THURSDAY PDB – Better to have Donald Trump beat his pants off, but others prefer he not be the Dem candidate. This NYT columnist argues the most courageous thing that Joe Biden can do is drop out.
In 1977, Ronald Reagan shared his thoughts on the Cold War. “My idea of American policy toward the Soviet Union is simple, and some would say simplistic,” the future president said. “It is this: We win, and they lose.”
This year, Joe Biden cast the purpose of his presidency as a struggle against authoritarianism, at home and abroad. So, what's his theory of victory?
He doesn't have one. His style is to manage threats, not defeat them. He has sought to provide Ukraine with sufficient weaponry not to lose to Vladimir Putin. He believes Israel has a right to protect itself.
But his previous insistence that Hamas has to be defeated has given way to a U.S.-backed cease-fire resolution that effectively ensures Hamas's survival.
He has vowed that Iran will never get nuclear weapons. But in the face of Iran's refusal to give international inspectors access to its nuclear facilities, Team Biden worked to soften a diplomatic censure.
He has promised to defend Taiwan in the event of an invasion. But projected U.S. military spending, when adjusted for inflation, is essentially flat, and U.S. naval power isn't keeping pace with China's growth.
(At home he has enabled terror threats with his dangerously open border.)
And it won't be easy finding a way to offload Kamala Harris from the ticket, easing the apprehension many voters have about a feeble president being succeeded by his unpopular and unconvincing vice president.
SO, BIDEN SHOULD SIMPLY DROP OUT.
MEANWHILE, THIS MAY BE MORE LIKELY – Biden's mental decline jeopardizes national security. Democrats have one card left to play. President Woodrow Wilson had similar health issues to Biden while in office and that undermined national security.
Some critics argue that Biden, in his current addled state, fits in the “stupid and lazy” category. This combination, while not ideal, allows for the possibility of stage management by staff, competent or otherwise. Though our system of government expects a vigorous executive — today, we have no energy in the White House.
But while the president's vacuous passivity can be navigated with a degree of difficulty, Kamala Harris's vigorous foolishness is a bigger threat. Along with Harris's historically low approval ratings, is likely why the Biden cabinet hesitates to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Biden from office — they're stuck with no good options.
Instead, look for the Democratic National Committee to swap Biden out at the convention after a pressure campaign from party power brokers for him to step down.
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
Russian flotilla off Florida coast sparks deployment of US Navy destroyers, planes. The Pentagon deployed three Navy destroyers and maritime patrol aircraft this week to keep tabs on a group of Russian ships that conducted missile exercises and reportedly got within 30 miles of the Florida coast.
Artillery goes trucking to survive drones swarming the battlefield. French artillery engineers had a simple idea: Take a big gun, mount it on a truck, and you've got self-propelled artillery at relatively little cost. The wheeled guns have proved so effective on the Ukrainian battlefield that Western armies are taking a fresh look at the concept.
HOMELAND SECURITY
Army warns troops to be wary of job offers as China wages subtle intel-gathering campaign. If job offers and other financial opportunities appear too good to be true, or seem suspicious, they probably are. This, as foreign agents are using social media as a means to contact troops and civilian employees to gather critical information.
PENTAGON WOKE WATCH
BUT OF COURSE – DOD now repaying up to $1,000 for cost of transporting breast milk during moves. The costs will now be covered under a new Defense Department policy aimed at curtailing out-of-pocket expenses for military families.
Miss Maryland USA, an Asian American trans military wife, speaks out against hate. A Cambodian American trans woman and a Marine officer's wife, is speaking out against transphobic hate comments she received after winning her title.
POLITICS
Junior enlisted would see only a small pay boost under Senate plan. This, staking out a middle ground between House plans for a sizable salary hike for young servicemembers and White House opposition to any targeted military pay increase.
Former Army Captain Sam Brown wins Nevada GOP Senate primary to take on Democrat Senator Jacky Rosen. This, seen as another victory for national Republicans in their effort to set up their preferred matchups in swing states this year.
ISRAEL WAR AGAINST TERROR
Hezbollah vows to intensify attacks against Israel after senior military commander is killed.
Blaming Israel for rescuing its people. Despicable Hamas hid four hostages in a crowded civilian area and fired on rescuers.
US POWER OVERSEAS
Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey lands on Australian warship 3 months after flight ban was lifted. This, another indicator the tiltrotor is returning to routine service with the Marines after a series of deadly crashes.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
‘Ram him': How Ukraine is pushing US combat gear to the extreme. A wild game of chicken with the Russians, captured on video, reveals Kyiv's unrestrained employment of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
Estonian-made combat robots in Ukraine now come with Starlink. This connectivity enables their operation from thousands of miles away.
CHINA THREAT
US falls further behind in AI race, could make conflict with China ‘unwinnable.' The US is quickly falling behind China in development of artificial intelligence, according to a new report, making it nearly impossible for the US to win a war against the PLA.
IRAN THREAT
Iran's elections could give rise to another military coup. The death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi last month has further opened the door to the possibility of a military coup in the country. ‘Elections' are scheduled for late June, but stability for the Islamic Republic is certainly in question.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels launch boat-borne bomb attack against Greek-owned ship in Red Sea. This, the latest escalation despite a U.S.-led campaign trying to protect the vital waterway.
US intelligence assesses Houthis in Yemen in talks to provide weapons to al-Shabaab in Somalia. This is a worrying development that threatens to further destabilize an already violent region.
SPACE THREAT
Space Force's Resilient GPS program draws skepticism from lawmakers. A congressional panel doubts the effort to protect its GPS system from signal jamming will be as resilient as the service hopes.
Space Force turning to commercial sats to enhance in-space monitoring. “The next pivot for looking up is to look in outer space from outer space. There's no reason you only need to observe satellite maneuvers from the ground. You can do it from space.”
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
Germany outlines plans for ‘new' model of military service amid rising security concerns from Russia. The plan focuses on volunteer recruitment with potential mandatory elements.
US MILITARY
Robotic vehicles to fight with enemy forces in Army training event. The Army's Robotic Combat Vehicles will fight with the opposing force in an upcoming training rotation.
FINALLY! – Construction on Coast Guard's much-needed icebreaker could begin by end of the year. This, after more than five years of delay.
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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