紮心啊！彭博：五角大樓麵臨國會不願解決的華為困境

其實當初就是五角大樓極力要禁華為的哈，現在卻發現禁不掉了。咋啦？再禁就要把自己給關禁閉了，包括巴黎航展範堡羅航展都沒法玩了，更別說中東非洲拉美那些地盤了。

 

鬱悶吧？以前是用了華為會危害國家安全，現在是不用華為會危害國家安全。說五角大樓的官員們很懶惰是很不thick road的哈，因為最早禁華為就是他們提出的啊，不過現在玩不轉了。怎麽辦？沒辦法，打不過，就加入。If you can't beat them, join 'em.

 

（古狗翻譯哈，如果有誤本人概不負責）

 

五角大樓麵臨國會不願解決的華為困境

 

（彭博社）——五角大樓麵臨一個問題：作為全球最大的雇主之一，五角大樓如何避免與依賴中國華為技術有限公司（全球最大的電信提供商）的公司做生意？

到目前為止，國防部表示不能這樣做，盡管 2019 年的一項美國法律禁止國防部與任何使用華為設備的人簽訂合同。五角大樓爭取豁免的努力引發了與國會的新一輪對峙，國防官員警告稱，如果不解決這一問題，可能會危及國家安全。

自該法通過五年多以來，五角大樓一直在尋求正式豁免其根據《2019 年國防授權法》第 889 條所承擔的義務，該法禁止政府機構與使用華為組件的實體簽訂合同。

其理由是，華為在其開展業務的國家的係統中根深蒂固——該公司占全球所有電信設備收入的近三分之一——以至於不可能找到替代方案。官員們認為，嚴格遵守這些限製將破壞五角大樓購買軍方所依賴的大量醫療用品、藥品、服裝和其他類型後勤支持的能力。

“在世界上的某些地方，你真的無法擺脫華為，”5M Strategies 創始人、前國防部官員 Brennan Grignon 說。“最初的立法背後有著非常好的意圖，但我個人認為，執行和理解其含義並沒有經過深思熟慮，”她說。

到目前為止，負責該立法的眾議院和參議院委員會拒絕在 2025 年國防授權法案中納入豁免。這反映出日益增長的反華情緒，以及人們對華為的失望，華為最近一個季度的利潤飆升了 564%，但卻成功避開了美國對該公司實施的金融製裁的影響。

眾議院和參議院軍事委員會的代表沒有回應置評請求。

針對華為的舉措讓人想起了美國總統唐納德·特朗普執政期間，美國開始認真推動對中國和華為等公司采取強硬措施，美國官員稱這些公司可能被中國政府用作間諜工具。

這一舉措反映了美國更廣泛的努力，即說服各國政府將華為從其最敏感的網絡中移除。阿聯酋拒絕從其科技網絡中移除所有華為硬件，導致這個海灣國家購買 F-35 戰鬥機的交易泡湯。美國也向沙特阿拉伯和一些拉丁美洲國家提出了類似的要求。

在某些情況下，一些國家提出反對，認為美國及其盟友沒有華為產品的替代品，因為華為的產品通常比競爭對手的產品便宜得多。

“他們很懶惰”

五角大樓的論點對一些對華鷹派人士沒有說服力，他們認為國防部必須加快行動，利用其作為主要買家的影響力來推動變革。

“我確實對五角大樓的人有些同情，因為他們在亞太地區和歐洲確實擁有龐大的網絡，需要聯係各種事物，”經濟戰略研究所所長克萊德·普雷斯托維茨說。“但他們很懶惰。對於這些地區的公司來說，與美國國防部做大生意很重要。我覺得我們應該采取一切措施，盡可能地消滅華為。”

然而，在四月份發布的一份分析報告中，五角大樓堅持認為，授予豁免權“將使印度太平洋、歐洲和非洲戰區的重要補給任務成為可能。”

在世界許多地方，美國軍方人員都依賴華為網絡開展工作，從在非洲執行任務的特種部隊到參加巴黎和倫敦郊外範堡羅國際航空展的五角大樓高級官員。

五角大樓發言人傑夫·尤爾根森表示，延長豁免期將允許采購被認為有助於美國國家安全利益的物品。他說，豁免不會擴展到情報界。

參議院情報委員會主席馬克·沃納參議員承認，豁免可能是必要的。但他拒絕透露何時或是否會發生這種情況。

弗吉尼亞州民主黨人沃納在一份聲明中表示：“我理解在符合美國更大國家安全利益的有限情況下需要 889 豁免。”

 

Pentagon Has a Huawei Dilemma Congress Doesn’t Want to Solve

Story by Daniel Flatley

 

(Bloomberg) -- The Pentagon has a problem: How does one of the world’s largest employers avoid doing business with companies that rely on China’s Huawei Technologies Co., the world’s largest telecommunications provider?

So far, the Defense Department is saying that it can’t, despite a 2019 US law that barred it from contracting with anyone who uses Huawei equipment. The Pentagon’s push for an exemption is provoking a fresh showdown with Congress that defense officials warn could jeopardize national security if not resolved.

As it has done since the law was passed more than five years ago, the Pentagon is seeking a formal waiver to its obligations under Section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which barred government agencies from signing contracts with entities that use Huawei components. 

Its rationale is that Huawei is so firmly entrenched in the systems of countries where it does business — the company accounts for almost one-third of all telecommunications equipment revenue globally — that finding alternatives would be impossible. Meeting the restrictions to the letter would disrupt the Pentagon’s ability to purchase the vast quantities of medical supplies, drugs, clothing and other types of logistical support the military relies on, officials contend.

“There are certain parts of the world where you literally cannot get away from Huawei,” said Brennan Grignon, the founder of 5M Strategies and a former Defense Department official. “The original legislation had very good intentions behind it, but the execution and understanding of the implications of what it would mean, I personally think that wasn’t really thought through,” she said.

So far, the House and Senate committees in charge of the legislation have declined to include a waiver in the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. That’s a reflection of growing anti-China sentiment and a frustration that Huawei, whose profit surged 564% in the most recent quarter, has managed to deflect the impact of US financial sanctions imposed on the company.

Representatives for the House and Senate Armed Services Committees did not respond to requests for comment.

 

Huawei Top Global Telecommunications Equipment Provider | Chinese giant had 30% of worldwide revenue share in 2023, despite US restrictions© Dell'Oro Group

The move to target Huawei hearkens back to the US push that began in earnest under President Donald Trump to get tough on China and companies like Huawei that American officials say could be used as a spying tool by the Chinese government.

That push has mirrored a broader US effort to persuade governments to rid Huawei from their most sensitive networks. A refusal by the United Arab Emirates to rip out all Huawei hardware from its tech networks scuttled a deal for the Gulf nation to buy F-35 fighter jets. The US has made similar requests to Saudi Arabia and some Latin American nations. 

In some cases, countries have objected, arguing that the US and its allies have no alternative to Huawei’s products, which are often much less expensive than those offered by competitors. 

‘They’re Lazy’

The Pentagon argument doesn’t hold sway with some China hawks, who argue that the Defense Department must move more quickly and use its sway as a major buyer to force change.

“I do have some sympathy with the Pentagon guys because they do have a huge network of different things that they have to connect with in the Asia-Pacific region and also in Europe,” said Clyde Prestowitz, president of the Economic Strategy Institute. “But they’re lazy. For companies in those areas, to have big business with the US Department of the Defense is important. And I feel that we should be taking every step to eliminate Huawei where we can.”

Yet in an analysis released in April, the Pentagon maintained that granting the waiver authority “would enable vital resupply missions in the Indo-Pacific, European and African theaters.”

In many parts of the world, US military personnel depend on Huawei networks to do their jobs, from special operators carrying out missions in Africa to senior Pentagon officials attending international air shows in Paris and Farnborough, outside of London.

Pentagon spokesman Jeff Jurgensen said extending the waiver would allow for purchases if they’re deemed to further US national security interests. The waiver wouldn’t extend to elements of the intelligence community, he said.

Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the chamber’s intelligence committee, acknowledged a waiver may be necessary. But he declined to say when or if that might happen.

“I understand the need for 889 waivers in limited contexts where it’s in the larger national security interest of the United States,” Warner, a Virginia Democrat, said in a statement.

--With assistance from Tony Capaccio.

Pentagon Has a Huawei Dilemma Congress Doesn’t Want to Solve (msn.com)