THURSDAY PDB – But before larger or more lethal, the US Navy first needs a maritime strategy. The U.S. needs a larger, or at least a more lethal U.S. Navy. The Navy also needs to do better at maintaining the ships it has before asking for a larger, more capable fleet.
Navy should repair deployed ships in theater to optimize combat power. Recent maritime events underscore the importance of continuous global naval operations.
MEANWHILE – GOP Rep. warns US Navy plan to relocate fuel from Hawaii could jeopardize operations in the Indo-Pacific. Lawmakers warn the country could be unprepared for a conflict should the military move fuel from Hawaii to storage facilities across the Indo-Pacific.
OR MAYBE DISPERSING FUEL DUMPS IS BEST.
AND TAKE CARE OF SAILORS – Top Navy leaders say sailors' quality of life needs to improve, but specifics remain slim. More emphasis needed on improving the lives and working conditions of the most junior sailors as the Navy wrestles with regular news headlines about suicide clusters, problems at shipyards and barracks, and anemic recruiting figures.
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
How civics education can help solve the military recruitment crisis. For the second year in a row, every branch of the U.S. military, except the Marine and Space Corps, missed its recruiting target. There has not been a more difficult recruitment environment since the end of the draft in 1973. WE NEED TO CREATE MORE PATRIOTS.
Pentagon to install rooftop solar panels as part of clean energy plan. The Pentagon is one of 31 government sites receiving grants as part of a Biden administration plan to promote its radical ‘Green' agenda.
WHAT ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY? AND NEEDS OF THE NAVY? – Navy revamps policy for assigning pregnant sailors to shore duty. Female sailors who become pregnant while at sea can now be moved to critical shore job openings, a change that the Navy says will provide sailors a chance to choose jobs that advance their career as they start a family.
NATIONAL SECURITY
DoD ‘completely rewrites' classification policy for secret space programs. The new classification policy for space programs discourages the use of Special Access Program status (SAPs) that dramatically limits clearances to handful of US officials — in hopes of opening still-secret programs to US allies and industry partners.
HOMELAND SECURITY
GOOD – Texas refuses to comply with Biden administration's cease-and-desist letter about border access. Texas is ignoring Team Biden's demands that the state stop impeding Biden Border Patrol agents from accessing part of the border with Mexico.
FIX THE BORDER FIRST! – Biden hosts Hill leaders as Congress inches toward Ukraine deal. Joe Biden on Wednesday hosted congressional leaders at the White House in a bid to break the gridlock that has held up a massive foreign aid bill that includes security assistance for Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific partners.
BUILD THE WALL – No border wall, no deal on Israel and Ukraine. America needs the Wall.
OVERCHARGED BY PROSECUTORS – Judge declines to dismiss case against Marine vet in NYC subway death. Daniel Penny has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide in the death of Jordan Neely. IT WAS SELF-DEFENSE.
POLITICS
In US bombing of Houthis, Congress gets sidelined by Biden for military action. It's depressing that so many lawmakers are untroubled with the idea of a single individual making the decision to bomb another country.
Washington to Israel: Turn the lights back on in Gaza. The White House is leaning on Israel to restore internet and mobile connections in the Gaza Strip as the blackout lingers.
IRAN THREAT
US military launches more strikes against Houthi sites in Yemen. The strikes follow the announcement Wednesday that the U.S. has put the Houthis back on its list of specially designated global terrorists. BIDEN SHOULD NEVER HAVE TAKEN THEM OFF THE LIST!
CHINA THREAT
Expect a Chinese show of force against Taiwan soon, says US INDOPACOM head. “When something occurs that they don't like, they tend to take actions,” said Adm. John Aquilino.
Taiwan reports first major Chinese military activity after election. It detected 18 Chinese warplanes carrying out “joint combat readiness patrols” with Chinese warships near Taiwan, the first large-scale military activity after the Taiwanese election.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Top NATO military officer urges allies and leaders to plan for the unexpected in Ukraine. Western armies and political leaders must drastically change the way they help it fend off invading forces.
The Black Sea and Crimea are now the center of gravity for the Ukraine War. Isolating Crimea and degrading Russia's military forces there “is extremely important for us, because it's the way for us to reduce the number of attacks from that region,” President Zelensky said.
NORTH KOREA THREAT
Russia hosts North Korea's top diplomat for talks on ties amid concerns over arms deal. Vladimir Putin hosted North Korea's Foreign Minister Tuesday for talks on expanding ties.
SPACE THREAT
Pentagon official: Space ‘essential to any mission' as US confronts Houthis. Space-based assets are playing an important role as the U.S. contends with an array of threats in the Middle East.
Space Force needs more money, people to secure cislunar space. Congress should bolster the Space Force's budget by “about $250M a year” and “increase end strength by approximately 200 personnel” to protect U.S. assets on and around the moon.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Pakistan carries out military strikes on separatist targets in Iran following deadly attack on its own soil by Tehran. It carried out its strikes on what it said were separatist militant hideouts inside Iran.
US POWER OVERSEAS
US, South Korea, and Japan conduct naval drills. The three conducted combined naval exercises in a show of strength against North Korea.
BIGGER THREAT IS IRAN, STUPID – Iraq Prime Minister says US-led military coalition in Iraq is no longer needed. U.S. warns departure could strengthen Islamic State and add to Mideast turmoil.
Drone flying over Guam Marine Corps base ‘disabled' as service touts new tools to take down unmanned aircraft. Marines on Guam “disabled” a drone flying over the installation Sunday.
US MILITARY
USS Gerald R. Ford arrives home from maiden deployment after 3 extensions. The supercarrier (CVN-78) pulled into Naval Station Norfolk on Wednesday after lengthy deployment to the Mediterranean.
US Marines rush to field two air defense systems amid global threats. Emerging threats in Europe and the Middle East highlight the need to keep Marine units safe from incoming missiles and drones.
SAD – CAREER OVER – Fired USS Georgia submarine CO arrested, charged with DUI. This, four days before Capt. Geoffry Patterson was relieved as commanding officer of the Ohio-class guided missile sub.
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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