07/22/2020 News & Commentary – National Security
News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Ahyoung Shin
1. German governors urge Congress to stop American troop withdrawal plan
2. Space Admiral? House Lawmakers Want Navy Ranks for Space Force
3. Divide et impera: A look at Russia’s information warfare activities
4. The cash-strapped nation can’t afford more defense spending
5. US accuses supplier for Amazon, Apple, Dell, GM, Microsoft of human rights abuses
6. Conservatives, libertarians push back on Portland crackdown: ‘Cannot give up liberty for security’
7. Among DoD leadership, eyes are now wide open to value of telework
8. Trump is determined to bring home U.S. military forces from somewhere
9. West Virginia officials want other states to adopt online voting for deployed troops
10. U.S. is positioning military assets around Asia to counter China, Esper says
11. Missile defense deserves top priority
12. America gets an Interior Ministry
13. The age of strategic instability
14. Combatting and defeating Chinese propaganda and disinformation: A case study of Taiwan’s 2020 elections
15. US accuses Chinese hackers in targeting of COVID-19 research
16. Two US carriers through the Taiwan Strait in 48 years – time for more
17. White officers: maybe oblivious but not innocent
18. Two Chinese hackers working with the Ministry of State Security charged with global computer intrusion campaign
19. A new U.S. national security strategy: A world transformed
20. Defense Secretary becomes latest public official to voice concern over federal agents in Portland
21. China says U.S. ordered it to close Houston consulate
1. German governors urge Congress to stop American troop withdrawal plan
militarytimes.com · by The Associated Press · July 20, 2020
2. Space Admiral? House Lawmakers Want Navy Ranks for Space Force
military.com · by Oriana Pawlyk · July 21, 2020
And the first deployed headquarters will be named the Enterprise.
3. Divide et impera: A look at Russia’s information warfare activities
c4isrnet.com · by Stanislaw Zaryn · July 21, 2020
A view from Poland. Is Russia fueling the flames of US domestic turmoil? If so then we need to keep in mind what our national security strategy says:
“A democracy is only as resilient as its people. An informed and engaged citizenry is the fundamental requirement for a free and resilient nation. For generations, our society has protected free press, free speech, and free thought. Today, actors such as Russia are using information tools in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democracies. Adversaries target media, political processes, financial networks, and personal data. The American public and private sectors must recognize this and work together to defend our way of life. No external threat can be allowed to shake our shared commitment to our values, undermine our system of government, or divide our Nation.” (Page 14)
4. The cash-strapped nation can’t afford more defense spending
Washington Examiner · by Daniel DePetris · July 21, 2020
Are we headed for a train wreck? Or are we in the middle of one? I think the foundation of our national power has always been our economy especially since WWII. We can have no national security without a strong economy and that really needs to be our number one priority – secure the economic well being of our nation. I worry about how we are being challenged economically (e.g., what if the RMB replaces the dollar as the reserve currency?) But we still must sufficiently invest in defense.
5. US accuses supplier for Amazon, Apple, Dell, GM, Microsoft of human rights abuses
cnet.com · by Ian Sherr
6. Conservatives, libertarians push back on Portland crackdown: ‘Cannot give up liberty for security’
washingtontimes.com · by David Sherfinski
I was wondering how long it would be before conservatives and libertarians would start focusing on protecting civil liberties.
7. Among DoD leadership, eyes are now wide open to value of telework
federalnewsnetwork.com · July 20, 2020
It is amazing how a crisis can create new capabilities and a new normal.
8. Trump is determined to bring home U.S. military forces from somewhere
The Washington Post · by Karen DeYoung and Missy Ryan
Is this the end game? If we conduct a significant withdrawal of our forward stationed forces, we are going to damage US national security for years to come, perhaps irreparably.
9. West Virginia officials want other states to adopt online voting for deployed troops
airforcetimes.com · by Zach England · July 21, 2020
I am sure this will generate some controversy. What if everyone who is registered to vote received some kind of encrypted capability that would ensure one person one vote that could not be hacked?
10. U.S. is positioning military assets around Asia to counter China, Esper says
WSJ · by Nancy A. Youssef
Yet we want to withdraw forward stationed US forces.
11. Missile defense deserves top priority
realcleardefense.com · by John Rossomando
12. America gets an Interior Ministry
defenseone.com · by David A. Graham
This is quite a critique. We did not need a national police force or an interior ministry. And one thing I would do is to prohibit any federal, state, and local law enforcement forces from wearing military uniforms.
13. The age of strategic instability
Foreign Affairs · by Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall · July 21, 2020
14. Combatting and defeating Chinese propaganda and disinformation: A case study of Taiwan’s 2020 elections
For all those who study political warfare and propaganda.
Note the 12 policy recommendations for the US Global Engagement Center in the EXSUM below.
The 68 page report is can be downloaded at this link.
15. US accuses Chinese hackers in targeting of COVID-19 research
AP · by ERIC TUCKER · July 21, 2020
Chinese R&D: steal to leap ahead. No better target for China than coronavirus research.
16. Two US carriers through the Taiwan Strait in 48 years – time for more
The Hill · by Joseph Bosco, opinion contributor · July 21, 2020
17. White officers: maybe oblivious but not innocent
usni.org · by Commander Wolf Melbourne, U.S. Navy · July 20, 2020
Something for all of us white men to reflect on.
18. Two Chinese hackers working with the Ministry of State Security charged with global computer intrusion campaign
justice.gov · July 21, 2020
Good work DOJ.
19. A new U.S. national security strategy: A world transformed
The National Interest · by John Poindexter, Robert McFarlane, and Richard Levine · July 20, 2020
A very long read. An interesting take on a new US national security strategy that lays out a series of challenges and recommended actions.
20. Defense Secretary becomes latest public official to voice concern over federal agents in Portland
Forbes · by Jemima McEvoy · July 21, 2020
He should be concerned and I am gratified to hear that he is. They have already been confused for military personnel. From the first videos my daughter tells me her social media feed said the Army had been deployed to Portland. As I have said we should prohibit all federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel from wearing military style uniforms.
21. China says U.S. ordered it to close Houston consulate
WSJ · by Chun Han Wong
Interesting timing for an interesting move. I wonder what will be the tit for tat response in China against our diplomatic presence there.
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“Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food and water, in austere conditions training day and night. The only clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn’t worry about what workout to do – his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about ‘how hard it is;’ he knows he either wins or he dies. He doesn’t go home at 17:00; he is home.
He knows only The Cause”
– Unknown
“Remember: it’s not just the virus. it’s the virus + economic crisis + political crisis + growing international tensions etc”
– Adam Elkus @Aelkus via Twitter
“There is a cult of ignorance in the United States, and there has always been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that ‘my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.”
– Issac Asimov
