9/14/2020 News & Commentary – National Security
News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. We still have time to act against US election vulnerability
2. Defending Taiwan and deterring China
3. The future the UN wants – is it the future the US needs?
4. The best (cyber) defense is a good (cyber) offense
5. Hackers connected to China have compromised U.S. government systems, CISA says
6. Top general: intel doesn’t prove Russia paid bounties for U.S. troops
7. Army COVID-19 vaccine may produce a side benefit: cure for the common cold
8. U.S. military re-emphasizing large warfighting exercises
9. Leaked memo excoriates Facebook’s ‘slapdash and haphazard’ response to global political manipulation
10. Kill chain in the sky with data: Army’s project convergence
11. We need to talk about PTSD. I’ll start.
12. The problem with soft power
13. Mysterious drone incursions have occurred over U.S. THAAD anti-ballistic missile battery in Guam
14. ‘This all could have been prevented’ – inside the disappearance and death of Vanessa Guillén
15. Japan’s Suga will struggle to pull off Abe’s defense transformation
16. When will the US military return to pre-COVID normal? Probably never, this admiral says
17. Americans ‘not fully conscious’ of Chinese military threat to US, commander says
18. Chinese nuke arsenal next on Beijing’s ‘to-do’ list, US commander warns
1. We still have time to act against US election vulnerability
Hill · by Gen. (Ret.) Keith B. Alexander & Jamil N. Jaffer · September 13, 2020
We. Must. Act.
2. Defending Taiwan and deterring China
Real Clear Defense · by Alan W. Dowd · September 15, 2020
3. The future the UN wants – is it the future the US needs?
FDD · by Emily de La Bruyere et al. · September 14, 2020
A timely discussion as we approach the annual UN General Assembly meeting later this month.
4. The best (cyber) defense is a good (cyber) offense
Newsweek · by Jamil N. Jaffer · September 14, 2020
5. Hackers connected to China have compromised U.S. government systems, CISA says
Next Gov · by Mariam Baksh · September 14, 2020
6. Top general: intel doesn’t prove Russia paid bounties for U.S. troops
NBC News · by Courtney Kube & Ken Dilanian · September 14, 2020
But there must be intelligence on this.
7. Army COVID-19 vaccine may produce a side benefit: cure for the common cold
Impact 2020 · by Tara Copp & Michael Wilner · September 14, 2020
8. U.S. military re-emphasizing large warfighting exercises
National Defense · by Connie Lee · September 14, 2020
9. Leaked memo excoriates Facebook’s ‘slapdash and haphazard’ response to global political manipulation
Tech Crunch · by Devin Coldewey · September 14, 2020
10. Kill chain in the sky with data: Army’s project convergence
Breaking Defense · by Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. · September 14, 2020
Who controls and can effectively exploit the data wins.
11. We need to talk about PTSD. I’ll start.
Modern War Institute · by Matt Sacra · September 15, 2020
12. The problem with Soft Power
FPRI · by Margaret Seymour · September 14, 2020
13. Mysterious drone incursions have occurred over U.S. THAAD anti-ballistic missile battery in Guam
Drive · by Tyler Rogoway & Joseph Trevithick · September 14, 2020
Are there Chinese (or other countries’) assets in Guam conducting these operations?
I am reminded of the scene in the movie, The Green Berets, when “Charlie” is inside the wire in the A Camp, pacing off distances to support later VC fire missions. We have come a long way and now “spies” can use drones to map US installations.
14. ‘This all could have been prevented’ – Inside the disappearance and death of Vanessa Guillén
Task & Purpose · by Haley Britzky · September 14, 2020
What a tragic story.
15. Japan’s Suga will struggle to pull off Abe’s defense transformation
Foreign Policy · by Jack Detsch · September 14, 2020
Especially the missile defense plans.
16. When will the US military return to pre-COVID normal? Probably never, this admiral says
Military Times · by Diana Stancy Correll · September 14, 2020
Yes, the proverbial “new normal.” Are we learning how to effectively “fight through” this pandemic? Can we learn and grow stronger? And what are our adversaries learning about operating in the pandemic as well as what are they learning about us and how we fight through this?
17. Americans ‘not fully conscious’ of Chinese military threat to US, commander says
Stars & Stripes · by Caitlin M. Kenney · September 14, 2020
18. Chinese nuke arsenal next on Beijing’s ‘to-to’ list, US commander warns
VOA News · by Carla Babb · September 14, 2020
“I can almost hear the ticking of the second hand of destiny. We must act now or we will die. … We shall land at Inchon, and I shall crush them.”
– General Douglas MacArthur, USA, Planning Conference for the Battle of Inchon, 1950.
“All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter.”
– Edmund Burke
“The freedom to criticize ideas, any ideas – even if they are sincerely held beliefs – is one of the fundamental freedoms of society.”
-Rowan Atkinson