The US Should Ban Spying China From Selling Us Commuter Trains – Especially in DC

This Donald Trump-Russia Collusion nonsense – is nonsense for about nine million different reasons.

On of the very many reasons is – Russia can’t even afford to feed itself.

It’s a gas station with a nation attached – and Trump has drilled the US into global petroleum leadership.  Which drives way down gas prices – which is awful for Russia.

Russia is about five trillion rubles short of being able to mess with eastern Europe – let alone US.

Communist China, on the other hand, is a huge geopolitical foe and threat.

We have spent the last half century-plus very stupidly funding China’s rise – by handing them tens of millions of our manufacturing and other jobs.  Which handed them trillions of our dollars.

China has become exponentially stronger – by making us exponentially weaker.

And now China is looking to press their advantages – all over the world.

And most importantly – right here in the US:

“China hacks the living daylight out of…well, just about everything Internet and electronic….

“China has for decades been dumping hundreds of millions into our colleges….

“China is buying trillions in our real estate.

“But as bad as ALL of this is, the worst of it all is…their owning our domestic infrastructure.

“To wit:  Our trains.  On an average workday, more than fifteen million Americans ride the rails.  China owning large swaths of the network is…more than a mite problematic.”

Why are today’s trains problematic in China’s hands?:

“Modern rail cars are nodes in complex transit communications networks, extensions of a transit authority’s information and operational technology infrastructures, and even WiFi hotspots.”

In other words – trains are now are rambling tech tubes.

And if we’re on Chinese trains – in Chicago, or Philadelphia, or, I don’t know, our nation’s capitol – you can with moral certitude know the Chinese will be spying on us:

“The warnings sound like the plot of a Hollywood spy thriller: The Chinese hide malware in a Metro rail car’s security camera system that allows surveillance of Pentagon or White House officials as they ride the Blue Line – sending images back to Beijing.

“Or sensors on the train secretly record the officials’ conversations. Or a flaw in the software that controls the train — inserted during the manufacturing process – allows it to be hacked by foreign agents or terrorists to cause a crash.

“Congress, the Pentagon and industry experts have taken the warnings seriously, and now (Washington, D.C.) Metro will do the same.

“The transit agency recently decided to add cybersecurity safeguards to specifications for a contract it will award later this year for its next-generation rail cars following warnings that China’s state-owned rail car manufacturer could win the deal by undercutting other bidders.”

That’s great – as far as it goes.  Which isn’t very far at all – and nowhere near far enough:

“With more than 600,000 riders a day, Washington’s Metro system is the transportation lifeblood of our nation’s capital. Federal workers, military personnel, tourists, students and many others all depend on a safe, secure and reliable transit system to get them to work, school, home and everywhere in between.”

Of particular national security note are the “federal works (and) military personnel.”  You certainly want to allow China to declare open spy season on that commuter contingent.

Why the heck aren’t all Chinese companies barred from bidding on any train gigs – in DC, and anywhere in the US?

A Chinese company ban – would not be unprecedented.  For identical spying concern reasons.

Why Is Huawei Banned in the United States?

“A few years ago, Huawei was banned in the United States citing the risk on national security.”

That’s great – as far as it goes.  Which isn’t very far at all – and nowhere near far enough:

“Although Huawei returned to the US market, it had to encounter a huge resistance…..

“The news from Huawei made some people think that the U.S. government has blocked all the Chinese mobile phones from US market, but this is not the case. At present, ZTE, Lenovo Motorola, TCL and other companies have all gained a certain share in the United States. Among them, ZTE has a share of more than 10%, has a number of operator partners, and also has maintained the presence of its brand.”

That’s just stupid.  Because happening all the frigging time – is stuff like this:

Is the World’s Biggest Surveillance Camera Maker Sending Footage to China?:

“Imagine a world where almost everyone can be tracked, and everything can be seen by cameras linked directly to the Chinese government.

“The rapid growth of a little known Chinese manufacturer of high-powered surveillance technology has some people concerned that it’s no longer a theory.

“Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, a company controlled by the Chinese government, is now the world’s largest supplier of video surveillance equipment, with internet-enabled cameras installed in more than 100 countries.

“In the United States alone, the company’s surveillance systems can be found everywhere from prisons to airports to private homes and public schools, and even in places with sensitive national security concerns, such as Fort Leonard Wood military base in Missouri….

“According to a U.S. government procurement document published on IPVM.com, the world’s largest online video surveillance trade magazine, U.S. embassy officials decided in August 2016 to allow only Hikvision suppliers to bid on the installation contract.”

Well, we’re getting slightly less stupid.  To wit:

ZTE: US Bans Firms from Selling Parts to Chinese Phone Maker

US Bans Sales to Chinese Chipmaker Fujian Jinhua

China’s Hikvision Hits Out at US Congress over ‘Baseless’ Ban on Using Surveillance Equipment over National Security Concerns

President Trump Signs NDAA, Banning Government Use of ZTE and Huawei Technology

Trump Wants to Ban US Companies from Using Chinese Telecom Equipment

But again – why is ANY Chinese telecommunications equipment allowed anywhere near here?

Again – why would we allow China ANY opportunity to spy on us?

We shouldn’t allow any Communist Chinese train bidders anywhere in the US.

In Washington, D.C. – that ban should be patently obvious and immediate.

Yet we’re still considering allowing Communist China to build trains for DC Metro.

On which every day travel hundreds of thousands of people who work for our federal government.

That is a captive audience spying bonanza.

One of which Communist China should be banned from buying any part.

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