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Jeff Seldin

22 Jul, 10 tweets, 6 min read

@DeptofDefense

NEW: @DeptofDefense hosting #Iraq|i delegation today at the Pentagon as part of ongoing strategic dialogue / technical talks - "one of those issues is the American military footprint in Iraq" per @PentagonPresSec

@PentagonPresSec

"This mission that was focused on #ISIS was never intended to be permanent" per @PentagonPresSec, adding US in "close consultation" w/#Iraq officials

@PentagonPresSec

"The hope is that we can rid ourselves & rid the region of the threat that #ISIS poses...there's been a lot of good work done" per @PentagonPresSec

US footprint in #Iraq going forward "something we're going to decide w/our Iraqi partners"

@PentagonPresSec

Number of Colombian nationals/former military members in the #Haiti assassination plot stands at 7, per @PentagonPresSec

Some were trained at Fort Benning - more background here:
voanews.com/americas/penta…

@PentagonPresSec

Pentagon has "no plans... for us to reconsider or to change" leadership training, per @PentagonPresSec, calling the training provided "ethical"

@VOANews

From @VOANews 's reporting last Friday

https://twitter.com/jseldin/status/1416089757709393930?s=20

@PentagonPresSec

"We're going to continue to talk to the Iraqis...& what makes the most sense" per @PentagonPresSec on US military footprint in #Iraq

"We're there at their invitation"

@PentagonPresSec

NEW: US have launched airstrikes to push back #Taliban

"We have acted through airstrikes to support the ANSF" per @PentagonPresSec, but declines to share additional details

@PentagonPresSec

MORE-#Afghanistan - US aitstrikes

"In the last several days, we have acted through air strikes to to support the ANDSF" per @PentagonPresSec "But I won't get into tactical details of those strikes"

@CENTCOM

.@CENTCOM Commander, Gen. Kenneth "Frank" McKenzie "has those authorities" to launch airstrikes in #Afghanistan, per @PentagonPresSec

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More from @jseldin

Jeff Seldin

@jseldin

23 Jul

@UN

NEW: Just released @UN report warns of "heightened threats emerging" from #ISIS #alQaida affiliated groups worldwide

"This is especially true in parts of West and East #Africa" per the report, based on member state intelligence

@UN

In West/East #Africa, affiliates of #ISIS #alQaida "can boast gains in supporters and territory under threat, as well as growing capabilities in fundraising & weapons, for example, in the use of drones" per the @UN report

@UN

#ISIS in #Syria "has evolved into an entrenched insurgency, exploiting weaknesses in local security to find safe havens & targeting forces engaged in counter-ISIL operations" per the @UN report

Read 12 tweets

Jeff Seldin

@jseldin

22 Jul

@DeptofDefense

NEW details on training US gave 7 of 25 the #Colombia|n nationals arrested in the assassination of #Haiti's president, per @DeptofDefense

Some took place at #FortBenning, #Georgia at the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC)

Some in Washington...

Training at #WHINSEC included:
- Cadet Leadership Development
- Counter Drug Operations
- NCO Professional Development
- Small Unit Leader Training

Per Pentagon, "All WHINISEC Courses include human rights and ethics training"

Some of the 7 #Colombia|ns also attended training seminars in Washington on things like medical care, engineering, logistics, operations, maintenance, etc

All training took place while the 7 were members of Colombia's military, between 2001-2015

Read 8 tweets

Jeff Seldin

@jseldin

22 Jul

@DHSgov

#terrorists - #cryptocurrency

@DHSgov Office of Intelligence & Analysis has observing " growing & concerning trend" per Deputy Undersecretary Stephanie Dobitsch

"Most of this activity has occurred by terrorist groups and associates overseas spanning the ideological spectrum"

"For example, supporters of #ISIS & #alQaida have solicited cryptocurrency donations" per Dobitsch "Earlier this year a pro al-Qaida media group offered a reward of one bitcoin worth about $60,000 at the time to the first person to kill a police officer in a Western country"

@DHSgov

"We've also seen foreign racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists claim that their activities were supported by the use of crypto currencies" @DHSgov's Dobitsch tells lawmakers

Read 11 tweets

Jeff Seldin

@jseldin

21 Jul

@SecDef

Happening now: @SecDef Lloyd Austin, @thejointstaff Chairman, Gen Mark Milley address reporters at the Pentagon

@SecDef

#Afghanistan: "We're still on track to finish up by the end of August" per @SecDef on US withdrawal

"The president has made a decision-we're going to get it done & we're going to get it done right"

@SecDef

US #Afghanistan interpreters/Operation Allies Refuge:

"We take our obligations to them and to their families very seriously" per @SecDef, saying the 1st will arrive at Fort Lee "soon"

He says US bases overseas, foreign facilities also under consideration

Read 16 tweets

Jeff Seldin

@jseldin

19 Jul

@PentagonPresSec

Happening now: @PentagonPresSec confirms @DeptofDefense has suggested using Ft. Lee to house about 2,500 #Afghan #SIV applicants in response to a formal request from @StateDept

"Ft. Lee is just an initial location" he says, adding other US locations could be considered

@PentagonPresSec

#Afghan #SIV applicants expected to be at Fort Lee for just "several days or so" per @PentagonPresSec, noting they are in the very final stages of the process & will quickly head to resettlement

@PentagonPresSec

"They will not be there for very long - just several days" per @PentagonPresSec

includes 700 applicants & their families

re #Afghanistan #SIV applicants headed to the US, Fort Lee

Read 9 tweets

Jeff Seldin

@jseldin

19 Jul

@PressSec

Happening now: White House - #China - #hackers

"We are actually elevating & taking steps to not only speak out publicly but top certainly take action...as we have from #Russia as well" per @PressSec

@PressSec

"We are not holding back. We are not allowing any economic circumstance or consideration to prevent us from taking actions where warranted" per @PressSec

"We reserve the options to take additional actions....this is not the conclusion" w/response to #China #Russia hackers