American Forces Stretched Thin With Multiple Global Threats

WEDNESDAY PDB – U.S. forces overseas are running at a heightened global tempo preparing to deal with crises with China, North Korea and Iran while also keeping an eye on Europe and Russia.

B-1B bombers perch closer to Mid-East conflict as they exercise with Turkish fighters. Two of the four Lancers deployed as a Bomber Task Force to Spain last month have been positioned closer to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and are now exercising with that NATO partner’s air force.

Japan announces 7-month, dual big deck deployment, USS Carl Vinson heading to RIMPAC. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will dispatch both its Izumo-class big decks on their largest deployment to date.

Philippines, US forces to train retaking island in joint drills. They will simulate retaking enemy-occupied islands during joint drills starting next week in areas facing Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Largest joint airpower drills over Korean Peninsula include 25 aircraft types. The U.S. and South Korea are carrying out their largest, annual aerial training to “deter, defend and defeat” enemies in and around the Korean Peninsula.

ARE WE STRETCHED TOO THIN?

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

USAF sticking to 100 B-21s as it considers something newer and better. The Air Force isn’t looking to buy more B-21s because it may come up with something better by the time all those aircraft are built, the Air Force chief  told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Inside the changing world of drone warfare. What worked in the past won’t work in the future.

HOMELAND SECURITY

Russia-linked hacking group suspected of carrying out cyberattack on Texas water facility. The group with ties to the Russian government is suspected of carrying out a cyberattack in January that caused a tank at a Texas water facility to overflow.

Border shooting involving Indiana National Guard troop and illegal alien in El Paso under investigation. This, at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Assange extradition case moves forward after US assures UK court there would be no death penalty. Until Julian Assange, no publisher had been charged under the Espionage Act.

PENTAGON WOKE WATCH

NO TAXPAYER-FUNDED ABORTION – Tuberville bill seeks quarterly abortion data from VA. The Department of Veterans Affairs would be required to submit detailed data on abortions performed at its facilities under a bill introduced by Sen. Tommy Tuberville.

POLITICS

BIDEN HAS LESS THAN ZERO CREDIBILITY ON THIS – US to hit Iran with fresh sanctions after Israel attack. The U.S. will impose new sanctions on Iran’s missile and drone program after the country’s unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend, White House announced Tuesday evening.

House passes host of bills targeting Iran after attack on Israel. House lawmakers passed multiple pieces of legislation focused on penalizing Iran.

MIKE IS RIGHT – GOP IS HURTING ITSELF WITH THIS – Mike Johnson vows to stay speaker as foreign-aid plan sparks backlash. The House Speaker is facing the most direct challenge to his leadership since taking the gavel last fall, sparked by his effort to pass long-stalled funding for Ukraine, Israel, and other overseas allies.

Navy, senators argue over who is to blame for a too-small fleet. The size of the U.S. Navy’s fleet and the debate over how to increase it took center stage at a Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee hearing.

Air Force’s legislative proposal is an existential threat to the National Guard. The head of the National Guard Association, blasts an Air Force proposal to transfer National Guard units performing space missions to the Space Force.

ISRAEL WAR AGAINST HAMAS

Israeli tanks push back into northern Gaza, warplanes hit Rafah weeks after leaving. Rafah is Hamas’ last refuge in the south of the territory.

IRAN THREAT

Navy seeks urgent replenishment of $1B in munitions spent countering Iran-led attacks in Middle East. The funds are in a stalled national security spending plan.

MAYBE THAT’S WHAT BIDEN WANTS – Israel shouldn’t ‘take the win’ against Iran. It would be political suicide for Benjamin Netanyahu to follow Joe Biden’s advice.

IDF releases video of jets shooting down missiles and drones launched by Iran in attack on April 14. Watch here.

What to know about Shahed-136 drones, which Iran used to attack Israel. These drones were the centerpiece of Iran’s attack Saturday on Israel.

CHINA THREAT

Austin speaks with Chinese counterpart in latest reopening of talks. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke Tuesday morning with China’s minister of defense — the highest level of military communications to resume between the two countries.

US navy flies aircraft through the Taiwan Strait a day after US-China defense chiefs hold rare talks. The U.S. 7th Fleet said a Navy P-8A Poseidon flew through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, a day after U.S. and Chinese defense chiefs held their first talks since Nov. 2022.

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR

Ukraine’s air defense pleas spotlight Patriot bottleneck. Ukraine’s requests for more long-range air defense systems to repel Russian attacks highlight a weak spot in the production capabilities of Kyiv’s allies.

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT – German chancellor presses China on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Olaf Scholz said he asked Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Tuesday to pressure Russia to end its “insane campaign” in Ukraine, the latest in a parade of European leaders and senior officials to make such a naive appeal.

Russia’s meat grinder soldiers – 50,000 Russians confirmed dead.

NORTH KOREA THREAT

How to monitor North Korean nuclear violations after Russia’s UN veto. For 14 years, a U.N. panel of experts documented evidence of North Korea’s nuclear violations and monitored U.N. member states’ enforcement of sanctions. Not anymore.

US MILITARY

Navy continues to struggle in recruiting as other services near goal. The Navy hit less than 70 percent of its recruiting goals for the first half of fiscal year 2024 — lagging behind the other services who met at least 90 percent of their recruiting targets during the same period.

As demand rises, Marines need their own school for MQ-9 drone crews. This, instead of relying on the Air Force, the top Marine said.

Supreme Court rules in favor of veteran who sued over GI Bill limits. The veteran unsuccessfully tried to use both his Post-9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill benefits, saying that Veterans Affairs officials erred in limiting his education support.

Retiring Marines have to give 6 months’ notice now, up from 4 months.

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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