南华早报: 解放军曾忧川普引发战争 密利通话后美高官取消访台
中央社 | 香港
10/03/2021
港媒引述消息人士指出，川普政府任内最后几个月频频刺激中国，解放军曾担心美方试图激怒中国，好让中方采取「可能导致战争」的报复行动，美军高端首长通电才消除北京疑虑。
美军参谋首长联席会议主席密利（Mark Milley）上月提供给美国联邦参议院的备忘录显示，密利与中共中央军事委员会联合参谋部参谋长李作成曾在2020年10月30日，亦即美国总统大选投票前4天，以及今年1月8日，也是川普支持者闯入国会山庄后2天2度通话。
在双方第一次通话前，有情报显示中国解放军调高作战警戒层级。密利接着在第2次通话时向中方再次保证美国不会「突袭」。
但香港「南华早报」（South China Morning Post）引述的军方消息人士说，密利去年10月的第一通电话未能安抚北京疑虑。
去年11月，美国海军少将史都德曼（Michael Studeman）无预警低调访问台湾；接着台湾媒体报导，时任美国驻联合国（UN）大使克拉夫特（Kelly Craft）、国务卿庞培欧（Mike Pompeo）也有访台计划，让北京怒不可遏。
消息人士说：「密利挂断几个星期，就传出这些消息，让北京认为（美国前总统）川普（Donald Trump）政府是在运用『挑衅战术』，促使解放军采取可能引发冲突、甚至是战争的报复手段。」
「解放军必须知道史都德曼的台北行，是否暗指美国国防部内部存在支持川普潜在计谋的不同声音。如果美方坚持那么做，就会引发战争。」
根据这名消息人士，解放军立刻向美国驻北京大使馆的美军武官表达疑虑；李作成的下属也试图通过非军事管道来表达意见，包括派员传话来跟美国驻香港总领事保持联系。
消息人士表示：「在通过几个管道交涉数周后，密利（1月）与李作成第二度通话。然后克拉夫特专机就未降落台北，美国国务院也宣布庞培欧不会访台。」
在此之前的几个月，美中关系渐趋紧张。根据中国退役军官成立的智库「知远战略与防务研究所」一份报告，2020年美军出动B-52和B-1B战略轰炸机逼近中国南方海岸至少17次，比过去几年增长约1/3。
之前还有消息人士称，去年6月，解放军815型电子侦察舰穿越宫古海峡附近国际水域时，美国曾派出数架F-18超级大黄蜂式战斗机加以监控，并在飞越中国军舰上空时，数度仿真俯冲攻击。
这些事件促使中国国防部长魏凤和去年8月8日致电时任美国防长艾斯博（Mark Esper），表示双方应该合作避免冲突。
根据另一名消息人士，魏凤和与艾斯博通话后不久，北京也要求驻南海解放军「与美军对峙时不要开第一枪」。由于事涉敏感，这名消息人士要求匿名。
依据密利提出的非机密备忘录，在川普任期最后阶段，有关川普可能尝试用「十月惊奇」和攻击中国来提升胜选机会的臆测甚嚣尘上。
北京军事专家周晨鸣（Zhou Chenming）称，美军在南海的「挑衅」动作日增，北京不知如何回应，尤其是在十月惊奇的臆测传开、海外媒体加以报导之后；「为因应美军印太司令部（U.S. Indo-Pacific Command）加强调派飞机和军舰到中国附近，解放军能做的就是提升自我战备整备层级」。
去年10月21日曾有媒体报导，解放军5个战区为因应区域情势紧张，都处于高度警戒状态，而根据密利提供的备忘录，这促使艾斯博与其他跨部会官员指示密利联系李作成。周晨鸣说，两军在川普任期最后两个月密集交涉，有助于创建互信。
北京国际军事行动法研究中心（International Law of Military Operations in Beijing）主任田士臣（Tian Shichen）也说，在两强激烈竞争之际，前线部队的军事专业可能被敌意影响，双方通话确实有助于提升前线部队的危机控管。
然而局势在去年11月川普败选后恶化。川普在11月9日开除被解放军认为可靠、专业的艾斯博，几名五角大厦高官接着辞职。周晨鸣称，在川普4年任期内，解放军必须与马提斯（James Mattis）、艾斯博与3名代理防长共5名美国国防首长交手，可以想见他们有多受挫。
川粉1月6日攻入国会大厦，又引发美国突袭疑虑，两天后密利与李作成再度通话。被川普与部分共和党人指控不忠的密利，上月28日告诉美国联邦参议院军事委员会：「我确信川普总统无意对中国发动攻击…对中方传达该意图是我的直接责任。我再度传达一致的消息：保持冷静、稳定与缓和局势。」
根据备忘录，美方1月30日的情资报告证实解放军已降低区内的战备整备层级。曾负责中国、台湾及蒙古事务的前美国国防部官员唐安竹（Drew Thompson）表示，相关文档证实密利只是在履行职责。
唐安竹说：「从这份备忘录可以明显看出他照规章行事、参与跨部会协调，所以无须怀疑，他的作为完全符合自己的职权。」
Milley defends calls to Chinese at end of Trump presidency
By LOLITA C. BALDOR and ROBERT BURNS
10/03/2021
WASHINGTON (AP) — The top U.S. military officer told Congress on Tuesday that he knew former President Donald Trump wasn’t planning to attack China and that it was his job to reassure the Chinese of this in the phone calls that have triggered outrage from some lawmakers.
Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivered a vehement defense of two calls he made to his Chinese counterpart, saying he was responding to a “significant degree of intelligence” that China was worried about a U.S. attack.
“I know, I am certain, that President Trump did not intend to attack the Chinese. … And it was my directed responsibility by the secretary to convey that intent to the Chinese,” Milley told the Senate Armed Services Committee. “My task at that time was to de-escalate. My message again was consistent: Stay calm, steady, and de-escalate. We are not going to attack you.”
Milley has been at the center of controversy after reports that he made two calls to Gen. Li Zuocheng of the People’s Liberation Army to assure him that the United States was not suddenly going to go to war with or attack China. Details of the calls were first aired in excerpts from the recently released book “Peril” by Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Robert Costa.
While Tuesday’s hearing largely focused on the troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and the chaotic evacuation of Americans, Afghans and others from the country, a few senators condemned Milley for what they saw as inappropriate communications with Li.
In his most extensive comments to date on the matter, Milley said the calls on Oct. 30 and Jan. 8 were fully coordinated with the defense secretaries at the time as well as other U.S. national security agencies. And he said that such military-to-military communications are critical to prevent war between great powers that possess nuclear weapons.
The calls came during Trump’s turbulent last months in office as he challenged the results of the 2020 election. The second call came two days after Jan. 6, when a violent mob attacked the U.S. Capitol in an effort to prevent Congress from certifying Biden’s White House victory.
Milley said the October call was made at the direction of then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper and the second was done at the request of the Chinese and coordinated with then-acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller’s office.
Asked if he spoke with the book’s authors and if his remarks were “accurately represented,” Milley said he spoke with Woodward and that he has not read the book but has seen press reports on it.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., asked that he provide more answers once he’s read the book. She and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., questioned whether Milley shared private presidential conversations with the authors.
Milley said he did not leak private conversations he had with Trump, and said he routinely speaks with the media to provide information and transparency to the American people.
Milley also addressed a call he received from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He said Pelosi “called me to inquire about the president’s ability to launch nuclear weapons. I sought to assure her that nuclear launch is governed by a very specific and deliberate process.”
He said he assured her that while the president is the sole nuclear launch authority, “he doesn’t launch them alone.” He said that as chairman he is part of the launch decision process.
“There are processes, protocols and procedures in place, and I repeatedly assured her there is no chance of an illegal, unauthorized or accidental launch,” Milley said.
The book asserts that during the call, Milley agreed with Pelosi’s statement that Trump was suffering a mental decline after the election. During Tuesday’s hearing, Milley appeared to discount that, saying “I am not qualified to determine the mental health of the president of the United States.”
He said that after the call was over, he had a short meeting with staff to go over the process. He also said he informed Miller of the call at the time.
“At no time was I attempting to change or influence the process, usurp authority or insert myself in the chain of command, but I am expected, I am required, to give my advice and ensure that the president is fully informed,” Milley said.
美参谋总长说致电中国旨为紧张局势降温
文 / 陈慧璋
9/28/2021
（早报讯）美国参谋长联席会议主席米利说，他在前总统特朗普即将卸任前与中国中央军委联合参谋部参谋长李作成进行两次通话，目的是让紧张局势“降温”，他也确定特朗普无意对中国发动攻击。
路透社和法新社综合报道，米利周二（28日）在参议院军事委员会听证会上说：“当时我的任务是让局势降温。我传达的信息始终一致——保持冷静和稳定，并让局势降温。我们不会攻击你。”
米利还说：“我确定特朗普总统无意对中国发起攻击。”
这场听证会旨为调查美国在阿富汗的仓促、混乱撤军行动，但参议员的质询一再围绕在米利身上，共和党籍参议员不断炮轰米利与中方通电话和接受批判特朗普的作家访问，并要求米利辞职。面对严厉批评的米利始终沉着应对。
米利确认他与《华盛顿邮报》记者伍德沃德进行过交谈。伍德沃德在其新书《危机》（Peril）中披露，米利曾两度秘密打电话给李作成，以试图化解一场危机，原因显然是中方担心面对败选的特朗普可能会在离开白宫前向中国发动攻击。
米利证实他与李作成通过电话，但这不是秘密，美国政府官员都知道此事，而且他是在特朗普身边高官的指示下这么做。
米利指美国情报信息显示中国担心美国会发动攻击，他与中方通电话是要设法向北京传达“我们不会袭击你们”的信息。
米利表示，第一次通话是由时任国防部长埃斯珀指示的，而第二次通话时有11人在场。他后来也将此事通知时任国务卿蓬佩奥和白宫幕僚长梅多斯。
米利说，第二次通电话是应中方要求进行，并由时任代国防部长米勒办公室协调安排。第二次通话是在1月6日美国国会骚乱事件发生后两天进行的。
米利也强调，他致力于维护美国军队由文官控制的传统。
米利说：“文官对军队的控制是这个共和国健康发展的基本原则。我致力于确保军队远离国内政治。”
9/28/2021
Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and U.S. Central Command Gen. Kenneth McKenzie are set to testify before Congress this week on the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
9/28/2021
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin; Gen. Mark Milley, chair of Joint Chiefs of Staff; and Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, commander of U.S. Central Command; testify before Senate Armed Services Committee about withdrawal from Afghanistan.
