Month: July 2019

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Violence, Lies, and American Politics

Those searching for the reasons that American politics has become so discordant need look no further the events of July. The Progressive Left’s actions, in assaulting journalists, slandering and threatening the political opposition, and attempting to dismantle constitutional institutions such as the Electoral College are geared towards a larger and deeply unsavory goal.

No single incident demonstrates more clearly the current mentality of the Progressive Left than that which happened to a reporter covering an Antifa demonstration in Portland, Oregon. This is Andy Ngo’s own words, which he wrote in the Wall Street Journal:

“I was suddenly slammed on the back of my head with something hard… I was… punched and kicked by perhaps a dozen masked people in black. At an Antifa event … I, a gay journalist of color, was beaten so badly that I was hospitalized for a brain hemorrhage…I have been targeted by Antifa and its allies for my critical coverage of their violent extremism. I’ve reported those incidents to the Portland Police Bureau, and in some cases I’ve identified suspects, but there were no arrests. The mainstream media describe Antifa as ‘antifascist,’ but in fact it is a far-left paramilitary-style movement of anarchists and communists agitating for a revolution.”

Progressive Left Mayor Ted Wheeler, a Democrat, has steadfastly refused to protect Portland’s citizenry from Antifa, the stormtroopers of the increasingly militant wing which now dominates the national Democratic Party.  Much of the media has downplayed the story.

Antifa is not an outlier. It is, in fact, simply the most visible example of what the Progressive Left is. When some disappointed Clinton voters took to the streets and engaged in violence to protest the results of a fair and honest election that they lost in 2016, they expressed their ideology precisely: Surrender to us or be attacked.  Hillary Clinton, when asked during a debate what her definition of what the “enemy” is, didn’t say poverty, discrimination, disease, war, Russia or China.  She said “Republicans.”

To the left, fellow Americans who refuse to kowtow to them are indeed the enemy. The reason is that it is Read Full Article levitra on line sale. levitra is Sildenafil citrate. They usually start acting tadalafil tablets in india in around 30 minutes with hard-rock erections that last for about 5 to 6 hours. You on line levitra are advised to keep a track on blood glucose levels. Drinking healing mineral water at home that may make you feel like happy after long day in office Enjoying peaceful, restful, calm and enjoyable sleep throughout the night Being watchful to what you are going to do to your partner later by masturbating, but don’t climax. tadalafil 5mg online And all is fair when fighting the enemy, including violence and lies. The lies are extraordinary in size and scope, and survive because a partisan media, both traditional and on the web, refuses to adequately expose them.

Consider the slander, timed precisely for the 4th of July week, that the “Betsy Ross” 13-star Revolutionary War flag was a symbol of white nationalists. The claim is sheer nonsense, but at least one major corporations, fearful of the economic and physical threats of the Progressive Left, surrendered in the blink of an eye.

One of the most significant issues on the current political scene concerns the mass influx of illegal immigrants, estimated to number 100,000 per month at an annual cost to the U.S. taxpayer of over $134 Billion. Unlike other immigrants of the past from Latin America or elsewhere, this massive wave is so large that reasonable safeguards including checking for contagious disease, membership in criminal gangs, and affiliations with terrorism cannot be effectively accomplished. But those bringing up these legitimate concerns are branded as “racists.”  

The Progressive Left’s central lie in all this is that individual issues are the point.  Economics, immigration, medical coverage, all are merely buzzword issues used to recruit support in the larger cause: the establishment of a far more powerful central government with the capability of shutting down individual rights, a necessity if socialism is to be implemented. This has been trending since the Obama Administration.  Lois Lerner used the IRS to attack the Tea Party.  Loretta Lynch used the Justice Department to suppress critics of the former president. Slander was used (unsuccessfully) against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Rep. Frederica Wilson, a Florida Democrat, seeks to “prosecute” anyone who criticizes lawmakers online.

The American public, shielded from the truth by a partisan media, has yet to fully awaken to the reality that there is a powerful, militant movement that seeks to destroy the freedoms that they have enjoyed for so long.

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Growing Acceptance of Discredited Ideas

There has been an inappropriately relaxed attitude towards the introduction into the common conversation within the United States of discredited and factually incorrect political positions, and, in some instances, concepts once considered reprehensible.


The acceptance of extreme partisanship as a justification for relying on falsehoods and historically vile positions has been facilitated by a deeply partisan media and academic establishment.  The former willingness of responsible civic, media, and cultural leaders to expose and reject ideas that have repeatedly failed is no longer is prevalent.

Consider several major examples.

It has now become common for academics and left-wing electeds to openly engage in what is clearly religious bigotry.  The BDS (boycott, divest, sanction) movement against Israel, based on patently false premises, combined with the accession to power of noted anti-Semitic figures such as former Democratic National Committee Chair Keith Ellison, (who now serves as Minnesota’s Attorney General) would have been universally condemned in the past. It has now become part of the political landscape, along with the The rest of the 1970s was a generally disappointing time for the Giants, as they finished no higher than buying levitra from canada third place in any season. And if you cialis in the uk like a spot of good food with your literary experience then you might be interested to know that the nearby Tatton Park hosts the North West Food Lovers Festival between October 19 – 21 which dovetails with some of the Chester Literary Festival. One should inquire all his queries relating to the pharmacy and being seen with drugs to treat erectile dysfunction back to Muslim physicians and pharmacists these problems were treated with tested drugs, then John R. soft viagra tabs Ajanta pharmacy developed this medication as a generic drug because of containing same ingredients. fast delivery cialis anti-Catholic statements of leading senators such as Kamala Harris and Diane Feinstein who have strongly implied that adherents to that faith aren’t fit to serve as judges.

Even as socialism claims Venezuela as its latest victim, subscribers to that fatally flawed school of economics have become a rising force within America. The century-long record of financial devastation and societal oppression that inevitably follows its introduction is curiously ignored. Obvious comparisons between North and South Korea, the former East and West Germany, as well as the whole of Eastern Europe and Western Europe, and the failure of the Soviet Empire in its competition with the West apparently have been consigned to be removed from memory.

Consider the lack of realism in the left’s approach to foreign affairs.  For the eight years of the Obama Administration, the U.S. military was slashed, and support for U.S. allies was reduced. Rather than being partners in peace, Russia and China’s response was to use that period to dramatically upgrade their armed forces and engage in hostile actions abroad. Moscow openly violated the long-standing Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty. Despite that result, there has been no move to admit fault and support a more realistic defense strategy, on the part of those who endangered America’s national security. One common myth, in an interesting bid to engage in intellectual obfuscation, has been to cast President Trump as being soft on the Russian threat, despite his advocacy of a much larger Pentagon budget and a bid to weaken Moscow’s ability to earn funds to devote to its military by competing with it more forcefully in the energy market. 

The stunning turnaround in attitudes towards free speech is as worrisome as it is unexpected.  Many media, cultural, and academic sources have been all too eager to justify censorship of conservative ideas and actual physical attacks on those expressing them. Far too many have considered it justifiable to engage in violent actions to keep 
non-Progressive speakers off stage, and to actually assault individuals wearing hats or other paraphernalia expressing support for conservative figures.  Violent tactics by anti-free speech advocates on campuses, and by Antifa on city streets, has become a common practice.

Under the guise of cultural sensitivity, outrageous and yes, evil concepts such as female genital mutilation and forced marriages of child brides have gained common currency. Oddly enough, many of the same sources that accept these acts of oppression against women engage in a shocking acceptance of infanticide, camouflaged as late term abortion, as a so-called nod to women’s rights.

Extreme movements, (and the left of Bernie Sanders, Keith Ellison,  and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes is indeed extremist,) eventually find the concept of individual rights to be burdensome, despite the reality that these rights are the essence of the American Republic.  In its opposition to key portions of the Bill of Rights, its rejection of Constitutional norms, its eagerness to condemn individuals without due process, U.S. Progressives are following a dangerous but time-worn path, one which is slowly and dangerously gaining greater mainstream acceptance.

Illustration: Pixabay

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There are Two Americas

The left is fond of saying that “There are two Americas.” The slogan is meant to inspire class and race rivalry, but there is little justification for the concept.

But there are, indeed, two Americas. The U.S. has become split between the majority of the citizenry who seek to live a life concentrated on raising families, earning a living, and pursuing myriad personal interests on one side, and, on the other, a group that is wholly focused on politics, and the “fundamental transformation” (as Barack Obama termed it) of the nation

To most Americans, politics means choosing candidates and campaigning for them in an election.  But to the hyper activists on the left, it involves every element of society and culture. It involves altering the curriculum taught in schools from first grade through graduate level, to reflect leftists beliefs to the exclusion of everything else. It means the transformation of news reporting from the classic mandate of objectively describing “who, what, when, where,why” to what is essentially editorializing all the time.

Entertainment, in this all-encompassing effort, is merely a vehicle to broadcast propaganda. No comedy show is complete without digs at moderates and conservatives. Dramas are vehicles to cast the other side as villains. 

There is a major behavioral difference between moderate and conservative elected officials and their opposite numbers. The former generally seek office to resolve specific issues, the latter, to pursue ideological goals.  (Unfortunately, there are also careerists on both sides.)

Consider illegal immigration. No convincing case has been made that ignoring a massive influx of unskilled, impoverished people who require public support, and present dangers of increased crime and disease in any way helps the citizenry.  Yet, because they are expected to eventually vote, legally or illegally, for Progressive candidates, the left insists on ignoring the crisis.

Similarly, the numerous “virtue signaling” environmental regulations advocated by Progressive officials do nothing to alter the climate but they do set a precedent for allowing greater governmental control of private affairs, a major left-wing goal. The government  of New York State has roadblocked vital energy development and infrastructure  so severely that portions of the state will soon be incapable of fueling new buildings with natural gas. 

In Los Angeles, the emphasis on the alleged rights of those living on the streets to engage in acts such as defecating on public thoroughfares has resulted in typhoid cases. One publication called this leftwing policy the “death” of that city.

Justice itself has been a casualty of the Left’s determination to place their ideology over everything. To protect their standard bearers, clear criminal acts have been intentionally ignored. Consider the foul acts of Hillary Clinton in the uranium to Russia deal, and her email coverup. Partisan bureaucrats such as Lois Lerner have been allowed to kidnap whole agencies, in her case the IRS, to use as partisan attack vehicles.  No punishment resulted from either acts which blatantly violated the law.

An entire portion of the judiciary, the Ninth Circuit, has continued to issue rulings based on Progressive politics in defiance of the Constitution and statutory law.

The moderate/conservative portion of this split has, essentially, engaged in unilateral disarmament. No substantive effort has been made to challenge progressive dominance in entertainment, education, or network news. Despite howls of protest, little has been done to address the growing censorship by non leftists on social media.

The Left’s pursuit of ideology over common sense, the good of the nation, and the safety of the citizenry, announced so clearly by President Obama when he rendered his “fundamental transformation” comment divided the nation in a manner not seen since the Civil War. It’s time to recognize the danger.

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Foreign Policy Update

CUBA

One of the punitive measures the US Government uses to influence governments to change their undesirable behavior is to sanction offending officials from that nation. The Cuban government has shown itself to be such an offending country in a number of cases.  Most recently the State Department announced that Cuba is engaging in “exploitative and coercive labor practices while it earns money on the backs of its citizens through its overseas medical missions program.”

To address this labor abuse, the Trump Administration has imposed visa restrictions on certain Cuban officials and other individuals responsible for these coercive labor practices under the Immigration and Nationality Act Section 212(a)(3)(C).  

The US State Department has documented numerous cases where Cuban citizens are forced to work  long hours and are housed in unsafe areas. In addition, reports indicate the Cuban government is “compelling Cuban medical professionals to advance the regime’s political agenda.” 

NORTH KOREA

When questioned about recent missiles by North Korea the State Department spokesperson said that the US is aware of the launches, and that what would be most productive is for “Chairman Kim and his staff and for President Trump and all of his staff to continue upon the path that was laid out for us both in Vietnam and at the DMZ, and that is a diplomatic resolution and the end of North Korea’s nuclear weapons.”

Sanctions are to remain in place, according to the State Department, until the Trump Administration has determined that the goal of ending North Korea’s nuclear weapons program is achieved. The goal in US negotiations with the North Korean regime is to fully denuclearize the North and to bring it into the international community as a normal state. At that time, the spokesperson said, sanctions could be removed and there could be economic cooperation. 

TURKEY

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Turkish forces are massing on the northeastern Syrian border, the Russians have delivered the S-400 missile to Turkey, and Special Envoy James Jeffrey, in an ongoing effort to bring peace to the region, met with Turkish officials who rejected the US position on Syria. According to the State Department, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar met with Turkish generals, and said he expected the United States to review Turkey’s proposals and respond. He added “We [Turkey]… cannot tolerate a delay, and we will take the initiative necessary.”  

The Trump Administration’s goals in Syria remain to prevent a security vacuum that destabilizes the area. The plan to accomplish this goal is to address Turkey’s legitimate security concerns while also protecting American partners in the fight against ISIS.

STRAIT OF HORMUZ

In addressing international shipping concerns in the Strait of Hormuz Secretary of State Michael Pompeo spoke with Bret Baier of Fox News, saying “We are at the beginning stages of developing our maritime security initiative. We’ll be a part of that, but so will nations from all across the world.” The United States is working with its partners and Allies to protect civilian shipping and ensure international commerce through the Strait of Hormuz. The Maritime Security Initiative, known as “Operation Sentinel” has a goal of safeguarding freedom of navigation and maritime security in the Middle East by promoting the safe passage of vessels and increasing surveillance capabilities. To that end on July 25, US Central Command hosted senior representatives from allies and US partner nations to discuss this new maritime security initiative at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.  This is an ongoing diplomatic initiative in response to recent Iranian actions in the Strait in which it seized two foreign oil tankers.

Washington is conducting its “maximum pressure” campaign to tr to force Iran to change its belligerent behavior. According to Pompeo, Washington has a two-pronged approach which is designed to put economic pressure on the regime in Tehran and also to convince the Iranian leadership that the cost of engaging in their behavior is too high to continue it. Washington hopes the approach will cause Iran to sit down and negotiate in a joint effort to stop terrorism in the region. 

DARIA NOVAK served in the United States State Department during the Reagan Administration, and currently is on the Board of the American Analysis of News and Media Inc., which publishes usagovpolicy.com and the New York Analysis of Policy and Government.  Each Saturday, she presents key updates on U.S. foreign policy from the State Department.

Illustration: Pixabay

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Indo-Pacific Challenge, Part 5

The New York Analysis of Policy and Government concludes its presentation of the U.S. Department of Defenses’ report on threats in the Indo-Pacific region.

BURDEN SHARING

America’s  National Security Strategy calls on the United States to pursue cooperation and reciprocity together with our allies, partners, and aspiring partners. Cooperation means sharing responsibilities and burdens. The United States expects our allies and partners to shoulder a fair share of the burden of responsibility to protect against common threats. When we pool resources and share responsibility for our common defense, our security burden becomes lighter and more cost-effective.

THE STATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM IN THE INDO-PACIFIC

The State Partnership Program began in 1993 with partnerships between the National Guard of designated U.S. States and newly independent Eastern European countries.

The State Partnership Program has since expanded to other regions, including the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, Western Europe, and the Indo-Pacific. By the end of FY 2019, the United States will have 79 partnerships with 86 nations, 12 of which are in the Indo-Pacific:

  • Bangladesh / Oregon (2008)
  •   Cambodia / Idaho (2009)
  •  Indonesia / Hawaii (2006)
  •  Malaysia / Washington (2017)
  • Mongolia / Alaska (2003)
  • Philippines / Hawaii, Guam (2000)
  • Thailand / Washington (2002)
  •   Tonga and Fiji / Nevada (2014 & 2018)
  •   Vietnam / Oregon (2012)
  • Recently Added:  Nepal (2019) 4Sri Lanka
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UPHOLDING FREEDOM AND ACCESS TO GLOBAL COMMONS

Throughout our history, the United States has asserted a key national interest in preserving the freedom of the seas, and has often relied on the U.S. military forces to protect that interest. As President Ronald Reagan said in releasing the U.S. Oceans Policy in 1983, “we will not acquiesce in unilateral actions of other states designed to restrict the rights and freedoms of the international community in navigation and overflight.”

 Today, in places like the South China Sea, excessive maritime claims are attempts by coastal States to unlawfully restrict the exercise of freedoms afforded to all seafaring nations to operate in waters beyond territorial limits. The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, and encourage our allies and partners to do the same.

Excessive maritime claims inconsistent with international law, if left unchallenged, threaten the international rulesbased order and U.S. interests and those of our regional allies and partners. Freedom of the seas is essential to ensuring the global mobility of U.S. forces in the event of a crisis and the worldwide security of civilian shipping on a daily basis.

DoD, therefore, is committed to ensuring free and open maritime access, including through freedom of navigation (FON) assertions (commonly called Freedom of Navigation Operations, or FONOPs), to protect the stable economic order and to maintain the ability of U.S. forces to respond, as needed. U.S. forces routinely challenge excessive maritime claims asserted by allies and partners, as well as those made by potential adversaries and competitors.

Conclusion

For more than 70 years the United States, along with our like-minded allies and partners, has helped underwrite a stable security environment that allowed the people, economies, and nations in the Indo-Pacific to rise and prosper. Our vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific encompasses values shared by our allies and partners in the region – one that emphasizes upholding a foundation of mutual respect, responsibility, transparency, and accountability.

 As great power competition returns, we will continue to invest, act, and orient ourselves to ensure that the principled international order from which all countries in the region benefit endures.

The United States will uphold our commitments and will act to defend our interests and those of our allies and partners.

The United States, along with our like-minded allies and partners, will continue to be engaged in this dynamic and rapidly growing region. The Department of Defense, in conjunction with other U.S. Government Departments and Agencies, regional institutions, and regional allies and partners, will continue to ensure that the rule of law – not coercion and force – dictates the future of the IndoPacific.

Photo taken on May 4, 2019 shows Chinese naval forces participating the “Joint Sea-2019” exercise. A six-day joint naval exercise held by Chinese and Russian navies .in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. Two submarines, 13 surface ships, as well as fixed-wing airplanes, helicopters and marines participated in the exercise. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

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Indo-Pacific Challenge, Part 4

The New York Analysis of Policy and Government moves on to Part 4 of its examination of the growing crisis in the Indo-Pacific region, examining the Department of Defense’s latest information on the subject.

Russia as a Revitalized Malign Actor

Russia’s interest and influence in the region continue to increase through national outreach and military modernization – in both its conventional forces and strategic forces. Despite slow economic growth due to Western sanctions and decreasing oil prices, Russia continues to modernize its military and prioritize strategic capabilities – including its nuclear forces, A2/AD systems, and expanded training for long-range aviation – in an attempt to re-establish its presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

 Russia’s operations and engagement throughout this region are consistent with its global influence activities, which seek to advance Moscow’s strategic interests while undermining U.S. leadership and the rules-based international order. Russia’s efforts include using economic, diplomatic, and military means to achieve influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Moscow seeks to alleviate some of the effects of sanctions imposed, following its aggressive actions in Ukraine, by diplomatically appealing to select states in Asia and seeking economic opportunities for energy exports. Russia also seeks to increase defense and trade relations through arms sales in the region.

Russia is re-establishing its military presence in the Indo-Pacific by regularly flying bomber and reconnaissance missions in the Sea of Japan and conducting operations as far east as Alaska and the west coast of the continental United States. Russia has also intensified its diplomatic outreach in Southeast Asia, seeking to capitalize on U.S.-China tensions in order to present itself as a neutral “third partner.”

The Russian Navy has increased its operations and reach, with the Russian Pacific Fleet deploying ships to support operations in the Middle East and Europe, and the Russian Baltic and Black Sea Fleets deploying to the Indo-Pacific. Russian ballistic missile and attack submarines remain active in the region, while Russia is also undertaking efforts to modernize its conventional forces and nuclear strike capabilities.

China and Russia collaborate across the diplomatic, economic, and security arenas. China has increased investment in Russia’s economy and Russia is one of China’s top sources for energy imports. In the security realm, China purchases advanced equipment such as Su-35 fighter aircraft and the S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia. The two countries participate in bilateral and multilateral military exercises together, including China’s 2018 participation for the first time in Russia’s annual strategic command and staff exercise, VOSTOK (East) 2018. China and Russia frequently jointly oppose U.S.-sponsored measures at the United Nations Security Council. Broadly, they share a preference for a multipolar world order in which the United States is weaker and less influential. Russia has Arctic interests linked to its significant Arctic Ocean coastline and the extraction of natural resources. This is witnessed by Russia’s extended continental shelf claim, and an uptick in its military posture and investments to develop the region and the Northern Sea shipping route, including with Chinese involvement. However, an interest in reserving Arctic resources for littoral states may ultimately limit the extent and depth of Sino-Russian cooperation.

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The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as a Rogue State

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea) will remain a security challenge for DoD, the global system, our allies and partners, and competitors, until we achieve the final, fully verifiable denuclearization as committed to by Chairman Kim Jong Un. Although a pathway to peace is open for a diplomatic resolution of North Korea’s nuclear weapons program, other weapons of mass destruction, missile threats, and the security challenges North Korea presents are real and demand continued vigilance. North Korea’s history as a serial proliferator, including conventional arms, nuclear technology, ballistic missiles, and chemical agents to countries, such as Iran and Syria, adds to our security concerns. Furthermore, the DPRK’s continued human rights violations and abuse against its own people, including violations of individuals’ freedom of expression, remain an issue of deep concern to the international community. The United States also continues to support Japan’s position that North Korea must completely resolve the issue of Japanese abductees, and has raised this with North Korean authorities.

North Korea has developed an intercontinental ballistic missile intended to be capable of striking the continental United States with a nuclear or conventional payload. In 2017, North Korea conducted a series of increasingly complex ballistic missile launches eastward toward the United States. North Korea did so by overflying Japan with long-range ballistic missiles. Some tests were done at highly lofted trajectories designed to simulate flights at ranges that could reach the United States.

North Korea poses a conventional threat to U.S. allies, such as the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Japan. North Korea has long-range artillery arrayed against the ROK – particularly the Greater Seoul Metropolitan Area – capable of inflicting catastrophic damage on ROK civilians and large numbers of U.S. citizens. North Korea has demonstrated willingness to use lethal force to achieve its ends. In 2010, North Korea sank the ROK corvette CHEONAN and killed 46 sailors in an unprovoked attack. In 2010, it also shelled the ROK Yeonpyeong Island in the Yellow Sea, killing 2 civilians and 2 military personnel and wounding 22 more.

North Korea continues to circumvent international sanctions and the U.S.-led pressure campaign through diplomatic engagement, counter pressure against the sanctions regime, and direct sanctions evasion. Early in 2018, North Korea exceeded its sanctioned limit on refined petroleum imports through illicit ship-to-ship transfers. U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) is working with allies and partners to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) by disrupting illicit ship-to-ship transfers, often near or in Chinese territorial waters, and in the Yellow Sea. North Korea is also engaged in cross-border smuggling operations and cyber-enabled theft to generate revenue, while simultaneously circumventing United Nations Security Council prohibitions on coal exports.

The Trump Administration has pursued leader-level diplomacy with North Korea for the first time, which has highlighted unique opportunities for a brighter future for North Korea. Until North Korea clearly and unambiguously makes the strategic decision to take steps to denuclearize, the United States will continue to enforce all applicable domestic and international sanctions, and DoD will remain ready to deter, and if necessary, defeat any threats to the United States, the ROK, Japan, or our other allies and partners.

The Report concludes tomorrow.

Photo taken on May 4, 2019 shows the naval forces participating the “Joint Sea-2019” exercise. A six-day joint naval exercise held by Chinese and Russian navies concluded Saturday in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. Two submarines, 13 surface ships, as well as fixed-wing airplanes, helicopters and marines participated in the exercise. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

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Indo-Pacific Challenge, Part 3

The New York Analysis of Policy and Government moves on to Part 3 of its examination of the growing crisis in the Indo-Pacific region, examining the Department of Defense’s latest information on the subject.

The People’s Republic of China as a Revisionist Power

China’s economic, political, and military rise is one of the defining elements of the 21st century. Today, the Indo-Pacific increasingly is confronted with a more confident and assertive China that is willing to accept friction in the pursuit of a more expansive set of political, economic, and security interests.

Perhaps no country has benefited more from the free and open regional and international system than China, which has witnessed the rise of hundreds of millions from poverty to growing prosperity and security. Yet while the Chinese people aspire to free markets, justice, and the rule of law, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), undermines the international system from within by exploiting its benefits while simultaneously eroding the values and principles of the rules-based order. With more than half of the world’s Muslim population living in the Indo-Pacific, the region views the PRC’s systematic mistreatment of Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other Muslims in Xinjiang – including pervasive discrimination, mass detention, and disappearances – with deep concern. China’s violation of international norms also extends abroad. Chinese nationals acting in association with the Chinese Ministry of State Security were recently indicted for conducting global campaigns of cyber theft that targeted intellectual property and confidential business and technological information at managed service providers. China has continued to militarize the South China Sea by placing anti-ship cruise missiles and long-range surface-to-air missiles on the disputed Spratly Islands and employing paramilitary forces in maritime disputes vis-à-vis other claimants. In the air, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has increased patrols around and near Taiwan using bomber, fighter, and surveillance aircraft to signal Taiwan. China additionally employs non-military tools coercively, including economic tools, during periods of political tensions with countries that China accuses of harming its national interests.

The People’s Republic of China’s Military Modernization and Coercive Actions

As China continues its economic and military ascendance, it seeks Indo-Pacific regional hegemony in the near-term and, ultimately global preeminence in the long-term. China is investing in a broad range of military programs and weapons, including those designed to improve power projection; modernize its nuclear forces; and conduct increasingly complex operations in domains such as cyberspace, space, and electronic warfare operations.

China is also developing a wide array of anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities, which could be used to prevent countries from operating in areas near China’s periphery, including the maritime and air domains that are open to use by all countries. In 2018, China’s placement of anti-ship cruise missiles and long-range surface-to-air missiles on the disputed Spratly Islands violated a 2015 public pledge by the Chairman of the CCP Xi Jinping that “China does not intend to pursue militarization” of the Spratly Islands. China’s use of military presence in an attempt to exert de facto control over disputed areas is not limited to the South China Sea. In the East China Sea, China patrols near the Japan-administered Senkaku Islands with maritime law enforcement ships and aircraft. These actions endanger the free flow of trade, threaten the sovereignty of other nations, and undermine regional stability. Such activities are inconsistent with the principles of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Simultaneously, China is engaged in a campaign of low-level coercion to assert control of disputed spaces in the region, particularly in the maritime domain. China is using a steady progression of small, incremental steps in the “gray zone” between peaceful relations and overt hostilities to secure its aims, while remaining below the threshold of armed conflict. Such activities can involve the coordination of multiple tools, including: political warfare, disinformation, use of A2/AD networks, subversion, and economic The condition is defined as an inability to keep and maintain an erection for the viagra generika online whole sexual engagement. It improves the count of quality sperms and helps cialis tablets 20mg downtownsault.org to treat weak ejaculation problem in men naturally without any side effects. One just needs to follow the recommended instruction to get a healthy and safe treatment.An affordable and equally effective medicine, which is known as a cheap version of levitra pills from canada is Kamagra. Recently, there has been a fixation on exotic fruits but one doesn’t need to search out some African berry or rainforest antidote to achieve the angle ranging from 35 degree to 45 degree. order cheap cialis leverage. During the last decade, China continued to emphasize capabilities for Taiwan contingencies. China has never renounced the use of military force against Taiwan, and continues to develop and deploy advanced military capabilities needed for a potential military campaign. PLA modernization is also strengthening its ability to operate farther from China’s borders. For example, the PLA is reorganizing to improve its capability to conduct complex joint operations, and is also improving its command and control, training, personnel, and logistics systems. Key weapon systems deployed or in development, include: cruise and ballistic missile systems, modern fighter and bomber aircraft, aircraft carriers, modern ships and submarines, amphibious assault ships, surface-to-air missile systems, electronic warfare systems, direct-ascent, hit-to-kill anti-satellite missiles, and autonomous systems.

China’s Use of Economic Means to Advance Its Strategic Interests

China is using economic inducements and penalties, influence operations, and implied military threats to persuade other states to comply with its agenda. Although trade has benefitted both China and its trade partners, Chinese use of espionage and theft for economic advantage, as well as diversion of acquired technology to the military, remains a significant source of economic and national security risk to all of China’s trading partners.

While investment often brings benefits for recipient countries, including the United States, some of China’s investments result in negative economic effects or costs to host country sovereignty. Chinese investment and project financing that bypasses regular market mechanisms results in lower standards and reduced opportunities for local companies and workers, and can result in significant debt accumulation.

 One-sided and opaque deals are inconsistent with the principles of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and are causing concern in the region. For example, in 2018, Bangladesh was forced to ban one of China’s major state firms for attempted bribery, and in the same year, Maldives’ finance minister stated that China was building infrastructure projects in the country at significantly inflated prices compared to what was previously agreed.

Furthermore, a Chinese state-owned enterprise purchased operational control of Hambantota Port for 99 years, taking advantage of Sri Lanka’s need for cash when its government faced daunting external debt repayment obligations.

 The United States does not oppose China’s investment activities as long as they respect sovereignty and the rule of law, use responsible financing practices, and operate in a transparent and economically sustainable manner. The United States, however, has serious concerns with China’s potential to convert unsustainable debt burdens of recipient countries or sub-national groups into strategic and military access, including by taking possession of sovereign assets as collateral. China’s coercive behavior is playing out globally, from the Middle East and Africa to Latin America and Europe.

A lack of transparency also clouds China’s activities in the polar regions. In 2018, China announced the inclusion of the region in One Belt One Road as the “Polar Silk Road” and emphasized its self-declared status as a “Near-Arctic State.” China is also expanding its engagement and capabilities in the Antarctic, in particular by working to finalize a fifth research station, which will diversify its presence across the continent.

The Report continues tomorrow.

Photo: Chinese Frigate (Chinese Ministry of Defense)

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Quick Analysis

Indo-Pacific Challenge, Part 2

The New York Analysis of Policy and Government continues its examination of the growing crisis in the Indo-Pacific region, examining the Department of Defense’s latest information on the subject.

American businesses have traded in Asia since the 18th century, and today, within the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), America’s annual two-way trade with the region is $2.3 trillion, with U.S. foreign direct investment of $1.3 trillion in the region – more than China’s, Japan’s, and South Korea’s combined. The Indo-Pacific contributes two-thirds of global growth in gross domestic product (GDP) and accounts for 60 percent of global GDP. This region includes the world’s largest economies – the United States, China, and Japan – and six of the world’s fastest growing economies – India, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Nepal, and the Philippines.

A quarter of U.S. exports go to the Indo-Pacific, and exports to China and India have more than doubled over the past decade. This is made possible by free and open trade routes through the air, sea, land, space, and cyber commons that form the current global system.

Vision and Principles for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific

In 2017, President Trump announced our nation’s vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific at the APEC Summit in Vietnam, and our commitment to a safe, secure, prosperous, and free region that benefits all nations. This vision flows from common principles that underpin the current international order, which has benefited all countries in the region – principles we have a shared responsibility to uphold:

1. Respect for sovereignty and independence of all nations;

2. Peaceful resolution of disputes;

 3. Free, fair, and reciprocal trade based on open investment, transparent agreements, and connectivity; and,

4. Adherence to international rules and norms, including those of freedom of navigation and overflight.

Our vision for a free Indo-Pacific is one in which all nations, regardless of size, are able to exercise their sovereignty free from coercion by other countries. At the national-level, this means good governance and the assurance that citizens can enjoy their fundamental rights and liberties. Our vision for an open Indo-Pacific is one that promotes sustainable growth and connectivity in the region. This means all nations enjoy access to international waters, airways, and cyber and space domains, and are able to pursue peaceful resolution of territorial and maritime disputes. On an economic level, this means fair and reciprocal trade, open investment environments, and transparent agreements between nations.

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Our vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific recognizes the linkages between economics, governance, and security that are part of the competitive landscape throughout the region, and that economic security is national security. In order to achieve this vision, we will uphold the rule of law, encourage resilience in civil society, and promote transparent governance – all of which expose malign influences that threaten economic development everywhere. Our vision aspires to a regional order in which independent nations can both defend their interests and compete fairly in the international marketplace. It is a vision which recognizes that no one nation can or should dominate the IndoPacific.

In recognition of the region’s need for greater investment, including infrastructure investment, the United States seeks to invigorate our development and finance institutions to enable us to become better, more responsive partners. U.S. Departments and Agencies will work with regional allies and partners to provide end-to-end solutions that build tangible products and transfer experience. Ultimately, the maintenance of a free and open order sustains regional development because a well    functioning and transparent marketplace incentivizes global commercial investments that outpaces any state’s unique resources. The United States is not alone in its pursuit of a free and open IndoPacific – many of our allies and partners share these principles and values:

“We must ensure that these waters are a public good that bring peace and prosperity to all people without discrimination into the future.” – Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzo Abe, policy speech to the 196th session of the Diet January 22, 2018

 “Now what is important is to preserve a rules-based development in the region. It’s to preserve the necessary balances in the region.” – President of France, Emmanuel Macron, speech during a state visit to Australia May 2, 2018

“…rules and norms should be based on the consent of all, not on the power of the few.” – Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, keynote address at the Shangri-La Dialogue June 1, 2018

“We want a rules-based system that respects the sovereignty and the independence of every single country and a commitment then to regional security that is always the precondition for prosperity.” – Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, address at the APEC CEO Summit November 17, 2018

“Collective solutions to shared challenges in the Pacific require strong and vibrant regionalism, with institutions that can convert political will into action, supported by partners who align their efforts with the region’s priorities.” – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs for New Zealand, Winston Peters, address at Georgetown University

As the region grows in population and economic weight, U.S. strategy will adapt to ensure that the Indo-Pacific is increasingly a place of peace, stability, and growing prosperity – and not one of disorder, conflict, and predatory economics. Embedding these free and open principles will require efforts across the spectrum of our agencies and capabilities: diplomatic initiatives, governance capacity building, economic cooperation and commercial advocacy and military cooperation.

The Report continues tomorrow.

Photo: Chinese military practices beach landings (Chinese Ministry of Defense)

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Quick Analysis

The Indo-Pacific Challenge

In the popular imagination, much of the Indo-Pacific region is a realm of exotic ports and tropical seas. It is the new center of international commerce, and it is vital to the global economy. But as China’s military power has reached new heights, the vast portion of the globe is increasingly reminiscent of the era when Japan was an expansionist power and its islands were soaked with the blood resulting from the fiercest battles of the Second World War.

The U.S. Department of Defense has recently released a report of extraordinary significance. Over the next several days, we will provide you with the opportunity to examine this vital issue.

THE DEPARMENT OF DEFENSE Indo-Pacific Strategy Report

The Indo-Pacific is the Department of Defense’s priority theater. The United States is a Pacific nation; we are linked to our Indo-Pacific neighbors through unbreakable bonds of shared history, culture, commerce, and values.

We have an enduring commitment to uphold a free and open IndoPacific in which all nations, large and small, are secure in their sovereignty and able to pursue economic growth consistent with accepted international rules, norms, and principles of fair competition. The continuity of our shared strategic vision is uninterrupted despite an increasingly complex security environment. Inter-state strategic competition, defined by geopolitical rivalry between free and repressive world order visions, is the primary concern for U.S. national security.

 In particular, the People’s Republic of China, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, seeks to reorder the region to its advantage by leveraging military modernization, influence operations, and predatory economics to coerce other nations. In contrast, the Department of Defense supports choices that promote long-term peace and prosperity for all in the Indo-Pacific. We will not accept policies or actions that threaten or undermine the rules-based international order – an order that benefits all nations. We are committed to defending and enhancing these shared values.

Preparedness – Achieving peace through strength and employing effective deterrence requires a Joint Force that is prepared to win any conflict from its onset. The Department, alongside our Allies and partners, will ensure our combat-credible forces are forward-postured in the region. Furthermore, the Joint Force will prioritize investments that ensure lethality against high-end adversaries.

 Partnerships – Our unique network of Allies and partners is a force multiplier to achieve peace, deterrence, and interoperable warfighting capability. The Department is reinforcing its commitment to established Alliances and Partnerships, while This kind of medication is mainly sildenafil price in india prescribed to those patients who do not want to consider brain surgery as an option. Before that time they were unable to see well enough to online prescriptions for cialis play baseball again? Probably. In their opinion, if someone has posted their email address for all to see, then other people have the purchase generic levitra http://downtownsault.org/christmas-festivities-continue-downtown-this-saturday-december-14th/ right to contact that person and ask them questions or send them offers. With the inhibition of PDE5, the body experiences augmentation in nitric oxide level, which allows the students to tadalafil super active take the course with other regular programs. also expanding and deepening relationships with new partners who share our respect for sovereignty, fair and reciprocal trade, and the rule of law.

 Promotion of a Networked Region – The Department is strengthening and evolving U.S. Alliances and Partnerships into a networked security architecture to uphold the international rules-based order. The Department also continues to cultivate intra-Asian security relationships capable of deterring aggression, maintaining stability, and ensuring free access to common domains.

Advancing this Indo-Pacific vision requires an integrated effort that recognizes the critical linkages between economics, governance, and security – all fundamental components that shape the region’s competitive landscape. The Department of Defense, in partnership with other U.S. Government Departments and Agencies, regional institutions, and regional Allies and partners, will continue to diligently uphold a rules-based order that ensures peace and prosperity for all.

                                                                         —Patrick M. Shanahan Acting Secretary of Defense

Introduction

The Indo-Pacific is the single most consequential region for America’s future. Spanning a vast stretch of the globe from the west coast of the United States to the western shores of India, the region is home to the world’s most populous state, most populous democracy, and largest Muslim-majority state, and includes over half of the earth’s population.

Among the 10 largest standing armies in the world, 7 reside in the Indo-Pacific; and 6 countries in the region possess nuclear weapons. Nine of the world’s 10 busiest seaports are in the region, and 60 percent of global maritime trade transits through Asia, with roughly one-third of global shipping passing through the South China Sea alone.

The United States is a Pacific nation and has five Pacific states: Hawaii, California, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska, as well as Pacific territories on both sides of the International Date Line, including: Guam, American Samoa, Wake Island, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

The Report continues tomorrow.

Photo: Pixabay

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Quick Analysis

Foreign Policy Update

IRAN

Iran continues its abnormal state behavior. Earlier this week it seized a United Arab Emirates (UAE) tanker ship and is continuing with a series of escalating actions leading up to the US destroying an Iranian drone threatening the USS Boxer and its crew. On July 19, an Iranian drone refused to comply with instructions was shot down as it approached within 1,000 yards of the ship traveling in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz.

Referring to the seizure of the UAE vessel, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said Washington is “following very closely what’s taking place more broadly even than just this tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The President’s made pretty clear that this is an international obligation to keep these waterways open, and we’re working diligently to build out a maritime security initiative – a broad range of countries participating in that. The Iranians’ effort to deny transit for commercial vessels, crude oil vessels, and other vessels is something that – frankly, it’s consistent with 40 years of their history and it’s something that the United States is prepared to do our part to make sure that those waterways remain open.”

The Secretary added that no one should underestimate the broad range of responses available to the US and that Iran, in particular, should not misunderstand American efforts. He said: “The best solution here is for the Iranians to decide that the diplomatic path forward is the best one for the people inside of Iran, and we try to talk to them because the Iranian regime has clearly done things that are inconsistent with what the Iranian people want.” The Trump Administration continues to seek a diplomatic path forward which will deny Iran both a path to a nuclear weapon and the ability to build out its missile program through proliferation.

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Leaders from 114 nations gathered in Washington for a three-day Ministerial Conference to Advance Religious Freedom. Over 80% of the world lives in nations that restrict religion, according to Pompeo. When asked about talks with China concerning the abuse of the Uighur minority and other issues surrounding the persecution of Christians in China, the Secretary pointed out that religious freedom is a stabilizing force in nations where citizens are permitted to practice their faith. Pompeo added: “It doesn’t create risk, which is what I think some of the countries like China are concerned with when they exercise political repression against various religious faiths. That makes their country weaker. And we’ve made this argument, and we will continue to build that argument out and try and convince every country including China that it’s in their best interest to increase the religious freedom in their country.”  

BURMA

The US Government remains deeply concerned about the persecution of the Rohingya people and other human rights atrocities being carried out by the Burmese government and its security forces. According to a senior State Department official in Washington, the Burmese military has made “no progress on holding accountable those responsible for the ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims.”

The official added that to date, “the US has taken a number of actions to promote accountability for these atrocities, including the sanctioning of five Burmese generals and two military units for serious human rights abuses in Rakhine, Kachin, and Shan states.”

This week Secretary Pompeo announced publicly that the commander-in-chief of the Burmese military, Min Aung Hlaing; the deputy commander-in-chief, Soe Win; and commanders of the 33rd and 99th Light Infantry Divisions, Than Oo and Aung Aung, and their immediate family members have been designated under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State Foreign Operations and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2019 for their involvement in gross violations of human rights, including extrajudicial killings, against Rohingya, particularly from August through September 2017.” Unfortunately, to date, sanctions have done little to change the behavior of the government.

Daria Novak served in the U.S. State Department during the Reagan Administration.

Illustration: Pixabay