Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Monday placed a hold on the full Senate vote to approve James Clapper as the next director of national intelligence. “Senator McCain requested a specific report from Mr. Clapper and until that report is provided, Senator McCain will continue to hold his nomination,” McCain’s spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan wrote in an e-mailed response to a Daily Report query. Buchanan declined to say what information this report would contain. This development means Clapper’s full Senate vote might not take place until after the Congressional August recess that starts Aug. 9, even though the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence unanimously approved Clapper’s nomination July 29. Clapper currently serves as undersecretary of defense for intelligence. (For more, see Clapper Makes Case to be Nation’s Intel Czar.)
As the Air Force readied for its June 21-22 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the service was also putting its Agile Combat Employment strategy into action, dispersing combat aircraft and Airmen from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in preparation for a possible Iranian retaliatory attack. Some defense experts say…
