“Because of our powerful sanctions, the Iranian economy is doing very, very poorly. We can help them make a very good and short time recovery,” Trump said. “The Iranian regime must abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons, stop spreading terror, death, and destruction, and start working for the good of its own people.”

At the same time Trump said he has little interest in escalating the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan where the group continues to target U.S. forces as it seeks more leverage at the bargaining table. “I am not looking to kill hundreds of thousands of people in Afghanistan, many of them totally innocent,” he said.

SURGICAL STRIKES: While expressing an aversion to committing U.S. forces to major combat operations, Trump touted his targeting killings of terrorist leaders, including the ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who he called a “bloodthirsty killer, and Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who he called “the Iranian regime’s most ruthless butcher, a monster.”

“Our message to the terrorists is clear: You will never escape American justice. If you attack our citizens, you forfeit your life,” he said.

WORKING TO STAY IN IRAQ: The president’s speech, and his pledge “to end America’s wars in the Middle East,” came as his top commander for the region made an unannounced visit to Baghdad as well as the Al Asad air base, where Iranian missiles rained down destruction and resulted in more that 60 U.S. troop sustaining mild brain injuries Jan. 8.

U.S. Central Command chief Gen. Frank McKenzie told reporters traveling with him that he met with Iraqi leaders, including outgoing Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi about the need for U.S. troops to remain in Iraq to help finish off ISIS, which is threatening a comeback.

“I think we’re going to be able to find a way to go forward. I don’t want to presume the character and scope of that,” McKenzie said. “But I think we all realize there’s a significant threat from [ISIS] and if we take our foot off the pedal it’s going to come back.”

In the wake of the U.S. drone strike that killed Soleimani, the Iraqi Parliament voted to ask U.S. troops to leave the country, and so far Iraq has refused permission for the U.S. to deploy Patriot missile batteries to protect American troops from any future missile attack.

As a sign of the state of relations between the U.S. and Iraq, reporters traveling with McKenzie were not able to accompany him into Iraq because they did not have visas, a formality that in the past has been waived.

WARNING FROM THE WATCHDOG: The latest report to Congress from the Pentagon’s Lead Inspector General contains another warning against declaring premature victory over the remnants of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

The Defense Intelligence Agency’s analysis for the DoD OIG indicates that without a U.S. troop presence in Iraq, ISIS would likely resurge in Iraq,” writes Glenn Fine, the Pentagon’s Inspector General. While noting that the number of ISIS attacks decreased in the last three months of 2019, “ISIS has continued to disseminate its propaganda on Twitter, Facebook, and Telegram, and U.S. Central Command reported that this propaganda revolved around two main themes: ISIS’s persistence in the face of adversity, and retaliation through a global insurgency.”

DISSENTING OPINION: Not surprisingly, Democrats disputed Trump’s depiction of an American strategy that is effectively eliminating terrorists and reducing the threat from Iran.

“Rather than strengthening our national security, his reckless decisions in recent months have emboldened our adversaries in Syria and resulted in more than 60 American servicemembers being diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries while doing nothing to restrict Iran’s ability to acquire nuclear weapons,” said Illinois Democrat Sen. Tammy Duckworth is a statement issued after the State of the Union address.

“For the sake of our national security and the safety of our troops, I sincerely hope that he tones down his rhetoric and replaces his ‘maximum pressure’ strategy for one that recognizes the efficacy — and necessity — of diplomacy,” said Duckworth, a combat veteran and frequent critic of the president.

Good Wednesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Susan Katz Keating (@SKatzKeating). Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

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ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTING: The debate over the wisdom of retrofitting a small number of existing submarine-launched ballistic missiles with a less powerful nuclear warhead ended when Congress authorized the move as a way to signal Russia that the U.S. has options to respond to a smaller “battlefield” nuke, without having to resort to Armageddon.

The addition of a “low-yield” missile to the U.S. arsenal — which already includes low-yield B-61 gravity bombs — was accomplished by converting the standard W76 warhead carried by Trident missiles from a fusion bomb to a smaller fission bomb.

But now that the Pentagon has confirmed the missiles are deployed on America’s ballistic missiles submarines, critics — including Democrats in Congress — are continuing to cry foul.

“The Administration’s decision to deploy the W76-2 warhead remains a misguided and dangerous one,” said Washington Democrat Rep. Adam Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in a statement. “The deployment of this warhead does nothing to make Americans safer. Instead, this destabilizing deployment further increases the potential for miscalculation during a crisis.”

The debate is an old one. If nuclear weapons are intended as a deterrent never to be used, is a smaller, “more usable” nuke a better deterrent, or a temptation to believe that limited nuclear war might be possible.

“This supplemental capability strengthens deterrence and provides the United States a prompt, more survivable low-yield strategic weapon; supports our commitment to extended deterrence; and demonstrates to potential adversaries that there is no advantage to limited nuclear employment because the United States can credibly and decisively respond to any threat scenario,” said John Rood, the Pentagon’s undersecretary of defense for policy, in a statement.

LOOK, UP IN THE SKY: Meanwhile while you were sleeping, the U.S. test-fired another of its aging arsenal of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles to make sure the Cold War-era weapons still work as intended.

The unarmed ICBM, topped with a test reentry vehicle, was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 12:33 a.m. California time, with reentry vehicles traveling approximately 4,200 miles before splashing down near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The missile was described as “a spare missile from storage.”

“These test launches verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, providing valuable data to ensure a continued safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent,” said a statement from Air Force Global Strike Command. “Test launches are not a response or reaction to world events or regional tensions.”

CORONAVIRUS EVACUEES ARRIVES: The U.S. military will be hosting two plane loads of Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China at U.S. bases while they undergo a mandatory two-week quarantine to ensure they are not infected with the rapidly-spreading coronavirus.

The evacuation flights, chartered by the State Department, will carry about 350 people to Travis Air Force Base and Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in California. “As previously announced, these individuals will be subject to a CDC managed 14-day quarantine,” the Pentagon said late last night. “DoD will work closely with our interagency partners and continue to provide support to the situation as requested.”

Related: US military hosts dropped off supplies in the parking lot for quarantined coronavirus diplomats

TASK FORCE 8/14: President Trump had a few surprises up his sleeve at last night’s State of the Union including one of those poignant reunions when a military spouse unexpectedly discovers their loved one has returned safely from combat.

Amy Williams, from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, who Trump said works full-time and volunteers helping military families, was shocked when Trump announced her husband Sgt. 1st Class Townsend Williams was back from Afghanistan and in the House chamber. Hugs followed.

Trump also told the story of how the Army commandos who “ended al-Baghdadi’s miserable life,” named their mission for Kayla Mueller the humanitarian aid worker who died in ISIS captivity.

“In 2013, while caring for suffering civilians in Syria, Kayla was kidnapped, tortured, and enslaved by ISIS, and kept as a prisoner of Al-Baghdadi himself,” Trump said. “After more than 500 horrifying days of captivity, Al-Baghdadi murdered young, beautiful Kayla. She was just 26 years old.

With Kayla’s parents, Carl and Marsha Mueller, looking on, Trump revealed that on the night of the operation, “The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, received a call in the Situation Room. He was told that the brave men of the elite Special Forces team, that so perfectly carried out the operation, had given their mission a name, “Task Force 8-14.” It was a reference to a special day, August 14th, Kayla’s birthday.”

INDUSTRY WATCH:

Boeing yesterday provided a look at the future of aviation warfare when it flew three planes with one pilot. In a demonstration with the U.S. Navy, the company successfully flew two autonomously controlled EA-18G Growlers at Naval Air Station Patuxent River as unmanned air systems using a third Growler as a mission controller for the other two.

“The flights, conducted during the Navy Warfare Development Command’s annual fleet experiment exercises, proved the effectiveness of technology allowing F/A-18 Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers to perform combat missions with unmanned systems,” Boeing said in a release.

“This technology allows the Navy to extend the reach of sensors while keeping manned aircraft out of harm’s way,” said Tom Brandt, Boeing Manned-UnManned Teaming demonstration lead. “It’s a force multiplier that enables a single aircrew to control multiple aircraft without greatly increasing workload. It has the potential to increase survivability as well as situational awareness.”

The Rundown

Washington Examiner: ‘The homeland is not a sanctuary’: Admiral warns Russia and China can target US Navy in American ports

Washington Examiner: Fired deputy secretary was not dismissed over handling of sexual misconduct case, VA says

Washington Post: Turkey warns of further military action as Syria presses offensive in rebel-held province

AP: Turkey deploys extremists to Libya, local militias say

Wall Street Journal: Iran Upholds Death Sentence For Alleged CIA Spy

Military Times: AFRICOM Continues Strikes Targeting Al-Shabab Militants In Somalia

Navy Times: Pentagon Watchdog Raises Concerns Over Navy Warship Readiness

Defense News: Britain Receives First ‘Poseidon’ Aircraft In Bid To Restore Submarine-Hunting Muscle

McClatchy: Toxic ‘black goo’ base used by U.S. had enriched uranium. More veterans report cancer

Wall Street Journal: U.S. Pushing Effort to Develop 5G Alternative to Huawei

Reuters: Russia Accuses Norway Of Restricting Its Activities On Arctic Islands

Military Times: Nominee For Top Pentagon Personnel Job Out After Controversy Over Past Writings

National Defense: Hawk Carlisle Opinion: Unanswered Questions, Concerns Remain About the New Space Force

Calendar

WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 5

9 a.m. 2118 Rayburn. — House Armed Services Future of Defense Task Force Hearing: “Supercharging the Innovation Base,” with Eric Fanning, president & CEO, Aerospace Industries Association; Raj Shah, chairman & co-founder Arceo.ai, and Chris Brose, chief strategy officer, Anduril Industries.https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

9:30 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. — Center for Strategic and International Studies discussion “Making the Case for Sustained U.S. Engagement in a Transitioning Afghanistan,” with Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla.; Peter Bergen, vice president of global studies at New America; Rina Amiri, senior fellow at the New York University Center for Global Affairs; former U.S. Agency for International Development Executive Vice President for Programs Earl Gast, executive vice president for programs at Creative Associates International. https://www.csis.org/events

10 a.m. 14th and F Sts. N.W. — Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie news conference on the Trump administration’s plan to prevent veteran suicide https://www.press.org/events

10 a.m. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace book discussion on “Black Wave: Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Forty Year Rivalry that Unraveled Culture, Religion, and Collective Memory in the Middle East,” with author Kim Ghattas, nonresident senior fellow at CEIP; David Ignatius, foreign affairs columnist for the Washington Post; and former Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns, president of CEIP. https://carnegieendowment.org

12 p.m. 1135 16th St. N.W. — American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security luncheon, with remarks by Jason Klitenic, general counsel, Office of the Director of National Intelligence https://www.americanbar.org

2:30 p.m. 2118 Rayburn. — House Armed Service Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces and Subcommittee on Readiness Joint Hearing: “Update on Navy and Marine Corps Readiness in the Pacific in the Aftermath of Recent Mishaps, with Vice Adm. Richard Brown, commander, Naval Surface Forces U.S. Pacific Fleet; and Marine Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder, Deputy Commandant for Aviation. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings

THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 6

8 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. N.W. — Center for Strategic and International Studies China Initiative Conference, with Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers; FBI Director Christopher Wray; National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina; and keynote address by Attorney General William Barr. https://www.csis.org/events/china

8:30 a.m. 300 First St. S.E. — Air Force Association Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies “Space Power to the Warfighter” seminar with Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Space Policy Stephen Kitay. http://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/

9 a.m. 3401 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Atlantic Council conference on “Looking North: Security in the Arctic,” with Norwegian Ambassador to the U,S. Kare Aas; Kim Holmen, international director of the Norwegian Polar Institute; Thomas Nilsen, editor of the Independent Barents Observer; Stephanie Pezard, senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation; Sherri Goodman, senior fellow in the Wilson Center’s Polar Institute; Ali Rogin, foreign affairs producer for PBS’s “NewsHour”; and Aaron Mehta, deputy editor and senior Pentagon correspondent at Defense News. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event

POSTPONED: 10 a.m. G50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on U.S. Special Operations Command and U.S. Cyber Command, with testimony from Thomas Alexander, performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense, special operations and low-intensity conflict; Gen. Richard Clarke, U.S Special Operations Commander; and Gen. Paul Nakasone, U.S. Cyber Commander. https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings

12 p.m. 1000 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Cato Institute forum “Is War Over?” with Paul Poast, associate professor of political science at the University of Chicago; John Mueller, political scientist at Ohio State University; Christopher Fettweis, professor of political science at Tulane University; Bethany Lacina, associate professor at the University of Rochester; and John Glaser, director of foreign policy studies at Cato. https://www.cato.org/events/is-war-over

2 p.m. 1111 19th St. N.W. — Washington Institute for Near East Policy discussion on “The Persistent Threat from the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda: The View from the UN,” with Edmund Fitton-Brown, former coordinator of the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team Concerning the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, and the Taliban. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org

4 p.m. 1740 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies hosts Defense Secretary Mark Esper for a discussion titled, “The National Defense Strategy at Year Two.” Moderated by Mara Karlin, director of strategic studies school’s Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies. Open to the public and media. https://sais.jhu.edu Register at https://www.eventbrite.com

4:30 p.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. N.E. — Heritage Foundation Lecture on “Why the U.S. Needs a Strong NATO,” with Kay Bailey Hutchison, U.S. ambassador to NATO; and Kim Holmes, executive vice president of Heritage. https://www.heritage.org/europe/event

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 7

10 a.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. — Brookings Institution discussion on “The Air Force in 2020: A Strategy to Modernize,” with Thomas Ehrhard, vice president for defense strategy at the Long Term Strategy Group; Rebecca Grant, president of IRIS Independent Research; and Michael O’Hanlon, senior fellow at Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/events

12:15 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. — Hudson Institute a discussion on “NATO and the New Decade: Assessing the Transatlantic Alliance,” with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana; Peter Rough, senior fellow at Hudson; and Ken Weinstein, president and CEO of Hudson. https://www.hudson.org/events

8 p.m. 100 St. Anselm Dr., Manchester, N.H.— Democratic presidential primary debate at St. Anselm College to be aired on ABC.

TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 11

8 a.m. 2168 Rayburn — Amphibious Warship Industrial Base Coalition Congressional forum on the importance of the U.S. Navy’s amphibious warships, with Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger; Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wisc; Rep. Rob Wittman R-Va.; Rep. Gil Cisneros D-Calif.; Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Mich; moderated by retired Rear Adm. Sam Perez. https://amphibiouswarship.org/congressional-forum/

WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 12

All Day Brussels, Belgium — Defense Secretary Mark Esper attends meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Defense Ministers at the NATO Headquarters, chaired by the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg https://www.nato.int

THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 13

All Day Brussels, Belgium — Day two of NATO Defense ministerial at NATO Headquarters, with U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. https://www.nato.int

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 14

All Day, Munich, Germany — Defense Secretary Mark Esper attends the 56th Munich Security Conference will take place at Hotel Bayerischer Hof Friday through Saturday. https://securityconference.org/en/msc-2020/

WEDNESDAY | MARCH 4

9 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W. — McAleese Defense Programs Conference. Register at [email protected]