By Aleksandr Golts, Eurasia Daily Monitor: “The Russian Army is planning to recreate the Main Political Directorate that existed in the Soviet Army (GlavPUR), according to the Deputy Chairman of the Public Council at the Russian Ministry of Defense, Alexander Kanshin. “The role of the moral and political unity of the army and society is increasing immensely at the time of global informational and psychological confrontation.”
The Navy is failing at its most basic responsibilities.
Mackenzie Eaglen | Axios
Secretary Mattis’ national defense strategy targets readiness, lethality, and reforms to better counter great power competition from China and Russia. Yet President Trump’s budget calls for only a 2 percent annual increase in defense spending — enough to dig the Pentagon out of its current hole, but not enough to pursue the pivot Mattis envisions.
By Jyri Raitasalo, RealClearDefense: “Even in the best of circumstances, it is going to take years, most probably more than a decade, to address these shortfalls of military capability.”