17 October 2024

Fox News | From cease-fire push to boots on the ground in Israel: US seemingly accepts involvement in escalating war

The U.S. is now more deeply entrenched in the conflict in the Middle East after a pivotal move to send troops to Israel was announced this week.

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Reuters | Israel military is checking possibility it killed Hamas leader Sinwar
The Israeli military said on Thursday that it is investigating the possibility that it has killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, one of the masterminds of the devastating Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war.

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CNN | Zelensky unveils ‘Victory Plan’ after failing to drum up additional support from allies

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky presented his long-anticipated “Victory Plan” to Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday, after failing to drum up additional, tangible support last week during meetings with European allies.

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The Hill | Biden announces $425 million security aid package for Ukraine
President Biden on Wednesday discussed U.S. support for Ukraine in its defense against Russian aggression during a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and announced a new $425 million military aid package.

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Newsweek | Ex-Colonel Issues Warning Over American Troops in Israel
Around 100 U.S. troops will reportedly travel with the advanced air defense system to the Middle East which is on high alert after Iran launched close to 200 ballistic missiles toward Israel at the start of the month.

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USA Today | Supreme Court weighs veterans' disability denials, affecting 'untold numbers' of vets
The issue the justices took up Wednesday could have “profound implications for untold numbers of veterans,” lawyers for Thornton and Bufkin said in a legal filing about the disability determinations made by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

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Washington Post | Biden seeks to cement his global legacy in Germany trip
President Joe Biden leaves Thursday for what is likely to be his final trip as president to Europe, where Germany will bestow its highest honor on him for spearheading global efforts to protect Ukraine as European leaders strategize for a potential future in which the United States could be less engaged in the transatlantic alliance.

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Military Times | Plans for multiple VA medical clinics remain stalled despite funding
Getting 15 new Department of Veterans Affairs medical locations up and running remained sidelined more than two years after their approval because of ongoing bureaucratic wrangling over pricing methodology for location leases, leaving those tracking the issue fearful that veterans will get fewer health care options than promised.

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Military.com | Two Veterans Will Argue to Supreme Court that VA Disability Claims Aren't Getting 'Benefit of Doubt'
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Wednesday in a case that challenges the Department of Veterans Affairs' handling of benefits applications and appeals, a question that could affect thousands of previously decided or current claims.

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Defense One | How the Pentagon’s financial audit will help win wars
In about four weeks, despite all the progress being made, we will likely hear that the Pentagon has again failed its annual financial audit. But the headlines will also likely miss the most important point: the warfighting benefits that are accumulating now as a result of the audit. Far from a mere compliance exercise, the cultural and technological changes required to pass an audit are the same ones necessary to keep U.S. forces dominant.

Foreign Policy | The U.S. Must Learn to Leave Iraq | Reid Smith & Jason Beardsley
The United States is once again preparing to leave Iraq.

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Reports indicate that Baghdad and Washington have agreed to wind down Operation Inherent Resolve. The remaining 2,500 American troops in Iraq will withdraw in two phases over the next two years, marking the end of the decade-long counter-Islamic State mission. Under this agreement, a contingent of U.S. forces will remain in the semiautonomous Kurdistan region to support operations in Syria.

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Foreign Affairs | America’s Foreign Policy Inertia | Christopher S. Chivvis and Stephen Wertheim
As the world evolves, the United States must adapt or suffer the consequences. The process of adaptation, however, is usually plodding, if it happens at all. Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden each attempted to steer U.S. foreign policy in new directions but met resistance from both domestic and foreign actors.

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Responsible Statecraft | More war in Ukraine prevents European strategic autonomy | Molly O’Neal
A prolonged war in Ukraine may impede what is necessary for the European Union to build — over some years to come — a conventional deterrent capable of coping with a much harsher and more volatile threat environment.

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The National Interest | Don't Ask the Navy This: Is $120 Billion for New Aircraft Carriers Worth It? | Harrison Kass
The U.S. Navy is modernizing its fleet with the Ford-class aircraft carrier, the most advanced and expensive warship ever built, costing $13 billion per unit and totaling $120 billion for the program.

Realism in Practice Report: CVA Policy Director Tyler Koteskey has written a new report on how the foreign policy principles of realism and restraint should guide a new path for U.S. strategy abroad. “Realism in Practice” argues that policymakers have lost focus on protecting vital national interests since the end of the Cold War, overusing the U.S. military and running up massive amounts of debt at home. Because of these factors, the report argues that the President will need to realign U.S. foreign policy goals with our available resources. We can avoid strategic overstretch by asking more of our allies and rediscovering the value of creative diplomacy and economic engagement, focusing our military resources where they matter most. You can read the report here.