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MEETINGS, CALLS, MORE MEETINGS: President Trump is scheduled to meet with his national security team today, amid signs that his promised quick response to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s chemical attack is being met with caution by allies Britain and France. TWO BIG QUESTIONS: In London today, Prime Minister Theresa May called an emergency meeting of her Cabinet to discuss just what Britain is prepared to do in response to Trump’s call for a swift retaliatory attack. While May has said publicly “all the indications” are the Syrian regime was responsible for last weekend’s chemical strike, British media reports say May is resisting a rush to act quickly, and has privately requested more evidence from the Americans. May, who conferred with French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday, is also said to want assurances that another military strike would accomplish more than last year’s U.S. cruise missile attack, which Assad shrugged off, and which failed to curb his use of chlorine bombs. At the Pentagon yesterday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis admitted the question of hard evidence is still being addressed in discussions with Britain and France. “We’re still assessing the intelligence ourselves, and our allies. We’re still working on this,” Mattis said at a media availability with the visiting Dutch defense minister. Mattis also indicated there has been no decision on what form any potential strike would take. “We stand ready to provide military options if they’re appropriate,” Mattis said. WHAT PART OF ‘ALL OPTIONS ON THE TABLE’ DON’T YOU GET? Despite the president’s promise Monday to make “some major decisions” within 48 hours, that deadline has whizzed by without any firm plan on how, when, or what to strike In Syria. No matter how the question was posed at yesterday’s White House briefing, press secretary Sarah Sanders had a pat response: “All options are on the table, and a final decision hasn’t been made.” Is there a possibility of direct military engagement with Russia? “All options are on the table.” Has diplomacy been exhausted? “All options are on the table.” Wait a minute, didn’t the president just say the missiles “will be coming?” “That’s certainly one option but that doesn’t mean it’s the only option or the only thing that the president may or may not do,” Sanders said. “Just because he does one thing doesn’t mean he can’t do a number of other actions as well.” So what about his statement he would be making major decisions? “In a public sense, certainly, the president has made some decisions. He made a decision not to travel to Latin America so that we could focus on this.” All told, she invoked the “all options are on the table” response nine times, ending the briefing with this version: “Like I’ve said a few times today, all options are on the table and we’ll continue conversations with our allies and partners and move forward from that point.” BOXED IN: By promising to act quickly and forcefully, Trump has in effect drawn his own red line and put America and his personal credibility on the line. In some ways he finds himself in a similar position as President Obama did in 2013 when Obama was on the verge of ordering a strike against Syria, only to be rebuffed by Britain, whose Parliament rejected a call to join the military action, and by his own Congress which refused to authorize a strike. In the end, Obama accepted an offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin to guarantee Assad would give up his chemical arsenal. This time around there is again grumbling in the British Parliament, particularly among liberal politicians who fear calling Putin’s bluff could lead to wider war. “We don’t want bombardment which leads to escalation and a hot war between the U.S. and Russia over the skies of Syria,” Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn told the BBC, adding that Parliament, which doesn’t return from its Easter break until next Monday, “should always be given a say on any military action.” One difference: This time May has indicated she is willing to join the U.S. once her concerns are addressed. And Macron has also indicated support for punitive action if the evidence is conclusive. TRUMP BACKPEDALING: Faced with pushback from the allies, and from his own military advisers, Trump is already laying the groundwork for a delay in any military action. And he’s also disputing the idea that he has compromised the element of surprise with his tweet about “nice and new and “smart!” missiles. “Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at all!” Trump tweeted this morning, and then in the same tweet changed the subject. “In any event, the United States, under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of ISIS. Where is our ‘Thank you America?’” The White House says by keeping the timing of any strike secret, the president is remaining true to his pledge not to telegraph military moves. “He certainly hasn’t laid out the timetable, which would be broadcasting his intentions,” Sanders said. MEANWHILE: Russia is arguing airstrikes against Syria would destroy the possibility of an international investigation into the latest chemical weapons attack. Turkey is warning airstrikes could lead to “serious clashes” between the United States and Russia, and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright offered rare praise for Trump recognizing Putin as a foe rather than a friend. Good Thursday 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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HAPPENING TODAY — READY FOR HIS CLOSE-UP: CIA Director Mike Pompeo will face a grilling this morning, as he appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for confirmation to succeed Rex Tillerson as Trump’s secretary of state. One Republican, Sen. Rand Paul, has already announced his intention to vote against Pompeo’s nomination, which means Pompeo will need to pick up at least one Democratic vote to get his nomination to the full Senate. Republicans have only a slim 11-10 majority on the committee. The White House last night released some excerpts from his planned opening statement: On Russia: “Russia continues to act aggressively, enabled by years of soft policy toward that aggression. That’s now over. The list of this administration’s actions to raise the cost for Vladimir Putin is long.” On China: “China continues its concerted and coordinated effort to compete with the United States in diplomatic, military, and economic terms. … This administration is determined to work diplomatically with the Chinese government in an effort to develop a more productive bilateral partnership.” On Iran: “Iran, meanwhile, has been on the march and has paid too low a price for its dangerous behavior. Our administration has developed a strategy to counter Iran that will raise that cost.” On North Korea: “There is much diplomatic work left to do, including supporting the President’s intent to meet with the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. … I have read the CIA histories of previous negotiations with the North Koreans, and am confident that we will not repeat the mistakes of the past. President Trump isn’t one to play games at the negotiating table — and I won’t be either.” On diversity: “The State Department’s workforce must, by necessity, be diverse in every sense of the word — in terms of race, religion, background, and more. I’ll work to achieve that diversity … listening, leveraging differences, unleashing talent, teamwork will become the fabric of a State Department culture that finds its swagger once again.” On being labeled a “hawk”: “When journalists, most of whom have never met me, label me — or any of you — as ‘hawks,’ ‘war hardliners,’ or worse, I shake my head. There are few who dread war more than those of us who have served in uniform. And there is a great deal of room between a military presence and war. War is always the last resort.” MATTIS AND DUNFORD ALSO ON THE HILL: As questions swirl over a possible U.S. military response in Syria, Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, will sit down for testimony this morning at 10 before the House Armed Services Committee. The hearing is ostensibly about the 2019 defense budget, yet lawmakers will no doubt have questions about Syria. Don’t expect Mattis or Dunford to say much while plans are still in the works, and Committee Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry has signaled he wants to keep focused on shoring up military readiness and solving a “crisis” of recent deadly aircraft crashes. ARMY BUDGET HEARING: Meanwhile, Congress’ defense budget work will continue on the other side of the Hill. The Senate Armed Services holds its hearing on the 2019 Army budget at 9:30 a.m. with testimony from Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, chief of staff. GOV. BROWN COMES AROUND: As the sole Democratic governor of a border state with Mexico, California’s Jerry Brown was the last to sign up for the federal funds to deploy state National Guard troops in response to Trump’s call to shore up border security until his promised wall is funded. Brown’s acquiescence came with some significant caveats. The 400 California Guard troops will join some 250 already assisting the Customs and Border Protection, but not all on the border, and not to enforce immigration law. “Your funding for new staffing will allow the Guard to do what it does best: support operations targeting transnational criminal gangs, human traffickers and illegal firearm and drug smugglers along the border, the coast and throughout the state,” Brown wrote in a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Mattis. Over at the Heritage Foundation, James Carafano in a tweet this morning accused the governor of playing politics. “Gov Brown’s exceptions to border guard deployments at border are pure politics 1) they can’t build wall-they were never going to be used for that 2) they can’t enforce immigration law-they aren’t used for that. Playing politics w/ military is sad-shame on Brown.” But Trump praised Brown in an early morning tweet. “California Governor Jerry Brown is doing the right thing and sending the National Guard to the Border. Thank you Jerry, good move for the safety of our Country!” POLAND’S AEGIS IN RAIN DELAY: The U.S. plan to construct an Aegis Ashore missile site in Poland has run into some snags, including construction woes and rotten weather, that are delaying the project, said Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, the director of the Missile Defense Agency. “The cause of the concern is what we believe to be less than expected performance from the construction contractor,” Greaves said during budget testimony Wednesday before the Senate Appropriations Committee. Rain has also contributed to the delay. “The last five months, I’ve heard [the weather] is the worst it’s been in at least the last 5-10 years and that’s caused some delays, lots of rain.” The Aegis facility was scheduled to go online this year and join an operational site in Romania to provide increased missile defense for NATO countries. The missile defense also includes radars in Turkey and Aegis-equipped U.S. destroyers in Spain. But the delays have not pushed the Poland site to 2020, said Sen. Dick Durbin, who questioned Greaves. “We’re working up through the deputy secretary of defense with the CEO of that company to improve performance,” Greaves said. F-35 AS FUTURE MISSILE SHIELD: During his testimony, Greaves also said his agency and the Air Force are examining ways to use the F-35 joint strike fighter for ballistic missile defense, but the technology is probably still six to seven years off. “We’ve been working with the Air Force for at least the last few months and we did a test with them a few years ago on that platform to demonstrate that capability,” Greaves said. “It is a tremendous potential that we’re going after.” Integrating the fifth-generation fighter into the ballistic missile defense system could mean adding sensors to the aircraft or a “new fast missile that’s hung on the bottom,” he said. BUT THEY’RE ON HOLD: The Defense Department has stopped accepting most F-35 jets delivered by Lockheed Martin amid a dispute regarding the cost to fix a production mistake in more than 200 of the aircraft, according to a report Wednesday. “While all work in our factories remains active, the F-35 Joint Program Office has temporarily suspended accepting aircraft until we reach an agreement on a contractual issue and we expect this to be resolved soon,” a Lockheed spokesperson told Reuters. SUSPENDED OVER ‘FAKE NEWS’: The commandant of the Marine Corps has suspended a general who reportedly told hundreds of civilian employees and Marines during an event that articles detailing accusations of sexual harassment were “fake news” and made jokes about a chaplain who was fired after it was revealed he had sex in public, USA Today reported. THE RUNDOWN AP: Russia says Syrian government now in control of rebel town Washington Post: What did Trump mean when he said the U.S. missiles heading for Syria are ‘smart’? Defense One: The US Military Budget Shows Just How Deep Donald Trump is Getting Into Syria The Hill: Coast Guard chief: ‘Shortsighted’ to think border wall will end illegal immigration Foreign Policy: Trump Still Doesn’t Take Russia Seriously USA Today: Kim Jong Un reportedly lacks a powerful enough plane to meet Trump Defense News: Speaker Ryan’s retirement will have major impact on House defense debates BuzzFeed: Trump Warned Russia That He’d Bomb Syria. Here’s A Bunch Of Times He Said He Wouldn’t Do That. Navy Times: Interview: The Navy’s top submarine builder talks Virginia-class challenges, successes Reuters: Saudi says it shot down Houthi missiles over Riyadh and southern cities Defense Tech: Air Force Special Ops Short on Funding for AC-130 Gunship Laser DoD Buzz: Coast Guard Wants to Award Contract for New Icebreaker Ahead of Plan USNI News: Marines Working to Deploy Tactical Cyber Forces From the Sea AP: Construction is booming in North Korea, but who’s paying? |
CalendarTHURSDAY | APRIL 12 9:30 a.m. Dirksen G-50. Posture of the Department of the Army with Secretary Mark Esper and Gen. Mark Milley, chief of staff. armed-services.senate.gov 10 a.m. Rayburn 2118. The Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of Defense with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Gen. Joseph Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. armedservices.house.gov 10 a.m. House 140. Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget National Guard and Reserve with Gen. Joseph Lengyel. appropriations.house.gov 10 a.m. Dirksen 419. Nomination hearing for Mike Pompeo to be Secretary of State. foreign.senate.gov 1 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Contested Seas: Maritime Challenges in Northern Europe. csis.org 1 p.m. 1777 F St. NW. A Conversation With Gen. Joseph Votel, Commander of U.S. Central Command. cfr.org 1:30 p.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. America’s Coast Guard: A National Asset for Security and Prosperity with Commandant Adm. Paul Zukunft. heritage.org 2 p.m. Rayburn 2212. Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request for Combat Aviation Programs. armedservices.house.gov 3:30 p.m. Rayburn 2118. Subcommittee Hearing on a 355 Ship Navy: Delivering the Right Capabilities with Vice Adm. William Merz, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations; James Geurts, Assistant Secretary of the Navy; and Vice Adm. Thomas Moore, Commander of Naval Sea Systems Command. armedservices.house.gov 6:30 p.m. 529 14th St. NW. NPC Headliners Book Event: “Fight Like a Girl: The Truth Behind How Female Marines Are Trained.” press.org FRIDAY | APRIL 13 8 a.m. 300 First St SE. The Nuclear Posture Review and the Columbia Class Deterrent with Navy Vice Adm. Terry Benedict, Director of Navy Strategic Systems Programs. mitchellaerospacepower.org 9 a.m. Rayburn 2118. Subcommittee Hearing on Military Personnel Posture: FY 2019 with Vice Adm. Robert Burke, Chief of Naval Personnel; Lt. Gen. Gina Grosso, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower; Lt. Gen. Michael Rocco, Deputy Marine Corps Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs; and Lt. Gen. Thomas Seamands, Army Deputy Chief of Staff. armedservices.house.gov 9 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Regaining the Strategic Advantage in an Age of Great Power Competition: A Conversation with Michael Griffin, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. hudson.org 12 noon. 1501 Lee Hwy. Defending the Record of U.S. Nuclear Deterrence with Retired Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, Former Commander of U.S. Strategic Command. mitchellaerospacepower.org 2:30 p.m. 2301 Constitution Ave. NW. Ending Civil Wars: How Can We Succeed with Limited Opportunities? usip.org MONDAY | APRIL 16 9:30 a.m. 900 S Orme St. Mitchell Hour on Allied Aerospace Power: A Conversation with Gen. David Goldfein, Air Force Chief of Staff. mitchellaerospacepower.org 1:30 p.m. 2301 Constitution Ave. NW. Hidden Wounds: Trauma and Civilians in the Syrian Conflict. usip.org 4 p.m. 740 15th St. NW. The China Mission: George Marshall’s Unfinished War. newamerica.org 7:30 p.m. 529 14th St. NW. The Kalb Report – Putin’s Trump Card. press.org TUESDAY | APRIL 17 8 a.m. 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Procurement Division Meeting. ndia.org 8:30 a.m. 2301 Constitution Ave. NW. China and North Korea: Past, Present, and Future. usip.org 10 a.m. Rayburn 2118. Full Committee Hearing on Promoting DOD’s Culture of Innovation with Michael Griffin, Undersecretary of Defense, and Eric Schmidt, Chairman of the Defense Innovation Board. armedservices.house.gov 10 a.m. Full Committee Hearing U.S. Policy in Yemen with David Satterfield, Acting Assistant Secretary of State, and Robert Karem, Assistant Secretary of Defense. foreign.senate.gov 11 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Countering Russian Kleptocracy. hudson.org 11 a.m. 2301 Constitution Ave. NW. Countering Illicit Funding of Terrorism: A Congressional Approach with Reps. Steve Pearce and Jim Himes. usip.org 2:30 p.m. Russell 232-A. Subcommittee Hearing on Navy Shipbuilding Programs with James Geurts, Assistant Secretary Of The Navy; Vice Adm. William Merz, Deputy Chief Of Naval Operations; and Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, Deputy Commandant. armed-services.senate.gov 3:30 p.m. Rayburn 2118. Subcommittee Hearing on Fiscal Year 2019 Budget for Missile Defense and Missile Defeat Programs with John Rood, Undersecretary of Defense; Gen. Lori Robinson, Commander of U.S. Northern Command; Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, Director of the Missile Defense Agency; and Lt. Gen. James Dickinson, Commander of Army Space and Missile Defense. armedservices.house.gov WEDNESDAY | APRIL 18 10 a.m. Rayburn 2118. Full Committee Hearing on Oversight and Reform of the Department of Defense “4th Estate.” armedservices.house.gov 11 a.m. 214 Massachusetts Ave. NE. The Future of U.S.-Romania Missile Defense Cooperation with Romania Ambassador George Cristian Maior. heritage.org 2 p.m. Rayburn 2212. Subcommittee Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2019 Budget for Energy, Installations and Environment with Lucian Niemeyer, Assistant Secretary of Defense; Jordan Gillis, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Army; Phyllis Bayer; Assistant Secretary of the Navy; and John Henderson, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. armedservices.house.gov 3:30 p.m. Rayburn 2118. Subcommittee Hearing on the Ground Force Modernization Budget for 2019 with Lt. Gen. Paul Ostrowski, Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army; Lt. Gen. John Murray, Deputy Chief of Staff; Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh, Commanding General of Marine Corps Combat Development Command; and Brig. Gen. Joe Shrader, Commanding General of Marine Corps Systems Command. armedservices.house.gov 3:30 p.m. Russell 222. Hearing on Air Force Modernization with Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, Military Deputy for Acquisition; Lt. Gen. Jerry Harris, Deputy Chief Of Staff For Strategic Plans And Requirements; and Brig. Gen. Brian Robinson, Assistant Deputy Chief Of Staff. armed-services.senate.gov 6 p.m. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Where the Wind Blew: Film Screening and Discussion. carnegieendowment.org 6:30 p.m. 1250 South Hayes St. Dwight D. Eisenhower Award Dinner. ndia.org THURSDAY | APRIL 19 7 a.m. 2425 Wilson Blvd. Institute of Land Warfare Breakfast Series with Lt. Gen Charles Luckey, Chief of the Army Reserve. ausa.org 9:30 a.m. Dirksen G-50. Hearing on the Posture of the Department of the Navy with Secretary Richard Spencer; Adm. John Richardson, Chief Of Naval Operations; and Gen. Robert Neller, Commandant of the Marine Corps. armed-services.senate.gov 10 a.m. Rayburn 2118. Subcommittee Hearing on Army Fiscal Year 2019 Budget Request Readiness Posture with Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson, Deputy Chief of Staff; Lt. Gen. Timothy Kadavy, Director of the Army National Guard; Lt. Gen. Charles Luckey, Chief of the Army Reserve; and Lt. Gen. Aundre Piggee, Deputy Chief of Staff. armedservices.house.gov 10:30 a.m. Rayburn 2212. Subcommittee Hearing on Military Health System Reform: Pain Management, Opioids Prescription Management and Reporting Transparency with Vice Adm. Raquel Bono, Director of the Defense Health Agency, and Capt. Mike Colston, Director of Mental Health Policy and Oversight. armedservices.house.gov 5:30 p.m. 1030 15th St. NW. Dialogue on Combating Religious Extremism and Terror with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. atlanticcouncil.org |
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