(09.09.2022)
Archiv: Lloyd Austin
Israel believes Iran deal unlikely before November
“In my estimation, it’s not going to happen in the very near future, not in the next few weeks,” one source, speaking not for attribution, said Sept. 6. “I think we’ll see continuation of a dialogue, very low key, until after the midterm elections.”
The assessment comes as the head of Mossad was the latest senior Israeli official to arrive for consultations in Washington this week.
However, Mossad director David Barnea has canceled earlier plans to brief the Senate Intelligence committee on Israeli objections to the Iran deal, sources said, and a committee spokesperson confirmed.
Barnea has completed a series of meetings with Burns, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chairman Mark Milley, FBI Director Christopher Wray, and other top US national security officials.
During those meetings, he presented „sensitive intelligence“ to highlight the Islamic Republic’s lies.
Mossad chief Barnea flies to Washington to try to halt Iran nuclear deal
(06.09.2022)
Mossad Director David Barnea left on Monday for Washington DC to hold a series of meetings with top officials from the White House, CIA Director William Burns, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Pentagon and the State Department to try to halt the reportedly impending Iran nuclear deal.
Pentagon, CENTCOM Deny Reports US Refueling Planes Took Part in Israel Iran-Strike Drill
(23.05.2022)
According to Buccino, the fuel tankers simulated refueling two US F-15s and four Israeli F-16s. The timing of the refueling exercise was coincidental, Buccino said.
“There is no direct US military involvement in that exercise,” Buccino said, referring to “Chariots of Fire.”
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Rob Lodewick also denied that the Department of Defense was “directly participating” in the exercise, according to the report.
“A small number of personnel from across US Central Command are observing portions of the exercise,” Lodewick added.
Report: In 1st, US refuelers to take part in major Israeli drill for strike on Iran
(17.05.2022)
According to the unsourced report, the US Air Force will serve as a complementary force, with refueling planes drilling with Israeli fighter jets as they simulate entering Iranian territory and carrying out repeated strikes.
The unprecedented Israel- US aerial collaboration in a drill simulating a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities is seen as a potential message to Iran amid long-stalled negotiations in Vienna over a return to the 2015 nuclear deal, a possibility Israel has repeatedly voiced its objection to, warning it would lead to “a more violent, more volatile Middle East.”
Israeli military to hold large-scale drill simulating widescale strike on Iran
(17.05.2022)
Gantz is slated to meet with his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, on Thursday at the Pentagon in Washington. Meanwhile, Michael Kurilla, head of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), arrived in Israel on Tuesday for his first official visit.
US Defense Secretary Austin replied to question on how US defined goals for success in #Ukraine. He replied that Washington wants to see “Ukraine remain a sovereign country, a democratic country, able to protect its sovereign territory.”
(25.04.2022)
Ukraine leader Zelenskyy says he will meet Sunday in Kyiv with US defense secretary Austin, secretary of state Blinken
Ukraine leader Zelenskyy says he will meet Sunday in Kyiv with US defense secretary Austin, secretary of state Blinken.
Biden meets with top Ukrainian officials in Poland
Kuleba and Reznikov were in a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Warsaw Marriott Hotel.
The president dropped by for about 40 minutes of the meeting and was seated at a long conference table between Blinken and Austin, with Ukrainian and American flags behind them.
Gen. McKenzie again says he is responsible for drone strike that killed 10 civilians but seems to defend decision to fire, citing similar intel for other successful strikes. Still a lot of questions about what transpired before strike, including civilian casualty estimates.
It happened in my area of responsibility, so I’m the responsible officer for that strike,” McKenzie said during a Senate hearing on Tuesday.
McKenzie said he was under “no pressure” and “no one in my chain of command below me was under any pressure to take that strike.”
Five takeaways from the Senate’s hearing on Afghanistan
Austin said military officials had discussed “a range of possibilities,” but no one planned for the possibility the Afghan government would collapse as quickly as it did.
“We certainly did not plan against a collapse of the government in 11 days,” Austin told lawmakers in response to a lawmaker question.
Secretary of Defense & Joint Chiefs Chair and Others Testify on Afghanistan Withdrawal
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Joint Chiefs Chair General Mark Milley, and General Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command, testify on the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Top Democrat threatens to subpoena Biden officials as Blinken testifies on Afghanistan
The committee’s chair, the hawkish New Jersey Democrat Bob Menendez, pulled no punches in his opening statement, threatening to subpoena Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other Biden officials who decline to voluntarily appear before the committee.
„Mr. Secretary, the execution of the U.S. withdrawal was clearly and fatally flawed,“ Menendez told Blinken.
The Pentagon has announced an investigation into the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan. @CBS_Herridge explains how the probe will look into the judgment calls made as the Taliban gained momentum ahead of the military’s exit:
Pentagon-Chef: Afghanistan-Abzug soll evaluiert werden
US-Verteidigungsminister Lloyd Austin will die Abläufe beim Truppenabzug aus Afghanistan evaluieren – aber ohne Eile. „Keine Operation ist je perfekt“, sagte Austin gestern in Washington auf die Frage, ob das US-Militär im Rückblick etwas hätte anders machen sollen.
Raab rejects US claims Britain indirectly to blame for Kabul attacks
(31.08.2021)
“We coordinated very closely with the US, in particular around the Isis-K threat, which we anticipated although tragically were not able to prevent, but it is certainly right to say we got our civilians out of the processing centre by Abbey gate, but it is just not true to suggest that other than securing our civilians inside the airport that we were pushing to leave the gate open.
“In fact, and let me just be clear about this, we were issuing changes to travel advice before the bomb attack took place and saying to people in the crowd, about which I was particularly concerned, that certainly UK nationals and anyone else should leave because of the risk.”
US military ‚blames BRITAIN for making Kabul suicide attack death toll worse‘: Leaked Pentagon papers say airport gate had to be kept open for UK evacuees – as questions grow over how many were killed by panicked troops firing on civilians
(30.08.2021)
The British Ministry of Defence declined to respond to allegations they were to blame for keeping the gate open, but said in a statement: ‚Throughout Operation Pitting we have worked closely with the US to ensure the safe evacuation of thousands of people.
Report reveals US decision to keep open Kabul airport gate before attack
(30.08.2021)
The Pentagon criticised the leaking of the call details reported in Politico, telling the news website: “This story is based on the unlawful disclosure of classified information and internal deliberations of a sensitive nature.
“As soon as we became aware of the material divulged to the reporter, we engaged Politico at the highest levels to prevent the publication of information that would put our troops and our operations at the airport at greater risk. We condemn the unlawful disclosure of classified information and oppose the publication of a story based on it while a dangerous operation is ongoing.”
Exclusive: Pentagon prepared for ‘mass casualty’ attack at Kabul Airport hours before explosion
(30.08.2021)
Commanders calling in from Kabul relayed that the Abbey Gate, where American citizens had been told to gather in order to gain entrance to the airport, was “highest risk,” and detailed their plans to protect the airport.
“I don’t believe people get the incredible amount of risk on the ground,” Austin said, according to the classified notes.
On a separate call at 4 that afternoon, or 12:30 a.m. on Thursday in Kabul, the commanders detailed a plan to close Abbey Gate by Thursday afternoon Kabul time. But the Americans decided to keep the gate open longer than they wanted in order to allow their British allies, who had accelerated their withdrawal timeline, to continue evacuating their personnel, based at the nearby Baron Hotel.
87 Retired Admirals and Generals Demand Resignation of SECDEF and CJCS
(30.08.2021)
The letter takes aim at the President and the highest ranks of military leadership, but mostly chastises them for not doing more to convince the Commander-in-Chief to maintain a US troop presence in the country.
Despite reported assurances from the Taliban that the remaining Americans who desire to leave Afghanistan will be afforded the opportunity to do so, the letter claims they are „de facto hostages of the Taliban“.
Strangely, the letter also claims that China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, and North Korea are the beneficiaries of the withdrawal.
Bennett in Washington Ahead of First Meeting With President Biden
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is set to meet U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during his first visit to Washington since taking office. Later, he is set to meet with National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan before a meeting with President Joe Biden on Thursday.
SecDef Austin Heads to Southeast Asia With Eye on China
The US wants to form stronger partnerships in the region to counter China
Alaska: Dual use
Von Alaska aus könnten die USA in beide Richtungen – gen Arktis und in den Indo-Pazifik – Macht entfalten, so der neue US-Verteidigungsminister Lloyd Austin zur Bedeutung des US-Bundesstaates.
US Defense Secretary Heads to Southeast Asia
Next week Austin will visit Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines. It is the first trip to Southeast Asia by a top member of the Biden administration and Austin’s second trip to the Asia-Pacific region, which he referred to earlier in the week as the Pentagon’s “priority theater of operations.”
U.S. Defense Secretary to visit the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam
“Secretary Austin’s visit will demonstrate the importance the Biden-Harris Administration places on Southeast Asia and on ASEAN as an essential part of the Indo-Pacific’s architecture,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc.
The U.S. embassy in Hanoi said on Tuesday that Austin’s trip would start on July 23.
Dems seem to be OK with the airstrikes Biden ordered over the weekend.
Pelosi says they appear „targeted and proportional“
Schiff says he believes they are „appropriate and reasonable“
Kaine said today it appears to be „classic“ self-defense
America is terrorizing & bombing the middle east again. We’re the terrorists. We’re the Imperialists. We’re the blood thirsty murdering psychopaths. We’re the Bad guys. This is without Trump. Congrats!
IDF chief Kohavi to make postponed Washington trip; discuss Gaza, Iran
Kohavi was initially set to meet with Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, head of the US Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie Jr., and head of the US Special Operations Command Gen. Richard D. Clark, according to The Jerusalem Post.
US begins moving equipment out of Afghanistan, sends bombers in
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier on Friday approved keeping the USS Eisenhower aircraft carrier in the region “for a period of time,” as well as sending several B-52 long-range bombers to the region, press secretary John Kirby told reporters.
USA stocken Truppen in Deutschland auf
Mit einer großen Überraschung ist US-Verteidigungsminister Austin nach Berlin gereist: 500 zusätzliche Soldaten sollen in Deutschland stationiert werden – ein deutliches Signal nach den Truppenabzugsplänen von Ex-US-Präsident Trump.
Defense secretary boasts ‚ironclad‘ commitment to Israel during trip to Tel Aviv
Austin’s visit to Israel is part of a multi-stop tour of U.S. allies “to discuss the importance of international defense relationships, and reinforce the United States’ commitment to deterrence and defense, burden sharing, and enduring trans-Atlantic security.“ He will also travel to Germany, the United Kingdom and NATO headquarters in Belgium.
India to Continue Buying Russian Weapons Despite US Sanction Threats
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin recently raised the issue of the S-400 systems in his first visit to India during a meeting with the Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The US has been threatening New Delhi with sanctions.
US defense chief Austin to visit Israel: report
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will visit Israel next week for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Axios reported Tuesday.
Warum drängt die Biden-Administration die Ukraine, Russland anzugreifen?
Am 24. März unterzeichnete der ukrainische Präsident Vladimir Zelensky, was im Wesentlichen eine Kriegserklärung an Russland war. In dem Dokument mit dem Titel Präsidialdekret Nr. 117/2021 erklärte der von den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika unterstützte ukrainische Führer, dass es die offizielle Politik der Ukraine sei, die Krim von Russland zurückzuholen.
Nationale Sicherheitsberater Südkoreas, der USA und Japans kommen Freitag zusammen
Das trilaterale Treffen erfolge nach den Besuchen von Außenminister Antony Blinken und Verteidigungsminister Lloyd Austin in Japan und Südkorea.
US defence boss Austin meets Afghan president in unannounced trip
United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in a previously unannounced visit to Kabul.
Pentagon chief visits ‚Quad‘ ally India with China high on agenda
India is a key US ally in the region and the visit comes hot on the heels of frosty first talks between Secretary of State Antony Blinken with top Chinese officials in Alaska.
Top Biden officials to meet with Chinese in Alaska
Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are expected to travel to Japan and South Korea next week, in what will be the first overseas trip for senior Biden officials.
Will Lloyd Austin Speak Truth on Afghanistan?
Afghanistan: Stay or Go? The final decision will depend largely on whether Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin can face down white White House armchair warriors allergic to „losing“ wars already long lost, as well as arms makers profiteering on the ones that drag on for decades.
‚Bad News‘: Biden Picks Retired General and Raytheon Board Member Lloyd Austin as Pentagon Chief
„The revolving door between Pentagon and industry can easily impact policy,“ Rainwater added. „We have here a double whammy: 1) Concerns about generals instead of civilians in charge and, 2) Working for a mega-contractor who benefits from some policies and whose profits are threatened by others.“
Biden’s Choice For Pentagon Chief Further Erodes a Key U.S. Norm: Civilian Control
Before Gen. Austin can be confirmed, Biden will need a special waiver from Congress under the National Security Act of 1947. That law, a cornerstone of the post-World War II national security state, provides that “a person who has within ten years been on active duty as a commissioned officer in a Regular component of the armed services shall not be eligible for appointment as Secretary of Defense.”
Biden Explains Defense Pick Amid Concerns There Be Civilian Control Of The Military
Unlike other Biden nominees who also may face skeptical confirmation hearings or tight votes in a closely divided Senate, Austin is likely to run into trouble aside from ideological positions or previous statements that may come up. Instead, it’s the fact that he’s only been retired from active duty for four years.
Civilian control is a key aspect of the U.S. military, and to underscore that principle, defense secretaries are legally required to have been retired from active duty for at least seven years.