8/8/2020 News & Commentary – National Security
News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. China’s rise forges new bond between Japan and Five Eyes
2. For whom the tok tiks
3. DOE RFI for Trump executive order on bulk-power system grapples with national security implications of evolving U.S. electrical grid
4. GOP rep calls on DOJ to investigate international court for ties to terror
5, Why Taiwan is at the heart of a microchip struggle
6. The problem with allies: it’s time to unfriend a few countries
7. The fragile republic: American democracy has never faced so many threats all at once
8. US troops should withdraw from Syria, not protect oil companies
9. Defense personnel to get a crash course in OpSec
10. U.S. allies tighten alliance to contain China’s maritime expansion
11. Tensions mount over China’s industrial espionage in U.S.
12. Russia continues interfering in election to try to help Trump, U.S. intelligence says
13. Special ops nominee grilled over charge his firm may have trained Khashoggi’s killers
14. Mail carriers deliver medicine and mail till dark, thanks to COVID-19
15. How does the U.S. Army expect to hide a giant warehouse full of weapons from China?
16. Fort Hood commander’s transfer on hold amid investigations
17. ‘People give limbs so we stay free:’ Green Beret amputee vet describes Purple Heart’s meaning
1. China’s rise forges new bond between Japan and Five Eyes
Nikkei Asian Review · by Wajahat Khan & Masaya Kato · August 7, 2020
So will it be Six Eyes? Will the UK join TPP?
2. For whom the Tok Tiks
Defense One · by Ina Bogost · August 7, 2020
A lot of cute titles today.
3. DOE RFI for Trump executive order on bulk-power system grapples with national security implications of evolving U.S. electrical grid
Foley · by Jeffery R. Atkin et al. · July 14, 2020
Our electrical grid is vulnerable.
4. GOP rep calls on DOJ to investigate international court for ties to terror
Newsweek · by Aila Slisco · August 7, 2020
I hope this does not blow back on us.
5. Why Taiwan is at the heart of a microchip struggle
Asia Times · by Marshall Auerback · August 8, 2020
But that gunboat needs the technology.
6. The problem with allies: it’s time to unfriend a few countries
American Spectator · by Doug Bandow · August 8, 2020
Please do not share this with the President. Doug Bandow provides the blueprint for total retrenchment. I worry the President will hire Bandow as a security adviser in his second term to implement this plan.
I could not disagree more with Bandow. Alliances are key to our national security, our economic security, and our ability to project power and build coalitions to protect US national interests.
That said, it is fair to continually assess our alliance structure and to adjust as necessary based on US national interests. But our alliances should be based on shared interests, shared values, and shared strategy toward mutual security. This blueprint throws the baby out with the bathwater and will put US national security at great risk.
7. The fragile republic: American democracy has never faced so many threats all at once
Foreign Affairs · by Suzanne Mettler & Robert C. Lieberman · August 7, 2020
Our federal democratic republic. As Ben said, “It’s a republic, if you can keep it.”
8. US troops should withdraw from Syria, not protect oil companies
Defense One · by Daniel L. Davis · August 7, 2020
I am reminded of a George Carlin monologue (I think from the album, “Class Clown”): The middle two words of industry are “US” and it is to job of the military to protect industry.
9. Defense personnel to get a crash course in OpSec
Defense One · by Lindy Kyzer · August 7, 2020
10. U.S. allies tighten alliance to contain China’s maritime expansion
Chosun Ilbo · by VOA News · August 7, 2020
Containment?
11. Tensions mount over China’s industrial espionage in U.S.
Chosun Ilbo · by VOA News · August 7, 2020
Korea should also be very worried about this as well. It is a prime target for Chinese industrial espionage.
12. Russia continues interfering in election to try to help Trump, U.S. intelligence says
New York Times · by Julian E. Barnes · August 7, 2020
This is not going away. We cannot keep our head buried in the sand.
13. Special ops nominee grilled over charge his firm may have trained Khashoggi’s killers
Military.com · by Richard Sisk · August 6, 2020
I do wonder how the Senate will act on this. It did not look good for him.
14. Mail carriers deliver medicine and mail till dark, thanks to COVID-19
Tampa Bay Times · by Rose Wong · August 7, 2020
Respect for our great American mail carriers.
15. How does the U.S. Army expect to hide a giant warehouse full Of weapons from China?
Forbes · by David Axe · August 7, 2020
16. Fort Hood commander’s transfer on hold amid investigations
ABC News · by Lolita C. Baldor · August 7, 2020
17. ‘People give limbs so we stay free:’ Green Beret amputee vet describes Purple Heart’s meaning
American Military News · by Ryan Morgan · August 7, 2020
“Nonviolent action involves opposing the opponent’s power, including his police and military capacity, not with the weapons chosen by him but by quite different means. Repression by the opponent is used against his own power position in a kind of political “ju-jitsu” and the very sources of his power thus reduced or removed, with the result that his political and military position is seriously weakened or destroyed.”
– Gene Sharp
‘If [people] cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them.’
– George Orwell
“OLD SF”
“Yep, it was a simpler time in many ways. No computers, no risk assessment process, team sergeants wrote training schedules and ran teams for many years (not just two), no interpreters, no velcro, no gortex, no optics on guns, no body armor or high speed helmets, no CONOPs, no Powerpoint, no warrant officers (LTs were there to carry the generator and learn before they took a team as a CPT), no career path, no officer or NCO branch to hide people in, we had our own flight det in the Groups, we wore no-shit LBE with butt packs, and we just made shit happen. Now there were some differences too that folks now wouldn’t like. We did formations…PT, morning at 0900 often, sometimes at 1300. We occasionally did Company, Bn, and Group runs. We wore berets in garrison and either patrol caps or boonie hats in the woods (or a drive on rag while patrolling if appropriate). We did isolation. We did a lot of SL night CE jumps, and under some commanders that’s all we did, but we were good at it. We had field pants and cold weather gear made of wool, and sleeping bags made of down. We didn’t have the ammo they have today, but we used what we had wisely. We did SQT tests and certification. There was only jump pay…$55, then $83, then $110 I think, and MFF/SCUBA pay. No SDAP, Lang pay, demo pay, or huge bonuses. We had no specialized gear…when I got to an ODA I think they issued ma a VS-17 panel, strobe light, snap link, sling rope, and a compass, and a couple of more things like a GP net from PBO. Damn, those were some great times….We were expected to do anything, anytime, anyplace with nothing other than our wits, creativity, and drive. And we did. And we did it with great NCO leadership from the Vietnam era guys who did the exact same thing before we stepped in.”
-Chris Zets
(some of us grew up in this era)
