MONDAY PDB – Defense heads of Japan, Australia, US, and Philippines to meet in Hawaii. They will discuss regional security and strengthening collaboration amid the growing China threat. Meanwhile, the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group docked into the port city of Laem Chabang, Thailand, on Wednesday and Chinese destroyers sailed around Japan's southwest islands this week.
Taiwan reports Chinese military activity after Blinken leaves Beijing. On Saturday, 12 CHICOM aircraft crossed the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait, a day after Secretary State Antony Blinken ended a visit to China.
Asia's next war could be triggered by a rusting Filipino warship on a disputed reef. In the most hotly contested waterway in the world, the risk of Asia's next war hinges increasingly on a ramshackle ship past her time, pockmarked with holes, streaked with rust, and beached on a reef.
MEANWHILE – Why China axed the Strategic Support Force and reshuffled the military. Xi Jinping instigated a significant restructuring of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on April 19 by axing the old force and replacing it with a new Information Support Force.
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
How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat. If it feels like TikTok has been around forever, that's probably because it has, at least if you're measuring via internet time. But will it be around much longer and, if so, in what form?
US needs cheaper ways to shoot down drones, Pentagon acquisition chief says. It's currently costing more than $100,000 per shot to take out UAS.
Why the military can't trust AI. Large-Language Models Can Make Bad Decisions—and Could Trigger Nuclear War.
HOMELAND SECURITY
Army Guard MP who sprayed police with pepper spray during Jan. 6 riots pleads guilty. The Guardsman who admitted to pepper spraying police and later sparked an FBI manhunt has pleaded guilty in federal court.
Senators wary of sending National Guard to quell campus protests. They dismissed House Speaker Mike Johnson's suggestion to send the National Guard to college campuses to quell growing illegal protests against U.S. support for Israel.
POLITICS
HE WANTS TO PROTECT US BORDER FIRST – Sen. Rubio responds on military aid to Ukraine. While some votes have shifted in Washington, public sentiment has moved the other way.
Senators push to update nuclear military might in defense bill. A key group of senators is pushing to include their bill on nuclear modernization in the Armed Services Committee draft defense policy legislation in June.
US POWER OVERSEAS
Houthi rebels claim downing US drone, release footage of wreckage. On Saturday, they say they downed another MQ-9 Reaper drone, showing parts that corresponded to known pieces of the unmanned aircraft.
Ike aircraft carrier leaves Middle East, enters the Mediterranean Sea. The Dwight D. Eisenhower has been operating in the Middle Eastern waters under the U.S. Central Command since November.
USS George Washington heads to Japan, ending troubled shipyard stay that included string of suicides. The aircraft carrier is finally underway to its new homeport in Japan, following six arduous years in a Virginia shipyard that included reports of difficult living conditions and a cluster of suicides among the crew.
ISRAEL'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS
US postpones decision on aid to Israeli army battalion accused of abuses against Palestinians. Secretary of State Antony Blinken claims the battalion committed human-rights abuses in the West Bank before the war in Gaza. But in a letter to the GOP House Speaker, Blinken said that he is postponing a decision on blocking aid to the unit to give Israel more time to right the wrongdoing.
Biden and Netanyahu speak as pressure grows on Israel over Rafah invasion and cease-fire talks. Joe Biden has again spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as pressure builds on Israel and Hamas to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a cease-fire.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Ukraine pulls back from three villages in east, Zelenskiy pleads for weapons. Ukraine's top commander said on Sunday Kyiv's outnumbered troops had fallen back to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front where Russia has concentrated significant forces in several locations.
Austin calls European allies, seeking more Patriots for Kyiv. Austin also announced a separate $6 billion package Friday. While it will include air defense, this tranche is part of a longer-term pool of funding and the weapons may not arrive for years.
US ready to train more Ukrainian troops if called upon, top White House official says. This, even as the Eastern European country continues to face recruiting challenges.
Ukraine pushes to get military-age men to come home. Some neighboring countries say they will help. Ukraine doubled down Friday on the government's move to bolster the pool of fighting forces by cutting off consular services to conscription-age men outside the country, saying it was a question of “justice.”
Analysts say Ukraine should treat the latest US aid package like it's the last one it'll get. Ukraine is urged to use its $61 billion US aid package carefully as future aid is uncertain.
Australia tops up Ukraine military aid with $100M. Australia has already supplied Ukraine with 120 Bushmaster vehicles, six 155mm howitzers, 56 M113 armored vehicles, 14 special operations vehicles and its signature cardboard drones.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Paris Olympics may face security contractor shortage. Organizers have been saying that they need 22,000 private security agents to work the Olympics venues, while 35,000 police officers and 18,000 French military troops secure public spaces. But leaders in the private security sector say that a worker shortage may make it hard to meet the demand.
Under its current socialist president, Mexico's military built airports instead of reining in murders. In his six years, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador gave his country's military two important jobs: build infrastructure works to supercharge the economy and rein in violent crime.
US MILITARY
B-1B bomber rises from the ‘Boneyard' to rejoin the Air Force's fleet. After a yearslong stint in the desert, a retired Lancer will soon rejoin the Air Force's bomber fleet.
So, does the Air Force have new aces now? The U.S. Air Force defines an “ace” as any pilot that has more than five combat kills. It's been decades since American pilots reached that status, but that might have changed this month.
Army officials question plan for future attack reconnaissance. After canceling the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program earlier this year, the Army has yet to earnestly invest in its manned attack helicopter or other capability to fill the armed recon role, hindering its ability to fight as effectively in future wars.
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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