Happy and welcome Thursday to Overnight Defense. I’m Ellen Mitchell and here’s your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, Capitol Hill and beyond. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the newsletter.
TOPLINE: NATO expands troops in Iraq
NATO will do it expands its security training mission in Iraq thousands of troops following a deadly rocket attack on a military air base at begining of the week.
The 30-member alliance will increase its staff in Iraq from 500 to about 4,000, a measure to prevent the war-torn country from becoming a breeding ground for terrorists, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.
“ISIS is still operating in Iraq and we need to make sure they can’t come back,” Stoltenberg told reporters at the end of a two-day virtual meeting of NATO defense ministers.
What does growth mean: He said NATO efforts would now include more Iraqi security institutions and areas beyond Baghdad, although their presence “is based on conditions and the increase in troops will be incremental.”
He added that the Iraqi government has made a request for the extended mission, which will begin in the coming months.
Forces already there: NATO has been in Iraq since 2004 to train Iraqi security forces. Its current training mission, which began in 2018, is meant to help Iraqi forces prevent the reappearance of ISIS.
The rise of NATO troops could ease the pressure on US forces in Iraq, where about 2,500 troops are based on a separate alliance mission.
Will the US grow as well ?: A senior defense official told reporters earlier this week that the Pentagon “welcomes NATO’s increased focus on Iraq,” but would not say whether the United States would add more troops to the training mission.
Response to attack: Plans for an expanded NATO footprint follow the rocket attack on Erbil International Airport, a military air base in northern Iraq, that killed a civilian contractor and injured nine people, including a member of the US service.
Shiite militant group Saraya Awliya al-Dam has demanded credit for the attack, although the Biden administration has not publicly confirmed who is responsible for the strike.
The State Department on Wednesday promised “consequences for any group responsible for this attack.”
Suspended Chief of Army War College faces sexual misconduct investigations
The suspended head of the Army War College is being investigated in connection with allegations of sexual misconduct, reported numerous outlets on Thursday.
General Stephen Maranian “has been suspended from office on charges of improper touching unrelated to his current position,” said Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith. said Military.com in a statement.
Special agents from the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command are investigating the indictment, Smith added.
More details: Pregnancy and reported purpose that Maranian is being investigated in connection with the alleged abusive sexual contact with an army civilian and that a military protection order was issued against him on 9 February, the day he was suspended.
“No other information will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the investigation process,” Smith said. “These are accusations at the moment, and MG Maranian is presumed innocent until and unless proven otherwise.”
A long-term problem: For years, the military has struggled to reduce harassment and sexual assault in a row, an effort that has intensified following an independent review at Fort Hood, Texas. who found leadership failures allowed uncontrolled and widespread sexual assault and violence.
New promises: Army Secretary John Whitley, the main civilian leader of the service, last week called on the force to combat “corrosive behavior”, including discrimination, extremist views and sexual harassment.
And secretary of defense Lloyd Austin
Lloyd Austin Overnight Defense: One-third of service members refuse Biden coronavirus vaccine to take enforcement action in response to Solar Winds hack US, Japan reach cost-sharing deal The promotions of the women’s generals were held back by fears of Trump’s response: report MORE During his nomination hearing, he pledged to “fight hard to eliminate sexual assault.”
Biden changes his approach to Saudi leaders
President Biden
Joe BidenFeds investigates Cuomo’s handling of nursing home outbreaks Overnight Defense: One-third of service members refuse coronavirus vaccine | Biden to take executive action in response to Solar Winds hack US and Japan reach cost-sharing deal On money: Biden faces left-wing reactions to student loans Where things stand as COVID-19 aid | Retail sales return MORE It is moving the US approach to Saudi Arabia moving away from the priority diplomatic access granted to certain Saudi officials during the Trump administration, which gave the kingdom a prominent role in US policy in the Middle East.
Biden is expected to speak at some point with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, signaling a downgrade of relations with the kingdom’s daily ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a major figure on the world stage.
The “recalibrate” relationship: Emphasis that Biden will communicate with the Saudi king, a move described by the White House press secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiOn The Money: Biden faces left-wing reactions to student loans Where things stand as COVID-19 help | Retail sales recover Overnight care: Biden officials announce funding to track virus variants | Senate Dems unveils public option proposal | White House: Teachers’ vaccination is not needed to reopen schools, Harris says teachers should be given priority for COVID-19 vaccine MORE as an effort to “recalibrate” the relationship between Washington and Riyadh, it indicates the president is stepping up his commitment to confront Riyadh more strongly about his human rights abuses while working together on common goals.
How Trump did: The Crown Prince played an important role in the Trump administration’s approach to the Middle East, exchanging WhatsApp messages with the former White House chief adviser and Trump’s son-in-law. Jared Kushner
Jared Corey Kushner LIVE COVER: Democrats focus on Trump’s remarks before the attack on the Kushner Chapter, Ivanka Trump reported up to 0 million in foreign revenue in the White House years Can Palestine Import Again? MORE, helping to pave the way for the Abraham Accords, opening up relations between Israel and the Gulf and African nations.
But the Crown Prince has alienated Washington from its alleged role in ordering the killing and dismemberment of the Saudi journalist in the United States. Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in October 2018.
Trump particularly downplayed the Crown Prince’s role in killing Khashoggi in an effort to maintain strong bilateral ties, writing in an extraordinary statement that “maybe he did and maybe not” he was aware of the plot against the journalist who wrote for The Washington Post.
Return: Biden’s Director of National Intelligence, April Haines
Avril Haines Opportunity for Biden Wexton’s Cabinet, Speier calls for revitalization process to revive extremist views Hillicon Valley: Senators express concern over response to Russian hack | Huawei makes a legal move Twitter is seeing more user growth, undertook to declassify the US intelligence report on Khashoggi’s death, which concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed had personally ordered the killing.
Biden officials hailed the Trump-era Abraham Accords as a positive development, but have already taken steps to return to US support for Saudi actions, which are seen as contributing to human rights atrocities.
Read the rest here.
ON TAP FOR TOMORROW
The National Security Chamber Oversight Subcommittee will hold a hearing on “A Path to Peace in Afghanistan: Examining the Findings and Recommendations of the Study Group for Afghanistan” with the former sen. Kelly Ayotte
Kelly Ann Ayotte Overnight Defense: New START extended by five years Austin orders “stop” to fight extremism Group recommends Biden’s withdrawal to delay Afghanistan’s withdrawal Study group recommends Biden’s withdrawal to delay Afghanistan’s withdrawal Overnight defense: Pentagon chief removes hundreds of advisory groups | The choice of defense discusses Trump’s transition obstacles Aircraft carrier returning home after 10 months of development MORE (RN.H.) and former Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford, at 10:30
US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron
Emmanuel Jean-Michel MacronZaid Jilani responds to NYT report on left-wing ideas in France will attend a virtual event of the Munich Security Conference on “A new transatlantic agenda” at 11:15
The Hudson Institute will hold a virtual discussion on “The Future of the US Seapower: A View from Congress,” with Rep. Joe Courtney
Joseph (Joe) D. Courtney South Carolina Republican tested positive for coronavirus hours after speaking on the floor of the Rep. Rick Allen tested positive for COVID-19 Connecticut Democrat diagnosed with COVID-19 MORE (D-Conn.), Chairman of the Projection Force and Projection Force Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee; and Rep. Robert Wittman (R-Va.), Sub-panel ranking member, at 12 p.m.
ICYMI
– Hill: Department of Justice. charges employees of the Navy contractor would have thrown contaminated water into Japan
– Hill: USA, allies warns Iran against blockade nuclear inspections
– The Hill: Chapter Police recommends the fence around the Chapter to stay until September: report
– Dealul: American journalist detained in Syria launched by the al-Qaeda-linked group: reports
– Hill: the Senate information panel will take place hearing about the SolarWinds violation next week
– Dealul: Opinion: Biden’s six-step strategy to join the Iran nuclear deal
– Hill: Opinion: Defeating internal terror it requires the confrontation of white supremacy all over the globe
– Dealul: Opinion: A worried world he wonders if America’s days are over
– Washington Post: The Pentagon has awarded a massive contract to Virginia an American senator called “fraudulent”
– Military time: Concerns about COVID-19 vaccines reaching the deployed troops