jseldin-news.bsky.social
VOA National Security Correspondent, former Pentagon Correspondent
Ex WTOP/Federal News Network | Syracuse University-Newhouse
(RTs ≠ endorsement)
Email: [email protected] / DM for Signal
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Manuchekhri faces a max of 45 years in prison if convicted
“Under no circumstances will my Department of Justice tolerate terrorism" per US Attorney General Pam Bondi in statement
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Starting in December 2021, DOJ alleges Manuchekhri sent $70,000 in payments to ISIS affiliates individuals in Turkey and Syria, per DOJ
One of those individuals was later arrested in connection with an ISIS-K claimed attack on a church in Istanbul
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Per the DOJ criminal complaint, Manuchekhri came to the US from Tajikistan in June 2016 and stayed after his visa expired in December 2016
He is then alleged to have entered into a sham marriage to obtain legal status
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"We know what we have to do, but to be able to get those capabilities into the hands of our operators or our small tactical units, I would describe as critical" per MajGen Huntley
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"Just a quick casual look at al-Shabaab or ISIS in eastern Africa or even some of the narco organizations in South America, what they bring to the capital fight is, frankly, pretty impressive" per MajGen Huntley
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"What we're seeing is particularly non-state actors, their capabilities are increasing and evolving relatively fast" per USMC's MajGen Peter Huntley
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"...every facet of power available will be leveraged by our nation state adversaries" per LtGen Braga
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"The nexus of non-state and state is, I would suggest, growing, and I think our nation state adversaries will take every vintage they can" per LtGen Braga
"...whether relation with drug cartels or terrorist organizations, violent extremist organizations..."
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Info ops: "We cede the information environment at our own peril" Army Special Ops LtGen Jonathan Braga tells lawmakers
"It's more important to be first...to set the narrative especially when you're dealing with nation states w/nation state size resources" w/AI and bot farms
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"You see al-Shabaab, ISIS, even Clan del Golfo...they had these capabilities at the tactical edge" per MajGen Huntley
"They're moving fast in terms of upgrading [tech]. We need to be able to move just as fast"
"That's our main challenge going forward"
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"Whether you're fighting against a peer competitor or whether you're fighting against a narco, organization, somewhere else in the world, it's out there' per MajGen Huntley
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US adversaries closing the technology gap...
"We've always enjoyed a great advantage of being able to sense the enemy before they sense us. But with the proliferation of technologies, that's a two-way street" per Marine's MajGen Huntley
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"We are at max capacity" per Marine Forces Special Operations Command's MajGen Peter Huntley
"We're putting everything out the door that we can...there's probably more things we should be doing. There's definitely more things that the command would like us to do"
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But the need for special ops is growing - "I think the realization, based on our presence, our access, and our relationships, is that they need us more than ever" per LtGen Conley
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"We commit almost 100% of our forces in each deployment cycle" per Air Force Special Operations Command's LtGen Michael Conley
"There's no excess left. In order to do other things, it means trade-offs"
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"It is more expensive to deploy and and meet this demand. That is a challenge" per LtGen Braga
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“Iran continues to try to find new ways to procure the key components it needs to bolster its UAV weapons program" per Treasury Sec Scott Bessent
"Treasury remains committed to disrupting the schemes that enable Iran to send its deadly weapons abroad to its terrorist proxies"
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The China & Hong Kong-based companies are alleged to have provided Iranian companies with valve assemblies, radio frequency (RF) connectors, engines, aircraft components, drone parts and other electronic components, per US Treasury
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NEW: US help for Saudi Arabia against attacks by Iran and its proxies up for discussion
"Certainly, that's a topic we're going to talk about today" per US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth
"Iran is a big concern in the region. Saudi Arabia has been a great partner"
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"...I want the best possible lawyers in each service to provide the best possible recommendations, no matter what, to lawful orders that are given" per Sec Hegseth
"And we didn’t think those particular positions were well suited...We're opening it up to everybody"
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NEW: US Defense Secretary defends the firing of the Judge Advocates General for the Army, Navy and Air Force
"It’s roadblocks to orders that are given by a commander-in-chief..." he says
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NEW: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejects notion that ret. LtGen Dan Caine - picked by President Trump to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - is not qualified
"I'm going to choose to reject your unqualified question" he tells reporters
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"Our relationship and our work together and cooperation is vital, has always been vital and is even more important these days" per Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman in opening remarks
"...to make sure the region is stable and the world is stable"
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America First “does not mean ignoring partnerships" per Hegseth, ahead of meeting with Prince Khalid bin Salman
The "partnership with Saudi Arabia matters a great deal" he adds, calling KSA "a critical center of gravity in a very turbulent region"
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NEW: Details from US Treasury on sanctions vs Iran's "shadow fleet" involved in illicit sales of Iranian oil
Targets include oil brokers in the UAE and Hong Kong, Seychelles-based shell companies, India, and vessels flagged in Barbados, Liberia, Panama, and the Cook Islands
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"This network of illicit shipping facilitators obfuscates and deceives its role in loading and transporting Iranian oil for sale to buyers in Asia" per State's Tammy Bruce
"It has shipped tens of millions of barrels of crude oil worth hundreds of millions of dollars"
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Before being fired, Gen CQ Brown was at the US southern border Friday, visiting with troops there, aiming to "ensure our troops at the border have everything they need"
x.com/GenCQBrownJr...
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"Under President Trump, we are putting in place new leadership that will focus our military on its core mission of deterring, fighting and winning wars" per Defense Seceretary Hegseth, in statement
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NEW: US Defense Secretary says military is replacing the current Chief of Naval Operations and Air Force Vice Chief of Staff
Hegseth also says he is "requesting nominations for the Judge Advocates General for the Army, Navy and Air Force"
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NEW: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praises Lt Gen Dan Caine - "embodies the warfighter ethos and is exactly the leader we need to meet the moment"
Hegseth also praises Gen CQ Brown, saying the outgoing chairman of the joint chiefs of staff "has served with distinction"
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Trump also says he's directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth "to solicit nominations for five additional high level positions, which will be announced soon"
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Per Trump, Lt. Gen. Caine was "instrumental in the complete annihilation of the ISIS caliphate" but was "passed over for promotion by Sleepy Joe Biden"
"Alongside Secretary Pete Hegseth, General Caine and our military will restore peace through strength, put America First..."
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"Use of PRC origin artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning tools on government devices will almost certainly provide the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with US government data as well as advance information on our nation’s policies.” per Sen Tom Cotton in letter to OMB
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"They [Hamas] just cannot exist going forward" Waltz says, adding Hamas will never allow for a two-state solution
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"Hamas is of the worst kinds of terrorists groups out there" per White House national security adviser Mike Waltz at CPAC
"They are no different than ISIS. They are no different than al Qaeda. And they absolutely must be destroyed"
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"Key to it all is that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon" per Waltz
"Under President Trump's leadership, we will ensure that does not happen"
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Iran and its proxies - "We have to keep our foot on their neck" per White House national security adviser Mike Waltz at CPAC
Credits Israel with disrupting and degrading Tehran's axis of terror
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On US-China, Pres. Trump " firmly believes we can win this economically" per national security adviser Mike Waltz
"We can win this through our supply chains. We can win this through, our markets, in fair trade deals, and at the same time rebuilding our great military"
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"We are securing our border and the cartels are on notice" per Waltz, adding only that, "You've seen images of the Mexican army doing joint patrols with our customs and border police, and with our military to secure the United States border"