Securing America with Frank Gaffney Podcast

John Lenczowski, Lt. Col. Robert Schaefer, Bill Gertz

With John Lenczowski, Lt. Col. Robert Schaefer and Bill Gertz

The president of the Institute for World Politics, John Lenczwoski, brings to light the failure of the State Department in properly engaging in the use of soft power and public diplomacy.  The Broadcasting Board of Governors has decided to eliminate the Voice of America in Mandarin, Cantonese, Russian, Portuguese, Hindi and Arabic. This means that it will not be engaging the citizens of China, Russia, Brazil, India or Iraq because the State Department instead, wants to use that money for internet outreach.  Mr. Lenczowski articulates the ramifications of such a move and goes on to use the Cold War as a prime example of the benefits of such a program. A prime reason America won the Cold War, was because the Soviet people were on America’s side and stood up to their oppressive government. We must engage the populous of other nations in order to garner support from their governments.

Next, Lt. Col. Robert Schaefer of the U.S. Army’s Central Command spends two segments with Frank dissecting the insurgency in the Caucasus’s and Russia’s failure at countering such a threat from the Jihadist movement. Lt. Col. Schaefer explains this very topic in his new book “The Insurgency in Chechnya and the North Caucasus: From Gazavat to Jihad.”  He explains how this threat is getting little play in the media because the Russian government has done a good job of silencing this movement and claiming it is simple acts of terrorism as opposed to an insurgency against Russian oppression.  America can use the events in the Caucuses’ when fighting our own opponents. Lt. Col. Schaefer elaborates by saying that if we listen to our opponents, and not just have an egocentric approach of talking them and hoping they see our side of things or opening economic ties and showing we are nice people, but actually listening and finding the individuals who are not the ideologues then we can start to defeat them.  Organizations such as the Caucasus Emirate are made up various groups of people, some of whom are fighting just for money and power and those are the ones that can be influenced if we just listen to them and figure out that they are not motivated by ideology.

Finally, Washington Times correspondent and regular guest to Secure Freedom Radio Bill Gertz joins Frank to explain how the North Korean nuclear talks are just a delay tactic in order to develop their nuclear arsenal. South Korea is trying to fortify their power grids in fear that the north is working on an EMP weapon. South Korea is also planning on building a naval base off the Korean Peninsula which is angering China because they claim the Yellow Sea as their maritime territory, will the Obama Administration kowtow to the will of the Chinese? The Obama Administration also blocked a conference at CIA headquarters last August, which was designed to train agents to combat radical Islamic ideology.

 

Tom Trento, Victor Davis Hanson, Roger Noriega, Bill Gertz

Early this morning, news emerged that one of the proponents of the Fort Hood shootings and the 2009 “underwear bomber” Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in a CIA drone bombing in Yemen. Will the death of this US-born cleric bring an end to an era or will other jihadists finally emerge? Tom Trento of the United West discusses with Frank how the United States government is finally going after Americans who have acted against the Constitution. Although his death is a great success for the US, it also revealed that al-Awlaki was merely an actor in a network of jihadists and that we should prepare ourselves for more in the future. Only by attacking the theological system of Sharia can the United States win the War on Terror. It is also vital that the leaders of the US government understand the need for better training for FBI agents and intelligence officers. Instead of crippling them with political correctness, we ought to give them the tools to defend the United States’ Constitution.

What starts and ends wars in the Middle East? The famed historian and the Martin and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Victor Davis Hanson continues today’s show answering the question of a possible war between Israel and it neighbors in the region. The situation for Israel is looking more and more hostile than it has in the last thirty years, as former allies to Israel such as Turkey are angling for more confrontation. Although there were major conflicts in 1973, 1982, and 2006 in the Middle East, what stopped them from turning into full-blown wars? Hanson states that a strong stance from the US blocked the region from turning totally volatile. However, all this has changed due to Obama’s weak Middle Eastern policy. Thus, it is only a matter of time before things turn sour for Israel and the United States under Obama’s leadership will be unable to step in to stop it.

Regular guest at Secure Freedom Radio and our resident expert on Latin American affairs, Roger Noriega of AEI shares novel news of Hugo Chavez’s cancer treatments. While the state sponsored press says he is on the upswing, Noriega’s sources continue to confirm that Chavez is not responding well to chemotherapy. Therefore, it is imperative that the United States prepares for a post-Chavez world and the opportunities it will open for possible democracy in Venezuela. Additionally, if Roberta Jacobson officially assumes the head of the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs in the Department of State, then what will her leadership mean for foreign policy in Venezuela and Mexico? As a career foreign service officer, she was in charge of the delivery of US assistance to Mexico. While it is important to continue such trends, Noriega argues that as head of the Bureau she should start treating Venezuela as a priority for intelligence collection.

National Security Writer for the Washington Times, Bill Gertz continues the discussion of the US airstrike that killed al-Awlaki and its implications for US national security. The strike in Yemen was carried out by a joint special operations and CIA effort that had been targeting him since May. Gertz also shares with Frank the story of a senior Pentagon official who criticized retiring chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mullen, for speaking the truth about Pakistan’s involvement in past terrorist attacks. This official stated that the intelligence was not clear on the matter and it was not Adm. Mullen’s place to speak on such a topic. Instead of condemning ISI’s actions, the US Department of State is working towards appeasing Pakistan by decreasing the number of drone attacks.

Roger Noriega, Claudia Rosett, David Rivkin, Bill Gertz

Is the all mighty leader of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, on his final months of life? Visiting Fellow at AEI, Roger Noriega kicks off today’s show sharing his thoughts on Hugo Chavez’s deathwatch. According to sources in the country, Hugo Chavez has just returned from his third round of chemotherapy to treat his colon cancer. This information contradicts official reports by Venezuelan officials who stated that he had just returned from his fourth trip to Cuba. The earlier trip to Cuba for chemotherapy was a fabrication of the Chavismo leadership who wanted to appear open, while also keeping the opposition guessing. This is the perfect example of a classic dictatorship, says Noriega, where the top leaders continually lie. Additionally these sources say that Chavez will not survive his cancer, but might stick around until the October 2012 elections. If he is able to hold on to life, the organized opposition groups will have a slim chance at beating him. The problem is further exacerbated by the fact that the Obama administration holds a “flat-footed” policy in South America, where they would rather ignore Chavez than speak out in support of opposition groups. Was Obama’s speech in front of the UN General Assembly able to successfully put heed to his comments in May acknowledging the possibility of a Palestinian state? Journalist-in-residence at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, Claudia Rosett covers the ominous stirrings in the United Nations. Although this will be the seventh time that the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will come before the UN General Assembly, the more pressing issue is the Palestinian statehood debate. The General Assembly is consumed by the political debates surrounding the issue. Rosett is critical of Obama’s speech, as she sees it as a campaign speech rather than a Presidential one. Palestinians were similarly disappointed in his speech, as it failed to endorse or acknowledge official statehood such he did in a speech last year. On the other hand, Israel was happy with his speech as he did not make mention of the 1967 borders. In Rosett’s view, these debates are merely methods of ganging up on the US and its allies in order to give them a “giant poke in the eye.” American attorney and political writer, David Rivkin presents the legal case against Palestinian statehood. As said by Rivkin, objective criteria must first be met in order for a given entity to be granted statehood in the United Nations. Under these rights and duties, the given entity needs to have a territory, population, government that exercises effective sovereignty, and is able to go into agreements with other nations. According to these standards, Palestine does not meet the basic objective criteria to become a state. Palestine does not control Gaza or even the West Bank. Since Israel controls most of the land that Palestine claims, Israel is the only one that can “midwife” Palestine into a state. Furthermore, the United Nations is not in the business of recognizing the state, but is only able to take an existing state and make it a member of the UN. While some argue that the Vatican is an exception to this rule, Rivkin fires back that the Vatican, as the oldest existing state in history was able to merely ushered into the UN with non-member status. Weekly regular guest here at Secure Freedom Radio and National Security Writer for the Washington Times, Bill Gertz concludes today’s show enlightening Frank on how Adm. Mullen of the NSC directly links the Pakistani ISI with the Haqqani terrorist network, an arm of Al Qaeda. The White House is also working on a secret mini-Nuclear Posture Review that will change military requirements for the U.S. strategic arsenal. This allows them to use the cover of budget cuts to pursue an ideological zero nuke policy. Also, Gertz talks Wikileaks and how one cable reveals that North Korea has had a greater counterfeiting capacity than previously known of U.S. monetary notes.

Jeff Eby, KT McFarland, John Yoo, Bill Gertz

Throughout history there have been game changers in war, from artillery in WWI to aircraft carriers in WW II.   During Operation Iraqi Freedom it was the advanced combat optical gun sight that proved revolutionary.  Today on Secure Freedom Radio Jeff Eby joins Frank to discuss this important technology that his company manufactured.  Eby, an Advanced Technology Programs Manager at Trijicon, an American Defense Manufacturer, explains how the magnified optics enabled our fighters to survey the bad guys from the good.  In Iraq, like Vietnam and Somalia before it, the enemy cloaks itself within civilian society, and the new gun sight was crucial to defeating the enemy without injuring civilians who we needed on our side.  Eby, who spent 29 years as an Infantryman, also discusses military budget cuts and the importance of maintaining sufficient personnel in all levels of conflict, in areas of the world where merely our presence maintains the peace. Then, KT McFarland, national security expert, columnist and commentator joins Frank to assess our security 10 years since 9/11.  10 years ago, McFarland was in lower Manhattan as she watched the towers fall.  And now, the Fox News National Security Analyst and host of DefCon-3, is proud that while we were rebuilding, “Osama Bin Laden died an old man, wearing dirty clothes in a tiny windowless room in Pakistan watching video reels of himself.”  McFarland explains the evolution of the War on Terror, which has transformed from Bin Laden’s al-Qaeda 1.0, to worldwide cells 2.0 and now al-Qaeda’s domestic 3.0 lone wolves.  She also explains how the Muslim Brotherhood, the “mother ship” of al-Qaeda, is trying to take advantage of the Arab Spring, “to win through the ballot box what they weren’t able to win militarily.”  She finally adds her comments on the brilliant work of the NYPD in keeping her city safe, and how a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian State will be “a match thrown into a room full of gasoline” for the nations surrounding Israel. Next, Frank welcomes back John Yoo, Professor of Law at University of California, Berkley, former deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice and Co-editor for the new book Confronting Terror: 9/11 and the Future of American National Security, a retrospective from the greatest minds in national security on the balance between security and civil liberties after 9/11.  Yoo defends the record of the Bush Administration of no attacks, and attributes this fact to the methods and policies he helped put in place, including Guantanamo Bay and warrantless wire tapping.  He explains the difference between approaching 9/11 as an act of war rather than a criminal act, and explains how the Obama Administration, although reluctantly, has continued many of the same war policies, with one important distinction.  “No high ranking terrorist has been captured in two years,” says Yoo, who fears with an administration that would rather kill terrorists than deal with political backlash, we risk losing “the greatest source to our successes in the War on Terror,” namely intelligence.  Yoo also comments on the “deeper problem, the ideological fight” here at home, and how in “fighting on the frontier of ideas” we must “stop the spread of ideologies that are behind the people that want to attack us.” Finally, Bill Gertz, gives us our weekly update from “Inside the Ring,” with the breaking news that the Administration has opted against selling 66 new F-16s to Taiwan amid intense bipartisan pressure from Congress to sell these new jets. Gertz remarks this is a prime example of “weakness is provocative,” as pro-China officials in White House successfully manipulated assessments by the intelligence community to paint the picture that the deal would give Taiwan a greater offensive ability.  The news comes just as the Pentagon’s annual report shows an alarming military buildup in China.  Gertz also explains a recent report from Bob Woodward, that government officials thwarted the Bush Administration from taking military action against a secret nuclear facility in Syria.  Had the Israelis not acted in 2007, Gertz asserts, “we might have a very advanced nuclear program in Syria.”  “We see a government that is out of control,” says Gertz, not only economically but in national security as well.  He also discusses the vulnerabilities in cyber warfare that the new commander of Cyber Command, Gen. Keith Alexander, recently revealed.

Kevin Kearns, Fouad Ajami, Bill Gertz

As detailed in a new article released by the Associated Press, the New York Police Department is partnering with the CIA to move covertly into Muslim areas. This united front between local law enforcement and a major government intelligence agency, is being used as a form of monitoring dangerous activity in an effort to rake out pre-violence in religious extremist communities in and around New York City. While some believe that this method of intelligence collection is illegal, others think that it is simply enlisting partners in the fight against violent extremism in the United States. In a very moving monologue, Frank expresses his feelings on the article, as well as his disapproval of Hillary Clinton’s appeasement of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. A study by the Department of Homeland Security entitled “Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Extremism,” just reinforces his suspicions about the growing threat of homegrown terrorism. Additionally, He cites how it is important for the country to model their counterterrorist strategies after the NYPD. President of the US Business and Industry Council, Kevin Kearns joins Secure Freedom Radio to discuss the current “American Invents Act,” which will change over two hundred and twenty years of innovation in the United States. “It is throwing out Article 1, Section 8, Clause 8 of the US Constitution,” says Kearns who believes that the act is merely a method of protecting the interests of big businesses. Kearns argues that multi-national corporations who wish to harmonize American standards with the European system are ramming the patent reform bill through Congress. The major change in the bill is eliminating the “first to invent” clause that has been in practice since the 1790 Patent Act. This system not only established who was the first to invent a system, but also gave them the exclusive right to the invention itself. This is the true end of American invention as we know it, believes Kearns. Next, Fouad Ajami of Stanford University’s Hoover Institution shares his enthusiasm for the revolution in Libya and how his hope is boundless for the Libyan people. He expresses his joy that the so-called “big time terrorist who hijacked the Libyan country” Qaddafi is finally a hunted man. The Libyan people have shed themselves of the cruelty of this man and of the thievery of his sons. Ajami reminds us; however, that the Arab people made these despots and are now trying to cleanse themselves of the leaders whose names they used to chant in the streets. These are merely “rebellions of shame” says Ajami. His criticism of the past Libyan leadership was short lived, as his hope for the new Libya soon consumed any doubt. He believes that the new Libya will have an easier time to adapt to a new regime, as it has many favorable neighbors. Lastly, Fouad Ajami offers a quick comment on the terrible situation unfolding in Syria. Regular guest here at Secure Freedom Radio and National Security Editor for the Washington Times, Bill Gertz concludes today’s show talking about the Pentagon report on the military build-up occurring in China. Gertz warns Frank of the threat posed by the Chinese military’s progress in modernizing their forces. He believes that they will become a true regional force by 2020. This situation is even direr given that the US is facing defense cuts. The current administration is filling key China posts with appeasers who believe that China is a strategic partner with the US. This logic is flawed, says Gertz, because China will never be a strategic partner of the US.

Angie McCrary, Walid Phares, Ed Walby, Bill Gertz

Today, thousands of bikers began riding from Somerset, Pa., on their way to Ground Zero to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the victims of 9/11. It is events like these that Angie McCrary, Outreach Manager for Semper Fi Fund, gets the opportunity to take part. McCrary joins Frank to explain the important work the foundation is doing to support our Marines and Sailors. Started by Marine spouses in 2004, the Semper Fi Fund provides the crucial life-long support for our injured servicemen at their most vulnerable. Fully funded by private donations from patriotic citizens and corporations, Semper Fi Fund is able to conduct community events, like the Jerabek Challenge, a 4-mile run to honor the service of Pfc Ryan Jerabek, USMC who gave his life during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Next, Walid Phares, Professor at the National Defense University, gives us a much needed update on the Middle East. Phares explains the situation in Libya, where the dual rebel forces, made up of secular former bureaucrats and Islamist militia, seem to be gaining ground. Then, Phares reports on his birthplace Lebanon where Hezbollah officials have been linked to the assassinations of government officials. And finally, the author of The Coming Revolution: Struggle for Freedom in the Middle East, explains that struggle where in the wake of authoritarian regimes lies a race for power between democratic partners and the Muslim Brotherhood. Then, Ed Walby, Director of Business Operations for Northrop Grumman, joins Secure Freedom Radio for a special segment spotlighting the Block 30 Global Hawk UAV. The superior UAV has just reached initial operational capability and will replace the U-2 spy plane in future missions. The Generation Three Global Hawk can hover at 60,000 feet for upwards of 36 hours, surpassing the U-2's 12 hours, the limit of what a human pilot can endure. Because of its flight ceiling, the Block 30 Global Hawks can fly beyond the range of enemy fire, and also reduces threat levels to personnel and costs. Walby explains how the UAV helped the Japanese after the Tsunami and nuclear meltdown, and its huge successes operating over Libya and Afghanistan. Finally, Washington Times Reporter Bill Gertz gives us his take from "Inside the Ring" regarding Vice President Biden's "getting to know you tour of China." As China builds up its military and becomes more aggressive throughout East Asia, Biden will try to schmooze the regime on the debt crisis and an arms deal with Taiwan. He then informs on how the Pentagon is in line for "merciless" cuts amidst a shrinking Navy and cries from even Leon Panetta who is warning about slashing defense. Gertz also explains how Putin and his KGB cronies are nefariously seeking to restore the Soviet Union.

Robert Zarate, Michael Rubin, Rep. Mike Conaway, Bill Gertz

In the never-ending debt ceiling debate, Robert Zarate, Policy Analyst at the Foreign Policy Initiative, joins Frank to discuss what it may mean for our military. As proposed defense cuts have been as high as $1 trillion over 10 years, Zarate calls it a “war of accounting,” in which our spending in Iraq and Afghanistan takes the blame, while in actuality much of the budget is tied up in the Pentagon bureaucracy. Zarate asks what the risks are of not funding our military engagements abroad, and explains how we should determine our budgetary priorities.

Then, Michael Rubin, of the American Enterprise Institute, discusses another endless dilemma: the war in Libya. As rebels turn on each other, and defectors of the Libyan regime are assassinated, Rubin says the United States must choose whom to recognize, as such recognition brings considerable diplomatic power and aid. The Resident Scholar also explains how the Commander of the Revolutionary Guard, defenders of the Islamic Revolution, may soon be President of OPEC. Rubin also notes that while Iran’s menacing rhetoric is cause for alarm, the Islamic Republic is not currently in the position to act upon it.

Congressman Mike Conaway, 11^th District of Texas, praises the vigilance of ordinary citizens in the role of catching Pfc. Naser Abdo, an AWOL Muslim soldier plotting a second attack on Fort Hood. Rep. Conaway wonders why conscientious objector status was given to Abdo, who did not demonstrate an eschew of violence by buying six pounds of smokeless gunpowder, three boxes of shotgun ammunition and bullets for a semi-automatic pistol while reading al Qaeda's Inspire magazine. Conaway, member of the House Armed Services Committee, also comments on the debt debate, as he is “not interested in solving the problem on the backs of our men and women in uniform.”

Finally, weekly Secure Freedom Radio commentator Bill Gertz, of the Washington Times, reports on China and the growing tensions on the Taiwanese Strait, where Chinese surveillance aircrafts were recently spotted. From “Inside the Ring,” Gertz is also hearing that the Obama Administration and Sen. John Kerry are ramping up efforts for the Senate to ratify the Law of the Sea Treaty by using the Navy as a catalyst of support. He also notes how the Administration is in “major spin mode” in trying to defend U.S. relations with Russia after a GRU military officer was linked to the U.S. embassy bombing in Georgia.

Elaine Donnelly, Rep. Frank Wolf, Zuhdi Jasser, Bill Gertz

Elaine Donnelly, President of the Center for Military Readiness, details the fraudulent inspector general report for the Department of Defense on implementing the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” in which a foregone conclusion was made. Donnelly asserts that the study was fixed to comply with the Administration’s agenda for a “San Francisco Military,” when in actuality our forces are not in favor of repeal, nor ready. She also explains what effects the repeal may have on retention and effectiveness of the military, particularly in the Middle East, where homosexuality is punishable by death. How’s that for a recruitment tool? Next, Congressman Frank Wolf, representing Virginia’s 10^th district, addresses concerns for the Transportation Security Administration’s lack of cohesiveness in its management. As Directors shuffle in and out every several years, the TSA lacks the organization to establish a legitimate policy. The TSA recently introduced its fifth Administrator in nine years, and Wolf says it is time for new Director John Pistole to take the reins and establish an enduring strategy. Zuhdi Jasser, Founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, joins Frank to discuss his mission for the “separation of mosque and state,” as political Islam has hijacked the Muslim religion. Jasser stresses that the Muslim Brotherhood is not reflective of all Muslims, but also the importance for moderates, like him, to be ardent in vocalizing their stance against radical Islam. Zuhdi also explains how the Obama Administration’s “Big Tent” approach is inadequate in its Counterterrorism strategy, and instead should clearly identify the abhorrent extremist ideology and then align with those who also reject it. Finally, Washington Times Columnist Bill Gertz demonstrates his expertise from “Inside the Ring,” as he reports on China’s development of an Electromagnetic Pulse weapon, which may be in preparation for a land invasion of Taiwan. Gertz also informs on the CIA’s approach to Iran’s nuclear program and the proposed defense cuts to military benefits, and what that means for an all-volunteer force.

Catherine Herridge, Thomas Donnelly, Bill Gertz

Is Eric Holder’s Justice Department calling for the shortened sentence for an American Muslim activist and staunch supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah? Frank informs on the alarming AP report in which federal prosecutors are asking for Abdurahman Alamoudi’s 23-year sentence for plotting to assassinate King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia to be reduced. Then, Fox News Foreign Correspondent Catherine Herridge, author of the new book The Next Wave: On the Hunt for Al Qaeda’s American Recruits, joins Frank to bring us up to date on the war on terror, both at home with the indictment of Emerson Winfield Begolly, and abroad with the bombings in Mumbai. Herridge details the indictment of Begolly, who was found using the Internet as a recruiting tool to wage terrorist attacks in the U.S., and also a new Government Accountability Office Report showing gaping holes in intelligence and passport security in countries like Pakistan and Kenya. Next, Thomas Donnelly, of the American Enterprise Institute, discusses the defense cuts the debt ceiling debate may bring. Donnelly, Director of the Center for Defense Studies, says cuts ranging from $500 billion to $1 trillion over ten years could be the “straw that breaks the camel’s back” as these would follow a generation of slicing into the defense budget. Finally, Bill Gertz, details what he is hearing from “Inside the Ring” on the Pentagon’s strategy for cyber warfare, or lack thereof. The unclassified strategy for cyber warfare has just been released, but there’s a problem: a failure to mention cyber warfare. The plan is merely another means for appeasement, Gertz argues, as he hopes the unreleased classified version includes a stronger strategy that will keep us secure.

Rep. Francisco Canseco, Bill Gertz, Jeremy Rabkin, Sen. Mark Kirk

Congressman Francisco Canseco, of the 23^rd district of Texas, joins Frank to discuss the concerns of cross border violence with Mexico. Canseco, who represents 800 miles of the border, explains the parallel universe between the Administration’s claim the border is more secure than ever, and its own Homeland Security and FBI agencies admission that they have no way of measuring cross border violence. Next, Bill Gertz, “Inside the Ring” columnist for the Washington Times, explains the Obama’s Administration’s imminent concession to Russia on missile defense and a shift in strategy for Deputy National Security Advisor John Brennan to smaller scale operations. Then, Dr. Jeremy Rabkin, George Mason School of Law Professor, discusses the confusion due to the lack of congressional authorization in the war in Libya. Rabkin finds the President’s definition of war disturbing, which labels anything short of ground troops a mere “kinetic military action.” Finally, Sen. Mark Kirk, of Illinois, elaborates on the situation that would bring the Russians into the U.S. missile defense program and a new proposal that would base radar defense in unstable and Iran-leaning Turkey rather than in the Czech Republic, a strong NATO ally. Sen. Kirk also discusses the myriad of reasons why trying terrorist suspects like Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame in civilian courts is a bad idea.