Note:
(a) Ruppert Hammon-Chambers is said to represent interests of US defense industry. Hence naturally he is in favor of sales of any weaponry.
(b) William Lowther, US Promotes Pro-Taiwan Adviser; STALWART: The US and Taiwan should continue to work closely to enhance Taiwan’s ability to defend itself, the new US deputy assistant secretary has said. Taipei Times, July 8, 2015 www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2015/07/08/2003622541
("In testimony before a US Senate subcommittee last year, Denmark said")
(i) National Bureau of Asian Research https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bureau_of_Asian_Research
(Type: Think Tank; section 1 History)
(ii) Abraham M Denmark Testifies Before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs. NBR, Apr 3, 2014.
two consecutive paragraphs:
"On April 3, 2014, Abraham M. Denmark, NBR Vice President of Political and Security Affairs, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs at a hearing on Evaluating U.S. Policy on Taiwan on the 35th Anniversary of the Taiwan Relations Act (TRA).
"Mr Denmark appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on a panel with Randall Schriver, President and Chief Executive Officer, Project 2049 Institute.
(C) Pentagon appointed Abraham Denmark on July 6, 2015 as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia.
(i) "Appointed"? Not confirmed by Senate?
(A) The website of Office of Personnel Management (OPM; whose personnel files were hacked, allegedly by Chinese) has a category called "Hiring Authorities." Please read two Web pages under this:
* Competitive Hiring https://www.opm.gov/policy-data- ... competitive-hiring/
* Excepted Service (which can be found in the left column of the Web page; concerning noncompetitive hiring)
(ii) After each presidential election, Congress releases United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions (Plum Book).
(A) Due to its plum-color cover. See the photo in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Un ... upporting_Positions
(B) The most recent plum book:
"Every four years, just after the Presidential election, the 'United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions,’ commonly known as the Plum Book, is published, alternately, by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the House Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform.
"This publication contains data (as of June 30, 2012) on over 8,000 Federal civil service leadership and support positions in the legislative and executive branches of the Federal Government that may be subject to noncompetitive appointment (e.g., positions such as agency heads and their immediate subordinates, policy executives and advisors, and aides who report to these officials).
* Legend :
"Type of Appointment(Column 4):
PAS = Presidential Appointment with Senate Confirmation" page v
"Pay Plan (Column 5)
ES = Senior Executive Service" page vi
* Let's go to Department of Defense, starting page 25. The last item of that page is "Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (East Asia)": "Type of Appt[:] .....; Pay Plan[:] ES"