For generations, Congress has funded the Pentagon on a basic premise: American forces should have the resources to fight and win significant wars in two different theaters.
The emphasis got more serious after 9/11 when the country had to defend against multiple global threats from non-state actors while fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The defense budget soared from $303 billion in 2000 to a whopping $715 billion in 2022.
Yet, the Biden administration has shown that it is so inept that battles previously won are slipping away, putting America in grave danger.
The latest threat is brewing in Iran. According to the New York Times, Iran has told international inspectors that it plans to begin making near-bomb-grade nuclear fuel deep inside a mountain that is hard to bomb. It also plans to dramatically expand its nuclear fuel production at a plant that Israel and the United States have repeatedly sabotaged.
In the report, Henry Rome, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, described the precarious situation in which America finds itself. “Imagine telling the incoming administration in January 2021 that within two years, Iran would be enriching to near weapons-grade uranium at Fordow, deploying its most advanced centrifuges in large numbers, accepting severely limited international monitoring, accumulating multiple bombs’ worth of highly enriched uranium and rejecting diplomatic efforts. That’s not quite a worst-case scenario, but it’s pretty close.”
In Ukraine, as the administration continues to press for its Russia oil-cap policy that we said in June was unserious and absurd, G7 allies and European nations abandoned talks about setting a price point owing to deep disagreements. Europe has already committed energy suicide by imposing a ban on Russian energy effective December 5. If all 27 E.U. nations do not unanimously agree on the price, world oil prices will likely skyrocket as Russian oil will essentially come off world markets, except for contracts Russia has with countries like China and India.
In Afghanistan, after Biden’s hasty and reckless withdrawal last August when American forces left behind $85 billion in weapons, the ruthless Taliban regime has stepped up its enforcement of Sharia law. A recent Deutsche Welle report described how both men and women accused of adultery and other crimes were lashed in a public square. Other than the single mantra that America has had of imposing sanctions that deeply hurt the ordinary person, the United States has largely ignored the plight of the average Afghani.
Meanwhile, Democrats beginning with Nancy Pelosi and, most recently, VP Harris, continue to saber-rattle China by making provocative statements about islands in the South China Sea. Rather than work toward peaceful agreements, America has continued to express solidarity with self-ruled Taiwan – including participating in military exercises – while insisting that the One China policy hasn’t changed. It was little wonder that President Xi Jinping warned President Biden not to cross Beijing’s “red line” over Taiwan, which the Chinese government claims as its territory.
America has so alienated both China and Russia that no meaningful action is possible in the U.N. Security Council, even against a rogue nation such as North Korea that is violating every rule in the global order. Under Kim Jong-un, the isolated country has steadily stepped up its missile launches, culminating last week in the test launch of a suspected intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), spreading unease among the citizens of South Korea and Japan.
Strong opposition in the U.N. Security Council by Russia and China, permanent members of the elite body, killed any hopes of punitive action against Kim Jong-un. In a first, China and Russia seemed to hold the American sanctions regime at fault for North Korea’s actions. Russia’s deputy UN Ambassador, Anna Evstigneeva, criticized “Washington’s desire to force Pyongyang into unilateral disarmament by implementing sanctions and exerting force.” China’s U.N. ambassador, Zhang Jun, urged the U.S. to show “initiative, put up realistic proposals, respond positively to North Korea’s concerns, stop military exercises and ease sanctions.”
In despair, the U.S. could only issue a joint statement, whining: “The DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) is acting with impunity in the face of the Security Council’s inaction.” The U.S. ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, delivered the statement signed by just 14 countries.
The U.S. remains a potent leader in the G-7, the 27-member E.U. family of nations, and for a few other countries, such as Australia and New Zealand. But across the BRIC zone, Turkey, the larger Arab world, and Saudi Arabia in particular, America is increasingly seen as a country that has lost its sense of direction and is, therefore, vulnerable.
Isn’t the president’s foreign policy team responsible for bringing us to this point?
Related Data
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Geopolitics And Geoeconomics
#1. Ukraine Needs To Be ‘Far-Sighted’ To Secure Peace, Pope Says – Reuters
Pope Francis said that Ukraine’s leaders would have to be “far-sighted” to secure peace, suggesting that Kyiv would have to make concessions to end the war with Russia.
The pope earlier this month called for a ceasefire to avert the risk of escalation of the conflict and asked God to “hurry up” to end it.
In an open letter released on Friday to mark the nine-month anniversary of the Russian invasion, Francis praised the strength of Ukrainians in the face of the onslaught.
“The world has recognized a bold and strong people, a people that suffers and prays, cries and struggles, resists and hopes: A noble and martyred people,” he wrote.
#2. Ukraine War: Russia Admits Mobilisation Errors, Amid Growing Public Opposition – BBC
The Kremlin has admitted mistakes were made in its drive to mobilize Russian army reservists to fight in Ukraine amid growing public opposition.
“There are cases when the decree is violated,” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said, adding that “all the errors will be corrected.”
Multiple reports say people with no military experience – or who are too old or disabled – are being called up.
Last week’s mobilization decree has already triggered widespread protests.
President Putin announced what he described as partial mobilization on Sept 21, with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu later saying 300,000 reservists would be called up.
#3. Ukraine Updates: Power Returns To Nuclear Plants – D.W.
Ukraine’s four operational nuclear power plant sites now all have access to the national grid once more, a group of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors concluded following an inspection.
However, over a dozen regions in Ukraine are still struggling without water and electricity due to Russian strikes on infrastructure.
Earlier this week, the four sites lost off-site power amid Russia’s intensified strikes targeting infrastructure.
#4. NATO Chief Vows Unwavering Support For Ukraine – D.W.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg pledged unyielding support for Kyiv from the alliance.
“NATO will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. We will not back down,” Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels. His press conference comes ahead of a foreign ministers’ meeting of the alliance in Bucharest next week.
The NATO chief said the alliance members planned to increase their nonlethal aid for Kyiv. He stressed that there would be no lasting peace in Ukraine if Russia won the war.
#5. U.S. Bans Chinese Telecom Devices, Citing ‘National Security’ – Al Jazeera
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is banning telecom and surveillance equipment from Chinese brands, including Huawei and ZTE, citing an “unacceptable risk to national security.”
The five-member FCC said it had voted unanimously to adopt new rules that would block the targeted products’ importation or sale.
U.S. security officials have warned that equipment from Chinese brands such as Huawei could be used to interfere with fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks and collect sensitive information.
#6. China Intensifies Disinformation, Cyberattacks On Taiwan: Report – Nikkei Asia
A report by a Japanese Defense Ministry think tank said China’s armed forces are increasing its nonmilitary warfare that weaponizes disinformation and psychological manipulation of Taiwan.
The annual China Security Report, published by the National Institute for Defense Studies (NIDS), focuses on the cognitive warfare being adopted by the Chinese Communist Party. That approach propagates information useful to the party through social media platforms and cyberspace.
#7. Taiwan Conducts Raids In Crackdown On Alleged Vote-Buying With Chinese Funds – WION
On the suspicion that they were purchasing votes for China in Saturday’s island-wide election, Taiwanese authorities conducted searches and interrogated many individuals.
Police officials used warrants obtained under the Anti-Infiltration Act, approved in late 2019, and prohibits “hostile foreign forces” from meddling in elections, searched four sites and jailed three people, reported Bloomberg.
In a contest that the Kuomintang and Democratic Progressive Party hope would give them an early advantage for the next presidential election in 2024, Taiwan voters go to the polls on Saturday to choose mayors and county leaders.
#8. Xi Tells Kim China Willing To Work With N.Korea For ‘World Peace’ – AFP
Chinese President Xi Jinping told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un that Beijing was willing to work with Pyongyang for world peace, North Korean state media said Saturday.
The message from Xi came days after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile in one of its most powerful tests, declaring it would meet perceived U.S. nuclear threats with its nukes.
North Korea has recently conducted a record-breaking blitz of missile launches, and fears have grown that it is building up to a seventh nuclear test, its first since 2017.
#9. Turkey Threatens Ground Assault Into Syria – tippinsights
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is threatening to start an offensive against U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria to push them further from Turkey’s southern border.
Turkey launched air strikes in northern Syria in retaliation for the Nov 13 Istanbul bomb attack that it blames on the YPG militia. Ankara views the YPG as an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).
#10. Turkey And Russia Negotiate Small-Scale Military Operation In Northern Syria – Middle East Eye
Turkish and Russian officials are negotiating a small-scale Turkish military operation to remove Syrian Kurdish fighters from the west of the Euphrates river in the coming weeks.
Earlier this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) with a ground operation in response to the deadly Nov 13 Istanbul bombing that Ankara believes was perpetrated by YPG-linked suspects.
Turkish defense minister Hulusi Akar told his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu in a phone call that Ankara would continue to respond to attacks that target civilian settlements in Turkey, according to the Turkish readout.
#11. Israel Gave Dozens Of Countries Intel On Iran Arms Transfers To Russia — Report – The Times Of Israel
Israel provided intelligence to dozens of Western countries and NATO about Iran’s weapons transfers to Moscow to support its war on Ukraine.
Israel began supplying intelligence to allies on the arms sales in late October via its embassies in world capitals, Axios reported citing unnamed officials and Israeli Foreign Ministry cables, in a move that “represents a change in Israeli behavior around Iran’s role in the war in Ukraine.”
#12. Report: Iran Developing Missiles That Could Eliminate Obstacles To Delivering Nuke – The Times Of Israel
Iran has reportedly been developing large cruise missiles that could potentially “eliminate many obstacles ” to delivering a nuclear bomb.
Citing several U.S. intelligence and security sources and experts, The New York Times reported that Tehran had moved closer toward achieving weapons-grade enrichment and could soon possess the technology required to deliver nuclear bombs.
#13. Japan Eyes Using Enemy Base Strike Capability With U.S. – Kyodo
Japan is considering using an enemy base strike capability, or what it prefers to call “counterstrike capability,” with its ally, the U.S., in the event it comes under attack, a source familiar with the matter said.
Highlighting the need to obtain the capability in response to a worsening security environment, the government will also limit the targets of such attacks to “military” ones. Still, the source said it might be loosely defined to include enemy bases and other sites, such as command centers.
Tokyo has heavily depended on Washington for its protection under the 1960 Japan-U.S. security treaty, which states Washington would defend territories under Japan’s administration from armed attack.
#14. China Plans To Build Nuclear-Powered Moon Base In 6 Years – Bloomberg
China plans to build its first base on the moon by 2028, ahead of landing astronauts there in subsequent years as the country steps up its challenge to NASA’s dominance in space exploration.
The lunar base will likely be powered by nuclear energy, Caixin reported. Its basic configuration will consist of a lander, hopper, orbiter, and rover, all of which would be constructed by the Chang’e 6, 7, and 8 missions.
“Our astronauts will likely be able to go to the moon within 10 years,” Wu Weiran, chief designer of China’s lunar exploration program, said in an interview with state broadcaster CCTV. He said nuclear energy could address the lunar station’s long-term, high-power energy needs.
#15. Huge COVID Protests Erupt In China’s Xinjiang After Deadly Fire – Reuters
Rare protests broke out in China’s far western Xinjiang region, with crowds shouting at hazmat-suited guards after a deadly fire triggered anger over their prolonged COVID-19 lockdown.
Crowds chanted, “End the lockdown!” pumping their fists in the air as they walked down a street, according to videos circulated on Chinese social media. Reuters verified the footage was published from the Xinjiang capital Urumqi.
Videos showed people in a plaza singing China’s national anthem with its lyric, “Rise up, those who refuse to be slaves!”.
China has put the vast Xinjiang region under some of the country’s longest lockdowns, with many of Urumqi’s 4 million residents barred from leaving their homes for as long as 100 days.
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