PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) – Dr. Thomas Lynch III, retired Army Col., and fellow at National Defense University, says China is closely studying this conflict, similar to how it analyzed Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, but now with 25 years of added military modernization.
Both sides in Iran are expending massive quantities of weapons, and Beijing is evaluating U.S. vulnerabilities, endurance in a prolonged fight, and opportunities to erode American power in a future confrontation.
And why should Xi help Trump? Hormuz Crossings Paralyzed, but China-Bound Ships Keep Moving. Lynch also said China has built at least a 120-day strategic reserve of fossil fuels that would fuel nearly all of its industries, should it lose its oil supply from Iran.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense news from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.
THE PDB – Not the President’s Daily Briefing, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF:
NATIONAL SECURITY
Hate to admit that he is right. Trump-hating GOP turncoat former Rep. Adam Kinzinger said President Trump did not adequately prepare the American public for war with Iran, calling that his “biggest mistake” in the lead-up to conflict.
HOMELAND SECURITY
Tragic. Afghan immigrant, ex-soldier, who had been evacuated from his home country after working for years with U.S. military died of apparent natural causes at Texas hospital after immigration authorities detained him. (RELATED: Democrats Defund Homeland Security As Jihadist Terrorism Surges)
US POWER OVERSEAS
IRAN CAMPAIGN
Diagramming the blows to Iran’s leadership. Here are some of the top Iranian leadership killed since U.S.-Israeli strikes began. And add Gholamreza Soleimani, commander of dreaded Basij militia to this list.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran’s token “supreme” leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is “wounded and likely disfigured.” He has also previously been treated for impotence in London.
Late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly was wary of his son, newly elected Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, succeeding him, according to U.S. intelligence. The assessment also cited Khamenei’s concerns about his intelligence and sexual preferences.
More than 100 Iranian naval vessels destroyed, and ‘we aren’t done,’ CENTCOM leader says.
Don’t count launches: Misreading Iran’s drone capacity. After Gulf War’s air campaign concluded in February 1991, U.S. commanders were confident that airpower had destroyed bulk of Iraq’s Republican Guard before ground offensive began. Later GAO review found they were wrong and identified why.
Iranian missile strike damaged five U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft on ground at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, Trump said most were rapidly repaired. Air Force operates approximately 376 KC-135s. They are being gradually replaced with KC-46A Pegasus tankers. Air Force has fleet of 100 KC-46As.
Number of U.S. troops wounded in war against Iran has risen to about 200, mostly not seriously. 180 troops already returned to duty. 10 considered serious. Troops have been injured in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Iraq, and Israel.
WAR’S REGIONAL/GLOBAL IMPACT
Earlier Trump said NATO alliance faces “very bad” future if countries do not answer his call to keep Strait of Hormuz open. “It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there.”
Iran hits Gulf neighbors and keeps stranglehold on oil shipping as concerns rise of energy crisis. UAE briefly closed and then reopened its airspace, temporarily halting flights in crucial travel hub, as country’s military said it was facing incoming attacks from Iran. (RELATED: Marines Headed To Gulf Bring Firepower, Could Target Strategic Kharg Island)
ISRAEL AND LEBANON
RUSSIA THREAT/UKRAINE WAR
Africa tiptoes around recruitment of citizens by Russia.
Two-star U.S. Army general and head of command responsible for coordinating support for Ukraine left tube of classified maps on train in Europe, losing control of the sensitive material for 24 hours. The maps were recovered.
ARCTIC THREATS
US MILITARY
Tesla’s Cybertruck could be right for battlefield. Surveillance by small, cheap quadcopter drones has made substantial battlefield advances nearly impossible amid Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine. (RELATED: Shocking Standoff: Gun-Wielding Driver Vs. Tesla Cybertruck Owner)
Navy’s latest Fighting Instructions is not a plan, not a strategy, and not fighting instructions.
Navy says USS Nimitz will put off retirement and stay in service into next year.
Air Force making it easier for Airmen to take time off around permanent change of station moves.
END of PDB
FOR MORE DETAILED, UNCENSORED, INTELLIGENCE, AND ANALYSIS FROM PAUL CRESPO, SUBSCRIBE TO HIS SUBSTACK.
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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We weren’t prepared by Trump for the Iranian war? Really? If I can remember correctly, we CERTAINLY were given all necessary information about what would and could happen long ago.
And we KNOW that if Iran was to build both nuclear weapons, and missiles with which to transport them to other, and to our, nation(s), we all would be in BIG trouble.
If this world’s military and civilian ‘leaders’ would consider WWII and learn from it, they would see that stopping demented dictators ( as the allies should have done to Hitler in 1935 ) would stop the probability of much larger wars in the near future.
To not learn from the past is to repeat it!