GOING “SO SMOOTHLY:” President-elect Trump used his favorite communication platform to reassure a worried nation that his transition is going just fine, thank you. On Twitter, Trump disputed reports of turmoil and infighting, insisting “It is going so smoothly.” In an earlier tweet, Trump insisted the process is “very organized.”
That hasn’t stopped the speculation, based somewhat on the comings and goings at Trump Tower. Sen. Tom Cotton is the latest name to emerge as possible defense secretary, though a lot of the betting is still on Sen. Jeff Sessions, who is also said to be under consideration for attorney general. NBC reported last night that retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn is Trump’s pick for national security adviser, and earlier reports caused a bit of confusion during a Fox News interview last night.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton still appear to top the list for secretary of state, although South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is being mentioned. But as Trump reminded us in a tweet yesterday, “I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!”
PREPARE FOR LANDING: The foot-tapping and watch-checking at Defense and State Departments will soon end, after transition officials announced that “landing teams” will be fanning out to those agencies, along with the Justice Department and the National Security Council, Sarah Westwood writes. Trump’s staff will list the names of those four teams today, Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer said. “It consists of folks that will go to those agencies … and help to facilitate the transitions,” he said.
HUNTER WANTS IN: One the earliest supporters of President-elect Trump in Congress says he’d be open to serving in his administration if he could make an impact. Rep. Duncan Hunter said on Fox News Wednesday he’d want to work in the Pentagon, possibly as deputy secretary of defense, Kyle Feldscher writes. “As DepSecDef, you can get stuff done, knock some heads together in the Pentagon,” Hunter said. Hunter, a former active Marine who is now in the reserves, said he would want to instill a warrior culture in the Defense Department. He said there are too many lawyers and bureaucrats in the Pentagon taking control out of the generals’ hands. How long until someone reminds him that the current deputy defense secretary, Robert Work, is a retired Marine colonel?
What would Hunter do? Check out this interview with the Washington Times this week, in which Hunter said he would reverse the policies opening direct land combat jobs in the infantry and special operations to women, opening the ranks to transgender service members and funding their sex-change procedures, as well as overturning the “liberal agenda” of Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, in particular his order to remove historic job descriptions, and naming warships after liberal Democratic activists.
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NDAA UPDATE: Is it possible the sage grouse debate may be put to roost before Turkey Day? Sen. John McCain says he hopes so. He told reporters that the conference committee met on Tuesday and has the bill “about wrapped up.” Asked if that meant he’d be prepared to release a final bill before Thanksgiving, he said, “I hope so.” Despite McCain’s optimism, experts — and even some other lawmakers — are predicting a December release. Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., said he thought a final bill was two to three weeks out, according to a Defense News report. Politico, meanwhile, is reporting that negotiators have agreed to a topline funding plan in the bill, although other issues need to be worked out. The deal would split the $18 billion difference between the House and Senate versions.
THREE-MONTH SPENDING DEAL? Congress will “likely” take up a three-month spending bill to keep the government funded until the GOP assumes power in Congress and the White House, aides said Wednesday. Susan Ferrechio writes that Republican leaders declined to confirm their plan. Congress faces a Dec. 9 spending deadline and a weeklong Thanksgiving recess that starts Friday. “We are working on how to fund the government,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters Wednesday.
INDEX OF MILITARY WEAKNESS: The Heritage Foundation’s 2017 Index of U.S. Military Strength drew effusive praise from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, who called it “an important reminder that we cannot move fast enough to put an end to sequestration once and for all.” McCain says the report clearly documents how the U.S. “has been degraded by years of underinvestment, poor execution of modernization programs.” The report rates the Army as “weak” and the Air Force, Navy and Marines as “marginal.” It concludes for the U.S. to be able to fight and win two major regional conflicts nearly simultaneously it needs the following force levels (which closely follow Trump’s numbers on the campaign trail):
Army: 50 brigade combat teams
Navy: 346 surface combatants and 624 strike aircraft
Air Force: 1,200 fighter/ground-attack aircraft
Marine Corps: 36 battalions
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: Rep. Jeff Miller is retiring from Congress at the end of 2016, but the widely-speculated top pick to be Trump’s VA secretary may not be leaving Washington. While he said he has not spoken to anyone from the transition team, he said he would definitely think about serving in the position if asked by Trump, who he called a “change agent” for the problem-plagued department. “Any time the president of the United States calls you and asks you to be helpful, especially in an organization that I believe in, it’s something you have to give very serious consideration,” Miller told the Examiner during a sitdown in his office. Miller also talked about his to-do list for his last few weeks as chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee and who he thinks will take up the gavel next year. Read the whole Q&A here.
TURKEY FREELANCING: Turkey these days seems more interested in keeping the Kurds in check than defeating the Islamic State in Syria, and the latest evidence of that is its operation to take the ISIS-controlled city of al-Bab in the north. The U.S. made a point yesterday of saying the operation was not being supported by the counter-Islamic State coalition, of which Turkey is a member. “The coalition has not been a part of the Turkish advance toward al-Bab. This is a national decision that they made,” Col. John Dorrian told Pentagon reporters yesterday. “Certainly we’re not going to wish that any area of northern Syria remain in Daesh [Islamic State] hands, but we have been working in ongoing dialogue with Turkey and with our partners and with other coalition members to try and make sure that we de-conflict all of our operations because we don’t want there to be problems.” Turkey views some of the Kurds as terrorists linked to separatist groups responsible for attacks inside Turkey.
MAD MAX NO MATCH FOR AIRPOWER: You have to look very carefully at the photo released by the U.S. military to see what looks like a garden-variety pickup truck, underneath a mass of welded metal plates. The armor is there to protect a suicide bomber up to the point he blows himself up. The vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, or VBIED, or in English a “truck bomb,” looks like something out of “Mad Max,” and has become the ISIS weapon of choice to try to blunt the Iraqi offensive into Mosul. But whenever one is spotted, an airstrike is called in to take it out. Since the Mosul offensive started Oct 17, 60 Mad Max vehicle bombs have been destroyed from the air, and hundreds were hit before the offensive began.
INTEL COMMITTEE’S NEW TOP DEM: Virginia Sen. Mark Warner will serve as the Democratic Party’s new lead on the Senate Intelligence Committee, replacing California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Rudy Takala writes. “With a new administration starting to assemble its national security team, I look forward to fulfilling the committee’s primary responsibility to provide vigorous and bipartisan oversight,” Warner said in a statement released Wednesday.
RUSSIAN WAR CRIMES: Russian President Vladimir Putin withdrew from the International Criminal Court on Wednesday in response to accusations that his government has committed war crimes in Syria and unjustly annexed Crimea from Ukraine, Joel Gehrke writes. The withdrawal is the latest escalation of diplomatic tensions between Russia and Western powers, as the ICC was formed in 2002 through the United Nations in order to investigate war crimes, acts of genocide and military actions that violate the U.N. charter. Russia’s withdrawal is just the latest blow to the court, which has been also recently been accused of unfairness by African countries. And Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is saying he might follow Russia’s example and withdraw from the ICC as well. The New York Times suggests that might have something to do with the fact Duterte could be charged over the thousands killed in his war on drugs.
On the Russia front, check out this testy exchange between State Department spokesman John Kirby and a reporter from the Kremlin-backed Russia Today, regarding accusations that Russians have bombed hospitals in Syria. (H/T: The Hill’s Kristina Wong.)
POTUS IN GREECE: President Obama on Wednesday called on Europe to respond collectively to threats posed by terrorism and strains caused by Syrian refugees, Sarah Westwood writes. “Democracy is stronger than organizations like ISIL,” Obama said Wednesday at the Stavropol Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens. The president praised Greece for its acceptance of thousands of refugees, noting the country has “inspired the world.” But he also said to applause that those actions don’t mean Greece alone can deal with the Syrian refugee crisis.
WHITE HOUSE HATES NAVY TRADITION: Too much? Forgive us, two thirds of the Daily on Defense crew are alums of Navy Times and we’ve got a soft spot for sea service traditions. The White House on Wednesday weighed in on the Navy’s controversial move to scrap its historical job titles in favor of seaman, petty officer and chief. You won’t be surprised to learn that the White House thinks it’s all a terrific idea, and change is hard. Meanwhile, Mabus, the Navy secretary, was talking up the changes to sailors in Hawaii, saying changes in the Navy’s ratings will benefit their lives and careers.
MEL LAIRD REMEMBERED: Melvin Laird, the first member of Congress to become defense secretary, is being remembered this morning as the man who helped the United States extricate itself from Vietnam and end conscription. “Under President Richard Nixon, Secretary Laird led the Defense Department through a time of great change in the world and within our department,” said current Defense Secretary Ash Carter. “He was always particularly proud that he oversaw the successful transition to an all-volunteer force.” Laird died yesterday in Florida at the age of 94. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry and Ranking Member Adam Smith issued a joint statement: “We were saddened to hear about the passing of Mel Laird. As Secretary of Defense, he led America’s military through a difficult and dangerous time in our history. Our country is better for his service both at the Pentagon and in Congress.”
DEVIL DOG: Marine Corps mascot Chesty the bulldog was spotted in the Capitol basement on Wednesday on his way to a birthday cake cutting in the Senate for the service, which celebrated its 241st anniversary on Nov. 10. No word on if he’ll be facing non-judicial punishment for lying down and refusing to take the escalator.
COOL VIDEO: Check out this time-lapse video from Huntington Ingalls showing the transition and launch of the destroyer Paul Ignatius.
THE RUNDOWN
Washington Post: Trump transition team: Meetings with Pentagon, State Department could begin Friday
Defense One: Decision Time: Half of US F-15s Need Overhauls — Or Retirement
Breaking Defense: DIUx: Will Carter’s Innovation Unit Survive Trump?
Politico: Hoekstra, potential CIA pick, has long foreign, domestic lobbying resume
USNI News: Analysis: Trump, Duterte and the Future of Philippines
Huffington Post: Stunning Aerial Photos Show Extent Of China’s Developments In The South China Sea
UPI: EU approves budget increase for European Defence Agency
Marine Corps Times: Trump pledges to build a Marine Corps that can win two wars. At the same time.
Military.com: Marines Should Deploy with More Ships, Planes: Think Tank
Politico: Tom Cotton hopes lame duck Obama doesn’t take Guantanamo Bay action
Defense One: War in the Information Age
Army Times: Army designs new harness to protect your groin from blast debris
Air Force Times: Meet the next Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force
Federal Times: The Army’s cyber ops has a data problem
Stars and Stripes: Afghans build drone program to improve surveillance capabilities
Reuters: Special Report: Under siege in Mosul, Islamic State turns to executions and paranoia
Washington Post: Hezbollah has U.S. armored personnel carriers. But how did they get them?
UPI: China’s first aircraft carrier ‘combat ready’
Calendar
THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 17
7:15 a.m. 901 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Defense One hosts its annual summit featuring Army Secretary Eric Fanning and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein. defenseone.com
8:30 a.m. Livestream. House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Rep. Adam Smith speaks at the Council on Foreign Relations. cfr.org
9:30 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. The Heritage Foundation hosts an event on the next administration’s relationship with Taiwan. heritage.org
3:30 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Richard Stengel, the State Department’s undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, talks about national security under Obama’s administration. csis.org
MONDAY | NOVEMBER 21
9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. The Center for Strategic and International Studies hosts an event on U.S. and South Korea defense acquisition policy. csis.org
3 p.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright delivers the introduction at a Brookings Institution event on governance and stability in the Arab world. brookings.edu
