Obama administration admitted 1,519 foreigners with terrorist ties into the U.S.

Judicial Watch reports that the Obama administration has granted asylum or residency to 1,519 foreigners with terrorist ties. This information comes from an annual report to Congress by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

More than half of the terror supporters granted asylum or residency by Team Obama provided material support to terrorist organizations, according to the USCIS report. Other received military-type training from a terrorist organization (nine fall into this category), voluntarily provided medical care to members of a terrorist group, or solicited funds or recruited individuals for membership in a terrorist organization.

Iran ICBM Advances — Iran conducts test of new rocket motor with ICBM capability

U.S. intelligence agencies recently detected Iran conducting a static ground test of a large rocket motor that could be used for a future intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), according to U.S. officials.

Disclosure of the recent rocket engine test comes as Congress is prodding the Obama administration to deploy a third ground-based missile defense interceptor base on the U.S. East Coast.

China, India, Pakistan boost nuclear arsenals: Study

Three of the world’s nuclear powers — China, India and Pakistan — have increased their arsenals over the past year, while the other five have cut their strength or kept it stable, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said Monday.

China now has 250 nuclear warheads against 240 in 2012, while Pakistan has increased its warheads by about 10 to between 100 and 120 and India has also added roughly 10 for a total of 90 to 110, SIPRI said in its annual report.

Red China Power — China expanding submarine, missile forces with advanced systems, Pentagon annual report says

China is building two new classes of missile submarines in addition to the eight nuclear missile submarines and six attack submarines being deployed as part of an arms buildup that analysts say appears to put Beijing on a war footing.

“In terms of China’s submarines, they’re investing heavily in a robust program for undersea warfare, developing submarines that are both conventional, diesel-electric powered, air- independent propulsion and nuclear-powered attack submarines,” David Helvey, deputy assistant defense secretary for East Asia, told reporters at a briefing on release of the Pentagon’s annual assessment of Chinese military power.

THE CHINA REPORT — PENTAGON SHORTENS, SOFTENS ANNUAL REPORT ON CHINA’S MILITARY IN APPARENT BID TO CURRY FAVOR WITH BEIJING

The Pentagon’s annual report on China’s military for 2012 was cut to half the size of earlier reports and key weapons developments were omitted in an apparent bid to mitigate Beijing’s objections to the annual assessment of the communist government’s alarming military buildup.

Instead of declassifying secrets of the Chinese military—which include an array of high-technology weapons and other advanced military capabilities—the report spends an entire chapter on military exchanges, which Beijing has repeatedly cut off in recent years to protest U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.

The report also left out last year’s reference to China’s development of a new, road-mobile long-range missile that is likely to be equipped with multiple nuclear warheads. Earlier references to secret underground nuclear facilities contained in some 3,000 miles of tunnels also were left out of the latest report.

The report said China’s military continued decades-long investments in advanced cruise and ballistic missiles, anti-ship ballistic missiles, counter-space weapons, and military cyberspace capabilities.

The Chinese military, according to the report, is focused on a war over Taiwan and stopping U.S. intervention on behalf of its island ally.

One key development was the flight testing of a new J-20 stealth fighter last year, the launch of China’s first aircraft carrier, deployment of new integrated air defenses, submarine warfare developments, and nuclear and strike capabilities.

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China’s military also has launched a covert influence operation involving former Chinese and U.S. military leaders who have lobbied Congress and the Pentagon to do away with the annual report. Congress obliged two years ago by changing a portion of the report’s title from “military power” to “military and security developments,” apparently in response to Chinese protests.

China’s military evacuation of Chinese nationals from Libya last year also was highlighted as a positive development. But the report makes no mention of the discovery of Libyan government documents last year that revealed Chinese arms makers were preparing to ship arms to bolster the dying regime of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi.

The report identifies a key objective of the Chinese military doctrine as “preserving Communist Party rule” along with economic development and defending national sovereignty.

The report said China’s military is expanding space activities but downplays China’s secret space arms programs. Key anti-space weapons include “a multidimensional program to limit or deny the use of space-based assets by adversaries during times of crisis or conflict,” the report says.

“In addition to the direct-ascent anti-satellite weapon tested in 2007, these counter-space capabilities also include jamming, laser, microwave, and cyber weapons,” the report said, noting that “proximity” maneuvers by satellites in space are a prerequisite for space warfare attacks.

In the cyber warfare and cyber espionage arena, China-based hackers continued to conduct attacks around the world against computer networks and systems, the report said.

“Intrusions in 2011 occurred in key sectors, including companies that directly support U.S. defense programs,” the report said, without mentioning the Chinese military’s role in cyber attacks.

The report also said China continues aggressive theft and legal acquisition of dual-use civilian-military technology and goods mainly from the United States.

“China has a long history of cooperation between its civilian and military sectors and openly espouses the need to exploit civilian technologies for use in its military modernization,” the report said.

That finding would seem to undermine the Obama administration’s push to loosen controls on exports of dual use products.

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The report makes no mention of the six Chinese-made long-range missile launchers revealed in a North Korean military parade in Pyongyang April 15.

A Pentagon spokesman had no immediate comment.

David Helvey, acting assistant secretary of defense for East Asia, said the report was “streamlined and consolidated” as part of Pentagon guidance on reports for Congress. “However, we continue to address the same range of questions and issues that’s requested by the Congress in the legislation,” he said.

Richard Fisher, a China military affairs specialist with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, said the Pentagon report is a “lesser document” than its 2011 counterpart.

“A shorter report does not mean the Chinese military threat to U.S. interests has seen any reduction,” Fisher said.

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“If the Administration believes that it can improve China’s attitude by containing or reducing the effectiveness of this report, it is sadly mistaken,” he said. “The only lesson China will learn is that if it complains loud enough, it can bully even American officials into constraining their own political process necessary for their defense.”

Fisher criticized the report for failing to mention the planned arms shipment to Qaddafi. “China’s near villainy was exposed in captured Libyan government documents; so why does it not rate mention by the Department of Defense?”

On the Chinese long-range missile launcher driven through Pyongyang in April, Fisher said, “This amazing direct Chinese assistance to help North Korea launch nuclear warheads against the United States receives no mention in this year’s PLA report.”

Missile charts in the paper also show the exact same numbers for Chinese strategic and tactical missiles and launchers as last year, something almost sure to be inaccurate, Fisher said.

One fact omitted in this year’s report was the mention last year of “a new road-mobile ICBM, possibly capable of carrying a multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV).”

“There is no mention of this missile in the 2012 report, even though the Chinese have allowed Internet images of this missile to be published since 2007,” he said.

Helvey, the Pentagon official, told reporters that China is continuing work on the aircraft carrier-killing anti-ship ballistic missile, that a U.S. admiral said recently had reached the equivalent of being in early deployment.

“We highlight continued development of the anti-ship ballistic missile or the DF-21D,” Helvey said. “It’s got a limited operational capability, and I think that’s reflected in the report.  They continue to work on that and develop that and deploy that.”

Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy, said the report appears to be part of an effort by the Obama administration to redefine the threat from China.

“One way for President Obama to conceal the utter inadequacy of his so-called pivot to Asia—an underfunded reallocation of resources meant to obscure his hollowing out of the U.S. military and the vacuums of power he is creating by withdrawing forces from the Middle East—is to dumb-down the threat,” Gaffney said.

“Ignoring the reality of communist China’s buildup and misleading the American people about it will only make the threat more dangerous, not less so,” he said.

Full article: THE CHINA REPORT (Washington Free Beacon)

Chinese communists influence U.S. policy through ex-military officials

China uses retired U.S. military leaders for intelligence operations, report says

China’s intelligence services are using a private exchange program for retired U.S. and Chinese generals to influence the U.S. government and downplay Beijing’s large-scale military buildup, according to a congressional report.

The Sanya Initiative launched in 2008 with support from retired Adm. Bill Owens, a former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the China Association for International Friendly Contact (CAIFC), a Chinese military front organization, the report said.

“Institutions and persons affiliated with [People’s Liberation Army] military intelligence entities play a prominent role in the Sanya Initiative,” the report by Congress’ U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said.

The intelligence and influence effort was outlined in a late draft of the commission’s 2011 annual report. However, the section containing details of the intelligence links was left out of the commission’s final report made public in November.

Full article: Chinese communists influence U.S. policy through ex-military officials (The Washington Free Beacon)