12/15/20 News & Commentary – National Security
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