TOP NEWS Liz Cheney to introduce legislation preventing Trump administration from renewing Iran sanctions waivers The Hill Iran to inject uranium gas to further break from nuclear deal Axios Japan to receive additional U.S. supersonic ballistic missile interceptors The Diplomat United States Clock ticks down on defense policy bill Defense News11/4/19 If Congress wants to pass the 2020 defense policy bill before the end of the year, lawmakers may have only three weeks to break a partisan deadlock between the House and Senate. Liz Cheney to introduce legislation preventing Trump administration from renewing Iran sanctions waivers The Hill11/4/19 Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) will propose legislation barring the Trump administration from granting sanctions waivers to the Iranian government, the House Republican Conference chairwoman said on Monday. Europe/Russia E.U. set to allow U.S. participation in joint defense projects Bloomberg11/4/19 The European Union is closing in on an accord that would allow the U.S. government and American companies to participate in joint defense projects, potentially removing a source of friction in transatlantic ties. Middle East Iran to inject uranium gas to further break from nuclear deal Axios11/5/19 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced Tuesday Iran would “resume uranium enrichment” at its Fordow plant and begin injecting uranium gas into 1,044 centrifuges, Iranian state media reports. U.S. sanctions nine Iranians linked to Khamenei; Tehran announces new violations of nuclear deal Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty11/4/19 The United States has slapped sanctions on nine people connected to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, among them his chief of staff, one of his sons, and the head of Iran’s judiciary. East Asia North Korea says Washington’s terrorism blacklist hinders nuclear diplomacy TIME11/5/19 North Korea said Tuesday the U.S. redesignation of Pyongyang as a sponsor of terrorism is dimming prospects for nuclear diplomacy between the countries. Japan to receive additional U.S. supersonic ballistic missile interceptors The Diplomat11/5/19 Japan will take delivery of additional Standard Missile-3 Block IIA interceptors, according to the Pentagon. Heading into 2020, Trump defends faltering North Korea talks as a win Voice of America11/5/19 U.S. President Donald Trump is portraying his outreach to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as a major foreign policy achievement as the 2020 U.S. presidential election campaign gains momentum. Analysis/Commentary Assessment of U.S. military power Heritage Foundation10/30/19 The U.S. military is tasked first and foremost with defending America from attack. Beyond that, it must be capable of protecting Americans abroad, allies, and the freedom to use international sea, air, and space while retaining the ability to engage in more than one major contingency at a time. Iran is doing just fine Foreign AffairsHenry Rome 11/5/19 Tehran has survived U.S. sanctions. Its nuclear program and regional activities will, too. Keep American skies open to Russia New RepublicAnkit Panda 11/4/19 The Trump administration is poised to kill another useful treaty that contributes to trans-Atlantic peace. The risk of entrapment by self-fulfilling nuclear prophecy Japan TimesRamesh Thakur 11/5/19 The nuclear fates of Japan, South Korea, and North Korea are interconnected, in that moves by any one would have cascading consequences in the other two, and possibly also in Taiwan. Improve F/A-18 Super Hornet training and readiness with more missiles and fewer missions War on the RocksGraham Scarbro 11/5/19 Current Navy strike-fighter squadrons do not fire enough air-to-air missiles, and their training mission profiles are too fragmented between air-to-air, air-to-ground, and other mission areas.