The New Cold War

• Putin said the US is rapidly developing military technology. [Link]
• Putin says Russia will extend the New Start Treaty without any preconditions or discussions. [Link]

North Korea

• Trump and Kim Jong-un return to name-calling as North Korea’s year-end deadline approaches. [Link]

Afghanistan

• Afghan War IG report shows the drug war is failing. [Link]

NATO

• Turkey says it expects NATO members’ support in Syria after it dropped its objection to NATO’s Baltic defense plan. [Link]

Middle East

• Pompeo meets with Netanyahu to discuss a US-Israeli defense pact. The pact is seen as a political boon to Netanyahu. [Link]
• Japan will deploy 270 sailors to the Middle East to protest its ships. [Link]
• Secretary of Defense Esper says the repositioning of American troops in Syria is complete, and troop levels in Syria will fluctuate around 600. [Link]

Iran

• Trump is considering a plan that would send an additional 14,000 troops to the Middle East. [Link]
• The Pentagon denied the plan to add 14,00 troops to the Middle East. Unnamed officials said the Trump was considering an increase. US official Brian Hook said Iran may have killed more than 1,000 protesters in recent weeks. [Link]
• A senior Pentagon official says Iran could act aggressively. [Link]
• Iran says protesters have been killed in recent weeks but far less than the claimed 200 claimed by Amnesty International. [Link]
• Iran’s president calls on all unarmed protesters to be released. [Link]
• The Navy claims to capture a ship carrying advanced missile parts from Iran. [Link]

Africa

• At least 58 people drowned attempting to flee the Gambia for the Canary Islands. [Link]