MONDAY PDB – US military begins slow transition out of Niger ahead of troop withdrawal. The U.S. has begun a slow transition of its exit from former ally Niger in preparation for a troop withdrawal.
Why Washington failed in Niger. Niger's Prime Minister pulled no punches in explaining the country's decision to expel U.S. forces: “The Americans stayed on our soil, doing nothing while the terrorists killed people and burned towns. It is not a sign of friendship to come on our soil but let the terrorists attack us.”
He went on to single out what he saw as the “condescending tone and a lack of respect” shown by a high-level U.S. delegation that visited the country in mid-March.
Nigerien officials were insulted not only by the tone of U.S. messaging but also by demands to limit security ties with Russia and threats to impose sanctions if Niger sold uranium to Iran.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here's a roundup of today's other top defense stories from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.
Not the President's Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL'S DAILY BRIEFING – the PDB:
NATIONAL SECURITY
Oceans can no longer protect America. The growth of space and cyber technologies worldwide is raising the likelihood that war — or at least its ripple effects — will crash onto America's doorstep.
America's war machine can't make basic artillery fast enough. Ground wars are still won with bullets, bombs, and artillery shells.
HOMELAND SECURITY
Violent Pro-Palestinian protestors gather at White House Saturday in protest of Joe Biden's handling of the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.
POLITICS
BUT OF COURSE THEY DID – Bush-era national security officials warn against politicizing civil service. In a letter, a cadre of former Republican appointees urged lawmakers to pursue a “middle ground” of federal employee accountability that preserves merit systems principles.
ISRAEL WAR AGAINST TERROR
Israeli war cabinet minister Benny Gantz quits emergency government. This, in a sign of deepening divisions over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's post-conflict plans for Gaza.
IT'S A WAR – UN puts Israel on list for failing to protect children.
US POWER OVERSEAS
The Army-Navy Gaza aid pier is back on the beach. This, after a section broke apart in storms and rough seas, and food and other supplies will begin to flow soon.
Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, 24th MEU deploy to Europe. The Navy's oldest big-deck amphibious warship is in Europe for its first deployment since returning from Japan in 2019.
US Army brings its premier training center to Philippines for first time. Philippine soldiers are training on their home turf using U.S. Army Pacific's premier wargaming technology.
US troops honored for seizing 2 million pounds of explosives in Middle East. The troops seized, searched and then piloted the vessel on a 17-hour, 530 nautical mile trip.
IRAN THREAT
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Ninety states headed to Swiss-sponsored Ukraine peace summit, but Russia absent.
Mandatory conscription and subway stations as bunkers: Germany outlines wartime plans. Conscription, rationing and subway stations turned into bunkers. For the first time since the Cold War, Germany has updated its plans should conflict erupt in Europe, with ministers citing the threat posed by Russia.
US announces first batch of Ukraine aid since pivot on Russia strikes. The latest package includes munitions that can now be fired across the border into Russia to help stabilize a section of the front line.
New tactics and a NATO assist can help Ukraine defeat Russia. U.S. allies will converge in Washington next month for this year's NATO summit.
Ukraine says it struck a top fighter plane deep inside Russia. Its forces hit an ultra-modern Russian warplane stationed on an air base nearly 370 miles from the front lines.
Vipers over Ukraine: What impact will F-16s have in the war with Russia? As observers await the appearance of F-16s in the skies over Ukraine, a pilot who flew 30 missions in the jet during the Gulf War, sounds a note of caution to the Ukrainian airmen who will fly them.
WILD VIDEO – Ukraine war video appears to show US-supplied Bradley fighting vehicle and Russian APC in a head-on firefight. Watch a US-supplied M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle shooting at a Russian armored personnel carrier at point-blank range.
CHINA THREAT
NO RECONCILIATION POSSIBLE UNDER CCP – ‘Short of war,' China's gray zone strategy on Taiwan is gathering in intensity. The West must strongly deter — without foreclosing a future reconciliation between Taipei and Beijing.
House bill funds new tranche of Philippines, Taiwan military aid. House Appropriations Committee Republicans released their fiscal year 2025 State Department spending bill this week with sections demonstrating the continued U.S. interest in countering China's growing threat in the Indo-Pacific region.
AVOID COMMITTING TREASON – US, allied intel agencies warn their pilots to avoid Chinese recruitment.
NORTH KOREA THREAT
Deterring North Korean aggression remains primary goal, new fighter wing commander says. The wing is based 220 miles from Pyongyang.
South Korea restarts anti-North Korea loudspeaker broadcasts in retaliation for trash balloons. This, the North sent over 1,000 balloons filled with trash and manure over the last couple of weeks.
SPACE THREAT
Hide and seek: Despite sharper eyes on the heavens, sneaky sats can still find shadows. Hiding in the sun, launching mini satellites and radar absorbent materials are just some of the tricks nations are using to hide their military satellites in orbit.
Defining dynamic space ops: What it means to stay dominant in orbit. For the U.S. to remain dominant in space, it must be able to sustain dynamic operations on a scale we never thought necessary. Thus, why it's initiating the technologic and cultural shifts necessary to enable this leap.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Far right makes gains in EU election but it could struggle to unite. Staying with this election for the European Parliament, the hard right and nationalist right made gains in many parts of the EU, with voters worried about migration, inflation and the cost of environmental reforms.
France faces ‘consequential' election as far-right rout prompts Macron gamble. The snap election called by President Emmanuel Macron after Sunday's bruising loss to the far-right in European Parliament elections will be France's most fateful legislative vote in decades.
Narendra Modi sworn in for third term as Indian prime minister at grand ceremony in Delhi.
US MILITARY
First operational F-15EX arrives in Oregon; milestone for Air Guard. It was delivered to Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon, on June 6, the first all-new weapon system to be delivered to the Air Guard before serving with the active-duty force.
US Army debates path to buy long-range precision munitions. The Army has spent roughly five years assessing what a helicopter-fired, long-range precision munition would look like. But during that time other options have emerged that could achieve greater commonality with weapons that can be launched from a greater number of platforms.
END of PDB
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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