PDB – US Warns China – ‘Don’t Help Russia’

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Today's PDB includes a variety of critical, global national security issues.

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READ TODAY'S PDB BELOW:

NATIONAL SECURITY

OR LET EUROPE DEFEND EUROPE – Ukraine makes clear the US must reconsider its one-war defense strategy. This approach would be a major step toward creating a force that can credibly deter opportunistic aggression. The next NDS will maintain China as the Defense Department's pacing challenge and is unlikely to support rebuilding a two-war force. It's time to acknowledge that a “China first” strategy is really a China only strategy that creates a path for Russia to win in Europe if the U.S. military is fully engaged in the Pacific.

REMINDER TO ANTI-DEFENSE DEMOCRATS – Putin has brought threat of nuclear conflict ‘back within the realm of possibility,' UN chief says. U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said Monday that the prospect of nuclear conflict is “now back within the realm of possibility” after Russian President Vladimir Putin raised the alert levels of the country's nuclear forces last month.

HOMELAND SECURITY

Texas Guard's top general replaced amid border mission troubles. The move by Gov. Greg Abbott follows months of criticism that her handling of his highly touted border mission had led to deplorable living conditions for Army and Air Guardsmen.

HOMELAND DEFENSE

Russia may be holding cyber capabilities in reserve, so US must keep its shields up. Although Russia's cyber operations have been “relatively mild” against Ukraine, the United States should keep its shields up in case any cyber attacks hit the private sector or critical infrastructure, according to the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a group of cybersecurity experts.

CHINA THREAT

US warns China not to assist Russia. National security adviser. Jake Sullivan issued a direct warning to his Chinese counterpart Monday about the potential consequences of any assistance that Beijing might provide Russia in its war with Ukraine, officials said, following Moscow's recent request for military equipment and aid.

RUSSIA THREAT

Attack on Ukrainian base came from planes inside Russia, Pentagon says, underscoring the limits of a no-fly zone. The assault in Yavoriv, about 15 miles from Poland's border, did not disrupt shipments of Western military aid, despite Russia's claims, a senior U.S. official said

Russian forces have been pushed back slightly from Ukraine's Mykolayiv city, says governor. In an interview on national television, Governor Vitaliy Kim said Russian troops continued to fire at the city of Mykolayiv and that 80 people were wounded on Monday, including two children.

WEAK NORTHERN FLANK – US sends sizable contingent to Norway for giant NATO exercise in region rattled by Russia. Several thousand U.S. Marines and sailors are among the roughly 30,000 troops from 27 NATO and partner countries taking part in Norway's largest military exercise since the end of the Cold War.

BIDEN – SEND THE PLANES – Scuttled plan to give Polish jets to Ukraine stirs frustration on Capitol Hill. U.S. lawmakers are fuming that the Biden administration nixed an offer to provide Ukraine with Soviet-era fighter jets but do not plan to try to force the administration's hand through legislation.

Ukraine hopes to open 9 humanitarian corridors, get aid to besieged Mariupol. Ukraine hopes to open nine corridors on Tuesday to evacuate civilians trapped by Russian forces and will try to deliver humanitarian supplies to the besieged port of Mariupol, said Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk.

NORTH KOREA THREAT

US troops in S Korea step up missile defense drills amid signs of N Korea test. U.S. forces stationed in South Korea said on Tuesday they have enhanced the intensity of exercises for their Patriot missile air defense system amid signs that North Korea might soon conduct another long-range missile test.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

Germany to buy F-35 warplanes for nuclear deterrence. Germany will buy up to 35 copies of the U.S.-made F-35 fighter jet for role launching U.S. nukes, reversing years-long plans that saw the fifth-generation warplane eliminated from consideration, defense leaders announced Monday.

France puts space at top of national — and European — security priorities. France is several years into a multibillion-euro investment in military space capabilities, and the country is using its temporary role leading the European Council presidency to emphasize the operational domain's importance across the continent.

BIDEN'S AFGHAN DISASTER

BIDEN – HELP THEM GET OUT – Afghan aviators hide as Taliban urge them to return to duty. Many former Afghan Air Force members fear they could be killed by the Taliban if they came out of hiding, but others have joined the nascent Taliban air force.

US MILITARY AND SPACE

Top Navy official says service needs a larger fleet and a larger share of the budget. His comments mark a strategic change to the way the Navy thinks about and pursues budget requests. Gilday confirmed to Defense News he is arguing the Navy needs a large portion of the pie — because a larger naval fleet will be critical to the U.S. military.

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.