US Secretary of State: We Need to Clarify ISF Mandate Before We Can Expect Countries to Contribute Troops + Report: Turkey to Return S400 System to Russia to Allow F-35 Purchase + Potential US FMS to Taiwan Worth $11 Billion + More

For review:

1. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is leaving the possibility of a war with Venezuela on the table.

2. US Secretary of State: We Need to Clarify (ISF) Mandate Before We Can Expect Countries to Contribute Troops.

3. Report: Turkey to Return S400 System to Russia to Allow F-35 Purchase.

4. European leaders on Dec. 19 approved a $105 billion interest-free loan for Ukraine.

5. Potential US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases for Taiwan- estimated $11 billion include:

·        82 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), 420 ATACMS systems and other strike weapons, valued at up to $4.05 billion

·        60 M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzers valued at up to $4.030 billion 

·        Altius Autonomous Air Vehicles valued at up to $1.1 billion

·        Tactical Mission Network Software valued at up to $1.01 billion

·        1,050 Javelin Missiles valued at up to $375 million

·        1,545 TOW 2B Missiles valued at up to $353 million

·        AH-1W Helicopter spare and repair parts valued at up to $96 million.

“China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it,” said a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.