freebeacon--2020-09-01--Cold War Bombers Are the Pentagon’s Latest Salvo Against China

HONG KONG ( Reuters ) – On July 21 , two U.S Air Force B-1B bombers took off from Guam and headed west over the Pacific Ocean to the hotly contested South China Sea .
The sleek jets made a low-level pass over the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its escorting fleet , which was exercising nearby in the Philippines Sea , according to images released by the U.S. military .
The operation was part of the Trump administration ’ s intensifying challenge to China ’ s ruling Communist Party and its sweeping territorial claims over one of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While senior Trump officials launch diplomatic and rhetorical broadsides at Beijing , the U.S. Defense Department is turning to the firepower of its heavily armed , long-range bombers as it seeks to counter Beijing ’ s bid to control the seas off the Chinese coast .
Since late January , American B-1B and B-52 bombers , usually operating in pairs , have flown about 20 missions over key waterways , including the South China Sea , the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan , according to accounts of these flights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media posts .
These missions , military analysts say , are designed to send a crystal-clear signal : The United States can threaten China ’ s fleet and Chinese land targets at any time , from distant bases , without having to move America ’ s aircraft carriers and other expensive surface warships within range of Beijing ’ s massive arsenal of missiles .
In this response to the growing power of China ’ s military , the Pentagon has combined some of its oldest weapons with some of its newest : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missiles .
The supersonic B1-B first entered service in 1986 ; the newest plane in the B-52 fleet was built during the Kennedy administration .
But these workhorses can carry a huge payload of precision weapons .
A B-1B can carry 24 of the U.S. military ’ s stealthy new Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles , which entered service in 2018 and can strike targets at ranges of up to 600 kilometers , according to U.S. and other Western officials .
`` A single B-1 can deliver the same ordnance payload as an entire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said David Deptula , dean of the Washington-based Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General .
And , in a crisis , he added , bombers can be rapidly deployed .
`` Depending on where they are , ships can take weeks to get in place , '' said Deptula .
`` But by using bombers , they can respond in a matter of hours , '' he adds , noting that the U.S. object is to deter war .
`` Nobody wants to engage in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ western military strategists warn that a conflict between the two nuclear-armed powers could be difficult to contain .
In a clash with China , this fast response from the bomber force could be vital while the U.S. and its allies rush naval reinforcements to the Pacific to bolster the vastly outnumbered U.S. naval fleet stationed in the region , according to current and former U.S. and other Western military officers .
A spokeswoman for Pacific Air Forces , Captain Veronica Perez , said the U.S. Air Force had increased its publicity about its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Washington ’ s commitment to global security , regional stability and a free and open Indo-Pacific .
`` Though the frequency and scope of our operations vary based on the current operating environment , the U.S. has a persistent military presence and routinely operates throughout the Indo-Pacific , '' she said .
China ’ s defense ministry did not respond to questions from Reuters .
While the bomber missions continue , relations between Washington and Beijing have reached their lowest point since the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown .
In a show of force @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Taiwan Strait while U.S. Secretary for Health , Alex Azar , was visiting Taipei on Aug. 10 to congratulate the government of President Tsai Ing-wen on its successful containment of the COVID-19 virus .
Azar was the most senior American official to visit Taiwan in four decades .
Taiwan ’ s missile radars tracked the Chinese fighters in only the third such incursion across the median line since 2016 , the Taiwanese government said .
Beijing condemned the visit .
It regards the island as a province of China and hasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force to bring it under Communist Party control .
In a series of speeches ahead of Azar ’ s visit , top Trump officials had hammered China on multiple fronts , including its military build-up , territorial ambitions , domestic political repression , intellectual property theft , espionage , trade practices and its failure to alert the world to the danger of COVID-19 .
In one of the most harshly worded attacks on China from an American official in decades , U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on July 23 that China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Liberation Army ( PLA ) , was not a normal fighting force .
`` Its purpose is to uphold the absolute rule of the Chinese Communist Party elites and expand a Chinese empire , not protect the Chinese people , '' he said .
`` And so our Department of Defense has ramped up its efforts , freedom of navigation operations out and throughout the East and South China Seas and in the Taiwan Strait as well . ''
In July , Pompeo declared most of Beijing ’ s claims of sovereignty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With the combination of bombers and long-range missiles , the United States is trying to turn the tables on the PLA .
Over more than two decades , China has assembled a force of ground , sea and air-launched missiles that would make it deadly for warships of the U.S. Navy and its allies to approach the Chinese coast in a conflict .
This Chinese strategy is specifically tailored to threaten U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups and the network of bases that form the backbone of American power in Asia .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launched one of its so-called carrier-killer missiles , the DF-26 , in an exercise in the South China Sea following the deployment in July of two U.S. aircraft carriers to the area , China ’ s official military media reported in early August .
And a U.S. defense official told Reuters that on Aug. 26 , China launched four medium-range ballistic missiles that hit the South China Sea between Hainan Island and the Paracel Islands .
But the PLA Navy ’ s huge and rapidly expanding fleet is also vulnerable to long-range missiles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s biggest navy , including new aircraft carriers , amphibious assault ships and powerful cruisers and destroyers .
And the PLA ’ s extensive network of bases and ports would also be targets for missiles .
In a conflict , U.S. bombers over the Western Pacific could target PLA Navy warships at their bases on the Chinese coast or underway inside the so-called first island chain , the string of islands that run from the Japanese archipelago through Taiwan , the Philippines and on to Borneo , enclosing China ’ s coastal seas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerable if they broke out through the island chain into the Western Pacific , outside the coverage of the PLA ’ s land-based air defenses and strike aircraft .
In the aftermath of the Cold War , Washington assumed it had uncontested control of the oceans and neglected to arm its surface fleet with modern , long-range anti-ship missiles .
To be sure , the U.S. and its allies , particularly Japan , still have a powerful fleet of attack submarines that would pose a deadly menace to PLA warships .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. surface fleet while the Pentagon is re-purposing existing missiles and introducing new versions to its destroyers and cruisers , according to maritime strategists .
The bomber deployments are one element of a much wider reshaping of forces and tactics that the U.S. and its allies in East Asia have launched to deter China from attacking Taiwan , expanding its hold over the South China Sea or seizing other disputed territories .
These include the uninhabited group of isles in the East China Sea known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing .
Tensions are on the rise around these islands , now under Japanese control .
The commander of U.S. forces in Japan , Lieutenant General Kevin Schneider , pledged in July that America would help Japan monitor `` unprecedented '' Chinese incursions into waters around the Senkakus that were challenging Tokyo ’ s administration .
Within an hour of Schneider ’ s comments , China ’ s foreign ministry fired back that the islands were `` Chinese territory . ''
Long-range U.S. bombers operating from distant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missile attacks disabled key U.S. bases in Japan , South Korea and Guam .
These bases , mostly a carry-over from World War Two and the Korean War , were built at a time when China had very limited means to attack them .
Now it does .
In a clear acknowledgement that Guam is now at risk , the U.S. Air Force announced on April 17 it would end its continuous rotation of bombers to the island base and withdraw them to the U.S. mainland .
The absence of a permanent bomber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington ’ s ability to deter China and North Korea , airpower experts say .
The island in the Western Pacific is less than a five-hour flight from the South China Sea .
`` It makes it look like the Chinese military build-up has worked , '' said Peter Layton , a visiting fellow at Griffith University in Australia and a retired Australian air force Group Captain who has worked at the Pentagon .
`` They are now taken out of range . ''
Since then , the United States has sent bombers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continental bases .
U.S. airpower researchers suggest that the availability of better training facilities at mainland U.S. bases was also a factor in the decision to withdraw the bombers .
But in further evidence of Guam ’ s vulnerability , the head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command , Admiral Philip Davidson , has asked Congress to fund a powerful missile defense system for the island by 2026 .
Another hurdle for the Pentagon : America ’ s bomber force is shrinking just as the PLA challenge grows .
From a force of more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cold War , the U.S. bomber fleet has shrunk to 158 aircraft .
Of those planes , 62 are B-1Bs and 76 are B-52S .
The United States also has a smaller force of 20 newer B-2 stealth bombers .
The air force plans to retire 17 B-1Bs next year to concentrate resources on the remaining bombers until the planned introduction of a new generation of stealthy bomber , the B-21 , toward the end of this decade .
This bomber is expected to sharply improve the U.S. Air Force ’ s ability @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now building the first prototype , according to air force officials .
As the risk of conflict rises , some Western airpower experts doubt that U.S. bombers would deliver a decisive advantage in a clash with the PLA .
They say the Chinese military has spent decades preparing formidable , integrated air defenses .
Even if the U.S. bombers were able to sink PLA Navy warships and stealthily penetrate Chinese airspace to strike some ground targets , they say it would not necessarily translate into victory against a vast and powerful adversary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might be impossible to fight a limited conflict on China ’ s periphery .
`` It is not like fighting Saddam Hussein , it would be a major world war , '' said Layton , the retired Australian air force officer .
`` Both sides have nuclear weapons and there is the potential for escalation .
If either side is losing , what is going to happen then ? ''
Alongside relying on its bombers , the United States has been forced to develop other plans to offset the Chinese missile and naval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning to disperse smaller units armed with long-range anti-ship and land-attack missiles through the first island chain , where they could threaten the Chinese navy and land targets on China ’ s mainland .
The U.S. Army also intends to spread forces through the first island chain and other outposts in the Western Pacific .
It is planning a series of major exercises this year and next where troops would deploy to islands in the region , according to senior commanders and top Pentagon officials .
New weapons are in the pipeline that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ units the firepower to strike at Chinese warships and other targets in a conflict .
The U.S. Army ’ s top commander , General James McConville , told an online seminar hosted by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies in late July that a very long-range hypersonic missile was under development and tests had been successful .
And soldiers would have the tools to attack an enemy ’ s navy .
`` We are going to have mid-range missiles that can sink ships , '' McConville said .
The U.S. and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their surveillance systems and weapons together in a regional network so that tracking information about a target could be shared between radar stations , satellites , surface warships , submarines , aircraft and land forces .
In this system , a stealth fighter flying from a carrier could detect an enemy warship and relay this information to an army unit on an island , which could attack the foe with an anti-ship missile .
On May 21 , two U.S. B-1B bombers from Guam flew to an area near Misawa Air Base in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missile training with a P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft and the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan , according to a U.S. Pacific Air Force statement .
This exercise demonstrated that the U.S. had the capability to `` hold any target at risk , anytime and anywhere , '' said Perez , the Pacific Air Forces spokeswoman .
The ships and aircraft involved in this exercise likely practised the sharing of target information to mount a simulated attack , according to U.S. and Asian military experts .
On other missions this year , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. , Japanese and South Korean fighters .
In this networked battlefield , the Pentagon ’ s old warhorses of the air would be an even more formidable rival .
The speed and range of America ’ s Cold War-vintage bombers would allow them to approach Chinese targets from different directions and fire salvos of difficult-to-detect missiles at multiple ships , according to current and retired U.S. air force officers .
With even longer range missiles that Washington has in the pipeline , such attacks could be mounted from well outside the range @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air defenses .
American bombers can also drop precision-guided mines to block strategically important ocean passages or ports .
And the U.S. B-2 stealth bombers could penetrate more deeply into Chinese airspace and attack key targets with sharply less chance of detection than the older bombers .
These bombers already carry a heavy payload of precision , land-attack munitions and could also be configured to carry the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile .
A B-1B could take off from the continental United States , refuel from tanker aircraft en route , and arrive over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Deptula and other military aviation analysts .
From Hawaii the trip would take about nine hours , they say .
Even closer , from northern Australia , the transit would take six hours without refuelling .
The Australian government announced in February it would spend $ 814 million upgrading a key air base at Tindal in the Northern Territory , including a major extension to its runway .
Part of the reason for the upgrade is to support expanded U.S. Air Force operations , the Australian government said .
American @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The B-1B originally served as a nuclear bomber .
That role has been phased out .
It now carries around 34 metric tonnes ( 75,000 pounds ) of conventional guided and unguided weapons , the biggest payload of any U.S. aircraft .
In the military operations launched after the attacks of Sept. 11 , 2001 , these bombers were flown hard for almost two decades to provide ground support to American and allied troops in the Middle East and Afghanistan .
With the Pentagon having turned its competitive sights on China , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ship killer .
In future , it could also be armed with a new hypersonic missile , the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon ( ARRW ) , now in testing , and a new long-range cruise missile , according to senior U.S. Air Force commanders .
Hypersonic missiles traveling at more than five times the speed of sound would be hard to intercept .
The B-52 is an even older icon of American might , in service since the mid-1950s .
It carries a slightly smaller payload than the B-1B .
As part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ armed with up to 14 upgraded versions of the Cold War-era Harpoon anti-ship missile .
And , it could also be configured in future to carry 20 Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles , according to air power experts .
Along with the B-2 , the B-52 can also launch nuclear missiles .
While these older bombers remain potent , American air power experts say a strong force of B-21 stealth bombers will be much more effective when they begin entering service later this decade .
The new bomber is being developed in a highly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are that it is proceeding well in the development phases , '' said Deptula .

By David Lague
HONG KONG (Reuters) - On July 21, two U.S Air Force B-1B bombers took off from Guam and headed west over the Pacific Ocean to the hotly contested South China Sea. The sleek jets made a low-level pass over the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its escorting fleet, which was exercising nearby in the Philippines Sea, according to images released by the U.S. military.
The operation was part of the Trump administration’s intensifying challenge to China’s ruling Communist Party and its sweeping territorial claims over one of the world’s most important strategic waterways. While senior Trump officials launch diplomatic and rhetorical broadsides at Beijing, the U.S. Defense Department is turning to the firepower of its heavily armed, long-range bombers as it seeks to counter Beijing’s bid to control the seas off the Chinese coast.
Since late January, American B-1B and B-52 bombers, usually operating in pairs, have flown about 20 missions over key waterways, including the South China Sea, the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan, according to accounts of these flights from U.S. Air Force statements and official social media posts. These missions, military analysts say, are designed to send a crystal-clear signal: The United States can threaten China’s fleet and Chinese land targets at any time, from distant bases, without having to move America’s aircraft carriers and other expensive surface warships within range of Beijing’s massive arsenal of missiles.
In this response to the growing power of China’s military, the Pentagon has combined some of its oldest weapons with some of its newest: Cold War-era bombers and cutting-edge, stealthy missiles. The supersonic B1-B first entered service in 1986; the newest plane in the B-52 fleet was built during the Kennedy administration. But these workhorses can carry a huge payload of precision weapons. A B-1B can carry 24 of the U.S. military’s stealthy new Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles, which entered service in 2018 and can strike targets at ranges of up to 600 kilometers, according to U.S. and other Western officials.
"A single B-1 can deliver the same ordnance payload as an entire carrier battle group in a day," said David Deptula, dean of the Washington-based Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General. And, in a crisis, he added, bombers can be rapidly deployed.
"Depending on where they are, ships can take weeks to get in place," said Deptula. "But by using bombers, they can respond in a matter of hours," he adds, noting that the U.S. object is to deter war. "Nobody wants to engage in conflict with China."
Chinese and western military strategists warn that a conflict between the two nuclear-armed powers could be difficult to contain.
In a clash with China, this fast response from the bomber force could be vital while the U.S. and its allies rush naval reinforcements to the Pacific to bolster the vastly outnumbered U.S. naval fleet stationed in the region, according to current and former U.S. and other Western military officers.
A spokeswoman for Pacific Air Forces, Captain Veronica Perez, said the U.S. Air Force had increased its publicity about its bomber missions to assure allies and partners of Washington’s commitment to global security, regional stability and a free and open Indo-Pacific. "Though the frequency and scope of our operations vary based on the current operating environment, the U.S. has a persistent military presence and routinely operates throughout the Indo-Pacific," she said.
China’s defense ministry did not respond to questions from Reuters.
LOWEST POINT
While the bomber missions continue, relations between Washington and Beijing have reached their lowest point since the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown. In a show of force, Chinese fighter jets crossed the mid-line of the Taiwan Strait while U.S. Secretary for Health, Alex Azar, was visiting Taipei on Aug. 10 to congratulate the government of President Tsai Ing-wen on its successful containment of the COVID-19 virus. Azar was the most senior American official to visit Taiwan in four decades.
Taiwan’s missile radars tracked the Chinese fighters in only the third such incursion across the median line since 2016, the Taiwanese government said. Beijing condemned the visit. It regards the island as a province of China and hasn’t ruled out the use of force to bring it under Communist Party control.
In a series of speeches ahead of Azar’s visit, top Trump officials had hammered China on multiple fronts, including its military build-up, territorial ambitions, domestic political repression, intellectual property theft, espionage, trade practices and its failure to alert the world to the danger of COVID-19.
In one of the most harshly worded attacks on China from an American official in decades, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on July 23 that China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), was not a normal fighting force.
"Its purpose is to uphold the absolute rule of the Chinese Communist Party elites and expand a Chinese empire, not protect the Chinese people," he said. "And so our Department of Defense has ramped up its efforts, freedom of navigation operations out and throughout the East and South China Seas and in the Taiwan Strait as well." In July, Pompeo declared most of Beijing’s claims of sovereignty over the South China Sea illegal.
With the combination of bombers and long-range missiles, the United States is trying to turn the tables on the PLA. Over more than two decades, China has assembled a force of ground, sea and air-launched missiles that would make it deadly for warships of the U.S. Navy and its allies to approach the Chinese coast in a conflict. This Chinese strategy is specifically tailored to threaten U.S. aircraft carrier battle groups and the network of bases that form the backbone of American power in Asia.
In a demonstration of this capability, the PLA launched one of its so-called carrier-killer missiles, the DF-26, in an exercise in the South China Sea following the deployment in July of two U.S. aircraft carriers to the area, China’s official military media reported in early August. And a U.S. defense official told Reuters that on Aug. 26, China launched four medium-range ballistic missiles that hit the South China Sea between Hainan Island and the Paracel Islands.
But the PLA Navy’s huge and rapidly expanding fleet is also vulnerable to long-range missiles. China has built the world’s biggest navy, including new aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships and powerful cruisers and destroyers. And the PLA’s extensive network of bases and ports would also be targets for missiles.
In a conflict, U.S. bombers over the Western Pacific could target PLA Navy warships at their bases on the Chinese coast or underway inside the so-called first island chain, the string of islands that run from the Japanese archipelago through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing China’s coastal seas. Chinese warships would be even more vulnerable if they broke out through the island chain into the Western Pacific, outside the coverage of the PLA’s land-based air defenses and strike aircraft.
THE FIREPOWER GAP
In the aftermath of the Cold War, Washington assumed it had uncontested control of the oceans and neglected to arm its surface fleet with modern, long-range anti-ship missiles. To be sure, the U.S. and its allies, particularly Japan, still have a powerful fleet of attack submarines that would pose a deadly menace to PLA warships. But the bombers help fill the firepower gap in the U.S. surface fleet while the Pentagon is re-purposing existing missiles and introducing new versions to its destroyers and cruisers, according to maritime strategists.
The bomber deployments are one element of a much wider reshaping of forces and tactics that the U.S. and its allies in East Asia have launched to deter China from attacking Taiwan, expanding its hold over the South China Sea or seizing other disputed territories. These include the uninhabited group of isles in the East China Sea known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan and the Diaoyu Islands in China, which are claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing.
Tensions are on the rise around these islands, now under Japanese control. The commander of U.S. forces in Japan, Lieutenant General Kevin Schneider, pledged in July that America would help Japan monitor "unprecedented" Chinese incursions into waters around the Senkakus that were challenging Tokyo’s administration. Within an hour of Schneider’s comments, China’s foreign ministry fired back that the islands were "Chinese territory."
Long-range U.S. bombers operating from distant airfields would remain a threat if Chinese missile attacks disabled key U.S. bases in Japan, South Korea and Guam. These bases, mostly a carry-over from World War Two and the Korean War, were built at a time when China had very limited means to attack them.
Now it does. In a clear acknowledgement that Guam is now at risk, the U.S. Air Force announced on April 17 it would end its continuous rotation of bombers to the island base and withdraw them to the U.S. mainland.
The absence of a permanent bomber presence at Guam is a blow to Washington’s ability to deter China and North Korea, airpower experts say. The island in the Western Pacific is less than a five-hour flight from the South China Sea.
"It makes it look like the Chinese military build-up has worked," said Peter Layton, a visiting fellow at Griffith University in Australia and a retired Australian air force Group Captain who has worked at the Pentagon. "They are now taken out of range."
Since then, the United States has sent bombers to Guam for short-term deployments from their continental bases. U.S. airpower researchers suggest that the availability of better training facilities at mainland U.S. bases was also a factor in the decision to withdraw the bombers. But in further evidence of Guam’s vulnerability, the head of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Admiral Philip Davidson, has asked Congress to fund a powerful missile defense system for the island by 2026.
Another hurdle for the Pentagon: America’s bomber force is shrinking just as the PLA challenge grows. From a force of more than 400 at the end of the Cold War, the U.S. bomber fleet has shrunk to 158 aircraft. Of those planes, 62 are B-1Bs and 76 are B-52S. The United States also has a smaller force of 20 newer B-2 stealth bombers.
The air force plans to retire 17 B-1Bs next year to concentrate resources on the remaining bombers until the planned introduction of a new generation of stealthy bomber, the B-21, toward the end of this decade. This bomber is expected to sharply improve the U.S. Air Force’s ability to penetrate Chinese airspace. Northrop Grumman is now building the first prototype, according to air force officials.
‘NOT LIKE FIGHTING SADDAM’
As the risk of conflict rises, some Western airpower experts doubt that U.S. bombers would deliver a decisive advantage in a clash with the PLA. They say the Chinese military has spent decades preparing formidable, integrated air defenses. Even if the U.S. bombers were able to sink PLA Navy warships and stealthily penetrate Chinese airspace to strike some ground targets, they say it would not necessarily translate into victory against a vast and powerful adversary.
And, they warn, it might be impossible to fight a limited conflict on China’s periphery. "It is not like fighting Saddam Hussein, it would be a major world war," said Layton, the retired Australian air force officer. "Both sides have nuclear weapons and there is the potential for escalation. If either side is losing, what is going to happen then?"
Alongside relying on its bombers, the United States has been forced to develop other plans to offset the Chinese missile and naval threat. The U.S Marine Corps is planning to disperse smaller units armed with long-range anti-ship and land-attack missiles through the first island chain, where they could threaten the Chinese navy and land targets on China’s mainland.
The U.S. Army also intends to spread forces through the first island chain and other outposts in the Western Pacific. It is planning a series of major exercises this year and next where troops would deploy to islands in the region, according to senior commanders and top Pentagon officials.
New weapons are in the pipeline that would give specially formed army task force units the firepower to strike at Chinese warships and other targets in a conflict. The U.S. Army’s top commander, General James McConville, told an online seminar hosted by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies in late July that a very long-range hypersonic missile was under development and tests had been successful. And soldiers would have the tools to attack an enemy’s navy. "We are going to have mid-range missiles that can sink ships," McConville said.
The U.S. and its allies also intend to link all their surveillance systems and weapons together in a regional network so that tracking information about a target could be shared between radar stations, satellites, surface warships, submarines, aircraft and land forces. In this system, a stealth fighter flying from a carrier could detect an enemy warship and relay this information to an army unit on an island, which could attack the foe with an anti-ship missile.
On May 21, two U.S. B-1B bombers from Guam flew to an area near Misawa Air Base in Japan, where they conducted long-range anti-ship missile training with a P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft and the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, according to a U.S. Pacific Air Force statement. This exercise demonstrated that the U.S. had the capability to "hold any target at risk, anytime and anywhere," said Perez, the Pacific Air Forces spokeswoman.
The ships and aircraft involved in this exercise likely practised the sharing of target information to mount a simulated attack, according to U.S. and Asian military experts. On other missions this year, the American bombers have held joint exercises with U.S., Japanese and South Korean fighters.
CHINESE AIRSPACE
In this networked battlefield, the Pentagon’s old warhorses of the air would be an even more formidable rival.
The speed and range of America’s Cold War-vintage bombers would allow them to approach Chinese targets from different directions and fire salvos of difficult-to-detect missiles at multiple ships, according to current and retired U.S. air force officers. With even longer range missiles that Washington has in the pipeline, such attacks could be mounted from well outside the range of China’s powerful, land-based air defenses. American bombers can also drop precision-guided mines to block strategically important ocean passages or ports.
And the U.S. B-2 stealth bombers could penetrate more deeply into Chinese airspace and attack key targets with sharply less chance of detection than the older bombers. These bombers already carry a heavy payload of precision, land-attack munitions and could also be configured to carry the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile.
A B-1B could take off from the continental United States, refuel from tanker aircraft en route, and arrive over the Western Pacific in about 15 hours, according to Deptula and other military aviation analysts. From Hawaii the trip would take about nine hours, they say. Even closer, from northern Australia, the transit would take six hours without refuelling.
The Australian government announced in February it would spend $814 million upgrading a key air base at Tindal in the Northern Territory, including a major extension to its runway. Part of the reason for the upgrade is to support expanded U.S. Air Force operations, the Australian government said. American bombers are already using the base.
The B-1B originally served as a nuclear bomber. That role has been phased out. It now carries around 34 metric tonnes (75,000 pounds) of conventional guided and unguided weapons, the biggest payload of any U.S. aircraft. In the military operations launched after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, these bombers were flown hard for almost two decades to provide ground support to American and allied troops in the Middle East and Afghanistan.
With the Pentagon having turned its competitive sights on China, the B-1B is now increasingly employed as a ship killer. In future, it could also be armed with a new hypersonic missile, the Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), now in testing, and a new long-range cruise missile, according to senior U.S. Air Force commanders. Hypersonic missiles traveling at more than five times the speed of sound would be hard to intercept.
The B-52 is an even older icon of American might, in service since the mid-1950s. It carries a slightly smaller payload than the B-1B. As part of this weapons load, it can be armed with up to 14 upgraded versions of the Cold War-era Harpoon anti-ship missile. And, it could also be configured in future to carry 20 Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles, according to air power experts. Along with the B-2, the B-52 can also launch nuclear missiles.
While these older bombers remain potent, American air power experts say a strong force of B-21 stealth bombers will be much more effective when they begin entering service later this decade. The new bomber is being developed in a highly classified program. "All the indications are that it is proceeding well in the development phases," said Deptula.
(Reporting by David Lague in Hong Kong. Edited by Peter Hirschberg.)


freebeacon--2020-09-01--Media Accepts Biden Claim He Won’t Ban Fracking

Media members were quick to accept Joe Biden 's claim on Monday that he is `` not banning fracking , '' ignoring past statements from both Biden and running mate Kamala Harris in support of a complete ban .
CNN 's Jim Acosta , MSNBC 's Lawrence O'Donnell , and others framed Biden 's remark as an accurate `` fact-check '' of President Donald Trump 's attacks , but Biden has expressed support for a fracking ban .
Biden said at a debate in March there would be `` no new fracking '' under his administration before claiming he only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on federal lands .
He said last year that fracking and coal would be `` eliminated '' under his administration .
He also said he would be willing to trade thousands of jobs created by the oil and gas industry to transition to a greener economy .
The Democratic nominee told one activist that he would `` love to '' ban the practice but doing so immediately is not realistic .
Biden 's official position is to ban `` new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters , '' but vice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Calif. ) and several of Biden 's former primary opponents favor a blanket ban on the practice .
Fracking , also known as hydraulic fracturing , is a drilling and extraction method of obtaining oil and gas from underground shale rocks .
It has spurred an energy boom in the United States since 2000 , but some climate activists oppose the practice as environmentally unfriendly .

Media members were quick to accept Joe Biden's claim on Monday that he is "not banning fracking," ignoring past statements from both Biden and running mate Kamala Harris in support of a complete ban.
CNN's Jim Acosta, MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell, and others framed Biden's remark as an accurate "fact-check" of President Donald Trump's attacks, but Biden has expressed support for a fracking ban.
Biden said at a debate in March there would be "no new fracking" under his administration before claiming he only meant he would stop new drilling permits on federal lands. He said last year that fracking and coal would be "eliminated" under his administration. He also said he would be willing to trade thousands of jobs created by the oil and gas industry to transition to a greener economy.
The Democratic nominee told one activist that he would "love to" ban the practice but doing so immediately is not realistic.
Biden's official position is to ban "new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters," but vice presidential nominee Sen. Kamala Harris (D., Calif.) and several of Biden's former primary opponents favor a blanket ban on the practice.
Fracking, also known as hydraulic fracturing, is a drilling and extraction method of obtaining oil and gas from underground shale rocks. It has spurred an energy boom in the United States since 2000, but some climate activists oppose the practice as environmentally unfriendly.


freebeacon--2020-09-01--Tony Baltimore School Buckles to Anti-Semitic Demands of Black Lives Matter Activists

An elite private school in Baltimore founded by Jews is revamping its curriculum in response to a pressure campaign by Black Lives Matter activists demanding an examination of the school 's `` wealth hoarding '' and `` tolerance of Zionism . ''
BLM activists ' latest academic target is Baltimore ’ s Park School , which was founded in 1912 by Jews who were barred entry into the city ’ s existing private schools .
In a letter to the school , an anonymous group identifying itself as the `` Black at Park Organizing Collective '' calls for `` an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its inception , early exclusions , culture of whiteness and wealth hoarding , its tolerance of Zionism , and its parasitic relationship to Baltimore City . ''
The Collective , which claims to be composed of `` recent and distant alumni , '' accused the school of promoting `` anti-blackness '' and `` anti-black violence . ''
It seeks radical changes to the school 's curriculum , admissions , and hiring .
The school , they claim , is home to `` white supremacist structures and environments of learning , teaching , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ established this culture of anti-blackness as normal and permissible . ''
The administration , they wrote , must `` atone for the deep and painful anti-black violence our black peers have experienced . ''
The language in the letter highlights the prevalence of anti-Semitism in Black Lives Matter activism .
Across the country , protesters associated with the movement have defaced Jewish institutions , demanded that American Jews denounce Israel , and embraced anti-Semitic Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan , who has condemned American Jews for years .
Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Baltimore ’ s Beth Tfiloh synagogue , expressed concern about the Collective ’ s rhetoric .
`` There are a lot of code words here that have been associated with anti-Semitic tropes , '' Wohlberg told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` But I don ’ t like calling people anti-Semitic unless I know them and know that to be true .
However , [ with ] those tropes of ‘ parasites ’ and ‘ wealth hoarding , ' combined with ‘ tolerance of Zionism , ' you have to question the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administrators declined to address the Collective ’ s use of anti-Semitic language , but officials told the Free Beacon the school is working with the group to implement a series of reforms , including changes to its `` diversity , equity , and inclusion initiatives . ''
Peter Hilsee , a spokesman for the Park School , told the Free Beacon administrators are `` aware of the letter '' and are speaking with its authors .
`` It would not be appropriate to provide details about our correspondence , '' Hilsee said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now involved in a robust process of reshaping our diversity , equity , and inclusion initiatives , and we are steadfastly committed to confronting systemic and institutionalized racism within our walls and in our broader community . ''
Hilsee did not respond to a follow-up email from the Free Beacon asking if the school is concerned about the Collective ’ s use of anti-Semitic tropes .
The Black at Park Organizing Collective did not respond to a request for comment .
The Park School has been a fixture in Baltimore for decades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American Jews , including Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner .
The school has deep roots in the Jewish community , serving for many years as one of the few private institutions that Jewish residents could attend .
The school , which sits on a 100-acre campus and offers pre-K through 12th grade instruction , currently describes itself as `` non-sectarian , independent , gender-inclusive '' and committed to `` inclusiveness and equity '' in `` all programs and activities . ''
The Black Lives Matter movement is steeped in anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israel , and activists associated with the movement have vandalized Jewish centers , such as synagogues and kosher restaurants .
In Washington , D.C. , for instance , the popular kosher restaurant Char Bar had its windows smashed by rioters in June .
Many Jewish officials have been nervous to speak out about the Black Lives Matter movement ’ s association with anti-Israel and anti-Semitic causes due to fear of retribution .
American Jews have historically been sympathetic to civil-rights causes due to the abuse they faced in the United States .
Several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a request for comment about whether they were concerned by the letter—including Rev .
Andrew Foster Connors , Jane Frankel Sims , Lila Shapiro-Cyr , and Pete Sachs .
Board members could play a role in advancing reforms prescribed by the activists .

An elite private school in Baltimore founded by Jews is revamping its curriculum in response to a pressure campaign by Black Lives Matter activists demanding an examination of the school's "wealth hoarding" and "tolerance of Zionism."
BLM activists' latest academic target is Baltimore’s Park School, which was founded in 1912 by Jews who were barred entry into the city’s existing private schools. In a letter to the school, an anonymous group identifying itself as the "Black at Park Organizing Collective" calls for "an examination of Park’s history: its inception, early exclusions, culture of whiteness and wealth hoarding, its tolerance of Zionism, and its parasitic relationship to Baltimore City."
The Collective, which claims to be composed of "recent and distant alumni," accused the school of promoting "anti-blackness" and "anti-black violence." It seeks radical changes to the school's curriculum, admissions, and hiring. The school, they claim, is home to "white supremacist structures and environments of learning, teaching, and community-making," and Park "has established this culture of anti-blackness as normal and permissible." The administration, they wrote, must "atone for the deep and painful anti-black violence our black peers have experienced."
The language in the letter highlights the prevalence of anti-Semitism in Black Lives Matter activism. Across the country, protesters associated with the movement have defaced Jewish institutions, demanded that American Jews denounce Israel, and embraced anti-Semitic Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has condemned American Jews for years.
Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg, spiritual leader for more than 40 years at Baltimore’s Beth Tfiloh synagogue, expressed concern about the Collective’s rhetoric.
"There are a lot of code words here that have been associated with anti-Semitic tropes," Wohlberg told the Washington Free Beacon. "But I don’t like calling people anti-Semitic unless I know them and know that to be true. However, [with] those tropes of ‘parasites’ and ‘wealth hoarding,' combined with ‘tolerance of Zionism,' you have to question the motives of these people."
Park administrators declined to address the Collective’s use of anti-Semitic language, but officials told the Free Beacon the school is working with the group to implement a series of reforms, including changes to its "diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives."
Peter Hilsee, a spokesman for the Park School, told the Free Beacon administrators are "aware of the letter" and are speaking with its authors.
"It would not be appropriate to provide details about our correspondence," Hilsee said. "I can say that our school is now involved in a robust process of reshaping our diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, and we are steadfastly committed to confronting systemic and institutionalized racism within our walls and in our broader community."
Hilsee did not respond to a follow-up email from the Free Beacon asking if the school is concerned about the Collective’s use of anti-Semitic tropes. The Black at Park Organizing Collective did not respond to a request for comment.
The Park School has been a fixture in Baltimore for decades and counts among its alumni many prominent American Jews, including Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner. The school has deep roots in the Jewish community, serving for many years as one of the few private institutions that Jewish residents could attend. The school, which sits on a 100-acre campus and offers pre-K through 12th grade instruction, currently describes itself as "non-sectarian, independent, gender-inclusive" and committed to "inclusiveness and equity" in "all programs and activities."
The Black Lives Matter movement is steeped in anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activism. It has embraced economic boycotts of Israel, and activists associated with the movement have vandalized Jewish centers, such as synagogues and kosher restaurants. In Washington, D.C., for instance, the popular kosher restaurant Char Bar had its windows smashed by rioters in June.
Many Jewish officials have been nervous to speak out about the Black Lives Matter movement’s association with anti-Israel and anti-Semitic causes due to fear of retribution. American Jews have historically been sympathetic to civil-rights causes due to the abuse they faced in the United States.
Several Park School board members did not respond to a request for comment about whether they were concerned by the letter—including Rev. Andrew Foster Connors, Jane Frankel Sims, Lila Shapiro-Cyr, and Pete Sachs. Board members could play a role in advancing reforms prescribed by the activists.


freebeacon--2020-09-01--Dem Senator Deletes Tweet Condemning Riots

`` This is n't hard , '' Murphy tweeted .
`` Vigilantism is bad .
Police officers shooting people in the back is bad .
Looting and property damage is bad .
You don ’ t have to choose .
You can be against it all . ''
Murphy deleted the tweet hours later , saying it had suggested property damage was equivalent to murder .
He did not release any other statements condemning unrest and violence .
Democrats have taken different approaches to the riots and looting that have plagued many major cities this summer while vocalizing support for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ openly opposed the violence , others , including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D. , N.Y. ) and Ayanna Pressley ( D. , Mass . )
, have attributed the looting to insufficient unemployment benefits and called for further unrest .
A crime wave swept the country this summer alongside widespread anti-police riots , which began in May and continue to grip some cities like Portland , Chicago , Seattle , and most recently Kenosha , Wisconsin .
The Washington Free Beacon reported last month that nearly three-quarters of America ’ s biggest cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year compared with 2019 .

Democratic senator Chris Murphy (Conn.) deleted a tweet condemning violence and looting on Monday.
"This isn't hard," Murphy tweeted. "Vigilantism is bad. Police officers shooting people in the back is bad. Looting and property damage is bad. You don’t have to choose. You can be against it all."
Murphy deleted the tweet hours later, saying it had suggested property damage was equivalent to murder. He did not release any other statements condemning unrest and violence.
Democrats have taken different approaches to the riots and looting that have plagued many major cities this summer while vocalizing support for racial justice protesters. Though some have openly opposed the violence, others, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) and Ayanna Pressley (D., Mass.), have attributed the looting to insufficient unemployment benefits and called for further unrest.
A crime wave swept the country this summer alongside widespread anti-police riots, which began in May and continue to grip some cities like Portland, Chicago, Seattle, and most recently Kenosha, Wisconsin. The Washington Free Beacon reported last month that nearly three-quarters of America’s biggest cities have experienced a spike in homicides this year compared with 2019.


freebeacon--2020-09-01--Russia Attempts to Intercept American Jet in NATO Airspace

A Russian fighter jet flew deep into Danish airspace last week after attempting to intercept an American bomber , the Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday .
The Russian fighter jet ran down a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber in international airspace on Friday and ultimately flew into Danish territory .
Denmark dispatched rapid response aircraft to intercept the Russian jet , which escaped before it could be reached .
One of many recent maneuvers by Moscow that threaten American and allied military resources , the move elicited concern from NATO officials .
`` This incident demonstrates Russia 's disrespect of international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Allied nation .
We remain vigilant , ready , and prepared to secure NATO airspace 24/7 , '' said Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian , commander of NATO 's Allied Air Command .
Also on Friday , two other Russian jets intercepted an American plane over the Black Sea , coming within 100 feet of the plane 's nose .
The American bomber experienced turbulence and restricted range for evasive maneuvering .
`` Actions like these increase the potential for midair collisions , are unnecessary , and inconsistent with good airmanship and international flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Black Sea incident .
`` While the Russian aircraft were operating in international airspace , they jeopardized the safety of flight of the aircraft involved .
We expect them to operate within international standards set to ensure safety and prevent accidents . ''
Just last week , Russia challenged American ground operations in Syria when Russian forces rammed a coalition armored vehicle on a routine security patrol , leaving four American servicemen with concussions .
`` Unsafe and unprofessional actions like this represent a breach of deconfliction protocols , committed to by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said .

A Russian fighter jet flew deep into Danish airspace last week after attempting to intercept an American bomber, the Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.
The Russian fighter jet ran down a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber in international airspace on Friday and ultimately flew into Danish territory. Denmark dispatched rapid response aircraft to intercept the Russian jet, which escaped before it could be reached.
One of many recent maneuvers by Moscow that threaten American and allied military resources, the move elicited concern from NATO officials.
"This incident demonstrates Russia's disrespect of international norms and for the sovereign airspace of an Allied nation. We remain vigilant, ready, and prepared to secure NATO airspace 24/7," said Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, commander of NATO's Allied Air Command.
Also on Friday, two other Russian jets intercepted an American plane over the Black Sea, coming within 100 feet of the plane's nose. The American bomber experienced turbulence and restricted range for evasive maneuvering.
"Actions like these increase the potential for midair collisions, are unnecessary, and inconsistent with good airmanship and international flight rules," Harrigian said of the Black Sea incident. "While the Russian aircraft were operating in international airspace, they jeopardized the safety of flight of the aircraft involved. We expect them to operate within international standards set to ensure safety and prevent accidents."
Just last week, Russia challenged American ground operations in Syria when Russian forces rammed a coalition armored vehicle on a routine security patrol, leaving four American servicemen with concussions.
"Unsafe and unprofessional actions like this represent a breach of deconfliction protocols, committed to by the United States and Russia in December 2019," National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said.


freebeacon--2020-09-01--GOP Senators Band Together to Call for Debates

A trio of Republican senators are calling on their Democratic opponents to accept a round of national debate invitations from CNN .
Sens .
Cory Gardner ( Colo. ) , Thom Tillis ( N.C. ) , and Martha McSally ( Ariz. ) released statements Tuesday noting that their opponents have rejected a slew of debate invitations , including one from CNN for a `` nationally televised debate in each race . ''
McSally accused Arizona Democratic Senate nominee Mark Kelly of `` hiding from his record and radical positions . ''
`` It is a slap in the face to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home-field advantage , Mark Kelly is refusing to meet me on the debate stage , '' McSally said .
Tillis made a similar appeal , calling Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham `` too afraid to face me in a debate hosted by his liberal allies at CNN . ''
Cunningham previously accepted Tillis 's January proposal of five debates but has since agreed to just three .
The three races are considered key to determining the Senate majority in 2020—Gardner argued that with `` so much on the line , '' voters `` deserve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Republican in June called for five debates against former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper .
Senate Republicans have criticized their partisan counterparts for avoiding public events , saying the hesitance to debate is part of a strategy to avoid scrutiny .
One Democrat who flirted with challenging Tillis , state senator Jeff Jackson , said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ( D. , N.Y. ) asked him to `` spend the next 16 months in a windowless basement raising money '' should he enter the race .
Kelly , Cunningham , and Hickenlooper—none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only prominent Democratic Senate challengers to dodge public forums in recent months .
Iowa nominee Theresa Greenfield skipped the first debate of the general election against Sen. Joni Ernst ( R. ) on August 26 , and Maine nominee Sara Gideon has missed at least five candidate forums since March .

A trio of Republican senators are calling on their Democratic opponents to accept a round of national debate invitations from CNN.
Sens. Cory Gardner (Colo.), Thom Tillis (N.C.), and Martha McSally (Ariz.) released statements Tuesday noting that their opponents have rejected a slew of debate invitations, including one from CNN for a "nationally televised debate in each race." McSally accused Arizona Democratic Senate nominee Mark Kelly of "hiding from his record and radical positions."
"It is a slap in the face to Arizonans that, even with a CNN home-field advantage, Mark Kelly is refusing to meet me on the debate stage," McSally said.
Tillis made a similar appeal, calling Democratic challenger Cal Cunningham "too afraid to face me in a debate hosted by his liberal allies at CNN." Cunningham previously accepted Tillis's January proposal of five debates but has since agreed to just three.
The three races are considered key to determining the Senate majority in 2020—Gardner argued that with "so much on the line," voters "deserve to hear from both candidates." The Republican in June called for five debates against former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper.
Senate Republicans have criticized their partisan counterparts for avoiding public events, saying the hesitance to debate is part of a strategy to avoid scrutiny. One Democrat who flirted with challenging Tillis, state senator Jeff Jackson, said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) asked him to "spend the next 16 months in a windowless basement raising money" should he enter the race.
Kelly, Cunningham, and Hickenlooper—none of whom returned requests for comment—are not the only prominent Democratic Senate challengers to dodge public forums in recent months. Iowa nominee Theresa Greenfield skipped the first debate of the general election against Sen. Joni Ernst (R.) on August 26, and Maine nominee Sara Gideon has missed at least five candidate forums since March.


freebeacon--2020-09-01--Former Whitmer Aide Hired by Biden Stonewalls Legislative Probe

A former top aide to Michigan Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer—who has since been hired to help lead Joe Biden 's campaign in the state—is stonewalling a legislative probe into his role in steering a lucrative coronavirus contract to a Democratic consulting firm .
Ed Duggan , a former state employee now serving as Biden 's Michigan political director , rebuffed a call from Republican legislators to testify before Michigan 's Joint Select Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic .
The committee was created to examine the state 's handling of the virus after Whitmer awarded a no-bid contact tracing contract to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` Today , former Whitmer administration employee Ed Duggan notified our committee that he 's refusing to testify about his participation in a highly suspect political no-bid government contract , '' state lawmakers Matt Hall and Aric Nesbitt said in a Friday statement .
`` Citizens expect accountability , so hopefully his current employer , Joe Biden , will require Ed Duggan to testify and provide the people of Michigan answers . ''
The contract would have seen Democratic political consultant Mike Kolehouse and liberal data behemoth NGP VAN collect sensitive health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Internal emails show that Duggan introduced Kolehouse to top health department officials in late March , describing the liberal operative as someone who `` does some organizing and can help on some efforts . ''
Whitmer rescinded the contract in April amid concerns that she was using the pandemic to boost the Democratic Party 's data operation .
The Biden campaign hired Duggan , despite his role in the controversy , as its Michigan political director in late June , touting his role as a former `` special adviser '' to Whitmer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor Mike Duggan ( D. ) .
Whitmer , a former VP hopeful who serves as a Biden campaign co-chair , defended the decision to employ Kolehouse by claiming that those awarding the contract did not `` have a political bone in their theoretical body . ''
The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment .
Criticism over the contract came as Whitmer 's national profile skyrocketed amid a public feud with President Donald Trump , which led to vice presidential nominee rumors .
While Whitmer was passed over for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign extensively for Biden .
The Michigan Democrat was named one of four national campaign co-chairs after endorsing Biden ahead of the state 's March primary .
She has since joined Biden on a number of virtual campaign events .
Whitmer previously claimed she would `` absolutely '' allow administration officials to testify before the committee during a May press conference .
Her office quickly walked back the pledge , noting that the committee `` does not have the power to compel testimony '' and that state officials would `` do their best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whitmer , like Duggan , has refused an invitation to testify .
`` The COVID-19 outbreak has ushered in unprecedented times for our state , altering lives and livelihoods .
Many people feel like they do n't have a voice as decisions are being made , '' Hall said at the time .
`` Our committee has allowed people to have a platform to make their voice heard , so I am disappointed the governor will not offer Michigan residents the clarity they need and deserve by testifying before our select committee .
@

A former top aide to Michigan Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer—who has since been hired to help lead Joe Biden's campaign in the state—is stonewalling a legislative probe into his role in steering a lucrative coronavirus contract to a Democratic consulting firm.
Ed Duggan, a former state employee now serving as Biden's Michigan political director, rebuffed a call from Republican legislators to testify before Michigan's Joint Select Committee on the COVID-19 Pandemic. The committee was created to examine the state's handling of the virus after Whitmer awarded a no-bid contact tracing contract to a Democratic campaign vendor recommended by Duggan.
"Today, former Whitmer administration employee Ed Duggan notified our committee that he's refusing to testify about his participation in a highly suspect political no-bid government contract," state lawmakers Matt Hall and Aric Nesbitt said in a Friday statement. "Citizens expect accountability, so hopefully his current employer, Joe Biden, will require Ed Duggan to testify and provide the people of Michigan answers."
The contract would have seen Democratic political consultant Mike Kolehouse and liberal data behemoth NGP VAN collect sensitive health data from thousands of Michigan residents. Internal emails show that Duggan introduced Kolehouse to top health department officials in late March, describing the liberal operative as someone who "does some organizing and can help on some efforts." Whitmer rescinded the contract in April amid concerns that she was using the pandemic to boost the Democratic Party's data operation.
The Biden campaign hired Duggan, despite his role in the controversy, as its Michigan political director in late June, touting his role as a former "special adviser" to Whitmer. Duggan is also the son of Detroit mayor Mike Duggan (D.). Whitmer, a former VP hopeful who serves as a Biden campaign co-chair, defended the decision to employ Kolehouse by claiming that those awarding the contract did not "have a political bone in their theoretical body."
The Biden campaign did not respond to a request for comment.
Criticism over the contract came as Whitmer's national profile skyrocketed amid a public feud with President Donald Trump, which led to vice presidential nominee rumors. While Whitmer was passed over for the role, she has continued to campaign extensively for Biden. The Michigan Democrat was named one of four national campaign co-chairs after endorsing Biden ahead of the state's March primary. She has since joined Biden on a number of virtual campaign events.
Whitmer previously claimed she would "absolutely" allow administration officials to testify before the committee during a May press conference. Her office quickly walked back the pledge, noting that the committee "does not have the power to compel testimony" and that state officials would "do their best to accommodate requests to participate." Whitmer, like Duggan, has refused an invitation to testify.
"The COVID-19 outbreak has ushered in unprecedented times for our state, altering lives and livelihoods. Many people feel like they don't have a voice as decisions are being made," Hall said at the time. "Our committee has allowed people to have a platform to make their voice heard, so I am disappointed the governor will not offer Michigan residents the clarity they need and deserve by testifying before our select committee."


freebeacon--2020-09-01--CNN’s April Ryan Raises Prospect of Trump Prosecution by International Criminal Court

CNN analyst April Ryan on Sunday floated the idea of the International Criminal Court ( ICC ) prosecuting President Donald Trump for `` instigating a race war . ''
`` This president , Donald John Trump , has instigated a race war in America , '' she said .
`` There is a race war right now because of this president .
People are calling me , asking if there indeed is a way to get the International Crimes Court [ sic ] to come in to deal with this .
You know , I 've talked to some people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're saying , ‘ He 's done heinous things , ' but they have to see , we do n't know for sure . ''
This is not the first time it has been suggested that the president might face ICC prosecution .
In April , Ohio state representative Tavia Galonski ( D. ) said she would refer Trump to the ICC for crimes against humanity after he suggested hydroxychloroquine could be an effective treatment for coronavirus .
When asked by the press how she would go about making the referral , Galonski @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' but added , `` How hard can it be ? ''
Galonski later tweeted her email address , asking for a lawyer `` on the international level to contact me . ''
According to a report by Law & Crime , the U.S. has routinely rejected attempts by the ICC to prosecute any of its citizens for domestic crimes since the 1990s , and no president has ever been tried at the ICC .
Democrats and members of the media have accused Trump of fomenting a `` race war '' by not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support him .
The white suspect Ryan held up as her example of this ongoing race war , Kyle Rittenhouse , is facing homicide charges for shooting white people .
Ryan , who has been a White House correspondent since 1997 , has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration .
In 2018 she asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders if Trump had considered resigning from office .

CNN analyst April Ryan on Sunday floated the idea of the International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecuting President Donald Trump for "instigating a race war."
"This president, Donald John Trump, has instigated a race war in America," she said. "There is a race war right now because of this president. People are calling me, asking if there indeed is a way to get the International Crimes Court [sic] to come in to deal with this. You know, I've talked to some people who are in intelligence, and they're saying, 'He's done heinous things,' but they have to see, we don't know for sure."
This is not the first time it has been suggested that the president might face ICC prosecution. In April, Ohio state representative Tavia Galonski (D.) said she would refer Trump to the ICC for crimes against humanity after he suggested hydroxychloroquine could be an effective treatment for coronavirus. When asked by the press how she would go about making the referral, Galonski said she had "no idea," but added, "How hard can it be?"
Galonski later tweeted her email address, asking for a lawyer "on the international level to contact me."
According to a report by Law & Crime, the U.S. has routinely rejected attempts by the ICC to prosecute any of its citizens for domestic crimes since the 1990s, and no president has ever been tried at the ICC.
Democrats and members of the media have accused Trump of fomenting a "race war" by not condemning violence committed by those who supposedly support him. The white suspect Ryan held up as her example of this ongoing race war, Kyle Rittenhouse, is facing homicide charges for shooting white people.
Ryan, who has been a White House correspondent since 1997, has been a vocal critic of the Trump administration. In 2018 she asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders if Trump had considered resigning from office.


freebeacon--2020-09-01--Biden Ticket and DNC Silent on ‘Cultural Genocide’ in Tibet

The 2020 Democratic National Committee platform removed a condemnation of Chinese human-rights violations in Tibet that appeared in the 2016 version of the document .
The 92-page platform makes human rights a large feature of Democratic foreign policy .
`` Democrats believe that the fight for universal values should start at home , but it can ’ t end there , '' it reads .
`` Global democratic backsliding and the erosion of human rights put our interests and values at risk . ''
But the party 's Asia-Pacific platform is silent on the Tibet issue , despite a commitment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ greater respect for human rights , including the rights of Tibetans . ''
For decades , China has silenced and imprisoned Tibetan Buddhists .
This year , Freedom House ranked Tibet the third-least free country in the world , ranking autocracies such as North Korea , Iran , and Russia below it .
On-the-ground conditions in Tibet are dire .
Since annexing the territory in 1951 , Beijing has worked toward destroying Tibetan language , culture , and religion .
Since 2009 , over 150 Tibetans have self-immolated in protest of China ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Uighur genocide has grabbed headlines in recent months , lawmakers in Washington have been responsive to human rights in Tibet as well .
The 2016 RNC platform—which the party has carried over to 2020—included a plank on Tibet .
`` [ C ] ultural genocide continues in Tibet and Xinjiang , the promised autonomy of Hong Kong is eroded , the currency is manipulated , our technology is stolen , and intellectual property and copyrights are mocked in an economy based on piracy , '' the RNC platform reads .
Even further , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and Rep. Chris Smith ( R. , N.J. ) have led a charge to pass the Tibetan Policy and Support Act , which would strengthen American efforts against persecution in the country .
China ’ s July closure of an American consulate in Chengdu—an outpost for America to monitor abuses in Tibet—hinders opposition to the regime 's oppression of Tibet .
Multiple Republican congressmen voiced their frustration with the DNC ’ s silence to the Washington Free Beacon .
`` The Chinese Communist Party ’ s human-rights violations in Tibet are well-documented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be complicit in the CCP ’ s attempts to erase Tibet from our collective memory , '' Rep. Michael McCaul ( R. , Tex . )
, chair of the China Task Force and ranking member on the House Foreign Relations Committee , said .
`` Just as the Democrats refused to hold the CCP accountable for the significant role they played in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic , it ’ s disappointing to see Tibet removed from their party platform , '' McCaul added .
`` The CCP is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confronting their malign behavior should be a bipartisan foreign policy priority . ''
`` The failure on the part of Democrats to highlight CCP aggressiveness , such as in the case of Tibet , is yet another example of how the current administration has led in holding Xi Jinping ’ s Communist leadership accountable while the other side plays catch-up , '' Yoho said .
`` Under President Trump , the United States has led the way in confronting China on unfair trade practices , the ethnic cleansing and torture of ethnic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Hong Kong ’ s autonomous status , the threatening of Taiwan ’ s security , and more . ''
`` It is not surprising that former vice president Joe Biden and his socialist allies in the Democrat Party refused to recognize the cultural genocide occurring in Tibet , '' Reschenthaler said .
`` China Joe and virtually all Democrats have vehemently refused to criticize the CCP for any of their human-rights abuses in China or their malign actions around the globe .
Democrats ’ silence is a dangerous appeasement of the CCP.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ DNC returned requests for comment before press time .

The 2020 Democratic National Committee platform removed a condemnation of Chinese human-rights violations in Tibet that appeared in the 2016 version of the document.
The 92-page platform makes human rights a large feature of Democratic foreign policy. "Democrats believe that the fight for universal values should start at home, but it can’t end there," it reads. "Global democratic backsliding and the erosion of human rights put our interests and values at risk."
But the party's Asia-Pacific platform is silent on the Tibet issue, despite a commitment in the 2016 platform to "promote greater respect for human rights, including the rights of Tibetans." For decades, China has silenced and imprisoned Tibetan Buddhists. This year, Freedom House ranked Tibet the third-least free country in the world, ranking autocracies such as North Korea, Iran, and Russia below it.
On-the-ground conditions in Tibet are dire. Since annexing the territory in 1951, Beijing has worked toward destroying Tibetan language, culture, and religion. Since 2009, over 150 Tibetans have self-immolated in protest of China’s draconian rule.
While the ongoing Uighur genocide has grabbed headlines in recent months, lawmakers in Washington have been responsive to human rights in Tibet as well. The 2016 RNC platform—which the party has carried over to 2020—included a plank on Tibet.
"[C]ultural genocide continues in Tibet and Xinjiang, the promised autonomy of Hong Kong is eroded, the currency is manipulated, our technology is stolen, and intellectual property and copyrights are mocked in an economy based on piracy," the RNC platform reads.
Even further, Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) and Rep. Chris Smith (R., N.J.) have led a charge to pass the Tibetan Policy and Support Act, which would strengthen American efforts against persecution in the country. China’s July closure of an American consulate in Chengdu—an outpost for America to monitor abuses in Tibet—hinders opposition to the regime's oppression of Tibet.
Multiple Republican congressmen voiced their frustration with the DNC’s silence to the Washington Free Beacon.
"The Chinese Communist Party’s human-rights violations in Tibet are well-documented and appalling, and no American leader should be complicit in the CCP’s attempts to erase Tibet from our collective memory," Rep. Michael McCaul (R., Tex.), chair of the China Task Force and ranking member on the House Foreign Relations Committee, said.
"Just as the Democrats refused to hold the CCP accountable for the significant role they played in the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s disappointing to see Tibet removed from their party platform," McCaul added. "The CCP is the greatest threat of our time, and confronting their malign behavior should be a bipartisan foreign policy priority."
Reps. Ted Yoho (R., Fla.) and Guy Reschenthaler (R., Pa.) shared such concerns.
"The failure on the part of Democrats to highlight CCP aggressiveness, such as in the case of Tibet, is yet another example of how the current administration has led in holding Xi Jinping’s Communist leadership accountable while the other side plays catch-up," Yoho said. "Under President Trump, the United States has led the way in confronting China on unfair trade practices, the ethnic cleansing and torture of ethnic and religious minorities in Xinjiang, the violation of Hong Kong’s autonomous status, the threatening of Taiwan’s security, and more."
"It is not surprising that former vice president Joe Biden and his socialist allies in the Democrat Party refused to recognize the cultural genocide occurring in Tibet," Reschenthaler said. "China Joe and virtually all Democrats have vehemently refused to criticize the CCP for any of their human-rights abuses in China or their malign actions around the globe. Democrats’ silence is a dangerous appeasement of the CCP. "
Neither the Biden campaign nor the DNC returned requests for comment before press time.


freebeacon--2020-09-02--Hunter Biden Holds Stake in Chinese Company Sanctioned for Human-Rights Abuses

Hunter Biden holds a stake in a Chinese surveillance company that is under U.S. sanctions for human-rights violations , complicating his father Joe Biden ’ s campaign promise to crack down on American businesses with financial ties to China ’ s humanitarian abuses .
Bohai Harvest RST Shanghai Equity , an investment firm that Hunter Biden owns a stake in , initially invested in Megvii , a sanctioned Chinese tech company that specializes in facial recognition software , in 2017 , according to the company ’ s website .
The firm holds a nearly 2 percent stake in Megvii through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prospectus filed by Megvii as part of its application for a listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange last year .
Last year , the U.S. Department of Commerce added Megvii to its list of sanctioned entities that were `` implicated in human-rights violations and abuses in the implementation of China 's campaign of repression , mass arbitrary detention , and high-technology surveillance against Uighurs , Kazakhs , and other members of Muslim minority groups . ''
Hunter Biden ’ s foreign business dealings have been a point of contention throughout his father @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised questions about Hunter Biden ’ s lucrative positions with Ukrainian energy company Burisma while Joe Biden was overseeing Ukraine policy as vice president .
Hunter Biden has also faced criticism for partnering with the state-run Bank of China to launch a Chinese investment firm .
But in this instance , Hunter Biden 's business deals are not just representative of nepotism or a conflict of interest—Joe Biden has promised to go after companies like the one his son is invested in .
In July , Biden vowed that he would `` prohibit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese Communist Party ’ s surveillance state . ''
Last week , the Biden campaign called China ’ s assault on the Uighurs `` genocide '' and called on President Donald Trump to `` take action . ''
Hunter Biden stepped down from the board of Bohai Harvest RST , which he co-owned , earlier this year , but he still owns a 10 percent stake in the investment firm through his U.S.-based limited liability company Skaneateles LLC , according to corporate records from China ’ s official company database .
Hunter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firm was previously reported by the Daily Caller and the Washington Examiner .
While Hunter Biden has no legal obligation to divest from the entity , human-rights activists said foreign investors are essentially aiding Chinese persecution of the minority Uighur population by financing companies that have been implicated in human-rights abuses .
Ryan Barry , project coordinator with the World Uyghur Congress , said U.S. investors `` absolutely '' have an ethical obligation to divest from companies linked to China ’ s persecution of the Uighurs .
`` If you invest in these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the suffering of the Uighur people , '' he said .
`` It ’ s unethical to do this . ''
Chinese surveillance and facial recognition companies play a key role in the government ’ s oppression of ethnic minorities , according to Peter Irwin , senior program officer with the Uyghur Human Rights Project .
`` Surveillance is central , '' said Irwin .
`` Chinese surveillance companies have been totally enabling the Chinese government to do what it ’ s doing . ''
`` Where Megvii and these facial recognition companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they spit out some sort of algorithm '' to determine whether individuals under surveillance should be detained , said Irwin .
He said the Chinese government has been systematically targeting Uighurs through a program of high-tech surveillance , reeducation and forced labor camps , and other repressive security measures .
Megvii has denied its involvement with state security , and last summer Human Rights Watch retracted part of a report that claimed to find source code evidence linking Megvii to police surveillance technology used against the Uighurs .
But months later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its list of designated entities for `` enabling activities contrary to the foreign policy interests of the United States , '' specifically on human-rights violations .
Lori Scheetz , an attorney at Wiley Rein , said American investors are not required to divest from companies on the Department of Commerce sanctions list , noting that the restrictions primarily apply to U.S. exports .
Scheetz said she expects the U.S. government to add more Chinese entities to the Treasury Department ’ s sanction list in the near future , a designation that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removed , or walled off [ from the investments ] , or the fund would need to divest from the sanctioned entity . ''
`` I think there likely will be more [ Treasury ] sanctions or [ Commerce Department ] designations , '' she said .
`` Clearly the U.S. is focused on human-rights violations against the Uighurs . ''

Joe Biden has promised to go after companies with ties to China's repression
Hunter Biden holds a stake in a Chinese surveillance company that is under U.S. sanctions for human-rights violations, complicating his father Joe Biden’s campaign promise to crack down on American businesses with financial ties to China’s humanitarian abuses.
Bohai Harvest RST Shanghai Equity, an investment firm that Hunter Biden owns a stake in, initially invested in Megvii, a sanctioned Chinese tech company that specializes in facial recognition software, in 2017, according to the company’s website. The firm holds a nearly 2 percent stake in Megvii through two holding companies, according to a prospectus filed by Megvii as part of its application for a listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange last year.
Last year, the U.S. Department of Commerce added Megvii to its list of sanctioned entities that were "implicated in human-rights violations and abuses in the implementation of China's campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, and high-technology surveillance against Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minority groups."
Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings have been a point of contention throughout his father’s campaign. Ethics watchdogs have raised questions about Hunter Biden’s lucrative positions with Ukrainian energy company Burisma while Joe Biden was overseeing Ukraine policy as vice president. Hunter Biden has also faced criticism for partnering with the state-run Bank of China to launch a Chinese investment firm. But in this instance, Hunter Biden's business deals are not just representative of nepotism or a conflict of interest—Joe Biden has promised to go after companies like the one his son is invested in.
In July, Biden vowed that he would "prohibit U.S. companies from abetting repression and supporting the Chinese Communist Party’s surveillance state." Last week, the Biden campaign called China’s assault on the Uighurs "genocide" and called on President Donald Trump to "take action."
Hunter Biden stepped down from the board of Bohai Harvest RST, which he co-owned, earlier this year, but he still owns a 10 percent stake in the investment firm through his U.S.-based limited liability company Skaneateles LLC, according to corporate records from China’s official company database. Hunter Biden’s continued investment in the firm was previously reported by the Daily Caller and the Washington Examiner.
Megvii told the Washington Free Beacon that it doesn't believe any of the actual capital behind BHR's investment came directly from Hunter Biden or individuals in the United States, according to information it received from BHR. A spokesperson for Megvii declined to provide additional details on the record.
"The two BHR special purpose vehicles (SPVs) that invested in Megvii, BHR Investment Fund II and BHR Investment Fund VI, are capitalized by a small group of Chinese investors," said a spokesperson for Megvii. "There is no U.S. investment in either of the SPVs, including funds originating with Hunter Biden, according to BHR materials provided to Megvii."
While Hunter Biden has no legal obligation to divest from the entity, human-rights activists said foreign investors are essentially aiding Chinese persecution of the minority Uighur population by financing companies that have been implicated in human-rights abuses.
Ryan Barry, project coordinator with the World Uyghur Congress, said U.S. investors "absolutely" have an ethical obligation to divest from companies linked to China’s persecution of the Uighurs.
"If you invest in these companies, you’re profiting off the suffering of the Uighur people," he said. "It’s unethical to do this."
Chinese surveillance and facial recognition companies play a key role in the government’s oppression of ethnic minorities, according to Peter Irwin, senior program officer with the Uyghur Human Rights Project.
"Surveillance is central," said Irwin. "Chinese surveillance companies have been totally enabling the Chinese government to do what it’s doing."
"Where Megvii and these facial recognition companies come in is they analyze the data and they spit out some sort of algorithm" to determine whether individuals under surveillance should be detained, said Irwin. He said the Chinese government has been systematically targeting Uighurs through a program of high-tech surveillance, reeducation and forced labor camps, and other repressive security measures.
Megvii has denied its involvement with state security, and last summer Human Rights Watch retracted part of a report that claimed to find source code evidence linking Megvii to police surveillance technology used against the Uighurs.
But months later, the U.S. Department of Commerce added Megvii to its list of designated entities for "enabling activities contrary to the foreign policy interests of the United States," specifically on human-rights violations.
Lori Scheetz, an attorney at Wiley Rein, said American investors are not required to divest from companies on the Department of Commerce sanctions list, noting that the restrictions primarily apply to U.S. exports.
Scheetz said she expects the U.S. government to add more Chinese entities to the Treasury Department’s sanction list in the near future, a designation that could require some American investors to "be removed, or walled off [from the investments], or the fund would need to divest from the sanctioned entity."
"I think there likely will be more [Treasury] sanctions or [Commerce Department] designations," she said. "Clearly the U.S. is focused on human-rights violations against the Uighurs."
Update 6:33 p.m.: This post has been updated with comment from Megvii.


freebeacon--2020-09-02--Gun-Control Group Shies Away from Guns in Swing State Attack Ads

A leading gun-control group is spending millions to boost swing state Democrats , but its latest ads highlight non-gun issues , potentially signaling the limited appeal of gun restrictions in many key Senate races .
Everytown for Gun Safety 's super PAC , backed by billionaire Michael Bloomberg , is running ads in Iowa and North Carolina that go beyond the group 's core mission of gun control .
The ads attack Senator Joni Ernst ( R. , Iowa ) and Senator Thom Tillis ( R. , N.C. ) on health care and energy in addition to mentioning gun issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands from big oil , the insurance industry , and the gun lobby , '' narration in the group 's Iowa ad said .
`` Voting for them , against us .
That 's Joni Ernst . ''
In North Carolina , the group first criticized Tillis 's vote to repeal Obamacare and contributions from the health insurance lobby before taking aim at his vote on universal background checks and contributions from gun-rights groups .
The ad then claims Tillis 's door is `` always open '' for `` lobbyists with cash .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sabato ’ s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia 's Center for Politics , said Everytown 's attempt to appeal to issues beyond the Second Amendment could indicate that the group is not confident in gun control 's appeal in swing states .
`` One reason Everytown brings up those other issues may be that the Democratic Senate candidates in Iowa and North Carolina will probably need some Trump voters to win , '' Coleman told the Washington Free Beacon .
`` In both states , there were several Obama-to-Trump counties in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control may not be enough to make them unacceptable to those voters . ''
The Everytown strategy is in contrast to the one employed by the National Rifle Association 's super PAC so far .
The gun-rights group 's first ad buy of the year put more than $ 5 million behind an ad that attacked Democratic nominee Joe Biden 's gun-control policies .
An NRA official with knowledge of its election strategy said it intends to focus exclusively on gun issues in 2020 .
Coleman said gun issues could boost the incumbent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Second Amendment as an issue that could bridge the gap between lukewarm Republican voters and Tillis .
`` The Second Amendment is an issue that 's clearly close to the Republican base voter 's heart—both Tillis and Ernst will want high loyalty from that group , '' he said .
`` Perhaps that 's why the NRA has n't deviated much from discussing guns… .
Tillis has some weakness with the Trump base ; [ guns ] may be one of those issues that pushes GOP partisans home to Tillis in the end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind the two ads , which represent the group 's first major ad buy of the 2020 election .
While the group did not return a request for comment , Shannon Watts , leader of Everytown subgroup Moms Demand Action , called gun control a winning issue in a statement .
`` The gun lobby is on the run because politicians are now running on the issue of gun safety , '' Watts said .
However , even beyond Everytown 's own ads being supplemented with non-gun issues , at least one former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pro-gun campaign push by a Democratic congresswoman .
Rep. Xochitl Torres Small ( D. , N.M. ) , who hired former Everytown deputy political director Emma Caccamo as her campaign manager this summer , unveiled an ad in which she fired a number of guns in the desert .
Democrats running in more conservative races are not the only ones who have minimized gun control .
Despite committing to spend tens of millions to back Everytown in 2020 , billionaire Mike Bloomberg skipped over the issue entirely during his speech at the Democratic @ @ @

A leading gun-control group is spending millions to boost swing state Democrats, but its latest ads highlight non-gun issues, potentially signaling the limited appeal of gun restrictions in many key Senate races.
Everytown for Gun Safety's super PAC, backed by billionaire Michael Bloomberg, is running ads in Iowa and North Carolina that go beyond the group's core mission of gun control. The ads attack Senator Joni Ernst (R., Iowa) and Senator Thom Tillis (R., N.C.) on health care and energy in addition to mentioning gun issues.
"Ernst has taken thousands and thousands from big oil, the insurance industry, and the gun lobby," narration in the group's Iowa ad said. "Voting for them, against us. That's Joni Ernst."
In North Carolina, the group first criticized Tillis's vote to repeal Obamacare and contributions from the health insurance lobby before taking aim at his vote on universal background checks and contributions from gun-rights groups. The ad then claims Tillis's door is "always open" for "lobbyists with cash."
Miles Coleman, associate editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, said Everytown's attempt to appeal to issues beyond the Second Amendment could indicate that the group is not confident in gun control's appeal in swing states.
"One reason Everytown brings up those other issues may be that the Democratic Senate candidates in Iowa and North Carolina will probably need some Trump voters to win," Coleman told the Washington Free Beacon. "In both states, there were several Obama-to-Trump counties in rural areas. Hitting Republicans on gun control may not be enough to make them unacceptable to those voters."
The Everytown strategy is in contrast to the one employed by the National Rifle Association's super PAC so far. The gun-rights group's first ad buy of the year put more than $5 million behind an ad that attacked Democratic nominee Joe Biden's gun-control policies. An NRA official with knowledge of its election strategy said it intends to focus exclusively on gun issues in 2020.
Coleman said gun issues could boost the incumbent Republican senators. He pointed to the Second Amendment as an issue that could bridge the gap between lukewarm Republican voters and Tillis.
"The Second Amendment is an issue that's clearly close to the Republican base voter's heart—both Tillis and Ernst will want high loyalty from that group," he said. "Perhaps that's why the NRA hasn't deviated much from discussing guns.... Tillis has some weakness with the Trump base; [guns] may be one of those issues that pushes GOP partisans home to Tillis in the end."
Everytown put $5 million behind the two ads, which represent the group's first major ad buy of the 2020 election. While the group did not return a request for comment, Shannon Watts, leader of Everytown subgroup Moms Demand Action, called gun control a winning issue in a statement.
"The gun lobby is on the run because politicians are now running on the issue of gun safety," Watts said.
However, even beyond Everytown's own ads being supplemented with non-gun issues, at least one former Everytown staffer appears to be overseeing a pro-gun campaign push by a Democratic congresswoman. Rep. Xochitl Torres Small (D., N.M.), who hired former Everytown deputy political director Emma Caccamo as her campaign manager this summer, unveiled an ad in which she fired a number of guns in the desert.
Democrats running in more conservative races are not the only ones who have minimized gun control. Despite committing to spend tens of millions to back Everytown in 2020, billionaire Mike Bloomberg skipped over the issue entirely during his speech at the Democratic National Convention. The Ernst campaign said Everytown's involvement in the race demonstrates the disconnect between Greenfield and Iowa voters.
"Mike Bloomberg is bankrolling these special interest ads because he knows Theresa Greenfield will be a loyal supporter of Nancy Pelosi’s gun control plan to roll back Second Amendment rights," an Ernst spokesman said. "Don’t be fooled. Theresa Greenfield is perfect for California, but she’s far too liberal for Iowa."