US News
- Space Force General Jay Raymond is currently the only soldier in the new branch. Over the next year, 6,000 members of the Air Force will transfer to the Space Force. In 2021, 100 members of the Army will transfer. The Space Force currently has 16,000 people working for it. [Link]
- Trump plans to move $3.8 billion from the Pentagon to build the wall. The money will come from the National Guard and weapons projects. [Link]
- The Senate passed a resolution preventing Trump from waging war against Iran without Congressional authorization. [Link]
- AFRICOM confirms it will reduce US forces deployed to Africa to free up resources to deploy against China and Russia. The US will change its mission in West Africa to containing jihadists groups rather than attempting to degrade them. [Link]
Afghanistan
- Peace talks with the Taliban are starting to pick up momentum. A limited ceasefire is expected to be implemented soon. [Link]
- Secretary of State Pompeo says a Breakthru has been made in talks with the Taliban, and the US was looking for a significant reduction in violence. [Link]
- Trump says a peace deal with the Taliban is likely, and we will know in the next two weeks. [Link]
- Senators Paul and Hawley bash the failed war in Afghanistan. [Link]
Middle East
- The US claims to intercept a ship in the Arabian Sea that was carrying Iranian-made weapons. [Link]
- The UN releases a list of companies that operate in the occupied territories. Pompeo says the US will not participate in providing information for the list. [Link]
- A rocket hit a US military base in Iraq that houses US soldiers. No casualties were reported. [Link]
Syria
- Turkey’s actions in Idlib risk sparking a larger conflict with Syria and Russia. [Link]
- The US clashed with local Syrian civilians at a checkpoint in northeastern Syria. The US soldiers believe they came under fire and killed a Syrian civilian. [Link]
- The UN reports that over 800,000 Syrians have fled Idlib as the Syrian government is fighting al-Nusra in the region. [Link]
