July 19, 2024
As we honor our deployed service members this Red Friday, it’s essential to recognize the challenges they face and the importance of community support in maintaining their morale. Our armed forces play a crucial role in safeguarding our freedoms, and today, we highlight recent developments that underscore the significance of our support.
In northern Syria, the United States has recently sent military reinforcements to its base in Hasakah province, where Kurdish YPG forces operate. A convoy of approximately 40 vehicles, including Bradley armored vehicles, arrived to bolster our troops’ capabilities. This ongoing commitment demonstrates the U.S. military’s dedication to supporting operations in challenging environments. As these brave men and women serve far from home, sending care packages and letters can remind them that they are not alone.
Similarly, the U.S.-Bahrain Military Consultative Committee met on July 16, reflecting the importance of international partnerships in our defense efforts. During this meeting, U.S. and Bahraini leaders reaffirmed their commitment to regional security, highlighting our service members’ critical role in fostering global stability. It’s vital for us, as a community, to express gratitude and support for their dedication to ensuring peace in such regions.
Moreover, the Gaza pier, a temporary solution for delivering humanitarian aid, has faced operational challenges, leading to recommendations for dismantling. Despite these difficulties, our troops continue to play a pivotal role in aid delivery, underscoring the importance of logistical support in conflict zones. Supporting our deployed service members involves acknowledging the complexities they navigate daily.
In light of these developments, let’s take the initiative to show our appreciation for those currently serving. Here are a few ways to support our troops:
- Send Care Packages: Include essentials and personal notes to boost morale.
- Engage in Community Events: Participate in local events that honor and support veterans and active-duty service members.
- Advocate for Military Families: Support initiatives that assist the families of those deployed, ensuring they feel connected and cared for while their loved ones serve.
As we wear red today, let it be a symbol of our unwavering support for our deployed service members. Together, we can make a difference and show them that they are in our thoughts and hearts, no matter where they are stationed.
Armenia Launches Joint Military Drills with U.S. Amid Tensions with Russia
July 15, 2024 – Yerevan
Armenia has initiated joint military exercises with the United States, signaling its leader’s efforts to strengthen ties with the U.S. and other Western allies as relations with Russia deteriorate. The “Eagle Partner” war games, aimed at enhancing the interoperability of units involved in international peacekeeping missions, include Armenian peacekeeping forces, U.S. Army Europe and Africa servicemen, and the Kansas National Guard. The exercises will run through July 24.
Historically, Russia has been Armenia’s main economic partner and ally, especially since the 1991 Soviet collapse. However, ties have frayed since Azerbaijan’s military campaign last year reclaimed the Karabakh region, ending decades of ethnic Armenian separatist rule. Armenian authorities blamed Russian peacekeepers for failing to prevent Azerbaijan’s advance, while Russia maintained its troops had no mandate to intervene.
The rift with Russia has widened further due to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s efforts to align more closely with the West, including joining the International Criminal Court, which indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. In response, Armenia froze its participation in the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), canceled joint military drills, and distanced itself from Moscow-dominated alliances.
The “Eagle Partner” drills, previously held in September 2023, have again caused dismay in Moscow, where officials view Armenia’s closer ties with the West as “unfriendly.”
Readout of U.S.-Bahrain Military Consultative Committee
July 16, 2024
Department of Defense Spokeswoman Lt. Col. Kimbia Rey provided the following readout:
The United States and the Kingdom of Bahrain held the U.S.-Bahrain Military Consultative Committee (MCC) in Washington, DC, on July 16, 2024. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for the Middle East, Dan Shapiro, led the U.S. delegation, alongside representatives from U.S. Central Command, the Joint Staff, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, and the State Department. Minister of Defence Affairs, His Excellency Lieutenant General Abdullah Bin Hassan Al-Noaimi, led Bahrain’s delegation, alongside representatives from the Royal Bahraini Air Force, Royal Bahraini Naval Forces, and the Embassy of Bahrain.
The MCC is the preeminent bilateral forum for advancing U.S.-Bahrain defense cooperation, which stands as a critical pillar of the 2023 U.S.-Bahrain Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA).
During the MCC, U.S. and Bahraini leaders reaffirmed the strength of the U.S.-Bahrain strategic partnership and discussed a range of critical issues, including the status of regional conflicts and the progress of combined efforts to promote regional stability. Bahraini and U.S. participants reviewed opportunities to further develop the defense partnership over future years, including expanding bilateral defense trade, information-sharing, and advisory mechanisms. The MCC included sessions on bilateral intelligence cooperation, military cooperation, and security assistance.
The U.S. delegation praised Bahrain’s contributions to U.S.-led regional security initiatives in the Red Sea, including Operation Prosperity Guardian. U.S. officials also affirmed their commitment to further deepen American and Bahraini security cooperation under the framework of C-SIPA. The two sides agreed on the importance of continuing to advance the U.S.-Bahrain defense and security partnership through joint training, exercises, and greater regional cooperation to address shared threats.
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U.S. Central Command Recommends Dismantling Gaza Pier
July 16, 2024
U.S. Central Command has advised permanently dismantling the Gaza pier, per two U.S. officials. The pier, operational for only about 20 days since its May installation, has delivered nearly 20 million pounds of aid despite challenges from bad weather and mechanical issues.
Currently stationed in Ashdod, Israel, the Pentagon has announced the pier’s upcoming cessation of operations. However, it may be installed one final time to deliver remaining aid from Cyprus. Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder stated, “The pier has always been intended as a temporary solution, and it will conclude its mission soon, but as of today, I don’t have any announcements to make in terms of when the mission will officially conclude.”
President Biden introduced the temporary maritime corridor for aid to Gaza in his March State of the Union address. The pier was part of an initiative to supplement aid delivery by road and air drops, involving about 1,000 U.S. forces constructing and operating the corridor without entering Gaza.
The floating dock in the eastern Mediterranean facilitated the transfer of aid from Cyprus to U.S. military vessels, which then transported it to the pier for truck delivery into Gaza. Initially expected to be operable from May to August, rough weather delayed the pier’s installment and caused damage that required repairs. The U.S. military repeatedly detached the pier to wait out choppy seas at the Port of Ashdod.
President Biden expressed disappointment with the corridor’s performance in a recent press conference, stating, “I’ve been disappointed that some of the things that I’ve put forward have not succeeded as well, like the port we attached from Cyprus. I was hopeful that would be more successful.”
The Defense Department estimated the construction and operation of the pier to cost $230 million.
U.S. Military Reinforcements Arrive in Hasakah, Syria
July 16, 2024
The United States has deployed additional military reinforcements to its base in Hasakah province, controlled by the Kurdish YPG in northern Syria, according to Anadolu Agency. On Sunday evening, a convoy of approximately 40 American vehicles entered Al-Hasakah via the Al-Walid border crossing from Iraq.
This convoy included Bradley armored vehicles carrying U.S. soldiers, ammunition, prefabricated housing, and components of the American Avenger air defense system. This follows a previous deployment on June 25, when the U.S. Army sent another convoy of 40 vehicles to the military base in Qasrak, also occupied by Kurdish militia groups.
U.S. forces are stationed in Al-Hasakah, Raqqa, and Deir Ez-Zor provinces, regions crucial for the country’s oil fields.
