⏱ 7 minute read
PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) – Venezuela responds. 4,500 U.S. Marines and sailors deployed on three ships to the southern Caribbean on an anti-cartel mission. The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) will be part of an effort to pressure drug cartels in the waters around Latin America.
The force consists of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, the USS Iwo Jima, and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships the USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale.
In addition to the ARG’s ships and air power — including AV-8B Harriers and helicopters and tilt rotors — P-8 Poseidon spy planes, a submarine, and three destroyers — the USS Gravely, USS Jason Dunham, and USS Sampson are also reportedly set to head to the region as part of that effort.
This is the first time an ARG with embarked Marines has deployed since December. It is unclear if this force will conduct specific operations or will be in the area simply as a show of force and for any contingency.
Meanwhile, as U.S. warships approach Caribbean waters, Venezuela’s illegitimate communist clown leader and drug lord Nicolas Maduro claims he is mobilizing 4.5 million peasant militias in response.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories ending the week from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.
Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEFING – the PDB:
HOMELAND SECURITY
Joining forces from three other GOP-led states, the Mississippi National Guard will deploy 200 troops to Washington to support federal policing and immigration overhaul in the nation’s capital.
WATCH – National Guardsmen patrol the National Mall as part of Trump’s ‘D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force.’
The readiness rate of amphibious ships critical to Marine missions has reportedly dropped to 41%, as thousands of Marines and sailors are being sent to Latin America and the Caribbean.
‘Fearless’ former Marine-turned-police officer was killed as he confronted a gunman who attacked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month. The shooter fired close to 500 rounds into CDC labs and buildings in Atlanta.
The now ex-DOJ employee accused of throwing a Subway sandwich at an ICE officer in Washington, D.C. has been charged with a felony.
In surprise move, Air Force chief of staff, Gen. David Allvin, to retire 2 years early.
Deputy Secretary of Defense has ordered a major overhaul of the military’s AI efforts, including a reorganization that some former officials worry could be seen as a demotion for DOD’s main AI office.
Amid growing drone demands, DOD is working on a strategy for how it sources and buys batteries —including the critical minerals they require—which officials expect to release in 2026.
US POWER OVERSEAS
Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group sailed over the weekend to the North Sea, while the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) headed to Alaska to participate in Exercise Northern Edge 2025 (NE25), a bilateral drill with Canada.
These are the approximate positions of the Navy’s deployed carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups throughout the world as of August 18, 2025.
Air Force pilot with thousands of flight hours and experience leading the fight against extremism recently assumed the top job at the Germany-headquartered U.S. Africa Command.
MIDDLE EAST THREATS
To avoid Israeli onslaught into Gaza City. Hamas source says group agrees to latest Gaza ceasefire proposal and hostage release deal with Israel.
Netanyahu slams anti-war protests as Gaza City operation looms. Israelis took to the streets to protest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to expand operations in the Gaza Strip rather than attempt to negotiate an end to the war under which Hamas would free its last hostages.
CHINA THREAT
U.S. seeks shipbuilding expertise from South Korea and Japan to counter China, whose shipbuilding capabilities dwarf ours.
U.S. Coast Guard is continuing its response to five Chinese research vessels operating in the U.S. Arctic.
China’s first crewed tiltrotor aircraft is flying. While the program remains mysterious, it’s further evidence of growing Chinese interest in this versatile class of aircraft.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Trump has announced plans to convene a face-to-face summit between Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in his latest bid to end Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Trump has ruled out a ceasefire in Ukraine as Zelenskyy and his European allies visited the White House to push for US-backed security guarantees as part of any long-term peace deal.
Russia and Belarus are expected to conduct a joint military exercise next month involving nuclear weapons and Russian-made hypersonic missiles.
New cruise missile called Flamingo, which reportedly has a range of 1,864 miles, has emerged in Ukraine and has already been used to strike targets in Russia. A weapon with this range would allow it to hold targets at risk well beyond the reach of other missiles in its arsenal.
SPACE THREAT
The commander of UK’s Space Command recently made a stark observation: if war breaks out in Europe, it is “highly likely” that the first assault on Britain will take place not on land, sea or air, but in space. And we’re not ready.
Lessons learned from the Space Force’s Schriever Wargame, which will wrap up Thursday, could shape the service’s future capabilities.
China conducted a pair of launches to separately deliver a new experimental low-inclination satellite and a new batch of Guowang broadband satellites into orbit.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Rebels backed by ISIL (ISIS) have killed at least 52 civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo this month, as both the DRC army and Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group accuse each other of violating a recently reached U.S.-mediated ceasefire deal.
A military court has convicted a New Zealand soldier of attempted espionage for a foreign power – the first spying conviction in the country’s history.
US MILITARY
In northern Michigan, thousands of Army troops train for combat across the Pacific.
Army’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) “Talon” interceptor inventory is unacceptably low, potentially leaving U.S. forces vulnerable in a future conflict. Absent aggressive congressional intervention, it will take too long to replenish and expand stocks.
Army is finalizing the requirements and funding for taking over development of an air defense, hypervelocity cannon.
Army moving out with cheaper Robotic Combat Vehicle competition, but with a new name and plans to cap the per unit cost at $650,000.
Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile will have its first test flight this fall, a yearlong delay from previous plans.
Pickle fork-like stealthy drone with buddy refueling capability being developed by Kratos. The unusual-looking air combat drone capable of carrying munitions internally and externally is dubbed Clone Ranger. The uncrewed aircraft is designed to be highly modular, as well as relatively low-cost and readily producible.
New startup has a contract with the Air Force’s innovation arm and a prototype to test its new concept: a network of “flying pickup truck” drones to solve the problem of logistics of distributed ops in the vast Pacific.
Navy is moving ahead with the acquisition of a next-generation logistics ship to meet the demand for the sea service’s planned future of units spread over vast distances.
AI is about to reshape command and staff structures that haven’t changed much since Napoleon.
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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