U.S.-TURKEY AGREEMENT ON RAQQA: Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford emerged from a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Army Gen. Hulusi Akar in Ankara yesterday, and pronounced an understanding had been reached about the way ahead in accommodating Turkey’s desire to play a role in the liberation of Raqqa, Syria. “The coalition and Turkey will work together on the long-term plan for seizing, holding and governing Raqqa,” Dunford told reporters.
The agreement on a way forward comes as the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces announced the beginning of operations there to isolate the Islamic State in Syria and limit its freedom of movement between the Iraqi city of Mosul and Raqqa. The key here is that the SDF, which is dominated by Kurdish fighters, will not be the forces sent into Raqqa in the final assault to liberate it. Turkey strongly objects to the Kurds entering Raqqa, especially the YPG militia, which it considers linked to Kurdish separatist terrorists. Dunford essentially said the U.S. agreed with Turkey that the liberation force needs to be made up of Sunni Arabs, not Kurds. “We always knew the SDF wasn’t the solution for holding and governing Raqqa,” Dunford said. “What we are working on right now is to find the right mix of forces for the operation.”
The top U.S. commander in the region, Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend, issued a statement this morning, which described the SDF offensive as “setting conditions for the ultimate liberation” of Raqqa. “Throughout each phase of the campaign to liberate Raqqah, the Coalition will continually consult with allies and partners as we plan for the city’s ultimate seizure and governance once ISIL is defeated,” Townsend said.
In a statement issued yesterday, Defense Secretary Ash Carter also acknowledged that this is just the beginning of the isolation phase, and the liberation of Raqqa is still down the road. “I welcome today’s announcement by the SDF that the operation to free Raqqa from ISIL’s barbaric grip has begun,” Carter said. “The effort to isolate, and ultimately liberate, Raqqa marks the next step in our coalition campaign plan.”
MOSUL UPDATE: Meanwhile the battle to liberate Mosul has entered its fourth week, and the fighting remains fierce. Kurdish peshmerga forces continue to work their way into the city from the northeast, while Iraqi troops are engaged in tough urban combat in Mosul’s eastern neighborhoods. The fight to free Mosul foreshadows what the Raqqa campaign may also look like.
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SPACEX PUZZLE SOLVED: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called it the “toughest puzzle” his engineers have ever had to solve. But in an interview on CNBC, Musk declared the cause of a dramatic launchpad explosion that destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket Sept. 1 was something that has “never been encountered before in the history of rocketry.” The way Musk explained it, “It basically involves liquid helium, advanced carbon fiber composites, and solid oxygen. Oxygen so cold that it actually enters solid phase.” Musk insists launches could resume next month.
TRAGIC MISTAKE? It’s still not clear how three American troops were killed on Friday in Jordan as their vehicle approached the gate of a Jordanian military base. Initial reports suggest it was Jordanian troops who fired on the U.S. military trainers. One year ago, a Jordanian policeman shot dead two American trainers, as well as a South African and two Jordanians before being shot himself. Friday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said, “The United States is quite interested in getting to the bottom of what exactly occurred. Our expectation is that the government and military officials in Jordan will assist us in that investigation.” The three Special Forces soldiers were identified as Staff Sgts. Matthew Lewellen, Kevin McEnroe and James Moriarty.
Rep. Martha McSally released a statement on Sunday mourning the loss of McEnroe, a Tucson native who was on his third deployment overseas. “He put his life on the line for a higher purpose and sacrificed so that others would be kept safe. Such a tragic loss is felt by our entire community, and he will be remembered and honored for his brave and selfless service.”
The Pentagon also announced the names of the two American service members killed last week in Afghanistan as Capt. Andrew Byers and Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Gloyer. That battle also resulted in dozens of civilian casualties, U.S. military officials confirmed. The operation against Taliban forces to defend Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in the Kunduz province Nov. 3 resulted in heavy American and Afghanistan casualties, an investigation by US Forces-Afghanistan determined Saturday.
SENTENCED FOR TERROR: A Tucson, Arizona, man convicted on terrorism charges was sentenced to eight years in prison and lifetime probation on Friday, Anna Giaritelli writes. Mahin Kahn was arrested in July for expressing support for the Islamic State after he made contact with the terrorist organization about acquiring weapons and bomb-making resources for an attack. He was charged with two counts of terrorism and conspiracy to commit terrorism. On Friday at his sentencing, his father said, “Since Mahin has been imprisoned, he has shown significant signs of remorse for his actions. He understands now that his words can have serious consequences.” Prosecutors had requested 14 years in prison.
CONFIRMED KILL: The Pentagon confirmed Friday that a U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan last month did in fact kill a top al Qaeda leader. “We can now confirm that the precision strike conducted by the U.S. military on Oct. 23 in Kunar, Afghanistan, resulted in the death of senior al Qaeda leader Faruq al-Qatani,” Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a statement. Al-Qatani had served as the terrorist organization’s leader in northeastern Afghanistan. He had been in charge of re-establishing safe havens in the country as well as overseeing plots against the U.S.
OLD RELIABLE: Any reporter who covered the national security back before the turn of the century knew that if you needed a retired flag officer to criticize Pentagon policy, you could always count on to Rear. Adm. Gene La Rocque, a genial and thoughtful critic of defense spending priorities and nuclear weapons. La Rocque died of kidney failure in Washington, Oct. 31 at the age of 98. The Washington Post has a nice remembrance of the career of the outspoken Pentagon critic, who joined the Navy in 1940, served in the Pacific during World War II, and who witnessed the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor in 1941.
THE RUNDOWN
Military Times: Races to watch: Former commandant’s endorsement goes against Marine vet challenger
Defense News: After NDAA, Thornberry to Name New Subcommittee Chairs
Navy Times: The Navy’s new spy plane will make Russia very, very nervous
Defense News: New Warship’s Big Guns Have No Bullets
Washington Post: Russian warplanes keep buzzing the Baltics. Here’s how NATO scrambles.
Air Force Times: New office tests light attack aircraft, other new technologies for future Air Force
UPI: U.S. Navy MUOS-5 satellite reaches orbit
Marine Corps Times: Second recruit dies at Parris Island, third major incident this year
Army Times: Owning the ‘gray zone’
Reuters: Islamic State hits back in Mosul but faces new Raqqa front
Washington Post: How Russia’s lone aircraft carrier will change the fight in Syria
Wall Street Journal: U.S. Military Reassures on Commitment to Europe
War on the Rocks: Trolling for Trump: How Russia is trying to destroy our democracy
Calendar
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 discusses how to improve the security relationship between the U.S. and Georgia. heritage.org
WEDNESDAY | NOVEMBER 9
4:30 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW. The Atlantic Council hosts an event with industry leaders titled, “Corporate-Venture Investing in Aerospace & Defense.” atlanticcouncil.org
THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 10
9:30 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Officials speak on a panel on preventing terrorists from getting chemical weapons. csis.org
10:30 a.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW. Think tank experts talk about security and insecurity in the relationship with Iran after the nuclear deal. stimson.org
5:30 pm. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. National Journal’s James Kitfield speaks about his new book, Twilight Warriors: The Soldiers, Spies, and Special Agents Who Are Revolutionizing the American Way of War. csis.org
