Israel: Lebanon Border Clash Follows JCS Chairman Visit

Israel: Lebanon Border Clash Follows JCS Chairman Visit
Israel: Lebanon Border Clash Follows JCS Chairman Visit

Gen. Mark Milley’s trip to Israel – his second in eight months – comes as the US and Israel heighten collaboration against Iran and its proxies.

Israel Strikes Syria, Warns Russia Over Iranian Missiles

Israel Strikes Syria, Warns Russia Over Iranian Missiles
Israel Strikes Syria, Warns Russia Over Iranian Missiles

A Russian fighter reportedly shadowed an Israeli strike plane attacking Iranian-linked targets.

Counterterror Mission Blends Into Competition With China, Russia: How SOCOM Copes

Counterterror Mission Blends Into Competition With China, Russia: How SOCOM Copes
Counterterror Mission Blends Into Competition With China, Russia: How SOCOM Copes

”As we look at the lethality, precision and mobility requirements as examples, we absolutely have to develop them so that they can compete and win with Russia and China,” SOCOM commander Gen. Richard Clarke says.

US-Turkish Relations Could Warm; Turkey Should Pledge No Russian Arms

US-Turkish Relations Could Warm; Turkey Should Pledge No Russian Arms
US-Turkish Relations Could Warm; Turkey Should Pledge No Russian Arms

US-Turkish relations seem to be trending in a more positive direction because Turkey has been forced to seek help from NATO and Washington against its Syrian and Russian foes in the fighting around Idlib. Diplomatic tensions between the United States and Turkey reached a high point last year when Ankara launched a military invasion into…

Iran Strike Indications Rise For Israel, US Forces In Middle East

Iran Strike Indications Rise For Israel, US Forces In Middle East
Iran Strike Indications Rise For Israel, US Forces In Middle East

The United States and the United Arab Emirates held a large exercise, Native Fury, on Monday with troops from both countries operating side by side at Al Hamra Military Base. They practiced clearing and taking a Middle East city with 4,000 U.S. troops from the Army, Marines and Navy.

CSIS Bad Idea: Assuming the ‘Small Wars’ Era is Over

CSIS Bad Idea: Assuming the ‘Small Wars’ Era is Over
CSIS Bad Idea: Assuming the ‘Small Wars’ Era is Over

Intended as a prudent reprioritization, the dramatic shift in demand for more “great power gurus” threatens to shelve the experience and institutional knowledge accumulated over the last two decades.

CSIS Bad Idea: Pulling The Troops Home

CSIS Bad Idea: Pulling The Troops Home
CSIS Bad Idea: Pulling The Troops Home

Alliances, including forward-stationing of US forces abroad, make the United States safer, its allies more secure, and all more prosperous.

Top Israeli Military Leader Doubts America’s Help Against Iran; Air Force Wants More $$ For Strikes

Top Israeli Military Leader Doubts America’s Help Against Iran; Air Force Wants More $$ For Strikes
Top Israeli Military Leader Doubts America’s Help Against Iran; Air Force Wants More $$ For Strikes

“The US is going out of this region, and that is creating a new, very critical situation,” an Israeli source said.

Israel Asks Trump To Withhold TOWs, Drones From Lebanese Military Aid

Israel Asks Trump To Withhold TOWs, Drones From Lebanese Military Aid
Israel Asks Trump To Withhold TOWs, Drones From Lebanese Military Aid

A senior Israeli defense source who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “Washington has not realized that the Hezbollah is Iran’s very strong proxy and that supplying weapons to such an organization that actually is calling the shots in Lebanon is sheer stupidity.”

US Keeps Flying Drones Over Kurdish Syria; Turk’s Ceasefire Shaky

US Keeps Flying Drones Over Kurdish Syria; Turk’s Ceasefire Shaky
US Keeps Flying Drones Over Kurdish Syria; Turk’s Ceasefire Shaky

Defense Secretary Mark Esper spoke to reporters amidst a flurry of conflicting signals from the administration.

DoD May Fund Rare Earth & Small Drone Development: Lord

DoD May Fund Rare Earth & Small Drone Development: Lord
DoD May Fund Rare Earth & Small Drone Development: Lord

While the US is standing fast on its removal of Turkey from the F-35 program, DoD Acquisition czar Ellen Lord says there no decision has been made yet about FMS sales.

Esper To Lobby NATO For Tough Turkey Punishment

Esper To Lobby NATO For Tough Turkey Punishment
Esper To Lobby NATO For Tough Turkey Punishment

The SecDef will tell allies in Brussels next week they must take a hard line on Turkey as the body count in Syria continues to rise. The question is, does this emperil Turkey’s NATO membership?

Tough Sanctions May Drive Turkey Into Russia’s Arms

Tough Sanctions May Drive Turkey Into Russia’s Arms
Tough Sanctions May Drive Turkey Into Russia’s Arms

Norway suspended new applications for military export licenses to Turkey today. Norway is also reviewing all current licenses for Turkey for military and multi-use military export licenses.

US Scrambles As Both Parties Oppose Trump On Kurds

US Scrambles As Both Parties Oppose Trump On Kurds
US Scrambles As Both Parties Oppose Trump On Kurds

The Pentagon and State Department spent much of Monday scrambling to respond to the White House’s Sunday night announcement. Three days earlier Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters he and the Turkish Defense Minister had reached an agreement on joint US/Turkish patrols in northern Syria.