Jeff Seldin Profile picture
Feb 2 8 tweets 5 min read
NEW: US @SecDef Lloyd Austin leaves #Manila w/agreement on expanded access for US troops to #Philippines military sites AND talk from Philippine officials of a shared vision re #China & the #IndoPacific
“It seems to me the future of the #Philippines, & for that matter the Asia Pacific, will always have to involve the #UnitedStates simply bcs those partnerships are so strong and they’re so historically embedded in our common psyches" per Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
.@SecDef visit to #Philippines “is symbolic to all of us that the US will always be there for us" per Philippine
acting Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr.
Per Galvez, the Philippines shares the US vision for a “stable, rule-based, open & inclusive Indo-Pacific region"
“This approach which we hope to jointly undertake [w/US] is in line with the guidance of President Ferdinand Marcos for the defense department to make sure that not an inch of our nation’s territory will be lost" per #Philippines' Galvez
“This relationship is strong & we will continue to work hard to strengthen it further," per @SecDef, who also called the US-Philippines relationship "ironclad"
New agreement on access to #Philippine military sites "an opportunity to increase our effectiveness, increase interoperability" per @SecDef

"It is not about permanent basing, but it is a big deal. It's a really big deal"
As for #China, “We discussed concrete actions" per @SecDef

“These efforts are especially important as People's Republic of China continues to advance its illegitimate claims in the West Philippine [South China] Sea”

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More from @jseldin

Feb 3
UPDATE: US assesses the high-altitude surveillance balloon is #China's, per a senior defense official

Also, not 1st time #Beijing has done this

"Instances of this activity have been observed over the past several years, including prior to this administration" per the official
Per the senior defense official, in the briefing arranged from the Pentagon, @SecDef "convened senior DoD leadership yesterday, even as he was on the road in the #Philippines"

background: voanews.com/a/philippines-…
At the mtg led by @SecDef, @thejointstaff Chair Gen Mark Milley & @USNorthernCmd's Gen Glen VanHerck strongly recommended NOT to shoot down the #China surveillance balloon "due to the risk to safety & security of ppl on the ground from the possible debris" per sr defense official
Read 13 tweets
Jan 12
US intelligence making a case to renew sweeping communication surveillance powers granted under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act - set to expire this year

"FISA Section 702 is irreplaceable" @CYBERCOM_DIRNSA Gen Paul Nakasone told @PCLOB_GOV Thursday
#FISA establishes rules US intelligence agencies when surveilling foreign powers and agents

Section 702-added in 2008-allows for targeted surveillance of electronic communications of foreign persons outside of the US

BUT critics argue it subjects Americans to unlawful searches
US intel officials, like @CYBERCOM_DIRNSA, call #FISA Section 702 a critical tool

Sec. 702 "plays an outsized role in protecting the nation, providing some of the US gvt's most valuable intelligence on our most challenging targets...It provides unique information w/minimal risk"
Read 14 tweets
Jan 12
Just in: Senate Intelligence Committee chairman @MarkWarner calls just released Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (#UAP) report "a step forward in understanding & addressing risks to aviators"

Also says reporting increase is "a sign of decreased stigma among pilots..."
Just in: Pentagon on just released #UAP/#UFO report from @ODNIgov

"The safety of our service personnel, our bases & installations, & the protection of US operations...are paramount" per @PentagonPresSec

"We take reports of incursions...seriously & examine each one"
More: Reaction from Senate Intelligence Committee vice chair @marcorubio to release of US intelligence #UAP/#UFO report

"We are making important progress in our ongoing efforts to understand these activities & what threat they may pose...However, more needs to be done"
Read 4 tweets
Jan 12
BREAKING: @ODNIgov publishes its long-awaited 2022 Annual Report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (#UAP / #UFO)

Looks at a total of 510 reports thru August 30, 2022
dni.gov/files/ODNI/doc…
"#UAP events continue to occur in restricted or sensitive airspace, highlighting possible concerns for safety of flight or adversary collection activity..." per @ODNIgov
"...This may result from a collection bias due to the number of active aircraft & sensors, combined w/
focused attention and guidance to report anomalies" per @ODNIgov
Read 6 tweets
Jan 11
#China naval threat-"What you've seen is a buildup in every warfare area w/advanced systems, long range weapons, electronic warfare capability, innovative technology, a blue water fleet along w/other vessels" Office of US Naval Intelligence RADM Michael Studeman told @INSAlliance
#China navy "can do a whole bunch of the patrolling &the coersion around #Taiwan to maintain what they are trying to do which is effective control over what they claim in the #SouthChinaSea w/pressure tactics in the Senkakus, more activity in the Philippine Sea" per RADM Studeman
"Please don't underestimate #China" per RADM Studeman

"We don't just look at the maritime navy elements of what China is up. We have to be concerned about other things like the illegal & unreported & unregulated fishing activities"
Read 10 tweets
Jan 11
#Iran naval threat - "The pressure, the coercion, the activity against merchant ships comes & goes, & surges depending on circumstances" @USNavy Office of Naval Intelligence Commander RADM Michael Studeman told @INSAlliance Wednesday
"#Iran continues to make UAVs & other unmanned capabilities like hotcakes. We've even seen a new drone carrier that they're building" per RADM Studeman
#Iran-"We have to be very mindful, not just in terms of their ballistic missile program development, trying to develop anto-ship capabilities but the whole #IRGCN, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps & what they are building & how they are using their forces" per RADM Studeman
Read 5 tweets

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