6/2/2020 News & Commentary – National Security
News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore
1. Americans should fight propaganda, like we used to
2. The COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitics
3. The coronavirus is raising the likelihood of great-power conflict
4. Estonia already lives online. Why can’t the United States?
5. Pompeo signals impending action against ICC for investigating alleged U.S. war crimes
6. Hong Kong security law: China weighs risk US will go for ‘nuclear option’ and cut Beijing from the dollar payment system
7. Hong Kong police are spraying protesters with blue-dye water cannons to mark them for arrest later
8. How to compete with China without going to war
9. Trump says the top U.S. military officer is ‘in charge’ as George Floyd protests rock the nation
10. Russia and China target US protests on social media
11. Joint chiefs vision changes military education philosophy
12. Pompeo says U.S. considers welcoming Hong Kong people, entrepreneurs
13. China delayed releasing coronavirus info, frustrating WHO
14. Presidents have leeway to use military for domestic purposes
15. As virus toll preoccupies U.S., rivals test limits of American influence
16. The death of globalisation has been announced many times. But this is a perfect storm
17. Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight with China
18. With scenes of police brutality, America’s beacon to the world winks out
19. Closing the generational divide on supporting democracy
20. Eli Lilly begins first human tests of an antibody drug against Covid-19
1. Americans should fight propaganda, like we used to
Defenseone.com · by Tara Sonenshine · June 01, 2020
The author was in the previous administration so there is some bias against the current administration. But the key point is we have to compete well in the information space. It is a strategic imperative. Today it takes of whole of society effort to fight propaganda. I know it is cliché to say that, but we are soldiers on the psychological warfare battlefield.
I hate to beat the dead horse, but the fundamental concept for defeat of propaganda is in our National Security Strategy on page 14. All Americans, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents should all embrace these words and internalize them without regard to partisan beliefs.
2. The COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitics
Strategy Bridge · by James L. Regens and John S. Beddow · June 1, 2020
This is a long read that provides a good overview of the pandemic up to this point. It asks the tough question of what will be the geopolitical balance post COVID-19.
Note how prescient were the words of the Global Trends 2025.
3. The coronavirus is raising the likelihood of great-power conflict
Defenseone.com · by Barry Pavel · June 01, 2020
Yes, deterrence is critical at this time. While we can increase military operations, deployments and presence, our deterrence is undermined by the perception of the US being distracted by the coronavirus as well as the current civil unrest. In addition, there is significant friction within our alliance structure. How do our adversaries assess the current US conditions and balance that against our demonstrated military capabilities? I think we need to ponder that if we are going to assess our deterrence.
4. Estonia already lives online. Why can’t the United States?
Defenseone.com · by Nina Jankowicz · June 01, 2020
An interesting question. Which leads to three others: can we build the secure infrastructure for the size of our population? Should we do so, given the potential security risks? Can we learn from Estonia?
I think it is interesting that the Internet evolved with convenience as the primary consideration, not security. We have a whole generation that has grown up online. But we did not grow up with security as the primary focus. When my daughter went off to college and she had to use two-factor authentication, she complained to me that it was inconvenient. I explained universities were targets for foreign cyber attacks and they must protect their networks. If we want to go online, we need to invest in “cyber civil defense” with the whole of society taking responsibility, because we can all be conduits for penetration of networks. And we need to instill the good practices of personal cyber hygiene to protect ourselves. Yes, we can develop technology to protect us on many levels. But, in the end the cyber domain is a human endeavor and the human is both the biggest strength and weakness. Maybe if we do that we could then live online like Estonia.
5. Pompeo signals impending action against ICC for investigating alleged U.S. war crimes
Politico · by Quint Forgey · June 01, 2020
What the article does not mention is that ICC is supposed to investigate crimes when a government cannot or will not investigate. The US investigates alleged crimes by its military forces. And the irony is the prosecutor is using the information from actual US investigations already completed to try to develop their case against US personnel. The actions by the ICC prosecutor are political, based on her agenda, and do not seem to follow proper procedure of the ICC governing charter. There are so many crimes out there committed in countries with little to no rule of law that need investigating. But instead the prosecutor seems to be only interested in going after the US. I can only surmise she is doing this for the publicity and fame.
This action by the ICC puts US military and government personnel at risk. If the ICC indicts an American, he or she will be unable to travel to any country that will extradite them for trial at the ICC.
6. Hong Kong security law: China weighs risk US will go for ‘nuclear option’ and cut Beijing from the dollar payment system
South China Morning Post · by Karen Yeung and Zhou Xin · June 01, 2020
I am not an economist but would this be cutting off our nose to spite out face? I guess this would be economic warfare on a “nuclear scale.”
7. Hong Kong police are spraying protesters with blue-dye water cannons to mark them for arrest later
Insider.com · by Isobel Asher Hamilton · June 01, 2020
I wonder if the Hong Kong citizens will use the “I am Spartacus” technique and cover all citizens with blue dye. We should check with Gene Sharp’s From Dictatorship to Democracy to see about non-violent responses to these PRC techniques for population and resources control measures.
8. How to compete with China without going to war
Ozy.com · by John McLaughlin · May 29, 2020
McLaughlin makes some good points, but I think he left out one key point. If we want to successfully compete with China, we should follow Sun Tzu: “Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy’s strategy. Next best is to disrupt his alliances by diplomacy. The next best is to attack his army.” We need to expose and attack the CCP strategy and, although it has only one alliance (North Korea). we can certainly apply the concept to China’s relationships through its one belt one road concept. If we defeat his strategy and disrupt his relationships, we can win without fighting. We need understand that we are competing through political warfare.
9. Trump says the top U.S. military officer is ‘in charge’ as George Floyd protests rock the nation
CNBC · by Amanda Macias · June 1, 2020
The CJCS is not in the chain of command by law. The President and the Secretary of Defense are in command (or what we used to call the National Command Authority).
I suppose paragraph (2) can be interpreted that the President can assign duties to the CJCS to be put in charge. But it seems like the law prohibits him being given command per Section 152.
10. Russia and China target US protests on social media
Politico · by Mark Scott · June 1, 2020
We are all vulnerable targets during this period of civil unrest. And Russia and China (and Iran and even North Korea) must be ecstatic over the opportunities presented by radical groups on both sides from ANTIFA to White Supremacist groups.
11. Joint chiefs vision changes military education philosophy
Defense.gov · by Jim Garamone · June 1, 2020
12. Pompeo says U.S. considers welcoming Hong Kong people, entrepreneurs
Reuters· by Humeyra Pamuk and David Brunnstrom · June 1, 2020
13. China delayed releasing coronavirus info, frustrating WHO
AP · by The Associated Press · June 2, 2020
A long read. Can China buy its way out of its negligent actions with a $2 billion contribution to the WHO? And are we ceding influence to China over an important international institution? With China’s negligence it should be an opportunity to expose China’s strategy and influence and counter it.
14. Presidents have leeway to use military for domestic purposes
AP · by Eric Tucker and Lolita C. Baldor · June 2, 2020
But probably not with the CJCS in command.
15. As virus toll preoccupies U.S., rivals test limits of American influence
The New York Times · by David E. Sanger, Eric Schmitt, and Edward Wong · June 1, 2020
It is not just the coronavirus, but also internal civil unrest, economic upheaval, stepping back from international organization(s), and a weakened alliance structure all provide opportunities to the revisionist and rogue powers to erode US power and influence.
16. The death of globalisation has been announced many times. But this is a perfect storm
The Guardian · by Adam Tooze · June 2, 2020
Of course Mark Twain had some thoughts on premature death. However, this sums up the situation quite succinctly.
17. Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight with China
Strategy Bridge · by T.S. Allen · June 2, 2020
Very interesting analysis. It needs to be discussed in detail and the author spends the essay providing important discussion.
The question is how do our armed forces support the conduct of political warfare? The armed forces play a supporting role, but I think part of what the author is calling for is a political warfare strategy – based on national statecraft – to effectively compete with China short of war.
As an aside, this is one reason why we need to continue Small Wars Journal – to provide a platform for a large number of diverse voices (especially new ones) to provide their contributions to the discussion and debate.
18. With scenes of police brutality, America’s beacon to the world winks out
Foreign Policy · by Colum Lynch, Robbie Gramer · June 1, 2020
The knives are coming out for our federal democratic republic. Has the great American experiment failed? I am not ready to accept that and I certainly hope Americans across the country are not.
19. Closing the generational divide on supporting democracy
Bushcenter.org · by Nicole Bibbins Sedaca · May 5, 2020
These are some shocking data points. The question I never see asked is what do people think will replace our federal democratic republic? And do we not still believe in our fundamental values of freedom and individual liberty, liberal democracy, free market economy, and human rights? What is the new social contract that people desire?
But I think Dr. Bibbins Sedaca sums it up well here and I would ask us all, are we ready to exercise our civic responsibility and civic duty?
20. Eli Lilly begins first human tests of an antibody drug against Covid-19
STAT · by Matthew Herper · June 1, 2020
Hopefully we will soon hear some good news.
“To teach is to create a space, not to fill it.”
– Parker Palmer
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– Carl Sagan
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– Ronald Reagan
