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 – Why would Biden’s Pentagon give up Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, strategically wedged between Iran and China? Is a ‘starcruiser’ in Space Force’s future? House Republicans aim to stamp out ‘woke’ military training. Plan for National Guard security force on Capitol Hill faces political pushback.
Active-duty troops could be deployed along the southern border again.
Plus, British carrier joins U.S. amphibious forces in the North Atlantic in a vision of what’s to come.
Air Force Special Operators studying development of amphibious aircraft.
Is the infantry out of the Marine Corps’ future?
The U.S. Air Force has gotten lazy—and lazy won’t cut it in a war with China.
Aliens are (probably) not harassing the U.S. Navy.
Army developing long-term partnerships with at least six African countries
TODAY’S PDB HIGHLIGHTS:
Pentagon Watch
House Republicans aim to stamp out ‘woke’ military training. Republican lawmakers concerned about left-wing bias seeping into military training are eyeing a typically bipartisan and noncontroversial bill as a vehicle to halt it.
Sailors sue US Navy for religious exemption to have beards. Four sailors have filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the U.S. Navy from forcing them to shave in violation of their religious beliefs.
National Security
Why give away vital Bagram Air Base? Wedged between Iran and China, the Afghanistan location can’t be beat.
British carrier joins U.S. amphibious forces in North Atlantic in a vision of what’s to come. Some truly impressive photos have emerged documenting recent joint exercises in the North Atlantic involving the British Royal Navy and U.S. Navy, as well as forces from the U.S. Marine Corps.
Aliens are (probably) not harassing the U.S. Navy. Unidentified flying objects have been interacting with military ships with alarming frequency. Congress is right to take the issue seriously.
Homeland Security
Plan for National Guard security force on Capitol Hill faces political pushback. A pair of prominent defense Republican lawmakers are opposing efforts to form a National Guard “quick reaction force” to aid with Capitol Hill security, saying the move would unnecessarily militarize the halls of Congress.
Active-duty troops could be deployed along the southern border again. Thousands of National Guardsmen who’ve been rotating to the U.S.-Mexico border since 2018 are supposed to go home for good by Sept. 30, the chief of the National Guard Bureau told lawmakers on Tuesday, but because the Homeland Security Department wants that mission to continue, they could be replaced by active-duty troops.
Africa
Long-term partnerships with at least six African countries expected, SFAB colonel says. A recent deployment of Army advisors to Africa saw U.S. troops pull out of Somalia but increase their footprint on the continent, beginning training missions in Senegal, Kenya and Ghana.
Military
A ‘starcruiser’ for Space Force: Thinking through the imminent transformation of space power. The U.S. military has launched and operated Earth-orbiting satellites since the Discoverer 1 mission in March 1959.
AFSOC studying development of amphibious aircraft. Air Force Special Operation Command is looking into the development of a plane that can take off and land from the water.
Why the Corps’ future may sideline its ground-pounders. Since the modern Corps emerged from the ashes of World War I, Marine infantry has been the focus of the force.
The U.S. Air Force has gotten lazy—and lazy won’t cut it in a war with China. The U.S. Air Force’s fighter command is worried. After decades leisurely bombing insurgents from big, comfortable bases, Air Combat Command fears it’s gotten a little lazy.
END of PDB
I’m most concerned with woke. The U.S. military exists for two reasons: ( a ) to deter enemies from being aggressive; ( 2 ) to win wars when they aren’t deterred.