DEFEND UTAH
The United States military has learned many lessons from WW1 and WW2. We have adopted different strategies to deter oppressive or coercive regimes. The most successful strategies have always been deterrence through strength of presence. We have learned the value of operational gap studies, vulnerability assessments, and value of applying advanced technologies as a force multiplier. The United States values have always related to deterring aggression by diplomacy.
Afghanistan & Hamas
After the Biden Administration surrender in Afghanistan, we see embolden terrorist groups and/or Iranian proxies probe our defenses. These terrorist groups test our ability or our capability when responding to drone or cruise missile strikes (clearly financed and/or made by Iran). The Biden Administration’s decision to allow Iran access to their 8 billion unchecked or without proper oversight, has resulted in an emboldened Iran who thinks they can recapture an oil tanker (now used by Iraq) and that was taken (reportedly) during previous sanctions against Iran.
We see the Biden Administration appeasement strategy, which prohibits U.S. military commanders from responding effectively. As of December 2023, the Biden Administration has severely limited the U.S. Military’s ability to protect our service men and women with incredibly restrictive Rules of Engagement (ROEs). Responding by doing one or two air strikes on storage facility will not be effective. How is it, that Obama (in October 2016) sends a clear message to the Houthi Rebels when the U.S. Navy is permitted to respond by destroying multiple radar sites with Tomahawk missiles in retaliation to a Houthi Rebel attack (see blog post on foreign policy)?
The Saudi Arabian Coalition that went to war with the Houthi Rebels (2015) made about 25,000 air strikes in Yemen with U.S. weapons and aircraft. As a result of all these air strikes, many civilians died without effectively deterring the Houthi problem. These air strikes further contributed to the recruitment of extremists to the Houthi Rebel’s cause. If we have learned anything from leaders who peddle extremism, it is that preventing extremism starts with removing the person inciting the terrorist behavior. President Trump ordered the air strike on Qassem Suleimani when he received information that an immanent attack was being planned - this was the right decision. Removing the threat will always be the better decision than conducting 25,000 air strikes in Yemen that could drive more recruits into terrorism.
We are at a critical junction in U.S. history. We have multiple nation states attacking their neighbors. Understanding the cultures or governments of the middle east and their motivations (both bad and good) will be critical for a Senator from Utah. The need to have strong foreign policy experience will be imperative. When I see the botched Biden surrender in Afghanistan, it reminds me of the need to prevent politicians from making operational military decisions without proper understanding military operations. To prevent the expedited delivery of visas to our partners or interpreters in the evacuation process of Afghanistan is an epic tragedy and could have been easily resolved by a more thorough analysis by the Biden Administration.
With respect to the Hamas terrorist attack, the Biden Administration should have never sent a carrier battlegroup to Jerusalem. Instead, because the IDF & the IAF are fully capable of responding to these threats (study the 7-Day War in 1967), the U.S. should have started talks with Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. This would have the most politically advantages action for the United States. This would most certainly have prevented us from being dragged into any lasting conflict with the Houthi Rebels or Hezbollah.
Now, that we have been pulled into the conflict by the Biden Administration, we are now obligated to assist (seemingly) with the eradication of Hamas. While the U.S. has troops in the region, we should be sending a direct and clear message to Hezbollah and all the Iranian proxy groups (including the Houthi Rebels in Yemen) - that unprovoked assaults on U.S. troops will not be tolerated. We must give our commanders in the military the distinct ability to deter and protect U.S. service members.
Iran
Iran has to be dealt with effectively and decisively - more diplomatic leverage should be placed on the Iranian government to ensure terrorism from the Iranian government is not tolerated. We can most assuredly leverage other countries in the region to not provide opportunities for Iranian proxies to have funding streams to further their terrorist activities. Leaning heavily on other Sunni dominant countries that harbor known terrorist groups will be important in stemming the funding that goes to these organizations. There should be no reason Hezbollah, Hamas, or Houthi Rebels can operate businesses in NATO countries to support their terrorism. Unlike the Biden Administration failure, we can incentivize and convince Sunni dominant countries to not support terrorists through incentives and transparency.
Ukraine
Ukraine has to have assistance – that is obvious. The deterrence of Putin must remain a top priority for the United States. There is too much evidence that suggests his desire and many Russian leaders to retake much of what was lost after the Cold War. Rallying more support from Europe will prove critical in this effort as we deter the aggression from Iran terrorist proxies. What needs to happen in Ukraine is more accountability for the billions in military equipment being shipped to the region. We need to ensure we are not allowing our most prized technology to fall into the hands of those who can reverse engineer it.
It is also important to employ strategies and diplomatic measures to help influence the withdrawal of Russian forces from the region.
China
China has demonstrated they cannot be trusted. For almost 20 years, they have blatantly stolen our technology, and we have done very little to deter that behavior. China listens to our military communications near our domestic military bases some of the approximately 380,000 acres the Chinese government owns.
Source: https://www.romney.senate.gov/romney-demands-answers-on-chinese-intel-center-in-salt-lake-city/
Through state sponsored programs, China even conducts espionage here in Utah. By using programs like the China Scholarship Program (CSP) to recruit and send Chinese nationals here to steal technologies from us and conduct espionage.
Source: https://cset.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/China-Scholarship-Council-Overview.pdf
Most concerning is the theft of our microprocessor technology, which is critical in facial recognition (computer vision) or military technologies. After this theft, China has most likely implemented it in China’s social credit system and military applications.
While the Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Australia, and many other countries in the South Pacific can be used to deter China, India is one of the strongest countries in the region and have already experienced Chinese incursions in the Himalayas. We have only recently entered into military technology agreements with India – something that would have benefited us many years ago.
Most recently, China has beefed up their nuclear missile arsenal (DF-26), which is compatible with both nuclear and conventional warheads. This poses a significant problem and should be addressed to avoid a nuclear disaster. Any launch from a DF-26 could be mistaken for a nuclear attack.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative is extremely concerning. Their land grabbing in Africa has multiple purposes – it’s not only for rare earth minerals, but there are also concerns that China is launching cyber attacks from Ethiopia and launching acts of international espionage from multiple regions in Africa. In their Belt and Road Initiative, they have invested over 20 billion in Africa and 4 billion just in Ethiopia.
Source: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinas-massive-belt-and-road-initiative
Currently Ethiopia is approximately 13.7 billion in debt to China, which is deeply concerning when China has a history of lending to countries with difficult repayment terms. Ask yourself why Ethiopia would be a strategic interest for China to invest in. Out of all the countries in Africa, Ethiopia is the largest investment. This is not mentioning the internal conflict that has claimed over 50,000 lives in Ethiopia since 2020.
China is providing these hard to repay loans to Nepal as well. China’s strategic plan to compel specific countries to comply by economic burdens cannot be tolerated. This sets a dangerous precedent and must be deterred.
So, when the United States is plagued with ‘Swatting Calls’ to 100s of our public schools in dozens of states, should we be asking why these calls have been found to originate from Ethiopia? Is there any incentive for China to push the gun-debate to the point that we lose more of our 2nd Amendment rights?
Source (Ethiopia Origin): https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/local/shooting-threat-at-cloquet-schools-deemed-a-hoax
Source: https://www.npr.org/2022/10/24/1129919258/swatting-fake-school-shooter-calls-hoax-pattern
The solution here is not placating and pandering to China by the Biden Administration, it is tough economic decisions that primarily involve incentivizing U.S. companies to use India supply chains instead of China. I won’t even mention the history China has at luring U.S. investors into fake Chinese companies or Chinese companies that over-embellish their capital or tangible assets.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/08/business/china-us-business.html
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_China_Hustle
India is one of the strongest democracies in the region. There is absolutely no logical reason why we should be incentivizing China’s approximate 20-year immoral behavior by continuing to do business with them. We have recently gone into agreements with India to share more military technology, but incentivizing investors from the U.S. to use supply chains from India is a wise and more logical choice.
I support leaning heavy on microprocessor independence from Taiwan. The main reason Biden said he would be willing to defend Taiwan by putting boots on the ground is likely because of the economic impact of losing Taiwan’s microprocessor market to China. The good news is (in the attempt to address the world’s microprocessor shortage), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is currently attempting to build facilities in Arizona – I endorse this effort.
Now is the time for stronger words and more intense debates. We cannot be afraid of being ‘canceled’ or ‘Woke’ by an establishment that is deeply embedded into the federal government and does not represent the diversity of America. It is not a time for complacency or inexperience. We need a Senator from Utah who will make hard decisions. We need a Senator who will fight the good fight and will most importantly protect the provisions in the United States constitution.