FRIDAY PDB – It's time for a national security strategy for military recruiting. Our armed forces are shrinking in size and capacity. The current crisis in military recruiting qualifies as a direct threat to U.S. national security.
In just two years, the active-duty Army has shrunk from 485,000 to only 452,000 troops. It expects to fall short of its recruiting goals again this year. The Navy and Air Force are predicting shortfalls as well. As a result, our nation will have understrength Army formations, Navy ships and Air Force squadrons—at a time when America is depending on its military to a greater degree than in the previous three decades.
The recruitment crisis is fueled by a variety of factors. Among them: a strong labor market paired with noncompetitive compensation, a declining number of Americans qualified for service, concerns about politicization, a fear of injury, and a general decline in patriotism felt by young people combined with a lack of familiarity with the military. (RELATED: Car Thieves Are On A Child Recruiting Mission)
We need a strategy to fix this ASAP – OR MAYBE WE JUST NEED A DRAFT.
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:
PENTAGON WOKE WATCH
Six months after new abortion leave policy, Pentagon doesn't know how many troops have used it. As an Alabama senator's ongoing protest over the Pentagon's abortion leave policy has left three service chief positions vacant, a key question remains: How many service members have used the policy to seek abortions?
EASY FIX – STOP ILLEGAL TAXPAYER-FUNDED ABORTION TRAVEL – Liberal Veterans group calls on Rick Scott to help break Tuberville hold on military promotions. VoteVets pressured Sen. Scott (R-Fla.) in a new political ad to help break Alabama GOP Sen. Tommy Tuberville's hold on more than 300 military nominations over DoD's new abortion policy.
NATIONAL SECURITY
At Camp David, Biden aims to nudge Japan and South Korea toward greater defense unity. Expected announcements include plans to expand cooperation on ballistic defenses and to hold the summit annually. There are also plans to launch a three-way crisis hotline and show progress in sharing early-warning data on missile launches.
Pentagon biodefense review points to Chinese, Russian threats. The DoD's biodefense review highlights Beijing's militarization of biological technology and research as a growing concern. (RELATED: Chinese Biolab In California Created Mice To Carry COVID-19)
Pentagon forms council to assess biothreats, coordinate response. The DoD leadership panel aims to shore up defenses against emerging biothreats, one of a series of steps outlined in a sweeping, first-of-its kind report that found gaps in preparation.
CHINA THREAT
War in Ukraine is a warning to China of the risks in attacking Taiwan. Foreign policy experts are divided on whether Russia's invasion of Ukraine makes it more or less likely that China will launch a similar attack on Taiwan.
Water cannons and lasers: South China Sea standoff around World War II-era ship heats up. To assert its claim to a reef, the Philippines ran BRP Sierra Madre aground 2½ decades ago and keeps a few marines garrisoned there. China objects.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 541. Russia's Ministry of Defense reported that Ukraine lost four US-supplied Stryker armored vehicles in a successful Russian offensive in Ukraine's Donetsk region. It was the first time Russia has claimed to have hit these US military vehicles.
US intelligence says Ukraine will fail to meet offensive's key goal. Thwarted by minefields, Ukrainian forces won't manage to reach the city of Melitopol, a vital Russian transit hub. (RELATED: ‘Gray Hair' – Putin's Brutal Choice To Replace Chief Of Wagner Mercenaries)
Ukraine combat drone damages building in central Moscow. Moscow's mayor says a Ukrainian drone shot down by air defenses and debris falls on the city's Expo Center causing damage.
The Dutch defense minister says US has approved the delivery of Dutch F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. It is a major gain for Kyiv even though the fighters won't have an immediate impact on the war.
Pentagon open to host F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots in the US. Team Biden is willing to host training on F-16 fighters in the U.S. if additional capacity is needed.
Get Ukraine the airpower it needs before it's too late. As the war grinds on in Ukraine, with every kilometer reclaimed from invading Russian forces costing more lives, firepower, and time, the U.S. and its allied partners must do everything possible to empower Ukrainian forces to achieve success.
SPACE THREAT
Space Force gets its first targeting squadron. A new unit activated recently at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo., is the branch's first-ever targeting squadron, designed to scope out adversary space capabilities and present options to the joint force on how to neutralize them.
HOMELAND SECURITY
FAIR OR GROSS OVERKILL? – Justice Department seeks 33 years in prison for ex-Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio in Jan. 6 case. Tarrio was convicted of seditious conspiracy in one of the most serious cases to emerge from the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
BIDEN'S AFGHAN DISASTER
What is happening inside the Afghan resistance? “The only reason Afghans aren't standing up against the Taliban right now is the perception that the Taliban are supported by the U.S.”
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Niger's neighbors running out of options as defense chiefs meet to discuss potential military force. West African defense chiefs met Thursday to discuss the crisis in Niger after coup leaders there ignored their deadline to step down, leaving few options to restore democratic rule.
Troops guard Pakistani Christians after mob torches churches. Troops have cordoned off a Christian settlement in eastern Pakistan where a Muslim mob vandalized and torched several churches and scores of houses after two men living there were accused of desecrating the Koran. (RELATED: India Celebrates Second ‘March For Life' In Country's Storied History)
Japan scrambles jets after Russian planes spotted over Sea of Japan, East China Sea. This, after two Russian IL-38 intelligence-gathering aircraft were spotted flying back and forth between the Sea of Japan and the East China Sea.
US MILITARY
Defense: Marine believed missing teen found in his Camp Pendleton barracks was at least 21. The Marine, charged with assaulting the 14-year-old girl, was in court Thursday for his preliminary hearing. No decision regarding whether he should face court martial was made.
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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