Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley listens to a senator's question during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the conclusion of military operations in Afghanistan. Photo: EPA
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley listens to a senator's question during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the conclusion of military operations in Afghanistan. Photo: EPA
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley listens to a senator's question during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the conclusion of military operations in Afghanistan. Photo: EPA
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley listens to a senator's question during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the conclusion of military operations in Afghanistan. Photo:

Gen Milley defends Trump-era nuclear launch conversations with China


Bryant Harris
  • English
  • Arabic

General Mark Milley, the US chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, went out of his way on Tuesday to defend his conversations with Chinese officials and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about nuclear launch authorities under former president Donald Trump.

The Pentagon's top officer told Congress he had spoken to journalist Bob Woodward for his new book Peril, which characterised a series of calls he made after US intelligence suggested the Chinese believed that the United States could launch a nuclear attack.

“I am certain that President Trump did not intend to attack the Chinese” Gen Milley told Congress during his opening remarks while testifying on the Afghanistan withdrawal.

“It is my direct responsibility... to convey that intent to the Chinese. My task at that time was to de-escalate. My message against was consistent: stay calm, steady and de-escalate. We are not going to attack you.”

The conversations happened without Mr Trump’s knowledge, and the former president lambasted Gen Milley for failing to tell him about the discussions after reports previewing the book went public.

According to Peril, Gen Milley told his Chinese counterpart Li Zuocheng: “If we’re going to attack, I’m going to call you ahead of time. It’s not going to be a surprise.”

And while the book characterised the conversations in October and December as secretive, the general insisted he co-ordinated the calls with former defence secretary Mark Esper and former acting defence sectary Christopher Miller as well as other US government agencies.

“Shortly after my called ended with General Li, I personally informed both [former secretary of state Mike Pompeo] and [former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows] about the call, among other topics,” Gen Milley told Congress.

He also said that after Ms Pelsoi requested a call with him, he explained to her “that the president is the sole nuclear launch authority, and he doesn’t launch them alone, and that I am not qualified to determine the mental health of the president of the United States.”

“There are processes, protocols and procedures in place, and I repeatedly assured her that there is no chance of an illegal, unauthorised or accidental launch.”

The calls have infuriated Republican members of Congress, and Gen Milley has already become something of a bugbear within the right-wing media ecosystem.

He first came under conservative scrutiny after his comments about race at a congressional hearing in June went viral.

“I want to understand white rage, and I’m white,” he said at the time.

“What is it that caused thousands of people to assault this building and try to overturn the constitution of the United States of America?”

The specs

Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder

Transmission: 7-speed auto

0-100kmh 2.3 seconds

0-200kmh 5.5 seconds

0-300kmh 11.6 seconds

Power: 1500hp

Torque: 1600Nm

Price: Dh13,400,000

On sale: now

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War and the virus
UAE central contracts

Full time contracts

Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid

Part time contracts

Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma

How green is the expo nursery?

Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery

An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo

Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery

Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape

The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides

All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality

Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country

Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow

Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site

Green waste is recycled as compost

Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs

Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers

About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer

Main themes of expo is  ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months

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Duminy's Test career in numbers

Tests 46; Runs 2,103; Best 166; Average 32.85; 100s 6; 50s 8; Wickets 42; Best 4-47

ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures

October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA

Bullet%20Train
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Leitch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Brad%20Pitt%2C%20Aaron%20Taylor-Johnson%2C%20Brian%20Tyree%20Henry%2C%20Sandra%20Bullock%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

'Top Gun: Maverick'

Rating: 4/5

 

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

 

Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris

 
Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

Going grey? A stylist's advice

If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”

Updated: September 28, 2021, 5:38 PM`