Tag: Defense
Stevenson’s army, April 15
– Just Security has the biggest and best timeline on the US response to the coronavirus.
– WOTR has the second article on the Defense Production Act.
– WSJ says FEMA is understaffed [20% vacancies] and DHS has been shifting its budget to border operations.
– Even before Tuesday’s announcement, Trump wanted to cut WHO spending in half.
– Todd Harrison of CSIS warns DOD faces fiscal uncertainty.
– Mike Mazarr of Rand, who wrote the excellent book on planning the Iraq war [Leap of Faith], argues that US needs a new approach to power projection.
As you know, I often send around think-tank reports I believe raise valuable ideas. Today I want to highlight a lousy report by a good organization, CNAS. The report argues that somehow the US could find tactical military operations that could be kept secret yet have significant effects Lots of luck with that.
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
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Stevenson’s army, April 10
– Two Brookings scholars praise the initiation of paper hearings by Congress, just as the SASC postpones its second because of perceived problems.
–DOD has delayed its budget development schedule because of so many people working from home.
– NYT says vote by mail doesn’t always benefit Democrats, cites GOP states that like it.
– CNAS has several good papers on the national security workforce.
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
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Stevenson’s army, April 9
– Former CIA National Intelligence Council head blasts IG purge.
– Trump and the pandemic have thwarted Congressional oversight.
– There’s a missing war powers report.
– Saudis call cease-fire in Yemen.
– Kick ’em when they’re down: Acting SecNav trip to Guam cost $243K
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
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Stevenson’s army, April 8
– Chairman Schiff says acting DNI is weakening the intelligence community.
– ABC says intelligence community warned of a “cataclysmic” pandemic in NOVEMBER.
– Historian says Trump weakened the agencies needed to fight the pandemic.
– WaPo lists misleading Trump statements since January.
– Acting SecNav Modly resigned. Not a word of apology in his letter. Check for yourself. Peter Feaver lists issues raised by the Crozier incident.
– OPM study says government hiring hindered by GS system.
– AP notes lobbying boom in pandemic.
– Taliban have withdrawn from talks.
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
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Stevenson’s army, April 7
– Is it cynical to believe that Peter Navarro’s Jan & Feb memos warning about the severity of the pandemic have been leaked to multiple news outlets only now, after news came out regarding his shouting match with Dr Fauci about unproven virus treatments?
-Is
it cynical to wonder why the Justice Dept gave an exclusive report to a
Politico reporter boasting of its new push against China in multiple
efforts?
Of course not. That’s the way the leaking game is played.
NYT has more on the civ-mil clash over Capt. Crozier and the TR. Acting SecNav Modly overruled the advice of senior Navy officers in deciding on immediate relief of command.
Defense One editor says Modly and Esper are dangerously putting the military back into politics. I think the incident also shows the consequences of Acting officials: they are always more timid than a Senate-confirmed official and often seem to be auditioning for a permanent appointment. Why else would Modly preemptively do what he thinks Trump would like?
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
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Stevenson’s army, April 6
This is not a “Pearl Harbor moment” or another 9/11; those were traumatic surprises. This is a monster category 5+ storm we saw inching toward America and we failed to take the long-prescribed defensive measures.
Multiple stories about Capt. Crozier: David Ignatius first reported that Acting NavSec Modly relieved Crozier of command to preempt a demand for that action by President Trump. Today he gives Modly’s side of the story — that he lost confidence in Crozier. SecDef Esper calls this good accountability. NYT has more, also reporting Crozier has the coronavirus.
Jonathan Swan learned of a Navarro-Fauci shouting match.
In other news, Trump is threatening new tariffs against Russia and Saudi Arabia over oil…
Bill Burns has some post-pandemic strategic advice.
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
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