Overnight Defense: Dems block bid to torpedo Iran deal

THE TOPLINE: Forty-two Senate Democrats held ranks Thursday and blocked a resolution disapproving of the Iran nuclear deal, handing President Obama a major political victory.

“Only a few months earlier, some Senate opponents of the deal predicted they would be able to muster 67 votes to override a presidential veto, but they fell far short of their goal this week in a 58-42 vote,” reported The Hill’s Alexander Bolton. 

Sixty votes were necessary to move forward. Republicans refused to concede defeat, however, and said they would force Democrats to vote on Iran again next week, perhaps on the same bill.

“It will be all Iran next week,” Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) said before the vote. 

“There are going to be more votes,” he told reporters. “There will be other opportunities for people to change their mind next week, hopefully after they hear from their constituents.

The action caps weeks of intense lobbying by the administration and its allies on one side and pro-Israel groups led by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) said Thursday’s cloture vote was a definitive statement of support for the deal among many Democrats.

“All senators should understand that the cloture vote will then become the defining vote that determines whether the resolution of disapproval moves forward to the president’s desk,” he said. “A vote against cloture is a vote for the Iran agreement —plain and simple.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blasted Democrats for going to “extreme lengths to prevent President Obama from having to consider legislation on this issue” and immediately filed cloture on the resolution for a second time, setting up a vote for next week. 

The Kentucky Republican slammed Democrats, saying they are blocking “the American people from even having a real vote on one of the most consequential foreign policy issues of our age.”
 
“It’s telling that Democrats would go to such extreme lengths to prevent President Obama from even having to consider legislation on this issue,” he said. “If the president is so proud of this deal, then he shouldn’t be afraid. He should wield his veto pen with pride and explain his rationale to the American people.”

OBAMA: US TO TAKE 10,000 SYRIAN REFUGEES: President Obama directed his administration to take in at least 10,000 Syrian refugees next fiscal year, White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Thursday.

That would be a dramatic increase over the number it has accepted in 2015. The United States is expected to admit 1,800 refugees by Oct. 1.

It’s the most significant step the U.S. has taken yet to aid resettle the thousands of people who are fleeing war-torn Syria. The crisis has drawn international headlines and emerged as a focal point of the 2016 presidential campaign.

The administration has faced mounting criticism from lawmakers and human rights groups over the crisis, with many arguing the U.S. has not done enough to help. Germany, by contrast, expects to take in 800,000 displaced Syrians by the end of the year.

Administration officials have said a strenuous screening process to prevent criminals and terrorists from entering the country has made it difficult to take in more refugees.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a presidential candidate who oversees State Department funding in the Senate, has proposed an emergency spending bill to help address the crisis.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on the Near East, also said Thursday that Congress should pass an emergency spending bill that increases food aid to Syrian refugees and expands the U.S.’s ability to accept more refugees. Murphy proposed at least $500 million as the crisis worsens overseas.

DEFENSE CHIEF WANTS ‘UNVARNISHED’ INTELLIGENCE: Defense Secretary Ash Carter has asked his under secretary of defense for intelligence to make clear to military officials that the Pentagon chief expects “unvarnished, transparent” intelligence, the Pentagon announced Thursday. 

The order was given recently, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook told reporters during a Pentagon briefing.

“He’s made clear that he expects candid intelligence analysis … for folks to call it like they see it, and that’s his expectation,” he added. “Unvarnished, transparent intelligence is what this secretary expects on a daily basis.”

It comes after reports that military commanders at U.S. Central Command, which oversees the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, were altering intelligence assessments to make it seem that the terrorist group and al Qaeda’s Syria affiliate were weaker than they were.

More than 50 Defense Intelligence Agency analysts embedded at Centcom support a complaint delivered to the Pentagon inspector general, The Daily Beastreported Wednesday.

In response to the complaint, the inspector general launched a report in July, the New York Times reported. However, the scope of the complaint was a new revelation. 

STUDY: ALL-MALE GROUND COMBAT UNITS OUTPERFORM THOSE WITH WOMEN: All-male ground combat units in the Marines were faster, more lethal and less injured than units with mixed genders, according to a Marine Corps study that looked at integrating women into all service jobs.

The study comes as all branches of the military face a January deadline from the Pentagon to open all combat jobs to women.

The branches can ask for exceptions to the order, but none of the four have indicated whether they would do so.

The study found all-male squads were faster in each tactical movement than those with both genders, according to the summary. The differences were greater when they were carrying heavy weapons and ammunition.

Also, all-male riflemen had better accuracy than integrated squads, according to the summary. And women had more injuries such as stress fractures.

Also Thursday, two female senators introduced a resolution to honor the two women who graduated from U.S. Army Ranger School last month.

The resolution, introduced by Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), commends Captain Kristen Griest and First Lieutenant Shaye Haver for their “personal courage, sacrifices and extraordinary leadership,” according to the resolution.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

— Dem senator: US to begin training Ukrainian military forces
— WH pans GOP’s ‘Tortilla Coast gambit’ on Iran
— GOP lawmakers link Iran deal to defense spending
— Graham: Dems ‘own’ Iran deal

— Obama to commemorate 9/11 anniversary at Ft. Meade 

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