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Biden Defense Department’s Nuclear Weapons Management Presents Major Risk, per Gov Accountability Office

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The Department of Defense’s (DOD) current nuclear weapons management presents a major risk to national security, per the latest Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.

The GAO report, published on Thursday, found that the DOD has failed to resolve many oversight issues since 2021. The GAO — Congress’ auditing, evaluation, and investigative arm — also noted that problematic discontinuity in nuclear oversight structure began in the final week of the Trump administration.

“DOD has significantly modified its nuclear enterprise oversight structure multiple times since 2021, putting oversight continuity at risk and potentially affecting senior leaders’ ability to make informed decisions,” stated the GAO.

It was on January 14, 2021, six days before President Joe Biden took office, that Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller replaced the Nuclear Deterrent Enterprise Review Group (NDERG), which had addressed issues from nuclear enterprise reviews since 2014, with another group: the Secretary of Defense Nuclear Transition Review (SNTR). DOD then replaced the SNTR with another group last year: the Deputy’s Management Action Group (DMAG). (Read more from “Biden Defense Department’s Nuclear Weapons Management Presents Major Risk, per Gov Accountability Office” HERE)

Photo credit: Flickr

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Capitol Hill Lawmakers: UFOs Could Threaten US Security (VIDEO)

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Capitol Hill lawmakers said Wednesday that UFOs could pose a pressing threat to America’s national security, as the pols emerged from a highly classified briefing with Navy and FBI officials on the unexplained phenomena.

Ahead of the release of a highly anticipated Pentagon report on unidentified flying objects before month’s end, members of the House Intelligence Committee received a hush-hush sneak preview inside a SCIF, or “sensitive compartmented information facility.”

As for the existence of extraterrestrial life, the lawmakers largely left the secrets inside the surveillance-proof room, declining to tell reporters what they learned.

But some did voice concerns that the UFOs — which may be espionage assets controlled by America’s foreign adversaries, in a possible explanation just slightly less terrifying than the vanguard of an alien invasion — could pose a danger to national security.

“We take the issue of unexplained aerial phenomena seriously to the extent that we’re dealing with the safety and security of US military personnel or the national security interests of the United States, so we want to know what we’re dealing with,” said Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY). (Read more from “Capitol Hill Lawmakers: UFOs Could Threaten US Security (VIDEO)” HERE)

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Trump’s Stellar Pick for National Security Adviser

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Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster is a perfect fit for the position of national security adviser, and it is no surprise that his selection by President Donald Trump has delighted many in the defense and national security community.

Trump announced Monday night that McMaster will replace Michael Flynn, the retired Army general who resigned a week ago after he admitted misleading the vice president about the content of a December phone call with the Russian ambassador.

McMaster is a scholar-warrior, much like two fellow flag officers serving in Trump’s Cabinet—retired Marine generals James Mattis and John Kelly.

McMaster is a brilliant strategist who has devoted his Army career to understanding military history and helping America’s armed forces learn from the mistakes of the past in order to fight more effectively in the future. One of us, Thomas Spoehr, can say this with confidence, having known him for many years.

Notably, McMaster wrote a 1997 book, “Dereliction of Duty,” which criticized top military leaders during the Vietnam War for failing to give their candid advice to the president and secretary of defense. As national security adviser, one of McMaster’s key roles will be to provide unvarnished advice to the president.

More recently, as commander of the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment during the Iraq War, McMaster led U.S. forces in beating back an insurgency that was running rampant in the western Iraqi city of Tal Afar, where al-Qaeda had taken control.

In an interview with National Geographic, he described the situation his troops, and the Iraqi people, faced in Tal Afar:

All the schools were closed because of violence, all the marketplaces were closed. There was no power. There was no water. The city was lifeless. People lived in abject fear.

What McMaster did next changed the course not only of one city, but the entire U.S. military strategy in Iraq. He invested in working directly with the Iraqi people and building trust in the U.S. military’s capability to eliminate terrorists threatening their livelihoods. He moved his troops off large bases and brought them in contact with local residents.

In so doing, McMaster contributed to laying the groundwork for a new counterinsurgency strategy implemented by Army Gen. David Petraeus that ultimately would lead to the neutralization of al-Qaeda in Iraq and increased stability throughout the nation.

This strategy was not popular at the time, yet McMaster recognized its potential and was unwavering in his drive to try a new approach. Remaining willing to re-examine strategies and plans is a key attribute for the national security adviser.

McMaster is also just as much a warrior as he is a scholar and brilliant intellectual. He served in the first Persian Gulf War, receiving a Silver Star for his leadership and bravery in the 1991 Battle of 73 Easting, the largest tank-on-tank battle since World War II.

In this 23-minute battle, McMaster’s company destroyed 28 Iraqi tanks, 16 personnel transports, and more than 30 trucks.

These accomplishments speak volumes about McMaster’s professionalism, leadership, and passion for defending America. He is an extraordinary choice to be national security adviser, and Trump was wise to select him.

Going forward, Americans can rest assured knowing that H.R. McMaster will be the man providing national security advice and options to the leader of the free world. (For more from the author of “Trump’s Stellar Pick for National Security Adviser” please click HERE)

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House Republicans Go Strong on National Security

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The United States is under growing threats, and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and his team deserve credit for recognizing that threat and outlining a plan for making America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

During the last seven years under President Barack Obama, the United States has grown less safe. Threats are rising, such as state-sponsored cyberattacks affecting millions of Americans, terrorist attacks at home and abroad, Russian and Chinese aggression, and dictators with nuclear missiles.

At the same time, Obama has offered weak and misguided leadership and overseen a dramatic weakening in America’s ability to defend itself. Ryan, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and the chairmen of the House national security committees offer in their agenda a clear-eyed view of the world as it really is, and a striking criticism of Obama’s failures.

Recognizing the problem is the first step toward fixing it. But the House Republican national security agenda does more than recognize the problem, it outlines a laundry list of steps that must be taken. While lengthy, the agenda boils down to the simple idea of keeping America safe, strong, and prosperous.

The House GOP agenda is particularly strong on protecting the homeland, addressing a range of issues from homegrown threats to border security, to enhanced cyber defenses. It also calls for a stronger response to the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, paired with a dedicated effort to win the battle of ideas against radical Islam. It is clear that defeating terrorists abroad and protecting Americans from terrorists at home are the top priorities of House Republicans.

Ryan’s agenda makes important commitments to our friends. House Republicans are right to stand up against Obama’s policy of disengaging with the world and turning our backs on our friends. U.S. alliances, such as NATO, or with countries like Japan, South Korea, and Australia, are vital to keeping our country safe and prosperous. The U.S. should stand with its friends because it benefits our economy and our security.

This agenda is also right to support the economic benefits of free trade. As Heritage analysts Bryan Riley and Anthony Kim have put it, “the freedom to trade is the foundation of America’s modern economic system that provides historically unprecedented opportunities for individuals to achieve greater economic freedom and prosperity.”

For all the strengths of this agenda, there are some gaps. The threat of terrorism is real and enduring, but the new challenge facing the United States is a return of conflict with other major countries.

The U.S. is not at war with Russia and China, but both are taking deliberate efforts to weaken America’s position in the world, to undermine our relationships with our friends, and to strengthen our adversaries. This challenge is fundamentally different from that of terrorism, and requires leadership from Congress and the next president.

Ryan’s agenda mentions the challenges from Russia and China, but misses an opportunity to put this challenge on par with the ongoing threat from terrorism.

The House GOP agenda also misses an opportunity to push for rebuilding the U.S. military. While the agenda calls for “adequate, predictable budgets” for the military, it does not mention the 25 percent budget cut that the military has received in the last five years, and the resulting dramatic cuts to the size and readiness of the U.S. military.

The U.S. military cannot be rebuilt to the size and strength it needs to be to protect our vital interests without a larger defense budget.

Ryan has laid out an agenda that is in keeping with what most Americans want: a safe, strong, and prosperous country. This agenda follows President Ronald Reagan’s goal of peace through strength, and that view still resonates with most Americans, particularly in the face of growing threats. This national security agenda is strong and bold. Now Ryan and House Republicans need to put these words into action. (For more from the author of “House Republicans Go Strong on National Security” please click HERE)

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Video: Shock Report Reveals Alarming Iranian Recruitment Efforts in Central and South America

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TheBlaze’s senior Washington correspondent Sara Carter appeared on TheBlaze TV Monday to discuss the growing issue of Islamic extremism in Central and South America — an issue both she and Glenn Beck have warned about for years.

Carter noted that the Washington Post recently came out with an article about a man named Moshen Rabbani, who is an Islamic cleric from Iran and a former cultural attache at the Iranian Embassy in Buenos Aires. He has also been accused of being the mastermind behind the bombing of a Jewish Community Center in 1994 that killed 85 people.</p>

“He is the head of a group, a department in Iran, that actually spends all their time building cultural centers in South [and Central America]…recruiting young Latinos that he can take back to Iran to train and indoctrinate in the religious city of Qom,” Carter said.</p>

According to the article in the Post, once the young men and women arrive in Iran, they are put into intensive courses in “perfect Spanish” on subjects like “anti-Americanism and Islam.” Experts estimate roughly 1,000 people have gone through the program since 2007.</p>

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Read more from this story HERE.

Chinese Hackers Compromise Dozens of US Major Weapons Platforms

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Photo Credit: APBy Ellen Nakashima. Designs for many of the nation’s most sensitive advanced weapons systems have been compromised by Chinese hackers, according to a report prepared for the Pentagon and to officials from government and the defense industry.

Among more than two dozen major weapons systems whose designs were breached were programs critical to U.S. missile defenses and combat aircraft and ships, according to a previously undisclosed section of a confidential report prepared for Pentagon leaders by the Defense Science Board.

Experts warn that the electronic intrusions gave China access to advanced technology that could accelerate the development of its weapons systems and weaken the U.S. military advantage in a future conflict.

The Defense Science Board, a senior advisory group made up of government and civilian experts, did not accuse the Chinese of stealing the designs. But senior military and industry officials with knowledge of the breaches said the vast majority were part of a widening Chinese campaign of espionage against U.S. defense contractors and government agencies.

The significance and extent of the targets help explain why the Obama administration has escalated its warnings to the Chinese government to stop what Washington sees as rampant cyber­theft. Read more from this story HERE.

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Best frenemies: U.S. wants closer military ties with China

By Shaun Waterman. White House National Security Adviser Thomas Donilon called Tuesday for strengthening U.S. military ties with China, despite growing tensions between the two over Beijing’s state-sponsored hacking and maritime territorial claims.

Donilon pushed for increased military cooperation in peacekeeping, fighting piracy and disaster relief.

“An essential part of building a new model for relations between great powers is ensuring we have a healthy, stable and reliable military-to-military relationship,” Mr. Donilon said in brief comments to reporters, Reuters reported.

He added the two countries should work to face “non-traditional security challenges” like peacekeeping and stability operations, emergency disaster relief and naval counter-piracy operations ensuring freedom of navigation.

Mr. Donilon is visiting Beijing this week ahead of a summit next week in California between President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping. He spoke at a meeting with Gen. Fan Changlong, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, after being received by Mr. Xi on Monday. Read more from this story HERE.

U.S. Gave Asylum to Accused Chechen Terror Leader Who Lived in Boston

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Photo Credit: WNDWith the help of President Jimmy Carter’s national security adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, a high-ranking Chechen separatist leader accused of terrorism by Russia was granted political asylum in the U.S. and lived for a period of time in Boston.

Ilyas Akhmadov, who also served as Chechnya’s foreign minister, insists he was falsely accused by the Kremlin.

He has been on Russia’s most-wanted list, charged with organizing terrorist training camps and armed insurgent actions. Despite Russian objections, Akhmadov now lives in Washington, D.C., after the U.S. said it could find no links to terror.

Akhmadov was once the deputy to the radical Chechen Islamist leader Shamil Basayev, who was killed in 2006 before being described by ABC News as “one of the most-wanted terrorists in the world.”

Also living in Boston is Chechen surgeon Khassan Baiev, a physician who was granted asylum after treating the wounded on both sides of the Chechnya conflict, including Basayev.

Read more from this story HERE.

Intel System Broken: US 'Going Backwards in National Security'

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Photo Credit: Vjeran PavicFrustration is mounting among congressional Republicans who say the U.S. intelligence system remains broken more than a decade after authorities failed to stop Osama bin Laden.

Reports that Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the two brothers suspected in the Boston Marathon attack, was placed on a terrorism watch list at the request of the CIA a year before the bombings has heightened fears of an intelligence failure with parallels to 9/11.

GOP lawmakers say the same information-sharing problems that hobbled the CIA and FBI in the run-up to the 9/11 attacks have resurfaced in the Tsarnaev case.

“I have no idea who bears the blame. I just know the system is broken,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Thursday after White House officials briefed senators on the investigation into the Boston attacks.

“The FBI and the CIA have great people, but you know [we are] going backwards in national security,” he said. Russian intelligence officials separately warned the FBI and CIA about Tsarnaev’s 2011 trip to Russia, where he may have reached out to militant Islamic groups in Dagestan.

Read more from this story HERE.

Obama’s Nuclear Weapons Drawdown Likely Illegal

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Photo Credit: DonkeyHotey

President Barack Obama’s efforts to significantly curtail U.S. nuclear weapons without seeking the proper Senate approval are at best misguided and worst illegal, sources tell Newsmax.

Obama is exploring opportunities to achieve the reductions in infrastructure and capability he seeks – including a drawdown to 1,000 weapons – without seeking the advice and consent of the Senate that international treaties require.

Efforts to push the boundaries of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with Russia are ill-advised, sources say. A proposal that seeks to achieve nuclear arms reductions outside the framework of New START, however, would run afoul of the law.

“A presidential announcement that would try to do a nontreaty agreement would be prohibited by the code,” Baker Spring, a research fellow in national security policy at the Heritage Foundation, tells Newsmax.

The Senate has specifically spoken to the precise circumstances pertaining to any modification or reinterpretation of New START or a new agreement that would reduce the U.S. arsenal to levels below those included in New START.

Read more from this story HERE.

Obama Is Setting Us Up

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In the days since the November elections, the pace of Obama’s destruction of America has increased significantly. Now that the Marxists have secured the executive branch for another four years – thanks to massive voter fraud, a cowardly Republican Party, and a couple of million self-righteous fools who refused to vote, apparently preferring a Muslim Marxist over a moderately conservative Mormon – Obama and his lawless unindicted co-conspirators have thrown caution to the wind.

Every day, new outrages are proposed, all aimed at the destruction of the Middle Class and America as a free, capitalist, constitutional republic. However, in our efforts to recognize and combat the internal attacks – the tax increases, the land grabs, the granting of citizenship to illegal invaders, the undermining of private property rights, etc. ad nauseam – we are failing to notice the external threats that Obama’s policies are abetting. The re-militarization of Russia and their much more aggressive and threatening attitude is of great concern; but there are other, much less publicized ones we need to be aware of.

China has made trillions of dollars off us, thanks to massive interest payments on the uncontrolled borrowing by the Obama administration as well as a huge and ever-increasing trade deficit, where they export to us way, way more than we export to them. During the Obama “presidency,” China surpassed America as the world’s leading economic power. They have used this money to radically increase the size and sophistication of their military to the point where it is very questionable whether we could do anything should they move to start taking over other Asian countries, like the Philippines, Japan, or South Korea.

This is not an irrational fear, either. The dispute with Japan over the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands appears to be a test by China to see who will do what as they aggressively move to take territory claimed by Japan. Chinese admirals, who never speak without government direction, have threatened World War III to “protect” Iran. But ultimately, it is the good ol’ USA that is their target. Does anyone remember when Russia was selling off military equipment after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and China bought every last one of their attack subs that were specifically designed to target the US Navy? Since at least the 1990s, the Democrats have aided and abetted China in the upgrading of their military capabilities – remember the technology that Clinton sold them that allowed them to get their missiles to actually hit what they aimed at? Obama has been carrying on this tradition, allowing formerly restricted advanced technology to be sold to the Chinese military. And just a reminder: the Panama Canal, vital to our national security, is, thanks to the Democrats, run by a company – Hutchison-Whampoa – with ties to the Chinese Military, as is a port facility 50 miles off the East Coast in the Bahamas that has an 11,000 foot-long runway, capable of handling the largest of military aircraft.

Add to this the fact that the North Koreans, who have nuclear weapons, are testing missiles capable of hitting American cities. They appear to believe that the US and South Korea are gearing up to attack and invade them.

Read more from this article HERE.