The Wall Street Journal, citing an unnamed administration source, reported the Obama administration has settled on three possible candidates to be the next commerce secretary. According to The Journal, one of the hopefuls currently serves in the administration, while the other two come from the business world. That has the …
Read More »Media Reports: Locke to Depart Commerce for Beijing
President Barack Obama will nominate Commerce Secretary Gary Locke to be the next U.S. ambassador to China, according to various media reports. Current ambassador Jon Huntsman, who is reportedly mulling a 2012 Republican presidential candidacy, will resign April 30, Reuters reported. Locke “has already racked up a lot of firsts …
Read More »Intelligence Officials Expect ‘Belt Tightening’
An array of intelligence officials warned of the possibility of increased budget trimming across the Intelligence Community, even as the threat landscape continues to change, with everything from the national debt to cybersecurity posing potential hazards. “We all understand that we’re going to be in for some belt tightening,” Director …
Read More »Will China Win Clean-Energy Race? Chu Ponders ‘Sputnik Moment’ for US
In a speech this week, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said the United States risked falling behind in the race to develop clean-energy sources. The United States faces a “Sputnik moment,” in terms of clean energy, he said, referencing the launch of the Soviet satellite in 1957 that shocked American scientists …
Read More »DoD’s Flournoy on the Emerging Threat in Today’s World
Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy spoke at the World Affairs council about the changing face of threats and securities Nov. 4. Flournoy said she believes “we are in a uniquely transformative moment: a time in an emergence of new global actors and an unprecedented spread of technology that …
Read More »Proposed Chinese Telecom Deal Raises Specter of Spying
A proposed deal between Sprint Nextel, Cricket and two Chinese telecom companies has raised a few eyebrows, with some U.S. senators concerned about security. The Hill reports a bipartisan group of legislators wrote a letter seeking reassurance about the deal from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski. The letter, signed …
Read More »Pentagon Looks to Renew Military Ties with China
During an economic delegation visit to Beijing, Chinese officials suggested they were interested in resuming military talks with the United States. A meeting is planned between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao in early 2011, “so we very much would like to make progress before the end of …
Read More »China’s Efforts in Military Transparency Insufficient, Says Report
Although China has made some progress in military transparency, its effort are inadequate, and the nation’s decision to suspend military-to-military contacts with the United States is acting against the interests of both countries, according to an annual report submitted to Congress. Released yesterday, the “Military and Security Developments Involving the …
Read More »Quadrennial Defense Review: Caught Between The Graveyard and The Dragon
If America is going to protect her interests, she needs to get old school and new school – at the same time. The Pentagon’s new Quadrennial Defense Review has found an increased threat from China in the realms of space and cyberspace, and the need for more choppers, predator drones …
Read More »China Responds to Cyber Attack Allegations
Many Americans support the assumption that China is involved with many of the cyber attacks against our government and Internet infrastructure. A U.S. congressional advisory panel published a report saying that China appeared to be increasingly targeting U.S. computers while gathering data for their military. The report highlighted that China …
Read More »