The Cipher Brief’s Open Source Report (OSR) is a M–F curated collection of open source developments around the world provided to a highly discerning national security audience. Think of it as your daily presidential brief on the events impacting US national security.
Topping today’s headlines, the 76th UN General Assembly is underway in New York City. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed members with somber words, saying the world is “on the edge of an abyss.”
Leading today’s Open Source Collection, several media outlets are now reporting that a CIA officer who traveled to India with agency director William Burns earlier this month developed symptoms of what’s been called “Havana Syndrome” on the trip and had to seek medical attention.
U.S. to provide Australia with 8 nuclear submarines under new U.S.-Australia-UK security pact known as AUKUS; Japan's Defense Minister says Japan willing to fight China over disputed Senkaku Islands; French forces kill ISIS leader in Africa and Biden says Milley has his full support amid controversy over new Woodward book.
Blinken testifies before Congress to kick off oversight review of Afghanistan withdrawal; NSO Group zero day iPhone flaw revealed; Israeli PM visits Egypt; International donors raise over $1 billion for Afghanistan aid.
Biden and Xi speak for 90 minutes in a bid to avoid conflict; 20 years after 9-11; SEC probe worries corporate executives; MI5 Chief speaks out about terrorism risk; Zapad-2021 exercises kick off involving more than 200,000; Ukrainian President warns about war with Russia.
Flight departs Kabul airport with 200 foreigners on board, including Americans; Taliban say US must remove Haqqani family members from wanted list; China ramps up 'island capture' exercises in 2021; Philippine Defense Chief says time to reassess defense framework with US under rising China threat.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Taliban are cooperating to let Americans with valid travel docs leave Afghanistan, while some experts call into question that claim; The US reports four Americans were evacuated via an overland route out of Afghanistan; Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair says the west should prepare for a bio-terror attack while Iran's new president says he is ready for nuclear talks, with conditions.
Today's top story: White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki acknowledged reports of civilian deaths in a recent air strike in Afghanistan and said the US also killed an ISIS ‘facilitator’. The US military says the car that was struck in a drone strike was carrying explosives. A new report from the Associated Press - citing local sources from the family of the US target - says the drone strike killed 10 members of their family, including children. The family members told AP that the car was not carrying explosives.
Today we lead with one of the craziest Afghanistan stories unfolding at the moment -- US Congressman Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) reportedly sparked a confrontation with US embassy staff in Tajikistan because he wanted assistance in passing thru Tajikistan with a large amount of money on his way to Afghanistan for a non-sanctioned mission to rescue US citizens.
Our top story today remains Afghanistan. President Joe Biden addressed the nation on Tuesday following the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, which he called an “extraordinary success.” Despite criticism over the Taliban takeover and chaos of evacuations, Biden defended his decision to pull out troops to end the US military’s 20-year mission in Afghanistan and not prolong the “forever war” any longer. He also said that the US would continue to work to get Americans out of the country who still want to leave.
It’s Tuesday August 31 and we are on the road today, joining you from Texas, where we are scouting locations for an upcoming Cipher Brief event. We’re looking forward to sharing more on that with you in the very near future. But let’s get to the lead today: US forces have completed their withdrawal from Kabul - ending Washington’s 20-year mission in Afghanistan.
US missile defenses intercept multiple rockets targeting Kabul airport as US prepares for final evacuation of remaining troops > US Targets suspected ISIS-K sites in multiple air strikes> European leaders are pushing for a Kabul ‘Safe Zone’ in a special session of the UN security council > A new UN report says North Korea may be restarting a nuclear site > and China will soon surpass Russia as nuclear power.
Suicide attack kills at least 60 Afghans and 13 US military troops; Biden vows to hunt those responsible; US and Britain continue evacuation efforts while all other allies have ceased their operations in Kabul; Russia tells Iran to restart nuclear negotiations; Conflict in Ethiopia grows while UN warns of humanitarian catastrophe.
Chaos in Afghanistan as explosion rock Kabul resulting in numerous Afghan KIA and US wounded; Wall Street Journal report highlights clandestine efforts by CIA during ongoing rescue operations around Afghanistan; Major Cyber Summit at White House with President Biden and heads of leading tech companies. A lot more in this episode.
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