‘A FULL-FLEDGED BOUQUET-TOSSING CONTEST’: The Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing for William Burns to be the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency was such a lovefest that at one point Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden said it was at risk of “becoming a full-fledged bouquet-tossing contest.”
Burns, an old hand with decades of experience as a senior diplomat, was lauded in introductory remarks by former Republican Secretary of State James Baker and Democratic former CIA Director and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta. “He’s scrupulously nonpartisan, and he has decades of experience working closely with the CIA and other intelligence agencies. He knows Washington. He knows the world,” said Baker.
“As CIA director, he will certainly speak truth to power because that’s what Bill does, and he’s done that his entire career,” added Panetta. “He’s long known that calling it down the middle is essential even when it may not be convenient.”
“Thank you for saying yes to President Biden,” said Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn at one point in the hearing. “I can’t think of anybody that has the breadth of experience that you’ve had in the world.” No senator indicated they would oppose the nomination.
‘BUCKLE UP FOR THE LONG HAUL WITH CHINA’: It was no surprise that Burns singled out China as being at the “top of the list” of challenges facing the United States in terms of great power competition. “It’s hard for me to see a more significant threat or challenge for the United States as far out as I can see into the 21st century than that one. It is the biggest geopolitical test that we face.”
“I think the evolution of Xi Jinping’s China over the last six or seven years has been a very sharp wake-up call in a lot of ways. Their kind of aggressive, undisguised ambition and assertiveness that, you know, I think has made very clear the nature of the adversary and rival that we face today,” he told the senators. “We have to buckle up for the long haul, I think, in competition with China. This is not like the competition with the Soviet Union and the Cold War, which was primarily in security and ideological terms. This is an adversary that is extraordinarily ambitious in technology and capable in economic terms as well.”
CLOSE CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES: Chinese-funded Confucius institutes, which Burns said are essentially propaganda operations designed to promote a narrative of Xi Jinping’s China, are “a genuine risk” and advocate “an adversarial approach to relations with the United States.”
“And so, my advice for any institutions in the United States, including academic institutions, is to be extraordinarily careful of, you know, what the motives are for a variety of institutions like that and to be very careful in engaging them,” he said.
“Would you recommend that they shut them down?” asked Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.
“If I were president of a college, a university and had a Confucius Institute, that’s certainly what I would do,” Burns replied.
BIDEN CIA PICK INSISTS IT IS IN CHINA’S SELF-INTEREST TO WORK WITH US ON CLIMATE CHANGE
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE PUTIN: “I think it’s a huge mistake … to underestimate the challenge and the threat that Vladimir Putin’s Russia can pose to the United States,” said Burns, who is a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow and speaks Russian.
“While Russia may be in many ways a declining power, it can be at least as disruptive under Putin’s leadership as rising powers like China,” Burns said. “So we have to be quite cold-eyed in our view of how those threats can emerge.”
“I think there’s no substitute for firmness and consistency and being clear-eyed because the reality is that I think, in terms of American policy of U.S.-Russian relations, as long as Vladimir Putin is the leader of Russia, we’re going to be operating in a pretty narrow band of possibilities from the very sharply competitive to the very nastily adversarial.”
THE SOLARWINDS HACK: “The SolarWinds attack, that cyberattack was a very harsh wake-up call I think for all of us about the vulnerabilities of supply chains and critical infrastructure in both the private sector and the public sector in this country,” Burns said.
“I think it’s essential for the CIA, in particular, to work even harder to develop our capabilities to help detect these kinds of attacks when they come from external players, from foreign players, which is the responsibility of the CIA, to help attribute those, because without attribution it’s very difficult to deter future attacks and continue to develop our own technology and cyber capabilities as a part of that potential deterrence.”
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HAPPENING TODAY: The Senate Armed Services Committee will hear testimony at 9:30 a.m. from Stacy Cummings, performing the duties of defense undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment; Robert Salesses, performing the duties of assistant defense secretary for homeland defense and global security; and Army Gen. Gustave Perna, COO of federal COVID-19 response for vaccine and therapeutics, who will provide an update on Department of Defense support to the COVID-19 response.
AUSTIN: GETTING VACCINE ‘THE RIGHT THING TO DO’: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is in California, where he’s meeting with active-duty troops who are part of the Pentagon’s effort to increase the number of mass vaccination sites around the country.
“We’re pitching in to help our fellow citizens as quickly and safely as possible,” Austin said in a video message posted on the Pentagon’s website. “We’re part of a larger team of federal and state agencies, and we are working hard, leaning in, to be productive members of that team.”
Active-duty teams at California State University, Los Angeles are hoping to vaccinate 6,000 people per day. Similar operations are underway in New York, Texas, New Jersey, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
In the video, Austin also made a pitch for reluctant service members to roll up their sleeves and get the vaccine.
“These vaccines have undergone intensive safety monitoring. You’ll see that they are safe and they are effective. And you’ll see that millions of your fellow citizens have already taken them with little to no side effects,” he said. “I’ve taken it myself. After talking with my doctor, I believed it was the right thing to do, not only for my health but also for my ability to do the job and to contribute to our readiness.”
ALSO TODAY: The House Appropriations Committee Legislative Branch Subcommittee will conduct another hearing at 10 a.m. on the security failures surrounding the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters interested in disrupting the electoral vote certification process. This hearing will feature testimony from acting House Sergeant-at-Arms Timothy Blodgett and acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman.
DHS WANTS BORDER TROOPS FOR 3-5 YEARS: The Government Accountability Office is out with a report that shows the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security are at odds over how long several thousand U.S. troops should be deployed to the southwest to help secure the border with Mexico.
“DHS anticipates needing at least the current amount of DOD support for the next three to five years, possibly more,” the report says, while the Pentagon considers its mission to be to provide “temporary assistance” until DHS can independently execute its border security mission.
The two agencies “have not agreed on a common outcome for DOD’s support in fiscal year 2021 and beyond,” the report notes.
BIDEN CALLS IRAQ’S PM: President Biden called Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi Tuesday to “affirm U.S. support for Iraq’s sovereignty and independence and commend the prime minister’s leadership,” according to the White House.
The call comes as the Biden administration has not decided on a response to a series of rocket attacks on bases in Iraq where U.S. military and contract personnel are based, including an attack on the airport In Erbil, where one non-U.S. contractor was killed.
“They discussed the recent rocket attacks against Iraqi and Coalition personnel and agreed that those responsible for such attacks must be held fully to account,” the White House readout said.
IN BREAK FROM TRUMP, PENTAGON WILL WAIT BEFORE BLAMING IRAN FOR ATTACKS IN IRAQ
RETIRE THE ‘FOOTBALL’: More than three dozen Democrats are calling on President Biden to relinquish his sole authority as commander in chief to launch nuclear weapons
In a letter, the lawmakers argue that “past presidents have threatened to attack other countries with nuclear weapons or exhibited behavior that caused other officials to express concern about the president’s judgment,” an obvious reference to former President Donald Trump.
“Vesting a single person with nuclear authority entails real risks,” tweeted Rep. Jimmy Panetta of California. “I’m leading a group of my colleagues with @RepTedLieu in calling for reform to our nuclear command-and-control structure. It’s time to install additional checks and balances into this system.”
The satchel that contains the nuclear launch codes is known as “the football” and is carried by a military aide wherever the president goes, so he can launch a nuclear strike in a matter of minutes.
SHOULD A SINGLE PERSON BE ABLE TO TRIGGER NUCLEAR ARMAGEDDON?
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: Austin urges military to take COVID-19 vaccine as refusals persist
Washington Examiner: ‘Posturing’: Iran demands Biden pay compensation for Trump’s nuclear deal exit
Washington Examiner: Biden CIA pick insists it is in China’s self-interest to work with US on climate change
Washington Examiner: Biden CIA nominee says he would shut Chinese Confucius Institutes down if he was a university president
Washington Examiner: Exclusive: Marsha Blackburn urges GOP to support Democratic bill to help sick post-9/11 veterans
Washington Examiner: Republican witness hits media coverage of antifa and far-left violence at domestic terrorism hearing
Washington Examiner: Navy veteran dies after California police officers knelt on his neck for five minutes, family says in suit
The Hill: Senate Armed Services chair expects ‘some extension’ of troops in Afghanistan
Defense News: DoD Policy Pick Faces ‘Critical’ Confirmation Hearing, Says Reed
Breaking Defense: New Hicks Memo Sets Acquisition, Force Posture 2022 Budget Priorities
Reuters: U.S. Patience With Iran On Renewing Nuclear Talks ‘Not Unlimited’: State Department
Air Force Magazine: Brown: New Force Deployment Strategy Coming, Legacy Not Just Old Platforms
Stars and Stripes: Navy Sends Another Guided-Missile Destroyer Through Contentious Taiwan Strait
Newsweek: Pentagon Warns China About ‘Miscalculation’ Over Actions in Japanese Waters
USNI News: Hyten: U.S. ‘Not In A Very Good Position’ Due to Chinese and Russian Missile Capabilities
Defense News: Hyten Wants A Greater ‘Focus’ With Cruise Missile Defense
CNN: Pentagon report reveals disturbing details about White supremacists in the ranks
19fortyfive.com: The Air Force Wants Lasers On Fighter Jets Like The F-15
19fortyfive.com: Israeli Military Is Preparing For The Worst On Iran
Washington Post: German court convicts Syrian ex-intelligence officer in historic torture trial
Air Force Magazine: Air Mobility Command to Start Integrating KC-46 Into Limited Operations
Washington Post: FAA still needs to strengthen Boeing oversight after Max crashes, inspector general says
Military.com: Why It’s Going to Be Much Harder to Make Expert Under the Marines’ New Rifle Qual Standard
19fortyfive.com: Why Nothing May Stop The B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber
Forbes: Opinion: No Way Out: Why Nuclear Modernization Is Necessary (In Six Slides)
Calendar
THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 25
9:30 a.m. G50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of Defense Support to the COVID-19 Response,” with Stacy Cummings, performing the duties of under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment; Robert Salesses, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and global security; and Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer, Federal COVID-19 Response for Vaccine and Therapeutics. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov
10 a.m. — Air Force Association 2021 Virtual Aerospace Warfare Symposium with Chief of Space Operations Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, U.S. Space Force. https://www.afa.org/events/calendar
10 a.m. — House Appropriations Legislative Branch Subcommittee hearing on “U.S. Capitol Police and House Sergeant at Arms, Security Failures,” with Acting House Sergeant-at-Arms Timothy Blodgett; and Acting U.S. Capitol Chief of Police Yogananda Pittman. http://appropriations.house.gov Livestream at https://youtu.be/qhSwMrkpXd0
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 26
9 a.m. — House Oversight and Homeland Security Committee hearing: “Weathering the Storm: The Role of Private Tech in the SolarWinds Breach and Ongoing Campaign,” with Sudhakar Ramakrishna, president and CEO, SolarWinds Corporation; Kevin Thompson, former CEO, SolarWinds Corporation; Kevin Mandia, CEO, FireEye, Inc.; and Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer, Microsoft Corporation. https://oversight.house.gov/legislation/hearings
9 a.m. — Brookings Institution’s Center for Middle East Policy virtual conference: “The Middle East and the New Administration,” with former Defense Secretary Mark Esper. https://www.brookings.edu/events
10 a.m. — Air Force Association 2021 Virtual Aerospace Warfare Symposium with John Roth, acting Air Force secretary, Air Force Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other senior leaders. https://www.afa.org/events/calendar
11 a.m. — Woodrow Wilson Center Middle East Program virtual book discussion on The Unraveling of Syria and America’s Race to Destroy the Most Dangerous Arsenal in the World, with author Joby Warrick, national security correspondent for the Washington Post; former State Department Special Envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS James Jeffrey, chair of the WWC Middle East Program; and Robert Litwak, director of international security studies at WWC. https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/red-line-unraveling-syria
12 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies webinar, “Lessons Learned from a Cyberattack: A Conversation with SolarWinds (Part II),” with former National Security Agency General Counsel Glenn Gerstell, senior adviser at CSIS; and Suzanne Spaulding, senior adviser at the CSIS Homeland Security, International Security Program. https://www.csis.org/events/lessons-learned-cyberattack
1 p.m. — Atlantic Council webinar: “Women’s Gains in Afghanistan: Healthcare’s Essential Role in Stabilizing Afghanistan,” with Rear Adm. Shoshana Chatfield, president of the U.S. Naval War College and former provincial reconstruction team commander; former Afghan Deputy Minister of Health for Policy and Planning Diwa Samad, special aide to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani; Mariam Bayat, director of the Bayat Foundation; and Susan Yoshihara, founder and president of the American Council on Women, Peace, and Security. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event
2 p.m. — Washington Post live discussion: “A Conversation with Robert M. Gates,” former defense secretary and CIA director, moderated by David Ignatius, Washington Post, columnist covering foreign affairs. https://robertgates.splashthat.com/
WEDNESDAY | MARCH 3
10:30 a.m. — Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress virtual book discussion on: The Spymaster of Baghdad, an account of how a covert Iraqi intelligence unit called “the Falcons” came together to defeat ISIS, with author Margaret Coker, investigative journalist and editor-in-chief, The Current. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register
FRIDAY | MARCH 5
11 a.m. — Brookings Institution webcast conversation with House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., moderated by Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow and co-director, Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology, Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/events
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I promised President Biden, we will deliver unvarnished intelligence, the best possible intelligence we can gather, the most sophisticated all-source analysis, to deliver it to policymakers without any hint of politics or any policy agenda. To speak truth to power.”
William Burns, Biden’s nominee to head the CIA, at his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday.
