Latest news with #USSenateArmedServicesCommittee
Scoop
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Hastie's Sensible Advice: More Transparency On US Forces In Australia
It was a blast to a past wiped out by amnesia, social media and mental decrepitude. Andrew Hastie, Australia's opposition minister for home affairs, had been moved by an idea: greater transparency was needed regarding the US military buildup in Australia. It was an inspiration overdue by some decades, but it was worthwhile in its unaccustomed sensibility. In an interview with the Insiders program on the ABC, Hastie proved startling in proposing that Australia needed 'to have a much more mature discussion about our relationship with the United States. I think we need greater transparency.' He proceeded to recall the frankness of US Secretary of Defense Peter Hegseth's testimony before the US Senate Armed Services Committee, which saw China named 'as the pacing threat' in the Indo Pacific. Australia, Japan and the Philippines were mentioned as part of 'the integrated deterrence that the US is building in the region.' This saddled the Albanese government with significant obligations to the Australian people. Be clear, suggests Hastie. Be transparent. 'I think we need to talk about operationalising the alliance, building guard rails for combat operations, and of course defining our sovereignty. And this will make things clearer for us so that we can better preserve our national interest.' With admirable clarity, Hastie places the Australian security establishment in the dock for interrogation. 'We're not just a vassal stage, we're an ally and a partner and I think it's time that we had a good discussion about what that looks like.' Advertisement - scroll to continue reading Given that Australia already hosts a rotational US Marine force in Darwin from April to November, the Pine Gap signal intelligence facility in Alice Springs, and, in due course, the Submarine Rotational Force out of Perth from 2027 ('effectively a US submarine base'), it was time to consider what would happen if, say, a war were to be waged in the Indo Pacific. It was 'about time we started to mature the [relationship] model and we're open to the Australian people what it means for us'. These views are not those of a closet pacifist wishing away the tangles of the US imperium. Having spent his pre-political life in the Australian Defence Forces as a member of the special services, he knows what it's like playing valet in the battlefield to Washington's imperial mandarins. Not that he rejects that role. Fear of abandonment and Freudian neuroses tend to pattern the Australian outlook on defence and national security. Yet there was something comforting in his awareness that the American garrisoning of its ally for future geopolitical brawling needed explanation and elucidation. The response from Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles was typical. Spot the backbone of such a figure and find it wanting. US intentions and operations in Australia, he insisted, were adequately clear. Australians need not be troubled. There was, he told reporters during a visit to London to meet his UK counterpart John Healey 'actually a high degree of transparency in relation to the United States presence in Australia.' The Australian government had 'long and full knowledge and concurrence arrangements in relation to America's force posture in Australia, not just in relation to Pine Gap, but in relation to all of its force posture in Australia.' Reiterating another fable of defence orthodoxy, Marles was also convinced Australia's sovereignty in terms of how the US conducted its operations had been spared. Given Canberra's abject surrender to Washington's whims and interests with the AUKUS trilateral pact, this is an unsustainable claim. To this day, we have sufficient anecdotal evidence that Pine Gap, notionally a jointly run facility between US and Australian personnel, remains indispensable to the Pentagon, be it in navigating drones, directing bombing missions and monitoring adversaries. The Nautilus Institute, most capably through its senior research associate Richard Tanter, has noted the base's use of geosynchronous signals intelligence (SIGINT) satellites, Space-Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) and its acquisition in the early 2000s of a FORNSAT/COMSAT (foreign satellite/communications satellite) function. This makes Australia complicit in campaigns the United States pursues when it chooses. Dr Margaret Beavis, Australian co-chair of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), outlined the potential consequences: 'We risk accelerating nuclear proliferation, we risk Pine Gap becoming a target, Tindal airbase becoming a target.' All efforts to raise the matter before the vassal representatives in Canberra tends to end in a terminating cul-de-sac. Regarding the latest use of US B-2 stealth bombers in targeting Iran's three primary nuclear facilities, the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, was curt: 'We are upfront, but we don't talk about intelligence'. The bombing had been a 'unilateral action taken by the United States.' Australian candour has its limits. There is also no clarity about what the US military places on Australian soil when it comes to nuclear weapons or any other fabulous nasties that make killing in the name of freedom's empire so glorious and reassuring. As a signatory to the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty (SPNFZ), Australia would be in violation of its obligations, with Article 5 obligating each party 'to prevent in its territory the stationing of any nuclear explosive device.' Yet deploying B-52 bombers at the RAAF Tindal base would suggest just that, though not all such bombers are adapted to that end. The naval gazing toadies in foreign affairs and defence have come up with a nice exit from the discussion: such weapons, if they were ever to find themselves on US weapons platforms on Australian soil, would only ever be in transit. In a Senate estimates hearing in February 2023, Defence Department secretary Greg Moriarty blithely observed that, while the stationing of nuclear weapons was prohibited by the treaty, nuclear-armed US bombers could still pay a visit. 'Successive Australian governments have understood and respected the longstanding US policy of neither confirming nor denying the presence of nuclear weapons on particular platforms.' It is precisely that sort of deferential piffle we can do without.
Time of India
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel-Iran conflict: Senior US Democrat condemns Tel Aviv's 'reckless escalation'
Democratic senators sharply criticized US ally Israel on Thursday for its strikes on Iran, as the White House distanced itself from the attack but Republican senators voiced gratitude to Israel. "Israel's alarming decision to launch airstrikes on Iran is a reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence," Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island said in a statement. His comment came after Israel carried out a "preemptive" strike against Tehran's nuclear and military sites, in defiance of a call from US President Donald Trump to refrain from attacking Iran. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tan Dinh: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo Reed, the top Democrat on the US Senate Armed Services Committee, warned that the "strikes threaten not only the lives of innocent civilians but the stability of the entire Middle East and the safety of American citizens and forces." "While tensions between Israel and Iran are real and complex, military aggression of this scale is never the answer," he insisted. Live Events "I urge both nations to show immediate restraint, and I call on President Trump and our international partners to press for diplomatic de-escalation before this crisis spirals further out of control." Other Democrats also voiced alarm. "This action ordered by Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to deliberately undermine ongoing American diplomatic negotiations about Iran's nuclear program," Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey said on X. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut agreed. "This is a disaster of Trump and Netanyahu's own making, and now the region risks spiraling toward a new, deadly conflict," he warned on X. He also took a political jab at the US president, insisting that Israel's decision to attack "is further evidence of how little respect world powers -- including our own allies -- have for President Trump." Republican senators responded as well, but with a very different tone. Tom Cotton of Arkansas insisted on X that "Iran is the world's worst state sponsor of terrorism , has the blood of thousands of Americans on its hands, and is rushing to build not only nuclear weapons, but also missiles that can strike the United States." "We back Israel to the hilt, all the way." Ted Cruz of Texas agreed. "Israel is doing a favour to America right now by taking out Iran's nuclear capacity," he said.
France 24
13-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Senior US Democrat condemns Israel's 'reckless escalation'
"Israel's alarming decision to launch airstrikes on Iran is a reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence," Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island said in a statement. His comment came after Israel carried out a "preemptive" strike against Tehran's nuclear and military sites, in defiance of a call from US President Donald Trump to refrain from attacking Iran. Reed, the top Democrat on the US Senate Armed Services Committee, warned that the "strikes threaten not only the lives of innocent civilians but the stability of the entire Middle East and the safety of American citizens and forces." "While tensions between Israel and Iran are real and complex, military aggression of this scale is never the answer," he insisted. "I urge both nations to show immediate restraint, and I call on President Trump and our international partners to press for diplomatic de-escalation before this crisis spirals further out of control." Other Democrats also voiced alarm. "This action ordered by Prime Minister Netanyahu appears to deliberately undermine ongoing American diplomatic negotiations about Iran's nuclear program," Senator Andy Kim of New Jersey said on X. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut agreed. "This is a disaster of Trump and Netanyahu's own making, and now the region risks spiraling toward a new, deadly conflict," he warned on X. He also took a political jab at the US president, insisting that Israel's decision to attack "is further evidence of how little respect world powers -- including our own allies -- have for President Trump." Republican senators responded as well, but with a very different tone. Tom Cotton of Arkasas insisted on X that "Iran is the world's worst state sponsor of terrorism, has the blood of thousands of Americans on its hands, and is rushing to build not only nuclear weapons, but also missiles that can strike the United States." "We back Israel to the hilt, all the way." Ted Cruz of Texas agreed. "Israel is doing a favor to America right now by taking out Iran's nuclear capacity," he said.
Scoop
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Pacific News In Brief For 20 May
Article – RNZ A round-up of news from around the region, including Solomon Islands' prime minister warning government workers off Taiwan. An army officer overseeing plans for a 360-degree missile system for Guam says it will cost approximately US$8 billion. Lieutenant General Robert Rasch, the executive director of the Guam Defense System Joint Program Office, spoke to a US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last week. Lieutenant General Rasch told members of the Senate committee that the price tag is 'really the cost of the systems that the services were building already that will now be located at Guam, approximately $8 billion across all the service'. He said the effort on Guam was to 'get as much capability as soon as possible'. One senator asked how long until the system will be operational. Lieutenant General Rasch said they will be improving this capability forever, and defense never rests. Tonga – dengue Dengue cases in Tonga have now reached 756. In an update released on Monday night, Tonga's Ministry of Health reported there were six people in hospital with the disease. It said 381 cases are from Tongatapu, 309 from Vava'u, 62 from 'Eua, and four from Ha'apai. The health ministry said case investigations and vector control are ongoing. Solomon Islands – One-China Policy The Solomon Islands' prime minister has warned government workers against engaging with 'Taiwan'. In a statement, Jeremiah Manele reaffirmed his government's commitment to the One-China Policy. Earlier this month Manele survived a motion of no confidence, the second such challenge he's had to face during his first year in government. It's given rise to talks of new legislation aimed at curbing political instability in the country. Last week, the ABC reported a newly appointed government minister was pressured by China to quit an international group critical of its policies. Beijing's Embassy in Honiara said the allegations are baseless. It said China will never interfere in Solomon Islands internal affairs and also firmly oppose any other countries' interference in Solomon Islands' internal affairs. Fiji – methamphetamine Three men, including an officer of the Counter Narcotics Bureau, have been charged in Fiji in relation to importing methamphetamine. The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service said the intercept took place last week after Customs Officers identified irregularities during screening of an airfreight consignment from a Southeast African nation. The Fiji Times reported the three men each face a charge of unlawful importation of illicit drugs, while two of them also face a charge of possession of properties suspected of being proceeds of crime. Police prosecutor, Inspector Pramesh Chand, told the court a fourth suspect had also been arrested. Australia – visit Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong is travelling to the Pacific with a delegation this week. In a joint statement the ministers said they will travel to Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. They will meet with each nation's prime ministers, including discussing the strengthening of the Vuvale Partnership with Sitiveni Rabuka in Fiji. The ministers said this early visit to the region, soon after the Australian election, demonstrates how deeply they value being part of the Pacific family. Niue – fisheries The 138th Annual Officials Meeting of the Forum Fisheries Committee has wrapped up in Alofi. The Forum Fisheries Agency said officials from across the Pacific focused on advancing the sustainable management of the region's tuna fisheries. It said officials addressed a wide range of strategic priorities including climate resilience and strengthened international engagement. The outcomes from this meeting will be presented to ministers at the Forum Fisheries Committee Ministerial Meeting in July.
Scoop
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Pacific News In Brief For 20 May
Guam - defence An army officer overseeing plans for a 360-degree missile system for Guam says it will cost approximately US$8 billion. Lieutenant General Robert Rasch, the executive director of the Guam Defense System Joint Program Office, spoke to a US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing last week. Lieutenant General Rasch told members of the Senate committee that the price tag is "really the cost of the systems that the services were building already that will now be located at Guam, approximately $8 billion across all the service". He said the effort on Guam was to "get as much capability as soon as possible". One senator asked how long until the system will be operational. Lieutenant General Rasch said they will be improving this capability forever, and defense never rests. Tonga - dengue Dengue cases in Tonga have now reached 756. In an update released on Monday night, Tonga's Ministry of Health reported there were six people in hospital with the disease. It said 381 cases are from Tongatapu, 309 from Vava'u, 62 from 'Eua, and four from Ha'apai. The health ministry said case investigations and vector control are ongoing. Solomon Islands - One-China Policy The Solomon Islands' prime minister has warned government workers against engaging with "Taiwan". In a statement, Jeremiah Manele reaffirmed his government's commitment to the One-China Policy. Earlier this month Manele survived a motion of no confidence, the second such challenge he's had to face during his first year in government. It's given rise to talks of new legislation aimed at curbing political instability in the country. Last week, the ABC reported a newly appointed government minister was pressured by China to quit an international group critical of its policies. Beijing's Embassy in Honiara said the allegations are baseless. It said China will never interfere in Solomon Islands internal affairs and also firmly oppose any other countries' interference in Solomon Islands' internal affairs. Fiji - methamphetamine Three men, including an officer of the Counter Narcotics Bureau, have been charged in Fiji in relation to importing methamphetamine. The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service said the intercept took place last week after Customs Officers identified irregularities during screening of an airfreight consignment from a Southeast African nation. The Fiji Times reported the three men each face a charge of unlawful importation of illicit drugs, while two of them also face a charge of possession of properties suspected of being proceeds of crime. Police prosecutor, Inspector Pramesh Chand, told the court a fourth suspect had also been arrested. Australia - visit Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong is travelling to the Pacific with a delegation this week. In a joint statement the ministers said they will travel to Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu. They will meet with each nation's prime ministers, including discussing the strengthening of the Vuvale Partnership with Sitiveni Rabuka in Fiji. The ministers said this early visit to the region, soon after the Australian election, demonstrates how deeply they value being part of the Pacific family. Niue - fisheries The 138th Annual Officials Meeting of the Forum Fisheries Committee has wrapped up in Alofi. The Forum Fisheries Agency said officials from across the Pacific focused on advancing the sustainable management of the region's tuna fisheries. It said officials addressed a wide range of strategic priorities including climate resilience and strengthened international engagement. The outcomes from this meeting will be presented to ministers at the Forum Fisheries Committee Ministerial Meeting in July.
