| | | | | |  | | By Alexander Ward and Quint Forgey | Presented by Lockheed Martin | | 
White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a briefing at the White House, Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021, in Washington. | Evan Vucci/AP Photo | Send tips | Subscribe here | Email Alex | Email Quint White House press secretary JEN PSAKI posted a short Twitter thread today detailing what the administration sees as its top foreign policy successes of 2021. They are: 1. "Reclaiming our leadership role in international institutions and convening world leaders to make real progress on the biggest challenges of our time" such as "serving as the world's vaccine arsenal, driving the global economic recovery, and restoring U.S. leadership on climate." 2. "Restoring our alliances, including with Europe" namely by resolving trade disputes. 3. "In the Indo-Pacific, we have developed new platforms like AUKUS and elevated the Quad." NatSec Daily sent Psaki's missive to foreign and local officials to see their reactions –– some of which surprised us. Europeans by and large agreed this administration shares its concerns more than the previous one, especially on climate change and Russia. But that doesn't mean it's all sunshine and roses: "Implementation has –– particularly in the beginning –– been hampered by poor communication, even something bordering on arrogance," a European official told us. "It's not that it has been bad but it could have been even better with better communication with partners. Think Afghanistan, French submarines, the democracy summit." Democrats naturally lauded the administration's moves in Year One, with some parroting President JOE BIDEN's line that "America is back." None, though, said it was time for a victory lap. Some emphasized that the U.S. could've provided the vaccine technology to other countries instead of relying on world-leading vial donations; a few highlighted America's struggles in curbing the war in Ethiopia; and others shared their concerns about mounting humanitarian suffering. "With the deepening humanitarian crisis in Yemen with U.S. military participation in the brutal Saudi military campaign continuing a year into the new presidency and an emerging mass starvation event in Afghanistan due to U.S. policies collapsing the country's fragile economy, the administration has much left to achieve in foreign policy in 2022," a senior House Democratic aide said. Republicans, meanwhile, uniformly praised the AUKUS deal as a strong move to counter China, though none failed to mention the diplomatic spat born from its rollout. "Are they deliberately trolling the French?" a senior GOP Senate staffer cheekily asked. But in sum they heavily criticized Psaki's statements. "What she counts as successes are in fact attempts to recover from a massive own goal [in Afghanistan] that emboldened China," Rep. PETER MEIJER (R-Mich.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told NatSec Daily. "Our 'wins' there are all the result of us being on the defensive, and Joe Biden put us in that weak position." The president has "condemn[ed] millions of Afghans to starvation and famine because he can't be bothered to take responsibility for a mess of his own making." Experts we spoke to felt it was too early for the administration to declare victories. "The fact is that the U.S. is dealing with a change in the geopolitical chessboard, and success will not be measured on a yearly basis," said Boston University's JOSH SHIFRINSON. "I'm as keen as anyone to see this administration succeed in foreign policy, but looking at this, it's hard to escape the conclusion that it hasn't been a great first year on that front," the Atlantic Council's EMMA ASHFORD piled on. | | | | 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. | | | | | | | | SWEDISH MIL CHIEF: U.S. SHOULD SEND TROOPS TO EUROPE IF UKRAINE WAR: The Swedish head of armed forces told our own NAHAL TOOSI that the U.S. should send more service members to Europe if the conflict between Russia and Ukraine deepens. "If the situation — I wouldn't say require because that's the wrong word — but if the situation would worsen, I do believe it would be good to have a bigger footprint," Swedish Supreme Commander General MICAEL BYDÉN said. Asked where they should go, he responded probably where they are today. "Because you have bases in Europe. It's not like you're not there. It's more like … reinforce what you have … More people, more capabilities." In the meantime, Bydén believes Europe should step up its own defenses to show Russia and the U.S. how serious the continent is. "If we show that we are able to take care of what we should do, the chance to get support from [the] U.S. to a greater extent, more, a bigger footprint in Europe, I think … the chance would be much better." Sweden isn't a part of NATO, though it works closely with the alliance and other European nations. As of now the U.S. and its European partners have signaled Russia would face stiff economic sanctions and broader diplomatic isolation if Moscow sends its troops over the Ukrainian border. HAITIAN GANG RELEASES ALL HOSTAGES: Haitian National Police reported today that the 12 remaining members of the U.S. missionary group who were seized in October by the notorious 400 Mawozo street gang have now been released, per The Washington Post's WIDLORE MERANCOURT and AMANDA COLETTA. Of the 17 kidnapped members of the group from Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries — made up of 16 Americans and one Canadian — two hostages were released in November and three others were released earlier this month. The Haitian government had said the gang was demanding a ransom of $1 million for each victim, although it was not immediately clear whether those payments were fulfilled. The group of hostages included women and five children — one of whom was as young as 8 months old. Rep. ANDY LEVIN (D-Mich.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, praised officials who worked to bring the hostages home, but added that the broader crisis in Haiti remains a problem for the millions there. "[T]here are so many Haitians terrorized by kidnappings and extreme levels of violence, even as the humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti continues to worsen. This year alone, nearly 800 people in Haiti have been kidnapped. I reiterate my fervent belief that the United States and our international partners must work urgently to support Haitian-led efforts to bring about a real and accountable democracy that can bring peace and security to the Haitian people," he said in a statement. U.S. DOWNED DRONE IN SYRIA: The U.S. military shot down a drone headed toward a 200-troop outpost in Syria Tuesday, Fox News' JENNIFER GRIFFIN reported. "Two unmanned aerial systems were spotted entering the At Tanf Garrison Deconfliction Zone located along the Iraq and Jordan-Syria border. One of the two drones traveled deeper into the zone and was shot down after 'demonstrating hostile intent,' Capt. BILL URBAN, the spokesman for U.S. Central Command, told Fox News. The other drone left the area," she and EDMUND DEMARCHE wrote. There were no casualties or injuries during the incident. U.S. defense officials believe Iranian-backed militias operated the drone. If that's the case, it's unclear if Tehran ordered the drone flights as connections between those militias and Iran have weakened since the assasination of QASSEM SOLEIMANI last year. MORE THAN 100 MARINES OUT OVER COVID VACCINE: The Marine Corps has kicked out 103 of its members for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine, reports our own PAUL MCLEARY, while the Army has relieved six leaders (including two commanding officers) over the issue — with almost 4,000 active-duty soldiers still turning down the shot. The two Army officers, both of whom commanded active-duty battalions, join Navy Cmdr. LUCIAN KINS — the executive officer of the destroyer USS Winston S. Churchill, who was relieved this month — as the highest-ranking officers to be punished for defying the order. The Army would not identify the two officers. The dismissals come after the Navy on Wednesday issued guidance to its leadership to start the process of separating the 5,731 active-duty sailors who remain unvaccinated. And on Monday, the Air Force announced it was discharging 27 airmen. | | A message from Lockheed Martin: X2 Technology™ delivers affordability to RAIDER X® and DEFIANT X™ FVL aircraft.
Proven X2 Technology™ powers both RAIDER X® and DEFIANT X™ aircraft. Pilots and maintainers can easily transition between aircraft, improving affordability over the life of the Army's Future Vertical Lift program. Learn More | | | IT'S THURSDAY: 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. | | | ATROCITIES IN WESTERN TIGRAY: Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch report today that Amhara security forces "are responsible for a surge of mass detentions, killings and forced expulsions of ethnic Tigrayans in the Western Tigray territory of northern Ethiopia. Tigrayan civilians attempting to escape the new wave of violence have been attacked and killed. Scores in detention face life-threatening conditions including torture, starvation, and denial of medical care." The news out of Ethiopia continues to horrify. U.N. data suggests 1.2 million people have been displaced from Western Tigray since fighting began in November 2020. 10,000 Tigrayans were displaced between Nov. 25 and Dec. 1 alone. Human rights experts NatSec Daily has talked to in recent weeks say the worst-case estimate is that 8 million people will be displaced in Ethiopia, turning it into one of the world's most devastating humanitarian catastrophes.
| | | U.S. BLACKLISTS CHINESE MILITARY ACADEMY: The U.S. will Friday blacklist China's Academy of Military Medical Sciences and 11 of its research institutes allegedly involved in biotechnologies that help Beijing repress Uyghur Muslims. One stated reason is that the institutes supported the Chinese military's pursuit of "purported brain-control weaponry," and another is that they were providing U.S.-origin items to bolster Iran's conventional weaponry and missile program. The Commerce Department put those organizations on the "Entity List," which blocks American companies from exporting their materials to those on the list. China "is choosing to use these technologies to pursue control over its people and its repression of members of ethnic and religious minority groups. We cannot allow U.S. commodities, technologies, and software that support medical science and biotechnical innovation to be diverted toward uses contrary to U.S. national security," Secretary of Commerce GINA RAIMONDO said today in a statement. WHITE HOUSE WARNS BUSINESSES OVER HOLIDAY CYBERATTACKS: Deputy national security adviser for cyber ANNE NEUBERGER and National Cyber Director CHRIS INGLIS have a message for America's business leaders: Here there be cyberattacks. "Historically we have seen breaches around national holidays because criminals know that security operations centers are often short-staffed, delaying the discovery of intrusions," they said in a statement released by the White House. They recommend that firms update their patching, change passwords and multifactor authentication, backup data and more. Last month, 89 percent of cybersecurity professionals at organizations from multiple countries said in a survey that they expected repeat cyber intrusions ahead of the holiday season.
| | | NAVY TESTS NEXT-GENERATION LASER WEAPON: The Navy's Middle East-based 5th Fleet announced today that it conducted a high-energy laser weapon system demonstration earlier this week in the Gulf of Aden, per Bloomberg's SELCAN HACAOGLU. The weapon was fired from the transport dock ship USS Portland and "successfully engaged a static surface training target," according to the Navy. The Portland previously tested the weapon last May, "when it successfully disabled a small unmanned aerial system while operating in the Pacific Ocean," the service reported. As Hacaoglu notes, the weapon "isn't entirely new to the U.S. Navy," as it "has been integrated in Portland since 2018 and builds on a previous laser system which was tested for three years aboard the USS Ponce while operating in the Middle East." | | | |   | | | | | | FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY: NEARLY 40 DEMS WANT EDUCATION CARVE-OUT FOR AFGHANISTAN: A bicameral group of Democrats wrote to Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN and Treasury Secretary JANET YELLEN today demanding humanitarian aid groups working on education in Afghanistan be exempted from legal recrimination. "Continued access to education is a stated priority of the U.S. Administration and allies in the wake of the Taliban gaining control. But without the legal safeguards in place for education programming, the Administration's laudable commitment to continue providing humanitarian assistance and support for at-risk Afghans is under threat," reads the letter led by Rep. SARA JACOBS (D-Calif.) and Sen. JEFF MERKLEY (D-Ore.). "We urge the Administration to immediately take action to support Afghans' right to education by amending the OFAC general licenses on humanitarian assistance to explicitly authorize education activities." The lawmakers note how such carve-outs exist in hot spots such as Ethiopia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen. Without a similar arrangement, "NGOs working in Afghanistan on education programming do so with fear of legal reprisals or opt out of operating all together, unable to assume such risk," the members of Congress fear. These lawmakers aren't the only ones worried about America's humanitarian policy in Afghanistan. Reps. TOM MALINOWSKI (D-N.J.), JASON CROW (D-Colo.) and Meijer led a group of over 30 lawmakers in also writing a letter to Blinken and Yellen demanding the release of humanitarian aid to Afghans. Their five recommendations are: 1) release frozen assets to a U.N. agency to pay teacher salaries and feed school children "so long as girls can continue to attend," 2) clarify sanctions exemptions for humanitarian aid, 3) "assist multilateral organizations attempting to pay Afghan civil servants," 4) allow international financial organizations to inject capital into Afghanistan's economy, and 5) rally donors to help Afghans survive a harsh winter. "No one benefits from a failed state in Afghanistan. While we will continue to press the administration to ensure that we protect the American people from any potential future threats that may emanate from Afghanistan and enable Afghans at special risk of persecution to leave their country, the United States has an equal responsibility to help the many millions more who will stay to survive the winter, to feed their children, and to preserve what can be salvaged of the progress made during the last 20 years," they concluded. UYGHUR BILL WINS FINAL PASSAGE: The Senate unanimously passed a bill today to crack down on the Chinese government's genocide targeting Uyghur Muslims, sending the measure to Biden's desk, reports our own ANDREW DESIDERIO. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act effectively bans all imports from China's Xinjiang region, where the U.S. government has accused the Chinese Communist Party of perpetrating a genocide against the religious minority — including slave labor, forced sterilizations and concentration camps. Under the terms of the bill, authored by Sen. MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.) and Rep. JIM MCGOVERN (D-Mass.), companies that produce goods in Xinjiang can be granted an exception if they show proof that those products are not made using forced labor. As part of the Senate's agreement to unanimously pass the Uyghur bill, Sen. CHRIS MURPHY (D-Conn.) secured votes on three stalled foreign policy nominations — including on NICHOLAS BURNS, Biden's pick to serve as U.S. ambassador to China. | | A message from Lockheed Martin: X2 Technology™ delivers affordability to RAIDER X® and DEFIANT X™ FVL aircraft.
Because of their shared X2 Technology™, RAIDER X® and DEFIANT X™ will require fewer support personnel. Learn More | | | | | | THINK TANK BOARD BLASTS SENATE INACTION ON NOMINEES: In a new letter, the board of directors of the Washington-based American Security Project scolded Senate leaders for failing to confirm the president's national security nominees. "We write to express our profound concern that so many non-controversial, highly qualified nominees for critical diplomatic and foreign policy positions have been denied a vote on the Senate floor," the board members wrote to Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER, Senate Minority Leader MITCH MCCONNELL, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair ROBERT MENENDEZ (D-N.J.) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member JAMES RISCH (R-Idaho). The letter's signers — including GARY HART, CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN, DANIEL CHRISTMAN, NORMAN R. SEIP, LEE GUNN, STEPHEN A. CHENEY, JEFFREY BLEICH and others — went on to propose their own "path forward" amid the legislative backlog. "[P]erhaps it is time to work within the established Senate rules, by using otherwise idle floor-time, including holding weekend and late-night sessions, to facilitate floor consideration for nominees who have been favorably referred out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee," the board wrote. Then, those senators "opposing the nominees and insisting on floor debate will have to make themselves available for these weekend and night sessions — or forego their right to insist," the board continued. "If votes are not scheduled until the full Senate returns, the impact on the Senate in general should be limited, but the pressure on those objecting, strong."
| | | — SUNDAA BRIDGETT-JONES will join the board of directors of the Leadership Council for Women in National Security. She currently is chief partnerships and advocacy officer for the Rockefeller Foundation's Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet. — The president has announced his intent to nominate CAROLINE KENNEDY as ambassador to Australia, MICHELLE KWAN, the retired figure skater, as ambassador to Belize and ROBERT WOOD as alternate representative of the United States for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations. — The president has announced his intent to nominate FRANK CALVELLI as assistant secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition, FRANKLIN PARKER as assistant secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, and MARVIN ADAMS as deputy director for Defense Programs at the Energy Department. — The president has announced his intent to nominate EDWARD GABRIEL, NATHALIE RAYES and MARY SWIG as members of the board of directors of the United States Institute of Peace. — RIC GRENELL has joined Newsmax Media Inc. as a national security contributor and executive for international partnerships. He previously served as acting director of national intelligence and U.S. ambassador to Germany under former President DONALD TRUMP. — Beginning in 2022, SARA HAGHDOOSTI will be Win Without War's executive director. STEPHEN MILES, currently in the role, will move to the advocacy group's newly formed position of president.
| | | — JAMES LAPORTA and JASON DEAREN, The Associated Press: "How brothers in arms plotted theft, sale of US Army weaponry" — FATMA TANIS and HANNAH BLOCH, NPR: "What the Taliban really want from the world, in their own words" — ROBBIE GRAMER and ANNA WEBER, Foreign Policy: "Washington Runs on Interns"
| | | — The Center for Strategic and International Studies, 10 a.m.: "A Humanitarian Emergency: The Collapse of Afghanistan's Banking System — with JASON CHUNG, MOHAMMAD SALEM OMAID, ANNIE PFORZHEIMER and KATHRYN STRIFFOLINO" — The Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1 p.m.: "China's Sphere of Influence in the Indo-Pacific — with GRAHAM ALLISON, BONNY LIN and DAVID STILWELL" — The Project on Middle East Democracy, 1 p.m.: "Supporting Democracy and Human Rights in Turkey: Can the United States and Europe Do More? — with AMY HAWTHORNE, OSMAN Ä°ŞÇI, MERVE TAHIROĞLU and ÖZGE ZIHNIOĞLU" | | | | DON'T MISS CONGRESS MINUTES: Need to follow the action on Capitol Hill blow-by-blow? Check out Minutes, POLITICO's new platform that delivers the latest exclusives, twists and much more in real time. Get it on your desktop or download the POLITICO mobile app for iOS or Android. CHECK OUT CONGRESS MINUTES HERE. | | | | | 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 editor, John Yearwood, whose accomplishments would take many tweets to list. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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