WEDNESDAY PDB – One Senator is playing hardball in the war against Woke at the Pentagon. Specifically, its new taxpayer-funded abortion travel policy.
Pentagon slams Tuberville for setting ‘dangerous precedent’ by holding up nominations.
The Pentagon on Tuesday slammed Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) for setting a “dangerous precedent” by holding up more than 200 general and flag officer nominations over the Defense Department’s new abortion policy.
And perhaps the backlash against the taxpayer-funded trans surgeries is giving the VA second thoughts – After two years, still no timeline for transgender surgeries at VA.
Two years after Veterans Affairs leaders announced they would make “life-saving” surgery options for transgender veterans available for the first time, no such operations have been performed.
Meanwhile, ridiculously: The Air Force has moved families 15 times to evade LGTBQ+, racial ‘discrimination.‘ The department started tracking these absurd movements in 2021.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories from national security expert PAUL CRESPO.
Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DAILY BRIEFING – the PDB:
TITANIC SUB SEARCH
How the US military is aiding in the search for the Titan submersible. A growing number of aircraft and ships from the U.S. and Canada are searching in a remote area of the North Atlantic Ocean for the small sub.
NATIONAL SECURITY
GOOD – Senators introduce bill restricting retired troops’ work for foreign governments. The bill seeks to better expose the secretive process in which retired U.S. service members work as consultants and contractors for foreign governments.
HOMELAND SECURITY
Failed military recruits prove deadly outliers. The gunman in a mass killing in Allen, Texas, is among 32 recruits who washed out of the military and went on to commit extremist crimes.
CHINA THREAT
BECAUSE – BIDEN – Beijing plans new military training facility in Cuba. Discussions for the facility are sparking alarm in Washington that Chinese troops could be stationed just 100 miles off Florida’s coast.
BECAUSE CHINA SAYS NO – Why haven’t China and the US agreed to restore military contacts? Top U.S. officials have called repeatedly over the past few months for China to reestablish military communication channels.
US and China hold top-level talks, but their rivalry remains unchecked. The U.S. and China may be back to talking at a high level, but their battle for global power and influence remains unchecked.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
SURE, THEY DID – Pentagon error provides extra $6.2 billion for Ukraine military aid. The Pentagon says it overestimated the value of the weapons it has sent to Ukraine over the past two years.
Russia’s antique tanks are finding a second life as VBIEDs. A recent video shows a Russian T-54/55 tank laden with explosives being destroyed in a massive explosion.
NORTH KOREA
North Korea calls botched spy satellite launch ‘most serious’ failure. Officials vowed to push for a second attempt. They called their country’s first, and failed, launch last month “the most serious” shortcoming this year and harshly criticized those responsible.
IRAN THREAT
US and Iran in indirect talks over nuclear program and prisoners. With no hope of reviving 2015 nuclear agreement, the goal is reducing rising tensions and bringing home American detainees.
SPACE THREAT
DARPA, SpaceLogistics step toward 2025 launch of orbital robotic ‘mechanic’ for satellites. The robotic arms to be carried on a SpaceLogistics Mission Robotic Vehicle are designed to operate “autonomously” to do “inspection, orbital adjustment, repair and upgrade” missions on spacecraft “that were not designed to be grappled.”
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
US B-1 bombers land in Sweden for first time. A pair of B-1 Lancer bombers kicked off a historic deployment this week, landing on June 19.
Southeast Asian nations plan navy drills in disputed South China Sea. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is planning joint naval exercises in September, the first held by the bloc on their own, at a time when several are responding more strongly to increasing Chinese aggression in the area.
Counter-terrorism experts say Africa is the world’s terrorism hot spot. Half of the victims of terrorism killed last year were in sub-Saharan Africa.
HIMARS, military relationships at center of African Lion drills. The U.S. military wrapped up its largest annual joint exercise in Africa on Friday, one marked by a few firsts for the continent-wide drill.
US MILITARY
Navy Secretary balks at lawmakers’ shipbuilding plan demand, will ‘meet’ amphib needs. While he insists he will meet the requirements under the law, Sen. Dan Sullivan says he’s prepping legislation to force the Navy’s hand.
Stolen valor researchers sound alarm on House proposal to curtail access to military records. Uncovering when people are lying about their military service could be harder under a proposal in Congress to restrict public access to some military records.
WHERE’S THE ACCOUNTABILITY? – Mother of soldier who died in Fort Liberty barracks demands oversight. The mother of a paratrooper whose decomposing body was found in his barracks room 3 years ago was on Capitol Hill last week to voice her concerns about the deaths of troops on U.S. soil.
GOD BLESS HIM – ‘Give them hell!’ The Black Medal of Honor recipient who called an artillery strike on his position. John R. Fox sacrificed himself to stop a German attack. Due to the racism of the time, he wouldn’t be honored for decades.
END of PDB
