07/28/2020 News & Commentary – National Security
News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Andrew Narloch.
1. Trump nominates retired Army colonel to be next US ambassador to Germany
2. WHO says COVID-19 pandemic is ‘one big wave’, not seasonal
3. Coronavirus Is Back With a Vengeance in Places Where It Had All but Vanished
4. The Quad Is Poised to Become Openly Anti-China Soon
5. Even countries that got coronavirus under control are now struggling. That’s deeply concerning for the rest of the world
6. Pandemic Is Overwhelming U.S. Public Health Capacity In Many States. What Now?
7. Alarm over discovery of hundreds of Chinese fishing vessels near Galápagos Islands
8. US urged to exploit cracks in Russia-China relationship
9. Analysis | The military is making changes in response to Black Lives Matter protests. That’s good for fighting wars.
10. Will Chinese Forced Labor Spur Another American Pivot?
11. Hollywood ‘kowtowing’ to China takes heat from Washington. But why now?
12. How can journalists avoid being used in disinformation operations?
13. Disinformation Disruption and Distance: Public Confidence in the U.S. Military in the COVID-19 Era
14. Military Stolen Valor Cases on the Rise, Investigators Say
15. In defense of Mark Esper
16. D.C. National Guard officer challenges account of violent clearing of protesters in Lafayette Square
17. Democrats urge controversial Pentagon policy nominee to withdraw
18. USAGM Announces Investigation Into ‘Long-term Security Failures’
19. This Is Not Your Parents’ Military. We Can’t Fund It the Same Way
20. Special Forces offers a peek behind the curtain at the spooky side of their job
21. Germany, U.K. Oppose Inviting Korea to G7 Summit
1. Trump nominates retired Army colonel to be next US ambassador to Germany
Washington Examiner – by Zachary Halaschak – July 27, 2020
I wonder how you apply “Breaking the Phalanx ” to diplomacy. Perhaps he will advise on the reorganization of the German military along the lines of his book. (please note my attempt at humor).
2. WHO says COVID-19 pandemic is ‘one big wave’, not seasonal
Uk.reuters.com – July 28, 2020
3. Coronavirus Is Back With a Vengeance in Places Where It Had All but Vanished
WSJ – by Philip Wen in Melbourne, Australia, and Joyu Wang in Hong Kong- July 27, 2020
Obviously not a good sign. This must be one helluva resilient little virus.
4. The Quad Is Poised to Become Openly Anti-China Soon
thewire.in – by Derek Grossman
Will the US vision for the Quad be realized?
5. Even countries that got coronavirus under control are now struggling. That’s deeply concerning for the rest of the world
CNN – by Analysis by James Griffiths
Yes we should be very concerned. But I have not seen any significant reporting out of Taiwan. We did see the report of the New Zealand citizen who traveled to South Korea and tested positive upon arrival.
6. Pandemic Is Overwhelming U.S. Public Health Capacity In Many States. What Now?
NPR – by Rob Stein – July 28, 2020
I do not know how we are going to solve the capacity issue if the hospitalization rates continue to rise. A lot of tough decisions are going to be made and possibly being are going to die from causes other than the coronavirus if hospitals are overcrowded with coronavirus patients.
7. Alarm over discovery of hundreds of Chinese fishing vessels near Galápagos Islands
The Guardian – by Dan Collyns – July 28, 2020
Well I guess this explains why the Chinese are there: Ecuador’s president Lenín Moreno described the archipelago as “one of the richest fishing areas and a seedbed of life for the entire planet.” But we should be clear that China has only its own best interests at heart and has no concern for something like the Galapagos.
8. US urged to exploit cracks in Russia-China relationship
Financial Times · by Kathrin Hille · July 27, 2020
Yes,as Mr. Biegun notes below we need to be agile and exploit the seams.
9. Analysis | The military is making changes in response to Black Lives Matter protests. That’s good for fighting wars.
The Washington Post · by Jason Lyall
That is an interesting subtitle. This article is derived from the author’s book: “Divided Armies: Inequality and Battlefield Performance in Modern War
10. Will Chinese Forced Labor Spur Another American Pivot?
spectator.org – by Steve Postal- July 28, 2020
I certainly hope so. There needs to be a continued and concerted effort to expose China’s abuses.
11. Hollywood ‘kowtowing’ to China takes heat from Washington. But why now?
News.yahoo.com -Alice Su
Actually it should take heat from American moviegoers.
12. How can journalists avoid being used in disinformation operations?
aspistrategist.org.au – by Alexandra Pascoe – July 27, 2020
That is probably an impossible task though I think professional journalists will say that following best journalistic practices (and ethics) such as confirming source information and using multiple sources are fundamental ways to minimize being a conduit for disinformation. But the information battlespace is contested and competing organizations (and nation-states and political parties) will always find journalists caught in the middle. And paradoxically (to some) perhaps professional journalists are our best hope for exposing disinformation.
13. Disinformation Disruption and Distance: Public Confidence in the U.S. Military in the COVID-19 Era
thestrategybridge.org – by Paul Merklinger and Ryan Orsini – July 28, 2020
Some good analysis and well worth the read. I concur with the authors that we to often fight disinformation when we are back on our heels. Also I like the idea of how to remove the oxygen from the fire.
14. Military Stolen Valor Cases on the Rise, Investigators Say
military.com – by Richard Sisk – July 27, 2020
What is with these people? I just cannot see how someone can look at themself in the mirror when they lie like this.
15. In defense of Mark Esper
The Hill · by James Carafano and Thomas Spoehr, opinion contributors · July 27, 2020
16. D.C. National Guard officer challenges account of violent clearing of protesters in Lafayette Square
armytimes.com – by Ellen Knickmeyer, The Associated Press – July 27, 2020
17. Democrats urge controversial Pentagon policy nominee to withdraw
The Hill – by Rebecca Kheel – July 27, 2020
I just wonder how many more appointees can get confirmed this term. The Senate does not seem to have much time to hold all the confirmation hearings. This first term administration will go down in history as having the most unfilled positions in the executive branch perhaps in history – probably at least in the modern era of Post WWII.
18. USAGM Announces Investigation Into ‘Long-term Security Failures’
voanews.com – by VOA News
It is not really clear on what kind of security failures. Information and computer network security? Or personnel security?
19. This Is Not Your Parents’ Military. We Can’t Fund It the Same Way
defenseone.com–DAKOTA WOOD
The high cost of arms and personnel.
20. Special Forces offers a peek behind the curtain at the spooky side of their job
connectingvets.radio.com – by Jack Murphy – July 27, 2020
A very interesting video from the Special Warfare Center and School at this link: https://www.dvidshub.net/video/760270/6th-battalion-command-video
From the DVIDS web site: An in depth overview of the advanced skills taught to Special Operations students by 6th Battalion at the United States John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Courses range from conventional and unconventional intelligence collection, irregular warfare analytics, biometric and forensic collection techniques, surveillance, and cyber technology.
An awful lot of information in this approximately 6 minute video. You can read a lot between the lines here.
21. Germany, U.K. Oppose Inviting Korea to G7 Summit
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“People have only as much liberty as they have the intelligence to want and the courage to take.”
– Emma Goldman
“The likelihood that your acts of resistance cannot stop the injustice does not exempt you from acting in what you sincerely and reflectively hold to be the best interests of your community.”
– Susan Sontag
“I believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no light without shadow; or rather, no shadow unless there is also light.”
– Margaret Atwood
