PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) – Or are we stretched too thin? As Middle East crisis grinds on, Pentagon shows signs of strain.
The open-ended crisis in the Middle East has begun to squeeze the Pentagon, fueling unease over the U.S. military’s ability to balance imminent threats to American interests there with longer-term objectives as Russia and China test Washington elsewhere in the world.
Is Europe prepared for the US election outcome? There is an increasing urgency for Europe to improve its defense capabilities and create a degree of independence from the US. It is not clear what progress NATO, and European member states specifically, have made.
But Trump’s win can be expected to more drastically shift Washington’s efforts away from European defense, even as the Biden/Harris administration reprioritizes the Middle East and a “pivot” toward Asia.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories ending the week from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.
Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEFING – the PDB:
HOMELAND SECURITY
Somalian terror group operative is convicted in 9/11-style plot to kill Americans.
Man with torch lighter, flare gun arrested at Capitol Visitor Center. The man who smelled like gasoline had papers he intended to deliver to Congress.
FBI: Russian email addresses tied to ‘not credible’ bomb threats that have slowed or delayed polling processes around the nation.
Nearly half of the National Guardsmen activated for election focus on cybersecurity.
So far, no ‘national-level significant incidents’ that would affect the security of today’s presidential election on Election Day, says Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
POLITICS
Trump wins the White House in political comeback rooted in appeals to frustrated voters. Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States on Wednesday, an extraordinary comeback for a former president who refused to accept defeat four years ago.
US POWER OVERSEAS
B-52s deploying to Europe on top of bombers already in Middle East.
IRAN THREAT/ISRAEL
Israel’s Netanyahu dismisses his defense minister as wars rage. Protests erupt across country.
CHINA THREAT
Chinese aircraft carrier sails to South China Sea. On Monday night, the People’s Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier CNS Shandong (17) sailed out of the Philippine Sea back into the South China Sea. Additionally, U.S. carrier USS George Washington (CVN-73) is set to arrive at its new Japanese homeport later this month.
China’s J-35A stealth fighter officially breaks cover. The Shenyang J-35A, a land-based stealth fighter has been under development for some time, but the base design was previously understood to be under development primarily for export and latterly also for carrier-based service with the PLA Navy.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Western officials suspect Russia was behind a plot to put incendiary packages on cargo planes headed to North America, including one that caught fire at a courier hub in Germany and another that ignited in a warehouse in England.
Ukrainian troops have engaged with North Korean units for the 1st time in Russia.
North Korean troops in Russia are shelled by Ukrainian forces.
DOD can’t confirm whether North Korean troops in Russia are ‘gorging on pornography’. North Korean troops deployed to Russia may have discovered online pornography, and really gotten into it.
Vladimir Putin has tapped a Ukraine war veteran to head one of Russia’s regions, the highest post so far awarded to an invasion participant as the leader looks to forge a “new elite” of patriotic workers and soldiers.
NORTH KOREA THREAT
US approves sale of four E-7 ‘Wedgetail’ early-warning planes to South Korea.
SPACE THREAT
Japan and Poland are set to gain access to the U.S. military’s Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) satellite network, marking a strategic expansion of the system that currently supports the US and several other allies.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
French, UK naval chiefs urge dramatic changes in warship design.
Europeans start work on next-generation combat ship for the 2040s.
US MILITARY
Barracuda precision, air-breathing mini-cruise missile is like a Hellfire on steroids.
New Space Force ‘Mission Deltas’ handle missile warning, domain awareness. The Space Force has officially expanded its concept for combining operations, sustainment, cyber, and intelligence functions all under one roof.
Soldier dies of injuries suffered during Gaza pier mission. A 23-year-old Army sergeant died last week from injuries sustained in non-combat duties during the mission.
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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