through Congress because they said it “will help reverse the dangerous readiness crisis that is endangering the lives of our men and women in uniform.” But the military’s top enlisted leaders were not ready to use the word “crisis” during a press conference at the Pentagon. “The first time I ever heard that word is when you said it and I saw it on the news,” Sgt. Major of the Army Daniel Dailey told a reporter who questioned him. “I haven’t had a single soldier tell me in three or four years that we are in crisis.” Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Ronald Green said his service is concerned about the availability of spare equipment parts and getting an annual budget, but not a readiness crisis. “I’ve been in 34 years, every day there is a crisis in something but you walk out and ask the average Marine ‘Are we in a crisis?’ I don’t think they are going to tell you we are in a crisis,” Green said.
The enlisted leaders of the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps said the services are investigating training incidents in an effort to improve safety, but said they view them as part of the everyday risks for a military deployed to about 167 nations around the globe.
TRANSGENDER ENLISTMENTS: A U.S. district judge has told the Trump administration it must follow through with plans to begin recruiting transgender troops into the military on Jan. 1. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly had already ordered a preliminary injunction in October in the Doe v. Trump lawsuit by a group of transgender service members that blocked the Pentagon and Coast Guard from implementing Trump’s ban. But the administration had requested the judge clarify whether Mattis could delay his June decision, made before Trump’s surprise ban announcement, to begin transgender accessions in 2018. Kollar-Kotelly’s response: No. Recruiting must begin in the new year and continue at least until the lawsuit is resolved. “Jan. 1 means Jan. 1. That’s the date when the military can no longer deny transgender people from enlisting,” said Jennifer Levi, a lead attorney for the plaintiffs and the transgender rights project director for GLBTQ Legal Advocates and Defenders.
DEFENDING AN OFFICER: Sens. Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Mike Lee were among the lawmakers who submitted a letter to the Air Force secretary this month supporting a military officer who claims he was wrongly disciplined after declining to sign a certificate of appreciation for a retiring master sergeant’s same-sex spouse.
Air Force Col. Leland Bohannon was relieved of his position as commander of the Air Force Inspection Agency at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico after he refused to sign an optional certificate of appreciation for the spouse in May because he said it conflicted with his religious beliefs. Bohannon requested a religious exemption, which was returned “without action” weeks later, and another officer signed the certificate of appreciation instead.
NON-COMBAT DEATH: The Pentagon has announced that Army Cpl. Todd L. McGurn died on Saturday in Baghdad as the result of a “non-combat related incident.” McGurn, of Riverside, Calif., was assigned to 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, based in Fort Bliss, Texas. His death is under investigation.
LONG-SHOT SENATE BID: A retired U.S. Marine colonel plans to launch a write-in campaign against Republican Roy Moore and Democrat Doug Jones in the Alabama Senate race, according to a report. Retired Marine Col. Lee Busby told the Daily Beast he decided to enter the race after allegations of sexual misconduct against Moore surfaced.
“I have no idea if the allegations against him [are] true or not, but I don’t see anything within his experience as a judge that qualifies him for the job,” Busby, 60, told the publication.
The retired Marine will face off against Moore and Jones in the Dec. 12 special election to fill the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. At least nine women have accused Moore of pursuing inappropriate relationships with them. “Alabama is not happy with the two choices we have down here,” Busby said. “They are not appealing.”
CHINFO HOLIDAY PARTY, PLENTY OF CHEER, NO SPIRITS: The annual holiday party hosted by the Navy’s office of public affairs has enjoyed a reputation over the years as one of the Pentagon’s most spirited celebrations of the season. But this year’s holiday party on the fourth deck offices of the Chief of Information (CHINFO) will be a more sedate affair, because of last year’s unfortunate events.
It was at last year’s boozy office party that a Navy commander, who was a spokesman for the chief of naval operations at the time, was accused of sexual misconduct. Cmdr. Chris Servello was reported to have exhibited “predatory behavior” when he slapped a woman in the buttocks while dressed as Santa Claus. No charges were filed, but Servello, who admitted to having four drinks, lost his job and was forced to resign. Therefore this year’s CHINFO party will feature lots of good food, but no alcohol.
THE RUNDOWN
War on the Rocks: Enough with Political Endorsements from Retired Military Officers
USNI News: USS Fitzgerald Back in Yokosuka After Suffering Damage During Transit
USA Today: Hawaii, eyeing North Korea, readies nuclear war sirens
Roll Call: Senate’s Defense Spending Bill Shows Need for Budget Deal
New York Times: Who Owns Art From Guantánamo Bay? Not Prisoners, U.S. Says
DoD Buzz: War in Afghanistan Heats Up as Fight Against ISIS Winds Down
Military Times: Could an air conditioner take down a military base? The Pentagon is worried
Foreign Policy: Is the Philippines the Next Caliphate?
Defense News: U.S. lawmaker’s government waste report rips military ‘fumbles’
Army Times: SMA: Army looking to recruit 80,000 new soldiers in 2018
Calendar
TUESDAY | NOV. 28
7:30 a.m. 901 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 54th Annual AOC International Symposium and Convention with Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Steve Wilson. crows.org
9 a.m. 529 14th St. NW. Christianity In Iraq after ISIS. press.org
10 a.m. Dirksen 419. Nominations hearing for Christopher Ford to be an assistant secretary of state for international security and non-proliferation and Yleem Poblete to be an assistant secretary of state for verification and compliance. foreign.senate.gov
11 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Address by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson: “The U.S. And Europe: Strengthening Western Alliances.” wilsoncenter.org
1 p.m. 1152 15th St. NW. Quantum technology: What every national security professional needs to know. cnas.org
WEDNESDAY | NOV. 29
7 a.m. 901 Massachusetts Ave. NW. 54th Annual AOC International Symposium and Convention. crows.org
9 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. A coming storm? Shaping a Balkan future in an era of uncertainty. atlanticcouncil.org
10 a.m. Rayburn 2172. Subcommittee hearing on the latest developments in Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. foreignaffairs.house.gov
11 a.m. Rayburn 2362. Supplemental oversight of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers with Ryan Fisher, acting assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, and Major Gen. Ed Jackson, deputy commanding general for civil and emergency operations. appropriations.house.gov
12 p.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. Digital World War: Islamists, Extremists, and the Fight for Cyber Supremacy with Haroon Ullah, chief strategy officer at the Broadcasting Board of Governors. heritage.org
3:30 p.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Book launch of “King of Spies: The Dark Reign of America’s Spymaster in Korea.” wilsoncenter.org
6:30 p.m. 1700 Jefferson Davis Hwy. National Aeronautic Association awards dinner with Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Seve Wilson. naa.aero
6:30 p.m. 529 14th St. NW. 4th Estate dinner and ambassador series Q&A with Iraqi Ambassador Fareed Yasseen. press.org
THURSDAY | NOV. 30
8 a.m. 2401 M St. NW. Defense Writers Group breakfast with Rep. Adam Smith.
8 a.m. 1800 Jefferson Davis Hwy. Special topic breakfast with Major Gen. David Coffman, director of expeditionary warfare. navyleague.org
9 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. A joint conference on Russia and North Korean nuclear weapons. wilsoncenter.org
10 a.m. Dirksen G-50. Testimony from outside experts on recommendations for a future National Defense Strategy. armed-services.senate.gov
10 a.m. Dirksen 419. Nominations hearing for U.S. ambassadors. foreign.senate.gov
10 a.m. House Visitor Center 210. Worldwide threats: Keeping America secure in the new age of terror. homeland.house.gov
2 p.m. House Visitor Center 304. Open hearing in a closed space with testimony by Eric Prince. intelligence.house.gov
FRIDAY | DEC. 1
8 a.m. Rayburn 2212. Hearing on amphibious warfare readiness and training, interoperability, shortfalls, and the way ahead with Lt. Gen. Brian Beaudreault, deputy Marine Corps commandant; Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, deputy chief of naval operations; and Cary Russell, director of defense capabilities and management team at the U.S. Government Accountability Office. armedservices.house.gov
10 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. The Middle East and Russia: American attitudes on Trump’s foreign policy. brookings.edu
1:30 p.m. 740 15th St. NW. Digital World War: Islamists, Extremists, and the Fight for Cyber Supremacy. newamerica.org
MONDAY | DEC. 4
8 a.m. 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Defense Forum Washington 2017 with Navy Secretary Richard V. Spencer. usni.org
12:30 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW. Rebuilding Syria: A localized revitalization strategy. atlanticcouncil.org
5 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Book discussion of “1917: Lenin, Wilson, and the Birth of the New World Disorder” with author Arthur Herman. hudson.org
6 p.m. 1777 F St. NW. Book discussion of “Preventive Engagement: How America Can Avoid War, Stay Strong, and Keep the Peace” with author Paul Stares. cfr.org
TUESDAY | DEC. 5
8 a.m. 2101 Wilson Blvd. Security Cooperation Management Industry Course. ndia.org
8:30 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. PONI 2017 Winter Conference. csis.org
9:30 a.m. 1789 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Military readiness and early childhood: What is the link? aei.org
9:30 a.m. 2301 Constitution Ave. NW. Turmoil across the Middle East: What does it mean? wilsoncenter.org
10 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. Public perspectives on the North Korean nuclear crisis. atlanticcouncil.org
