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 – Growing tension with Russia in Ukraine provokes warning from US Commander, and two additional destroyers for U.S. naval base in Rota Spain in the next couple of years. Is this the end of the Castros in Cuba?  Biden Russia sanctions not as tough as Trump’s.

Plus, U.S.-Philippine naval maneuvers to counter China.

The U.S. asks Japan to back Taiwan against China.

Are foreign drones spying on the U.S. military, or are they really UFOs?

And this week’s Weekly Special Operations Forces News Update.

TODAY’S PDB HIGHLIGHTS:

China Threat

Philippine – US Joint War Games. Over the next few weeks the Philippine armed forces will conduct an exercise that will include 700 US soldiers. The exercise is being held amid growing tensions in the South China Sea

U.S. wants Japan to back Taiwan. White House is said to be pushing for a hesitant Japan to sign off on strong support for Taiwan in a joint statement to be made after the two leaders meet.

Russia Threat

US commander warns NATO is ready to respond to aggression. Amid Russia’s massive troop buildup along its border with Ukraine, the top U.S. commander in Europe warned Thursday that NATO was prepared to respond to aggression.

Rota to gain two US destroyers by middle of the decade, EUCOM chief says. Two more Navy destroyers are expected to be based out of Rota, Spain, within the next few years, a move that will help U.S. European Command keep closer tabs on Russian submarines, the top U.S. officer on the Continent said Thursday.

Biden’s Russia sanctions far less than what Trump imposed. The Biden sanctions package announced Thursday “are less than what some in the United States had hoped for (and some in Russia feared).

U.S Military – Special Operations

Weekly Special Operations News Update – Danish Special Forces go to Mali, U.S. Green Berets train with Swedes, UK’s Long Range Recce Group completes operation in Mali, Special Forces and Great Power Conflict, U.S. Marines and Irregular Warfare (IW), Russian Private Military Companies (Wagner Group).

National Security

Smaller armies and better defenses in a new world – UK argues for new approach to continuous undeclared warfare. Smaller, smarter forces.

Adversary Drones Are Spying on The U.S. And Pentagon Acts Like They’re UFOs. The Defense Department is still playing catch-up when it comes to the realities surrounding the drone threat.

Geopolitics

No more Castros? Cuban Communist Party begins its eighth national congress today in Havana. The gathering is expected to mark the end of Raúl Castro’s tenure as first secretary of the party and official leader of Cuba as he makes way for figurehead new leader “President” Miguel Díaz-Canel

END of PDB

Paul Crespo

Paul Crespo is the Managing Editor of American Defense News. A defense and national security expert, he served as a Marine Corps officer and as a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at US embassies worldwide. Paul holds degrees from Georgetown, London, and Cambridge Universities. He is also CEO of SPECTRE Global Risk, a security advisory firm, and President of the Center for American Defense Studies, a national security think tank.