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Kevin Baron Profile picture
Kevin Baron
@DefenseBaron
Dad | Editorial Director of @POLITICOLive, @POLITICO | Former executive editor, Defense One | Displaced Floridian 🌴 NEW CONTACT: kbaron@politico.com
Elizabeth Wery Profile picture Potato Of Reason Profile picture 2 subscribed
Apr 5, 2023 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Proof Elon Musk is pushing his agenda? @NPR gets labeled “state-affiliated media” which is bogus. @starsandstripes, which is actually owned by the US government, is ignored. ImageImage Remember Trump installed his own minions to run actual US-affiliated media as pro-Trump propagandists theatlantic.com/international/…
Oct 25, 2022 • 10 tweets • 4 min read
JUST IN: Ash Carter, the 25th secretary of defense, died Monday night following a "sudden cardiac event," according to a statement from his family. He was 68. This is heartbreaking news. I am fond of Secretary Carter and what he tried to achieve, bridging the civ-mil gap, and creating mutual understanding and respect between the worlds of technology and defense. As SecDef he keynoted @DefenseOne's inaugural Tech Summit. Image
Jul 26, 2022 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
I asked NORAD/Northern Command's top general if they have a plan to defend the homeland against the threat of high-speed cruise missiles. His answer was... complicated: NORAD scans for ICBMs over the Pole but now "cruise missiles can come off submarines in the Atlantic or in the Pacific, they can come off container ships parked in port, they can come off land, they can come off of airplanes, they can come off multiple directions from all axes."
Jun 6, 2022 • 12 tweets • 4 min read
Russia's Lavrov was denied overflight into Serbia, reportedly. On Thurs, I asked Serbia's President Vucic how he can seek both Russian gas and EU entry: "Everybody is doing both. Sorry that I'm saying something and some don't want to hear it..." (53:00) Vucic: Serbia's right-wing won more seats in recent parliamentary elections "exactly" because Serbia voted at the UNGA against Russia... "not because people in Serbia have something against Ukrainians. Not at all, we consider Ukrainians good friends. The issue was 1999..."
Mar 23, 2022 • 26 tweets • 4 min read
Listening in to this... Vickers, on Putin: "Is he the same person he was?"
Gates: "I don't think so"...he used to take risks but then stop. "I think the two years because of isolation, because of COVID, has had an impact on him" and others who have had contact say so, Macron, Schultz, etc.
Mar 23, 2022 • 6 tweets • 3 min read
"Permanent stationing could be one solution", says US amb to NATO @Julie_C_Smith. So could rotational, though, she says, adding that Russia is in clear violation of the founding act, where NATO had agreed to not add permanent troops, so... "We will continue doing everything of our power to ensure we can get them what they need quickly," says Amb. Smith.

(Read this as, despite Russia's threats against anyone aiding Ukraine, the US/NATO isn't slowing its arms and equipment aid.)
Mar 13, 2022 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Oh man, RIP William Hurt, a legend to anyone of us in the Washington press corps because of this brilliant (and sadly prescient) masterpiece film. Image Tom Grunnick: What do you do when your real life exceeds your dreams?

Aaron Altman: Keep it to yourself.
Mar 8, 2022 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Ukrainians should fight Russia like insurgents fought the US in Iraq & Afghanistan: Stop calling for NFZs, MiG’s, and corridors. “This is a rich target environment for snipers, Javelins, raids, ambushes and Stinger missiles.” - Mark Kimmitt @DefenseOne

defenseone.com/ideas/2022/03/… “Like the tactics used by insurgents against U.S. forces for years in Iraq and Afghanistan, car bombs, IEDs, mortars, and other weapons of the weak can wreak havoc on a Russian force not yet protected by bases and walls.”
Mar 4, 2022 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
What are the rules for stopping a nuclear power plant disaster that's being caused by a rocket attack from invading military forces of a nuclear power in a non-treaty ally country outside NATO borders, @Cirincione? @Cirincione Some facts but not very comforting, TBH...
Mar 2, 2022 • 13 tweets • 3 min read
Biden: Putin "badly miscalculated. He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead he met a wall of strength he never imagined. He met the Ukrainian people." #SOTU "We the United States of America stand with the Ukrainian people. Throughout our history we’ve learned this lesson when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression they cause more chaos." #SOTU
Jan 18, 2022 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
Hey, you guys remember Yemen? No? It's that place where the US was trying to keep the lid on an Iranian-proxy group (some call them terrorists) that was directly attacking US ships, assets, and US-partners Saudi Arabia and UAE before liberals demanded US back off. Why?.... Not for any security reason having to do with the conflict. It was because of Jamal Kashogghi's murder. Americans, especially liberals, wanting retaliation on the unpopular Saudis demanded the US stop helping SA in Yemen. But...
Sep 10, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Secret’s Out: “The ultimate winner of two decades of war in Afghanistan is likely China.” “It’s not just a Humvee. It’s not just a vehicle that gets you from point A to point B. It’s a Humvee that’s full of radios, technologies, crypto systems, things we don’t want our adversaries getting a hold of,”
Sep 9, 2021 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
Former President Trump gives his (incorrect, oversimplified, whitewashed, racist) version of military and American history: General Stan McChrystal had thoughts about Robert E. Lee: I Threw Away My Robert E. Lee Painting
theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/…
Sep 8, 2021 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Fantasy football geeks of the world are melting down because @CBSFantasy crashed right as everyone's drafts were starting. Not me, I'm cool just waiting... Update: Everyone trying to reload their draft rooms...
May 12, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Biden still has not explained how the US will provide "over-the-horizon" counterterrorsim watch for Afghanistan, HASC's Ranking GOPer Rogers says.
"There's no agreement in place with any of Afghanistan's neighbors to host US forces."

We are one month past Biden's announcement. CENTCOM's Gen. McKenzie said he was giving recommendations to SecDef Austin by end of last month. Austin also said so, publicly. So far... crickets from across the river.
Apr 16, 2021 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
JUST IN: Michele Flournoy reacts to Biden's #Afghanistan withdrawal with trepidation: "This is an unsatisfying and sad conclusion to a 20 year effort." /1 "I think this was a very tough decision for President Biden, frankly, with risks every where he turned..." ... I totally understand and support the notion that the US involvement in this war does have to end at some point, but...
Apr 15, 2021 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
One day after Biden't Afghanistan announcement, and as Russia builds-up in Ukraine, NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Tod Wolter, USAF, is testifying in the House here, along w DASD Laura Cooper. Chairman @RepAdamSmith says he first focused on how DOD is transitioning to "the world of warfare as it exists now... command & control, information, and technology," and EUCOM is key because of Russia. "We are not ideally suited right now to protect those systems."
Apr 14, 2021 • 5 tweets • 1 min read
JUST IN: "We did that. We accomplished our objective" Biden says of Afghanistan, including finding Osama bin Laden. "Since then, our reasons for remaining in Afghanistan have become increasingly unclear." Biden: "I'm the fourth president" of this war. "I will not pass this responsibility on to a fifth... I concluded that it's time to end America's longest war. It's time for America's troops to come home.'"
Apr 14, 2021 • 11 tweets • 2 min read
McRaven on Afghanistan pullout: "I was pleased to see that the president has been in constant engagement" with Gens. Miller, McKenzie, Milley, SecDef Austin, all who have extensive experience and made their case to the admin."
McRaven says he feels Biden admin has decided "we're not going to have a military victory in Afghanistan, so maybe we can have a political one." In the end, the military answers to the civilians, will respect their decision.
Apr 14, 2021 • 4 tweets • 2 min read
Get to know DNI Avril Haines. She's possibly the most powerful since Jim Clapper, re: influence w the president & leadership of the IC. Today she's leading testimony of the 1st "worldwide threats" hearing since 2019. Returning stability to the IC will be job enough. Image The first question to Haines is about China's technological advancements. #Follow @DefTechPat who is on it like a phishing link on your email...
Feb 9, 2021 • 5 tweets • 2 min read
JUST IN: US Navy's top admiral @USNavyCNO issues a new message to fleet, after noose found on ship. "We cannot tolerate extremist behavior of any kind, and must engage in open and honest conversations with each other and take action. Leaders at all levels must lead by example." "We also have a responsibility to educate, and inspire those in the Navy, those coming into the Fleet, and those leaving our service that extremist behavior is unacceptable. Hate and extremist ideology are wedges that divide us." - @USNavyCNO