March 10, 2022
On China’s weapons systems:
“I believe the majority of my colleagues agree with me that in order to compete against China, we’ve got to do the best thing we can do, not what's politically popular. With that in mind, what domains of warfare do you believe the United States still maintains an asymmetrical advantage in against China? And what weapon systems or equipment do you believe we should procure to widen that advantage?”
A video of Senator Manchin’s questioning of the witnesses can be found here.
Manchin Questions U.S. Commanders On NATO Security, China Weapons Systems, Operational Control Of Korean Peninsula
Washington,
DC – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Armed Services
Committee (SASC) and Chairman
of the Senate Armed Services Cybersecurity Subcommittee, questioned
Admiral John C. Aquilino, USN Commander, Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) and
General Paul J. LaCamera, USA, Commander United Nations Command/Combined Forces
Command/United States Forces Korea. Senator Manchin questioned the witnesses
about concerns over Russian escalation into NATO member territory, the state of
China’s weapons systems and the operational control and security of the Korean
Peninsula.
On Putin’s war:
“Knowing what you know and the insight that you have on where we
are in Putin’s war…What are your concerns about this war escalating into
bringing the United States into conflict? What are the chances of them
breaching our NATO allies’ territory?”
On China’s weapons systems:
“I believe the majority of my colleagues agree with me that in order to compete against China, we’ve got to do the best thing we can do, not what's politically popular. With that in mind, what domains of warfare do you believe the United States still maintains an asymmetrical advantage in against China? And what weapon systems or equipment do you believe we should procure to widen that advantage?”
On
the operational control and security of the Korean Peninsula:
“General
LaCamera, you mentioned in your opening statement your work towards achieving
the bilateral Conditions-Based Operational Control Transition Plan between the
United States and the Republic of Korea. When fully implemented, the Republic
of Korea will assume direct operational control over their military in the
event of war with North Korea. So, can you explain to the Committee if this
transition plan is successfully executed, how will the immediate nature of our
presence on the Korean Peninsula change?”
A video of Senator Manchin’s questioning of the witnesses can be found here.
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