[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 174 (Friday, December 14, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2294-E2295]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LETTER TO SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
______
HON. BOB SCHAFFER
of colorado
in the house of representatives
Thursday, December 13, 2001
Mr. SCHAFFER. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully submit the following
correspondence for the Record.
Dear Secretary Rumsfeld: We must consider the likelihood
China is preparing a sneak attack upon the United States. The
flashpoint will be Taiwan. Holding immense strategic value
for the United States and Japan, as well as China, the stakes
will involve more than Taiwan's 23 million people who have
achieved a democratic form of government and freedom. They
will involve the leadership and security of the United
States.
Contrary to the belief of many analysts who think in terms
of a Cold War balance of power and who would view China as a
threat only as it increases its military power to a level
equal to the United States, China's strategic military
planning distinctly calls for seizing the initiative when
facing a superior opponent such as the United States, taking
advantage of special circumstances.
China plans to take full advantage of a surprise attack
like the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor. Its strategy is to
conduct lightning warfare, or blitzkrieg, using ballistic
missiles and information warfare to seize the initiative,
letting the momentum of its attacks overwhelm its opponent.
Surprise imparts immense tactical advantages, and its value
should not be discounted. For six months after Pearl Harbor
the Japanese ruled the Pacific.
China's ballistic missiles, which have achieved an accuracy
within 50 meters, give it, contrary to a number of views, the
ability to launch a surgical strike deep behind lines,
attacking radar, communications, intelligence, and air and
naval bases with a high degree of precision and confidence.
U.S. ballistic missile defenses are non-existent except for
the short-range Patriot.
China's information warfare capabilities, including
capabilities against satellites or ASAT, will enable it to
conduct strikes against U.S. satellites, communications, and
computer networks. Its attacks on satellites may use a
variety of weapons, ranging from high explosive and nuclear-
generated electromagnetic pulse, to parasitic satellites,
high-energy lasers and jamming and cyber-warfare against
ground communication links.
China's strategy calls for dismantling the U.S. Revolution
in Military Affairs, which relies heavily on satellites for
intelligence, communications, navigation, and weather
forecasting. China's ASAT could disable the effectiveness of
U.S. forces in a sudden blow. This blow would go beyond
immediate repair as satellites take years to build and launch
into space.
In January 2001 the Rumsfeld Space Commission noted that,
``U.S. Satellites are vulnerable to attacks in space and the
government must step up efforts to protect them and the
critical services they provide.'' In February 2001 CIA
Director George Tenet noted, ``Our adversaries well
understand U.S. strategic dependence on access to space.
Operations to disrupt, degrade, or defeat U.S. space assets
will be attractive options for those seeking to counter U.S.
strategic military superiority.''
The CIA Director added, ``China is developing ground-based
laser weapons and electronic pulse weapons that can blind or
destroy U.S. satellites.'' In July 2000 the Chinese news
agency Xinhua noted, ``For countries that could never win a
war by using the methods of tanks and planes, attacking the
U.S. space system may be an irresistible and most tempting
choice.'' This irresistible and tempting choice would prove
highly effective against U.S. forces, as verified in the U.S.
Space War Games held in Colorado Springs in January 2001.
In March 2001 Air Force General Ralph Eberhart, then head
of the U.S. Space Command and promoted to Chairman of the
Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted China is developing cyber-
warfare capabilities that could put at risk the computer
networks U.S. military forces increasingly rely on. His
observation as Space Commander, in charge of the U.S.
information warfare program, is especially pertinent.
China's strategy of nuclear deterrence plans to seize the
initiative with inferior forces, believing that the threat of
nuclear retaliation upon just a small number of U.S. cities
will be sufficient to ensure deterrence, and prevent the
United States from deep involvement with Taiwan. As recorded
by Bill Gertz in his book Betrayal, in 1995 PLA General Xiong
Guangkai told Charles Freeman, a former Assistant Secretary
of Defense,
[[Page E2295]]
that ``In the end, you care a lot more about Los Angeles than
you do about Taipei.''
China'a war planning will take advantage of its strategic
alliance with Saddam Hussein. With Saddam as an ally, China
will be able to threaten the flow of oil from the Middle
East, and threaten Israel. Iraqi troops have infiltrated into
Jordan. To further threaten the flow of oil from the Middle
East, China has formed alliances with Pakistan and Myanmar,
providing itself with access to the strategic strait of
Malacca, connecting the Persian Gulf to the Far East.
China is preparing for direct military confrontation with
the United States on its own terms. It plans to take
advantage of the element of surprise, seeking to attack U.S.
satellites, intelligence, communications, and forces in a
sudden blow of lightning warfare, seizing the initiative. The
effectiveness of China's strategy will be heightened by the
lack of U.S. ballistic missile defense and China's
corresponding buildup of ballistic missiles of all types--
short, intermediate and long-range.
The United States needs to ask itself if it is ready for
China's attack especially in a simultaneous confrontation
with Saddam Hussein. We must prepare accordingly. Urgency is
required.
Very truly yours,
Bob Schaffer,
Member of Congress
from Colorado.
____________________