Thursday PDB – Biden Ignores Pentagon on Afghanistan Pullout, US Cancels Warships to Black Sea, Capitol Police officer Cleared in Shooting of Air Force Vet, China to Trade Iran Weapons for Oil

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – With the many national security and intelligence topics that American Defense News (ADN) cannot adequately cover every day – in collaboration with the Center for American Defense Studies (CADS) – we are providing our readers a PDB:

Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – Paul’s Daily Briefing.

Today’s PDB Includes a variety of critical issues such as – Biden sanctions Russia over SolarWinds hack and other interference, but it is hard to surpass Russia sanctions placed by Trump, Taiwan Says it will work with U.S. to counter China, Congress told China is ‘unparalleled priority for the intelligence community (IC), and Biden cancels two warships set to deploy into the Black Sea after Russia threats.

Plus, probe finds DC Guard improperly used helicopters during BLM riots in June.

And China considers trading weapons, including J-10C jet fighters, with Iran for oil.

Secretary of State Blinken’s unannounced visit to Afghanistan amid Biden’s decision to pull out by September 11.

And how Biden ignored and overrode Pentagon advice on Afghanistan military pullout.

TODAY’S PDB HIGHLIGHTS:

National Security

‘The Pentagon is not making these decisions’: How Biden’s team overrode the brass on Afghanistan. After two decades, troops have an end date on America’s longest war. But it took a White House ready to pull rank on the military.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Afghanistan Thursday, an unannounced trip, in a gesture of U.S. support after President Biden announced the withdrawal of American troops.

China Threat

China Dominates Congressional Global Threats Hearing.   Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines called China an “unparalleled priority for the spy community”, and FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the FBI has more than 2,000 open investigations that “tie back to the Chinese government,” in Tuesday’s global threats hearing before the Senate Intel Committee.

Taiwan says Will Cooperate with U.S. to Counter China. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen told an unofficial delegation sent by President Biden that China is destabilizing the region and that Taipei will cooperate with Washington in countering Beijing’s military activities.

Russia Threat

U.S. Calls OFF Deployment of Two Ships to the Black Sea.  The U.S. says that no warships are headed to the Black Sea and that Turkish officials ‘may have misunderstood the notification’, which was communicated last week to Turkey by the U.S. embassy in Ankara. This after threats from Russia.

Biden Administration to Sanction Russia for Solarwinds Hacks on Thursday.  The U.S. plans to sanction about a dozen individuals (including both government and intelligence officials) and 6 organizations tied to Russia’s cyber operations.  The U.S. is also expected to expel about 10 Russian intelligence officers working under diplomatic cover in the U.S. Washington Post Bloomberg Politico

Iran Threat

China Considering Fighter Jet, Oil Trade with Iran. China is reluctantly considering trading 36 J-10C fighter jets with Iran for oil and natural gas according to military analysts. Tehran’s interest in acquiring the advanced jets follows the expiration last year of the 13-year arms embargo the United Nations placed on Iran.

Homeland Security

Probe faults DC National Guard use of helicopter during June protests. Members of the Washington, D.C., National Guard lacked clear guidance and didn’t fully understand how to appropriately use helicopters during the civil unrest in the city last June when one of the aircraft flew very low over a crowd, a military investigation has concluded.

No charges for police officer in Capitol riot shooting death of Air Force veteran. Federal prosecutors will not charge a police officer who shot and killed a woman as she climbed through the broken part of a door during the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6.

END of PDB