Happy Thursday and welcome to Night Defense. I’m Ellen Mitchell, and here is your nightly guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, the Capitol and beyond. CLICK HERE to sign up for the newsletter.
THE TOPLINE: NATO expanding troops in Iraq
NATO will expand its security training mission in Iraq by thousands of soldiers following a deadly rocket attack on a military airbase earlier this week.
The 30-member alliance will increase its staff in Iraq from 500 to about 4,000, a move to prevent the war-torn country from becoming a breeding ground for terrorists, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Thursday .
“ISIS is still operating in Iraq and we need to ensure that they cannot return,” Stoltenberg told reporters at the end of a two-day virtual meeting with NATO defense ministers.
What the increase means: He said that NATO’s efforts will now include more Iraqi security institutions and areas beyond Baghdad, although its presence “is based on conditions and the increase in the number of soldiers is incremental”.
He added that the Iraqi government has made a request to expand the mission, which will begin in the coming months.
The forces are already there: NATO has been in Iraq since 2004 to train Iraqi security forces. Its current training mission, which began in 2018, aims to help Iraqi forces prevent a resurgence of ISIS.
The increase in NATO troops could ease the pressure on US forces in Iraq, where some 2,500 troops are based for a separate mission from the alliance.
Will the US also increase ?: A senior defense official told reporters earlier this week that the Pentagon “welcomes NATO’s increased focus on Iraq”, but did not say whether the US would add more troops to the training mission.
Response to attack: Plans for an expansion of NATO’s footprint follow the rocket attack on Monday at Erbil International Airport, a military air base in northern Iraq, which killed a civilian contractor and injured nine people, including a member of the U.S. service.
The Shiite militant group Saraya Awliya al-Dam claimed credit for the attack, although the Biden government has not publicly confirmed who is responsible for the attack.
The State Department on Wednesday promised “consequences for any group responsible for this attack.”
Army War College suspended chief faces sexual misconduct investigation
The suspended chief of Army War College is being investigated for allegations of sexual misconduct, numerous establishments reported Thursday.
Gen Brig Stephen Maranian “was suspended from office for an allegation of improper touch unrelated to his current position,” Army spokeswoman Cynthia Smith told Military.com in a statement.
Special agents from the Army Criminal Investigation Command are investigating the allegation, added Smith.
Additional Details: Reported task and objective that Maranian is being investigated for alleged sexual abuse with an Army civilian and that a military protection order was issued against him on February 9 the day he was suspended.
“No additional information will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the investigative process,” said Smith. “These are allegations at this point, and MG Maranian is presumed innocent even and if proven otherwise.”
A longstanding problem: The Army has, for years, struggled to contain sexual harassment and assault within its ranks, an effort that was stepped up after an independent review in Fort Hood, Texas. who found leadership flaws allowed uncontrolled and widespread sexual assault and violence.
New promises: Army Secretary John Whitley, the service’s top civilian leader, forcibly asked last week to fight “corrosive behavior”, including discrimination, extremist views and sexual harassment.
And defense secretary Lloyd Austin
Lloyd AustinOvernight Defense: One-third of the military refuses the coronavirus vaccine | Biden to take executive action in response to Solar Winds hack | US and Japan reach cost-sharing agreement Biden speaks to Netanyahu for the first time since taking office. Women’s general promotions were held back for fear of Trump’s response: report MORE during his appointment hearing he promised to “fight hard to eradicate sexual assault.”
Biden changes approach to Saudi leaders
President biden
Joe BidenFeds investigating how Cuomo is dealing with outbreaks in nursing homes Night defense: a third of the military refuse the coronavirus vaccine Biden will take executive action in response to the Solar Winds hack | US and Japan reach cost-sharing agreement On The Money: Biden faces leftist reaction on student loans | Situation of the relief measure COVID-19 | Retail sales recover MORE It is changing the US approach to Saudi Arabia moving away from the priority diplomatic access granted to certain Saudi officials during the Trump administration, which has given the kingdom a prominent role in American policy towards the Middle East.
Biden is expected to speak at some point with King Salman of Saudi Arabia, signaling a downgrade in relations with the kingdom’s daily ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, an outsized figure on the world stage.
‘Recalibrate’ relationship: The pointed emphasis that Biden will communicate with the Saudi king, a measure described by the press secretary of the White House Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiOn The Money: Biden Faces Leftist Reaction on Student Loans | Situation of the relief measure COVID-19 | Retail sales rebound overnight Health Care: Biden employees announce funding to track variants of the Senado Dems virus reveals public option proposal | White House: Vaccination of teachers is not necessary for schools to reopen Harris says teachers should have priority for the vaccine COVID-19 MORE as an effort to “recalibrate” the relationship between Washington and Riyadh, it indicates that the President is taking steps towards his commitment to confront Riyadh more strongly about his human rights abuses, while we still work together on common goals.
How Trump handled it: The Crown Prince played a prominent role in the Trump administration’s approach to the Middle East, reportedly exchanging messages on WhatsApp with former White House senior adviser and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner
Jared Corey Kushner LIVE COVERAGE: Democrats focused on Trump’s comments before the attack on Kushner Capitol, Ivanka Trump reported up to 0 million foreign revenue during the White House years. MOST, helping to pave the way for the Abraham Accords, opening up relations between Israel and the Gulf and African nations.
But the Crown Prince also alienated Washington over his alleged role in the order to kill and dismember a Saudi journalist based in the United States. Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey in October 2018.
Trump remarkably downplayed the role of the Crown Prince in Khashoggi’s death in an effort to maintain strong bilateral ties, writing in an extraordinary statement that “perhaps he had and perhaps not” was aware of the conspiracy against the journalist he wrote for The Washington Post.
Reverting: Biden’s national intelligence director, Avril Haines
Avril HainesBiden Wexton’s Cabinet opportunity, Speier calls for a reshaping of the liberation process to examine extremist views Hillicon Valley: Senators express concern over response to Russian hack | Huawei makes a cool move | Twitter sees leap in user growth MORE, pledged to release the US intelligence report on the death of Khashoggi, who allegedly concluded that Crown Prince Mohammed personally ordered the murder.
Biden government officials hailed the Trump era Abraham Agreements as a positive development, but have already taken steps to curtail U.S. support for Saudi actions seen as contributors to human rights atrocities.
Read the rest here.
ON TAP FOR TOMORROW
The House’s National Security Oversight Subcommittee will hold a hearing on “A Path to Peace in Afghanistan: Examining the Findings and Recommendations of the Afghanistan Study Group” with the former senator Kelly Ayotte
Kelly Ann AyotteOvernight Defense: New START extended for five years | Austin orders ‘step back’ to fight extremism | Panel recommends Biden postpone withdrawal from Afghanistan Study group recommends Biden postpone withdrawal from Afghanistan Night defense: Pentagon chief fires hundreds of advisory panels | Defense choice discusses Trump’s transition hurdles | Aircraft carrier returning home after 10 months deployment MORE (RN.H.), and former Chief 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 the NYT report on leftist ideas that create turmoil in France Getting help from Europe for China’s ‘strategic autonomy’ Macron won’t happen anytime soon MORE will participate in a virtual event of the Munich Security Conference on “A New Transatlantic Agenda”, at 11.15 am
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. CourtneySouth Carolina Republican tests positive for coronavirus hours after speaking at the House. Representative Rick Allen tests positive for COVID-19 Connecticut Democrat diagnosed with COVID-19 MORE (D-Conn.), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Projection Forces and Military Power of the Chamber’s Armed Services Committee; and Rep. Robert Wittman (R-Va.), graduated member of the subpanel, at 12 noon
ICYMI
– The Hill: Department of Justice charges employees of the Navy contractor with allegedly dumping contaminated water in Japan
– The Hill: USA, allies warn Iran against the blockade nuclear inspections
– The Hill: Capitol Police recommend fence around the Capitol stay until September: report
– The Hill: US journalist detained in Syria launched by group linked to Al-Qaeda: reports
– The Hill: Senate Intelligence Panel to conduct Hearing on SolarWinds Violation next week
– The Hill: Opinion: Biden’s six-step strategy to return to the nuclear deal with Iran
– The Hill: Opinion: Defeating domestic terror requires confrontation of white supremacy across the globe
– The Hill: Opinion: A worried world wonders if America’s days are over
– The Washington Post: Pentagon awarded Virginia big contract company that a U.S. senator called ‘fraudulent’
– Military Times: Concerns raised about COVID-19 vaccines reaching deployed troops