8/6/2020 News & Commentary – National Security
News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Andrew Narloch.
1. FDD | EU Issues Its First-Ever Cyber Sanctions
2. US offers $10 million reward for hackers meddling in US elections
3. State Dept.: Russia pushes disinformation in online network
4. Former Army Delta Force officer, US ambassador sign secretive contract to develop Syrian oil fields
5. Mystery swirls around what caused ammonium nitrate to explode in Beirut
6. When Covid Subsided, Israel Reopened Its Schools. It Didn’t Go Well.
7. Russia Is Winning the Information War in Afghanistan
8. A new technique can detect newer 4G ‘stingray’ cell phone snooping
9. Those who battled Bonhomme Richard blaze risked all to save ship
10. Opinion | China is exporting its digital authoritarianism
11. There Are No Women Leading Marine Infantry Platoons. The Corps Wants to Change That
12. Army SFAB enterprise changes leaders as it begins sending smaller teams out globally
13. Air Force Formalizes New Approach to SERE Training
14. Mark Esper details ‘vigorous’ Defense Department reorientation to confront China’s rise
15. Esper says he underestimated how much racial injustice affects service members
16. Op-Ed: Trump has pulled out of the global battle for hearts and minds
17. In countering China, the US must not lose its knack for nuanced diplomacy
18. To Rebuild America’s Weakened Alliances, Heal Its Diplomatic Corps
1. FDD | EU Issues Its First-Ever Cyber Sanctions
fdd.org · by Annie Fixler CCTI Deputy Director · August 5, 2020
From my FDD colleagues.
2. US offers $10 million reward for hackers meddling in US elections
ZDNet · by Catalin Cimpanu
Crowd sourcing our defense? 🙂 It takes a whole of society to conduct effective cyber defense. Let’s hope the smart hackers will compete for this.
3. State Dept.: Russia pushes disinformation in online network
AP · by AMANDA SEITZ · August 5, 2020
4. Former Army Delta Force officer, US ambassador sign secretive contract to develop Syrian oil fields
CNN · by Kylie Atwood and Ryan Browne, CNN
Seems like some huge risks here on multiple levels. Does this mean we will continue a long term US military presence in the region?
5. Mystery swirls around what caused ammonium nitrate to explode in Beirut
timesofisrael.com · by TOI staff 5 August 2020, 9:57 am 6 Edit
What an incredible story leading to an incredible tragedy.
6. When Covid Subsided, Israel Reopened Its Schools. It Didn’t Go Well.
The New York Times · by Isabel Kershner · August 4, 2020
Lessons to be learned. We can be intelligent or we can be wise.
7. Russia Is Winning the Information War in Afghanistan
Foreign Policy · by Samuel Ramani · August 5, 2020
Perhaps Russia’s most important capability is information warfare.
8. A new technique can detect newer 4G ‘stingray’ cell phone snooping
TechCrunch · by Zack Whittaker @zackwhittaker / 7 hours
A lot of smart people out there.
9. Those who battled Bonhomme Richard blaze risked all to save ship
navytimes.com · by Kenneth J Braithwaite · August 5, 2020
An OpEd from the SECNAV. Another example of our great Americans. Video at the link: https://www.navytimes.com/opinion/2020/08/05/those-who-battled-bonhomme-richard-blaze-risked-all-to-save-ship/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DEF%20EBB%208.6.20&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Early%20Bird%20Brief
10. Opinion | China is exporting its digital authoritarianism
The Washington Post · by Editorial Board
Perhaps this is more important than their military capabilities. How do you win without fighting in the modern era? Export your digital authoritarianism. Imagine a network of authoritarian regimes – and not in the old network sense – but one that is digitally networked with the puppet master in Beijing?
11. There Are No Women Leading Marine Infantry Platoons. The Corps Wants to Change That.
military.com · by Gina Harkins,Hope Hodge Seck · August 5, 2020
12. Army SFAB enterprise changes leaders as it begins sending smaller teams out globally
armytimes.com · by Kyle Rempfer · August 5, 2020
13. Air Force Formalizes New Approach to SERE Training
airforcemag.com · by John A. Tirpak · August 5, 2020
14. Mark Esper details ‘vigorous’ Defense Department reorientation to confront China’s rise
Washington Examiner · by Abraham Mahshie · August 5, 2020
China is the “pacing item” for DOD.
15. Esper says he underestimated how much racial injustice affects service members
militarytimes.com · by Meghann Myers · August 5, 2020
I think most all of us non-minority personnel underestimate this. That is how I see it based on the anecdotal evidence I see on social media comments from non-minority personnel.
16. Op-Ed: Trump has pulled out of the global battle for hearts and minds
Los Angeles Times · August 4, 2020 – by Madeleine Albright and Marc Nathanson
17. In countering China, the US must not lose its knack for nuanced diplomacy
SCMP -6 Aug, 2020-William H. Overholt
18. To Rebuild America’s Weakened Alliances, Heal Its Diplomatic Corps
defenseone.com · by Daniel Dammann and Price Flloyd
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“The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender, or submission.”
– John F. Kennedy
“All opinions are not equal. Some are a very great deal more robust, sophisticated,and well supported in logic and argument than others.”
– Douglas Adams
“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.”
– Charles Spurgeon
