April 19, 2016—Near a Tipping Point?

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” ~ Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Is it not ironic that Tax Day this year coincides with the conclusion of this past weekend’s Massachusetts’ Patriot’s Day celebration of the 241^st anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord—“the shot heard around the world” that launched the American Revolution because of taxes from the British Crown? Click here for the events of last weekend.

Actually, today is the anniversary of that fateful day — April 19, 1775, triggered by taxes that were a pittance as compared to those imposed by today’s dysfunctional federal government that now spends even more than the confiscatory taxes it imposes, dragging all citizens further into debt.

To add insult to injury, today’s government is failing at its first duty under the Constitution the Founders left us: “To provide for the common defense.” Key issues confronting today’s world were the subject of my message “The Best of Times … The Worst of Times?” that discussed escalating failures of current U.S. national security policies.

A related needed debate is being eclipsed by a great divide in American politics and a lot of nonsense surrounding those vying for the highest office in the land and spending an inordinate time on less important issues. If anything the national security conditions are further deteriorating, reflecting the failed policies of the current administration and the evolving threat. Consider implications of just a few recent events:

Russian fighters “buzzing” (at least one within 30 feet — click here for a video and discussion) Aegis warships in the international waters of the Baltic Sea, with little or no notable U.S. response. No doubt this apathy will encourage further adventurism by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, who already holds President Obama in disdain as he continues to regress into what some characterize as a new Cold War. And he is presently negotiating with his long-time ally Iran — to sell the Mullahs Russia’s S-300 air and missile defense system. Remember President Putin assumed overall management of the Middle East after President Obama reneged on his “Red Line” threat if Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad used Chemical weapons, which he did. And remember Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s earlier famous Red Reset Button heralding a new relationship with the USSR — excuse me, Russia? Hasn’t worked out very well. While considering next steps, also consider the April 16, 2016 New York Times article by William J. Broad and David E. Sanger, “Race for Latest Class of Nuclear Arms Threatens to Revive Cold War.” The march of technology waits for no one. However, many U.S. policy advocates are likely at least to seek to hobble U.S. efforts to contend with emerging threats by applying biases from the Cold War that no longer apply, if ever they did. As we discussed last week, others are moving ahead to apply technology that potentially threatens our essential operations that rely on our space systems. We can respond effectively to counter these threats, but will we?
Speaking of Space, I can’t help but again emphasize China’s growing threat to our satellite systems — at all altitudes as emphasized in my April 12 message. We saw this coming in our Independent Working Group (IWG) reports a decade ago and wrote about it — see Appendix B of our 2009 report which discussed how China obtained some of the best technology produced by President Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) — while President Clinton’s “powers that be” purged all such research because of their naïve ideological perspectives about avoiding weapons in space and their commitment to the Cold War Antiballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty as the “cornerstone of strategic stability.” China simply capitalized on our naïvety. No doubt Sun Tzu would have approved — they learned their lessons well. Regrettably, we did not.
In continuation of what Dr. Peter Pry and I referred to as “The Chicken Doctrine” in our April 14, 2016 Family Security Matters article, North Korea launched another provocative ballistic missile the following day, possibly a new one from a mobile launcher, which would increase the difficulty of a preemptive U.S. attack before it could be launched to attack us or our allies. Some take comfort in that this test was a failure, perhaps forgetting that North Korea has previously demonstrated they can already deliver nuclear weapons to attack the United States — by ballistic missiles or from satellites, either of which could produce an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that could within a year lead to the death of most Americans. And the war of words goes on, now with the next provocation from the Great Leader rumored to be another nuclear test. Meanwhile we have little or no defense against North Korean (or Iranian) missile or satellite attacks from the South.
President Obama is again headed on another overseas trip, including in particular for discussions with the leaders of Saudi Arabia in the wake of escalating news reports of roles played by Saudi officials and leaders in the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States. (Recall that 15 of the 19 9/11 jihadis who attacked the U.S. were Saudis.) The focus of these reports is 28 pages from a 2001 congressional report that have never yet been released to the public, though leaked excerpts have recently stirred the waters. For pertinent recent news reports of this storm that will no doubt escalate further, see the April 10, 2016 Sixty Minutes broadcast and a subsequent discussion of the Bush-43 and Obama administrations’ cover-up in Paul Sperry’s April 17 New York Post article. According to the New York Times, the Saudis will not welcome this discussion and threatens economic reprisals — wonder what the President will do to “moderate” this escalating scandal in his discussions with our long-time alleged Saudi allies? Andy McCarthy’s April 16, 2016 National Review article, “Willful Blindness and our Saudi Friends,” explains why none of these “revelations” should surprise anyone. Andy is most informed on the nature of the jihadi threat that stems from sharia law, which undergirds both Sunni and Shia factions of Islam. Have a good trip, Mr. President.
Speaking of the Sunni-Shia divide, remember that al Qaeda and the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) both draw their heritage from the Wahhabi elements of Saudi Arabia, which have spread their jihadi poison far and wide around the world — with continuing support from Saudi Arabia. And they, like the Iranian Mullahs and their followers, seek to kill Americans. The Iranian Mullahs are a bit more specific in calling America the Great Satan and Israel the Little Satan. And there is little if anything positive to report in the wake of last summer’s “unsigned” nuclear deal (formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA). Iran is using many tens of billions of previously sanctioned dollars already released by this terrible deal (reportedly up to $150 billion), while continuing development and testing of ballistic missiles (not covered by this terrible deal) and no doubt working to gain nuclear warheads for them to deliver—either by indigenous development or purchase from their ally North Korea. Not surprisingly, a Congressional delegation has been turned back in its effort to view on-site Iranian activities alleged to be in compliance with the “Deal.” To be sure, Iranian and Saudi Arabian jihadis share a common interest—but all is not well in their relationship, especially in the economic sphere. For example, see an April 17, 2016 Guardian report on their disagreements re. oil production, a matter of some interest to U.S. energy production and consumption interests as well.
And we are trickling back support to counter ISIS … reportedly we have 5000 troops in Iraq, but no “boots of the ground” we are told in the jargon that seeks to obscure what we are doing. Recall we prematurely left Iraq according to all the President’s senior national security advisors, leaving behind ample military equipment to arm the ISIS advance — and that so-called “JV Team” sure did advance to threaten the entire region and beyond. And remember they are here in the good old USA — in all 50 states, according to the FBI.

So … to return to my opening quote of Sun Tzu … I must ask whether we know either our enemies or ourselves?

My April 5 message argued that our defenses and foreign policies are a shambles, as suggested by the title of Bret Baier’s recent Fox News Special: “Rising Threats, Shrinking Military.” This alarming report included very disturbing comments by President Obama’s first three Secretaries of Defense: Robert Gates, Leon Panetta and Chuck Hagel.

They imply, at least to me, that our current leaders cannot provide a comforting answer to Sun Tzu’s challenge at the outset of today’s message — and unless we change our ways, we will “succumb in every battle” as Sun Tzu warned.

Furthermore, I fear we are very near a tipping point, from which it will be difficult if not impossible to recover.

We need to “straighten up and fly right” in the words of that old song. We need the right priorities, plans and programs. At least I would not mind paying taxes if we do. But I am unhappy with what we are currently getting for our dollars.

And here’s a parting Sun Tzu quotation to remember as we try to get our act together!

Near-Term High Frontier Plans.

To help us move in the right direction for both strategy and tactics, High Frontier is pleased to co-sponsor with the Heritage Foundation and my alma mater, Clemson University, an important meeting tomorrow at the Heritage Foundation to discuss Strategic Defense Challenges for the next President.

Heritage published High Frontier’s first major report in the Fall of 1981, entitled “High Frontier, A New National Strategy,” which helped President Ronald Reagan launch his Strategic Defense Initiative. In the mid-1990s, I led Heritage’s Missile Defense Study Team that recommended “A Near and Long-Term Plan to Deploy Missile Defenses.” Many of our recommendations have been adopted, but important new initiatives are needed to deal with some of today’s key threats — as indicated in today’s message.

Please join us—check here to RSVP or on the indicated button below to help Heritage planning.

We will continue to inform our readers of the looming threats we confront — and where appropriate urge them to engage in countering those threats. We will press for building the most cost-effective ballistic missile defenses possible and working with South Carolina folks to build a coalition to engage constructively with private citizens and their local and state representatives and other authorities to work with the SC National Guard in understanding and responding to the existential threats to the electric power grid.

We are especially focused on the nuclear power reactors that produce 60-percent of SC electricity—and more generally 20-percent of the nation’s electricity. If it can be assured that they “operate through” a major blackout of the electric power grid — and I believe it can, then these reactors can play a very important role for resurrecting the grid over an extended time and supporting the general public’s survival in the meantime.

See the new figure just added to the top of our webpage for an illustration of how wind patterns might carry far and wide any significant radiation from the nation’s reactors if we don’t get this right!

What can you do?

Join us in praying for our nation, and for a rebirth of the freedom sought, achieved and passed to us by those who came before us.

Help us to spread our message to the grass roots and to encourage all “powers that be” to provide for the common defense as they are sworn to do.

Begin by passing this message to your friends and suggest they visit our webpage www.highfrontier.org, for more information. Also, please encourage your sphere of influence to sign up for our weekly e-newsletter.

Encourage them to review our past email messages, posted on www.highfrontier.org, to learn about many details related to the existential manmade and natural EMP threats and how we can protect America against them. I hope you will help us with our urgently needed efforts, which I will be discussing in future messages.

Click here to make a tax deductible gift. If you prefer to mail a check, Please send it to 500 North Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.

E-Mail Message 160419