WEDNESDAY PDB – This is something I have repeatedly written about. Air Force secretary labels China's rapid nuclear expansion most ‘disturbing' threat he has seen. Frank Kendall told lawmakers Tuesday that increased efforts by China to rapidly expand its inventories of nuclear weapons worries him more than anything he has seen in his long national security career.
The Pentagon warned in a November report that China was working to nearly quadruple its inventory of nuclear warheads by 2035. Until recently, China was thought to have had less than 300 nukes, enough for a robust second-strike capability. China now holds about 400 nuclear warheads and is on a tear to grow that number to 700 within a few years – and then to at least 1,500 by 2035.
THIS DRAMATIC SHIFT WILL CHANGE U.S. DEFENSE CALCULATIONS CONSIDERABLY AND COULD POTENTIALLY GIVE CHINA A LIMITED FIRST-STRIKE NUKE CAPABILITY.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here's a roundup of other developing stories.
Not the President's Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL'S DAILY BRIEFING – the PDB:
PENTAGON WOKE WATCH
NONSENSE – BUT IF SO – THEN STOP PUSHING TAXPAYER FUNDED ABORTION TRAVEL –Senator's delay of officer promotions over DoD abortion policy is hurting military families, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says. A standoff over the Pentagon's abortion policies that is ensnaring normally routine general and flag officer promotions in the Senate is hurting service members and their families.
NATIONAL SECURITY
McConnell blasts proposal to wind down war authority in Iraq. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) rebuked Joe Biden and his Democratic allies in Congress for pushing a proposal to repeal the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq at a time when U.S. troops in the region face threats from Iran and terrorist organizations.
HOMELAND SECURITY
SNEAKY RUSSKIES – He came to DC as a Brazilian student. The US says he was a Russian spy. Johns Hopkins graduate Victor Ferreira was unmasked as GRU operative Sergey Cherkasov, according to a federal indictment.
IT'S ABOUT TIME – US could carry out its first military execution in over 60 years. A former soldier on military death row for the 2009 ISLAMIST TERRORIST shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, could face execution after the nation's top military court hears the case.
CHINA THREAT
Taiwan president defiant after China threatens retaliation for US trip. External pressure will not stop Taiwan engaging with the world, President Tsai Ing-wen said as she left for the U.S., hitting a defiant note after China threatened retaliation if she met House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 399. The U.S. and Russia have stopped sharing biannual nuclear weapons data under the faltering New START arms control treaty. The US says it had not seen any indications that Russian leader Vladimir Putin was preparing to use tactical nuclear weapons in the Russian war on Ukraine, days after Putin allegedly said he was moving such weapons into Belarus.
US Army eyes six-fold production boost of 155mm shells used in Ukraine. It will boost production of 155mm artillery shells to 85,000 a month by fiscal 2028.
Ukraine fighting with Soviet-era helicopters. Flying missions to stave off the Russian invasion, Ukrainian pilots often go up in creaking, decades-old helicopters from another era of warfare.
How US trainers helped Ukraine reinvent its doctrine. One of the U.S. Army's smallest security assistance assets has had an outsized effect on the battlefield in Ukraine, and its role is expected to grow.
IRAN THREAT
NO SURPRISE – Iran has attacked US troops 83 times since Biden became president. The U.S. military was unable to provide information on how often Iran attacked U.S. troops during previous administrations.
INTERNATIONAL SECURITY
FOOL's ERRAND – Spanish PM to talk Ukraine war and peace with China's Xi Jinping. Pedro Sánchez arrives in Beijing for a meeting with Xi and talks that will also focus on ending the war in Ukraine.
A totally different fight: How the Army is preparing its ‘most modern' brigade for a mission in Europe. The Mojave Desert training stop was meant to prepare the 3rd Infantry Division's 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team to deploy in late summer to Europe, to serve as a deterrent against a Russian incursion into NATO territory.
With judicial overhaul on hold, Israeli negotiators seek compromise. After days of turmoil, lawmakers began tentative efforts to find common ground on a government plan to overhaul the judiciary that has divided Israelis.
US MILITARY
Air Force plans self-flying F-16s to test drone wingmen tech. Its next big step toward establishing a network of drone wingmen could come in a small fleet of experimental self-flying F-16 fighters.
Navy prioritizes ‘game-changing' rearming capability for ships. In early October, it reloaded a destroyer's missile tubes using a crane on an auxiliary ship pulled alongside the destroyer, rather than a crane on an established pier.
Navy, Marines reevaluating munition stockpiles due to Ukraine war. The rate at which Ukrainians are firing munitions at Russian invaders has led the two services to reevaluate the levels of munitions they need to stockpile for a future conflict.
ARRW hypersonic missile test failed, US Air Force admits. Its March 13 test of a hypersonic weapon was “not a success.”
Coast Guard to send additional cutter to Hawaii. It is continuing to beef up its presence in the Pacific with an 11th vessel for the Hawaii-based District 14.
Refreshed ‘Be all you can be' ads coming after Jonathan Majors arrest. The Army is working to retrofit old advertisements with new messages after the actor's arrest.
END of PDB
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
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Since 1953 with Korean War end
Communist Red China is building up its nuclear weapons, its navy, and is modernizing its army like nobody’s business. They are on a crash program to make themselves the number one superpower with the aim of destroying the United States. We, likewise, should do the same to them–plan for the conquest of Communist Red China.
Yes, they are and the USA is sitting back and letting them, I guess money going to THE Big Guy helps, he cares nothing for our Country!!!
And either do the FBI and the courts that are protecting 10 percent Creepy Joe!
The communist world dictatorship is a good thing according to the ten percent “Big Guy”, he says he has never been paid so much money to sellout his own people and nation! And the FBI and DOJ are helping him, with the blessings of the courts!