MONDAY PDB – Next level: Unmanned US Navy boat fires weapons in Middle East for first time. The drone boat successfully fired “lethal munitions” in international waters, marking the first time such an exercise has been carried out in the region.
The Navy said the unprecedented drill, which was captured on video, has taken its capabilities to the “next level.”
The exercise — dubbed Digital Talon — was carried out by the Navy's Task Force 59, a team focusing on unmanned and artificial intelligence. On Oct 23, members of the task force identified and targeted simulated hostile forces using a method called “manned-unmanned teaming.
The system “successfully scored direct hits each time,” the news release said. The firing, which was in international waters surrounding the Arabian Peninsula, was overseen by a human operator ashore, who “made the engagement decisions.”
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:
ISRAEL'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS TERROR
SADLY, WAR IS HELL – LET THEM FINISH THE JOB – As Gaza War enters new phase, Israel faces pressure over civilian deaths. Fears are rising that the conflict could spread to the occupied West Bank, where tensions are soaring among Palestinians angered over deadly Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
COORDINATED WITH ISRAEL AND US – Jordan airdrops aid into Gaza during Israel-Hamas war. Jordan's air force airdropped “urgent medical aid” to a Jordanian field hospital in Gaza as warnings mount over supply shortages at overcrowded hospitals during the Israel-Hamas war.
THEY ARE TERRORIST SAVAGES – Hamas using Gaza hospitals as military positions, Israel claims as it presents new evidence. Images were presented that purportedly show an entrance to a network of tunnels under Gaza in the grounds of a hospital.
US SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL
In rare announcement, US says guided missile sub has arrived in Middle East, a powerful message of deterrence to adversaries. US Central Command said Sunday that an Ohio-class submarine was entering its area of responsibility.
Ford, Ike carrier strike groups exercise in Eastern Mediterranean. As the world waits to see whether the Israel-Hamas war will balloon into a larger regional conflict, two U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups drill together nearby this week.
By the numbers: The US military buildup in the Middle East. The US has significantly strengthened its military posture in the Middle East amid concerns about the war between Israel and Hamas triggering a wider regional conflict.
POLITICS
YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW – Trump and allies plot revenge, Justice Department control in a second term. They have begun mapping out specific plans including naming individuals he wants to investigate or prosecute and his associates drafting plans to potentially invoke the Insurrection Act on his first day in office to allow him to deploy the military against civil demonstrations. BUT SAID WE HAVE COME TO THIS.
NATIONAL SECURITY
YES – Bring back the draft? A divisive home-front battle will loom over any major war. Is the U.S. on the cusp of a three-front world war against Russia, Iran, and China? If such a seismic event were to occur, would our nation's 50-year-old all-volunteer force require a boost from a reinstatement of the draft?
Why Congress needs to back supplemental funding for the Navy's future fleet. “The president and Congress must go beyond one-off supplemental measures” to support Naval shipbuilding.
Army making a mistake in cuts to Special Operations forces. The SOF community and its enablers are unique in the military.
NEED NEWER NUKES – ICBM test failure puts nuclear modernization effort into focus. A recent failed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile test has led to new concerns about the age of America's land-based nuclear arsenal.
HOMELAND SECURITY – LAW ENFORCEMENT
Activists against Israeli bombings block US military ship at Port of Oakland. Demanding a ceasefire amid Israeli bombings in Gaza, protesters rose before the sun Friday morning and descended upon the Port of Oakland with the goal to stop a vessel believed to contain military aid for Israel.
IDIOT DESERVES IT – Ex-State Department official sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison for Capitol riot attacks. A Marine Corps veteran who served as a politically appointed State Department official in the Trump administration was found guilty of attacking police officers during the Jan. 6, 2021. BUT BLM SHOULD BE TREATED THE SAME.
THERE ARE A FEW OF THESE EXTREMISTS – Marine vet pleads guilty to weapons charge in neo-Nazi power grid plot. The man joined the Marine Corps with the intention of gaining experience and training to benefit his neo-Nazi group. DO NEED TO WEED OUT THESE FEW.
ARMY AND POLICE FAILED – Senator's call on Army's inspector general to investigate Lewiston shooter's history. Maine's senators said a full understanding is needed of what happened in the months before Robert Card, an Army reservist for many years, entered two Lewiston businesses and killed 18 people.
CHINA THREAT
Japan's prime minister tours Philippine patrol ship and boosts alliances amid maritime tensions. He boarded a Philippine patrol ship on Saturday in a symbolic show of support as Tokyo shores up regional alliances to counter China's assertiveness in maritime disputes with its neighbors.
Israel-Hamas war puts China's Middle East strategy at risk. ‘Balanced diplomacy' may no longer fly.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 621. Ukraine's Defense Minister ordered an investigation after a Russian missile strike killed multiple soldiers during what media reports said was an “award ceremony” near the front line in the southern Zaporizhia region on Friday. SPIES IN THEIR MIDST.
A deadly strike on a Ukrainian village was an inside job. Who tipped off the Russians? A missile attack on a cafe wiped out a fifth of the residents and raised suspicions it was initiated by neighbors who backed the Russian invasion.
US MILITARY
Fort Cavazos soldiers test ability to navigate large-scale water crossings. Hundreds of Army engineers spent Friday building seven-piece floating bridges to move roughly 870 combat vehicles across a lake as part of the largest training exercise conducted at Fort Cavazos in three years.
GREAT – WILL IT CAUSE CANCER? – Navy ships on both coasts to receive flame-retardant uniform in 2024. The two-piece, flame retardant uniform is billed as being the “primary at-sea” option by next year.
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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