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usafphantom2 · 10 months

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Pentagon approves lethal weapons package for South Korean F-35s

The strategic movement strengthens the alliance between the two nations and deters regional aggression.

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 12/06/2023 - 16:00 in Armaments, Military

F-35A fighter of the Air Force of the Republic of Korea. (Photo: Getty Images)

In a diplomatic and defense development, the U.S. Department of State gave the green light to a foreign military sale, approving the acquisition by the Republic of Korea of advanced ammunition and related equipment for F-35 fighters.

Valued at $271 million, this agreement underlines the commitment to regional stability and improves the defense capabilities of the Republic of Korea.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) formally informed Congress about the approved sale, which includes a series of advanced weapons, such as the AIM-120C-8 medium-range advanced air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM), the direct-attack joint missiles (JDAM) of the GBU ammunition series (GBU-31v1 JDAMs, GBU-31v3 JDAMs and GBU-54 LJDAMs), GBU-12 Paveway II and small-diameter bombs (GBU-39 SDB-I and GBU-53 SDB-II). The Republic of Korea's request for this arsenal aims to improve its fleet of fighters and ensure compatibility with U.S. forces.

South Korea is introducing 40 F-35A Lightning II fighters and has confirmed a new order for 20 units to improve its air combat capabilities. South Korea also showed interest in acquiring a small fleet of 20 F-35B Lightning II aircraft, the F-35 short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft.

This strategic move aligns with U.S. foreign policy objectives and national security objectives, reinforcing an alliance with a key actor in the Indo-Pacific region. The sale is positioned to face existing threats and effectively equip the Republic of Korea to face future challenges.

Maintaining ties in the Indo-Pacific region is of great strategic value to the U.S. Armed Forces, as they seek to contain Chinese military expansion and protect allied states such as Taiwan.

Crucially, the proposed sale emphasizes the U.S. commitment to maintaining the military balance in the region. Despite the substantial firepower involved, it is stated that the acquisition will not disturb the balance of power.

The companies Lockheed Martin Corporation, Raytheon Missiles and Defense and The Boeing Company are identified as the main contractors of this ammunition agreement.

While improving the defense capabilities of the Republic of Korea, this development marks a step in strengthening regional security, while maintaining the diplomatic balance.

South Korea has strengthened its defense capabilities with two recently approved arms agreements. First, the U.S. approved the sale of 38 units of Standard Missile-6 Block I to South Korea, valued at $650 million. At the same time, South Korea secured the acquisition of the AIM-9X Block II and Block II+ Sidewinder missiles from Raytheon Missiles and Defense, estimated at $52.1 million.

Tags: weaponsMilitary AviationF-35 Lightning IIROKAF - Republic of Korea Air Force/South Korea Air Force

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Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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animeraider · 2 months

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Project 2025 will kill you. Yes, you. Sections 1-5 (of 30)

So I've been reading Project 2025 so you don't have to, and I'm going to report on everything I find that is alarming, which I imagine will be a lot.

Section 1-3 - Taking the Reins of Government.

Most of the first two sections of this part is kind of like a preamble. States what goals there should be and what office in the white house does what, and how partisan they should be (very). This isn't all that different although certainly written with more of a mean streak until it gets to the Bureaucracy of the government - the 2 million people employed by the government and the 20 Million contractors. It's fairly common knowledge that they want to reclass these employees as political hires, disband their unions and get rid of their pension plans, but what you might not realize is that they also want this to apply to the contractors.

What does that mean in real life? It means that all the contractor work is now PATRONAGE work. You want that bridge fixed that fell? Well, did they give money to the Republican Party or more specifically, Trump? Did your air traffic controller? Did the Nasa Astronaut who wants that next mission? The guy in charge of the Hoover Dam? The people running the concessions at Yosemite?

Every single Defense Contractor. Speaking of which...

Section 4 - The Department of Defense

Department of Defense: Re-recognize Taiwan as its own country (it would take me pages and pages of writing to explain why we have never done that in the last 50 years). Reduce our Membership in NATO to Nukes only. Support Israel, but sell arms to the other Gulf States too. Weaponize South Korea. Move China into the Enemy Number 1 spot. More Nukes. Focus on faster builds and reduce long-term strategies. If you want something "Fast-Tracked" consider alternate sources of funding (from what - private citizens? Foreign countries? It doesn't specify). Greater reliance on small business (remember that thing about contractors above?). Use of Made in the US parts and mold forms, even those currently not made in the US. Gut safety and procurement regulations and replace them with incentives for speed.

(Regarding NATO, I think it's worth point out that the Mutual Aid declaration has only been invoked ONCE in the entire history of the organization. It was when NATO came to the aid of the U.S. after 9/11.)

Eliminate the Defense Acquisition University (I had to look this up) - a college in Virginia specifically used to train Defense Department personnel, civilian and military, and rely on other colleges and universities to offer the training in classified materials, which to me sounds like a security nightmare.

Increase DoD participation in private R&D. A greater focus on battlefield weaponry with an eye of specific use against China. Increase weapons sales to nearly double current levels. Eliminate congressional notification of sales. Send more weapons to the UK.

Eliminate medical reviews of potential military recruits. Mandatory testing of High School students for Military fitness and aptitude in order to graduate. Requiring any politician who gives a townhall to reserve time for military recruiters. If you have HIV (even if acquired after recruitment) or are Trans your will be expelled from the military.

Force members to listen to Christian Chaplains, regardless of their personal faith. Reinstate all service people, with rank and back pay, who refused the COVID vaccine. Eliminate all Diversity efforts. No abortions for people in the military. Do the same for any and all schools on military bases or funded by the DoD for families of service people.

Reduce the number of Generals. Hey Colonel, good luck on that promotion.

The section on Intelligence gathering can be reduces to two words: More Spies!

Eliminate peripheral intelligence obligations that do not advance military readiness. That's an actual section headline. If it's not something that will advance our military operations, don't spy on it!

Increase the size of The Army by 12 percent. That won't be Generals - foot soldiers. Have a position of readiness that would allow us to wage two wars simultaneously. Organize war campaigns based upon grabbing land, not precision strikes.

Seriously, there is paragraph after paragraph about preparing for a land war, with the object being to take the land.

Increase the number of Naval vessels in use by 79%, and keep all ships fully armed and able to quickly reload all weapons and munitions at all times.

Air Force: Increase purchases of F-35A aircraft by 10% every year. Increase the number of B21 Bombers by 15-18% each year. More weapons and munitions. Enough arial refueling craft to keep everything in the air. Double the number of EC-37B electronic warfare aircraft we have just to monitor China. Ramp up production of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, none of which are projected to be ready before 2030. Build resilient basing, sustainment, and communications for survivability in a contested environment (that's word-for-work the bullet point).

Marines: Eliminate the MPs and the JAG Corps. Also, goodbye to Major Jack Reacher and the Special Investigators. Increase the number of active combat units by reassigning currently existing units. This means less peacekeepers and more warriors. Move all the ground assault stuff to the Army. More drones and long-range striking capabilities. Increase the number of warships by 25%. It also looks like they're eliminating the rank of Gunnery Seargent although it's cloaked in lots of legalese. Goodbye Leroy Jethro Gibbs.

Space Force (these years later and I still laugh): Realign from a defensive position to an offensive one. More satellites, and more classified missions handles by the Private Sector. That's Elon Musk, in case you weren't paying attention. Create a Space Force Academy attached to either the California Institute of Technology or MIT (both non-military colleges).

US Cybercommand - this is new. Separate Cyber Security from the NSA and put it under the Military. All military platoons in all branches will now have a mandated cyber security officer.

Make "Irregular Warfare" a cornerstone of Special Ops. Basically this means "we can use Special Ops for whatever the hell we want to use it for, including taking action against non-state actors." This could mean drug cartels, offensive strikes into Iraq/Iran, and probably lots of smaller actions within China. I think this specifically because there's now a whole section after all of the above about dealing with China, specifically with the intent of disrupting China's influence with various smaller countries all around the globe, from the Pacific Rim and into the Gulf and Africa. And MEXICO.

Then there's a couple of pages just about "Let's build more new Nukes than everyone else combined" and let's test them - treaties be damned. Specifically, in Nevada.

And oh yes, Reagan's "Star Wars" program is coming back, despite being discredited over two decades ago.

All of the preceding 19 PARAGRAPHS above is my condensation of 41 pages of rhetoric and gobbledygook written by Christopher C. Miller, who was Secretary of Defense under Trump from November 20, 2020 until Trump's term ended. He's the man who hired Kash Patel as deputy. Given the author and the fact that the entire document is designed to turn the Army into fodder for a ground war while the marines are turned into a long-distance force, while the Navy ramps up and everything else arms to the teeth, and given the language about readiness for a ground war I can come to a couple of conclusions.

This is a document meant to justify the INVASION OF MEXICO. Yeah, there's lots of other stuff in there especially about China but there is so much focus about running and maintaining a land war that I can only conclude that they want one. You don't want a land war with China. Only China wins those, and that's the way it's been for Centuries. But they do want to completely disable China's influence among our allies so that is going to mean Special Ops to destroy pipelines, roads, and infrastructure that China has invested in other countries.

Section 5 - Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) be combined with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR); and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and Office of Immigration Litigation (OIL) into a standalone border and immigration agency at the Cabinet level. This would become the third largest department in the government, Behind Defense and Department of Justice.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) be moved to the Department of the Interior. The U.S. Coast Guard would be moved to the Department of Justice, and removed from it's Cabinet position. Or the Department of Defense in time of war (which is where you probably already believed it was). The Secret Service would be split in two, and it's investigative arm put under the Treasury department. The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) be moved to DOD and the Office of Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction be moved to the FBI.

The TSA would be privatized. That includes those damned scanners.

Cyber Security would be moved to the Department of Transportation.

Just about all of the remaining pages are about transforming DHS into a Border Patrol on Steroids.

Expel anyone arrested by ICE. No exceptions. Eliminate all T and U Visas, which are used to keep witnesses to crimes in the country for effective prosecutions that immigrants are witnesses to. Anyone ICE catches within 100 miles of the border can be expelled immediately, regardless of status. Increase the number of beds in immigration Detention Camps to 100,000 beds. This is triple the current number.

Double the number of Enforcement officers. Increase the number of Government Immigration lawyers by 500%.

Move the training of immigration personnel to the same types of facilities the NCIS and the FBI use. Reclass all amnesties given under DACA, to Ukrainians, Afghans, as unlawful and subject to the same deportations.

Increase fees for all immigrants for all paperwork to fund the entire budget of the DHS. Build that fucking wall.

Create an authority akin to the Title 42 Public Health authority that has been used during the COVID-19 pandemic to expel illegal aliens across the border immediately when certain non-health conditions are met, such as loss of operational control of the border - which they like to say is every day.

In very complicated language, they state that all unaccompanied minors who cross the border are to be housed and adopted into new families, not reunited with their own families.

Escaping Gang Violence and/or Domestic Violence are not acceptable grounds for asylum. Expedited Removal is to be the main focus of DHS activities. Limit the classes of aliens eligible for work authorization. Reimplement the Remain in Mexico Protocols. Prohibit the use of parole in any categorical circumstance. Mandate the use of E-Verify for anyone doing business with the government.

Any time some sort of "caravan" starts coming north, rules can be updated on an emergency bases to prohibit the entry of anyone4 in said caravan, without exception.

No more sanctuary cities or sites. This would include churches, by the way.

No more need for a traditional warrant to raid business if there are suspected undocumented aliens. Just a suspicion or a whiff of guilt will do.

Immediately end CISA’s (Cyber division) counter-mis/disinformation efforts.

Increase funding for the Coast Guard to US Navy levels, with a look towards disrupting China in the Waters toward Alaska, and to use this as a force in the Arctic.

Allow the Secret Service to enforce any and all US Federal Laws. Get DHS out of monitoring Social Media. Change the focus of the Office of the General Counsel from protecting the American People to protecting the people who are appointed to run the DHS.

The Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties will be reduced to one person. The Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman to be eliminated. The Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman to be eliminated.

Take the Office of Refugee Resettlement away from the Department of Health and Human Services. Deny loan access to those who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, and deny loan access to students at schools that provide in-state tuition to undocumented aliens.

Next posting will cover State, the Intelligence Community, the U.S. Agency for Global Media, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Agency for International Development, and the Department of Agriculture.

#project 2025 #vote #ridin with biden #share #repost #politics

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cavenewstimes · 4 months

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China sanctions Boeing, two U.S. defense contractors for Taiwan arms sales

Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] BEIJING (AP) — China’s Ministry of Commerce announced sanctions against Boeing and two other defense companies Monday for arms sales to Taiwan, on the day of Taiwan’s presidential inauguration. The move is the latest in a series of sanctions Beijing has announced in recent years against defense companies for weapons sales to…

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world-of-news · 4 months

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nawapon17 · 4 months

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techcrunchappcom · 4 years

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New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/pompeo-brings-anti-china-roadshow-to-indian-ocean-islands-world-news/

Pompeo brings anti-China roadshow to Indian Ocean islands | World News

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday brought the Trump administration’s anti-China campaign to Indian Ocean islands considered particularly at risk for what American officials allege is Chinese exploitation.

Pompeo is visiting Sri Lanka and the Maldives to press the two countries to be on guard against potential predatory lending and investment by China. He was making the case less than a week before the American election in which President Donald Trump is seeking to paint his rival, former Vice President Joe Biden, as weak on China.

Even before Pompeo arrived in Sri Lanka, China had fired back at the U.S. message, accusing Washington of bullying smaller nations.

In Sri Lanka, the Maldives and then in Indonesia on Thursday, Pompeo plans to press each nation to push back against increasing Chinese assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific, which U.S. officials complain is highlighted by development and infrastructure projects that benefit China more than the presumed recipients.

Ahead of Pompeo’s arrival in Colombo, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka denounced his visit, accusing one of his top aides of making unacceptable threats against the country. In those comments, the top U.S. diplomat for South Asia, Dean Thompson, warned Sri Lanka of the dangers of allowing China to get a foothold on the island.

“We encourage Sri Lanka to review the options we offer for transparent and sustainable economic development in contrast to discriminatory and opaque practices,” he said. “We urge Sri Lanka to make difficult but necessary decisions to secure its economic independence for long-term prosperity, and we stand ready to partner with Sri Lanka for its economic development and growth.”

The Chinese Embassy said the comments were a blatant violation of diplomatic protocols and also chided the U.S. for organizing Pompeo’s 24-hour visit and imposing a major logistical burden on the country, which. like much of the rest of the world is in the midst of a spiraling surge in coronavirus cases.

“Does this approach truly prove your respect to the host country? Is it helpful to local epidemic prevention and control? Is it in the interests of the Sri Lankan people?” the embassy said in a statement.

The U.S.-China tug-of-war plays out against concerns that the Sri Lankan government is backsliding on democratic reforms. Last week, Parliament by a large majority approved a constitutional amendment concentrating powers under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and reversing efforts a previous government had made to curb authoritarianism.

With the change, Rajapaksa will be able to hold ministries, as well as appoint and sack ministers. He will also be the appointing authority of the elections, public service, police, human rights, bribery or corruption investigation commissions.

Those commissions were perceived as independent with a constitutional council comprising of lawmakers from different political parties and civil personalities making the appointments. With the amendment, the constitutional council was abolished for a parliamentary council whose observations the president is not bound to implement.

Rajapaksa will also be able to dissolve Parliament after two years and six months, instead of six months before its five-year term ends. And, he was able to push through a clause that lifted a ban on dual citizens holding political office, a move that will pave the way for a sibling who is a U.S. citizen to enter Parliament, further strengthening his family’s hold on political power.

Currently, Rajapaksa’s older brother, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is prime minister. Another older brother and three nephews are also lawmakers — three of them ministers.

Sri Lanka has been ruled under a powerful executive presidential system since 1978, but a reformist government in 2015 clipped much of the president’s powers and gave them over to Parliament and independent commissions, saying successive presidents had been more authoritarian.

Pompeo arrived in Sri Lanka late Tuesday from India, where he and Defense Secretary Mark Esper had stepped up the Trump administration’s anti-China message by playing on Indian suspicions about the Chinese to shore up a regional front against Beijing,

“The United States will stand with the people of India as they confront threats to their freedom and sovereignty.” Pompeo said, referring pointedly to ones posed by the Chinese Communist Party, ”Our leaders and our citizens see with increasing clarity that the CCP is no friend to democracy, the rule of law, transparency, nor to freedom of navigation — the foundation of a free and open and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” he said.

Just hours before the meetings in New Delhi began, the Trump administration notified Congress of plans for a $2.37 billion sale of Harpoon missile systems to Taiwan — the second major arms sale in two weeks to the democratic island that Beijing regards as a renegade province. China angrily reacted to the first sale by announcing sanctions on U.S. defense contractors.

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#brings #pompeo #World

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americanmysticom · 4 years

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Beijing: U.S.-Taiwan missile deal 'seriously jeopardizes China's national sovereignty and security' - GOOD

The denunciation comes amid increased tensions over the South China Sea.

As Washington toughens its stance against Beijing regarding the South China Sea, China's military on Wednesday decried an American deal to bolster Taiwanese air defense.

https://justthenews.com/world/asia/taiwan-missile-deal-affront-beijing-says-chinese-military-official

By Susan Katz Keating July 15, 2020 JustTheNews

The deal is a proposed $620 million plan approved last week by the State Department, allowing Taiwan to refurbish its arsenal of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles. Designed to thwart enemy missiles and aircraft, the systems are a powerful bulwark against attack — and, to Beijing, a threat worth denouncing.

"This move by the U.S. side seriously jeopardizes China's national sovereignty and security," said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense, in an announcement issued July 15. The deal is an affront to Beijing's claims on Taiwan, and "grossly interferes in China's internal affairs and seriously impairs China's national sovereignty and security," Wu said.

His remarks echo comments on Tuesday from foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, who announced that in retaliation for the missile deal, China will impose sanctions against the Patriot system's primary contractor, Lockheed Martin.

The statements and sanctions come amid increased tension between the United States and China, as Beijing attempts to assert control over the South China Sea.

Located within the Pacific Ocean, the sea hosts vast fishing grounds and offers transit for international trade. Portions of the waterway are claimed by a number of countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Under the auspices of what it terms the "nine-dash line," China claims the waters and resources of nearly the entire South China Sea.

On Monday, the United States firmly refuted those claims.

"We are making clear: Beijing's claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them," Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in a July 13 press briefing.

Denouncing the People's Republic of China as "predatory," Pompeo rejected specific territorial claims, including the contested Spratly Islands and Scarborough Reef.

"The PRC has no legal grounds to unilaterally impose its will on the region," Pompeo said. "The world will not allow Beijing to treat the South China Sea as its maritime empire."

The South China Sea is a potential flashpoint, one Beijing-backed analyst warned. But, he added, war can be averted.

"If there is a maritime clash with [rival claimants] Vietnam, Malaysia or the Philippines, the U.S. will have an excuse to step in, and that could trigger a direct military conflict between China and the US," Chen Xiangmiao told the South China Morning Post.

If the rival claimants don't align themselves with either of the two great powers, "I think the risk of conflict can remain under control," said Chen, a researcher with the Chinese Foreign Ministry-affiliated National Institute for South China Sea Studies on Hainan Island.

China's spokesman from the Ministry of National Defense maintained focus on Taiwan when referencing potential conflict.

"China strongly urged the U.S. to immediately stop arms sales to Taiwan to avoid further damage to the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and the relations between the two countries and their militaries," read the Wednesday statement.

"The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will take all necessary measures to firmly safeguard China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and maintain peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits," Wu said.

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courtneytincher · 5 years

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U.S. State Dept approves possible $2.0 bln sale of Abrams tanks to Taiwan

The U.S. State Department has approved a possible sale to Taiwan of one hundred eight M1A2T Abrams main battle tanks and related equipment for an estimated cost of up to $2.0 billion, the Pentagon said on Monday.

The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale of 108 M1A2T Abrams tanks, 14 M88A2 Hercules recovery vehicles, 16 M1070A1 Heavy Equipment Transporters (HET) and related equipment and support for an estimated cost of $2.0 billion.

“This proposed sale of MlA2 tanks will contribute to the modernization of the recipient’s main battle tank fleet, enhancing its ability to meet current and future regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense”, said the Defense Security Cooperation Agency , adding that “These tanks will contribute to the recipient’s goal of updating its military capability while further enhancing interoperability with the United States and other partners. The recipient will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.”

The MlA2T tank prime contractor will be General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan. The M88A2 recovery vehicle prime contractor will be BAE, York, Pennsylvania and the M1070Al Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) prime contractor will be Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The M1A2T is a special configuration of the M1A2C, the latest variant of Abrams tanks in production. M1A2T’s improvements focus on increasing the electrical power margin, Vehicle Health Management Systems, integrated counter-improvised explosive device protection, a new Auxiliary Power Unit, embedded training and an ammunition data link.

The Taipei Times cited an anonymous source reported that Taiwan’s government will buy tanks to equip two armored battalions, with the training of a seed cadre and a five-year supply of spare parts included in the package.

At the moment, the Armed Forces of Taiwan are in desperate need to update the fleet of their battle tanks, which primarily consist of obsolete tanks of the M60A3 Patton and CM-11 Brave Tiger type. Under expert assessment, Taiwan needs to purchase more than 500 new tanks for parity with the armed forces of continental China.

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investmart007 · 6 years

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BEIJING | US Defense chief to visit China amid S. China Sea tensions

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/u7FafD

BEIJING | US Defense chief to visit China amid S. China Sea tensions

BEIJING — U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who has accused China of “intimidation and coercion” in the South China Sea, visits Beijing this week as the countries increasingly spar over U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and Beijing’s expanding military presence overseas.

Mattis will be the first defense secretary in President Donald Trump’s administration to visit China. His trip highlights the need for the U.S. and its chief rival in East Asia to engage each other despite increasingly stark differences and mutual suspicion.

Mattis’ mission comes at a difficult time as the Trump administration is set to start taxing $34 billion in Chinese goods in two weeks while Beijing has vowed to retaliate with its own tariffs on U.S. products. The U.S. appears likely to rely on China for help getting North Korea to deliver on denuclearization promises made at this month’s summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

A look at some of the thorny issues:

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SOUTH CHINA SEA SPARRING

The South China Sea will likely be near the top of the agenda in discussions between Mattis and Chinese officials, with the U.S. issuing threats against Beijing for its continued militarization of the waters. “There are consequences that will continue to come home to roost, so to speak, with China if they don’t find a way to work more collaboratively with all of the nations who have interests,” Mattis said earlier this month. He said China’s weapons were placed in the region for “intimidation and coercion.” The Pentagon last month withdrew its invitation for China to participate in a large-scale multinational naval exercise in what it called “an initial response” to the militarization of the South China Sea.

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KOREAN PENINSULA

China was seen as taking home a major win when Trump announced at the summit with Kim that the U.S. would suspend joint U.S.-South Korean war games that North Korea and China have long opposed. Both Mattis and South Korea were seen as caught off-guard by the decision. U.S. and South Korean officials now see the pledge as helping advance nuclear negotiations with North Korea. China welcomed the move, and Kim met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last week, though no new measures toward denuclearization have been announced. Trump said last week that “total denuclearization” has “already started taking place.” Mattis, however, was asked whether he had seen any sign that North Korea had begun steps toward denuclearization and replied: “I’m not aware of any. Obviously, we’re at the very front end of the process.”

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TANGLING OVER TAIWAN

China’s complaints about U.S. contacts with Taiwan have grown louder, with the U.S. seeking to increase exchanges with the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its territory, and selling more weapons to it. Mattis will likely hear those arguments made even more forcibly after Trump this year signed the Taiwan Travel Act encouraging high-level visits between the two sides, and the Department of Defense agreed to give American contractors marketing licenses for diesel-electric submarine technology sought by Taiwan’s armed forces. The U.S. government also approved a $1.4 billion arms sale to Taiwan last year, although in an effort to mollify Beijing, has been reluctant to supply everything the island’s leadership wants.

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TRUMP’S “SPACE FORCE” CALL

Trump’s announcement last week that he was directing the Pentagon to create a new “Space Force” drew attention in China and may be among the items for discussion in Beijing. Trump framed space as a national security issue, saying he does not want “China and Russia and other countries leading us.” While the U.S. has dominated in space since its 1969 moon landing, China is making strong headway, while Russia is in decline. China says it opposes the militarization of outer space, but demonstrated its growing prowess in the field in 2007 when it fired a missile that destroyed a defunct Chinese satellite, creating an enormous debris field and drawing concerns from the U.S. and others.

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CHINESE ARMY’S OVERSEAS EXPANSION

In addition to its increased presence in the South China Sea, China’s People’s Liberation Army is expanding its footprint in areas where the U.S. and its allies have traditionally held sway. Most strikingly, China opened its first foreign military base in Djibouti last year, joining the U.S. and a number of other countries with military installations in the Horn of Africa nation. Operating in closer proximity has at times created friction — the U.S. issued a formal complaint to Beijing over the use of lasers that targeted U.S. aircraft in Djibouti on several occasions. The U.S. has also complained about dangerous maneuvers by Chinese military aircraft tailing U.S. surveillance planes in the South and East China seas.

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CHINA’S TECHNOLOGICAL THREAT

Department of Defense officials warned lawmakers last week that China and other countries were threatening America’s “technological and military dominance.” Michael D. Griffin, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, told the House Armed Services Committee’s Military Personnel Subcommittee that China was stealing technology and intellectual property in a way that was “significant and intentional.”

By Associated Press

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#Beijing #China #Defense chief to visit #S. China Sea tensions #TodayNews #US

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newstfionline · 6 years

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Amid Warnings From China, Taiwan Boosts Domestic Arms Makers

By The Associated Press, May 13, 2018

TAICHUNG, Taiwan--Standing on his company’s sprawling campus in central Taiwan, Lin Nan-juh says he’s able to make any plane his island’s government calls for.

“We can do whatever’s asked,” says Lin, president of Aerospace Industrial Development Corp., or AIDC, a leader in the defense industry serving the isolated self-governing island that China claims as its own territory to be brought under its control by force if necessary.

It’s a bold statement with potentially major significance for Taiwan’s democratic survival as it seeks to build up its domestic defense industry in the face of China’s warnings and the reluctance of foreign arms suppliers to provide it with the planes, ships, submarines and other hardware it needs to defend its 23 million people.

While the U.S.--which is legally bound to respond to threats to Taiwan--continues to be its main arms supplier, Taiwan is increasingly looking to replace those politically fraught, touch-and-go deals with domestic production that is reliable as well as technologically advanced.

Taiwan’s indigenous systems are “both a source of national pride and a product of necessity,” said David An, senior research fellow with the Washington-based policy incubator Global Taiwan Institute. “As it’s commonly said, necessity is the mother of invention.”

The self-reliance policy has been strongly promoted by Taiwan’s pro-independence president, Tsai Ing-wen, whose government has been shunned by Beijing since shortly after she took office more than two years ago. Defense is included in Tsai’s economic program targeting eight industries for innovation and job creation, with the government helping match its defense needs with the abilities of Taiwanese companies.

China’s recent actions have underscored the risk for Taiwan.

Beijing has been upping pressure on the island by cutting its already tenuous diplomatic links and has sent military planes and an aircraft carrier close to the island multiple times. China now has the world’s second-largest defense budget behind the U.S., significantly boosting its ability to blockade, attack and possibly invade Taiwan.

Taiwan’s domestic arms industry got started in the 1970s, more than two decades after Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist forces fled to the former Japanese colony after Mao Zedong’s Communists seized power on the mainland in 1949.

Adaption and development of foreign technology gave companies such as AIDC much of what they needed to grow and help keep the peace with the mainland, said Mei Fu-shing, director of the Taiwan Security Analysis Center, a research and consulting practice based in New York.

“Indigenously developed and produced weapons have contributed materially to deterrence in the Taiwan Strait over the past three or four decades,” Mei said.

Taiwan’s capabilities have improved of late in both quality and technical sophistication, Mei said, pointing to the production of air-to-air missiles as an example. “Taiwan’s defense industry obviously has progressed,” making it less reliant on foreign sources, he said.

Along with protest actions from Beijing--including the suspension of exchanges with the U.S. military after a $6.4 billion arms package for Taiwan was announced in 2010--U.S. sales are constrained by concerns about the leaking of sensitive advanced technology across the 160-kilometer (100-mile) -wide Taiwan Strait to China.

Despite that, such sales continue, with the Trump administration notifying Congress last year of its intent to approve seven proposed deals for technical support, anti-radiation missiles, torpedoes and other technology valued at around $1.42 billion.

And last month, the administration agreed to allow U.S. firms with the technology to build much-needed diesel-electric submarines. Taiwan’s navy today operates just two aging subs bought from the Netherlands in the 1980s.

Analysts say sales of technology are less likely to prompt a strong response from China than those of complete systems such as planes or submarines.

Along with fighter jets and other aircraft, Taiwanese contractors already make anti-ship, surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles, as well as missile boats and Clouded Leopard armored vehicles. Taiwan has long been known worldwide for its civilian high-tech industry and about 200 small and mid-sized companies work in defense.

AIDC and the National Chung-shan Institute of Science and Technology are among the larger contractors. The aerospace firm reported sales income of $235 million and a net profit in the third quarter of 2017, the most recent made public online.

Despite the advances, Taiwan will never be able to quit buying advanced weapons from other countries, according to Defense Ministry spokesman Chen Chung-chi. Propulsion systems and engines for ships and aircraft are a particular need, and Taiwan sometimes finds that imports cost less than local production.

Yet such sales carry the risk of being used as bargaining chips to gain concessions from Beijing, particularly on trade. Ultimately, officials in Washington might help Taiwan’s military again only if they see its capability decline, said Alexander Huang, strategic studies professor at Tamkang University in Taiwan.

“Taiwan worries that there might be a time that we can’t buy the weapon system that we want, so we better build up our indigenous defense industry capability,” Huang said.

#Taiwan #Taiwan defense industry #China-Taiwan relations

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techcrunchappcom · 4 years

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New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/pompeo-esper-drive-us-anti-china-message-in-india-visit-national-news/

Pompeo, Esper drive US anti-China message in India visit | National News

Esper said the two countries’ focus must now “be on institutionalizing and regularizing our cooperation to meet the challenges of the day and uphold the principles of a free and open Indo-Pacific well into the future.” That, he said, is particularly important ”in light of increasing aggression and destabilizing actions by China.”

Just hours before the meetings began, the Trump administration notified Congress of plans for a $2.37 billion sale of Harpoon missile systems to Taiwan — the second major arms sale in two weeks to the island that Beijing regards as a renegade province. China reacted to the first sale by announcing sanctions on U.S. defense contractors.

Shortly before the Harpoon sale was announced, Pompeo met late Monday with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar to laud “the strong partnership between the United States and India,” declaring it to be “critical to the security and prosperity of both countries, the Indo-Pacific region, and the world,” the State Department said in a statement.

Regardless of domestic U.S. election considerations, it is a critical time in the U.S.-India relationship as China looms large over the Indo-Pacific.

Heightened border tensions between New Delhi and Beijing have added to Chinese-American animosity that has been fueled by disputes over the coronavirus, trade, technology, Taiwan, Tibet, Hong Kong, human rights and disputes between China and its smaller neighbors in the South China Sea.

#drive #esper #pompeo #National

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techcrunchappcom · 4 years

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New Post has been published on https://techcrunchapp.com/u-s-tries-to-bolster-taiwans-status-short-of-recognizingsovereignty-the-new-york-times/

U.S. Tries to Bolster Taiwan’s Status, Short of Recognizing Sovereignty - The New York Times

WASHINGTON — A visit to Taiwan by an American cabinet secretary. A sale of advanced torpedoes. Talk of starting negotiations over a potential trade agreement.

The Trump administration has taken action in recent weeks to strengthen United States relations with the democratic island of Taiwan and bolster its international standing. The efforts are aimed at highlighting a thriving democracy in Asia and countering China’s attempts to weaken the global diplomatic status of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its territory.

That feeds into a bigger campaign by national security officials: to set the United States on a long-term course of competition and confrontation with China that any American president, Democratic or Republican, will find difficult to veer away from in the future.

“Taiwan is the most important thing from a military and credibility point of view,” said Elbridge A. Colby, the former deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy and force development. Mr. Colby wrote the Trump administration’s national defense strategy, which emphasizes competition with China and Russia.

Taiwan has been a fraught issue between Washington and Beijing for seven decades, and it is re-emerging as a potential focal point of tensions, as United States national security officials press their campaign against China. The officials also see bolstering Taiwan in a more urgent light given the crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong by Xi Jinping, the leader of the Chinese Communist Party.

President Trump himself admires Mr. Xi and is “particularly dyspeptic about Taiwan,” once comparing it to the tip of a Sharpie marker and China to the Resolute desk, John R. Bolton, the former national security adviser, wrote in his new book. And the president is willing to sacrifice U.S. support for the democratic government for trade relations with China, he added. But campaign strategists have told Mr. Trump that he needs to appear tough on China for re-election purposes, giving pro-Taiwan U.S. officials an opening.

President Richard M. Nixon began a process of diplomatic opening in 1971 with Communist-ruled China to get Mao Zedong’s help in countering the Soviet Union. The United States established diplomatic ties with China in 1979 and broke off formal relations with Taiwan, which had been a sanctuary for the Kuomintang, or Nationalists, since their loss in the Chinese civil war 30 years earlier. Every U.S. administration has tried to maintain an ambiguous position on Taiwan based on the “One China” policy.

The ambiguity has helped maintain stability across the Taiwan Strait, one of the most militarized areas in the world. But as China has grown stronger and more assertive, and as Mr. Trump has begun dismantling international commitments under his “America First” foreign policy, some U.S. officials and Washington policy experts say the United States’s traditional approach to Taiwan helps hard-liners in Beijing and increases China’s threat to the island’s 24 million people.

Those officials, as well as Republican and Democratic lawmakers, aim to do as much as possible to show explicit U.S. support for Taiwan. They want to send military signals to China and to make relations with Taiwan as close to nation-to-nation as possible, short of recognizing sovereignty. Though Mr. Bolton openly advocates full diplomatic relations, many U.S. officials, including even some China hawks, have been more reluctant, fearful that such a move would mean a complete break with Beijing.

In March, officials persuaded Mr. Trump to sign the bipartisan Taipei Act passed by Congress, which commits Washington to trying to help Taiwan improve its international standing and oppose what the bill’s Senate sponsors called China’s “bullying tactics.”

The White House has publicly criticized as “Orwellian nonsense” China’s efforts to force American companies, including airlines and hotels, to use language indicating Taiwan is part of China. Some officials have discussed bringing Mandarin Chinese-language teachers from Taiwan to the United States as they try to get American schools to break ties with the Beijing-run Confucius Institutes.

In May, American officials led a failed effort at an assembly of the World Health Organization to get Taiwan observer status, over China’s objections.

But last week, Washington and Taipei orchestrated a diplomatic show of force. Alex M. Azar II, the U.S. secretary of health and human services, met on Aug. 10 with Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan’s president, in Taipei, in what was the highest-level visit by an American official to the island since 1979. Two days later, Ms. Tsai gave a video talk hosted by two policy research groups in Washington in which she stressed the need to strengthen military ties and establish a free-trade agreement.

“Foremost amongst my priorities is to establish a constructive security relationship built on the clear understanding of our shared interests in the region,” Ms. Tsai said.

A core element of U.S.-Taiwan ties is the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, which obligates Washington to provide weapons of a “defensive character” to Taiwan. Democratic and Republican administrations have adhered to this. Last summer, Mr. Bolton helped push through two big packages: an $8 billion sale of 66 F-16 fighter jets and a $2.2 billion sale of 108 Abrams tanks. In May, the administration notified Congress of an intent to sell $180 million worth of advanced torpedoes.

But some administration officials argue the arms sales, and increased transit by U.S. warships through the Taiwan Strait, fall short of what Washington needs to do. They say Washington must make clear to Beijing and Taipei that it would defend Taiwan if the People’s Liberation Army tried an invasion or a blockade. The Taiwan Relations Act does not address that, and past administrations have left the matter vague.

“We need to change things on Taiwan to improve the deterrent and make clearer where we stand, especially by ending any remaining ambiguity about how we’d react to the use of force and altering our military force structure and posture,” Mr. Colby said.

The administration is unlikely to try to station troops in Taiwan. But a port call is possible, as are visits by officers in uniform and training programs in Taiwan, U.S. officials say.

From the perspective of Taiwanese officials, bolstering economic ties is also critical. In her talk, Ms. Tsai called for the start of negotiations over a free-trade agreement. “We hope that the U.S. recognizes the broader strategic implications such an agreement will undoubtedly have,” she said.

When asked on Thursday at a news conference in Slovenia about Ms. Tsai’s request, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “We’re trying to figure out precisely how to proceed with that.”

Market access issues, especially over exports of American pork and beef to Taiwan, could hinder talks. But Kurt Tong, a former U.S. ambassador who specializes in Asia, wrote in May that an agreement “makes good sense as a matter of trade and economic policy — as well as China policy and Taiwan policy.”

The Coronavirus Outbreak ›

Frequently Asked Questions

Updated August 17, 2020

Why does standing six feet away from others help?

The coronavirus spreads primarily through droplets from your mouth and nose, especially when you cough or sneeze. The C.D.C., one of the organizations using that measure, bases its recommendation of six feet on the idea that most large droplets that people expel when they cough or sneeze will fall to the ground within six feet. But six feet has never been a magic number that guarantees complete protection. Sneezes, for instance, can launch droplets a lot farther than six feet, according to a recent study. It’s a rule of thumb: You should be safest standing six feet apart outside, especially when it’s windy. But keep a mask on at all times, even when you think you’re far enough apart.

I have antibodies. Am I now immune?

As of right now, that seems likely, for at least several months. There have been frightening accounts of people suffering what seems to be a second bout of Covid-19. But experts say these patients may have a drawn-out course of infection, with the virus taking a slow toll weeks to months after initial exposure. People infected with the coronavirus typically produce immune molecules called antibodies, which are protective proteins made in response to an infection. These antibodies may last in the body only two to three months, which may seem worrisome, but that’s perfectly normal after an acute infection subsides, said Dr. Michael Mina, an immunologist at Harvard University. It may be possible to get the coronavirus again, but it’s highly unlikely that it would be possible in a short window of time from initial infection or make people sicker the second time.

I’m a small-business owner. Can I get relief?

The stimulus bills enacted in March offer help for the millions of American small businesses. Those eligible for aid are businesses and nonprofit organizations with fewer than 500 workers, including sole proprietorships, independent contractors and freelancers. Some larger companies in some industries are also eligible. The help being offered, which is being managed by the Small Business Administration, includes the Paycheck Protection Program and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. But lots of folks have not yet seen payouts. Even those who have received help are confused: The rules are draconian, and some are stuck sitting on money they don’t know how to use. Many small-business owners are getting less than they expected or not hearing anything at all.

What are my rights if I am worried about going back to work?

What is school going to look like in September?

It is unlikely that many schools will return to a normal schedule this fall, requiring the grind of online learning, makeshift child care and stunted workdays to continue. California’s two largest public school districts — Los Angeles and San Diego — said on July 13, that instruction will be remote-only in the fall, citing concerns that surging coronavirus infections in their areas pose too dire a risk for students and teachers. Together, the two districts enroll some 825,000 students. They are the largest in the country so far to abandon plans for even a partial physical return to classrooms when they reopen in August. For other districts, the solution won’t be an all-or-nothing approach. Many systems, including the nation’s largest, New York City, are devising hybrid plans that involve spending some days in classrooms and other days online. There’s no national policy on this yet, so check with your municipal school system regularly to see what is happening in your community.

No matter the policy options, the United States should “make clear its support for Taiwan,” said Shelley Rigger, a political scientist at Davidson College.

But she cautioned that U.S. officials should formulate Taiwan policy based on strengthening the island rather than striking at China.

“It doesn’t seem to get said enough: There’s a certain sense of conflation or confusion of what it means to be helpful to or supportive of or affirming Taiwan versus taking a position that is more challenging to the P.R.C.,” she said, referring to the People’s Republic of China. “How willing are U.S. officials to pull Taiwan into that deteriorating picture, and how willing are they to be attentive to voices that say, ‘Be careful’? Beijing won’t punish Washington, but it can punish Taipei.”

Some analysts have criticized Mr. Trump for his apparent lack of knowledge of the nuances in the U.S.-Taiwan relationship. In December 2016, before taking office, he and Ms. Tsai talked by telephone — the first time an American president or president-elect had spoken to a Taiwanese leader since 1979. Though pro-Taiwan policy experts in Washington welcomed it as an overdue move, the action created tensions with Beijing that Mr. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, scrambled to defuse. It was clear Mr. Trump had no idea of the import of the call.

The administration took a restrained approach with Mr. Azar’s visit. Mr. Azar stuck to a carefully calibrated message throughout his three-day trip, referring to Taiwan as a “jurisdiction” and limiting his criticism of the Chinese Communist Party mainly to health-related issues.

U.S. officials said the visit was aimed at highlighting Taiwan’s success in containing the coronavirus outbreak.

China expressed its displeasure by sending two fighter jets across the median line of the Taiwan Strait. On Thursday, China’s military said it had conducted several live combat drills near Taiwan “to safeguard national sovereignty” and implied the exercises were connected to Mr. Azar’s visit.

Wang Ting-yu, a legislator from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party who is on the foreign affairs and national defense committee, said in an interview that Mr. Azar’s trip was “a break for the Taiwan people.”

He batted away concerns about Taiwan inadvertently getting caught in the crossfire of U.S.-China relations, emphasizing that the island had its own diplomatic and defense strategies.

“If they want to give us a hand, then we appreciate it,” Mr. Wang said. “But Taiwan won’t be any country’s bargaining chip.”

Amy Qin contributed reporting from Taipei, Taiwan.

#bolster #recognizing #short #sovereignty #status #taiwan #tries #Politics

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courtneytincher · 5 years

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U.S. State Dept approves possible $2.0 bln sale of Abrams tanks to Taiwan

from Defence Blog

via IFTTT

#Defence Blog

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investmart007 · 6 years

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TAICHUNG, Taiwan | Isolated and threatened, Taiwan boosts domestic arms makers

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/PJoRcS

TAICHUNG, Taiwan | Isolated and threatened, Taiwan boosts domestic arms makers

TAICHUNG, Taiwan — Standing on his company’s sprawling campus in central Taiwan, Lin Nan-juh says he’s able to make any plane his island’s threatened government calls for.

It’s a bold statement with potentially major significance for Taiwan’s democratic survival as it seeks to build up its domestic defense industry in the face of China’s threats and the reluctance of foreign arms suppliers to provide it with the planes, ships, submarines and other hardware it needs to defend its 23 million people.

While the U.S. — which is legally bound to respond to threats to Taiwan — continues to be its main arms supplier, Taiwan is increasingly looking to replace those politically fraught, touch-and-go deals with domestic production that is reliable as well as technologically advanced.

China’s recent actions have underscored the risk for Taiwan.

“Indigenously developed and produced weapons have contributed materially to deterrence in the Taiwan Strait over the past three or four decades,” Mei said.

Along with protest actions from Beijing — including the suspension of exchanges with the U.S. military after a $6.4 billion arms package for Taiwan was announced in 2010 — U.S. sales are constrained by concerns about the leaking of sensitive advanced technology across the 160-kilometer (100-mile) -wide Taiwan Strait to China.

Analysts say sales of technology are less likely to prompt a strong response from China than those of complete systems such as planes or submarines.

More than 3,000 people work on new aircraft designs at AIDC’s tree-lined campus, complete with a restaurant and a swimming pool. One of its planes marks a front entrance.

“Taiwan worries that there might be a time that we can’t buy the weapon system that we want, so we better build up our indigenous defense industry capability,” Huang said.

By RALPH JENNINGS, By Associated Press – published on STL.News by St. Louis Media, LLC (Z.S)

___

#Aerospace Industrial Development Corp #Isolated and threatened #Taichung #Taiwan boosts domestic arms makers #TodayNews

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newstfionline · 7 years

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2017 Was a Banner Year for the Arms Industry

By Harry Blain, Foreign Policy in Focus, December 21, 2017

Arms companies have had a good year.

The top 100 learned in July that their annual revenues amounted to a healthy $364.8 billion, with American companies--as usual--dominating. While the military itself has suffered several calamities, the contractors have thrived.

The author of The Art of the Deal has helped.

$110 billion from Saudi Arabia, $2.4 billion from austerity-ravaged Greece, $1.4 billion from Taiwan--all these deals have been set in motion by the Trump White House. Even if they’re not completely fulfilled, as can often be the case in such an opaque and unpredictable market, the financial outlook for America’s arms companies will keep making other (less lethal) industries look like mom-and-pop stores.

But the real victory is political. Well before the Thanksgiving break, the Senate had already confirmed that the new No. 2 at the Pentagon will come from the executive council of Boeing; and the new Army undersecretary from the vice presidency of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 sustainment program.

The new undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics--a central role in deciding what the Pentagon purchases and from whom--comes from the very top job at Textron Systems, the 16th largest arms company in the world. On November 15, Raytheon didn’t miss out on the action, with its vice president of governmental relations confirmed as Army Secretary.

In all of these cases, notwithstanding a smattering of tough questions, senators haven’t thought twice. By margins of 89-6, 92-7, and simple voice votes, these confirmations have been anything but grillings.

The one exception was John Rood’s November 16 confirmation hearing for undersecretary of defense for policy. Senators Elizabeth Warren and John McCain asked whether a senior vice president of Lockheed Martin International--whose role included “developing and executing strategies to grow Lockheed Martin’s International business”--could be trusted not to do more or less the same thing in a top Pentagon job.

Yet the prospect of the Senate doing its job was, it seems, short-lived. The Senate Armed Services Committee voted to advance Rood’s nomination two weeks later, despite concerns over potential conflicts of interest.

It doesn’t stop there. As The Intercept’s Lee Fang noted back in March, “Personnel from major defense companies now occupy the highest ranks of the administration including cabinet members and political appointees charged with implementing the Trump agenda.” This includes the defense secretary himself, who had to resign from the board of General Dynamics to take up the most senior job at the Pentagon, and now White House chief of staff John Kelly, who had to step down from his role as a paid advisor to Dyncorp to become the Homeland Security chief.

These two former generals and close friends of defense contractors are now two of the most senior figures in the Trump administration. They may well be running our foreign policy, with the president himself so inexperienced and his secretary of state only apparently there to destroy his own department and occasionally be subjected to public humiliation by the commander-in-chief.

But even these exceptionally powerful military men still find time to win applause from their former paymasters. Defense Secretary Mattis, in particular, has assured industry representatives that the Pentagon will “aggressively and swiftly take advantage of the opportunities that we see developing around us in the private sector.”

When he was rebuked for meeting with contractors so soon after starting his new job in public service, he responded: “I became aware that some people thought, ‘you can’t do that,’ and I said, ‘why not, they’re Americans aren’t they?’ Last time I checked, they were on our side.”

Congress has not questioned any of this.

Instead, it has ensured that a $700 billion budget for the military has cruised through both houses with bipartisan support. This, too, will be good news for defense contractors, who sucked up nearly half the Pentagon’s similarly massive budget for fiscal year 2016.

They continue to be rewarded for their long list of failures, which range from overpriced and constantly delayed “big-ticket” deals, to at least $31 billion of waste in rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan. Their dubious and exaggerated claims of being “job-creators” and “innovators” are uncritically embraced by the Trump administration.

No wonder, then, that “industry leaders” have spared a rare favorable word for the embattled 45th president.

Jerry DeMuro, CEO of defense giant BAE Systems, Inc. (the U.S. subsidiary of the larger UK company), praised Trump’s “proactive” approach to promoting US arms sales abroad, as well as the defense secretary’s willingness to “bridge the gap” between the public and private sector. Similarly, Raytheon’s CEO gushed that the Trump administration “has opened several doors for us” and is “accelerating our ability to grow internationally.”

The initial scare generated by Trump’s early Twitter attacks on the exorbitant cost of fighter jets has now dissipated: He’s become a reliable arms-dealer-in-chief.

So, with profits flowing, and political clout solidifying, the arms industry will begin 2018 happier than ever. President Obama was a good friend to them, approving more than double the value of arms sales reached by George W. Bush. Trump, it seems, will be even better.

#arms industry #weapons industry

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