PALS AGAIN: President Biden’s effort at alliance fence-mending will take center stage at this year’s Munich Security Conference, which is being held virtually due to the global pandemic. Biden is to deliver remarks at 11:15 a.m. on the “importance of transatlantic ties,” as well as the need for all industrialized countries to support economic recovery in the wake of the pandemic.
Biden is scheduled to appear virtually in a session along with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss “A New Transatlantic Agenda.” Both close American allies experienced deteriorating relations with former President Donald Trump.
Biden’s public remarks will follow a closed virtual meeting of the leaders of the Group of Seven, the world’s leading democratic industrialized nations, the first G-7 meeting since April of last year. The White House said Biden will announce that the U.S. will be contributing $4 billion to an international program to purchase and distribute the coronavirus vaccine to poor nations.
THE IRAN DANCE BEGINS: The effort to re-engage with America’s European allies comes a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken conferred virtually with his counterparts from France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The group, dubbed the E3, released a joint statement, which called the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that Trump trashed as “the worst deal ever,” a “key achievement of multilateral diplomacy,” and welcomed America’s “stated intention to return to diplomacy with Iran.”
At a background briefing for reporters at the State Department, a senior official said the U.S. is prepared to engage in discussions with Iran, with the goal of convincing Iran to return to full compliance with the agreement. “I think we recognize that this is just a very first initial step to say that we are prepared to attend the meeting that would be convened by the EU,” the official said. “Until we sit down and talk, nothing’s going to happen.”
As an initial goodwill gesture, the Biden administration eased stringent restrictions on the domestic travel of Iranian diplomats posted to the United Nations and reversed Trump’s determination that all U.N. sanctions against Iran be restored.
MCCAUL: US ‘ALREADY MAKING CONCESSIONS’: Texas Republican Rep. Michael McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, denounced the steps in a press release.
“It is concerning the Biden Administration is already making concessions in an apparent attempt to re-enter the flawed Iran deal. The Trump Administration created leverage for President Biden on Iran — we should not squander that progress,” McCaul said. “We need to secure a better deal that keeps the American people safe from the full range of Iran’s malign threats. The Biden Administration must prioritize bipartisanship and stick to their assurance not to re-enter the deal until Iran comes back into full compliance.”
RELATED: US READY TO EMBARK ON ‘PROLONGED PATH’ BACK TO IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
IRAN’S RESPONSE: Iran continues to argue that it was the United States that violated the agreement when Trump withdrew from the deal and imposed crippling sanctions that impeded Tehran’s ability to sell its oil and conduct transactions in the world financial markets.
In a tweet, Iran’s foreign minister, Javad Zarif, called for the U.S. to “unconditionally & effectively lift all sanctions imposed, re-imposed or re-labeled by Trump.” Only then, he said, Iran will “immediately reverse all remedial measures.”
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Good Friday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Victor I. Nava. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.
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HAPPENING TODAY: Former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, former Joint Chiefs Chairman retired Gen. Joseph Dunford, and Nancy Lindborg, co-chairs of the congressionally chartered Afghanistan Study Group, present their findings to the House Oversight and Reform Committee at 10:30 a.m.
The group’s report warns that a complete U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan by May, as agreed to by the U.S. in last February’s agreement with the Taliban, would hand the Taliban a victory and likely lead to all-out civil war.
The report recommends the U.S. embark on an immediate diplomatic effort to extend the withdrawal date beyond May in order to give the peace process sufficient time to produce an acceptable result.
Yesterday both Secretary of State Blinken and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to reassure him the alliance will not abandon him as it reviews its next move.
“The secretary reiterated America’s commitment to support the peace process, aiming for a just and durable political settlement and permanent and comprehensive ceasefire,” said Blinken spokesman Ned Price. “The secretary emphasized that the United States will continue close consultations with Afghanistan’s leaders, NATO Allies, and international partners on the way ahead.”
“NATO remains committed to our mission & supporting the Afghan security forces in their fight against terrorism,” tweeted Stoltenberg after his call with Ghani. “All sides must engage in re-energising the peace process to find a lasting solution.”
3,500 MORE TROOP FOR IRAQ: At the conclusion of the NATO defense ministers meeting yesterday, Stoltenberg announced that the ministers approved the deployment of thousands of additional NATO troops to train and assist Iraqi forces battling ISIS and other terrorist groups.
“Our mission is at the request of the Iraqi government,” Stoltenberg said at his closing news conference. “The size of our mission will increase from 500 personnel to around 4,000, and training activities will now include more Iraqi security institutions and areas beyond Baghdad.”
“We will do this step-by-step. The Iraqi government is going to continue to closely consult. And work with the Iraqi government, and everything we do in Iraq will be based on demands, requirements, from the Iraqi authorities,” he said. “We say in NATO that prevention is better than intervention … So, the purpose of the training mission, the capacity-building mission by NATO in Iraq is to prevent a situation where NATO allies, again, may be forced into a situation where they need to be part of bigger combat operations.”
WILL THE US CONTRIBUTE? In response to a query from the Washington Examiner, a Pentagon spokesperson initially indicated that the U.S. might contribute forces to the expanded NATO mission.
“The U.S. is participating in the force generation process for NATO Mission Iraq and will contribute its fair share to this important expanded mission,” said Cmdr. Jessica McNulty, in an email.
But last night, McNulty’s boss tweeted a clarification. “We support NATO’s expanded mission in Iraq and will continue to do so, but there are no plans to increase U.S. force levels there,” said Pentagon press secretary John Kirby.
PROPOSED GWOT MEMORIAL: Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher and Democratic Rep. Jason Crow, along with 37 co-sponsors, have introduced the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act, which would authorize the establishment of a memorial for service members of the Global War on Terrorism on the National Mall.
“As a veteran of the Global War on Terror, I served alongside many brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country. It’s past time to honor their service, and the sacrifice of all those who served in this war,” said Gallagher, a former Marine. “This memorial is a small way to do so, and there’s no place more fitting for it than the National Mall.”
“Those of us that have served know the transformative power of a sacred place where veterans and their families can come to reflect, remember, and heal,” said Crow, who served in the Army. “A permanent tribute to their courage and sacrifice in our nation’s capital will go a long way in honoring those who have served in our nation’s longest war.”
Gallagher and Crow previously introduced the legislation in November 2019.
INDUSTRY WATCH: Israel and the United States have begun joint development of the Arrow 4 interceptor, the next generation of endo-exoatmospheric interceptors for the Arrow Weapon System.
The Israel Missile Defense Organization and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency are leading the effort, with Israel Aerospace Industries as the prime contractor.
“Arrow 4 is a cooperative program between MDA and IMDO that illustrates U.S. commitment to assisting the government of Israel in upgrading its national missile defense capability to defend the state of Israel from emerging threats,” said Vice Adm. Jon Hill, director of the Missile Defense Agency, in a statement.
The Rundown
Washington Examiner: Beating back defense cuts is the No. 1 goal of the Armed Services Committee’s new ranking member
Washington Examiner: US ready to embark on ‘prolonged path’ back to Iran nuclear deal
Washington Examiner: Lloyd Austin mum on Afghanistan withdrawal plan as NATO adds troops in Iraq
Washington Examiner: ‘A Catch-22’: Iran’s win in Yemen a problem for Biden – with no clear solutions
Washington Examiner: Six Capitol officers suspended and 35 under investigation for role in Jan. 6 riot
Washington Examiner: Credibility and fairness of Pelosi-picked Capitol security official questioned over string of anti-GOP lawmaker statements
Washington Examiner: Capitol Police suggest keeping fencing up until September: Report
Washington Examiner: Cotton calls for speedy bipartisan changes to counter many threats from China
Washington Examiner: ‘Foul-mouthed enough’: Tom Cotton open to Rahm Emanuel as Biden’s China ambassador
Wall Street Journal: Austin Affirms U.S. Ties To NATO, Calls On Members To Boost Spending
Washington Post: Release of intelligence report on Khashoggi killing could push already strained U.S.-Saudi relations to new lows
Long War Journal: Taliban calls for ‘the declaration’ of the ‘Islamic Emirate’
Bloomberg: Biden’s Pentagon Backs Missile Defense After a $1.2 Billion Flop
Washington Post: Tension Grows Over New U.S. Cyber Director Position
CNBC: Biden To Order Review Of U.S. Reliance On Overseas Supply Chains For Semiconductors, Rare Earths
Navy Times: Massive Volunteer Effort Rescues Nearly 1,000 Cold-Stunned Sea Turtles At NAS Corpus Christi
Breaking Defense: Army Chief To Navy, Air Force: We’ve Got ‘Speed & Range’
Military.com: Marines Will Stay, Train in Norway After Big Military Exercise Canceled
Navy Times: Chafee Returns To Sea Following COVID Outbreak
Military Times: Study Concludes Depleted Uranium Doesn’t Cause Gulf War Illness
USNI News: Navy Decommissions 3 Cyclone Patrol Craft; Looking to Shelve Mark VI Patrol Boat
Stars and Stripes: Okinawa Governor Calls For Dramatic Reduction Of U.S. Military Footprint On The Island
Washington Post: Opinion: Biden can’t negotiate with Iran as its proxies attack U.S. troops
The Dispatch: Opinion: We Must Work to Prevent a ‘Space Pearl Harbor’
Calendar
FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 19
10:30 a.m. — House Oversight Subcommittee on National Security hearing: “A Pathway for Peace in Afghanistan: Examining the Findings and Recommendations of the Afghanistan Study Group,” with former Sen. Kelly Ayotte, retired Gen. Joseph Dunford, and Nancy Lindborg, co-chairs of congressionally-chartered U.S. Institute of Peace Afghanistan Study Group. https://oversight.house.gov
11 a.m. — The Middle East Institute webinar: “The Syrian Civil War and its Aftermath,” with Itamar Rabinovich, president of the Israel Institute; Carmit Valensi, research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies; Rime Allaf, member of the MEI Syria Program Advisory Council; former U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford, senior fellow at MEI; and Charles Lister, senior fellow at MEI. https://www.mei.edu/events/syrian-civil-war
11:15 a.m. — Munich Security Conference “Special Edition” virtual event: “A New Transatlantic Agenda,” with U.S. President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Emmanuel Macron. https://securityconference.org/en/msc-special-edition-2021/
12 p.m. — Hudson Institute virtual discussion: “The Future of U.S. Seapower: A View from Congress,” with Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee; Rep. Robert Wittman, R-Va., ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee; and Seth Cropsey, senior fellow and director of the Hudson Center for American Seapower. https://www.hudson.org/events/1920-virtual-event-the-future-of-u-s-seapower-a-view-from-congress22021
12:15 p.m. — Howard University virtual symposium on “Re-Shaping U.S.-Africa Policy and the Role of HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities,” with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations nominee Linda Thomas-Greenfield, former assistant secretary of State for African affairs. https://cfas.howard.edu/Symposium-US-Africa-HBCUs
TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 23
11 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies, and Information Systems hearing: “Innovation Opportunities and Vision for the Science and Technology Enterprise,” with Christine Fox, former acting deputy secretary of defense, assistant director for policy and analysis, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory; Victoria Coleman, former DARPA director, senior adviser to the director, CITRIS, UC Berkeley; and Klon Kitchen, resident fellow, American Enterprise Institute. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
1 p.m. — Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute virtual event: “Building a 21st-Century Foreign Policy,” with Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., chair of House Republican Conference; and Roger Zakheim, director, Reagan Institute. https://www.reaganfoundation.org/programs
3 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces hearing: “Near-Peer Advancements in Space and Nuclear Weapons,” with retired Gen. Robert Kehler, Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University; Madelyn Creedon, nonresident fellow, The Brookings Institute; Todd Harrison, director, Aerospace Security Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies; and Tim Morrison, senior fellow, The Hudson Institute. https://armedservices.house.gov/hearings
7 p.m. — Stimson Center and Sejong Institute Zoom webinar: “US and ROK Approaches to North Korea: Challenges and Opportunities,” with Jungsup Kim, senior research fellow, Sejong Institute; Jihwan Hwang, professor, University of Seoul; Suzanne DiMaggio, senior fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace; Jenny Town, fellow, Stimson Center and deputy director, 38 North; and moderated by Joel S. Wit, senior fellow, Stimson Center and Director, 38 North.https://www.stimson.org/event
WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 24
11 a.m. — Business Executives for National Security virtual forum; “Sharpening DOD’s Competitive Edge: Tail-to-Tooth At 20,” with former Defense Secretaries Ash Carter, Mark Esper, and Leon Panetta. https://www.bens.org/pages/events
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“My No. 1 goal is to make sure defense spending is not cut, and hopefully, it is increased in the coming years.”
Rep. Mike Rogers, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, in an interview with the Washington Examiner.
