MONDAY PDB – The Pentagon's new recruitment policy is a disaster. Military recruiting is down sharply. More than half of adults under 30 years hold a negative view of the military.
White progressives (leftist Democrats) are least likely to volunteer. If the free fall is not arrested, a draft will be necessary.
Equally disturbing, the Department of Defense has undercut its own recruiting base. For 50 years, noncommissioned officers have tirelessly recruited our force, testing fitness and intellect firsthand.
Recruiters were empowered to exercise judgment on the other bureaucratic requirements, including a 59-page health order, subject to a final group examination by military doctors inclined to let the determined volunteers serve.
But now the Pentagon has shifted judgment from our recruiters to an electronic screening system inaptly named “Military Health System Genesis,” instantly shrinking the recruiting pool.
This must change, ASAP.
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
Small, nonthreatening balloon intercepted over Utah by NORAD. The high-flying balloon was spotted flying over the mountainous Western U.S. on Friday.
Congress must act to defend our borders and aid our allies. Global security is at stake. As America grapples with the resurgence of authoritarian aggression abroad and chaos at our southern border, we stand at a crossroads.
HOMELAND SECURITY – LAW ENFORCEMENT
High seas narcotics bust: Coast Guard nabs drug sub with 5,000 pounds of cocaine aboard. Watch now.
UKRAINE AID
Senate aide investigated over unofficial actions in Ukraine. A senior Capitol Hill staffer who is a longtime voice on Russia policy is under congressional investigation over his frequent trips to Ukraine's war zones and providing what he said was $30,000 in sniper gear to its military.
Skepticism over Ukraine aid pervasive at CPAC. This year's diminished Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) underscored the clear divide among Republicans on aid to Ukraine, with speakers and attendees largely expressing their opposition to giving the nation more assistance.
POLITICS
Lawmakers set to question Austin on decision to hide cancer diagnosis. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will answer questions Thursday about his decision not to inform key administration officials about his health status before and after he was hospitalized in early January.
US POWER OVERSEAS
Hawaii-based ‘Indo-Pacific Support Cutter,' focused on Oceania, is on its first Pacific deployment. It was a hot, humid and cloudy day in the South Pacific as the U.S. Coast Guard's Cutter Harriet Lane pulled into port in Apia, Samoa, earlier this month.
US struggles for influence in West Africa as military juntas rise. U.S is waging urgent diplomatic efforts, searching for ways to partner with military governments in a region where violence wrought by Islamist extremists is soaring and Russia's influence is expanding.
A decent future for Myanmar is within reach — if the US acts now. What seemed plausible two months ago is now undeniable: Myanmar's awful ruling military junta is in retreat against the country's anti-regime insurgents.
Navy's newest super aircraft carrier recoups after long mission. Following eight months at sea and an extension to the Mediterranean after the attacks on Israel, the commander of the Gerald R. Ford recaps the deployment.
IRAN THREAT
WEAK! – US, UK strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen answer Red Sea attacks. They struck 18 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday, after a surge in attacks by the Iran-backed militia group on ships, including a missile strike this past week that set fire to a cargo vessel.
CHINA THREAT
Lawmakers demand Elon Musk provide SpaceX internet to US military in Taiwan. SpaceX's Starshield military-specific satellite communications network now needs to be available to American forces in Taiwan after years of refusing to do business in the country.
CRITICAL! – ‘Already late': Pentagon sounds alarm on funding Pacific island pact. The military may lose access to crucial staging ground in the Pacific region — and potentially cede it to China — because of a lapse in funding held up in Congress.
ALSO, KINDA LATE! – Biden poised to limit American personal data going to China. Order would restrict data said to threaten national security.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
NATO's naval front line. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the Black Sea has become a battlefield on the Alliance's doorstep.
Too little, too late? Ukraine's backers lose ground in the ammo race. When politicians and pundits make predictions about the course of the Ukraine war, a lot of numbers are tossed around, notably the $60 billion in U.S. aid blocked in Congress that Kyiv needs as its artillery shell stocks plummet.
The body of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been handed over to his mother, aide says.
SPACE THREAT
Cislunar space: The latest zone of competition in the space race. John “Slick” Baum interviews Dr. Jaime Stearns, AFRL's cislunar lead; Bradley Cheetham, the President of Advanced Space; and Mitchell Institute's Col Charles Galbreath, USSF (Ret.) about the competition in space.
ISRAEL'S WAR AGAINST HAMAS
Israel's Netanyahu won't agree to hostage deal until Hamas backs down on demands. The two sides have been looking for an accord to release some of the hostages still remaining after the Oct. 7 attacks.
Israel vows to target Lebanon's Hezbollah even if cease-fire reached with Hamas in Gaza.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Europeans are building a war economy. Can they master it? When Russia invaded Ukraine two years ago, French President Emmanuel Macron quickly proclaimed Europe needed an “économie de guerre” — a war economy — to underwrite its security.
Hungary's parliament set to ratify Sweden's NATO accession in final step toward membership. This, bringing an end to more than 18 months of delays that have frustrated the alliance as it seeks to expand in response to Russia's war in Ukraine.
French navy kicks off Jeanne d'Arc 2024 deployment. It began last week began with the departure of amphibious assault ship Tonnerre and frigate Guépratte from Toulon Naval Base, with this year's mission involving a near circumnavigation of South America.
Indonesia and Australia hold defense talks as both nations move toward signing a security agreement. The two held high-level talks in Jakarta on Friday as the neighboring countries seek to strengthen security ties.
Bolsonaro denies coup plot as thousands rally in support of former Brazilian leader. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Sunday led a large rally in São Paulo as he denied allegations that he took part in a coup plot in an attempt to stay in power.
US MILITARY
OOORAH! – Marines pass full financial audit, a first for any US military branch. The service announced Friday its fiscal 2023 financial audit received an “unmodified audit opinion” after a rigorous two-year review.
Groupthink gives V-22 a bad rap. The tiltrotor's safety record is on par with other Pentagon rotorcraft—none of which can match its capability and performance.
RIP, WARRIORS – National Guard Apache crashes in north Mississippi. Two soldiers died when their AH-64 attack helicopter belonging to the Mississippi Army National Guard crashed Friday afternoon.
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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