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Presented by Lockheed Martin: From the SitRoom to the E-Ring, the inside scoop on defense, national security and foreign policy. | | | | | |  | | By Alexander Ward and Quint Forgey | Presented by Lockheed Martin | With help from Daniel Lippman and Paul McLeary | 
Rep. Andy Levin (D-Mich.) wants a two-state solution to be official U.S. policy. | Samuel Corum/Getty Images | Welcome to National Security Daily, your guide to the global events roiling Washington and keeping the administration up at night. As we continue our 10th week here at NatSec Daily, we’re soliciting your feedback on what you like/dislike about the newsletter, what you want to see more or less of, and anything else you think your hosts should know. Find our contact info below. And which of our editor credits at the end has been your favorite so far? Send tips | Subscription options here | Email Alex | Email Quint FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY — Rep. ANDY LEVIN (D-Mich.) wants a two-state solution to be official U.S. policy, and new legislation he’ll propose tomorrow sets out a pathway to make that arrangement a reality. If Congress passes and President JOE BIDEN signs the “Two-State Solution Act,” American policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will formally state… — “[that] only the outcome of a two-state solution can both ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a democratic state and a national home for the Jewish people and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own.”
— “that the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza are occupied territories and should be referred to as such consistently in official United States policies, communications, and documents.”
— “that the establishment of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories is inconsistent with international law.”
— “that settlement expansion, demolitions of Palestinian homes, revocations of residency permits, and forced evictions of Palestinian civilians by Israel impede the establishment of a Palestinian state and violate the human rights of the Palestinian people.” But how to achieve a two-state solution — which Biden described just yesterday as the “best way to ensure … Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic state living in peace alongside a viable, sovereign and democratic Palestinian state”? Levin has several ideas, but here are some of his key proposals: — Products made in the Palestinian territories should be marked as made in “West Bank/Gaza,” “West Bank/Gaza Strip,” or “West Bank and Gaza” — not “Israel,” “Made in Israel,” or “Occupied Territories-Israel.”
— No funds, defense articles or defense services the United States sends to Israel may be used to annex more Palestinian territory or violate “internationally recognized” human rights.
— The secretary of State and U.S. Agency for International Development administrator may authorize grants to private, nonprofit and other organizations to support human rights, democracy and the rule of law in the Palestinian territories.
— The United States should reopen its consulate in Jerusalem to engage with Palestinians and allow the reopening of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s mission in Washington, D.C.
— The United States should encourage the Palestinians to reform their so-called “pay to slay ” practice of providing financial benefits to imprisoned or dead breadwinners, which leaders say is their welfare program. “The need to achieve a two-state solution is more urgent than ever,” Levin told NatSec Daily. “As we enter this new year in the Jewish calendar, we must also enter a new chapter — one in which Israel’s future as a democratic state and homeland for the Jewish people is secure and Palestinians’ aspirations for a state of their own can be fulfilled. We can no longer claim credibly to support a two-state solution without taking steps to bring one about. This bill reestablishes America’s role in helping the parties move down the path of peace and coexistence.” This measure is sure to spark a firestorm in the Capitol. Levin already has a growing list of 18 Democratic co-sponsors — including Reps. BARBARA LEE (D-Calif.), JOAQUIN CASTRO (D-Texas), RO KHANNA (D-Calif.) and JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D-Illinois) — who will back him, as well as a slew of left-leaning pro-Israel organizations who approve of the legislation. While many of the ideas in the bill aren’t unique, “this is the single-most comprehensive piece of legislation on the two-state solution that I’ve seen since I’ve been working on this issue,” said JEREMY BEN-AMI, president of the left-leaning J Street, adding it’s a step beyond the usual “lip service and rhetoric.” Why? Because the bill clearly differentiates between the State of Israel and the territories Israel occupies; aid should have end-use restrictions; and it provides carrots to the Palestinians as opposed to only sticks, Ben-Ami said. But every action has an equal and opposite reaction, and every Republican who spoke with NatSec Daily predicted the bill won’t make it out of Congress — although none said so on the record. Conservative groups, like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, will assuredly lobby against the legislation. And it’s also unclear whether the White House, the State Department or congressional leadership will support the measure; none responded to our requests for comment. Still, even if Levin’s bill doesn’t pass in its entirety, the possibility remains that its pieces could be folded into future legislation, or at least serve as a serious conversation starter. That’s fine with Ben-Ami. “This is all part of a process of changing the conversation around U.S. policy in this conflict,” he told us. “It’s an important shove of the conversation forward.” Levin, Ben-Ami, lawmakers and others will officially unveil the bill Thursday at 11 a.m. at the House Triangle.
| | | BIDEN AND MACRON MAKE UP — FOR NOW: Biden and French President EMMANUEL MACRON had their first call today since the dust-up over AUKUS. Biden requested the call, and Macron went into it seeking “clarifications” about why the United States joined Australia and the United Kingdom in a nuclear-submarine deal that canceled a multibillion-dollar contract for France. A French official told reporters that Macron expected Biden to “recognize that the discussions and consultations that should have taken place did not and that this raises questions of trust,” and that they should launch a “solid process over time and at a high level to create the conditions to restore trust through actions and concrete measures, not just words.” After their call Wednesday morning, both sides released a joint statement: “The two leaders agreed that the situation would have benefitted from open consultations among allies on matters of strategic interest to France and our European partners. President Biden conveyed his ongoing commitment in that regard.” They promised to meet in Europe at the end of October, and the French ambassador will head back to Washington. GOP-BACKED RESISTANCE LEADERS FLEE AFGHANISTAN: AHMAD MASSOUD and AMRULLAH SALEH, the military and political leaders of the short-lived Panjshir resistance, have fled Afghanistan for Tajikistan. Their departure, reported by The Intercept’s MATTHEW COLE and KEN KLIPPENSTEIN, is a blow to conservatives such as Sen. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.) and Rep. MIKE WALTZ (R-Fla.), who wanted the administration to fund and arm the resistance fighters. It’s also a dagger to anyone who harbored thoughts of other militants deposing the Taliban. “The retreat of the two key Afghan resistance figures contradicts public claims that they are still in Afghanistan and holding out against the Taliban and signals a remarkable shift in their fortunes: For the first time in decades, the United States government and the CIA do not appear to be backing them,” Cole and Klippenstein wrote. TALIBAN WANTS SEAT AT UNGA: The Taliban want to send SUHAIL SHAHEEN , a longtime spokesperson for the group, as a representative to the U.N. — and also named him as the group’s permanent representative. "It will take some time to deliberate, so we will obviously follow this issue closely and deliberate along with other members of the credentials committee," a senior State Department official told reporters yesterday. This poses a problem for Biden’s team. While Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN said the Taliban is the “de facto” government of Afghanistan, the U.S. hasn’t yet formally recognized the group as the country’s leadership team. But if the U.N. gives Suhail a seat, then it’ll put the U.S. and its allies in a very awkward position. THE FRENCH ARE COMING (AGAIN): Now that Biden and Macron are friends again, a new French general will move to Virginia to take over a NATO office that has become a home for France’s air force brass. French Air Force Gen. PHILIPPE LAVIGNE will replace Gen. ANDRÉ LANATA as supreme allied commander transformation, or SACT, during a change of command ceremony in Norfolk, Va., that will see some serious locking of arms between U.S., NATO and French officials — including NATO chief JENS STOLTENBERG, French Air Force Vice Chief Gen. ERIC AUTULLET and Supreme Allied Commander, Europe Gen. TOD WOLTERS. The SACT office is the only NATO command based in the U.S. and Lavigne will be the fifth straight French pilot to take the job, following then-Gen. JIM MATTIS’ departure in 2009. That was the same year France rejoined the NATO Military Command Structure and began sending generals to Norfolk. IT’S WEDNESDAY: Thanks for tuning in to NatSec Daily. This space is reserved for the top U.S. and foreign officials, the lawmakers, the lobbyists, the experts and the people like you who care about how the natsec sausage gets made. Aim your tips and comments at award@politico.com and qforgey@politico.com, and follow us on Twitter at @alexbward and @QuintForgey. While you’re at it, follow the rest of POLITICO’s national security team: @nahaltoosi, @woodruffbets, @politicoryan, @PhelimKine, @BryanDBender, @laraseligman, @connorobrienNH, @paulmccleary, @leehudson, @AndrewDesiderio and @JonnyCustodio. Make sure to join POLITICO on Thursday, Oct. 7, for our inaugural defense forum, where we’ll talk to the decision-makers in the White House, Congress, military and defense industry who are reshaping American power abroad and redefining military readiness for the future of warfare. Assure your spot now by registering here. | | A message from Lockheed Martin: Only the “K” can: The CH-53K is the U.S. Marines’ most powerful helicopter.
The all-new CH-53K King Stallion helicopter brings increased capability to succeed in the future, high-end, maritime fight. Learn More | | | | | | NEXT JAPANESE PM TO CHANGE PACIFIST STANCE?: The four candidates vying to be Japan’s next prime minister are open to amending the U.S.-drafted Constitution that renounces Tokyo’s involvement in war. However, they all differ on how exactly they would do it. FUMIO KISHIDA, the former foreign minister, said he would clarify the legality and authorities of the nation’s self-defense forces. TARO KONO, the country’s administrative chief, simply said he’d support a Constitutional change. SANAE TAKAICHI , the most conservative candidate, said there should be a new Constitution that alters Article 9, the war-renunciation part. And SEIKO NODA, the most liberal of the candidates, would welcome public feedback on what parts of the ruling document need changing. If either are elected, Takaichi and Noda, both former internal affairs ministers, would become the first female leader of Japan. In a past life, your host wrote a #longread on Japan’s slow and steady move away from its pacifist stance and toward one where it can wield its military like any other country. One of these four people could make that a reality. If any of this comes to pass, expect some blowback from Beijing and Pyongyang.
| | | POLL: MOST EXECUTIVES WOULD PAY CYBER RANSOMS: A poll conducted by the cybersecurity firm Arctic Wolf found a majority of IT and business leaders would pay the perpetrators of a ransomware attack. After surveying 1,400 people in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, only 22 percent of C-suite executives said they would never pay a cyber ransom, with 56 percent of IT middle managers saying the same. What’s more, 21 percent said their company didn’t disclose a known cyberattack, with 61 percent of business owners admitting they concealed the strike themselves. Few — that’s 15 percent — have confidence that diplomacy between nations can get the cyberattacks to stop, whereas 31 percent say retaliatory responses might help. | | | | INTRODUCING OTTAWA PLAYBOOK : Join the growing community of Politicos — from lawmakers and leaders to pollsters, staffers, strategists and lobbyists — working to shape Canada’s future. Every day, our reporting team pulls back the curtain to shed light on what’s really driving the agenda on Parliament Hill, the true players who are shaping politics and policy across Canada, and the impact it all has on the world. Don’t miss out on your daily look inside Canadian politics and power. Subscribe to Ottawa Playbook today. | | | | | | | | TOP DOD NUKE OFFICIAL OUT: LEONOR TOMERO, the top nuclear policy official at the Pentagon, will lose her post in a staff reorganization after only nine months in the job, per your host, LARA SELIGMAN and PAUL MCLEARY. The Pentagon’s new assistant secretary for space, a position Congress recently created, will absorb the responsibility for nuclear and missile defense, a person familiar with the move said. However, multiple NatSec Daily tipsters reached out and claimed there’s a deeper story here. Basically, they argue that if the Defense Department wanted to keep Tomero, it would have. Tomero has openly spoken out against spending billions of dollars to modernize nuclear weapons she deems obsolete — a goal she told the Asahi Shimbun in May is “the objective of the president.” Was she pushed out by officials who didn’t like her views, or the way she ran the Nuclear Posture Review? The staff over here at NatSec Daily will keep digging, but send us a tip if you know anything.
| | | GOP STILL SPLIT OVER AFGHAN REFUGEES: A government funding bill passed by the House on Tuesday evening that funds Afghan resettlement programs has exacerbated tensions among Republicans over how to respond to the wave of refugees arriving in the United States from the war-torn country, per our own OLIVIA BEAVERS and ANDREW DESIDERIO. As GOP lawmakers seize upon Biden’s chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal and raise concerns about the refugee vetting process ahead of next year’s midterm elections, “some of that messaging is being undermined by echoes of xenophobia” from Republicans like Rep. MATT ROSENDALE (R-Mont.), Beavers and Desiderio write. In an interview, Rosendale reiterated his opinion (conveyed in a controversial tweet last week) that the Afghan refugees should preferably “be settled in nations around them — Uzbekistan, Tajikistan — where they do share their culture, where they do share the religion, and everybody involved would be happier.” | | | |   | | | | | | BIDEN TAKING HEAT FOR HAITIAN MIGRANTS: More than 38 civil rights and immigrant advocacy leaders sent a letter to the White House on Tuesday evening demanding the president immediately stop deporting the thousands of Haitians arriving at the U.S. southern border, our own NATASHA KORECKI and LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ report. “Responsibility for the suffering and deaths resulting from summary expulsions and removals now falls squarely on your Administration and will be part of your enduring legacy,” the group wrote. Senate Majority Leader CHUCK SCHUMER and other top congressional Democrats also have called on the White House to end the expulsions, and 12 House Democrats were scheduled to hold a news conference on the issue Wednesday. Biden and his team have rushed in recent days to respond to images and videos of aggressive tactics used by Border Patrol agents to corral the migrants. But Korecki and Barrón-López write that the administration has yet to “figure out a solution to the crowding and sanitary issues arising in what’s become a makeshift encampment — or stop its policy of deporting migrants upon arrival.”
| | | — FIRST IN NATSEC DAILY: HAYDEN TEMIN is now vice president for HR operations and delivery at Booz Allen Hamilton. She most recently was assistant director for HR at the FBI, where she served for almost 15 years. — The president plans to nominate SHANNON CORLESS for assistant secretary of terrorism and financial intelligence at the Treasury Department; CARRIE RICCI for general counsel of the Army at the Defense Department; DOUGLAS BUSH for assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics, and technology at the Defense Department; and ASHISH VAZIRANI for deputy undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness at the Defense Department.
| | | — IVAN KRASTEV and MARK LEONARD, Foreign Policy: “Europeans Want to Stay Out of the New Cold War” — SYLVIE KAUFFMANN, The New York Times: “ Opinion: No Wonder the French Are Angry” — DEBRA PERLIN, POLITICO Magazine: “Opinion: The Supreme Court is Giving George W. Bush the Last Laugh on Guantanamo” | | | | JOIN THURSDAY FOR A WOMEN RULE CONVERSATION ON ENDING SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MILITARY: Sexual assault in the military has been an issue for years, and political leaders are taking steps to address it. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) proposed bipartisan legislation to overhaul military sexual assault policies, but still face opposition. Join Women Rule for a virtual interview featuring Sens. Ernst and Gillibrand, who will discuss their legislative push and what it will take to end sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military. REGISTER HERE. | | | | | | | | — Observer Research Foundation, 7 a.m.: “Diversifying the Quad: Opportunities in Geoeconomics, Technology, Climate Change and Health — with JENNIFER JACKETT, KAWAI MASAHIRO, AKSHAY MATHUR, LATHA REDDY and KURT TONG” — The Center for Global Development, 8 a.m.: “Sustaining Basic Health Services and COVID-19 Control in Afghanistan — with SUE ECKERT, AMANDA GLASSMAN, AHMAD JAN NAEEM and DIWA SAMAD” — The Center for Strategic and International Studies, 9 a.m.: “ Eleventh Annual South China Sea Conference: Session Three — with MICHAEL DAHM, BLAKE HERZINGER, GREGORY B. POLING and BICH T. TRAN” — The Center for Strategic and International Studies, 9 a.m.: “The Future of Work in the Mekong Subregion — with ROMINA BANDURA, BART EDES, SOK CHENDA SOPHEA, GLORIA STEELE, RAMESH SUBRAMANIAM and ALLEN DODGSON TAN” — The Center for Global Development, 9:30 a.m.: “Rethinking Humanitarian Reform: What Will It Take to Deliver a People-Driven System? — with HEBA ALY, MIA BEERS, ALIX MASSON, PATRICK SAEZ, ANNIKA SANDLUND and DANNY SRISKANDARAJAH” — Senate Armed Services Committee, 9:30 a.m.: “Full Committee Hearing: Nominations — with JACQUELINE VAN OVOST” — House Foreign Affairs Committee, 10 a.m.: “Subcommittee Hearing: Shifting the Power: Advancing Locally-led Development and Partner Diversification in U.S. Development Programs — with DEGAN ALI, MEGHAN ARMISTEAD, C.D. GLIN and ALI MOHAMED” — The National Security Innovation Network, 10 a.m.: “ NSIN Propel Demo Day” — The Atlantic Council, 11 a.m.: “Virtual fireside chat with Frans Timmermans: The European Union’s new path forward on climate — with SARA SCHONHARDT and FRANS TIMMERMANS” — New America, 12 p.m.: “Subtle Tools: The Dismantling of American Democracy from the War on Terror to Trump — with PETER BERGEN and KAREN GREENBERG” — The Center for Strategic and International Studies, 1:30 p.m.: “ Investing Intelligently in Remotely Crewed Systems: Leveraging Capability for Future Conflict — with ROSE BUTCHART, REBECCA GRANT, TODD HARRISON and WILL ROPER” — House Foreign Affairs Committee, 2 p.m.: “Subcommittee Hearing: Transatlantic Cooperation on Countering Global Violent Extremism — with MATTHEW LEVITT, OLIVIER ONIDI and VIDHYA RAMALINGAM” — The Middle East Institute, 2 p.m.: “Iran Facing Outward: Changing Politics, Military Doctrine, and Border Issues — with FATEMEH AMAN, MANOCHEHR DORRAJ, ALI JALALI and MAHMOOD MONSHIPOURI” — The Center for Strategic and International Studies, 2:30 p.m.: “Connecting the U.S. Innovation Ecosystem with National Security — with MICHAEL BROWN, WILLIAM GREENWALT, JIM LANGEVIN, JAMES ANDREW LEWIS and JOHN SARGENT” — The Foreign Policy Research Institute, 3 p.m.: “ The Use of Air Power in Modern Conflict — with DMYTRO CHUPRYNA, JOHN A. NAGL and HEATHER VENABLE” — The Mitre Corporation, 4 p.m.: “MITRE Grand Challenges Power Hour: Preserving the Space Domain — with DARREN MCKNIGHT, KEVIN O'CONNELL, BEN POOLE and AZITA VALINIA” — The Aspen Institute, 6 p.m.: “SOF Discussion Reception: The US and The Middle East: 20 Years After 9/11 — with YARA BAYOUMY, VALI NASR, BARBARA SLAVIN and ROBIN WRIGHT” | | A message from Lockheed Martin: Sikorsky-Boeing DEFIANT X™ aircraft brings Army speed and agility to where it matters most.
The DEFIANT X™ weapon system features unprecedented speed and agility. Under heavy resistance it navigates complex terrain and confronts enemy defenses to reach the Army’s mission objective. Learn More | | | Have a natsec-centric event coming up? Transitioning to a new defense-adjacent or foreign policy-focused gig? Shoot us an email at award@politico.com or qforgey@politico.com to be featured in the next edition of the newsletter. And thanks to our editor Ben Pauker, who is always the solution to our current state. | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Follow us | | | | |  |
