7/01/2020 News & Commentary – National Security
News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. US using Taiwan as ‘last card’ may only speed up reunification
2. One China, two Trump China policies: ‘peaceful coexistence’ v. existential threat
3. Coronavirus: US senators seek review of drug supply chain, citing over-reliance on China
4. USCIRF warns that forced sterilization of Uyghur Muslims is evidence of genocide
5. Deepfake threats would get annual DHS look under proposed law
6. 90 out of 110 soldiers in a survival, evasion, resistance, and escape course just tested positive for COVID-19
7. Bounties are part of Moscow’s aid to the Taliban, current and former intel officials say
8. U.S. commandos at risk for suicide: is the military doing enough?
9. Use of military contractors shrouds true costs of war. Washington wants it that way, study says.
10. Beijing approves experimental Covid-19 vaccine for use in Chinese military
11. English translation of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
12. United States not on EU’s ‘safe’ travel list, diplomats say
13. Trump approves Pentagon plan to move 9,500 troops out of Germany
14. U.S. coronavirus cases rise by 47,000, biggest one-day spike of pandemic
15. Hong Kong police make first security-law arrest as thousands protest
16. China is developing a ‘nuclear triad’ after adding 30 warheads
17. Coronavirus is still with us, but the rules are breaking down
18. Trumplandia v. Antifistan? What if the US breaks up?
19. Abe’s Aegis Ashore cancellation doesn’t add up
20. Major space force units to be called deltas, officials announce
21. A national mask mandate could save the U.S. economy $1 trillion, Goldman Sachs says
22. Strategy is a journey: thoughts on strategy and stability in an evolving world
1. US using Taiwan as ‘last card’ may only speed up reunification
Global Times · by Yang Sheng · June 30, 2020
This is from the Chinese Communist Party in response to the 1st Special Forces Group training in Taiwan. Their training has struck a nerve. Sometimes the best PSYOP is unplanned. Or perhaps someone was thinking about PSYOP. This does give some meaning to the idea that one SF ODA can punch well about its weight. It is amazing the power of a 44 second video posted to Facebook.
2. One China, two Trump China policies: ‘peaceful coexistence’ v. existential threat
The Hill · by Joseph Bosco · June 30, 2020
Joe Bosco compliments the new approach and says if Trump allows them to continue to implement the policy objectives, “the free world’s prospects will continue to improve.”
3. Coronavirus: US senators seek review of drug supply chain, citing over-reliance on China
South China Morning Post · by Reuters · June 30, 2020
This is an obvious strategic vulnerability. We have to solve this problem.
4. USCIRF warns that forced sterilization of Uyghur Muslims is evidence of genocide
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom · June 30, 2020
And this is evidence of the evil nature of the Chinese Communist Party.
5. Deepfake threats would get annual DHS look under proposed law
Defense One · by Brandi Vincent · June 30, 2020
I think the threat of deep fakes will continue to grow. While we must do everything we can to root them out and stop them, we must also realize that we will never be able to eliminate deep fakes. In addition to these efforts, we must help inoculate the public against deep fakes, which of course requires education and critical thinking among our population.
6. 90 out of 110 soldiers in a survival, evasion, resistance, and escape course just tested positive for COVID-19
Task & Purpose · by Jeff Schogol · June 30, 2020
There is no social distancing at SERE. This is a shock but not surprising giving the nature of SERE training. And the problem is made worse because all the SERE trainees are likely immuno-compromised from being in an extremely weakened state from lack of food and sleep for a long period (when I went through SERE I started at 188 pounds and graduated at 156 pounds). And given the hygiene conditions in the field and in the resistance training laboratory (the simulated POW camp), the trainees likely suffer infections and other illnesses that will further immuno-compromise.
7. Bounties are part of Moscow’s aid to the Taliban, current and former intel officials say
Defense One · by Katie Bo Williams · June 29, 2020
We should not be surprised by this. And I am sure there is a lot more to this. And of course we need to figure out what effects the Russians are trying to achieve. Simply kill Americans and allied soldiers? Is this simply the way for the Russians to transfer funds to the Taliban? Do the Russians want to undermine the peace deal? Do the Russians want to achieve greater strategic effects by having this information leaked to sow dissent and discord within the US? Inquiring minds want to know.
8. U.S. commandos at risk for suicide: is the military doing enough?
The New York Times · by Nick Turse · June 30, 2020
I am surprised that Nick Turse is writing about this, but of course he is happy to write anything that exposes military and especially special operations forces “deficiencies.” Certainly the statistics are troubling. I agree with BG Bolduc that we need to do something better than we are doing now. But frankly I am at loss for what we should do. I know we need a culture change, but the question is how do we change the culture so that those suffering will seek and get help? I am sure we have some of the minds on this problem and I hope they can figure out how to reduce this problem (but it will never be eliminated)
9. Use of military contractors shrouds true costs of war. Washington wants it that way, study says.
The Washington Post · by Alex Horton & Aaron Gregg · June 30, 2020
These are some amazing statistics. There were 35,000 US troops in CENTCOM and some 53,000 contractors. And since 2001 some 8,000 contractors have died in the CENTCOM AOR.
10. Beijing approves experimental Covid-19 vaccine for use in Chinese military
CNN · by Ben Westcott · June 30, 2020
Will this be a breakthrough?
11. English translation of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
ECNS.cn · by Zhao Yuning · July 01, 2020
A lot of interesting words here. One Country, Two Systems, Rule of law. Human rights shall be respected and protected. A person is presumed innocent until convicted by a judicial body. I wonder if they think these words will satisfy the international community. This is a Chinese translation. I wonder if a linguist could compare the English and the Chinese versions and determine the differences.
12. United States not on EU’s ‘safe’ travel list, diplomats say
Reuters · by Philip Blenkinsop · June 30, 2020
Not unexpected but still difficult to fathom. We are in the company of Russia and Brazil.
13. Trump approves Pentagon plan to move 9,500 troops out of Germany
The Hill · by Rebecca Kheel · June 30, 2020
The article does not specify where they will go (though of course Poland is mentioned for some number of troops).
As I understand it part of the reason for this is to “punish” Germany for not spending enough on its own defense. But doesn’t Germany benefit by shifting troops east to deter Russia? Better to fight Russia in Poland than in Germany?
14. U.S. coronavirus cases rise by 47,000, biggest one-day spike of pandemic
Reuters · by Paul Simao & Carl O’Donnell · July 1, 2020
Numbers do not lie. We are in trouble. We really need a national level effort of civic duty on scale we have not seen since World War II to fight this virus. But when the history is written and this humanitarian disaster is analyzed, our partisan and tribal divides are likely going to be the main cause of our failure to stop the spread of this virus. There are too many people in the US who do not believe we have a crisis so they do not have to execute the proper public health measures or support the public health professionals by doing what should be their civic duty. If you are talking about the coronavirus crisis using partisan talking points instead of the science then you are contributing to the problem.
15. Hong Kong police make first security-law arrest as thousands protest
The Wall Street Journal · by Dan Strumpf · July 1, 2020
That did not take long (for either protests or to implement the law).
16. China is developing a ‘nuclear triad’ after adding 30 warheads
Daily Mail · by MAILONLINE REPORTER · June 30, 2020
The triad is a logical strategic concept for a nuclear power. I wonder why China did not seek this sooner.
17. Coronavirus is still with us, but the rules are breaking down
The Wall Street Journal · by WSJ · June 30, 2020
It is some of the attitudes and beliefs in this article that are the reasons why we are not successfully killing the virus. The anti-science culture and the deniers of the seriousness of the situation are likely the biggest contributors to the proliferation of the virus.
18. Trumplandia v. Antifistan? What if the US breaks up?
The Stream · by David Marshall · June 30, 2020
This is probably the most provocative “think piece” in recent times. There is certainly some interesting “data” below.
19. Abe’s Aegis Ashore cancellation doesn’t add up
Asia Times · by Grant Newsham · June 30, 2020
I will keep beating the drum. We need an integrated missile defense system in Northeast Asia.
20. Major space force units to be called deltas, officials announce
MIlitary.com · by Oriana Pawlyk · June 30, 2020
Did anyone fact check or crowd source the name? The Deltas were the drunken fraternity in the movie Animal House. The Netflix show, Space Force will have a field day with this.
I can see this as the headquarters for Deltas welcoming new members who are going through Space Force selection.
This will be how the Deltas participate in courts martial.
And if Deltas are led by O-6’s they are going to have to meet this leadership standard for speeches.
My apologies to the Space Force for my attempt at humor. Please do not turn off my GPS.
21. A national mask mandate could save the U.S. economy $1 trillion, Goldman Sachs says
Forbes · by Sarah Hansen · June 30, 2020
Maybe this will convince some of the deniers. We can avoid a lockdown and we can open the economy if we implement and execute proper public health procedures (testing tracing/tracking, quarantining, and treatment, etc.) and if everyone does their civic duty to prevent the spread.
22. Strategy is a journey: thoughts on strategy and stability in an evolving world
Small Wars Journal · by Robert C. Jones · June 30, 2020
Some food for strategic thinking.
“Do not compromise on national security for purely budgetary reasons. The world is dangerous, and we must always be prepared for anything that might threaten our national interests and security.”
– Sanford Bishop
“National security is the first duty of government but we are also committed to reversing the substantial erosion of civil liberties.”
– Theresa May
“Talking nonsense is the sole privilege mankind possesses over the other organisms. It’s by talking nonsense that one gets to the truth! I talk nonsense, therefore I’m human”
– Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground, White Nights, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, and Selections from The House of the Dead