| | | | | |  | | By Quint Forgey and Alexander Ward | Presented by Lockheed Martin | | 
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin pauses while speaking during a media briefing at the Pentagon, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, in Washington. | Alex Brandon/AP Photo | With help from Daniel Lippman Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Alex | Email Quint FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — A Defense Department working group has finished its highly anticipated report on fighting extremism in the military, Pentagon spokesperson JOHN KIRBY confirmed to NatSec Daily. But it's still unclear when Defense Secretary LLOYD AUSTIN will be briefed on the contents of the report, and the Pentagon has yet to set a date for when it will be made public. Austin first announced the establishment of the Countering Extremist Activity Working Group in an April memo, ordering that its report should be "provided … no later than 90 days from its first meeting on or about April 14, 2021." More than four months after Austin's deadline, however, the secretary still has not seen the final product. Kirby defended the delay to NatSec Daily, saying in a statement: "We appreciate the work stakeholders across the enterprise have put in this important effort. That work is undergoing some additional reviews and coordination. This is an important enough issue to the Secretary and the Department that we want to get it right, and to move forward in the most deliberate way possible." The wait for the working group's report conflicts with the sense of urgency the Biden administration has sought to instill about the dangers of domestic violent extremists since Jan. 6 — when a number of active-duty service members and veterans allegedly participated in the storming of the Capitol. The report's hold-up has also frustrated Rep. ANTHONY BROWN (D-Md.), a retired U.S. Army Reserve colonel who has called for tougher measures by Congress to curb military extremism. "If you really care about the men and women who serve, you don't delay on extremism in the ranks," he told NatSec Daily. In the aftermath of the insurrection, the Defense Department has moved to root out extremists in the force, with Austin directing commanding officers and supervisors in February to conduct a one-day "stand-down" to discuss the issue with their personnel. Austin's April memo also outlined several new "immediate actions" — including a forthcoming rewrite of the department's definition of prohibited extremist activities. Austin asked the working group to give a status update on those "immediate actions" in its report, as well as to detail "additional mid-term and long-term recommendations" aimed at countering extremism. To that end, the department sponsored a RAND Corporation study published in September that put forward a framework for helping commanders reduce the risk of military extremism. MAREK POSARD, one of the authors of that RAND study, emphasized to NatSec Daily the importance of "existing infrastructure" meant to tackle social problems across the military — including family support programs, mental health services and even chaplains — that could be retrofitted to take on the extremist threat. But KING MALLORY, coauthor of a subsequent RAND military extremism study published in October, cautioned that much of the Pentagon's extremism resources were not necessarily well-suited to countering the domestic extremism. "You can't just port them," Mallory told NatSec Daily of the current programs. Instead, he suggested the working group's report embrace face-to-face, in-person intervention measures. TODD HELMUS, another coauthor of the October RAND study, said the report should recommend implementing "a very strong education and awareness campaign" for incoming troops and seek to "manage perceptions" of the antiextremism efforts, "so this does not become a political lightning rod." Helmus also told NatSec Daily that the Pentagon should institute some type of "off-ramping intervention," though he was pessimistic the working group would back such a proposal. "There needs to be some way of helping people who they do identify as being extremist, and help them get out," he said. Across the board, all three RAND experts downplayed the significance of the working group's report being delayed, describing domestic extremism as a complicated dilemma that couldn't be solved quickly. But Brown, the Maryland congressman, said he was "absolutely" concerned by the Pentagon's slow pace, and he argued the Defense Department was incapable of addressing this national security threat without congressional action. That's why Brown, a member of the Armed Services and Veterans' Affairs Committees, sponsored an amendment to the House-passed version of the National Defense Authorization Act that would bulk up the Pentagon's antiextremism response — including by establishing an "Office of Countering Extremism" within the Defense Department. Sen. MARK WARNER (D-Va.) this week introduced a companion amendment to the Senate's version of the annual defense policy bill. Brown still needs to convince President JOE BIDEN to sign off on his proposal, though. The White House opposed the congressman's measure "because it would impose onerous and overly specific training and data collection requirements and would foreclose other options to address extremism," per a September statement of administration policy. Brown told NatSec Daily his office has been "going back and forth" with the Defense Department, "receiving feedback, comments, trying to accommodate their concerns." According to Brown, "the big sticking point" is the department's refusal to ban membership in extremist organizations. Currently, military personnel are only prohibited from "active participation" in such groups. "We're getting close," Brown said of his negotiations with the Pentagon. "And I continue to be hopeful that the provisions that were included in the House version of the NDAA will, in substantial measure, become law." | | A message from Lockheed Martin: PAC-3® MSE: Advanced air defense using hit-to-kill technology to defend against incoming threats.
The PAC-3® Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) uses a revolutionary two-pulse solid rocket motor and combat-proven Hit-to-Kill technology to defeat incoming threats, including tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft. Learn More | | | | | | FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — GOP LAWMAKERS TELL TEAM BIDEN TO LISTEN TO PENTAGON: The top Republicans on Congress' national security panels — Sens. JAMES INHOFE (R-Okla.), JAMES RISCH (R-Idaho) and MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.); plus Reps. MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-Texas), DEVIN NUNES (R-Calif.) and MIKE ROGERS (R-Ala.) — have sent a letter urging senior Biden administration officials against disregarding the Defense Department's recommendations when developing the Nuclear Posture Review. In their missive to Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN, Defense Secretary Austin, National Intelligence Director AVRIL HAINES and Joint Chiefs Chair Gen. MARK MILLEY , the lawmakers write they're "concerned by recent reports" that the National Security Council may have directed the Pentagon "to only submit possible courses of action, and not any recommendations, related to a change in U.S. nuclear declaratory policy." "It would be unwise and irresponsible to muzzle the considered advice of the U.S. government's foremost experts on nuclear deterrence issues at the DOD, and throughout the interagency," the lawmakers write. "It would also deprive the President of your views, the views of NATO allies, and those of our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Further, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is statutorily obligated to provide his best military advice to the Commander-in-Chief on these important issues." The lawmakers make specific reference to "potentially destabilizing U.S. policy changes" such as a "no first use" policy or declaring that the "sole purpose" of the arsenal is to deter a nuclear conflict — as opposed to such weapons being used to respond to a conventional war or a strategic assault like a cyber attack. Both of those options are being considered by national security advisers to the president, who for decades has sought to reduce the role of nuclear weapons in the United States' military posture. As Alex, BRYAN BENDER and PAUL MCLEARY reported earlier this month, however, Pentagon officials have cautioned that the United States maintain its status quo policy on nuclear weapons in the face of new arms buildups by China and Russia. The lawmakers echoed those warnings in their letter. "We urge you to ensure the NPR, including any potential change in U.S. nuclear declaratory policy, addresses the increasingly dangerous strategic environment, allies' views and concerns, as well as the deteriorating condition of U.S. nuclear forces relative to the modernization efforts underway in the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation," they wrote. "It is no exaggeration to say that this NPR may be the most consequential ever conducted as the United States and our worldwide network of allies face the largest geopolitical shift since the end of the Cold War. We must be clear-eyed in addressing this growing challenge to global stability." WASHINGTON, BEIJING BACK MILITARY TALKS: During their virtual meeting Monday, Biden and Chinese President XI JINPING "agreed to open high-level channels of communication between their militaries" involving officials as high-ranking as the vice chairman of China's powerful Central Military Commission, reports Bloomberg News' PETER MARTIN. A person familiar with the matter said the White House "is now defining a strategy on how to approach these engagements, including in the areas of cybersecurity, space and nuclear weapons, as well as testing and deployment issues of concern to the U.S.," Martin writes. But the new communication between the two countries' armed forces "won't be formal arms control negotiations of the kind that the U.S. previously held with the Soviet Union and Russia, according to the person, who said the exact format for the forthcoming military-to-military talks is still to be determined." FIRST (ACTING) FEMALE COMMANDER IN CHIEF: Vice President KAMALA HARRIS briefly assumed the responsibilities of commander in chief Friday, becoming the first woman in the nation's history to serve as acting president while Biden underwent a colonoscopy under anesthesia during his annual physical at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, per our own NICK NIEDZWIADEK. In other respects, however, the transfer of power was relatively routine. Ahead of Biden's medical examination, White House press secretary JEN PSAKI confirmed Harris would follow protocols used twice during the presidency of GEORGE W. BUSH, when he had the same procedure and Vice President DICK CHENEY became acting president. In 1985, Vice President GEORGE H.W. BUSH also served as acting president during President RONALD REAGAN's surgery to treat colon cancer. DRINKS WITH NATSEC DAILY: At the end of every long, hard week, we like to highlight how a prominent member of Washington's national security scene prefers to unwind with a drink. Today, we're featuring PHILIPPE ÉTIENNE, France's ambassador to the United States. When he's not talking to top-level U.S. officials, the former chief diplomatic adviser to his nation's president enjoys a lovely glass of Clos de Vougeot with a nice French meal. Étienne's staff told us more about the drink of choice: "Clos de Vougeot is the largest single vineyard in Côte de Nuits entitled to the grand cru designation." À votre santé, Monsieur Ambassadeur ! IT'S FRIDAY. WELCOME TO THE WEEKEND: Thanks for tuning in to NatSec Daily. This space is reserved for the top U.S. and foreign officials, the lawmakers, the lobbyists, the experts and the people like you who care about how the natsec sausage gets made. Aim your tips and comments at award@politico.com and qforgey@politico.com , and follow us on Twitter at @alexbward and @QuintForgey. While you're at it, follow the rest of POLITICO's national security team: @nahaltoosi, @woodruffbets, @politicoryan, @PhelimKine, @BryanDBender, @laraseligman, @connorobrienNH, @paulmccleary, @leehudson and @AndrewDesiderio. | | | | BECOME A GLOBAL INSIDER: The world is more connected than ever. It has never been more essential to identify, unpack and analyze important news, trends and decisions shaping our future — and we've got you covered! Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Global Insider author Ryan Heath navigates the global news maze and connects you to power players and events changing our world. Don't miss out on this influential global community. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | | BEIJING'S SECRET BASE IN UAE: According to a new report by The Wall Street Journal's GORDON LUBOLD and WARREN P. STROBEL , construction was recently halted on what U.S. intelligence agencies suspected was a Chinese military facility at a port near Abu Dhabi. The pause in building came after the Biden administration warned the United Arab Emirates that such a base would threaten the alliance between the U.S. and Emirati governments. Lubold and Strobel report that the UAE seemingly "was unaware of the military nature of China's activity." The Middle Eastern country hosts U.S. military forces and is still seeking to purchase roughly $23 billion worth of F-35 fighter jets from the United States as part of a deal proposed under the Trump administration but slowed by Biden. The American president has "expressed concern about China's growing presence in the country directly with its de facto leader, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN … in May and again in August," Lubold and Strobel report. In one of those conversations, Biden told the crown prince "that the U.S. feared China's activity could have a detrimental impact on the partnership. MBZ replied he had heard Mr. Biden 'loud and clear.'" LUKASHENKO TELLS PUTIN HE'S CALMING BORDER CRISIS: The Kremlin press service reported that Belarusian leader ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO told Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN in a call Friday morning that he had taken measures to deescalate the crisis on the Polish border and give the group of migrants there humanitarian aid, per The Washington Post's ROBYN DIXON . But DMITRY PESKOV, the Kremlin spokesperson, warned that the border standoff isn't over yet and pressed European leaders to speak with Lukashenko. "Of course, communication between Lukashenko and Putin is not enough to find a solution to this crisis," Peskov said. Lukashenko and Putin's call Friday comes after Belarus moved Thursday to clear the main migrant camps on the border. That easing of tensions followed a week of increased dialogue between Lukashenko and other world leaders, including German Chancellor ANGELA MERKEL. Putin also urged Lukashenko on Thursday to begin talks with Europe.
| | | IRANIAN HACKERS HOME IN ON U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE: A joint adversary from the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — as well as the United Kingdom's National Cyber Security Center and Australia's Cyber Security Center — warns that Iranian government hackers are targeting critical U.S. infrastructure, reports Ars Technica's DAN GOODIN. Specifically, Goodin explains, "an advanced-persistent-threat hacking group aligned with the Iranian government is exploiting vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange and Fortinet's FortiOS, which forms the basis for the latter company's security offerings." And although "[a]ll of the identified vulnerabilities have been patched … not everyone who uses the products has installed the updates." Goodin writes that the FBI and CISA "have observed the group exploit Fortinet vulnerabilities since at least March and Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities since at least October to gain initial access to systems." The hackers will then "initiate follow-on operations that include deploying ransomware." The advisory's release came ahead of an indictment Thursday accusing two Iranian hackers — SEYYED MOHAMMAD HOSEIN MUSA KAZEMI and SAJJAD KASHIAN — of stealing more than 100,000 voters' private information from the election website of an unspecified U.S. state in 2020, sending threatening emails to voters and spreading false claims about election security vulnerabilities.
| | | U.S. BOOSTS TAIWAN TROOP PRESENCE: Defense Department data shows the U.S. military presence in Taiwan has crept up to 40 troops in recent months, as the United States moves to counter China's aggression toward the democratic island nation, per Foreign Policy's JACK DETSCH. In June, the Defense Manpower Data Center tallied 30 active-duty troops and 15 civilians serving in Taiwan, including 23 Marines. Now, the same Pentagon office reports there are 39 troops on the island, including 29 Marines, five airmen, three sailors and two soldiers. Detsch notes that the office's data "may not provide a full snapshot of U.S. troop numbers; it is not clear whether the tracking accounts for Army Special Forces training in Taiwan, for example." Still, he writes, "[t]he small but steadily growing U.S. footprint — now nearly twice as big as last year — could represent increased concern in the White House and the Pentagon over the island's fate." | | | | DON'T MISS THE HALIFAX INTERNATIONAL SECURITY FORUM: Back in person for the first time since 2019, tune in as international security leaders from democracies around the world discuss key challenges at the 13th annual Halifax International Security Forum live from Nova Scotia. As an official media partner, POLITICO will livestream the conversation beginning at 3 p.m. on November 19. Check out the full three-day agenda is here. | | | | | | | | SENATE PUNTS NDAA UNTIL POST-THANKSGIVING: After efforts to vote on an array of amendments broke down late Thursday evening under objections from several Republicans, the Senate's $768 billion defense policy bill is now officially on hold until after Thanksgiving, reports our own CONNOR O'BRIEN. The impasse dashes the hopes of Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER to finish work on the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act before the holiday. It also further narrows the window for leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees to iron out a compromise and send a final product to the president's desk before the end of the year. "After days of wrangling over what amendments would receive votes or be included in a bipartisan manager's package," O'Brien writes, "Senate Armed Services Chair JACK REED (D-R.I.) sought to secure votes Thursday evening on 19 amendments from Democrats and Republicans. But seven Republicans took turns blocking votes because their amendments weren't included — some with little connection to defense policy." THE HAGERTY DOCTRINE: Our own ANDREW DESIDERIO explored the politically intriguing foreign policy portfolio of Sen. BILL HAGERTY (R-Tenn.) in a new interview with the freshman lawmaker, who's zeroing in on issues of international diplomacy to make his mark in the world's greatest deliberative body. "A United States senator has a term that's longer than the president of the United States — is not term-limited. A United States senator has the ability to think on a long-term basis, on a strategic basis. And that's exactly what I came here to do," said Hagerty, a former U.S. ambassador to Japan. As for the Biden administration, the senator added: "I've been willing to applaud them and be supportive where I think they're moving in the right direction. But, at the same time, I'm going to be very clear to call them out when they move in the opposite direction." Desiderio writes: "The nuanced foreign-policy posture of Hagerty, who parlayed his private equity career into a meteoric rise in Trump-era GOP politics, might surprise domestic-minded conservatives whose banner he's carried in stateside fights. Yet Hagerty's support for RAHM EMANUEL, the Democrat seeking his old spot as U.S. envoy in Tokyo, is only one sign of a freshman GOP senator who's cutting a unique path — unafraid to stick up for Biden at some times while ardently supporting Trump's foreign policy most other times."
| | | EX-D.C. GUARD COMMANDER CALLS OUT PENTAGON WATCHDOG: WILLIAM J. WALKER, the former commanding general of the D.C. National Guard, is whacking SEAN O'DONNELL , the Defense Department's acting inspector general, over a new watchdog report that alleges Army leaders had to tell Walker twice to deploy troops to the Capitol during the Jan. 6 insurrection, per The Washington Post's DAN LAMOTHE and PAUL SONNE. Walker, who now serves as the House sergeant-at-arms, demanded the report's retraction, describing it in an interview as "incomplete," "inaccurate" and "sloppy work." MEGAN REED, a spokesperson for the inspector general's office, said: "Our independent and impartial report presents Maj. Gen. Walker's statements to us and his testimony to Congress, as well as information and statements provided by other witnesses." At issue is Walker's claim "that he received authorization to deploy troops at 5:08 p.m. and immediately dispatched those forces, already loaded onto several buses to depart the D.C. Armory," Lamothe and Sonne explain. According to O'Donnell's report, however, Walker received a call from then-Army Secretary RYAN MCCARTHY at 4:35 p.m. | | | |   | | | | | | — CHRISTIAN FORD is now a partner in DLA Piper's litigation practice in Washington, D.C. He served in various positions at the Justice Department and the Defense Department for nearly a decade, most recently as deputy assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Policy.
| | | — VALERIE HOPKINS, The New York Times: "After 15 Months in U.S. Prisons, She Now Sits in Russia's Parliament" — SAMUEL CHARAP, POLITICO Magazine: " Opinion: Putin Is Massing Troops On Ukraine's Border. Here's How Biden Can Change a Failing Playbook." — MICHAEL C. HOROWITZ, War on the Rocks: "War by Timeframe: Responding to China's Pacing Challenge"
| | | — The Foreign Policy Centre, 4:30 a.m.: "Anti-SLAPP Conference: Countering Legal Threats to Media Freedom — with NICK COHEN, CHARLIE HOLT, HELENA KENNEDY, JESSICA NÍ MHAINÍN and MARIA ORDZHONIKIDZE" — The Royal United Services Institute, 9 a.m.: Diversity and Inclusion in the Non-Proliferation Treaty Process — with SEBASTIAN BRIXEY-WILLIAMS, RENATA HESSMANN DALAQUA, NOMSA MICHELLE NDONGWE and LUBA ZATSEPINA" — The Atlantic Council, 9:30 a.m.: " Transnational Narcotics Networks: Challenges in Lebanon, Syria and Afghanistan — with DAVID DAOUD, IAN LARSON, MARIKA THEROS, JAMES WALSH and WILLIAM WECHSLER" — The Royal United Services Institute, 10 a.m.: "A Transatlantic Approach to China: Engaging Indo-Pacific Regional Partners — with HARRY HARRIS, RAFFAELLO PANTUCCI and MICHAEL REITERER" — The Wilson Center, 10 a.m.: "Germany After COP26: Europe's Driving Force to Get to Net-Zero? — with ANDREAS GOLDTHAU, EMILY HABER, GUNNAR LUDERER, MARIA PASTUKHOVA, LAUREN HERZER RISI and DUNCAN WOOD" — The Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1:30 p.m.: "China's Power: Up for Debate 2021 — with BONNY LIN, EVAN MEDEIROS and MICHAEL SWAINE" Have a natsec-centric event coming up? Transitioning to a new defense-adjacent or foreign policy-focused gig? Shoot us an email at award@politico.com or qforgey@politico.com to be featured in the next edition of the newsletter. And thanks to our editors, Ben Pauker and John Yearwood, who would never tolerate delays on our deadlines. | | A message from Lockheed Martin: HIMARS: Proven reliability for the most advanced missions today and tomorrow.
Exceeding 2 million operating hours and counting, HIMARS represents the battle-tested dependability for warfighters around the world. Learn More | | | | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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