WASHINGTON — The White House is drafting a presidential directive that calls on Defense Secretary James N. Mattis to devise plans to more aggressively strike the Islamic State, which could include American artillery on the ground in Syria and Army attack helicopters to support an assault on the group’s capital, Raqqa, officials said.
President Trump, who is to make his first visit to the Pentagon as commander in chief on Friday, will demand that the new options be presented to him within 30 days, the officials said. During the presidential campaign, Mr. Trump repeatedly said that he had a secret plan to defeat the Islamic State, but he also said that he would give his commanders a month to come up with new options.
Trump to order Pentagon to hit ISIS harder, report says — FOX News
Trump likely to present Joint Chiefs with objectives for fighting ISIS — CNN
ISIS airstrike limits in Iraq come under review; Mattis looks at Mosul — Washington Times
Trump to order plan for Syria ‘safe zones’ – document — Reuters
Trump’s call for ‘safe zones’ in Syria is met with skepticism at the Pentagon — Military Times
Russia Urges Caution on US Plan for Safe Zones in Syria — AP
U.S. Defense Chief Assures French, German Counterparts Of NATO Commitment — RFE
US defense secretary Mattis stresses NATO importance with German counterpart — DW
In call, Mattis assures Liberman of ‘unwavering commitment to Israel’ — Times of Israel
US general accuses Russia of covertly building anti-satellite laser weapons — TASS
Russia Will Replace Entire Fleet of Light Fighters With Cutting-Edge MiG-35 Jets — Sputnik
Russia’s Arctic Military Buildup in One Map — Popular Mechanics
Russia’s advanced MiG-35 fighter jet — TASS
Not by PAK FA Alone: Russia’s MiG Corporation to Develop 5th-Generation Fighters — Sputnik
Some 50,000 Russian servicemen to get Ratnik-2 ‘soldier of future’ gear — TASS
Afghanistan Seeks More Women To Join Its Army — NDTV
Indonesian Defense Chief Plays Down A400M Acquisition Reports — Defense News
China ‘steps up preparedness for possible military conflict with US’ — South China Morning Post
US Navy to Use Embattled Arresting Gear Technology on Next Supercarrier — Defense Tech
Navy’s Drone Boat May Take On Missions Beyond Minesweeping — Defense Tech
Pentagon plans A-10 vs. F-35 showdown for close-air-support supremacy — Washington Times
Pentagon, Air Force Continue F-35 vs A-10 Close Air Support Testing – to Include Possible Fly-Off — Scout Warrior
Air Force’s Future Tanker Sees Rising Cost Overruns — Defense Tech
Trainer Price Wars: Raytheon Wanted Millions Less Per Plane Than Leonardo — Defense News
Army’s Ground Combat Systems Risk Being Surpassed by Russia, China — Washington Free Beacon
U.S. Army tests Stryker with 30mm cannon — UPI
The Army’s First New Pistol in 35 Years Features A Modular Design — WIRED
Army picks Sig Sauer’s P320 handgun to replace M9 service pistol — FOX News
The NSA Has Found a New Way to Categorically Deny FOIA Requests — Gizmodo
President Trump can’t fix his relationship with the CIA just by giving a speech — Washington Post
The good soldier: How Mike Pompeo will shape Trump’s CIA — The Hill
Pentagon: Mattis still opposes torture despite Trump comment — The Hill
The CIA’s latest dump of declassified documents makes clear how far the US has come on torture — Quartz
The Biggest Question for the U.S. Military Today: Technology or Readiness? — Brendan Thomas-Noone, National Interest
Tanks Are An Easy Target For Trump To Upgrade Army And Create U.S. Jobs — Loren Thompson. Forbes
Mattis Backs Nominees for Army, Navy, Air Force Secretaries — DoD Buzz
Mattis: ‘I Go By Jim,’ Not ‘Mad Dog’ — DoD Buzz
