TRUMP BREAKS WITH PENCE OVER ASSAD: Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton battled through a list of national security issues during last night’s debate, but the real shock came when Trump clashed with his own running mate. When moderator Martha Raddatz asked about Mike Pence’s recent statement that the U.S. should consider attacking the Assad regime to prevent further humanitarian disaster, Trump said no way.
“OK. He and I haven’t spoken, and I disagree.”
“You disagree with your running mate?” Raddatz asked.
“I disagree,” Trump responded. “Right now, Syria is fighting ISIS. We have people that want to fight both at the same time. But Syria is no longer Syria. Syria is Russia and it’s Iran who she [Clinton] made strong and Kerry and Obama made into a powerful nation and a rich nation, very quickly, very, very quickly. I believe we have to get ISIS. We have to worry about ISIS before we can get too much more involved.”
If the comment bothered Pence, he didn’t show it on Twitter.
Here’s a look at the other top national security moments from the debate.
Terrorism
Trump: These are radical Islamic terrorists and she won’t even mention the word and nor will President Obama. He won’t use the term radical Islamic terrorist, no. To solve a problem you have to be able to state what the problem is or at least, say the name.
Clinton: It’s also important, I intend to defeat ISIS, to do so in a coalition with majority Muslim nations. Right now, a lot of those nations are hearing what Donald says and wondering why should we cooperate with the Americans and this is a gift to ISIS and the terrorists. Violent jihadist terrorists. We are not at war with Islam and it is a mistake, and it plays into the hands of the terrorists, to act as though we are.
Capt. Khan
Clinton: [T]here has been a lot of very divise, dark things said about Muslims. And even someone like Capt. [Humayan] Khan, the young man who sacrificed himself defending our country in the United States Army has been subject to attack by Donald.
Trump: First of all, Captain Khan is an American hero and if I were president at that time he would be alive today because, unlike her who voted for the war without knowing what she was doing, I would not have had our people in Iraq.
[Trump’s comment drew a salty response from Clinton’s foreign policy spokesman, who later apologized.]
Refugees
Trump: It is called extreme vetting. We are going to areas like Syria where they are coming in by the tens of thousands because of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton wants to allow a 550% increase over Obama.
Clinton: First of all, I will not let anyone into our country that I think poses a risk to us. But there are a lot of refugees, women and children, think of that picture we all saw of that 4-year-old boy with the blood on his forehead because he’d been bombed by the Russian and Syrian air forces. There are children suffering in this catastrophic war, largely, I believe because of Russian aggression.
Vladimir Putin
Clinton: We have never in the history of our country been in a situation where an adversary, a foreign power, is working so hard to influence the outcome of the election, and believe, they’re not doing it to get me elected. They are doing it to try to influence the election for Donald Trump. Now, maybe because he praised Putin, maybe because he says he agrees with a lot of what Putin wants to do, maybe because he wants to do business in Moscow.
Trump: But, as far as other elements of what you were saying, I don’t know Putin. I think it would be great if we got along with Russia because we could fight ISIS together, as an example, but I don’t know Putin. But I notice, any time anything wrong happens, they like to say the Russians, well she doesn’t know if it’s the Russians doing the hacking. Maybe there is no hacking, but there is — now Russia — and the reason they blame Russia is they think they’re trying to tarnish me with Russia. I know nothing about Russia — I know about Russia, but I know nothing about the inner workings of Russia.
Syria
Clinton: So I, when I was secretary of state advocated, and I advocate today a no-fly and safe zones. We need some leverage with the Russians because they are not going to come to the negotiating table for a diplomatic resolution unless there is leverage over them. … But I support the efforts to investigate for crimes, war crimes, committed by the Syrians and the Russians and try to hold them accountable.
Trump: I don’t like Assad at all, but Assad is killing ISIS. Russia is killing ISIS and Iran is killing ISIS and they have lined up because of weak foreign policy.
Ground troops
Clinton: I would not use American ground forces in Syria. I think that would be a very serious mistake. I don’t think American troops should be holding territory which is what they would have to do as an occupying force. I don’t think that is a smart strategy. I do think the use of special forces, which we’re using, the use of enablers and trainers in Iraq, which has had positive effects, are very much in our interests. So I do support what is happening.
I would go after [ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-]Baghdadi. I would specifically target Baghdadi. Because I think our targeting of al-Qaida leaders, and I was involved in a lot of those operations, highly classified ones, made a difference. I think that could help. I would consider arming the Kurds. The kurds have been our best partners in Syria, as well as Iraq.
ATTEMPTED ATTACK: The destroyer Mason was the target of a failed missile attack in the Red Sea off Yemen, Susan Crabtree writes this morning. Two missiles fired from Houthi-held territory inside Yemen hit the water before reaching the ship. No one on board the ship was injured.
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NO MORE SUPPORT FOR SAUDIS: Sen. Chris Murphy on Sunday called on the Obama administration to remove all support for Saudi Arabia, after that country reportedly bombed a funeral in Yemen, Joel Gehrke writes. “The administration should pull U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen because it’s harming America’s national security, enabling terrorist groups to thrive, and killing innocent civilians,” he said.
Clinton seems to agree that the Saudis are shady, at least in private. Rudy Takala writes that Clinton said Saudi Arabia was responsible for “more extreme ideology” than any other country in the world, according to documents purportedly obtained from her campaign chairman’s inbox. Clinton allegedly made the statement during a closed-door speech to the Jewish United Fund in Chicago three years ago. “The Saudis have exported more extreme ideology than any other place on Earth over the course of the last 30 years,” Clinton said during the Oct. 28, 2013, appearance.
GHOST SOLDIERS: U.S. taxpayers have been shelling out more than $300 million a year for the salaries of Afghan soldiers and police who may or may not actually be serving, the Pentagon’s top watchdog on Afghanistan reconstruction said Friday. John Sopko, the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Ash Carter in August that was publicly released on Friday asking questions about the problem of “ghost” soldiers, or Afghans who are officially signed up for the military or police, but are not actually serving.
CARTER TO THE CARIBBEAN: Carter will be in Trinidad and Tobago today and tomorrow, where he will take part in the Conference of Defense Ministers of the Americas. “He is expected to participate in conference discussions regarding the changing international defense and security environment, environmental protection, and strengthening humanitarian disaster response throughout the hemisphere,” a Pentagon statement said. Carter had also wanted to travel to Colombia, but canceled that portion of the trip due to the country’s recovery efforts after Hurricane Matthew.
TOO LATE: Friday was a rough day for U.S. relations with Russia, with reports of a permanent presence in Syria and increased bomber patrols in the Pacific, on top of Secretary of State John Kerry’s push for a war crimes probe into Russia and Syria. But analysts say it’s too late for Obama to do anything about it, and that patching up the relationship will be up to the next president.
WIDESPREAD HACKING: Russian hacking has been more widespread than officials have disclosed, current and former defense officials said, and could encompass an untold number of Republicans. “High-profile former officials, political figures, current officials,” one official said in describing targets of the hacking, quantifying the scope as including “hundreds of people” from both parties. “I can’t tell you who the Russians are going to leak information about next … the only thing I can tell you is that there are going to be more leaks.”
The report comes after Friday’s pronouncement, made jointly between the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, that Russia was culpable for attacks against the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
NO DEAL: The United Nations failed to approve a truce for Syria on Saturday, defeating two drafts — one from the Russians and one from the French, Daniel Chaitin writes. The Russians blocked the French resolution, which would demand an end to all hostilities in Aleppo, while the other proposal from the Russians would not have ended airstrikes in Syria.
BEEFED-UP NATSEC TEAM: Trump added 10 names, including a group of U.S. senators and congressmen, to his national security advisory council Friday, Al Weaver writes. Sen. Tom Cotton and Rep. Michael McCaul, the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, were added to the list after a meeting in New York. The formation of the group was originally announced in March when Trump named Sen. Jeff Sessions to chair the advisory council. Along with Cotton and McCaul, Sens. Richard Burr, Bob Corker and Jim Inhofe are also listed as members of the council, along with Rep. Darrell Issa and former Attorney General John Ashcroft.
HOURS LATER: Yes, that was before Trump’s now-infamous hot mic video was released Friday afternoon. Amid the prominent GOP members renouncing their support or expected support over the weekend were Sens. John McCain and Kelly Ayotte, both of whom are working to retain their seats, and by extension, their presence on the Senate Armed Services Committee. See the full list of those dumping Trump here.
OPEN GATES?: A think tank analyst said anti-refugee sentiment will fade after the election, Nicole Duran reports. “We are the United States of America,” Matthew La Corte of the Libertarian Niskanen Center think tank said. “We need to be open. We need to accept people. It’s part of our tradition; it’s part of who we are.”
La Corte is part of a group advocating for private groups, like churches, to be able to sponsor refugees to come to the U.S.
THE RUNDOWN
Defense News: US Carrier Delays Continue — And Another ‘Gap’ Could Affect The New Administration
UPI: U.S. Navy conducts LCS restrained missile firing
USNI News: DoN Grapples With Need For Rapid Prototyping Amid Congressional Concerns
Breaking Defense: Rebuilding The M2 Bradley: Same A4 Turret But Most Is New
Defense One: Data-Theft Arrest Shows that Insider Threat Remains Despite Post-Snowden Security Improvements
Stars and Stripes: Cleaning up the mess in the Middle East: Can new US president succeed where his predecessors stumbled?
Air Force Times: Tight scrutiny of taxpayer dollars is more important than ever
Military.com: IED Wounds 2 US Troops in Eastern Afghanistan
Washington Post: In Iraq, ‘all the pieces’ are now in place to take Mosul back from the Islamic State
Military Times: U.S. forces increasing Iraq footprint ahead of Mosul operation
Associated Press: Thousands march in Yemen after over 140 killed in airstrike
Military.com: Russia Deploys Nuclear-Capable Missiles on NATO’s Doorstep
Reuters: Russia says U.S. actions threaten its national security
Washington Post: One of the last survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack on the USS Arizona dies at 94
Navy Times: The inside story of how the Navy’s top brass eliminated ratings
Military Times: And the fattest U.S. military service is …
Calendar
TUESDAY | OCTOBER 11
11 a.m. Call in. Think tank analysts talk about what’s next for the U.S., Russia and Syria now that ceasefire talks have collapsed. wilsoncenter.org
1:30 p.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW. The Stimson Center holds an event looking at Japan’s defense buildup and alliance with the U.S. stimson.org
WEDNESDAY | OCTOBER 12
7 a.m. 1401 Lee Highway, Arlington. Lt. Gen. Gina Grosso, the deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, speaks at an Air Force Association breakfast event. afa.org
10:30 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Peter Lavoy, senior director for South Asia on the National Security Council, talks about security cooperation between the U.S. and India. csis.org
12:30 p.m. 529 14th St. NW. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus speaks at a National Press Club luncheon. press.org
MONDAY | OCTOBER 17
10:30 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Michael Doran, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, talks about his new book, Ike’s Gamble: America’s Rise to Dominance in the Middle East. brookings.edu
12 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW. Officials will talk about remaining priorities for the U.S. while it holds rotating chairmanship of the Arctic Council. atlanticcouncil.org
