OBAMA EXPANDS AFGHAN MISSION: You can add a third “A” to the U.S. Advise and Assist mission in Afghanistan: “Accompany.” And with that comes a fourth “A:” Airpower. A senior Pentagon official confirmed to Daily on Defense that President Obama last night signed off on expansion of the U.S. role to back up Afghan ground forces, which are sorely lacking in close-air support.
A quick review. In Afghanistan, unlike in Iraq and Syria, U.S. commanders are not authorized to conduct offensive airstrikes against the Taliban, because the U.S. combat mission is supposed to have finished at the end of 2014. However, U.S. troops have been accompanying Afghan special operations forces on some missions, and that in turn allowed commanders to order defensive airstrikes to protect the U.S. “advisers,” who are supposed to remain one terrain feature back from the front lines.
What’s new: As a senior Pentagon official explained last night, the new rules allow U.S. troops to go along with Afghan conventional forces as well, and that expansion on the ground, also expands the ability to use U.S. airpower to protect them. It’s a compromise that doesn’t completely “take the gloves off,” as David Petraeus advocated last month, but it gives the Afghanistan troops the air cover their eight-plane air force is simply not capable of providing.
What about the troops? Still no word on whether Obama is reconsidering his plan to reduce the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan from 9,800 to 5,500 by year’s end. With an expanded mission it may well be that the drawdown will have to be delayed again.
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YOU COULD SEE THAT COMING: The Senate on Thursday voted to keep the fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act top line at $610 billion, rejecting two plans: one to add $18 billion to defense spending and one that added $18 billion to non-defense in addition to the military plus-up.
Minority Leader Harry Reid said that any increase in defense must be matched in non-defense spending because the security of the country “depends on more than bombs and bullets,” while Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham said by blocking the increase in defense, fellow senators are putting troops’ lives at risk. “Oh, we love the military. Everybody loves the military,” Graham said. “Well, your love doesn’t buy a damn thing.”
“If you vote no, you better never say I love the military any more. Because if you really loved them, you’d do something about it,” Graham continued. See the dramatic video here.
This morning the Senate is expected to vote whether to wrap up debate on the defense policy bill.
Meanwhile, McCain spent much of the yesterday day livid. Also drawing his ire: Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, who McCain accused of consigning American allies “to a terrible and cruel death” by objecting to an amendment to expand visas for Afghan interpreters.
THAT $18 BILLION? NO THANKS: The Pentagon was cheering the vote against raising the top line of the defense budget. That’s right, spokesman Peter Cook explained that Defense Secretary Ash Carter believes the “certainty” of sticking to the agreed-upon bipartisan budget limits is more important than a quick infusion of cash for programs that may not be fully funded in the future. There are lots of things the Pentagon doesn’t like in both the Senate and House versions of the NDAA, including provisions it sees as micromanagement or budget gimmickry. At this point, Carter is still threatening to recommend a presidential veto.
HEY, THEY FOUND ‘JOHN FROM IOWA!’ Members of the Benghazi Committee interviewed two drone operators whose aircraft were near the area during the 2012 terrorist attack in Libya, Sarah Westwood reports. One of them had called into Sean Hannity’s radio show in 2013 identifying himself as “John from Iowa,” and the Pentagon later complained that such a person would be too hard to find when they were asked to do so.
Westwood also reported that drones were the focus of emails between State Department officials in Pakistan and Washington that the FBI is investigating as part of the probe into Hillary Clinton’s private email server.
“FBI officials told the Wall Street Journal Thursday that the emails, which were forwarded to Clinton’s unsecured server, discussed whether the State Department should raise concerns about planned CIA drone strikes in Pakistan.”
RUN TO DAYLIGHT: House Speaker Paul Ryan’s national security agenda, unveiled yesterday, was heavy on muscular rhetoric, but light on specifics. It was also light on anything that sounded like Donald Trump’s foreign policy, which the presumptive nominee has described as “America first,” explained as avoiding foreign involvement unless it makes America safer. Ryan’s document puts a lot of daylight between the mainstream GOP and Trump. David Drucker reports the deliberate omission of Trump and his slogans underscored the sharp divide between Trump and the party he is leading into the fall campaign.
TRUMP-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: Trump met with the president of the Aerospace Industries Association in New York on Thursday, as well as leaders of defense contractors like Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
During the briefing, Trump and AIA president David Melcher talked about “issues of importance,” according to a statement. The non-partisan defense lobbying group has also been in talks with the Clinton campaign to offer a similar briefing to the former secretary of state.
HANDWRITING ON THE WALL: Bernie Sanders says he’s staying in. Translation: He’s getting out, but not until after the last primary is over next week in Washington, D.C. We’re dating ourselves, but remember the scene in Butch Cassidy where Sundance says he won’t leave the poker game where he’s accused of cheating unless he’s asked to stay? It’s about respect, and accepting reality.
WORKING ON MURTHA: BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair was awarded a $21 million contract for a fitting-out and post-shakedown availability for the John P. Murtha, a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock.
AXING THE OXFORD PENALTY: In announcing his changes to the military’s 36-year-old “up-or-out” policy Carter told the story of one Lt. Joseph Riley, a rising star in the Army, who was almost unceremoniously kicked out for the potentially career-ending decision to attend Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar.
10,000 FEET UNDER THE SEA: China is building an oceanic “space station” in the South China Sea, in the neighborhood of its man-made islands, David Wilkes reports. Chinese President Xi Jinping isn’t ruling out military use for the station.
WHAT’S THE HOLDUP? The Pentagon says the new policy aimed at allowing transgender troops to serve openly is going to be announced “soon.” It’s been saying that for six months. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland is urging the Pentagon’s working group to speed up its work. Hoyer favors lifting the ban.
GUILTY ADMIRAL: Rear Adm. Robert Gilbeau has pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators in the massive Fat Leonard scandal. “Fat Leonard” is Leonard Glenn Francis who used lavish entertainment and prostitutes to get win lucrative contracts and defraud the Navy. The Washington Post reports the one-star admiral “destroyed papers and computer files after Francis was arrested in an international sting operation” in 2013.
THUNDERBIRDS ARE BACK: The Air Force released video yesterday of the Thunderbirds’ first practice since last week’s crash. Worth it just to see the awesome hand signals.
Speaking of flight demonstration teams crashing, Russia just had one, David Wilkes reports. “The pilot, Maj. Sergei Yeremenko, went down with the jet after a technical malfunction. He was piloting a Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker, a Russian-made competitor to the U.S.-made F-15 Eagle and F-14 Tomcat. The flight demonstration team is known as the Russian Knights.” CNN reported that Russia has since grounded the jets.
And amazingly, two F-5 jets from Switzerland’s demonstration team, the Patrouille Suisse, collided yesterday over the Netherlands, Reuters reported. No one was badly injured.
COOK TIMER: At 1:20 p.m. yesterday it was announced Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook’s scheduled 2 p.m. briefing would be at 2:30 p.m. It actually started at 2:35 so he was just five minutes or 40 minutes late, depending on how you count. Five minutes would be a new “personal best,” for perpetually tardy Cook.
WI-FI-NALLY! The promised Wi-Fi for the Pentagon briefing room (PBR) was fired up for the first time Thursday. It took years of negotiation, and the permission of U.S.Cyber Command to get the go-ahead, but now reporters who zone out during briefings can check Facebook, send Snapchats, and order Nats tickets from their seats. The network is called PBRGuest and the password is ***************.
But not so fast, read the fine print! Most of the time when you have to accept “terms of use” agreement, you just click OK, and hope you’re not signing away your life. But Pentagon reporters using the new briefing room Wi-Fi might want to take a closer look at the conditions. By connecting to the Pentagon wireless network you agree the government can monitor all your communications, and inspect or seize data on any device connected to the network. So if you connect your iPhone to the Wi-Fi, you agree the government has full access to everything on it.
NO OFFENSE INTENDED: This may just be a case of culture clash, but the U.S. was forced to apologize to its good friend Qatar, the host for U.S. air forces at the sprawling al Udeid Air Base in Doha. Some Qataris mistook what appeared to be innocuous jocularity on an outtake of a Army video posted on social media as disrespect for their flag. You can watch the video and judge for yourself.
NBC’S NEW FACE: Hans Nichols, formerly of Bloomberg, will soon take up office space at Pentagon room 2C961, the NBC TV booth. Nichols has been tapped to take over for the retiring Jim Miklaszewski. Nichols was hired by his old boss at Bloomberg, Andy Lack, who now heads NBC News.
THE RUNDOWN
AP: With Women In Combat, Taking The ‘Man’ Out Of Job Titles
Breaking Defense: Open DoD’s Doors To Cyber Talent, Carter Asks Congress
Defense Daily: U.S. Army Awards STG $7 Million Cybersecurity Support Contract
Air Forces Times: B-52s dropping (dummy) bombs over BALTOPS 2016
Defense News: Denmark F-35 Buy Goes Official
Wall Street Journal: Expanding the U.S. Military’s Smart-Power Toolbox
UPI: Gen. Lloyd Austin to join United Technologies
Defense One: Inside the New US War With Brand ISIS
UPI: Battelle, Halyard teaming on Navy medical project
Wall Street Journal: Can Victories Against Islamic State Last Without Support of Sunnis?
CNN: Britain’s Royal Navy warships are breaking down because sea is too hot
Defense One: France Launches New Terror Alert App Ahead of Euro 2016 Tournament
Navy Times: Navy officer accused of spying to face October court-martial
Calendar
FRIDAY | JUNE 10
11:45 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. The Hudson Institute discusses the dangers of a disinterested White House with ISIS in Iraq. hudson.org
1 p.m. Newseum, Washington D.C. Defense Secretary Ash Carter speaks at the Defense One Tech Summit. defenseone.com
MONDAY | JUNE 13
10 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. CSIS and the U.S. Naval Institute host Adm. Paul Zukunft, commandant of the Coast Guard, for a maritime forces update. usni.org
10:30 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Daniel Allyn discusses challenges the Army is facing during a speech at the Heritage Foundation. heritage.org
2:30 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. The Hudson Institute hosts Afghanistan’s ambassador to the U.S. to discuss the fight against the Taliban in light of the death of Mullah Mansour. hudson.org
WEDNESDAY | JUNE 15
8:45 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. The Atlantic Council hosts two panels to discuss security implications in the Black Sea for NATO and its regional partners. atlanticcouncil.org
9 a.m. 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW. The Cato Institute hosts a day-long event on the case for restraint in U.S. foreign policy. cato.org
10 a.m. Rayburn 2118. House Armed Services committee hears from top DoD comptrollers on the Financial Improvement and Audit Readiness plan. armedservices.house.gov
THURSDAY | JUNE 16
9 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. The Atlantic Council will discuss the progress of the Iran nuclear deal. atlanticcouncil.org
3 p.m. 1800 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., keynotes a discussion on Desert Storm and its veterans. brookings.edu
6 p.m. 1301 K St. NW. Michele Flournoy, former undersecretary of defense for policy, and Kathleen Hicks, former principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, discuss Hillary Clinton’s foreign policy platform. hillaryclinton.com
FRIDAY | JUNE 17
1 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW. The Atlantic Council discusses a new national security space strategy. atlanticcouncil.org
