DIA official on China's 'awesome' military buildup

China is expanding its military capabilities in multiple ways as part of a large-scale modernization program that is "Awesome" in scope, according to a senior Defense Intelligence Agency official. Doug Wade, chief of DIA's recently formed China Mission Group, told a Washington think tank this week that the Chinese military could take a number of aggressive military and intelligence actions toward Taiwan short of an all-out invasion. Asked if DIA and U.S. military intelligence components can provide advance notice of a Chinese attack on Taiwan, Mr. Wade said he believes there would be some warning time before operations commenced. Mr. Meagher stated in a Feb. 11 memorandum that a Pentagon regulation called the Flag Code governing national symbols at patriotic and military observances states that "Service members must consistently show proper respect to the U.S. flag and uphold the intent of the Flag Code.". "While many, including military members, view these displays as inspiring and patriotic, uniformed service members may not participate directly in unfurling, holding, and/or carrying of giant horizontal U.S. flags that are displayed during community outreach events," Mr. Meagher said, noting that parachute teams also must not use American flags unless the flag can be prevented from touching the ground on landing. Candidate: Ukraine aid limits U.S. arms for China Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson recently surveyed Republican candidates for the 2024 presidential race on their views of U.S. military and economic aid to Ukraine, now estimated at over $100 billion. "While the U.S. has many vital national interests - securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, and checking the economic, cultural and military power of the Chinese Communist Party," Mr. DeSantis said, "Becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them." But former Vice President Mike Pence said backing Ukraine is in line with former President Reagan's policies, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie also advocated backing Kyiv.