NEWS OF THE FORCE: Saturday, May 14, 2016 - Page 1

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NEWS OF THE FORCE: Saturday, May 14, 2016

                 Today is National Unification Day in Liberia.

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China appears to be setting stage for war in the South China Sea

    

    All any nation needs to go to war is a good provocation, and China is no exception. With its sweeping territorial claims, island-building, militarization, patriotic fervor, and prickly rhetoric, Beijing is setting itself up to be repeatedly provoked in the South China Sea.

    Satellite photos show China has been rapidly building military outposts on disputed islands in the South China Sea, significantly boosting its presence in the already tense region, according to a Pentagon report released yesterday.

    When the Philippines officially declares Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte president, the international community will be watching closely as his administration navigates a geopolitical landscape where tensions between China and the United States are escalating.

    China has accused U.S. officials of trying to "disturb" Hong Kong through meddling in the city-state's affairs - a move that Beijing says would provoke its "bad reaction."

    China’s investments in military and weaponry operations continue on a path to increase its power projection, anti-access and area denial and operations in cyberspace, space and electromagnetic emerging domains, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for East Asia told Pentagon reporters yesterday. Abraham M. Denmark described the Defense Department’s annual report on military and security developments involving China, released to Congress yesterday. Highlighting China’s defense strategy and military developments, Denmark said the report provides factual, descriptive and analytical information to Capitol Hill. "It lets the facts speak for themselves," he said. "China continues to focus on preparing for potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait," Denmark added, "but additional missions such as contingencies in the East and South China seas and on the Korea Peninsula are increasingly important to the People’s Liberation Army. China’s leaders seem committed to sustaining defense spending growth for the foreseeable future, despite its economic growth deceleration," he said. "From 2006 to 2015, China’s officially disclosed military budget grew at an average of 9.8 percent per year in inflation-adjusted terms," Denmark said, noting that its published military budget left out numerous major spending categories, such as research and development and procuring foreign weapons and equipment. "The true expenditure, the DOD estimates, in terms of total military-related spending for 2015, exceeded $180 billion in 2015," he added. Such investments are resulting in strides such as China’s recently unveiled DF-26 missile, a system capable of precision ground strikes in the Asia-Pacific region, he said. Besides China’s ongoing, long-term military trends, its military modernization program entered a new phase in 2015 comprising three key security developments, Denmark said. The first trend is China’s maritime activities, in which it used assertive tactics to reclaim existing outposts and began building military facilities on large swaths of land in the South China Sea in 2015, he said. "China's leadership demonstrated a willingness to tolerate higher levels of tension in pursuit of its maritime sovereignty claims," he said. "China's strategy is to secure its objectives without jeopardizing the regional peace that has enabled its military and economic development, which in turn has maintained the Chinese Communist Party's grip on power." The second trend is China's growing global military presence, he said. "China's leaders are leveraging the country's power to expand its international influence - and its military footprint overseas," Denmark said. The biggest example of expanding ambitions, he emphasized, was China’s announcement in November that it would stand up a military facility in Djibouti. "This is a big step forward for the PLA, which has never had an overseas facility before," he noted. The third security trend is China’s large-scale reforms to make the its military more capable and politically loyal, Denmark said. "President Xi Jinping unveiled sweeping plans that are intended to enhance the PLA's ability to conduct joint operations, by replacing the old military regions with new geographic commands," he pointed out. The plans also seek to strengthen the Chinese Communist Party's control over the PLA by establishing new bodies to oversee the military, Denmark added. The U.S. approach to China centers on reducing risk, expanding common ground and maintaining U.S. military superiority, he said. The United States has made progress by expanding historical agreements on the Rules of Behavior for Safety of Air and Maritime Encounters and the Notification of Major Military Activities memoranda of understanding. Denmark said the MOUs were expanded in 2015, with annexes on air-to-air interactions and crisis communications. "These confidence-building measures are enhanced efforts to reduce risk and misunderstanding," he added. "The DOD has also made progress with the PLA in developing the capacity to cooperate in delivery of international public goods, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counter-piracy, peacekeeping operations, search and rescue, and military medicine," Denmark said. By managing competition and seeking mutual-benefit cooperation with China "from a position of strength," he said, the United States also will look for ways to reduce misunderstanding and miscalculation risks. "As the United States builds a stronger foundation for a military-to-military relationship with China, we will continue to monitor China's evolving military strategy, doctrine, and force development," he said. "We’ll continue to encourage China to be more transparent about its military modernization program." Overall, the report outlines the complexity of the issues at stake, Denmark said. "Despite China's opacity about its military, this report documents the kind of military that China is building," he said. "We hope it contributes to the public’s understanding of the PLA."

    And at the request of the Chinese army, Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has spoken via video teleconference with Gen. Fang Fenghui, the chief of the Chinese Joint Staff Department. "The video connection was lauded by both as a valuable channel of communication and means to exchange views, manage both cooperative and contentious issues, and avoid miscalculation," Joint Staff spokesman Navy Capt. Greg Hicks said in a statement yesterday announcing the call. This was the first interaction between the two leaders since Dunford became chairman in October, Hicks said. Dunford acknowledged the areas of cooperation in the bilateral relationship, as well as the stability in the military-to-military relationship, Hicks said. "He delivered key messages regarding U.S. commitment to uphold the rules-based international order, defend U.S. allies and interests in the South China Sea, while affirming a desire to avoid confrontation," he added. Both sides expressed the importance and urgency of cooperation in ensuring peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and commitment to denuclearization, Hicks said. "Additionally," he said, "General Dunford expressed appreciation for recent progress in military-to-military exchanges and conveyed that although differences exist between the U.S. and China, keeping open lines of communication was essential to managing those differences." Dunford proposed an effort to bolster risk reduction mechanisms within the military-to-military relationship to better manage these difficult issues, the Joint Staff spokesman said. "General Dunford and General Fang both expressed a wish to use the video teleconference connection more frequently to address key issues," he added, "and General Dunford affirmed that if called, ‘someone will answer and listen.'"

 

Carter lauds Belgium's decision to expand its counter-ISIL role

    

    Defense Secretary Ash Carter yesterday lauded Belgium’s announcement that it will begin conducting airstrikes in Syria as part of the Coalition air campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

    In a statement, Carter commended Prime Minister Charles Michel and Defense Minister Steven Vandeput for yesterday’s announcement. "Belgium is an important member of the Coalition, and this contribution comes at a key moment in the campaign," the secretary said. "Belgian aircraft played a key role in the air campaign over Iraq from October 2014 to June 2015. As they return to Operation Inherent Resolve as part of a scheduled rotation with the Dutch military, Belgian F-16s now will operate with greater flexibility and coherence of effort as a result of the decision to conduct strikes in Syria as well."

    The United States continues to stand with the people of Belgium as they have responded with resolve and character to the March 22nd terrorist attacks there, Carter said. "Together with Belgium and all of our Coalition partners, we will deliver ISIL a lasting defeat," he added.

 

U.S. deputy secretary of defense attends groundbreaking for missile defense site in Poland

    

    At a groundbreaking ceremony in Redzikowo, Poland, for an Aegis Ashore ballistic missile defense site yesterday, U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work emphasized the system is for the protection of NATO members and not directed at Russia.

    As American and Polish flags fluttered in the breeze, Work and dignitaries including Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz and NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defense Investment Patrick Auroy tossed shovelfuls of dirt to signify the start of the construction phase.

    On Thursday, Work was in southern Romania for the inauguration of the first Aegis Ashore site in Europe. The ceremony in Deveselu marked the operational certification of that site.

    Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that the U.S. defense shield in Eastern Europe is not part of defense, but Washington's nuclear potential in Europe.

 

Pakistan accuses India of trying to block F-16 sale

    

    In the latest war of words between India and Pakistan, the latter has now accused India of lobbying to block the sale of F-16 fighter aircraft to Islamabad by the U.S.

 

Coalition spokesman says operations denying ISIL's caliphate dreams

    

    The U.S.-led Coalition fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is denying the terrorists' ambition to act as a state by targeting their finances, revenue sources, recruiting efforts and leaders, the Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman has said.

    Meanwhile, U.S. and Coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Rocket artillery, fighter and remotely-piloted aircraft conducted 17 strikes in Iraq: Near Albu Hayat, two strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position and an ISIL weapons cache; Near Baghdadi, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL command-and-control node; Near Beiji, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL bunker; Near Fallujah, a strike struck a large ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL fighting position; Near Habbaniyah, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL fighting position, an ISIL vehicle and an ISIL anti-air artillery piece; Near Haditha, a strike destroyed an ISIL weapons cache; Near Qayyarah, three strikes struck an ISIL headquarters and destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle and an ISIL mortar system; Near Rutbah, four strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit, an ISIL headquarters, an ISIL vehicle-borne bomb facility and an ISIL staging facility; and near Tal Afar, two strikes destroyed an ISIL tunnel system and an ISIL road-roller.

 

Thousands mourn Hizbollah commander

By Lisa Levine, News of the Force Tel Aviv

    

    Thousands of people yesterday attended the funeral in Lebanon's capital city, Beirut, of top Hizbollah military commander Mustafa Amine Badreddine, who was killed in Syria. Badreddine died in a "huge blast" near the Damascus airport, the group's television network said.

    Hizbollah's involvement in the conflicts in Syria and more recently Iraq risks a spillover of sectarian tensions into Lebanon where the Islamic State extremist group and the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front are reported to be expanding, a U.N. envoy said yesterday.

    Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that his military could intervene in Syria to stop ongoing rocket attacks by so-called Islamic State group. But critics claim Erdogan's real priority for intervening would be to target Syrian Kurdish forces it accuses of being linked to the PKK. And experts warn any intervention would need cooperation from other countries.

     And U.S. and Coalition forces attack, fighter, ground attack and remotely piloted aircraft conducted five strikes in Syria yesterday: Near Manbij, a strike struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed two ISIL fighting positions and an ISIL rocket rail; and near Mara, four strikes struck four separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed three ISIL fighting positions.

 

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    Cuzin Jim's Thought for the Day: Friends may come and go, but enemies accumulate.

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Homeland insecurity

    

    Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson asked for patience yesterday as he outlined steps the government is taking to reduce extremely long waits in airport security lines.

    The Obama administration is signaling a new round of ICE raids for illegals in a child and family surge.

    And long-standing issues at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have resulted in failures to collect appropriate duties, penalties, and interest from importers, potentially costing taxpayers billions of dollars, the Project on Government Oversight (POGO) is reporting.

 

U.S. Coast Guard

    

    The U.S. Coast Guard said it was searching for a woman who is believed to have fallen overboard yesterday from the Carnival Liberty cruise ship off the coast of Galveston, Texas. The cruise ship alerted the Coast Guard that Samantha Broberg, 33, may have fallen overboard about 195 miles from the Texas coast, the Coast Guard said in a statement. The Coast Guard said the cruise ship had a video of a woman falling overboard and had conducted a search for all passengers on board. "Broberg was found to be missing," the Coast Guard said. The cruise liner said it began its search after her travel companions reported Broberg missing. "Unfortunately, it appears the guest may have gone overboard," Carnival said. The Carnival Liberty cruise ship departed Galveston on a four-day Mexico cruise on Thursday.     

    The U.S. Coast Guard is still working a crude oil spill from a Shell well-head flow line about 90 miles off Timbalier Island, La.

    U.S. Coast Guard crews have boarded a vessel on Muskegon Lake, Mich., whose operator appeared to be intoxicated. They arrested the boater.

    OceanSaver says it has finalized all testing required for the U.S. Coast Guard-type approval application of ballast water management.

    The U.S. Coast Guard is scheduled to host multiple safe boating events in Southeastern New England as part of National Safe Boating Week, May 21st- May 27th, and marks a year-long campaign by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary to promote safe and responsible boating.

    The Coast Guard has rescued two people from their sinking sailboat Velphia, on Delaware Bay, in New Jersey.

    Four people are safe after being rescued by the Coast Guard early on Thursday morning near Wilmington, N.C.

    A U.S. Coast Guard crew has freed a sea turtle that was found stuck in a crab pot west of Longboat Key, Fla.

    And the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary will be offering a boating safety class at 6 p.m., June 6th and June 13th, at Gander Mountain in Baxter, Minn.

 

Missouri's Legislature sends gun bills to governor

By Jim Corvey, News of the Force St. Louis

    

    Missouri's lawmakers made their final push to loosen state gun laws yesterday, sending Gov. Jay Nixon an 11th hour plan to make it legal for people in that state to carry concealed weapons without a permit.

    The 72-page proposal also includes an expansion of Missouri’s self-defense laws by allowing a person to use deadly force in public places if they believe a reasonable threat exists.

 

U.S. Army

    

    About 70 U.S. Army Reserve soldiers from the Starkville, Miss.-area are preparing for their deployment to Kuwait and Iraq.

    The U.S. Army is building relationships with a multi-national disaster response exercise on a Hungarian air base.

    A U.S. Army chaplain at Ft. Bragg, N.C., has submitted his resignation from the service in protest over drone warfare.

    The Louisiana Army National Guard has promoted two of its officers to brigadier general.

    The North Carolina Army National Guard has honored ISA for providing industrial cyber-security training to its troops.

    The Maine Army National Guard will cut more than 100 positions, mostly part-time, as part of its overall staffing reductions.

    Annual disaster training for the Kentucky Army National Guard is underway this week.

    After three years and $21 million, members of the public will get their first chance this weekend to see the Indiana Army National Guard's new and improved armory in South Bend.

    And the Virginia Army National Guard's readiness center in Chatham has officially been closed.

 

UFO news

    

    A new video filmed from the International Space Station (ISS) shows a UFO meeting up with another spacecraft after the latter left Earth.

    And a central story line to the popular TV series The X-Files was that the U.S. Government has long hid knowledge of unidentified flying objects and alien contact.

 

            President Obama's new requirements for public restrooms:

         

                     

 

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