Author: roger

DEFENSE MORNING CLIPS
As of 0430 Hours, November 10

OVERVIEW

President Biden emphasized the United States will not force Kyiv into a peace settlement and noted he is “not going to tell [Ukraine] what they have to do,” before confirming he intends to “lay out what our red lines are” with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Indonesia next week, according to Politico. Separately, Moscow directed Russian forces around Kherson to destroy bridges, mine roads, and retreat across the Dnipro River where they are to entrench and be reinforced, while Ukrainian troops cautiously approach urban combat inside the regional capital which has become a focal point of the war, Reuters wrote. Also of note, the United States and Japan initiated the biennial Keen Sword exercises which also feature British, Canadian, and Australian participants to enhance interoperability and deter regional aggression, the Associated Press reported.

TOP STORIES

1. Biden promises to follow Ukraine’s lead on talks, push Russia on Griner

Politico Online, Nov. 9 (1928) | Matt Berg

President Joe Biden vowed not to try to dictate any talks between Russia and Ukraine as the dueling countries approach winter, saying that both sides will “lick their wounds” and decide whether they’ll compromise to end the war. Now that the midterm elections are over, Biden said he’s hopeful that “there’s a willingness to negotiate more specifically with us.” When asked if he could specify details about “alternative potential ways forward” that White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre suggested in a statement Wednesday, Biden cautioned that “it would not be a wise thing to do in order to see if they would move forward.”

2. Russia says troops leaving strategic Kherson, Ukraine doubts full pullout

Reuters, Nov. 10 (0213) | Tom Balmforth and Jonathan Landay

Moscow ordered troops to withdraw from near the strategic southern Ukrainian city of Kherson in a major setback as a top U.S. general estimated Russia has suffered more than 100,000 killed or wounded since invading its neighbour in February. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday announced Russian forces would retreat from the west bank of the Dnipro River near Kherson in what could be a turning point in the war.

3. Japan, U.S. Hold Joint Arms Drills Amid China, North Korea Worry

Associated Press, Nov. 10 (0103) | Mari Yamaguchi

Japan and the United States began a major joint military exercise Thursday in southern Japan as the allies aim to step up readiness in the face of China’s increasing assertiveness and North Korea’s intensifying missile launches. The biennial “Keen Sword” drills kicked off at a Japanese air base in southern Japan and will also be held in several other locations in and around Japan through Nov. 19. About 26,000 Japanese and 10,000 American troops, as well as 30 vessels and 370 aircraft from both sides, are to participate in the drills, according to the Japanese Defense Ministry. Australia, Britain and Canada will also join parts of the drills, it said.

DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

4. More than 100,000 Russian military casualties in Ukraine, top U.S. general says

Reuters, Nov. 9 (2019) | Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali

America’s top general estimated on Wednesday that Russia’s military had seen more than 100,000 of its soldiers killed and wounded in Ukraine, and added Kyiv’s armed forces “probably” suffered a similar level of casualties in the war. Asked about prospects for diplomacy in Ukraine, Milley noted that the early refusal to negotiate in World War One compounded human suffering and led to millions more casualties.

5. Pentagon: Russia has likely lost half its tanks in Ukraine

The Hill Online, Nov. 9 (1454) | Ellen Mitchell

Russia has likely lost half its tanks, used up most of its precision-guided weapons and suffered tens of thousands of casualties so far in its war against Ukraine, the Pentagon’s top policy official said Tuesday. Kahl added that Russian forces have “probably lost half of their main battle tanks in the entire Russian military,” and they’ve “bogged down more than 80 percent of their land force in Ukraine.” Russia has struggled in its land war with Ukraine since it first began on Feb. 24, with Kahl calling the invasion a “massive strategic failure.”

EXECUTIVE/LEGISLATIVE

6. U.S. Refuses Advanced Drones for Ukraine to Avoid Escalation With Russia

Wall Street Journal Online, Nov. 9 (2032) | Gordon Lubold and Nancy A. Youssef

The Biden administration won’t give Ukraine advanced drones despite pleas from Kyiv and a bipartisan group of members of Congress, a reflection of the limit of the kinds of weaponry Washington is willing to provide for Ukraine’s defense. The decision deprives Ukraine of the kind of advanced weaponry Kyiv has been requesting for months. The Pentagon declined the request based on concerns that providing the Gray Eagle MQ-1C drones could escalate the conflict and signal to Moscow that the U.S. was providing weapons that could target positions inside Russia, U.S. officials and other people familiar with the decision said

7. Biden to discuss North Korea nuclear threat with Japan, South Korea leaders

Reuters, Nov. 9 (2126) | Nandita Bose and Steve Holland

President Joe Biden will meet Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan and South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol during an upcoming trip to Asia to discuss how to stem North Korea’s nuclear program, a White House official said on Wednesday. The leaders will meet in Cambodia on Sunday, Nov. 13, when Biden visits Asia for meetings with ASEAN and the Group of 20 industrialized nations.

8. Ukrainian Officials to Visit Washington in Bid to Bolster Bipartisan Support

New York Times, Nov. 10 (0300), Pg. A4 | Andrew E. Kramer

Mr. Ariev, who is organizing a delegation of Ukrainian lawmakers to visit Washington in December, said, ”We understand one thing: The danger we see from the so-called radical wings of both parties, the far-right Republicans and far-left Democrats. They could start a conversation about stopping aid to Ukraine.” Ukraine, he said, should work to retain bipartisan support regardless of the outcome. ”We need to maintain our contacts and communication with both parties. We need to extend it, we need to intensify it, and we need to talk to both parties for support.”

EUROPE

9. Early Peace Talks Appear Unlikely as Russians Retreat and Retaliate

New York Times, Nov. 10 (0300), Pg. A10 | Michael Crowley, Edward Wong and Julian E. Barnes

American and European officials say serious peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are unlikely in the near future, even as the Biden administration tries to fend off growing questions from some members of Congress about the U.S. government’s open-ended investment in the war. They also concede that it is difficult to envision terms of a settlement that Ukraine and Russia would accept.

10. Allies Give Ukraine Timely Aid, a Weapon to Shoot Down Jets, Drones and Cruise Missiles

New York Times, Nov. 10 (0300), Pg. A12 | John Ismay

After eight continuous months of combat, Ukraine is running low on the missiles that its Soviet-era air defense systems use to shoot down Russian drones and warplanes. But on Monday, according to U.S. and Ukrainian officials, the country received its first shipment of an advanced weapon whose design helps solve the supply problem. ”It does provide a significant air defense capability,” Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters on Tuesday. He added that NASAMS can defend against ”basically any type of advanced aerial threat that Russia may try to employ against Ukrainian targets or civilians.”

11. Both Russia and Ukraine Are Mixing Trickery With Artillery on the Battlefield

New York Times, Nov. 10 (0300), Pg. A11 | Andrew E. Kramer

Russia’s war in Ukraine is being fought with the blunt force of artillery bombardments, airstrikes and infantry assaults. But it is also a battle of wits — waged between generals sending signals intended to confuse and mislead their enemies — and a contest of feints, parries and continual efforts to set traps. In recent weeks, Ukrainian officials had feared Russia was trying to trick them with a flurry of confusing messages in the Kherson region — including the disappearance of manned checkpoints like the one in the cellphone video, as well as the removal of Russian flags from administrative buildings.

12. UK boosts support for Ukrainian troops through winter

Reuters, Nov. 9 (1314) | Alistair Smout

Britain is stepping up its support for Ukrainian soldiers through the winter, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Reuters on Wednesday, following weeks of Ukrainian advances towards the southern city of Kherson. Wallace joined NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to observe the training of Ukrainian troops in the southeast English town of Lydd, as Britain announced the delivery of a further 12,000 extreme cold-weather sleeping kits for Ukraine.

13. NATO members Poland, Slovakia to increase defense spending

Associated Press, Nov. 9 (0944) | Not Attributed

Poland will significantly raise defense spending to at least 3% of its annual economic output next year and Slovakia is also investing heavily in its armed forces, the two NATO members’ prime ministers said Wednesday. Poland’s Mateusz Morawiecki and Slovakia’s Eduard Heger attended a multinational military exercise in Poland and said their Central European countries are boosting their deterrence power and military cooperation amid the war in neighboring Ukraine.

14. Macron ends France’s Africa mission, ponders new strategy

Agence France-Presse, Nov. 9 (1017) | Not Attributed

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday announced that France was ending its Barkhane anti-jihadist mission in Africa after over a decade, saying a new strategy would be worked out with African partners. The declaration came in a wide-ranging speech reviewing France’s strategy where the president also underlined the importance of its nuclear deterrent, as well as relations with Germany and the United Kingdom despite recent tensions.

RUSSIA

15. Russia’s Putin Won’t Attend Upcoming G-20 Summit in Bali

Associated Press, Nov. 9 (2357) | Niniek Karmini

Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia next week, an Indonesian government official said Thursday, avoiding a possible confrontation with the United States and its allies over his war in Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden, Chinese President Xi Jinping and other world leaders are to attend the two-day summit in Bali that starts Nov. 15. The summit was to have been the first time Biden and Putin would have been together at a gathering since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

16. Moscow, Iran Vow Stronger Ties

Wall Street Journal, Nov. 10 (0200), Pg. A9 | Ian Lovett and James Marson

Russia and Iran’s security chiefs pledged Wednesday to deepen the military cooperation between the two countries, further cementing ties that have seen Tehran supply drones to bolster Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine. During a meeting in Tehran, Russian security council secretary Nikolai Patrushev and his Iranian counterpart Ali Shamkhani said they would jointly fight what they called Western interference in their countries, and expand economic ties in an effort to evade sanctions.

INDO-PACIFIC

17. US Navy arrives in Hobart as USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship docks to give its crew a break

ABC News (Australia), Nov. 10 (2314) | James Dunlevie and Megan Whitfield

One of the US Navy’s most potent naval weapons has pulled into Hobart for a break, following time spent in the contested South China Sea. The 257-metre-long USS Tripoli — with its crew of almost 1,200 personnel — has docked in Hobart and is scheduled to stay until Sunday. In a statement, the US Embassy said the America-class amphibious assault ship had been “operating in the US Seventh Fleet area of operations on its maiden deployment”.

18. U.S. alone can’t police world: U.K. navy chief on Indo-Pacific tilt

Nikkei Asia Online (Japan), Nov. 9 (2200) | Ken Moriyasu

Two British warships, the HMS Tamar and HMS Spey, are on a five-year deployment to the Indo-Pacific region. Instead of the ships periodically returning to the U.K., the Royal Navy has decided to rotate their crews, dividing them into three teams: white, red and blue. From Tonga to Bangladesh, the vessels have been making port calls across the region, demonstrating a permanent presence. “We consider that cost to be a price absolutely worth paying, for the signals we want to send and the obligations that we feel out here,” First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff Ben Key told Nikkei Asia in an interview aboard the Tamar. The River-class offshore patrol vessel was docked in a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries dockyard in Yokohama, just over one year into its current deployment.

19. UK Navy should ‘export’ A2/AD ‘bubbles’ to Indo-Pacific partners to fend off China: Report

BreakingDefense.com, Nov. 9 (1334) | Tim Martin

The United Kingdom’s Royal Navy should “export” anti-access/anti-denial (A2/AD) “bubbles” to regional partners in the Indo-Pacific so it can operate effectively there, while maintaining commitments in Europe, a new report urges.

20. Japan, U.S. eye “2-plus-2” security talks in January

Kyodo News (Japan), Nov. 9 (0657) | Not Attributed

Japan and the United States eye holding “two-plus-two” security talks between their foreign and defense ministers soon, possibly in January, diplomatic sources said Wednesday, with the allies facing greater security challenges from China, North Korea and Russia. Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada, and their U.S. counterparts Antony Blinken and Lloyd Austin are expected to attend the planned in-person meeting.

21. Biden Gets Key Break as Southeast Asia Bolsters Militaries

Bloomberg News, Nov. 9 (2148) | Philip J. Heijmans

US-China tensions have America’s closest allies in Asia strengthening their militaries. But in a boost to President Joe Biden’s diplomatic efforts, that trend is extending to some Southeast Asian nations which have recently kept the US at arm’s length. President Xi Jinping’s more assertive foreign policy is shifting that equation for some countries as Beijing accelerates its military development and reiterates claims to Taiwan and a huge swath of the South China Sea. Regional governments have also been frustrated that efforts to negotiate a code of conduct between China and Asean in the South China Sea haven’t progressed.

22. 7 killed as Philippine troops clash with Muslim rebels

Associated Press, Nov. 9 (2257) | Jim Gomez

Philippine troops have clashed with Muslim guerrillas in a southern village, leaving at least three soldiers and four rebels dead and sparking fears that an escalation could threaten a 2014 peace pact that has considerably eased years of heavy fighting.

MIDDLE EAST

23. Israel Hits Suspected Iran Weapons Convoy in Syria With Airstrikes

Wall Street Journal Online, Nov. 9 (1113) | David S. Cloud and Benoit Faucon

Israel carried out airstrikes in eastern Syria targeting a convoy of vehicles suspected of smuggling Iranian weapons after it crossed the border from Iraq, people familiar with the attack said Wednesday. The attack late Tuesday near Abu Kamal—a border town often used as a transshipment point by militant groups with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—destroyed several vehicles and killed at least 10 people, including an unknown number of Iranians, according to the people and Iraqi militia members. A spokesman for the U.S. military said its forces weren’t involved. Israel secretly coordinates with the U.S. on many of the airstrikes it carries out in Syria.

24. Iran protests rage on streets as officials renew threats

Associated Press, Nov. 9 (2250) | Jon Gambrell

Protests in Iran raged on streets into Thursday with demonstrators remembering a bloody crackdown in the country’s southeast, even as the nation’s intelligence minister and army chief renewed threats against local dissent and the broader world. At least 328 people have been killed and 14,825 others arrested in the unrest, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that’s been monitoring the protests over their 54 days. Iran’s government for weeks has remained silent on casualty figures while state media counterfactually claims security forces have killed no one.

25. Russia’s war and energy attacks loom over COP27

Washington Post, Nov. 10 (0115), Pg. A8 | Siobhán O’Grady

This is the first COP since Russia invaded Ukraine in February – and the first time Ukraine has had its own pavilion at the annual conference. Ukrainian delegates hope their presence will serve not only as a stark reminder of the human costs of the war, but also the consequences of the world’s reliance on fossil fuel producers such as Russia. So far, they are being warmly received.

AMERICAS

26. Couple who tried to sell nuclear secrets sentenced to lengthy prison terms

Washington Post, Nov. 10 (0115), Pg. B3 | Salvador Rizzo

A Navy engineer who tried to sell military secrets to a foreign country was sentenced Wednesday to more than 19 years in prison, and his wife was sentenced to just shy of 22 years for aiding his plans and then attempting to hide her role. Jonathan Toebbe, a civilian nuclear engineer with a top-secret security clearance, and Diana Toebbe, a private-school teacher in their hometown of Annapolis, admitted they tried to sell restricted data about nuclear propulsion systems on submarines to a foreign country – a violation of the Atomic Energy Act that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

ARCTIC

27. ‘Unconventional’ delivery of U.S. airpower in Arctic tailored to serve notice to Russia

Stars and Stripes Online, Nov. 9 (0729) | John Vandiver

U.S. special operations forces flying over the Arctic on Wednesday rolled a long-range missile out the back of a C-130 aircraft, dropping it by parachute before it blasted toward its target in the distance. The operation marked the first-ever demonstration in Europe of Rapid Dragon, an experimental program that uses standard air drop procedures to launch air-to-surface cruise missiles.

ARMY

28. Inside the ongoing ‘evolution’ of Army special operations

C4ISRNET.com (Exclusive), Nov. 9 (1503) | Davis Winkie

The distinctive patch of the Army’s Special Forces units dates back to 1955, when Capt. John W. Fry of the 77th Special Forces Group reportedly submitted a design he felt reflected the new units’ all-domain mission. According to Army heraldry officials, the three lightning flashes represent the elite troops’ ability to “strike rapidly by air, water or land.” Nearly 70 years later, the service’s top special operations leader sees a resonance between that original all-domain concept and the “modern day” deterrence triad of space, cyber and special operations that senior leaders unveiled in recent months. The military’s top space official, Gen. James Dickinson, dubbed it the “influence triad” when he unveiled the concept in August.

29. Stitched up: US Army developing new data mesh concepts

Janes International Defence Review, Nov. 9 (1345) | Carlo Munoz

The US Army is establishing technological foundations for a new data mesh concept, which service leaders believe will revolutionise how data exchanges take place on the battlefield, positioning the army to take advantage of the Pentagon’s data-centric approach to warfare.

30. Troops from Fort Carson, Fort Hood and Hunter AAF tapped for deployments to Europe

Stars and Stripes Online, Nov. 9 (1800) | Corey Dickstein

Soldiers from the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division and its 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions will deploy to Europe later this year to replace other U.S.-based units deployed to the Continent amid the monthslong Russian invasion of Ukraine, service officials announced Wednesday.

INSTALLATIONS

31. Hundreds Of Red Hill Families Still Sick A Year Later, Survey Finds

Honolulu Civil Beat, Nov. 10 (0046) | Christina Jedra

Almost a year after the Navy’s water system was contaminated by a fuel leak, hundreds of people are still experiencing negative health impacts after drinking the tainted water, according to the results of a state and federal government survey released Wednesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which conducted the survey with the Hawaii Department of Health, did not make a judgment on the cause of the health problems – chronic health issues lingering from last year or the result of some ongoing exposure. However, the Navy and DOH have maintained that the water has been safe to drink for months.

NOTABLE COMMENTARY

32. Post midterms, Congress must focus on defense budget transparency

The Hill Online, Nov. 9 (0800) | Elaine McCusker

The first order of business for the post midterm elections lame-duck session of Congress should be an agreement on a budget framework and passage of fiscal year 2023 appropriations bills. This critical task should be done before Congress adjourns at the end of the year. Most importantly, it must be completed prior to the Dec. 16 deadline of the current continuing resolution (CR). Under this CR, the Defense Department is losing up to $207 million in buying power per day. The new Congress should not have to start its first session with urgent old business hanging over its head and increasing damage to national security.

33. How would a Republican-controlled House affect relations with China?

Washington Examiner Online, Nov. 9 (1337) | Tom Rogan

Whether Republicans will take control of the U.S. House is as yet unclear, although a narrow House majority would be in line with the results reported so far. If they do, then addressing China’s challenge to the U.S.-led democratic international order will be their foreign policy priority. Expect House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), should he become Speaker, to establish a dedicated China committee in the House of Representatives.

34. A Republican-controlled House isn’t going to abandon Ukraine for Russia

Washington Examiner Online, Nov. 9 (1552) | Tom Rogan

Much media attention has been given to comments from Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who stands to become speaker of the House if Republicans do win a House majority. McCarthy warned last month that Americans don’t want their elected representatives “to write a blank check to Ukraine.” Alongside skepticism of U.S. support for Ukraine from other prominent Republicans, notably Sen.-elect J.D. Vance (R-OH), some believe U.S. aid for Ukraine may soon come to an abrupt end. Such expectations are exaggerated.

35. Australia Is Gearing Up for Possible War With China

Bloomberg Opinion, Nov. 9 (1702) | Hal Brands

Japan is America’s single most important ally, but Australia has historically been its most reliable. Alone among US allies, not just in the Indo-Pacific but globally, Australia has fought in all of America’s major wars since World War I. As I found during three days in Sydney and Canberra, the prospect of war in the Taiwan Strait is forging Australia, Japan and the US into a latter-day Triple Entente — the pre-World War I coalition that sought to contain Imperial Germany — in the Western Pacific. That comparison is reassuring and disquieting at the same time.

DEFENSE MORNING CLIPS
As of 0430 Hours, November 9

OVERVIEW

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for global leaders to “force Russia into genuine peace negotiations,” while Kyiv’s intelligence chief warned of the “serious threat” of “high-precision, very-high speed” Iranian ballistic missiles he predicted would arrive by the end of November, the New York Times reported. Separately, the European Commission announced it will provide Ukraine with $18 billion in loans over one year to help remedy a $3 billion monthly budget shortfall for basic government services, the Wall Street Journal wrote. Also of note, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr. Colin Kahl said, “we should expect the Russia-China relationship to deepen” and cautioned that “this thing is edging towards an alliance as opposed to superficial partnership” while noting that Beijing may still have reservations about Moscow, according to Defense News.

TOP STORIES

1. Aerial War Over Ukraine Heats Up as Russia Hammers Cities and Vital Services

New York Times, Nov. 9 (0300), Pg. A6 | Marc Santora, Shashank Bengali and Andrew E. Kramer

As Ukrainian officials celebrate the arrival of more advanced Western air-defense systems and claim growing success at shooting down Russian rockets and drones, they are warning that Moscow is buying new long-range weapons against which Kyiv’s forces have little defense — specifically, ballistic missiles from Iran. With movement on the ground slowing, the battle in the skies above Ukraine is increasingly central to the course of the war, and both sides are looking to their allies for new weapons. In the past month, Moscow’s forces have dramatically stepped up strikes far behind the front lines on cities and vital services like power, heat and water. These are part of a lethal campaign to tear down Ukrainian daily life and morale.

2. EU Aims to Lock In Aid for Kyiv

Wall Street Journal, Nov. 9 (0200), Pg. A10 | Laurence Norman

Amid U.S. pressure to increase support for Ukraine, the European Union is looking to lock in $18 billion in economic support for Kyiv next year in a way that would give Brussels greater power to ensure the money is delivered. With U.S. economic and military assistance for Ukraine far outstripping Europe’s since the Russian invasion on Feb. 24, the EU this year has fallen short of its own financial pledges. Ukraine is facing a budget shortfall of at least 3 billion euros, or $3 billion, a month for basic services.

3. Pentagon: Xi and Putin ‘edging toward an alliance’

Defense News Online, Nov. 8 (1848) | Joe Gould

The Pentagon says Russia and China appear to be “edging toward an alliance” at a time when Western nations are seeking to isolate Moscow over its war on Ukraine. Colin Kahl, the undersecretary of defense for policy, told reporters on Tuesday that “we should expect the Russia-China relationship to deepen.” Nine months ago China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin signed off on their so-called “no limits” strategic partnership just days before Russia invaded Ukraine.

DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

4. Senior DOD officials meet with top contractors to discuss defense industrial base

InsideDefense.com, Nov. 8 (1659) | Tony Bertuca

Top Pentagon officials today met with executives from the largest defense companies to discuss issues and challenges related to the defense industrial base. The meeting, led by Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, included Pentagon acquisition chief Bill LaPlante, Pentagon technology chief Heidi Shyu, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Capabilities Mara Karlin and Deborah Rosenblum, the assistant secretary of defense for nuclear, chemical, and biological defense programs who is performing the duties of assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy.

5. Ongoing Pentagon push to arm Ukraine will have three-star general leading from Germany

Stars and Stripes Online, Nov. 8 (0632) | John Vandiver

A three-star general will lead a new Army headquarters in Germany that will include about 300 U.S. service members responsible for coordinating security assistance for Ukraine, a senior U.S. military official said this week. On Sunday, The New York Times reported that Lt. Gen. Antonio Aguto Jr., head of the First U.S. Army headquarters at Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, was regarded as a leading candidate for the new job.

6. Shyu Says Wargames Define R&D Investment

Air and Space Forces Magazine Online, Nov. 8 (N/A) | John A. Tirpak

Wargame results and opportunities to asymmetrically counter adversaries are driving the Pentagon’s investment choices in new technologies, said Heidi Shyu, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering. She also said an unclassified document outlining the science and technologies underpinning the new National Defense Strategy will come out in the spring.

7. Space Policy chief warns against ‘ridiculous’ testing aversion for new missile interceptor

BreakingDefense.com, Nov. 8 (0803) | Theresa Hitchens

Pentagon space policy czar John Plumb recently made clear his intentions to hold the Missile Defense Agency to a rigorous standard of testing for its Next Generation Interceptor — calling past Defense Department allergy to missile testing “ridiculous.”

8. Pentagon test bed to ramp up development of hypersonics

C4ISRNET.com, Nov. 8 (1003) | Courtney Albon

The U.S. Department of Defense is working with a diverse industry team to develop a hypersonic capability testing facility to validate and field the high-speed systems on a faster timeline. Led by the Pentagon’s Test Resource Management Center and the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Crane Division, based in Bloomington, Indiana, the Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed aims to create a new option for defense agencies and universities as they demonstrate and validate hypersonic vehicles, materials and related technology.

9. Abuses by defense contractors ensnare migrant workers

Washington Post, Nov. 9 (0115), Pg. A23 | Katie McQue

Foreign workers for defense contractors on at least four U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf are trapped in their jobs by abusive employment practices that they say prevent them from returning home or even looking for better work in the region, more than 30 current and former workers said in interviews.

EXECUTIVE/LEGISLATIVE

10. Democrats Appear to Hold Own In Races for Crucial House Seats

New York Times, Nov. 9 (0300), Pg. A1 | Catie Edmondson

Republicans on Tuesday gained ground in their push to take control of the House, although Democrats appeared to be holding their own against hard-right G.O.P. candidates in crucial districts as they grasped to defend their narrow majority. Key races that could determine control of the Senate remained too close to call, but Democrats picked up a critical seat with a victory by Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in Pennsylvania.

11. Blinken team insists Ukraine policy won’t change due to GOP midterm victories

Washington Examiner Online, Nov. 8 (1838) | Joel Gehrke

A potential Republican takeover of Congress will not constrain President Joe Biden’s policy of assistance to Ukraine, according to a senior U.S. diplomat. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s team, like all diplomats, makes a point not to comment on domestic political developments. Yet Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who leads the U.S. mission to the United Nations, couldn’t avoid the repeated questions on Tuesday about how U.S. foreign policy might change as a result of the midterm elections that are expected to give the Republicans a majority in the House and perhaps the Senate.

12. Senate to vote on Pentagon contract adjustments amid inflation

Defense News Online, Nov. 8 (1405) | Bryant Harris and Joe Gould

The Senate is expected to vote on legislation that would authorize the Pentagon to modify fixed-price defense contracts when lawmakers return to Washington next week after the midterm elections. The legislation marks a significant potential victory for defense industry groups that had pushed Congress to authorize economic price adjustments for Pentagon contracts, arguing that doing so is necessary to help companies cope with the impact of inflation and persistent supply chain issues.

EUROPE

13. Biden admin nudge led Ukraine to drop Putin condition for peace talks

Politico Online, Nov. 8 (1401) | Alexander Ward

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s new stance that peace talks with Russia can begin with Vladimir Putin in power was directly due to soft nudging by the Biden administration, according to two people familiar with the situation.

14. Russia Presses Evacuation of Kherson

Wall Street Journal, Nov. 9 (0200), Pg. A7 | Yaroslav Trofimov

Russia stepped up the evacuation of civilian institutions from the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson, where looting has become widespread and squatters have taken over the abandoned government headquarters, as Ukraine received sophisticated Western air-defense systems that could help it protect its cities.

15. Ukraine asks U.S. for new capabilities in fighting Iranian drones

ABCNews.com, Nov. 8 (0738) | Tom Soufi Burridge, Luis Martinez and Natalya Kushnir

ABC News has obtained a letter sent by a top Ukrainian official to senior members of Congress, asking them to assist Ukraine’s calls for additional air defense systems to counter the attack drones built and supplied by Iran to bolster Russia’s war effort. In the letter, the chairman of the Ukrainian parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, calls on the U.S. to provide Ukraine with highly mobile air defense systems known as C-RAMs, saying they would help protect “important objects, especially crucial power plants.”

16. Ukraine promises not to give up ‘a single centimetre’ to Russia in east

Reuters, Nov. 8 (2346) | Tom Balmforth

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said his forces would not yield “a single centimetre” in battles for the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk while Russian-installed officials said Ukrainian forces were moving into a southern town with tanks. Giving an update on the situation in the southern region of Kherson, the Ukrainian military on Tuesday evening accused Russian troops of more looting and destroy infrastructure. A showdown has been looming for weeks in Kherson city, the only regional capital Russia has captured intact since its invasion.

17. Sweden’s Leader Courts Turkey’s Support for NATO Membership

Associated Press, Nov. 8 (1128) | Suzan Fraser

Sweden still has “many steps to take” to win Turkey’s approval for its NATO membership bid, a top Turkish official said Tuesday as Sweden’s new prime minister visited Ankara in hopes of eliminating the hurdle to his country joining the military alliance. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson held talks with Turkish parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop on Tuesday before being welcomed with an official ceremony at Erdogan’s presidential palace, where two were scheduled to discuss Sweden’s NATO membership.

RUSSIA

18. US and Russia agree to hold talks on nuclear treaty for first time since Ukraine war began

CNN.com, Nov. 8 (1724) | Kylie Atwood and Michael Conte

The US and Russia have agreed to hold talks on the single existing nuclear treaty between the two countries in the near future, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Tuesday. The New START treaty limits all deployed intercontinental-range nuclear weapons by Russia and the US. The treaty – the only one left regulating the two largest nuclear arsenals in the world – was extended by five years in February 2021 during the first weeks of Joe Biden’s presidency.

19. Russia flew €140m in cash and captured Western weapons to Iran in return for deadly drones, source claims

Sky News Online, Nov. 8 (1927) | Deborah Haynes

Russia flew €140m in cash and a selection of captured UK and US weapons to Iran in return for dozens of deadly drones for its war in Ukraine, a security source has claimed. The source alleged that a further drone deal worth €200m (£174m) had been agreed between Tehran and Moscow in the past few days.

20. Putin’s Elite Tremble as Hardliners Call for ‘Stalinist’ Steps

Bloomberg News, Nov. 8 (1309) | Not Attributed

The rise of outspoken hardliners in the Kremlin is alarming insiders fearful the Russian president will heed their calls for even more confrontation abroad and sweeping repression at home. Senior business executives and government officials have watched with growing worry as players they once considered marginal like Yevgeny Prigozhin, known for his Wagner mercenary company and recruiting of prison inmates to fight in Ukraine, have become the public forces behind Vladimir Putin’s push to step up his increasingly all-encompassing war effort.

INDO-PACIFIC

21. Seoul: North Korea fires ballistic missile toward sea

Associated Press, Nov. 9 (0313) | Kim Tong-Hyung and Hyung-Jin Kim

North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile toward its eastern sea on Wednesday, extending a recent barrage of weapons demonstrations including what it described as simulated attacks on South Korean and U.S. targets last week. Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched from the western town of Sukchon, north of the capital, Pyongyang, and flew across the country toward waters off the North’s eastern coast.

22. U.S. monitoring North Korea’s covert operation to supply artillery shells to Russia — Pentagon

Yonhap News Agency (South Korea), Nov. 8 (1408) | Byun Duk-kun

The United States is closely watching the suspected delivery of North Korean artillery shells to Russia, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday after Pyongyang dismissed U.S. reports that it may be covertly supplying arms to Russia for use in Ukraine. Defense department spokesman, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, however, declined to comment when asked if the shipments have been received by Russia.

23. Treasury Chief Janet Yellen Heads to India as U.S. Seeks to Deepen Ties

Wall Street Journal Online, Nov. 8 (0800) | Andrew Duehren

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s trip to India this week will be the latest attempt by the Biden administration to look past the emerging power’s longstanding ties to Russia and deepen a relationship that it hopes will serve as a counterweight to China. The U.S. has shifted its approach to India since the invasion of Ukraine began, at first calling out its ties to Russia and warning the country against massively increasing its purchases of cheap Russian oil. Now, the Biden administration is encouraging India to purchase Russian oil under a price determined by the U.S. and its allies, while more broadly tolerating the country’s relationship with Russia, analysts and administration officials say.

24. Australia to Block Former Military Pilots Flying for China

Associated Press, Nov. 9 (0103) | Rod McGuirk

Australia’s defense minister said on Wednesday he had told the nation’s military to review secrecy safeguards in response to concerns that Beijing was recruiting pilots to train the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Defense Minister Richard Marles ordered the review after asking the Defense Department last month to investigate reports that China had approached former Australian military personnel to become trainers.

CHINA

25. U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry Rekindles Contact With China at COP27

Wall Street Journal Online, Nov. 8 (2050) | Chao Deng

U.S. climate envoy John Kerry said on Tuesday that he spoke with his Chinese counterpart during the COP27 United Nations climate conference, rekindling contact between countries that are pivotal in the global effort to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

26. Secure at Home, Xi Looks To Show Strength Abroad

Wall Street Journal, Nov. 9 (0200), Pg. A13 | Austin Ramzy

Xi Jinping emerged from a Communist Party congress with more power than any Chinese leader in a generation. Now, he is turning his focus to shoring up foreign ties as he steels the country for heightened competition with the U.S. “China wants to show the U.S. that isolation of China will not work; efforts to move value chains and supply chains from China will not work,” said Cheng Li, director of the Brookings Institution’s China Center. “This is a political message to people both in China and outside China.”

27. Zhuhai Airshow display reveals info on China’s J-20, J-16 inventory

Defense News Online, Nov. 8 (1021) | Mike Yeo

China has at least 200 stealthy J-20 fighters and more than 240 J-16 multirole strike aircraft in service, based on an analysis of construction numbers painted on the jets by a Chinese military aviation expert.

MIDDLE EAST

28. Strikes in Syria Hit Fuel Convoy From Iraq

Associated Press, Nov. 9 (0403) | Qassim Abdul-Zahra and Bassem Mroue

Late night airstrikes in eastern Syria along the border with Iraq targeted Iran-backed militiamen, inflicting casualties, Syrian opposition activists said Wednesday. According to two paramilitary officers in Iraq, some of those killed in the attack were Iranian nationals. It was not immediately clear who was behind the strikes. The U.S. military, which along with Israel has carried out such strikes in the past, said it was not behind them and had no involvement in the al-Qaim attack. The Israeli army refused to comment on the incident.

AMERICAS

29. Former Army helicopter pilot sentenced for spying for China

Military Times Online, Nov. 8 (1100) | Rachel Nostrant

A former U.S. Army helicopter pilot with more than 20 years of military service and additional years as a defense contractor was sentenced Nov. 7 for acting as an agent of China, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California. Shapour Moinian, 67, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for acting as an agent of a foreign government and for making materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or representations on security clearance forms signed as part of his defense contracting position. He was facing a maximum of 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty June 23.

AIR FORCE

30. More Than 100 C-130s Are Down, Likely Because Mechanics Scratched Their Propellers, Air Force Says

DefenseOne.com, Nov. 8 (1629) | Marcus Weisgerber

A maintenance procedure used by Air Force mechanics to document inspections likely damaged hundreds of C-130 propeller blades over a decade, according to service officials. Maintenance technicians examining the propeller blades for cracks or other damage scratched permanent marks on each blade to document the inspection had taken place.

ARMY

31. Army Sees Its Future in Pacific Training Grounds

Honolulu Star-Advertiser Online, Nov. 8 (2309) | Kevin Knodell

“I’m not entirely sure what ‘it’ is, but this ain’t it, ” quipped a member of the U.S. Army’s Oahu-based 25th Infantry Division as he and his fellow soldiers marched up the road at the Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island last week. The training is part of — the U.S. Army Pacific’s new Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, a series of ranges and training the service is hosting in Hawaii and Alaska—as well as annually in rotating countries across the region.

32. The Army’s Distributed Command Posts of the Future Will Need More than Videochats

DefenseOne.com, Nov. 8 (2228) | Lauren C. Williams

A recent Army exercise out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord sought largely to test ways to distribute command and control—to, say, replace big command posts with small cloud-connected teams scattered around the Pacific region. But what the I Corps’ IT team discovered was just how much of the service’s vision of future warfare will depend on turning a morass of data into well-structured bundles.

33. Army Special Ops Is Changing Psyops Training to Reflect Ukraine War

DefenseOne.com, Nov. 8 (2039) | Elizabeth Howe

U.S. Army special operators have taken note of how quickly information operations have moved in Ukraine’s 8-month-old battle to eject Russian invaders, the leader of Army Special Operations Command told the Modern Warfare Week conference here on Tuesday.

NOTABLE COMMENTARY

34. Taiwan is on the front lines of China’s worldwide cyberwar

Washington Post, Nov. 8 (0115), Pg. A31 | Josh Rogin

Beijing is deploying cyber campaigns in many countries but nowhere as intensively as in Taiwan. After House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) visited Taiwan in August, the Chinese government took its tactics to a new level. Beijing coordinated conventional retaliatory measures, such as missile tests, mock bombing runs and military exercises that mimicked a blockade, with a cyberwarfare and disinformation campaign meant to disrupt Taiwan’s democracy and undermine its people’s grasp on reality.

35. As war rages in Ukraine, the world is realigning

Washington Post, Nov. 9 (0115), Pg. A29 | David Ignatius

As conflict rages in the heart of Europe, the world is dividing more sharply into East and West. The United States’ partnerships are stronger, but so is the intensity of the adversarial camp. North Korea and Iran are supplying weapons to an embattled Russia, according to the White House. Swing states such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey are trying to hedge their bets between the battling superpowers.

Press clips for November 9, Gerry Yandel Deputy Director of Communications | Office of Governor Albert Bryan Jr.

Bryan/Roach team easily wins re-election

A majority of Virgin Islanders voted Tuesday to re-elect Democrats Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. and Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach to another four-year term.

“It was a tremendous win, I really want to thank my supporters for all the stuff that they have done over the whole campaign time, just tremendous support,” Bryan said at his campaign headquarters in Rothschild Market Square on St. Thomas, as supporters cheered around him and congratulated him on the victory.

“The ingenuity and creativity of the campaign was excellent,” Bryan said. “It was amazing the way that people came together to support the Bryan-Roach team. That same kind of momentum and energy is going to power us through to fix education, and health care, and WAPA in the next four years. Look out for us, we’re going to be phenomenal.”

The incumbents’ biggest challengers, Sens. Kurt Vialet and Janelle Sarauw, Ind., did not garner enough votes to force a runoff election, with 7,926 votes to Bryan and Roach’s 11,544. The Vialet-Sarauw team’s vote total represented 38.35% of the 21,522 ballots cast, and Bryan and Roach’s total was 55.85% of the vote.

Gittens is St. Croix’s top vote-getter in mixed bag of candidates

Voters on St. Croix returned Sen. Kenneth Gittens to the Senate as the top vote-getter in that district.

They also ousted an incumbent senator, elected a newcomer and returned a former senator to the V.I. Legislature.

Gittens’ ballot total was a far cry from 2018 when he lost a re-election bid to the 32nd Legislature. Voters would eventually return him to the 33rd and 34th Legislatures.

Gittens received 5,311 or 10.11% of the vote. He was followed by incumbent Sen. Novelle Francis Jr. with 5,079 or 9.67% of the vote.

Voters on Tuesday also elected newcomer Marise James with 4,284 or 8.16% of the vote, and returned former Sen. Diane Capehart, who last served in the 30th Legislature, to office with 3, 532 of 6.72% of the vote.

They also ousted first-term Sen. Genevieve Whitaker, who received 3,286 or 6.26% of the vote. Whitaker, a former deputy supervisor of Elections, is currently in ninth place for the seven-seat district, with 3,286 or 6.26% of the vote.

Incumbents hold on to Senate seats on St. Thomas

ST. THOMAS — Voters on St. Thomas elected a newcomer to office and gave incumbents a stamp of approval in their re-election bids.

Meantime only 64 votes separate incumbent At-Large Sen. Angel Bolques Jr. and his rival Sherry-Ann Francis after voting centers closed Tuesday night.

According to the unofficial results from the Elections System of the Virgin Islands, Bolques received 8,270 or 50.00% of the vote in comparison to Francis’ 8,206 or 49.62% of the vote. There were 63 write-ins or 0.38% of the vote.

Residents will learn soon whether Francis can close the gap with absentee votes as the first day to count such votes is Thursday.

Voters on St. Thomas on Tuesday kept Sen. Donna Frett-Gregory in a familiar place, returning her to the Senate as the top vote-getter in that district.

Incumbent Sens. Milton E. Potter, Marvin A. Blyden, Dwayne M. DeGraff, Carla Joseph, Alma Francis Heyliger were all re-elected. Newcome Ray Fonseca had run unsuccessfully for a Senate seat in 2020, and in 2018 teamed up with businessman Warren Mosler — as his running mate — for a Government House bid.

Plaskett cruises unopposed into fifth congressional term

V.I. Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett cruised into a fifth term unopposed on Election Day with 15,559 votes or 98.76%. There were 195 write-ins or 1.24%.

The win is a bittersweet one for Plaskett, who issued a statement ahead of Election Day announcing that she would not be on the campaign trail, as her father was “gravely ill.”

Plaskett is currently serving her fourth term in Congress.

Maria Ferreras: What’s the tsunami plan for Lucinda Millin home on the waterfront?

Reading recently about the VITEMA public invitation about a tsunami walk reminded me again about the dangers of tsunamis. And I once again got that queasy feeling in my stomach about preparedness for those who are elderly and disabled. We know there are many pockets of people that are going to need a lot of help, very fast.

Lucinda Millin Home for the Aged on the waterfront of St. Thomas is one of those spots that worries me. If a tsunami does hit, is there an evacuation plan ready to go fast?

With dozens of residents vulnerable, some non-mobile, it would seem impossible for the dedicated staff to handle all. So, that means outside help needs to be mobilized as soon as the siren goes off.

Is this community plan ready?

Bryan-Roach Secure Second Term With More than 11K Votes in General Election

Winning 55.85 percent of votes cast Tuesday — or an overall total of 11,544 — incumbent Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. and Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach secured a second term in office, while opponents Kurt Vialet and Janelle Sarauw brought in 7,926 votes, or 38.35 percent.

According to the unofficial numbers, General Election day voting showed Vialet-Sarauw pulling in more on St. Croix, with 2,572 votes, while Bryan-Roach turned the tables on St. Thomas-St. John with 2,876 votes, but the gap widened in the early voting numbers by 2,800 votes, with the Bryan-Roach team garnering 6,834 votes to Vialet-Sarauw’s 4,045.

Overall, between early voting and poll activity on Tuesday, about 54 percent of registered voters participated, with a total of 21,522 votes cast out of a potential 39,876 active voters. Gubernatorial teams Stephen “Smokey” Frett, and Gregory “Brother R” Miller Jr. also received 705 votes, while Ronald Pickard and running mate Elroy Turnbull got 238 votes.

Bryan-Roach Secure Second Term With More than 11K Votes in General Election

Frett-Gregory, Gittens Lead Senate Races, Most Incumbents Keep Seats

On St. Thomas, Sen. Donna Frett-Gregory topped out in first place with 5,912 votes, while Sen. Kenneth “Kenny” Gittens led on St. Croix with 5,311 votes, according to the unofficial General Election results. While most other incumbents retained their Senate seats, on St. John, Senator-at-Large Angel Bolques and opponent Sherry Ann-Francis ended Tuesday night with a 64-vote difference, which could go either way as absentee and provisional ballots are counted on Thursday.

Though there were a few challenges within the St. Thomas-St. John district — including a power outage and moisture issues at the University of the Virgin Islands polling site that had to be monitored but didn’t appear to affect how ballots were fed into and read by the machines — all votes were in by 8:30 p.m. and counted by about 9:15 p.m., with a total of 21,522 votes cast territory-wide between early voting and Election Day activity.

Frett-Gregory, Gittens Lead Senate Races, Most Incumbents Keep Seats

Despite Long Lines, Voter Turnout Lower Than Expected Tuesday

The sun was still rising over Cruz Bay, St. John, when the doors opened at Bryan-Roach campaign headquarters near the Lutheran Church. Up the street, near the traffic circle, supporters of the rival team in the gubernatorial race — Kurt Vialet and Janelle Sarauw — hung banners and set up a tent.

Election Day has come to the U.S. Virgin Islands. Speculation was brewing about what would happen, whether voters would show up at voting centers across the territory. Reporters from the Source set out to see for themselves. Along the way, they met candidates, poll workers, campaign workers and voters who shared their opinions about the day and the work they came to do.

At the Elridge Blake Sports and Fitness Center on the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas campus, voters streamed steadily through the glass doors. By mid-morning, a small queue formed inside the gymnasium, waiting to check in. Poll watchers took their seats and settled in to observe.

Despite Long Lines, Voter Turnout Lower Than Expected Tuesday

Plaskett Reelection Comes At Difficult Time

Running unopposed in her bid for a fifth two-year term in Washington, D.C., Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett’s certain victory Tuesday came as she dealt with the “grave” illness of her father.

Plaskett, the Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress since 2015, said rather than celebrating with her constituents as usual, she was seeking peace at her father’s side.

“Each election I am always excited to go to all the polls, electioneering and thanking the people of the Virgin Islands, young and old, for participating in one of the most sacred aspects of our democracy,” Plaskett wrote in a media release. “Unfortunately, this year I will be unable to participate due to illness in my family. My father, Leroy Plaskett, is gravely ill and it is important that I provide support and attend to the needs of both of my parents.”

Plaskett Reelection Comes At Difficult Time

Photo Focus: Vendors Plaza Blossoms with Bright New Colors

Construction workers and engineers are making progress with the new Vendors Plaza retail units on St. Thomas. The brightly colored, steel-framed kiosks are being carefully moved into place as anticipation mounts for the brand-new plaza.

Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Richard Evangelista has said previously that the structures, which replace the tents that were a longtime staple of the plaza, are built to withstand a Category 3 hurricane.

Photo Focus: Vendors Plaza Blossoms with Bright New Colors

Governor Bryan Wins Reelection, Cementing His Legacy as a Two-Term Leader

Governor Albert Bryan Jr., the ninth elected governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, won Tuesday’s gubernatorial race and cemented his legacy as a two-term leader. His victory over challenger Kurt Vialet gives Mr. Bryan an opportunity to continue what he started.

Based on unofficial results from the Elections System of the Virgin Islands ( found here), Mr. Bryan garnered 55.85% to Mr. Vialet’s 38.35%  territory-wide. A candidate needs 50 percent plus 1 vote to be declared the outright winner of a gubernatorial race in the general election, according to the Elections System of the Virgin Islands.

In same-day voting, Mr. Bryan ran up the margins in the St. Thomas-St. John District, where he collected 2876 over Mr. Vialet’s 1309. On St. Croix, the race was tilted in the other direction, with the governor collecting 1834 votes, to Mr. Vialet’s 2572. Early voters favored the incumbent heavily – 6834 votes for Mr. Bryan and 4045 for Mr. Vialet.

The victory caps a hotly contested election and allows Mr. Bryan to move forward with initiatives that have progressed during his tenure, including the rebuilding of the territory’s schools damaged during Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the rebuild of the territory’s hospitals and moving into JFL North, the modular hospital that has taken years to open under Mr. Bryan’s leadership.

https://viconsortium.com/vi-politics/virgin-islands-governor-bryan-wins-reelection-cementing-his-legacy-as-a-two-term-leader

Watch: Governor Bryan’s First Interview Following Reelection Victory

https://viconsortium.com/vi-politics/virgin-islands-watch-governor-bryans-first-interview-following-reelection-victory

Watch: Lt. Gov. Roach’s First Interview Following Reelection Victory

https://viconsortium.com/vi-politics/virgin-islands-watch-lt-gov-roachs-first-interview-following-reelection-victory-

Whitaker Out; Marise James, Ray Fonseca and Diane Capehart Will Be Part of 35th Legislature

Unofficial results from the Elections System of the Virgin Islands are indicating that the 35th Legislature will feature at least one new face.

At the top of the rankings for the St. Croix District is Senator Kenneth Gittens, well in the lead with 5311 votes. Gittens is followed (in order of vote totals) by Senators Novelle Francis with 5079, Franklin Johnson with 4599 votes, and Samuel Carrion, who earned 4459. Marise James will be seated in the new crop of Senators, having received 4284 votes, the 5th highest number overall. Rounding up the list is Senator Javan James in 6th position with 4175 and Diane Capeheart in 7th with 3532. Senator Genevieve Whitaker garnered 3286 votes, ranking behind Nemmy Williams-Jackson who collected 3392 –  leaving Ms. Whitaker out in the cold, well under the cutoff point.

On St. Thomas/St. John, the race was tighter, however current Senate President Donna Frett-Gregory was able to clinch the top vote-getter title with 5912 ballots cast in her favor. Following closely behind were Senators Milton Potter with 5638 votes, Marvin Blyden with 5162, and Dwayne DeGraff with 5066 votes. Senator Carla Joseph will return, having received 4854 votes, and so will Senator Alma Francis Heyliger – 4629 ballots were cast for her. Newcomer Ray Fonseca will round out the cohort from this district – he earned 3853 votes this cycle.

If the numbers hold up, Angel Bolques will continue to represent the territory as its at-large Senator in his first full term, having earned 8270 votes to edge out his competitor Sherry Ann Francis, who garnered 8206 votes. https://viconsortium.com/vi-politics/virgin-islands-whitaker-out-marise-james-ray-fonseca-and-diane-capehart-will-be-part-of-35th-legislature 

DEFENSE MORNING CLIPS
As of 0430 Hours, November 8

OVERVIEW

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said his military had received the U.S.-Norwegian NASAMS and Spanish-supplied Aspide air-defense systems, while Russian military correspondents in Kherson said that local hostility was growing as collaboration administration staff exited the city, the Wall Street Journal reported. Separately, the U.S. remained engaged in senior-level confidential talks with Russia, as National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan noted “We have done so when it’s been necessary to clarify potential misunderstandings and … reduce the possibility of catastrophe,” Reuters wrote. Also of note, in an interview, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown told Voice of America that exercises such as Vigilant Storm were “part … of our continued training” to ensure readiness in support of an “ironclad alliance” with South Korea.

TOP STORIES

1. Russia Presses Evacuation of Kherson as Ukrainian Offensive Looms
   Wall Street Journal Online, Nov. 7 (1603) | Yaroslav Trofimov
   Russia stepped up the evacuation of civilian institutions from the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson, where looting has become widespread and squatters have taken over the abandoned government headquarters, as Ukraine received sophisticated Western air-defense systems that could help it protect its cities. Moscow’s decision to mobilize roughly 300,000 reservists has allowed Russian forces, for now, to stabilize the front line in most areas, halting the Ukrainian offensives that reclaimed large parts of the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Kherson regions in September and October.
2. White House’s Sullivan has talked to Russians about risk aversion – source
   Reuters, Nov. 7 (1706) | Steve Holland
   White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan has been engaged in confidential talks with senior Russian officials aimed at lowering the risk of a broader war over Ukraine, a source familiar with the conversations said on Monday. The source, who asked to remain unidentified, said the talks are ongoing.
3. Bombers Over Korean Peninsula ‘Just Part of an Exercise’ – Air Force Chief to VOA
   Voice of America News, Nov. 7 (1105) | Carla Babb
   The U.S. show of force over the Korean peninsula Saturday, when two B-1B stealth bomber aircraft flew over the peninsula for the first time since 2017, was just part of a major joint exercise meant to ensure the United States has a “ready force” in the region, according to the U.S. Air Force chief of staff. “It was all part of the Vigilant Storm exercise, an exercise that we’ve operated under over time,” General C.Q. Brown Jr. told VOA in an exclusive interview Monday.

DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

4. Pentagon closing in on $9B cloud contract award after scuttling JEDI
   C4ISRNET.com, Nov. 7 (1317) | Colin Demarest
   The U.S. Department of Defense expects to award early next month the Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability contract, a multi-vendor, enterprise-wide platform for the acquisition of billions of dollars of commercial computing services, after a predecessor was canceled last year amid allegations of political interference. Speaking Nov. 7 at an industry engagement event in Maryland, Chief Information Officer John Sherman said the Pentagon is “getting ready to award JWCC in about a month, 30 days-ish, from now,” in line with previous predictions made by defense officials of a decision by the end of the year.
5. Pentagon forms new AI hubs for R&D teams to share data and advance models
   DefenseScoop.com, Nov. 7 (1453) | Brandi Vincent
   Officials in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering are developing a new cloud-based, common infrastructure of “artificial intelligence hubs,” where military laboratories and R&D units can exchange previously siloed data and collaborate within a shared modeling and simulation environment that’s compliant with Pentagon security protocols.

EXECUTIVE/LEGISLATIVE

6. Kevin McCarthy previews Republicans’ plans for the majority – starting at the border
   CNN.com (Exclusive), Nov. 7 (1005) | Melanie Zanona and Kristin Wilson
   House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy is vowing to secure the border, cut back on government spending and launch rigorous investigations into the Biden administration if Republicans win the House on Tuesday, reflecting a mix of priorities as McCarthy will be forced to contend with an increasingly hardline and pro-Trump conference that is itching to impeach President Joe Biden. In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with CNN, two days before the midterm elections, McCarthy outlined his plans for power, which includes tackling inflation, rising crime and border security – three issues that have become central to Republicans’ closing pitch to voters
7. Elections set to reshuffle Capitol Hill’s key defense committees
   InsideDefense.com, Nov. 7 (0500) | Tony Bertuca
   Midterm elections this week are poised to set off a political game of musical chairs on Capitol Hill that could have significant impacts on defense issues ranging from topline spending to Ukrainian military aid to U.S. shipbuilding. Analysts say understanding potential leadership and membership changes to several congressional committees is key to gaining a sense of how broad defense issues may come into play.

EUROPE

8. US officials urge Ukraine to signal it is still open to diplomatic discussions with Russia
   CNN.com, Nov. 7 (2200) | Natasha Bertrand, Kylie Atwood and Oren Liebermann
   Senior US officials have in recent weeks been urging Ukraine to signal that it is still open to diplomatic discussions with Russia, amid concerns that public support for the country’s war effort could wane with no end to the conflict in sight and neither side willing to begin peace talks, sources familiar with the discussions told CNN.
9. Ukrainian official says Iranian ballistic missiles bought by Russia may need to be destroyed at their launch sites
   CNN.com, Nov. 7 (1114) | Julia Kesaieva in Kyiv and Tim Lister
   Ukraine’s air force says that newly arrived western air defense systems will help deal with the new threat of Iranian ballistic missiles reportedly being purchased by Russia. Yuriy Ihnat, Air Force spokesperson, told a briefing in Kyiv that Ukraine might target the Iranian missiles at their launch sites, which would probably be well inside Russia.
10. Russians Work to Restore Power in Occupied City of Kherson
    Associated Press, Nov. 7 (1527) | Andrew Meldrum
    Russian-appointed authorities say they are working to partially restore power in the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson following what they called a Ukrainian “terrorist attack” on power lines. Ukraine’s presidential office said Monday said that Russian soldiers in plainclothes have been moving into apartments in Kherson, presumably to get ready for urban warfare. One Kherson resident told The Associated Press that Russian military personnel were going door-to-door, forcing tenants to leave immediately if they could not prove ownership of apartments.
11. Griping Aside, Europe Sticks With Ukraine
    New York Times, Nov. 8 (0300), Pg. A1 | Jason Horowitz and Catherine Porter
    The high cost of living is provoking strikes, protests and widespread grumbling. Talk about nuclear weapons has heightened anxieties and encouraged some to demand rapid negotiations. And President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is wooing politicians, including many from populist parties on the right and the left who have flirted with him in the past. But while Mr. Putin may have bet on European fatigue and intolerance for hardship to divide the alliance and buckle its weakest members, more than eight months into Russia’s war on Ukraine, the scale of the challenges has been leveraged effectively by leaders to stiffen the public spine and Europe is holding firm.
12. Estonia’s defense minister on Ukranian lessons, future investments and Russia’s cyber threat
    BreakingDefense.com, Nov. 7 (1101) | Aaron Mehta
    Hanno Pevkur has held a number of ministerial roles for Estonia over his time in government, before becoming defense minister in July — putting him in the driver’s seat for a major military modernization effort in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During an October visit to Washington, Pevkur sat down with Breaking Defense at the Estonian embassy for a wide-ranging discussion. The below highlights from that conversation have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
13. US citizen recently died in Ukraine, State Department says
    CNN.com, Nov. 7 (1857) | Paul LeBlanc and Jennifer Hansler
    A US citizen recently died in Ukraine, the US State Department said Monday, the latest known American to die in the country since Russia’s invasion in February. While the State Department did not name the individual, the International Legion of the Defense of Ukraine identified Timothy Griffin as a US citizen killed during combat in Eastern Ukraine.
14. Sweden Strengthens Case for NATO Entry Ahead of Turkey Talks
    Bloomberg News, Nov. 8 (0324) | Selcan Hacaoglu and Niclas Rolander
    Sweden’s new leader is making progress toward convincing Turkey he’s serious about meeting Ankara’s demands in exchange for being let into NATO, according to two Turkish officials familiar with the matter. Stockholm made fresh concessions just days before a key meeting between Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan scheduled for Tuesday. Kristersson will seek to persuade his opposite number to lift objections to Sweden’s entry to the alliance, and ratify the application made alongside neighboring Finland following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
15. Kosovo Accuses Serbia of Trying to Destabilize Country
    Associated Press, Nov. 7 (1247) | Florent Bajrami and Llazar Semini
    Kosovo on Monday accused neighboring Serbia of trying to destabilize the country by pressuring members of the ethnic Serb community to resign from their posts for not accepting Pristina’s decision to change illegal vehicle license plates. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vucic, has been in close coordination with Russia and China and is trying to “sabotage” the European Union-mediated dialogue.

RUSSIA

16. Russia Pulls Commander in Ukraine Following Criticism Over Battlefield Losses
    Wall Street Journal Online, Nov. 7 (1133) | Thomas Grove
    Russia removed a top military commander in Ukraine following criticism from some of President Vladimir Putin’s top allies over the officer’s responsibility for a recent chaotic retreat in the country’s northeast that underscored Russian weaknesses on the battlefield. Col. Gen. Alexander Lapin, responsible for the Central Military District, Russia’s largest, was the last of Russia’s regional commanders still in place amid Moscow’s faltering invasion. It was unclear whether he had been suspended or removed from his post.
17. Heavy Russian casualties spur outcry, rare official reply
    Washington Post, Nov. 8 (0115), Pg. A13 | Mary Ilyushina and Annabelle Timsit
    Steep Russian casualties in key battles in eastern Ukraine have prompted an unusual public outcry – and sharp criticism of military commanders – by surviving soldiers, and family members of recently conscripted fighters, who say their units were led to slaughter in poorly planned operations. The uproar over battlefield losses near Vuhledar in the Donetsk region prompted an official statement from the Russian Defense Ministry, which sought to play down the reportedly high death toll among soldiers in the 155th Separate Guards Marine Brigade, which led Moscow’s offensive in the area.
18. Russian Navy Pulls Warships from Black Sea into Port After Attacks
    U.S. Naval Institute News, Nov. 7 (1836) | H I Sutton
    The Russian Navy still outnumbers and outguns the Ukrainians in the northern Black Sea. Despite the dominance on paper, the Russian Navy is on its back foot after several successful attacks from the smaller Ukrainian forces.
19. Russian oligarch brags he’s ‘interfering’ in U.S. midterms
    Washington Post, Nov. 8 (0115), Pg. A14 | Robyn Dixon
    Russian oligarch Yevgeniy Prigozhin, an ally of President Vladimir Putin and head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group, which is fighting in Ukraine, boasted Monday that he was interfering in the U.S. midterm elections and planned to continue doing so. Prigozhin gained infamy as an operator of internet “troll farms” and was placed under sanction by the U.S. Treasury Department for his role in meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, using a company he owned, then called the Internet Research Agency, to spread disinformation and sow discord, especially on social media platforms.

INDO-PACIFIC

20. North Korea Denies U.S. Claims It Sent Artillery Shells to Russia
    Associated Press, Nov. 7 (2333) | Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung
    North Korea has denied American claims that it’s shipping artillery shells and ammunition to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, and on Tuesday accused the United States of lying.
21. U.S. urges Russia, China to hold North Korea accountable for recent provocations
    Yonhap News Agency (South Korea), Nov. 7 (1542) | Byun Duk-kun
    A state department spokesperson called on China and Russia on Monday to hold North Korea accountable for its missile launches in violation of U.N. Security Council (UNSC) sanctions, insisting failure to do so will not be in their interest. The call from state department press secretary Ned Price came after Moscow and Beijing blocked U.S.-led efforts to punish North Korea for its recent provocations that included the launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile, along with more than a dozen short and intermediate range ballistic missiles.
22. U.S. eyes aircraft carrier deployment if North Korea conducts nuke test
    Kyodo News (Japan), Nov. 7 (1852) | Not Attributed
    The U.S. government plans to deploy an aircraft carrier in the Sea of Japan in a show of force if North Korea carries out its first nuclear test in years, sources with knowledge of the matter said Monday, adding the decision is expected to be taken in alignment with Japan and South Korea.
23. Sanctions fail to halt North Korea’s accelerating weapons programs
    Reuters (Analysis), Nov. 7 (0459) | David Brunnstrom
    Economic sanctions, the primary means the United States has used for years to try to exert pressure on North Korea, have abjectly failed to halt its nuclear and missile programs or to bring the reclusive northeast Asian state back to the negotiating table. Now, U.S. policy makers and their predecessors can do little more than pick through the wreckage and seek to determine what went wrong, and who might be to blame.
24. North Korea’s missile launches show no scarcity of weapons funding, materials despite sanctions
    Reuters (Analysis), Nov. 8 (0241) | Josh Smith
    North Korea’s record year of missile launches has shown its willingness to pour resources into producing and deploying more weapons than ever – and sanctions have done little to hinder their development, analysts say. Analysts said Pyongyang’s willingness to fire such expensive devices into the sea suggests the impoverished country’s missile programme faces few hurdles despite being banned by United Nations Security Council resolutions.
25. Australia Warns Building Nuclear Subs Will Be ‘Huge Undertaking’
    Bloomberg News, Nov. 7 (2229) | Ben Westcott
    Australia will need to do extensive preparation, training and research if it is to successfully construct a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines by 2040, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said, highlighting the long road ahead for its military ambitions.

CHINA

26. Chinese Warplane Incursions Near Taiwan Rise to Three-Month High
    Bloomberg News, Nov. 8 (0317) | Not Attributed
    China’s air force stepped up its incursions into sensitive areas near Taiwan to the highest level since US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit three months ago, amid a flurry of activity it sees as undermining its sovereignty. Some 31 aircraft flew into Taiwan’s southwestern air-defense identification zone or across the median line dividing the Taiwan Strait on Monday, the Defense Ministry in Taipei said in a tweet. The figure is the most since Aug. 5, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
27. China’s Xi Jinping Plans Visit to Saudi Arabia Amid Global Reshuffling
    Wall Street Journal, Nov. 7 (2148) | Stephen Kalin, Keith Zhai and Summer Said
    Chinese leader Xi Jinping is planning to visit Saudi Arabia before the end of the year, according to people familiar with preparations for the trip, as Beijing and Riyadh seek to deepen ties and advance a vision of a multipolar world where the U.S. no longer dominates the global order.

MIDDLE EAST

28. Group Warns of Rampant Violence in Syria Camp of IS Families
    Associated Press, Nov. 7 (0732) | Hogir Al Abdo
    A sprawling camp in northeastern Syria housing tens of thousands of women and children linked to the Islamic State group is witnessing pervasive violence, exploitation and lawlessness, an international aids group said Monday. Doctors Without Borders also said that countries with citizens held in the detention center of al-Hol in Syria’s northeastern province of Hassakeh have failed to take responsibility for protecting them. Repeated breaches of human rights and recurrent patterns of violence have been observed at the camp, said the group, also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres or MSF.

ARMY

29. Army planning ‘over a dozen’ events on top of Project Convergence to refine new tech next year
    DefenseScoop.com, Nov. 7 (1404) | Billy Mitchell
    In addition to its annual Project Convergence tech demonstration and experiments, the Army next year plans to add iterative exercises to continuously test and improve operational technologies, particularly in the data operations space, Lt. Gen. John Morrison, Army G-6, said Monday.

NAVY

30. Facing dire recruiting realities, Navy raises max enlistment age to 41
    Navy Times Online, Nov. 7 (1453) | Geoff Ziezulewicz
    The Navy raised its maximum enlistment age to 41 on Friday for sailors joining the fleet, a nod to the current recruiting struggles plaguing the entire U.S. military. Friday’s policy change means the Navy is now accepting the oldest enlisted recruits of the four services.

SPACE FORCE

31. Space Force official: We need the Commerce Department’s space traffic office to be successful
    SpaceNews.com, Nov. 7 (1428) | Sandra Erwin
    Space Force Maj. Gen. DeAnna Burt said discussions between DoD and the Department of Commerce are picking up momentum as both agencies work to figure out how to transition space traffic management to the Office of Space Commerce. Burt, who is special assistant to the vice chief of space operations of the U.S. Space Force, spoke Nov. 7 at the Air Traffic Control Association’s annual conference and exhibition.

NATIONAL GUARD

32. More Than a Dozen States Have Activated the National Guard to Secure Midterm Elections
    DefenseOne.com, Nov. 7 (1515) | Lauren C. Williams
    At least 14 states have spun up their National Guard units to ward off cyber attacks on the national election that concludes tomorrow, but others have not.

NOTABLE COMMENTARY

33. House Republicans are committed to strengthening our military against China
    Washington Examiner Online, Nov. 7 (0600) | Rep Mike Rogers (R-AL) and Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN)
    The United States confronts two near-peer nuclear-armed autocratic adversaries: Communist China and the Russian Federation. Both Beijing and Moscow seek to stamp out the sovereignty of nearby democratic nations. As the world has seen in Ukraine, what the Russian military lacks in capability it makes up for in horrific brutality. In China, an even more brutal regime, enabled by a vast surveillance state, enforces party loyalty with an iron fist. At the same time, Xi Jinping openly engages in genocide against the Uyghur people. On the House Armed Services Committee, we’ve heard from every top military leader that China is a threat to U.S. security at home and to China’s democratic neighbors abroad. We must respond to this challenge.
34. Putin just backtracked under pressure. That’s a hopeful sign
    Washington Post, Nov. 8 (0115), Pg. A23 | Max Boot
    Vladimir Putin’s power rests on the impression that he is invincible and implacable – that the Russian president can’t be defeated and will stop at nothing to achieve his objectives. The first myth has already been dispelled in Ukraine, where the Russian military has suffered heavy losses without coming close to achieving his ultimate objective of destroying Ukrainian independence. But the second myth lives on: It is leading some in the West to argue that the United States should use its leverage to force Kyiv to the bargaining table, because the Ukrainians will never succeed in regaining all of their lost territory. This pessimistic argument is premised on the assumption that Putin will just keep escalating indefinitely with more troops and more weapons – even nuclear weapons if necessary. But in recent weeks, we have seen evidence that suggest Putin is a rational actor who is perfectly capable of backtracking if it’s in his interest to do so.
35. Tehran’s Mullahs Throw Biden a Lifeline
    Wall Street Journal, Nov. 8 (0200), Pg. A15 | Walter Russell Mead
    Joe Biden is a lucky man. The heroism of the Ukrainian people saved him from a Russian victory. Now the people of Iran, led by their women, are offering him a historic opportunity to weaken Russia, reduce long-term American vulnerabilities in the Middle East, and even return a sense of caution and sobriety to Chinese foreign policy.