Global Crossing, Iraqi Defenses and the Chinese Connection

The fiber-optic Tiger Song air defense network was installed in Iraq during the 1990s by China in violation of the U.N. ban on weapons sales to Baghdad. Tiger Song is a distributed network and it is similar to the Internet, allowing Iraqi mobile radars and missile units to link into the network from pre-positioned fiber optic sites.

Ironically, the Bush administration has so far denied an even greater sale of sensitive U.S. fiber-optic systems to China. The Defense Department opposes the sale of Global Crossing to Chinese billionaire Li Ka-Shing and his Hutcheson Whampoa company for obvious national security reasons.

Although, the U.S. Defense Department opposes the sale of the fiber-optic giant Global Crossing to Hutcheson Whampoa, Li Ka-Shing is fighting back.

Bush defense advisor Richard Perle, who was hired to advise Global Crossing on security to satisfy the U.S. government's concerns, conceded that the Chinese Army is in business with Hutcheson Whampoa providing military communications for the PRC and that China has provided fiber-optic systems to Iraq.

"I am not surprised," he stated. "I do not trust the Chinese government on these matters. They have sold dangerous things to Iraq and other nations."

"It was very clear that the previous Global Crossing proposal was not going to meet U.S. government requirements. The U.S. government is concerned that the Hutcheson ownership will give them the ability to do injury to U.S. national security. Hutcheson Whampoa will now end up with 20% ownership. I have been retained to help Global Crossing find a structure to protect U.S. national security," said Mr. Perle.

LI KA-SHING

As this reporter has previously written, Li Ka-Shing has a history of helping the Chinese military erect communications networks using U.S. made equipment. For example, in 1989 Li Ka-Shing raised $120 million to buy a HUGHES built communications satellite for AsiaSat.

AsiaSat is also a front company for the People's Liberation Army (PLA). According to Aviation Week and Space Technology, AsiaSat is part owned by the Chinese Army unit COSTIND or the Commission on Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. The AsiaSat Hughes satellite regularly carries "military communications" traffic for PLA units and Chinese military owned companies.

A 1996 report written by then U.S. Ambassador to China James Sasser alleges that the Chinese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) and Chinese billionaire Li Ka Shing were both directly involved with the PLA in financing the communications networks for the Chinese army.

The report also states that the PLA was directly involved in the so-called "civilian" Chinese fiber optic communication systems. Sasser's report noted that the PLA actively worked on a Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) fiber optic network that the Clinton administration stated was "civil" for the House National Security Committee.

"For example," wrote Sasser, "in laying long distance fiber optic lines for the MPT's telephones and digital data network, the PLA has provided soldiers to do much of the work. The PLA cadres are considered disciplined and hard working. Once the cable has been laid, the MPT typically allocates some of the bandwidth to the PLA."

In 1997, the Rand Corporation wrote a secret report on the "Chinese Defense Industry" and it also included a section on billionaire Li Ka Shing and his business with the Chinese Army. The Rand report was obtained in a successful federal lawsuit against the Commerce Department.

The Rand Corporation report highlights Li Ka-Shing's direct connections to the Chinese military. According the Rand report, "Hutchison Whampoa of Hong Kong, controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka Shing, is also negotiating for PLA wireless system contracts, which would build upon his equity interest in [Chinese army] Poly-owned Yangpu Land Development Company, which is building infrastructure on China's Hainan Island."

U.S. and allied forces are now fighting a Clinton-era mistake made in 1994 allowing the fiber-optic systems to be sold to China. The same Tiger Song fiber optic system is now sending the commands of the Iraqi military to fight our soldiers.

The Chinese Army would love to get its hands on Global Crossing. It is clear from previous sales of such U.S. made systems to Li Ka-Shing that the Chinese Army will benefit from that technology. It is just as clear that - if given the opportunity - the Chinese Army will use Global Crossing technology and assets against the national interests of the United States.

RUSSIAN WEAPONS

In the past few days, the Axis of Weasel has been caught supplying weapons and support for the maniac in Baghdad. Our Russian friend, Vladimir Putin has been caught red-handed supplying weapons to Iraq.

U.S. State Department sources confirmed that Russia had indeed sold a wide variety of banned arms to Iraq as recently as one or two days before the allies struck. The Russian equipment included a variety of night vision gear, GPS jamming equipment - included software and Russian engineers who have continued to work inside Baghdad - and a number of AT-14 Kornet anti-tank missiles.

The Russian AT-14 missiles are advanced, laser guided, weapons and are considered very dangerous. But, the U.S. Air Force noted that the Russian jamming equipment is not very effective. The main problem with the Russian GPS jamming equipment is that it is also a radio transmitter, literally saying, "bomb me". According to U.S.A.F. Major General Victor Renuart, allied air forces have targeted several of the Russian GPS jammers and actually struck one with a U.S. JDAM GPS guided bomb.

The U.S. has issued a formal demand to Moscow to stop the sales and explain. Moscow has issued several lame excuses that they have no control over arms companies based inside Russia.

IRAQI CHEMICAL WEAPONS

Saddam Hussein rose to power backed by Russian weapons and Russian money. Saddam still owes Moscow over $8 billion for the arms he purchased from Russia. The primary Iraqi chemical weapons are VX nerve gas and mustard gas, a blistering agent, both obtained from Russia.

Interestingly, some sources still claim that the source of Iraqi chemical weaponry is the U.S.A. These sources claim that during the mid-1980s the U.S. transferred chemical weapons technology to Iraq.

I find this information incorrect and totally out of line with the current Iraqi weapon inventory. Iraq chemical weapons have previously been deployed on classic Russian made systems.

According to "Russian Military Power" published in 1982, "It is known that the Soviets maintain stocks of CW (chemical weapons) agents." The two primary Russian chemical weapons in the 1982 Soviet inventory were the nerve agent "VX" and "blistering agents - developments of mustard gas used so effectively in World War I."

Iraq obtained Russian delivery systems and the same inventory of Russian made chemical weapons at the same time. The fact is that U.S. made chemical weapons might not work when loaded into Russian made systems.

Iraqi SU-22 Fitter attack jets have been armed with Warsaw Pact designed bombs filled with chemical weapons. Iraq used these Russian jet fighters to drop chemical weapons on Iranian troops during the Iran/Iraq war. Iraq tried to use these SU-22 jets during the 1991 Gulf war and was foiled by the allied air superiority.

Other Russian weapons found with chemical weapons include the FROG-7 missile, 122mm rockets, 152mm artillery and the M-1937 82mm mortars. Curiously, all the Iraqi artillery missiles, rockets, shells and mortar rounds, filled with chemical weapons are of Russian design.

The only exception to the Russian connection is the recent attempts by Iraq to modify its force of French made Mirage F-1 jets to carry chemical weapons. The State Department has a wonderful video of an Iraqi Mirage jet testing a chemical weapons sprayer.

For those who still remain skeptical, take note that one does not modify a multi-million dollar fighter jet to spray French perfume. The Vichy government of Jacques Chirac may deny the arms sales to Baghdad but the weapons in Iraqi hands show that Paris and Moscow have sent more to Saddam than Perrier and Russian vodka.