THURSDAY PDB – As Senator Tommy Tuberville's hold on military promotions continues over the Pentagon's new abortion travel rules, there is an easy solution.
NO TAXPAYER-FUNDED ABORTION TRAVEL – Pentagon abortion policy talks fail to yield compromise on nominees. DOD leaders fielded questions and concerns from key senators over the military's abortion access policy in a closed-door briefing Wednesday but failed to break the stalemate over the rules.
Schumer says he's open to giving Sen. Tuberville a vote on the military's abortion policy. Sen. Tuberville, R-Ala., has held up military promotions for months over his objection to Pentagon abortion policy, saying he wants a “standalone vote.” (RELATED: Pence Calls On GOP 2024 Contenders To Back Minimum 15-Week Abortion Ban)
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
‘DIVERSITY' IS CODE FOR RACISM – Military academies' diversity efforts draw GOP concerns, Dem support. The schools' inclusion programs are the latest military training work to draw the ire of conservative critics. (RELATED: Radical ‘Diversity, Inclusion, Equity' (DIE) Agenda Is Killing Trust In Military)
NATIONAL SECURITY
With eyes on Trump, Senate votes to make NATO withdrawal harder. With Trump leading the GOP primary polls, the Senate approved an NDAA amendment that would require Congress to approve any NATO withdrawal.
NO – BUT HAMMER MUST BE THE BIGGEST AND BEST – The Pentagon is the wrong agency to lead the new US deterrence strategy. If integrated deterrence is to succeed, the hammer must not be the tool of first resort.
Climate change's extreme heat is baking Alaska and creating national security problems. The Pentagon has responded by beefing up its presence in Alaska in recent years. (RELATED: Pentagon Warns Biden's Offshore Wind Farms Are National Security Risk)
CHINA THREAT
Philippines closely monitors threat of invasion of Taiwan. The threat is something the Philippines is monitoring daily as part of the U.S. ally's contingency plans for conflict in the region, its defense chief said.
YES! – Lawmakers want to limit Chinese business in military life. Lawmakers want to ban the sale of Chinese goods in military stores and restrict online tutoring services provided by Chinese companies. (RELATED: Why Biden Justice Department Indicted Biden ‘Whistleblower' As A China Agent)
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
NATO wants to do more to help Ukraine win — why is Biden standing in the way? The just-completed NATO Summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, was “historic before it even started,” said Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, because two difficult NATO expansion issues had already been resolved or successfully deferred.
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 512. Russia's defense ministry said from midnight on July 20 (21:00 GMT on July 19), all ships sailing in the Black Sea to Ukrainian ports will be considered potential carriers of military cargo.
White House says Russia is preparing for attacks on civilian ships in Black Sea. Days after Russia suspended participation in a wartime deal that allowed grain to flow from Ukraine to countries around the world, the U.S. warned that the Russian military is preparing for possible attacks. (RELATED: Russia Abandons Deal Seen As Key To Keeping Global Food Prices Stable)
At least 20 wounded as Russia strikes Ukraine's Mykolaiv, Odesa. Latest Russian air attacks hit the Ukrainian port cities of Mykolaiv and Odesa.
Over 20,000 Wagner troops killed, 40,000 wounded in Ukraine: Prigozhin-linked channel. Earlier, Yevgeny Prigozhin had said Wagner's troops would not go back to fighting in Ukraine.
Kremlin warns of more western asset seizures. This, as retaliation for foreign moves against Russian companies, after taking temporary control of Russian assets belonging to two European state-owned utilities – Finland's Fortum and Germany's Uniper, which both operate power plants in Russia.
NORTH KOREA THREAT
LET THE NORTH KEEP HIM – Soldier held in North Korea faced discharge for fights with locals, cop car damage. The soldier who deliberately crossed the North Korean border Tuesday had previously been arrested in South Korea.
North Korea stays silent on its apparent detention of a US soldier. Pvt. Travis King bolted into North Korea a day after he was supposed to go back to a base in the U.S.
CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES – Travis King was grieving the death of his young cousin before he crossed into North Korea, his family says. “Travis has got a lot going on in his mind, and we're worried about him,” the American soldier's uncle said. “Now … we might not ever see him again.” (RELATED: Biden Admin Blasted For Attending Event With Wanted Terrorist Who Killed US Soldiers)
SPACE THREAT
Extraterrestrial ‘technical supremacy' is a top concern, Pentagon UFO investigator says. In an interview, a top official denied evidence of alien spacecraft.
Who will defend critical space infrastructure if not the Space Force? Recently, the U.S. Navy thwarted Iranian Navy attempts at seizing a few merchant tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
Space Force changed launch procurement plan due to concerns about capacity. As many as 88 national security missions are projected to launch in the 2027-2032 timeframe. (RELATED: Space Force Analyst, Afghanistan Veteran Charged For Shooting Alleged Carjackers)
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Menendez maintains hold on Turkey F-16 jets despite Sweden NATO deal. Sen. Bob Menendez continues to block the F-16 sale even after President Erdogan said Ankara would ratify Sweden's NATO bid.
Cracks are emerging in Israel's military. Reservists threaten not to serve if government plan passes.
Czech parliament approves treaty making it easier to deploy US troops on Czech territory. The treaty would deepen military cooperation. (RELATED: Biden Authorizes Deployment Of Reservists To Europe)
COOL – Seafloor drone garages? Italy weighs new tech to protect vital cables. Soon, undersea naval drones patrolling crucial internet cables and gas pipelines may be able to stop off at charging stations on the seabed to charge batteries and leave data, letting them stay submerged for months.
HOMELAND SECURITY
TOO LONG? – Veteran who stormed Capitol with loaded pistol sentenced to prison. Christopher Michael Alberts was sentenced to seven years in prison, one of the longest among hundreds of Jan. 6 riot cases. (RELATED: DOJ Says Trump Can Be Sued By Police Over US Capitol Riot)
US MILITARY
Dearth of jamming gear follows years of ‘autopilot,' says Rep. Bacon. The U.S. military is failing to speedily develop and deploy electronic warfare equipment amid competition for electromagnetic spectrum supremacy, according to an ex-Air Force congressman.
WELL DONE! – US soldier to receive highest peacetime award for heroism after defending woman. The soldier in Hawaii saved a woman's life, repeatedly fighting off a man who was attacking her.
INTERESTING – As recruitment flounders, this small change to GI Bill would make kids ‘flock to the military,' teen says. Bill would create a pilot program allowing veterans to use GI benefits to start a business rather than attend college. (RELATED: House Narrowly Passes Divisive Defense Bill – Setting Up Legislative Showdown)
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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