ILLEGAL TRANSFER OF US BALLISTIC MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO CHINA

WINSTON MIDEAST ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY - April 7, 1998

Part 1: CHINA SENT NUCLEAR-CAPABLE MISSILES TO SAUDI ARABIA
Part 2: "SAUDIS MAKES NICE WITH IRAN" & IRAN HAS NUKES

Emanuel A. Winston, Middle East analyst & commentator

In the NY TIMES of April 4, 1998, Jeff Gerth with Raymond Bonner exposed a manipulation wherein the US government and 2 major American arms companies transferred Ballistic Missile technology to China. As a Grand Jury was investigating whether 2 American companies (Loral Space & Communications and Hughes Electronics) gave China space expertise that significantly advanced Beijing's ballistic missile program, President Clinton approved of this transfer 2 months ago. (1)

Clinton undercut a Grand Jury investigation in order to protect what? or whom? Gerth also exposed the huge $2.5 million contribution made by Loral and Hughes to the Democratic Party since 1991. (2)

The Gerth/Bonner NYT article tells us that this China transfer investigation began as a result of an incident 2/15/96 when a Chinese rocket with an American satellite blew up. The Chinese asked the American company, Loral, to find the problem, requiring an illegal transfer of US technology to China.

While the Gerth/Bonner article speaks of 1996, this may be the tip of the iceberg. Bill Gertz of the WASHINGTON TIMES 8/4/96 wrote an investigative article about the Chinese exporting missile parts to Syria in violation of the (MTCR) Missile Technology Control Regime.(3) This was based upon statements by the CIA that the recipient was the Syrian Research Institute in charge of developing missile production capabilities for Middle East nations. In common English, it means that Syria is acting as both a research and procuring agent for itself and other Arab nations, particularly Iran. But that isn't the real mystery, nor the full story as I wrote August 4, 1996 in "CHINESE MISSILES". (4)

In November 1991, Syria signed an agreement with China to purchase a 30 kilowatt nuclear reactor, supposedly for research. Nuclear proliferation experts KNOW that acquisition of such "research" reactors is often step one in building a nuclear weapons program. In September 1991, the US Arms Control & Disarmament Agency said Syria was developing a "nuclear program with suspicious intentions". (5)

Various American corporations and governmental interests wanted to supply Saudi Arabia with advanced Ballistic Missiles. The problem was that Congress wouldn't approve transfer of such nuclear-capable missiles as the Pershing, among others. But, Saudi Arabia did take delivery of Ballistic Missiles that were nuclear-capable from China called the SS2 Silkworm. That was surprising because, at that time, China was thought not sufficiently advanced technologically to deliver a high quality, debugged, reliable system. Countries like Russia, America, France had taken years through exhaustive testing and failures to develop similar long range missiles that worked.

A big question is: "Which of the major nations supplied China in the mid to late 80's with technology, so advanced that Saudi Arabia (a sophisticated arms buyer) accepted delivery of an operational system from a relatively unproven supplier?" The Soviets wouldn't give China its best because China was a probable threat. A French sale through China would be exposed too soon, causing major diplomatic problems. Which country and on whose authority was such an illegal transfer made?

The finger points to the US as the likely candidate for a covert transfer of technology to China and then on to Saudi Arabia as a fully operational missile system. At that time China was assessed as not having the technology to ship a tested and de-bugged missile. Unproven Chinese technology for fuel mixtures, telemetry, engine metals, et al couldn't meet the test of a reliable synergistic missile system - or so the experts thought. Nevertheless, they were shipped and there was an outcry in the US that Saudi Arabia had purchased nuclear-capable missiles. The Saudis denied this but refused to lift the metal shrouds (casings). If they had, the inspectors would probably have identified US-made components.

At that point in time, Reagan was President, Bush was Vice President (formerly DCI: Director of Central Intelligence) and Casper Weinberger was Secretary of Defense. Weinberger came to government from Bechtel, a corporation deeply involved in Arab military and civilian projects, known to be exceptionally pro-Arab. Weinberger's consistent hostility toward Israel has yet to be examined in light of his withholding vital information from Israel while assisting Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations. Many American Arabists in Washington were and are connected to major corporations who owed a great deal of their cash flow to oil rich Arab nations.

When something critical is exposed in Washington, a pre-prepared plan usually springs into action to provide "credible deniability". Perhaps both former Pres. Bush and his brother then working in China could tell Congress more about this illegal transfer of US technology and how it was possible to circumvent Congress to help a client like Saudi Arabia who was then an immense source of ready cash. To avoid discovery transfer technology to a third country who had a military style government where military secrets fell into a black hole and never came out. China would be a natural selection, particularly in the age of the "new understanding" initiated by Richard Nixon.

A fall guy was needed. Shortly after delivery of the missiles was exposed, the rumor was floated that Israel had assisted the Chinese to build the missiles for Saudi Arabia. It was no secret that Israel was selling China some armaments. A layer of some truth wrapped around a large lie provides excellent cover. The problem with that particular rumor was that, at the time Israel was having her own development problems with long range missiles. It would be highly unlikely for Israel to transfer flawed information to China and thus have China complete development and ship a fully operational system to Saudi Arabia - still in a declared state of war with Israel. Saudi Arabia was not only Israel's direct enemy; it funded terrorists to attack Israel and transferred technology received from American, other Western democracies, to other radical Arab States.

Israel relied upon tested American systems, knowing (by contract) that transferring them without US approval would cause immediate cessation of US aid and technology. That leads to the question: Was Israel being set up as the fall guy as was shown in the Iran/Contra hearings? Was the transfer a direct America-to-China deal? Only one way to find out - Congress could hold hearings - not very likely. But, if it did - would they exonerate the guilty as in Iran/Contra? Leaking the rumor that it was Israel is a key clue that leads us back to the White House, State and Defense Departments. Regretably, neither the Congress nor the Justice Department considered missile proliferation a topic worth investigating.

If China was to be the third party "cut-out" then the US would have to transfer both technology and actual missile components. This would require US corporations supplying the technicians to assemble and bench test the components. Missile systems are synergistic so components respond to each other within a narrow band. Making a hybrid missile with different parts usually leads to operational failure. It's just not acceptable technical protocol. If China received an operational missile, it would have to be the organic whole. They only changed its outer shell or shroud because that could be seen and identified.

Weinberger, as Sec. of Defense could have authorized such a transfer. Congress can no longer ask Ronald Reagan if he was consulted but they can investigate George Bush's knowledge and culpability. Congress should ask: "If President Bush pre-pardoned Casper Weinberger so he wouldn't be called ILLEGAL TRANSFER OF US BALLISTIC MISSILE TECHNOLOGY TO CHINA pg. 3 to testify in the Iran-Contra hearings, who would now protect Bush from these questions?"

Did Casper Weinberger, a close supporter of Saudi Arabia act as the broker between the US, Saudi Arabia and China? Was then VP Bush knowledgeable about this technology transfer, in effect, squaring the triangle? Perhaps it was inevitable that Jonathan Pollard discovered these anti-Israel operations in US intelligence agencies computer files in 1984 and 85. What were Casper Weinberger's motivation and actions, given his close connections with Saudi Arabia through Saudi Prince Bandar? Was Casper Weinberger dismissed by President Reagan, possibly for the same reason that caused the US intelligence agencies to fight so hard to keep Pollard in prison?

Weinberger could answer these questions. He had the power as Sec. of Defense to transfer technology without Congressional approval. There were many covert transfers of materials and weapons under Weinberger. Recall that Weinberger transferred the capability to build America's new M1A1 Abrams tank to Egypt without seeking Congressional approval until much later. Remember Iran/Contra and the excellent cover-up hearings? Training and arming future enemies is not all that unusual for the US. Today the Moslems America trained to sabotage, bomb, and plan attacks in Afghanistan against the Soviets have returned to the US and other nations using their skills to terrorize their former host government. Witness their bombing of the World Trade Center. The Saudis and Americans were bombed in 1996 with 19 dead in Dahran while Clinton and Sec. of Defense Perry talked about fighting terrorism. The Saudis have since refused to provide the US with the information on that bombing which points to Iran.

Iraq-gate (covert transfer of money, technology, weapons to Iraq) was also covered up and washed clean on orders from Clinton through our Justice Dept. (Read: "The Spiders' Web" by Alan Friedman) (6) Before he left office President Bush pardoned Weinberger so he wouldn't have to testify before a Grand Jury. Unless he's subpoenaed, we'll never know what he could have told about America's covert transfers of technology and the men who gave the orders.

What may have been intended as a limited covert transfer of technology to China for transhipment to the Saudis has become a flood of missiles from China not to just Saudi Arabia but now Syria, Iran and any Third World country with the money to pay to China. A Chinese envoy recently bragged that its missiles could now hit Los Angeles. (7)

American troops may ultimately face these missiles - as well as Israel - as in the Gulf War. Remarkably, during the first SCUD attack by Saddam against Israel, Casper Weinberger, in a radio interview broadcast in Israel at 4 AM, January 16 said: "It's a shame that Israel is being hit by nerve gas." Apparently, Weinberger knew for some time that Saddam had missiles and artillery shells loaded with nerve gas that could be used against Israel. Of course, that was at a time Weinberger had withheld life and death information to Israel only to have it exposed by Jonathan Pollard.

Speaking of SCUDS - Egypt has taken delivery of SCUD C missiles and mobile launchers from

North Korea in addition to massive re-armament with US weapons which tells Intelligence agencies analysts that Egypt is preparing not for peace but for war.

If the US covertly transferred of US missile technology to China, it had to come only from the highest authority. George Bush and Casper Weinberger could no doubt shed a great deal of light on the matter - if forced to do so. That is, if there are any remaining records left. Recall that James Baker, before leaving the White House, tasked former Justice Department prosecutor, Joseph di Genova with pulling the hard drives and disks from all the White House computers, including all the electronic memory of the President's plane: Air Force One.

If there was an illegal transfer of US technology to China for Saudi Arabia, this crime has far greater implications. China has been shipping advanced missiles for to radical Third World nations like Pakistan (discovered in 1992). (2) They have promised to stop - but continue regardless of their commitments. Congress, then and now, diddles with occasional hearings but with little effort to find the answers and correct the problems.

President Clinton scuttled a Grand Jury investigation of the recent China transfer. We have seen Clinton's Justice Department dismiss the Bush transfer of $5 billion US taxpayers' dollars to Saddam Hussein from the Department of Agriculture funds as acceptable. The question arises as to whether George Bush as former DCIA (Director of the CIA) would have had the power to assemble files on his opponents, much the same as did J. Edgar Hoover. If you recall, Hoover used the power of his office as head of the FBI and those voluminous files for decades to blackmail Congressmen and other politicians to do things his way - or else risk exposure.

No one is more susceptible to exposure that Bill Clinton. Personal scandal has only increased his popularity. The American people seem to be saying: "As long as you run the country so we are economically secure, we'll give you a pass on your personal peccadilloes." But a scandal regarding national security issues is a different story. Chinese money flowed into the Clinton campaign.

'Follow the money trail'. For example: Why did Arab money flow into Clinton's two gubernatorial runs for office? Why support an obscure candidate from a small unimportant state? Why was Arkansas often described as a center for trans-shipment of drugs? Why is President Clinton following the Bush/Baker foreign policy?

Sadly, one day American soldiers, cities in the Middle East and Europe will be exposed to hard-hitting missiles with support telemetry and NBC (Nuclear, Biological & Chemical) warheads that destroy cities. Thank the Chinese, the Saudis, those who assisted them (America?) and the countries to whom they shared and shipped such catastrophic weapons.

Part 2: "Saudis Make Nice with the Iranians" (8) will demonstrate the connections of Ballistic Missiles transferred between China to Saudi Arabia and the growing close relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran - now that the Iranians have nukes. (9 & 10)

Footnotes

2. "Missile Inquiry Clouds America's China Policy" by Jeff Gerth INT'L HERALD TRIBUNE 4/14/983.

3. "Chinese Export Missile Parts to Syria" by Bill Gertz WASHINGTON TIMES 8/4/96

4. "Chinese Missiles" by Emanuel A. Winston JEWISH PRESS August 9, 1996

5. US ARMS CONTROL & DISARMAMENT AGENCY September 1991

6. "The Spider's Web: Secret History of How White House illegally armed Iraq" by Alan Friedman Bantam 1993

7. "Confronting Terrorism Means Giving up a Frontier Mentality" by Georgie Anne Geyer SUN TIMES 8/2/96

8. "Saudis Make Nice with the Iranians" by Elaine Sciolino SUNDAY NEW YORK TIMES 4/12/98

9. Series by Steve Rodan in JERUSALEM POST "Iran Missile said near Completion" 4/8/98 "Iran has Four Nuclear Bombs" 4/9/98; "Iran Paid $35 million Nuclear Weapons" 4/10/98; "MK Elul Says Israel, US have known of Iranian Nukes for Years" 4/12/98

10. "Iran's Strategy & Nuclear Capabilities" 1/20/9 & "Iran's Nuclear Weapons - Update" 4/30/92 by Yossef Bodansky & Vaughn Forrest, US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TASK FORCE