Posted on 10/03/2007 3:52:21 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Several months ago, the Pentagon's network and e-mail system fell victim to computer hacking. After an internal investigation, Pentagon officials declared that the hack was perpetrated by the Chinese military. In particular, officials said the attack "was by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) and that it led to the shutdown of a computer system serving the office of Defense Secretary Robert Gates." Now, a Chinese company with ties to the country's military, former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, and the Taliban will gain access to U.S. defense-network technology under a proposed merger.
According to a story in the Washington Times, Huawei Technologies will soon merge with America's 3Com. The Times reports that "Huawei has been linked to the U.N. oil-for-food scandal, which involved millions of dollars in payoffs to Saddam's regime during a time of U.N. sanctions."
"Huawei is up to its eyeballs with the Chinese military," said a defense official concerned about the deal. Huawei was founded in 1988 by a Chinese military officer and got its start building military communications networks.
A second official said the deal comes as the Pentagon has mounted an aggressive effort to thwart large numbers of computer intrusions from Chinese hackers and spies.
"And now we are proposing to sell the PLA a key to our front door. This is a very dangerous trend," the official said, referring to the People's Liberation Army, as the Chinese military is called.
In a recent story on WorldNetDaily.com, a former Pentagon cybersecurity expert described the merger as "really worrisome."
While 3Com is small compared to other Silicon Valley technology giants, its focus on sensitive communications networks raises alarms if ownership is transferred to a foreign firm.
3Com's products include "intrusion prevention" technology that helps its customers, including the Pentagon, protect their computer networks from hackers, reported Financial Times.
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) told the Washington Times that he is "worried the deal will lead to the loss of sensitive technology to China."
"Specifically, I have some concerns surrounding the minority position of Huawei Technologies and what control the Chinese company might have over America's sensitive information," Mr. Hunter said. "In addition to encouraging the Pentagon to review how this deal may affect any of its classified contracts, I would encourage the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to conduct a thorough review."
With a growing reliance on technology to run not only financial systems and everyday life, but also military operations, the Chinese have realized the importance of mastering access to cyber-information. WorldNetDaily quotes a recent U.S. Army War College report as saying "the Pentagon believes China's military views cyber-attacks as 'critical to seize the initiative' in the first stage of a war." WND goes on to report:
In 2001 testimony before the House Subcommittee on International Security, Proliferation and the Federal Services Committee on Governmental Affairs, former professor Gary Milhollin, director of the Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control, singled out Huawei for using technology received from the U.S. to threaten the U.S. military.
In 2000, the CIA discovered Huawei was selling fiber optics equipment to Saddam Hussein, technology that would improve Iraq's military communications, in violation of the United Nations' international embargo.
The Congress should take the advice of Duncan Hunter and thoroughly investigate this merger from a national security perspective. Yes, the deal would be great for some investors, but is it the right thing to do for America's defense? That question and others should be asked during proper hearings to ensure that America's military and technology secrets remain secret. That's the whole idea, isn't it?
PING!
Wassamatter? Don’t you like globalism?
Wonder if this hack has anything to do with the Petreaus case.
The hack occurred in 2007.
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