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Video and transcript of Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis' address at the Munich Security Conference. H/T to Real Clear World.

"The announcement about the finalists comes a day after retired Vice Adm. Bob Harward turned down the job."

"After a decade of debate, the US Army is finally creating permanent units dedicated to advising foreign forces."

“The intensity of the ISIS campaign has required the Pentagon to draw from its stores around the globe.”

The first of six planned security force brigades will activate in October at Fort Benning, Georgia, the Army announced on Thursday.

"Al Qaeda and the Islamic State could reconcile their differences to present a different but persistent security challenge to the United States for the foreseeable future."

Beginning with the counter-ISIS fight in Syria, British Army Maj. Gen. Rupert Jones said the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Syrian Arab Coalition continue to pressure and isolate Raqqa.

“The decision to withhold information underscores deep mistrust between the U.S. intelligence community and the President.”

"The head of UN peacekeeping said Haiti has made so much progress that he would recommend the Security Council pull out the nearly 5,000 multinational troops and police."

“The move would significantly alter US military operations in Syria if approved and could put troops on the ground within weeks.”

"Defense Secretary Mattis warned on Wednesday that the amount of American support for NATO could depend on whether other countries meet their own spending commitments."

“Few Americans are even aware or concerned over how long this nation has been engaged in armed conflicts over the past seven decades.”

“The Trump administration is in talks with Arab allies about having them form a military alliance that would share intelligence with Israel to help counter their mutual foe, Iran.”

Barriers sometimes work. The much-maligned Maginot Line actually did its job. The Germans never breached it; indeed, they made no attempt to do so.

"Conventional military dominance means that few adversaries are likely to directly challenge the U.S. with the use of force, since doing so risks complete military defeat."

Retired Navy Vice Adm. Robert Harward and former CIA Director David Petraeus are two of the potential candidates to replace Flynn.

Russia's operations in Afghanistan, which Nicholson said are increasing, could complicate any effort by President Trump to work more closely with Moscow on fighting terrorism.

“IS is devising a modified survival strategy that may involve surrendering control of its ‘caliphate’ in Iraq and Syria but seeks to preserve a virtual version of it online.”

“Russian military officials have vociferously denied that their airstrikes have killed civilians in Syria.”

The United States Agency for International Development Office of Transition Initiatives is seeking people to fill some much needed and critical positions.

Russia is hosting a conference in Moscow this week that will bring together Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, India and Iran to discuss a possible solution of the conflict in Afghanistan.

"These are chaotic and anxious days inside the National Security Council, the traditional center of management for a president’s dealings with an uncertain world."

An overwhelming cloak of nature. Inescapable. All pervasive. Seemingly solid but untouchable. Not the warm temperament of home. Enervating. Suppurating. No escape.

“The raid demonstrates the serious risks associated with conducting such a mission with limited on-the-ground intelligence and cooperation with Yemeni forces.”

“In history, Syria has always been the corridor between sea and desert, joining Africa to Asia and Arabia to Egypt. It has been a prize-ring for its great neighbors.”