Securing America with Frank Gaffney Podcast

Shaun Waterman, Hannah Stuart, Amb. Yoram Ettinger, Gordon Chang

Could the U.S. be a victim of a cyber attack like that of Stuxnet? Should the U.S. pull support for the U.N. in light of recent developments within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization?  Shaun Waterman of the Washington Times brings to light an ongoing development within the realm of cyber threats. Duqu, a variant of the Stuxnet worm that attacked the Iranian nuclear plant has already started to infect some computers in the Middle East and Asia and may even have inflected a system in the U.S. This worm embeds itself in a computer system and steals password and username information as well as copying all the data files. What would this mean for American security if such a virus infected American computers? Do we have a cure?

Next, Hannah Stuart from the Henry Jackson Society provides listeners with a strategic briefing on Turkey and the Arab Spring. What is the connection between the Syrian regime and the Turkish government? It seems that Turkey is protecting an opposition military, Free Syrian Army, and allowing them to run operations against the Assad regime from refugee camps on the border.

In segment three, Ambassador Yoram Ettinger educates listeners on the developments at the United Nations over the weekend in which UNESCO granted Palestine full membership in the organization.  As a result, will the U.S. pull funding from the U.N. as it claimed it will?

Finally, regular guest Gordon Chang enlightens us on recent events in China. With growing unrest throughout the country, it seems that Communist leadership will have their hands full in the coming months. People are upset over economic, political and legal restrictions which are causing these protests to turn violent. On another note, the EU is looking at China to help with their financial woes and in turn China wants military hardware which ultimately comes from the U.S. Therefore America would indirectly be giving military technology to a country with growing military ambitions.

Fred Grandy, Rep. Allen West, Bill Gertz

Should the United States raise taxes in order to continue to fund military power or should our leaders go ahead with the proposed defense budget cuts? Both US political and military leaders are at odds on this issue and remain at a stalemate as to how to develop a concrete budget plan. Should the Obama administration listen to the Tea Party’s claims that the Constitution calls for a strong defense? Frank starts today’s show sharing the microphone on topics such as these with Senior Fellow at the Center for Security Policy, Fred Grandy. According to recent statements made by members within the Obama administration, providing training materials to US government agencies such as the FBI that state Islam as a religion of violence is wrong. They continue to make overarching statements such as this, while ignoring the self-declared jihadists who use Islam simply as a religion of violence.

Moreover, associates at CAIR and other Muslim Brotherhood front groups continue to undermine the efforts of New York City’s counterterrorism police units. Are the President’s efforts to negotiate with local imams damaging the operations of these police forces? In order to infiltrate a neighborhood, these local law enforcement units must first consult with the local imam. How can the United States expect to run training programs against Muslim extremists, while also seeking the advice from biased Muslim community leaders? US leadership has become confused as to who is an enemy of the country.

Does the United States have a hard time understanding the 21^st century battlefield where unassociated extremists in countries such as Iraq are backed by hostile governments? In a new segment here at Secure Freedom Radio, entitled The Cloakroom, Fred Grandy has the honor of having a candid discussion with Rep. Allen West about US strategies in Iraq. By removing all of our forces in Iraq, have we truly given a “green light” to Iran to begin its political and military build up in the region? Rep. West argues that America has never lost a war at the tactical level, but has shown that it can lose the overall war such as in Vietnam. If we continue to lose at the strategic level, then we will certainly lose the war in Iraq. In order to stop this from happening, does the United States need to take Rep. West’s recommendations and develop a concrete operations strategy?

Weekly commentator here and writer at the Washington Times, Bill Gertz concludes today’s show commenting on Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta’s visit to Asia. Did Panetta successfully convey the message that no matter what happens to the US defense budget, we will remain a force in the region? Furthermore, how did those in the region react to such news?

James Roche, Fred Downey, Jim Hanson

 

What are the national security implications of cuts to the defense budget? How will the U.S. operate in light of recent actions taken by the Obama administration? Frank opens today’s Secure Freedom Radio reflecting on the connection between energy security and national security and implications of the proposed defense budget cuts.  James Roche, 20^th Secretary of the U.S. Air Force, stresses the connection between fuel diversity and less dependence on foreign oil on national security.  Roche also speaks to the difficulty of maintaining U.S. presence and power worldwide in light of proposed cuts to an already diminished military force.

 

Next the Aerospace Industries Association Vice President for National Security, Fred Downey examines recent study findings.  Downey describes how the aerospace and defense industrial base has dramatically declined in the 21^st century and we are at risk of no longer being the “top dog” in this important area if we do not protect this base.  Findings show that the number of large aerospace production companies has gone from one hundred fifty in 1960 to about seven currently.  This has also led to more reliance on foreign sources of supply for our weapons systems.  Finally, Downey states that an estimated 1 million jobs, of which 350,000 include highly skilled workers, are at risk if the proposed $1.2 trillion Super Committee cuts are taken from defense. 

 

Jim Hanson, contributor for Big Peace and writer for the military website BLACKFIVE, concludes today’s show touching on topics related to Iran, Turkey, and Libya.  Hanson condemns Obama’s recent announcement to remove all troops from Iraq by the end of the year.  The lack of U.S. presence will give power-hungry Iran an opportunity to gain control and also leave our diplomats and civilians in an unsafe situation.  In addition, attributing the death of Moammar Qaddafi to Obama’s success as Commander-in Chief is shortsighted and the Obama administration must also question its current relationship with NATO ally Turkey.

 

 

 

 

Thom Shanker, Eric Schmitt

Is the Obama administration facing a very different al Qaeda from the one that instigated the September 11th attacks? Additionally, do former President Bush’s and current President Obama’s campaign against terrorism share a similar focus: al Qaeda? Co-authors of the book, “Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America’s Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda,” Thom Shanker and Eric Schmitt join Frank for a full hour today discussing the new challenges that the US faces in combating terrorist networks. Various US government officials are working on countering al Qaeda’s ideology and narrative, rather than merely killing its leaders through drone strikes. How does the government expect to destroy the root of Islamist ideology at a time when it is becoming increasingly difficult to talk about it without being labeled Islamophobic?

Since the rise of al Qaeda and other extremist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, both the Obama and Bush administrations have confronted a countermeasure campaign where the West is seen to be at war with Islam. How does the US without merely polishing its image go about combating such campaigns? How can we win in a region where the US has little credibility? Shanker and Schmitt argue that the leaders of the Free World need to expose the true actions of al Qaeda and demonstrate that their murderous actions cannot make them “the righteous ones.”

What motives nations, companies, and even some charities to finance terrorist activates? Moreover, are these financiers susceptible to traditional threats? According to “Counterstrike,” because some financiers are not ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, sophisticated threats can be used to deter their actions. Will such methods ultimately discourage routing funds from companies and charities to support terrorist groups? From Today’s Show Prep: Counterstrike: The Untold Story of America’s Secret Campaign Against Al Qaeda In the years following the 9/11 attacks, the United States waged a “war on terror” that sought to defeat Al Qaeda through brute force. But it soon became clear that this strategy was not working, and by 2005 the Pentagon began looking for a new way. In Counterstrike, Eric Schmitt and Thom Shanker of The New York Times tell the story of how a group of analysts within the military, at spy agencies, and in law enforcement has fashioned an innovative and effective new strategy to fight terrorism, unbeknownst to most Americans and in sharp contrast to the cowboy slogans that characterized the U.S. government’s public posture. Adapting themes from classic Cold War deterrence theory, these strategists have expanded the field of battle in order to disrupt jihadist networks in ever more creative ways.

Zuhdi Jasser, Kori Schake, Andy McCarthy

How many nuclear weapons do enemies of the United States have? It is estimated that at the end of the Cold War, the United States’ estimates for Russian nuclear weapons was off by a factor of two. How will the US be able to continue to survive in a world where its nuclear capabilities are being crippled, while our enemies’ abilities are growing? Frank opens today’s Secure Freedom Radio reflecting on the situation unfolding in countries such as China, where they allegedly have 3,000 miles of underground tunnels set aside for nuclear weapon storage. However, Chinese nuclear production peaked in 1980 and has been flat ever since. Why then is the Chinese media continually exaggerating the amount of weapons being produced each year? What are the Chinese up to these days?

Founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, Zuhdi Jasser discusses the situation unfolding in the Middle East. Have the two opposing factions in the Middle East facilitated the rise of Islamism in the region? According to Jasser, secular fascism and Islamic fascism are currently waging a war. The extreme factions created by these tensions are causing Islamism to come to fruition. Although Islamism in some countries poses as a supporter of democratic free elections, it continues to corrupt and manipulation the system. These same groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood preach the same civilization jihad that is at peace with al Qaeda’s agenda. How is the United States going to defeat these ideas globally when they continue to grow like wildfire?

Next, Kori Schake of the Hoover Institute examines how she is hopeful that Libya after forty years of dictatorship will rise to the occasion and establish helpful social services for its people. Her hopes stem from the fact that the Libyan people have done much of the on the ground fighting and established public services themselves without help from outside forces. She does not know, however, what the true intentions of the National Transitional Council are and what it means for the future of the country. Is it merely the natural outcome of Libyan society or is it a backlash to Qaddafi’s regime?

Contributing Editor for National Review Online, Andy McCarthy concludes today’s show touching on the topic of Islamophobia. Although critics define Islamophobia as “an irrational fear of Islam,” McCarthy argues that there is a need to be concerned about something that affects us all. The idea that having a rational fear of Islamism is racist is just the desire of some leftist groups to suppress free speech and assert political correctness.

Walid Phares, Roya Hakakian, Gordon Chang

Will the 2012 election depend exclusively on the dismal state of the economy or will the candidates touch on national security issues? Certainly with the unrest in the Middle East, the American people have a lot more to worry about than just unemployment. Frank kicks off today’s show sharing his worries about the 2012 Presidential election, as well as the state of the Middle East. The Libyan National Transitional Council declared last night that the new government would adhere to Sharia law. If these countries are casting aside democratic representative government, then the United States cannot declare a victory in the Libyan War. Additionally, Afghanistan has stated that it would side with Pakistan if conflict were to occur between it and the United States. Is it true that Obama’s “small footprint” in the Libyan War furthered chaos in the region?

Honored guest here at Secure Freedom Radio and author of book, “The Coming Revolution: Struggle for Freedom in the Middle East,” Walid Phares reflects on the weekend democratic vote in the country that started the Arab Spring, Tunisia. What does the fierce struggle between strong secular groups and the better-organized Nahda group mean for the further of democracy in the country? Although many groups have argued that Nahda is a moderate faction of the Muslim Brotherhood, others stress that both al-Qaeda and Nahda share the same ideology: to rebuild the Caliphate. Truly, the Obama administration must stop declaring illusionary victories and focus on combating the forms of stealthy jihad rising in the Middle East.

For a special treat today, Iranian-American journalist, Roya Hakakian shares the microphone with Frank to talk Iran. In her book, “Assassins of the Turquoise Palace,” Hakakian tells the story of the 1992 Mykonos restaurant assassination of Kurdish opposition leaders in Berlin. These killings sparked the largest investigation and prosecution in Germany since World War I. How does this assassination parallel the recent plot uncovered by the FBI to assassinate the Saudi Ambassador in the United States? Has Iran now developed the ability to assassinate in countries such as the US where it previously had no room to operate? If so, what will come next for the country dedicated to killing those who they label “enemies of Islam?”

Resident China expert and writer at Forbes.com, Gordon Chang concludes today’s show touching on his concerns about the downsizing of the US military in the Asia region. Moreover, should the United States be interfering in the internal politics of Taiwan or should it take a step back from the situation?

Fred Grandy, Richard Mourdock, Bill Gertz

Is the Obama Administration turning its back on the Constitution in order to appease those who aim to destroy the American way of life? Former Congressman Fred Grandy delves into this concept in two segments with Frank. He explains that people like Eric Holder are doing what they can to distort or mitigate the threat posed by Islamic extremism. CIA, FBI and others are not being allowed to adequately train their agents and discuss ways to combat this threat because they are being tied and silenced by the Obama Administration who wants to appease Muslims Brotherhood front organizations here in the United States.

Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock, who is running for a seat in the U.S. Senate, explains that America has weakened its position with the Russians and continues to show weakness through treaties such as START.  He also points out that by cutting the Defense Budget, the Obama Administration will be putting more people out of work. How will this help the economy especially when those people are in high paying positions where their money could help stimulate the economy?

Finally, Bill Gertz of the Washington Times sheds light on that idea that China may try another poke in the eye when Tom Donilon, National Security Advisor, comes to visit. As a result of recent arms sales to Taiwan, some in the Chinese government feel it is time for some “crafty revenge” against America which may come in a show of China’s new military buildup.

Joel Rosenberg, Fred Grandy, Jim Hanson

How do the Republican Presidential candidates feel about cuts for the US defense department? While a majority of the recent debates have centered on jobs and the economy, one individual posed this question about national security to the candidates. Frank begins today’s Secure Freedom Radio examining last night’s GOP debate in Las Vegas. Although four candidates answered the question centered on the defense budget, only one, Newt Gingrich acknowledged that the Super Committee process was majorly flawed. The United States should decide how to deal with defense only after they have done a real review of the threats the US is facing. We truly need to explore the questions that are important to determine what military action is needed before big cuts are implemented. How can we continue to have a historical ignorance of the true situation when people’s lives are on the line?

Are we living in a moment that feels like the early to mid-1930s when Hitler was rising in Germany? Is the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei the new Fuhrer and if so, has the end of the world come? New York Times best-selling writer, Joel Rosenberg gives us an insight into his new book, The Tehran Initiative, where he uses fiction to capture Americans’ attention to what the world would be like if the US and Western powers fail to take decisive action in the Iranian situation. His story parallels what is happening in today’s world where there is an Iranian plot to attack Americans on American soil. Do we have the time for the next President to deal with Iran?

Joining Secure Freedom Radio for the first of many times, Fred Grandy brings Frank some good news. Grandy will be joining Secure Freedom Radio as the new host of its weekly “The Cloak Room” series where Grandy will frankly explore various national security issues with his former colleagues on Capitol Hill. It is a chance for Congressmen to have an inform discussion about big issues such as defense spending and international policies.

Were the French Moroccan Muslim tourists traveling all over the country, taking pictures of public buildings in San Antonio, TX planning a terrorist attack? Weekly regular guest and blogger at Blackfive.net, Jim Hanson and Frank poke fun at the lack of political correctness occurring in this case.

Bill Warner, Barry Rubin, Andy McCarthy

Is it true that non-Muslims simply do not have the religious depth to understand the true meaning of the writings in the Quran? Director of the Center for the Study of Political Islam, Bill Warner stopped by Secure Freedom Radio to discuss a recent series of books that he published about the doctrine of Islam called the Taste of Islam. Being a physicist, Bill Warner does not delve into the religious underlining of Islam, but rather the strategic way it has been used to manipulate non-Muslims in the Western world. As Westerners, Americans have been told three lies about Islam. Is it true that we were not able to identify such lies before because Islam is just too complicated for us to understand or have we been relying strictly on Muslim experts who portray it as such? By researching the issues and the Quran itself, Warner has tried to simplify these same works and understand them, as those illiterate Muslims would have back in the time of Mohammed.

Is there any sense in responding to the media coverage and academics that push false rumors about what is occurring in the Middle East, especially in Israel? Lies and misrepresentation permeate the current news coverage of the events in the region. Many journalists continue to depart from the facts and show no interest in the truth. Barry Rubin of the GLORIA Center in Israel continues this discussion with Frank. He argues that a large number of policy makers ignore the fact that revolutionary Islamist forces are expanding their influence in the Middle East, especially in Turkey and Iran. Additionally, how much do these journalists truly realize the threat from revolutionary Islamist forces? If policymakers and journalists continue to rely on a falsehood, then the United States will have no chance of solving the growing violence in the region.

One of the leading experts on Africa, Peter Pham brings to attention the new war starting in Africa. The President of the United States recently announced that he would send special ops into four nations in Central Africa to battle against rebel forces such as the Lord’s Resistance Army led by Joseph Kony. Why is the President implementing the War Powers Act in conflict, while he neglected to do so in the Libyan conflict? What is the scope of the mission in this conflict? Is it simply to protect civilians from the atrocities committed by the Lord’s Resistance Army or is there a deeper purpose?

What is the true problem in Iran? Should the United States be more worried about its nuclear program or the regime itself? Featured guest at Secure Freedom Radio and Contributing Editor at National Review Online, Andy McCarthy concludes today’s show highlighting the true threat in Iran. How do we continue to deal with an enemy dedicated to the destruction of the US? For the sake of US national security, toppling the Iranian regime should be the US’s top priority.

Arnaud de Borchgrave, Robert Zarate, Gordon Chang

By sending 100 troops in Africa, most notably to Uganda, has the United States started another international war? Frank kicks off today’s show sharing his thoughts on the recent decision by President Obama to intervene in the battle against rebels in Uganda. Is this simply the Obama administration’s way of asserting their “responsibility to protect” philosophy or an appeasement of the UN? In many circumstances, the United States is told to assert OUR responsibility to protect by international organizations such as the United Nations. However, in order to intervene in such conflicts the United States must first state that it has no vital interest in the nation or region. In Libya, we were told that the United States and NATO had a responsibility to intervene to protect the Libyan people, but in many ways the major bloodshed came following the US and NATO airstrikes. Now we have brought a government to Libya saturated with Muslim Brotherhood officials and connections to al Qaeda.

Is it true that the world has seen the end of the Arab Spring in Egypt? American journalist, Arnaud de Borchgrave continues today’s showing answering this question among others concerning Egypt’s future. De Borchgrave argues that it is not the future of Egypt, but how the idea of democracy in Egypt first started that is important. The true goal in Egypt should be trying to prevent the Muslim Brotherhood from gaining a majority in the government and the country. The real problem in combating the Muslim Brotherhood is that they are posing officially as a moderate organization that refuses the admission of extremists. Frankly, the Obama administration is kidding itself if it believes that the character of the Muslim Brotherhood has changed and whether something positive might occur in Egypt as a result of their leadership.

Next, Policy Director of the Foreign Policy Initiative, Robert Zarate talks budget cuts. This past August, the President and Congress enacted a last minute debt deal where they raised the debt ceiling and called for a $1.2 trillion debt reduction. These debt reduction negotiations need to be decided by January 12, 2012. In order to hammer out a deficit reduction packet, the Congress comprised a committee of twelve lawmakers called the Super Committee. The Committee’s objective is to create the deficit reduction packet by Thanksgiving, so that Congress has enough time to debate it. Additionally, Zarate delves into the failed “reset” policy towards Russia. Although Russia continues to have ill intensions towards us, the administration has continued its policy of overpromising and under developing.

Resident China expert at Secure Freedom Radio, Gordon Chang concludes today’s show discussing the changes in the Chinese government. For the past three decades, there was a lost of military power for the Chinese. Since the rise of Hu Jintao, however, there has been a shift of power favoring the military in political affairs. Additionally, it seems like the military will soon become more important than civilians.