CENTCOM commander acknowledges he did not try to stop Taliban from entering Kabul “If someone actually made a decision, that would’ve been me,” Gen. Kenneth 'Frank' McKenzie told House lawmakers during a hearing today. Congress
US House passes measure to end maintenance for Saudi aircraft targeting Yemen Progressives' bid to get Riyadh to stop bombing Yemen may test Biden's commitment to Gulf allies. Congress
House Democrats back away from delaying Israel arms sale amid Gaza conflict The Biden administration will brief lawmakers on the proposed $735 million sale of JDAM guidance conversion kits and other weapons equipment. Congress
Intel: AOC incurs AIPAC’s wrath with anti-annexation letter Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) are facing off over a letter the progressive firebrand sent Tuesday warning against Israeli efforts to annex parts of the West Bank. Palestine
Intel: Congress pushes European Union to fully designate Hezbollah as terrorist group A bipartisan group of 30 US lawmakers sent a blanket letter to all European Union member states Thursday asking them to designate the entirety of Lebanon’s militia-cum-political party Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Lebanon
Intel: Democrats condemn US broadcasting CEO’s Middle East purges after expanding office’s powers President Donald Trump’s new CEO of the US Agency for Global Media on Wednesday fired the heads of at least three of its outlets who collectively oversaw its Middle East and Iran coverage. The move sparked immediate condemnation from key Democrats despite their previous bipartisan support for expanding the CEO’s powers. Congress
Intel: Congress pushes back against Pentagon plan to withdraw US forces from Egypt’s Sinai Congress is using a key defense bill to push back against Defense Secretary Mark Esper’s reported plans to withdraw US peacekeeping forces from Egypt’s Sinai. Egypt
Intel: State Department official 'tried to bully' watchdog reviewing Saudi arms sale The independent watchdog ousted by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that a high-ranking State Department official “tried to bully” him in part because of his review of last year’s emergency arms sale for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia
Pentagon’s new foreign military training proposal greeted with skepticism in Congress The Pentagon wants Congress to establish a new training program for foreign military officers, but some congressional appropriators say it duplicates a State Department program. Congress
Democrats prepare legislation forcing Trump to declassify report on Khashoggi murder Democrats are drafting new legislation that would force the Donald Trump administration to declassify a report on Khashoggi’s murder, potentially implicating the crown prince. Saudi Arabia
Intel: Congress advances trans-Sahara security bill as Pentagon mulls Africa troop drawdown The Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week unanimously advanced long-stalled legislation to formally institutionalize a counterterrorism partnership with numerous North African and Sahel states. North Africa
Intel: Congress advances key Israel military aid bill Congress is zeroing in on final passage of a 2-year-old military aid bill for Israel. Israel
Intel: Senate Democrats warn Netanyahu against West Bank annexation Nineteen Senate Democrats warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition partner Benny Gantz against Israeli plans to annex settlements in the West Bank and the entire Jordan Valley in a letter Thursday. Palestine
Intel: Pompeo refused interview on Saudi arms sale investigation before firing Linick Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refused to give an interview for State Department Inspector General Steve Linick’s investigation into a massive Saudi arms sale deal before asking President Donald Trump to fire the watchdog, Al-Monitor has learned. Saudi Arabia
Intel: 331 lawmakers take International Criminal Court to task over Israel investigation Hundreds of US lawmakers have signed onto two letters to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to continue his “vigorous support of Israel as it faces the growing possibility of investigations and prosecutions by the International Criminal Court” over potential war crimes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestine
