FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – American Liberty News (ALN) – in collaboration with respected national security expert Paul Crespo and the Center for American Defense Studies (CADS) – provides our readers the PDB:
Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DAILY BRIEFING.
Get Your Best Daily Defense and Foreign Affairs Intelligence Here in One Brief. Read the summaries or dive deeper via the linked articles.
POLITICS
White House announces Patriots for Ukraine amid Zelenskyy visit. The State Department on Wednesday announced the United States will provide Ukraine a Patriot missile defense system as part of the latest $1.85 billion tranche of military aid for Kyiv to defend against Russia’s invasion.
Amid a show of unity, Zelensky and Biden differ on some war needs. Behind the smiles and handshakes — and a new $1.85 billion military aid package — the Ukrainian president and his advisors continue to push Washington for advanced weaponry that Biden is reluctant to provide.
DEFENSE BUDGET
Deluge of money for Ukraine puts Pentagon’s top cops on high alert. With Congress on track to hit $100 billion in aid this year to help Ukraine repel Russia, the Pentagon’s law enforcement agency is watching for signs of fraud and abuse in the contracts being awarded.
Congress forgoes $2 billion Taiwan security grants in favor of loans. The Taiwan Policy Act contained $4.5 billion in military aid for Taipei when Bob Menendez of New Jersey and James Risch of Idaho – the Democratic chairman and top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee first introduced the bill in August with the aim of deterring a possible invasion or blockade by China in the coming years.
Air Force, Space Force priorities largely supported in funding bill. Congress is poised to approve many of the Air Force’s top priorities for the coming year, thanks to legislation that avoids many of the restrictions that have kept the service’s plans in check over the past decade.
NATIONAL SECURITY
Runway reopens, B-2s still grounded—but president can direct them to fly if needed. Debris from damaged stealth bomber cleared from a Missouri runway more than 10 days after the mishap, USAF says.
HOMELAND SECURITY
Homeland Security Warns of New Threats to Houses of Worship. A new report reveals that American churches have seen a steady rise in acts of hostility in recent years. Now the Department of Homeland Security is pushing to keep houses of worship safe, given deadly attacks already this year and warnings that more could come. It has named 25 faith leaders to a new Faith-Based Advisory Council to better coordinate timely information about threat concerns.
DHS ‘accidentally’ informed Cuba that deportees had sought protection in U.S.. The Department of Homeland Security inadvertently tipped off the Cuban government this month that some of the immigrants the agency sought to deport to the island nation had asked the U.S. for protection from persecution or torture, officials said Monday. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are now scrambling to foreclose the possibility that the Cuban government could retaliate against individuals it knows sought protection here.
PENTAGON WOKE WATCH
KEEP THE STIGMA – DROP THE WAIVERS – The Air Force’s top enlisted leader wants to ‘take away the stigma’ of beard waivers. “We are working to take away the stigma attached to airmen who have a medical need or a religious accommodation for facial hair.”
CHINA THREAT
China Accused of Fresh Territorial Grab in South China Sea. In an unprecedented move, China is building up several unoccupied land features in the South China Sea, according to Western officials, a move they said was part of Beijing’s long-running effort to strengthen claims to disputed territory in a region critical to global trade. Beijing claims more than 80% of resource-rich waters.
China Challenges Philippines Over Oil, Gas, and Ocean. China is stepping up its actions to deny the Philippines access to areas within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and People’s Armed Forces Maritime Militia (PAFMM) vessels have actively challenged Philippine actions in the area or positioned themselves to deny access to military craft and civilian fishing vessels. The Spratlys, an area in the South China Sea, is thought to be rich in oil and gas.
SO MUCH FOR THEIR VACCINE – China Is Likely Seeing 1 Million Covid Cases, 5,000 Deaths a Day. China is likely experiencing 1 million Covid infections and 5,000 virus deaths every day as it grapples with what is expected to be the biggest outbreak the world has ever seen, according to a new analysis. The situation could get even worse for the country of 1.4 billion people. This current wave may see the daily case rate rise to 3.7 million in January.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Zelenskyy praises US plan to include ‘a’ Patriot battery in $1.9B weapons package. The Ukrainian president traveled to Washington today for a historic meeting with Biden and then to address Congress, days before Republicans take control of the House.
US aid to Ukraine an ‘investment’ in ‘global security,’ Zelenskyy says. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy paid a wartime visit to Washington and delivered an address to Congress on Wednesday evening.
Why Belarus matters for the Russia-Ukraine war. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Belarus this week escalated concerns that he is seeking to drag the country into his war in Ukraine.
More US military aid to Ukraine will aggravate conflict, Kremlin says. Speaking during a meeting with his top military brass, Putin said Moscow would use the combat experience to enhance its armed forces.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY – NATO, MIDDLE EAST, ASIA, AFRICA
Romania spends $410 million on Israeli-British Watchkeeper drones. Romania’s state-owned defense company Romtehnica, acting as a representative of the country’s Ministry of National Defense, has signed a framework agreement with Israel’s Elbit Systems to buy up to seven Watchkeeper X drones.
ISRAEL – Netanyahu announces new government with sweeping powers to far-right allies. Netanyahu said that the new coalition, which includes once-fringe ultra nationalist and ultra religious parties, would serve “all citizens of Israel.”
BIDEN AFGHAN RETREAT DISASTER
Major Congressional probe into Afghanistan withdrawal gearing up. The new year will see a new Congress, and one of the first orders of business for Republicans is to investigate the Biden administration for how it handled the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan — an operation that saw a suicide bombing, and with it, the deaths of 13 U.S. service members and over 100 Afghans in its final few days.
Taliban ban on higher ed for women stokes fears of end to all female schooling. A day after Afghan women were barred from universities, some female teachers and students said they were turned away from primary schools also.
IRAN THREAT
Iranian Space Tech Brings Tehran Closer to ICBM Capabilities, Israeli Officials Say. Two rockets that send satellites into orbit could also launch nukes, say officials. If a military version of either of the two rockets is produced, it could carry a half-ton warhead over a distance of more than 4,000 kilometers.
SPACE
Geospatial-intelligence agency to expand capacity amid ‘data deluge.’ The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency expects to field an expanded delivery capability as soon as fiscal 2024 to better handle a “deluge” of data, according to NGA Director Vice Admiral Frank Whitworth.
US MILITARY
SEAL Team 1 commander found dead in San Diego residence. Cmdr. Robert Ramirez III, commanding officer of SEAL Team 1, was found dead in his San Diego County residence Monday.
OF COURSE, THEY ARE – Are housing conditions causing medical problems? DoD doesn’t know. Defense officials don’t have enough information to be able to link mold, lead paint and other known issues in privatized housing to residents’ medical problems, according to DoD auditors.
WELL DONE – GOD BLESS HER – San Diego VA medical center renamed in honor of Army nurse killed in Afghanistan. Capt. Jennifer Moreno, a San Diego native, was killed in 2013 in Afghanistan while coming to the aid of fellow soldiers injured in an explosives attack.
San Francisco mandates paid military leave for Guardsmen, reservists. Last week, the city of San Francisco became one of the first corners of the United States to require some private employers to provide a form of paid military leave to their employees who serve as part-time members of the National Guard or other reserve components of the 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.
READ NEXT: Teacher to Remain Jailed Through Christmas After Not Using Student’s Preferred Pronouns >>
Every church been a threat to China since 1949
NOTHING IN THIS ARTICLE SAYS ANYTHING ABOUT “Growing Threats to US Churches” YOU LYING CLICKBAITING PIECES OF CRAP!!!!!!!