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READY FOR ROUHANI: We’ve seen this movie before. President Trump threatens “fire and fury the likes of which the world has never seen,” or as he did last week, “consequences the likes of which few throughout history have ever suffered before,” only to then express an openness to diplomacy and dialogue. The possibility of a rapprochement with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani — who Trump flamed in an ALL-CAPS tweet just eight days ago — came as result of what appeared to be an off-the-cuff response to a question at yesterday’s press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. “You’ve met with the leaders of North Korea and Russia,” asked Roberta Rampton of Reuters. “Are you willing to meet with President Rouhani and under what conditions?” “I’ll meet with anybody. I believe in meeting,” Trump said, adding: “I would certainly meet with Iran if they wanted to meet. I don’t know that they’re ready yet. They’re having a hard time right now.” “Do you have preconditions for that meeting?” Rampton followed up. “No preconditions, no. If they want to meet, I’ll meet anytime they want, anytime they want,” Trump said. “Good for the country, good for them, good for us and good for the world. No preconditions. If they want to meet, I’ll meet.” EXCEPT FOR THESE PRECONDITIONS: Shortly after the president raised the prospect of talking to Iran about a new nuclear deal, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo began to drizzle some cold water on the idea. In an interview with Michelle Caruso-Cabrera of CNBC, Pompeo laid out a short list of preconditions, even as he professed to be on board with a possible Trump-Rouhani summit. “I am indeed. We’ve said this before. The president wants to meet with folks to solve problems,” Pompeo said. “If the Iranians demonstrate a commitment to make fundamental changes in how they treat their own people, reduce their malign behavior, can agree that it’s worthwhile to enter into a nuclear agreement that actually prevents proliferation, then the president has said he is prepared to sit down and have the conversation with him. “What we are demanding in a change in the behavior of the regime,” he said. “You can’t launch missiles into Riyadh. You can’t arm people in Iraq and Syria and Lebanese Hezbollah. You can’t fight with Iraqi militias. That’s not behavior that is acceptable from Iran. Those are the changes that we’re looking for, and we’re hopeful that the Iranian regime will see it that way as well and change their behavior.” NORTH KOREA STILL MAKING MISSILES: The Washington Post is quoting officials familiar with U.S. intelligence as saying North Korea appears to be building new ICBMs at the same factory that produced the country’s ballistic missiles with the range to hit the U.S. mainland. An analysis of recent satellite imagery suggests progress is being made on one, potentially two, liquid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles at a facility outside Pyongyang. But the Post reports that the new intelligence “does not suggest an expansion of North Korea’s capabilities but shows that work on advanced weapons is continuing …” The report comes just seven weeks after Trump tweeted that “there is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea,” the day after meeting with Kim Jong Un in Singapore, and one week after Pompeo acknowledged in Senate testimony that North Korea continues to produce fissile material used in making nuclear weapons. Under questioning from Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Edward Markey, Pompeo said, “Yes, they continue to produce fissile material, yes,” but then refused to say any more or comment on North Korea’s missile production saying that would cross into classified territory. Markey is among critics who argue North Korea has yet to make any tangible progress toward denuclearization. “I know that it’s clear to everyone that North Korea’s dismantling of an outdated missile test facility as well as a previously dismantled ICBM assembly building, which can be rebuilt within three days, are empty gestures and not indicative that North Korea has changed its tune.” RISING DISTRUST: The advantage of being a pessimist is that you go through life either being proven right, or pleasantly surprised. You can probably put Harry Kazianis, a Korea expert with the Center for the National Interest, in that category. “When it comes to North Korea only one thing is certain: Pyongyang will never, ever give up their nuclear weapons or long-range missiles that could kill millions of Americans. They are for Kim Jong Un the only security his evil regime has,” Kazianis emailed me last night. “In fact, during his New Year’s Day speech, [Kim] proclaimed his nation would ‘mass produce’ nuclear weapons and missiles. The Washington Post’s excellent reporting seems to prove that Kim means what he says.” Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre), National Security Writer Travis J. Tritten (@travis_tritten) and Senior Editor David Brown (@dave_brown24). Email us here for tips, suggestions, calendar items and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here. 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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SPACE FORCE, WITHOUT CONGRESS: The Pentagon is making moves toward creating a Space Force, at least the parts that don’t require congressional approval, Defense One reports. “In coming months, Defense Department leaders plan to stand up three of the four components of the new Space Force: a new combatant command for space, a new joint agency to buy satellites for the military, and a new warfighting community that draws space operators from all service branches,” Defense One wrote. “These sweeping changes — on par with the past decade’s establishment of cyber forces — are the part the Pentagon can do without lawmakers’ approval.” DRONE CONVOYS: Lockheed Martin has won an Army contract to develop and test prototypes for unmanned convoys that would shelter soldiers from some of the dangers inherent in moving supplies through hostile territories, a mission behind numerous casualties in the Iraq War. Military personnel will conduct demonstrations using the prototypes developed through the so-called Expedient Leader-Follower program to establish operating procedures and shape future weapons programs, Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed said in a statement. Autonomous vehicles are among an array of state-of-the-art equipment, including hypersonic missiles and directed-energy lasers, in which the U.S. faces a 21st-century arms race, according to a strategy outlined by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in January. HAPPENING TODAY, TRUMP TO TAMPA: Trump spends a lot of time in Florida, with frequent stays at his Mar-a-Lago estate. But today’s trip is only his second visit to Tampa, and his first public appearance there. Trump’s last visit to Tampa was in February when he got briefings at the headquarters of U.S. Central Command. This time he’s giving remarks on recently reauthorized legislation to promote STEM education for young people, and holding a campaign-style rally. DOUBLE DOWN ON SHUTDOWN: Despite opposition from Republicans in Congress who think a disruptive federal government shutdown just before the crucial midterm election would be counterproductive, Trump was not backing off of his threat to force a shutdown if he doesn’t get the money for the southern border wall he promised Mexico would pay for. “I would be certainly willing to consider a shutdown if we don’t get proper border security,” Trump said during yesterday’s news conference. “I would certainly be willing to close it down, to get it done.” There was a ho-hum reaction from Republicans in Congress who seem to be in a mood to just ignore the president’s ranting for now. On the Senate floor yesterday, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said matter-of-factly the Senate would be finishing up a package of budget bills this week and will take “more big steps toward our goal of completing a regular appropriations process and funding the government in a timely and orderly manner.” COUNTERING BEIJING’S ‘DEBT-TRAP’ DIPLOMACY: Trump’s administration will “oppose” China’s effort to dominate the Indo-Pacific through a model of “partnership economics” offered as an alternative to the communist power’s predatory lending to its neighbors, Pompeo pledged Monday. “The great theme of our engagement is this: Where America goes, we seek partnership, not domination,” Pompeo said at a Chamber of Commerce event devoted to the region. “The United States of America does not invest for political influence, but rather practices partnership economics. “We remain committed to economic engagement in the Indo-Pacific because of the national security benefits for the American people and our partners. As President Trump’s National Security Strategy states, economic security is national security.” NATO WAS CIRCLING THE DRAIN: In the Trump version of recent history, he arrived on the world stage just in time to save the 70-year-old NATO alliance from obsolescence. “NATO was essentially going out of business because people weren’t paying and it was going down, down, down,” Trump boasted. “I came along last year. And in a fairly nice tone I said, ‘You’ve got to pay.’ And they paid $44 billion more. And this year, I said it in a little bit stronger tone. And they’re paying hundreds of billions of dollars more over the years. And NATO will be strong again.” During the NATO summit, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was happy to give Trump the credit he insisted he deserved, even as he noted that the commitments made by member nations were the same goals set in 2014, long before Trump’s election. “We have agreed that we need to make good on the pledges we have made,” Stoltenberg said after this month’s summit. But ever the diplomat, Stoltenberg also said Trump’s “leadership, his strong message” had “a clear impact,” and that as a result “allies are increasing defense spending.” “If you speak to Secretary General Stoltenberg, I think he’s the biggest fan of Trump,” the president insisted yesterday. “Because he said, ‘We couldn’t collect money until President Trump came along.’ And he said last year, we collected $44 billion and this year the money is pouring in.” GAO DINGS DoD ON FMS: A new Government Accountability Office report on the Foreign Military Sales program found that the Department of Defense lacks reliable data on how it uses the fees to cover the program’s operating expenses. In its oversight role, the Pentagon oversees U.S. military sales to foreign governments and charges foreign government purchaser fees to help cover its costs “We found that DOD lacks reliable data on how it uses the fees to cover the program’s operating expenses, including costs for paying program staff and for ensuring that contractors have complied with their contract requirements,” the report concludes. KELLY’S ANNIVERSARY: Yesterday, Trump tweeted his congratulations to retired Marine Gen. John Kelly who took over from Reince Priebus last summer. “Congratulations to General John Kelly. Today we celebrate his first full year as @WhiteHouse Chief of Staff!” Technically, that would be today, as Kelly became chief of staff on July 31, 2017. THE RUNDOWN Defense News: The US Air Force’s top acquisition exec talks hypersonic prototypes and more Foreign Policy: Russian Jamming Poses a Growing Threat to U.S. Troops in Syria Military Times: Space Force, Space Corps, Space Guard, Space Command: Whatever form it might take, do we really need it? Defense One: Satellite Imagery + Social Media = A New Way to Spot Emerging Nuclear Threats Business Insider: The Russian Navy was all set to impress Putin on Navy Day — and then this happened Defense Tech: China Leaving US Behind on Artificial Intelligence: Air Force General Task and Purpose: Virginia Candidate: My Alleged Love Of ‘Bigfoot Erotica’ Is Just A Dumb Military Joke USNI News: Japan Selects Lockheed Martin to Supply Radar for Aegis Ashore System |
CalendarTUESDAY | JULY 31 11 a.m. Pentagon Briefing Room. British Army Maj. Gen. Felix Gedney, deputy commander, strategy and support, Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve briefs reporters by video to provide an update on operations In Iraq and Syria. Live streamed on www.defense.gov/live 12 noon. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Reforming the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. hudson.org 6:30 p.m. 14750 Conference Center Dr. Peter B. Teets Award Dinner with Lt. Gen. David Thompson, Vice Commander of Air Force Space Command. ndia.org WEDNESDAY | AUG. 1 9:30 a.m. Hart 216. Open Hearing on Foreign Influence Operations and Their Use of Social Media Platforms. intelligence.senate.gov 10 a.m. Dirksen 419. Nomination Hearing for R. Clarke Cooper to be Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs. foreign.senate.gov 10 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Maritime Security Dialogue: A Conversation with Adm. Karl Schultz, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. csis.org THURSDAY | AUG. 2 7 a.m. 2425 Wilson Blvd. Institute of Land Warfare Army Cyber + Networks Hot Topic Symposium. ausa.org 8 a.m. 2401 M St. NW. Defense Writers Group Breakfast with Gen. Carlton Everhart, Commander of Air Force Air Mobility Command. 10:45 a.m. Dirksen 419. Full Committee Hearing Assessing the Value of the NATO Alliance. foreign.senate.gov FRIDAY | AUG. 3 1 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Living With Genocide: Four Years After ISIS Attacked. hudson.org 6:45 a.m. 1250 South Hayes St. Special Topic Breakfast with Kevin Tokarski, Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift, Maritime Administration. navyleague.org MONDAY | AUG. 6 Noon. Rayburn 2168. Disentangling from Syria. defensepriorities.org TUESDAY | AUG. 7 10:30 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW. A Conversation with UK Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson. atlanticcouncil.org
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