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6/10/2020 News & Commentary – National Security

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06.10.2020 at 11:54am

News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.

1. Washington Needs a Bold Rethink of Its China Strategy

2. WHO official walks back statement that asymptomatic transmission is ‘very rare’

3. Explainer: What Is Antifa?

4. UN informed China of human rights activists plan to attend meeting, claims whistleblower

5. China is not a military threat, EU top diplomat says

6.  1962≠2020: US study explains India’s conventional edge over China

7. Harvard professor indicted for allegedly making false statements about secret work in Wuhan

8. Taiwanese Fighters Drive Off Chinese Jets After Navy Transport Plane Flies Over The Island

9. The Ships, Planes, and Submarines Busting the Cartel’s Narco Subs

10. Report: Killing of Utah mayor in Afghanistan was planned

11. Senate confirms first black service chief in U.S. history

12. Exclusive: Obscure Indian cyber firm spied on politicians, investors worldwide

13. James Carafano: Reduce forces in Europe? America would suffer. Here’s how

14. ‘No official confirmation’: If Trump is withdrawing troops, nobody has told Germany

15. Take the Confederate Names Off Our Army Bases by David Petraeus

16. Dear Mr. Secretary, You Can Rename Army Bases Right Now

17. House Republicans object to pulling US troops out of Germany

18. House Intelligence Committee chairman wants to know whether Pentagon spy agency provided information on protesters

19. US ‘strategic approach’ to China: compete, compel and challenge

20. China pushes back against Harvard coronavirus study

21.The Pandemic and Political Order – It Takes a State By Francis Fukuyama

22. The Pentagon Can’t Afford All of the Weapons It Wants, New Report Says

23. Military members are disproportionately affected by cybercrime: Here’s why and how to avoid it

24. No Sign Of Antifa So Far In Justice Department Cases Brought Over Unrest

25. General Brown’s Wisdom: The new Air Force chief of staff offers words right for the moment.

 

1. Washington Needs a Bold Rethink of Its China Strategy

warontherocks.com · by Nathan Packard · June 9, 2020

This article criticizes the new strategic approach to China that was unveiled on May 26. outline 5 major strategic flaws. The chief criticism seems to be the new approach does not take a long term view. But this is really an interesting assessment: “Quote: “The theory of competition appears to be “show China all the cool ways America can destroy its military.” They advocate “collective balancing” and “comprehensive pressure.”  They also criticize the apparent zero-sum approach.  I would call attention to this point: this new approach’s response to China’s challenges is based on principled realism and a free and open Indo-Pacific region that DOES NOT have to exclude China.  In addition to a number of other interesting points they assess the complex networks of the 21st Century change how strategy is practiced.  That should stir some discussion.  One of the key concluding points among others, is a focus on the rule based international order as being necessary to moderate Chinese behavior.  I agree that we need to protect and strengthen the nation state system and the international order and its institutions.

 

2. WHO official walks back statement that asymptomatic transmission is ‘very rare’

foxnews.com · by Kayla Rivas | Fox News

Misspeaking at a press conference can create confusion.  Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove must really regret her choice of words.

 

3. Explainer: What Is Antifa?

defenseone.com · by Stanislav Vysotsky, The Conversation

And still another view of ANTIFA.  With these disparate views perhaps they have good OPSEC.  No one can definitively figure them out though the authors of each article from the past few days all think their analysis is correct.  I think this requires deeper analysis.

 

4. UN informed China of human rights activists plan to attend meeting, claims whistleblower

Express · by Brian McGleenon · June 7, 2020

If true this is despicable.  I wonder if any of my UN friends can confirm or deny this.  Again if true this shows how achin has worked to coerce international organizations to serve its interests.  But rather than backing away from these organizations we need to understand this is key terrain in one of the many battlespaces of Great Power Competition.

 

5. China is not a military threat, EU top diplomat says

Politico · by Jacopo Barigazzi · June 9, 2020

Really?  Would you want to build a national security strategy around that assumption?  Perhaps it is only a threat through political warfare, economic warfare,  and cyber warfare. Prudence demands we plan for the full range of threats to include the military threat.

 

6. 1962≠2020: US study explains India’s conventional edge over China

indiatoday.in · by Ankit Kumar · June 9, 2020

An interesting perspective.  Unfortunately the only way to prove this is for the conflict to erupt. (Which I hope does not happen).

 

7. Harvard professor indicted for allegedly making false statements about secret work in Wuhan

CNBC · by Amanda Macias · June 9, 2020

I wonder what kind of a position is a “Strategic Scientist?”  What kind of scientist gets paid $50,0000 per month?  I was going to ask what motivates someone to do this.  But i think the answer is clear.

 

8. Taiwanese Fighters Drive Off Chinese Jets After Navy Transport Plane Flies Over The Island

thedrive.com · by Joseph Trevithick · June 9, 2020

 

9. The Ships, Planes, and Submarines Busting the Cartel’s Narco Subs

Popular Mechanics · by Kyle Mizokami · June 8, 2020

Based on some of the photos I have seen, particularly the semi-submersibles, it makes me wonder if North Korea has sold some of these or has provided advice and assistance to the cartels.

 

10. Report: Killing of Utah mayor in Afghanistan was planned

startribune.com · by Associated Press June 8, 2020

A tragic counterintelligence failure.

 

11. Senate confirms first black service chief in U.S. history

Axios · by Orion Rummler

About time.

 

12. Exclusive: Obscure Indian cyber firm spied on politicians, investors worldwide

uk.reuters.com · by Jack Stubbs, Raphael Satter, Christopher Bing

Incredible.  This is why we need to focus on cyber civil defense and personal cyber hygiene. 

 

13. James Carafano: Reduce forces in Europe? America would suffer. Here’s how

foxnews.com · by James Carafano, The Heritage Foundation

It is not in US national interests to withdraw from Germany.

That said we could change our force posture in all host nations if we conducted comprehensive assessments to determine what is the right force structure to protect and advance US interests and meet our treaty obligations. Such an assessment may reveal we need more troops or could provide us with alternative force structures that might better support our interests.

 

14. ‘No official confirmation’: If Trump is withdrawing troops, nobody has told Germany

Washington Examiner · by Joel Gehrke · June 9, 2020

 

15.   Take the Confederate Names Off Our Army Bases by David Petraeus

The Atlantic · by David Petraeus · June 9, 2020

This is going to stir up a lot of emotional discussion.  I think I understand the major issues and arguments on both sides. I suppose the fundamental question is are we going to look backward or do we want to look forward?

 

16. Dear Mr. Secretary, You Can Rename Army Bases Right Now

defenseone.com · by Mike Jason, John Nagl, and Paul Yingling

Proposed names and a draft memo to implement the changes.  What I especially like about this list is the majority of the names are NCOs and soldiers with a handful of junior officers.  And each is from the state in which it is located.

 

17. House Republicans object to pulling US troops out of Germany

foxnews.com · by Marisa Schultz | Fox News

No surprise here.  These Republicans understand national security.  Unfortunately Rep, Thornberry is retiring.  We will miss him.

 

18. House Intelligence Committee chairman wants to know whether Pentagon spy agency provided information on protesters

The Washington Post· Ellen Nakashima · June 8, 2020

 

19. US ‘strategic approach’ to China: compete, compel and challenge

aspistrategist.org.au · by Graeme Dobell · June 8, 2020

A new trinity.  A critique of the new US approach to China.

 

20. China pushes back against Harvard coronavirus study

Al Jazeera English

Again, lie, defy, and deny.  Or admit nothing, deny everything, and make counter accusations.  China has a pretty thin skin. It does not want its reputation damage.  What if this study is confirmed/proven? (it has not been peer reviewed yet)  How does China deal with that?

 

21. The Pandemic and Political Order – It Takes a State

Foreign Affairs · by Francis Fukuyama · June 9, 2020

Spoiler alert:  It is not the end of history. “The world is moving into a long, depressing slog.”   But good news: “democracy, capitalism, and the United States have all proved capable of transformation and adaptation before.”

 

22. The Pentagon Can’t Afford All of the Weapons It Wants, New Report Says

defenseone.com · by Marcus Weisgerber

 And I think it will only get worse with our huge spending levels to fight COVID-19 and attempts to salvage the economy.

 

23. Military members are disproportionately affected by cybercrime: Here’s why and how to avoid it

militarytimes.com · by Zach England · June 9, 2020

Cyber civil defense and cyber hygiene.  These concepts need to become second nature for all of us.  We all have to protect ourselves in ways we never had to two or three decades ago.

 

24. No Sign Of Antifa So Far In Justice Department Cases Brought Over Unrest

NPR · by Ryan Lucas · June 9, 2020

An interesting data point.

 

25. General Brown’s Wisdom: The new Air Force chief of staff offers words right for the moment.

Wall Street Journal· by Editorial Staff · June 9, 2020

A good man at the right time.  I never crossed paths with General Brown though he has also served in Korea over the years.  

We should heed his words of wisdom.  Watch his video address here

 

————-

 

“I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.”

 – James Baldwin

 

“To sin by silence, when they should protest, makes cowards of men.”

 – Ella Wheeler Wilcox 

 

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”

 – John F. Kennedy

 

 

 

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