US Should Focus On China Threat, Europe Should Focus On Russia

FRIDAY PDB – PAUL’S DAILY BRIEFING – The Pentagon rightfully readies US for possible China confrontation. The U.S. military must be ready for the looming conflict with China, the Pentagon’s leaders said, pushing Congress to approve the proposed $842 billion budget, which would modernize the force in Asia and around the world.

AND THAT WAR IS COMING.

But some generals still don’t get it, arguing that defeating Russia in Ukraine is necessary to avoid doubling our defense budget to face that threat in Europe.

Not stopping Russia in Ukraine would force ‘doubling’ of US defense budget, Milley says. The top U.S. general warned that not supporting Ukraine now would lead to a massive increase in future defense budgets – and global conflict that has been avoided since World War II ended.

But NO – IT SHOULD DOUBLE EUROPE’S DEFENSE BUDGET – NOT AMERICA’S.

EVEN AS CHINA AND RUSSIA JOIN FORCES, IT’S TIME FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION (EU) TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of other developing stories.

Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DAILY BRIEFING – the PDB:

NATIONAL SECURITY

Pentagon investigates lapse in Boeing security credentials for Air Force One. About 250 Boeing workers in San Antonio had expired security credentials that are needed to work on highly classified presidential jets

Lawmakers blast TikTok CEO over data privacy. At a House hearing, legislators took turns grilling Shou Chew about securing Americans’ data on the popular video-sharing app.

HOMELAND DEFENSE

NORTHCOM: Russia close to persistent nuclear cruise missile attack sub presence off US coasts. Russia could have its most powerful and quiet nuclear attack submarines on persistent patrols off either U.S. Coast in the next two years, the head of U.S. Northern Command warned.

CHINA THREAT

China is reaching into Africa with ‘illicit activities’ and ‘shady deals,’ US general says. China drawing other countries into “shady” new partnerships and the rise of terrorist groups are two of the top U.S. security concerns emerging in the Middle East and Africa, military commanders warn.

US Navy denies Chinese claim it drove away American destroyer. The United States is denying Chinese claims that its military forced the USS Milius away from waters around disputed islands in the South China Sea.

Chinese diplomats oppose US military presence in Philippines. In February, the Philippines said it would allow rotating batches of American forces to indefinitely station in four more Philippine military camps. CHICOMS AREN’T HAPPY.

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR

Slovakia delivers first four Soviet-era MiG-29 jets to Ukraine. Slovakia became the second NATO member to heed the Ukrainian government’s pleas for warplanes to help defend against Russia’s invasion.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 394. Hungary said Russian leader Vladimir Putin will not be arrested if he enters the country despite the International Criminal Court (ICC) issuing an arrest warrant against him on war crimes charges. Hungary signed and ratified the Rome Statute that created the ICC but Hungarian officials said the Rome Statute had not been built into the Hungarian legal system, so there was no basis to arrest Putin.

Using Starlink paints a target on Ukrainian troops. Units scramble for solutions as Russia learns to locate and jam the vital comsat links.

Europe races to push ammo output to new limits as demand from Ukraine soars. Kyiv’s call for 350,000 artillery shells a month shows demand has effectively doubled since a Ukrainian official said in June that its armed forces were expending between 5,000 to 6,000 artillery rounds a day.

Will helping Ukraine diminish US munition stockpiles? The Army’s top acquisition chief shares his plan to keep U.S. ammunition stockpiles full while delivering aid to Ukraine.

NORTH KOREA THREAT

N Korea tests new underwater nuclear attack ‘drone’. Drone cruised underwater for 59 hours, then detonated in an exercise designed to deter S Korea and US forces: KCNA.

Navy amphibious warships arrive in South Korea for large-scale ‘double dragons’ exercise. A U.S. Navy amphibious ready group — 5,500 sailors and Marines and three warships — arrived at South Korea’s largest port Wednesday for the largest naval exercise by the two allies in five years.

IRAN THREAT

Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in several months if it decides to do so, Mark Milley says. The estimate by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is shorter than previous assessments by some Western officials.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

US launches Syria strikes after contractor killed, 5 troops wounded. The U.S. airstrikes against Iranian-linked sites in eastern Syria Thursday were retaliation after a deadly suicide drone attacke at a U.S. base there.

Norway watches warily as Russian subs and aircraft step up Arctic patrols. The NATO ally has released videos illustrating what it sees as a growing Russian threat near a maze of undersea pipelines.

US MILITARY

IS MARINE CORPS COMMITTING SERVICE SUICIDE? – How the Corps’ new training document ignores US law. What lies beneath Talent Management 2030 is destructive and comes dangerously close to violating U.S. law, these retired Marines say.

The ability to stare: Why the US Air Force is eager to get the E-7 Wedgetail. For nearly 50 years, the E-3 Sentry aircraft served as the cornerstone of the U.S. Air Force’s ability to keep eyes in the sky.

This ugly inter-service dispute over amphibious warships didn’t have to happen. The Pentagon’s civilian leaders must spell out what they need to deter China.

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.

READ NEXT: US Base In Syria Attacked By Iranian Proxy Forces