July Fourth Means More To Some Americans Than Others

WEDNESDAY PDB – Most Americans still celebrate the founding of our great Republic with patriotism and zeal. For new American citizens, this is often an even more special day. And for those who became citizens while serving in the U.S. military, it’s maybe even more.

Unfortunately, to the left, it’s often a day to be ignored or dismissed. SCR*W THEM! – HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT JULY 4^th. HAPPY INSURRECTION DAY! (RELATED: Loss Of Patriotism Leading Some Americans To Rethink July Fourth Celebrations)

BIDEN ALMOST MADE A BIG DEAL OF THIS – White House celebrates Fourth with military families, concert. Joe Biden and his wife hosted a group of active-duty military service members and their families for an afternoon barbecue to celebrate the 4th of July.

On this day in history, July 4, 1802, the US Military Academy opens at West Point. The motto of the U.S. Military Academy is ‘Duty, Honor, Country.’

WELCOME HOME – San Diego military members become new US citizens this Independence Day. Independence Day has meant more this year for some foreign-born U.S. troops.

BRING THEM HOME – It’s time to bring these US military veterans home. Bartolomé, a US military veteran, has spent the last 15 Fourth of July holidays in Mexico. Despite his eight years of service and honorable discharge, he’s not allowed to enter the U.S. He’s one of maybe thousands of veterans who have served this country honorably but have later been deported.

These firework ‘miniguns’ are the best worst 4th of July idea ever. Miniguns launching fireworks are why safety briefs exist. (RELATED: For The First Time, Drones Will Replace Firework Displays At July Fourth Celebrations)

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories from national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

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

PENTAGON WOKE WATCH

Senior Navy leader sounds off on beards, recruiting, quality of life and more. Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James Honea has some news for the enlisted fleet: he doesn’t really care too much either way about beards.

NATIONAL SECURITY

Senators want to boost Pentagon UFO office funding, transparency. The Senate wants to give the Pentagon’s unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP, office a major funding boost to scan the skies and near space for threats from China and beyond.

TELL BIDEN – EPA vehicle emissions proposal could benefit China, jeopardize US national security. It is widely acknowledged that to achieve real energy security, the U.S. must decrease its reliance on foreign countries for the supplies we need.

HOMELAND SECURITY

MAYBE – BUT – PREPARE FOR UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES – Republicans’ new border plan: Send military into Mexico. GOP candidates and lawmakers want to use the U.S. military to battle drug cartels.

Two soldiers arrested in rural Texas for smuggling migrants. This, in a west Texas county that borders Mexico.

CHINA THREAT

TOO BAD – China says it resolutely opposes US military sales to Taiwan. It has lodged stern protestations to Washington, China’s defense ministry said on Wednesday.

China’s commercial space ventures pose a variety of threats, DOD officials say. Officials worry China may do for commercial-space capabilities what it did for cheap telecom equipment.

SO MUCH FOR GOODWILL VISITS – Philippines accuses China of more ‘harassment’ near disputed reef. The Philippines on Wednesday accused China’s coast guard of obstruction and “dangerous maneuvers” against its vessels, after another incident in the South China Sea that has become a flashpoint between them.

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 497. At least 43 people, including 12 children, were injured after a Russian attack on a town in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region. Prosecutors said a three-month-old baby was among those hurt.

Wagner chief promises more ‘victories at the front’ in first message since mutiny. In his first audio message since calling off a mutiny aimed at Russia’s Defense Ministry leaders, Yevgeniy Prigozhin vowed that his mercenaries would keep fighting on Moscow’s side in Ukraine.

MAYBE – MAYBE NOT – Zelensky: Wagner revolt shows Putin is ‘weak.’ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Wagner Group rebellion last month shows Russian leader Vladimir Putin is “weak” and unable to defend his country, saying the security situation in Russia was “crumbling.”

NORTH KOREA THREAT

No military utility: S Korea trashes N Korea’s spy satellite. Analysis suggests the satellite’s reconnaissance was poor in terms of resolution and its ability to trace targets.

SPACE THREAT

Can cargo be delivered ‘to, from, and through’ space? DOD wants ideas soon. Space is taking on more responsibilities for the U.S. military, from command and control to missile warning. Next on the agenda: cargo.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

USS Ronald Reagan back in the South China Sea, details of Talisman Sabre exercise emerge. The Reagan Carrier Strike Group is back at sea after wrapping a port visit to Vietnam on Friday. Meanwhile, Japan’s Self-Defense Forces detailed their participation in the Australian-led multinational exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 to be held in Australia from July 22 to Aug. 4.

Army watercraft company with 13 ships will be based in Japan, Army Pacific commander says. The U.S. Army unit will be equipped with more than a dozen transport vessels.

China’s defense minister, Russia’s naval chief meet for military talks. China’s defense minister reaffirmed the country’s military relations with Russia during a meeting Monday with the head of Russia’s Navy, the first formal military talks between the allies since a short-lived mutiny by Russian mercenary group Wagner.

Putin says Russia is ‘united as never before’ at India-China summit. Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that the Russian people were “united as never before,” as he sought to project confidence in the wake of a short-lived revolt, at a meeting of a rare international organization where he can find a sympathetic audience.

Israeli forces begin withdrawal from West Bank city of Jenin. Israel’s military launched airstrikes on Gaza and rockets were fired from the coastal Palestinian enclave early Wednesday after Israeli forces began withdrawing from the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

US MILITARY

Marine Corps triples enlistment bonuses for cyber jobs. The service has said it needs Marines who can defend against cyber-attacks and launch some of their own.

FIX THIS ASAP! – 100-year-old WWII veteran is still without his Purple Heart. Friends want that to change. In 1945, then 22-year-old Harvey Drahos was wounded at the Battle of Okinawa, and he was convinced he wouldn’t make it out alive.

YES! – Were the “four fingers of death” the worst MRE in military history? Nary has a military meal been so odious as a handful of hotdogs vacuum-sealed in a pouch.

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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