Speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Ryan Henry, the Pentagon’s point man on the just-released QDR, said he’s concerned about the actions of the United States “near peer” competitor—China. The Asian country is continuing to build its military strength and “offensive systems,” he said, and appears to be “preparing for something other than a political solution to the Taiwan problem.” Taking note of China’s rising defense expenditures, the QDR recommends stationing more naval assets in the Pacific and ramping up long range strike options as a means to compensate for a more strategically powerful China.
The U.S. thwarted a drone attack on U.S. forces at Al Asad air base in western Iraq on April 22, marking the first time that American troops have been targeted since February, U.S. officials said. “We can confirm it was an attack on Al Asad,” a defense official told Air & Space…