TUESDAY PDB – Air and sea drones, long endurance balloons, revamped U.S. Marines and well-armed allies, are some ways the U.S. is pushing back on Chinese aggression.
OUR PUSHBACK AGAINST CHINESE BELLIGERENCE IS LONG OVERDUE.
As US-backed Philippines asserts itself against China, war games risk heating tensions at sea. The drills extended into the grey area where the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone rubs up against the territory claimed by Beijing in the South China Sea.
In China’s backyard: New Marine regiments changing the fight. It started in 2016, when then-Lt. Gen. David Berger looked at Marine units in the Pacific and saw that without radical changes, the Corps would be sidelined, or worse, in the most likely next fight.
US and Taiwan navies quietly held Pacific drills in April. The joint drills didn’t officially take place, four people briefed on the matter said, as the two militaries boost cooperation amid rising Chinese military threats.
Sleepy far-flung towns in the Philippines will host US forces returning to counter China threats. The coastal town of Santa Ana in the northeastern tip of the Philippine mainland has long been known by tourists mostly for its beaches, waterfalls, fireflies, and a few casinos.
US Army experiments with long-endurance drones, balloons in Philippines.
Navy to build 6 reinforced weapons storage ahead of Marines’ relocation. The reinforced concrete and steel magazines for munitions will be built at Naval Base Guam’s Naval Munitions site at Orote Point.
Ghost Shark and Manta Ray: Australia and US unveil undersea drones. Sounds like the plot of a future Marvel movie, but in actual fact, it’s what could be the future of Pacific naval defenses.
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
Trump wants an Iron Dome for America. It won’t look like Israel’s. Former President Trump has repeatedly promised an Iron Dome missile defense system to protect the U.S. if he returns to the presidency.
It’s time to rebalance funding toward the Air Force and Space Force. Given the threats posed by China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and an array of non-state actors, the U.S. is facing extreme challenges, the likes of which we have never confronted in our history.
America needs to lead in drone warfare. When Russian tanks invaded and cruise missiles and drones rained down, Ukrainians responded with their own waves of drones as an invaluable force multiplier. If the U.S. does not step up, our partners and allies will continue turning to China and Iran to purchase this technology.
GOOD – Biden blocks Chinese-backed crypto mining firm from land ownership near Wyoming nuke missile base. Joe Biden on Monday issued an order calling its proximity to the base a “national security risk.”
HOMELAND SECURITY – LAW ENFORCEMENT
TRUMP IS RIGHT. IF ONLY A FEW HUNDRED ARE SPIES OR SABOTEURS, IT’S TOO MANY – Trump suggests Chinese migrants are in the US to build an ‘army.’ The migrants tell another story. Since the start of the year, as illegal Chinese swarm into the U.S., Trump has alluded to “fighting-age” or “military-age” Chinese men at least six times and suggested at least twice that they were forming a migrant “army.”
‘WHITE SUPREMACISTS’ STRIKE AGAIN? – New Jersey Marine accused of threats to kill white people, commit mass shooting. A former Marine from New Jersey was arrested Friday and accused of threatening to kill white people and carry out a mass shooting.
HORRIBLE INCIDENT – Questions, grief linger at apartment where deputy killed US airman. At the apartment door where a Florida deputy shot and killed Senior Airman Roger Fortson, a small shrine is growing with the tributes from the Air Force unit grappling with his loss.
POLITICS
White House opposes House bill to force Israeli arm shipments. The White House announced on Monday that it opposes a Republican-led bill that would force Joe Biden to send withheld military assistance to Israel.
IDIOT – Army officer resigns in protest of ‘unqualified’ US support to Israel. While assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency, Maj. Harrison Mann said he was enabling policies that violated his conscience.
PENTAGON WOKE WATCH
GO NAVY! – Navy seeks to develop reusable menstrual underwear for women sailors. The Navy is seeking $60,000 in research-and-development funds for reusable underwear for its female (WHAT ABOUT TRANS?) sailors when they are on their period.
US POWER OVERSEAS
BIDEN DIPLOMACY AT WORK – US threats led to rupture of vital military ties, Nigerien leader says. In an exclusive interview, Niger’s Prime Minister blamed the U.S. for the breakdown in bilateral relations, culminating with the planned ouster of American troops.
US-built Gaza pier could finally start operating in next few days. Humanitarian aid could start entering Gaza very soon.
Pentagon seeks to expand special ops authorities for friendly nations. It wants Congress to approve an expansion of special operations authorities to train and equip U.S.-aligned countries for irregular warfare against outside aggressors.
Navy tests surface/subsurface drone that can dive for days at West African exercise. This, to help African countries battling piracy, the illicit drug trade, and other illegal activities in the Gulf of Guinea.
ISRAEL’S WAR AGAINST TERRORISTS
Israel deepens offensive in Rafah and re-enters northern areas of Gaza. IDF launches most intensive fighting in weeks deploying tank fire, artillery bombardment and airstrikes against Hamas terrorists in south and north.
IRAN THREAT
BIDEN BEGS, SAYS, ‘PRETTY PLEASE’ TO IRAN – US calls on Iran to halt ‘unprecedented’ weapons transfers to Yemen’s Houthis for attacks on ships. These Iranian weapons are enabling Houthi terrorists to carry out “reckless attacks” on ships in the Red Sea and elsewhere.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Facing an endless barrage, Ukraine’s air defenses are withering. This is what a year of Russian missile strikes on Ukraine looks like. Ukrainian air defenses used to intercept most missiles, but in recent months, more and more have made it through.
WHAT ABOUT EU HELP? – Without more US help, Ukraine’s second largest city could fall. Kharkiv remains defiant amid a new wave of deadly Russian attacks.
WHY DID BIDEN TAKE THIS LONG TO DO IT? – Biden signs Russian uranium ban. The U.S. spends an estimated $1 billion per year on nuclear fuel from Russia, so the new law cuts off a key source of revenue as Russian military spending to levels not seen since the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s.
SPACE THREAT
Pentagon worried its primary satellite launcher can’t keep pace. An Air Force letter to Boeing and Lockheed Martin, joint owners of the United Launch Alliance, expresses concern that ULA’s much-delayed Vulcan rocket isn’t up and running.
Biggest ‘Space Flag’ drill ever takes on operational focus. The Space Force’s premier exercise was restructured and expanded for its latest iteration, as planners emphasized Guardians’ ability to integrate into a larger operational plan.
US MILITARY
YES – An Army drone branch? Idea advances in House subcommittee. The Army would gain a drone branch under proposed language in the 2025 defense authorization bill, a move intended to further professionalize the field and put it on par with the service’s other disciplines.
No. 2 Marine, a pilot, insists on continued primacy of infantry. The second-in-command of the Marine Corps still sees ground combat as the core of the Corps.
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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Paul Crespo is the Managing Editor of American Liberty Defense News. As a Marine Corps officer, he led Marines, served aboard ships in the Pacific and jumped from helicopters and airplanes. He was also a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at U.S. embassies worldwide. He later ran for state and federal office, taught political science, wrote for the editorial board of a major newspaper and had his own radio show. A graduate of Georgetown, London and Cambridge universities, he brings decades of experience and insight to the issues that most threaten our American liberty – at home and from abroad. To read more go to: paulcrespo.com.
The ignorance ans stupidity of media people, especially conservative media, never fails to amaze me. put these words: into a browser and see what comes up: “china drought food” Today, it imports more of these products—including soybeans, corn, wheat, rice, and dairy products—than any other country. Between 2000 and 2020, the country’s food self-sufficiency ratio decreased from 93.6 percent to 65.8 percent.Jan 25, 2023.
Do you go to a special place run by conservatives to learn to be ignorant and stupid?? How, exactly, does one teach stupid??