In an interview with The Epoch Times’ Jan Jekielek first published on September 24th, 2020, IWP adjunct professor Rebeccah Heinrichs discussed the multitude of threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party and Russia. An expert in missile defense and nuclear deterrence, Dr. Heinrichs contended that the Chinese Communist Party is the greatest threat to the American way of life and has developed a military specifically designed to target American relative weaknesses. In focusing on anti-satellite weapons, hypersonic missiles, and cyber warfare capabilities, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army is pursuing its chief objective: to push the United States out of the Asia-Pacific region and eventually supplant America, said Prof. Heinrichs.
Prof. Heinrichs also discussed American politics and the 2020 election. She argued that the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty allows the United States to establish adequate deterrence in the Asia-Pacific region. She criticized the No First Use doctrine, which limits American nuclear weapons use to retaliatory strikes and may embolden American adversaries. Throughout the informative discussion with Jekielek, Prof. Heinrichs also covered the threats posed by Russia, Iran, and non-state actors to the U.S.-led world order.