Member Login Become a Member
Advertisement

12/15/20 News & Commentary – National Security

  |  
12.15.2020 at 07:55pm

News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.

1. China’s combative nationalists see a world turning their way

2. Revealed: China suspected of spying on Americans via Caribbean phone networks

3. With Americans stuck at home, trade with China roars back

4. Japan’s ability and willingness to assist U.S. forces in the East China Sea

5. Measuring soft power

6. What a Biden presidency means for defense

7. 88-day opening of the Northeast Passage sets new Arctic record

8. Hackers have vaulted into the heart of America’s government

9. China seems ready for a fight over Taiwan

10. DHS, State and NIH join list of federal agencies – now five – hacked in major Russian cyberespionage campaign

11. 2020 saw the Guard used the most since World War II. Is a retention crisis looming?

12. Our alarming silence on China’s violations of rights

13. Getting the VA secretary nominee right for veterans

14. Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is next in line for authorization

15. ‘Massively disruptive’ cyber crisis engulfs multiple agencies

16. Xi’s China is preparing for a new world order

17. Hong Kong’s worst case scenario is happening

18. Trump 2022 DoD budget would kill OCO account; huge Navy boost

19. Boost Coast Guard fleet for Pacific partnerships

20. China and Russia plan to ‘deepen’ cooperation against US

21. Our bases in US will be attacked: Army

22. Cruel truths behind China’s killer fentanyl exports

23. Are U.S. marines actually in Taiwan?

24. End of a terror era in Indonesia

25. Covid-19 shakes South Philippine peace deal

 

1. China’s combative nationalists see a world turning their way

New York Times · Chris Buckley · December 14, 2020

Funny how terms and meanings change. We used to call Chiang Kai Shek’s forces the nationalist Chinese who escaped to Taiwan.

 

2. Revealed: China suspected of spying on Americans via Caribbean phone networks

Guardian · Stephanie Kirchgaessner · December 15, 2020

We focus on the Russian’s revelations yesterday while the Chinese do something else. To borrow from a past president: “it’s information warfare, stupid.”

 

3. With Americans stuck at home, trade with China roars back

New York Times · Ana Swanson · December 14, 2020

It is not just opium or fentanyl that we are addicted to. It is Chinese goods in general. The second and third order effects of COVID?

 

4. Japan’s ability and willingness to assist U.S. forces in the East China Sea

RAND · Jeffrey W. Hornung · December 14, 2020

The 162 page report can be accessed here.

 

5. Measuring Soft Power

Foreign Policy Research Institute · Margaret Seymour · December 14, 2020

Great opening question that is difficult to answer. But the author provides some useful analysis and insights.

 

6. What a Biden presidency means for defense

National Defense · Jon Harper · December 14, 2020

 

7. 88-day opening of the Northeast Passage sets new Arctic record

Splash 247 · Sam Chambers · December 15, 2020

Ah, so there is a Northwest Passage?

 

8. Hackers have vaulted into the heart of America’s government

Economist · December 14, 2020

 

9. China seems ready for a fight over Taiwan

1945 · James Holmes · December 9, 2020

I missed this a few days ago. This 19FortyFive website seems to be a new addition to the internet.

 

10. DHS, State and NIH join list of federal agencies – now five – hacked in major Russian cyberespionage campaign

Washington Post · Ellen Nakashima & Craigh Timberg · December 14, 2020

Will this be shown to be the biggest Russian hack in history?

 

11. 2020 saw the Guard used the most since World War II. Is a retention crisis looming?

Army Times · Davis Winkie · December 13, 2020

I did not know this. I would have thought the National Guard deployment numbers would have been higher in earlier years of the GWOT, especially during the surges.

 

12. Our alarming silence on China’s violations of rights

Real Clear World · Robert Spalding · December 14, 2020

 

13. Getting the VA secretary nominee right for veterans

Military Times · David Shulkin · December 13, 2020

 

14. Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is next in line for authorization

Wall Street Journal · Thomas M. Burton & Peter Loftus · December 15, 2020

More good news. One of the biggest and most important legacies of the Trump administration will be how it showed that we can break through the bureaucratic inertia in a crisis.

 

15. ‘Massively disruptive’ cyber crisis engulfs multiple agencies

Politico · Eric Geller · December 14, 2020

What will be our response? I doubt it will be to form a joint Russian/US cyber task force as someone once proposed.

 

16. Xi’s China is preparing for a new world order

Washington Post · Ishaan Tharoor · December 15, 2020

I think I preferred President George H.W. Bush’s vision of a new world order (that was to result from the post-Cold War world).

 

17. Hong Kong’s worst case scenario is happening

Axios · Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian · December 15, 2020

 

18. Trump 2022 DoD budget would kill OCO account; huge Navy boost

Breaking Defense · Paul McLeary · December 11, 2020

I doubt Congress will pass a law removing OCO funding. I am sure this budget is DOA.

 

19. Boost Coast Guard fleet For Pacific partnerships

Breaking Defense · Ben Bordelon · December 14, 2020

Can we afford this? And what will be the cost to Coast Guard operations around our homeland? I think this makes sense to be able to engage with other Coast Guards as part of great power competition. But can we afford the cost?

 

20. China and Russia plan to ‘deepen’ cooperation against US

Washington Examiner · Joel Gehrke · December 11, 2020

The enemy of my enemy…

 

21. Our bases in US will be attacked: Army

Breaking Defense · Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. · December 14, 2020

Resilience. Can we develop sufficient resilience?

 

22. Cruel truths behind China’s killer fentanyl exports

Asia Times · Grant Newsham · December 11, 2020

Fentanyl equals subversion. Could be part of unrestricted warfare.

What is subversion? The undermining of the power and authority of an established system or institution—as in “the ruthless subversion of democracy.”

 

23. Are U.S. marines actually in Taiwan?

National Interest · Caleb Larson · December 14, 2020

Enquiring minds want to know. Is Taiwan conducting information warfare against China?

 

24. End of a terror era in Indonesia

Asia Times · John McBeth · December 14, 2020

Sounds like some good news. But I fear a Mark Twain ending.

 

25. Covid-19 shakes South Philippine peace deal

Asia Times · Georgi Engelbrecht · December 14, 2020

We will be seeing various second and third order effects of COVID for a long time to come.

 

“In Korea, the Government forces, which were armed to prevent border raids and to preserve internal security, were attacked by invading forces from North Korea….The attack upon Korea makes it plain beyond all doubt that communism has passed beyond the use of subversion to conquer independent nations and will now use armed invasion and war.”

– President Harry Truman

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.”

-Rosa Parks

“To the wrongs that need resistance,

To the right that needs assistance,

To the future in the distance,

Give yourselves.”

– Carrie Chapman Catt

About The Author

Article Discussion: