The Army Brief: Capitol QRF unlikely; Iraq rocket attacks; 2021 top stories; and more...

Welcome to The Army Brief, a weekly look at the news and ideas shaping the service’s future. 

Lessons from the Capitol attack. A year after Capitol police were overwhelmed by a violent mob, calls for a military quick reaction force to respond to future violence have faded away, Defense One reports. The Pentagon has created a simpler process for activating the D.C. National Guard in a crisis, following criticism that the guard was delayed responding to the attack.

Rocket attacks. U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria have been the target of several rocket attacks this week, Reuters reports. The attacks are happening around the second anniversary of the assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. 

2021 Review. Soldiers in 2021 saw the end of the 20-year war in Afghanistan, a refocus on the Indo-Pacific region, and major changes to the Army’s investigative command. Review our top 10 stories for the Army in 2021 here.

Sign up to get The Army Brief every Friday morning from Caitlin M. Kenney, Defense One’s military services reporter. On Jan. 10, 2007, President George W. Bush announced he was sending 30,000 more troops to Iraq amid an increase in violence. The troop surge was a major shift in strategy for the war. 

From Defense One

Working With China on Climate is ‘Most Important Element’ of the Decade, NSC Official Says // Jacqueline Feldscher: Kurt Campbell also talked about how Biden’s China policy is different from Trump’s and how to reconcile cooperation with an authoritarian state.

Six Things Veterans Can Do to Strengthen Our Democracy // Joe Plenzler, William Braniff and Anil Nathan: Work to inoculate our communities against disinformation, increase civil participation, and collaborate to build our nation’s vital institutions.

Russia’s Aggression Against Ukraine Is Backfiring // Kori Schake: Putin’s military moves are rallying Ukrainians and unifying NATO.