News and Commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and Published by Andrew Narloch
1. Allies and Former U.S. Officials Fear Trump Could Seek NATO Exit in a Second Term
2. Covid-19 has shown the world is not prepared for potential bioweapons
3. Prospects unclear for U.S. push for NATO-like anti-China mechanism in Indo-Pacific region
4. Terror and Technology From Dynamite to Drones
5. The Marines Are Pumping Millions into a High-Tech Wargaming Center. Here's Why
6. Wargaming Cyber Security
7. The Cold War lives on in Asia
8. The Making of a Real American Diplomat
9. NTSB: ‘Unexplained’ Course Change Was ‘A Critical Error’ in Fatal USS Fitzgerald Collision
10. FDD | U.S. Needs a New ICC Strategy
11. FDD | Protection from China’s Comprehensive National Power Requires Comprehensive National Defense
12. US Special Operations Command gets first brand-new Chinook variant
13. The Pentagon has ordered Stars and Stripes to shut down for no good reason
14. China’s Population To Drop By Half, Immigration Helps U.S. Labor Force
15. Troops: White nationalism a national security threat equal to ISIS, al-Qaida
16. Over 90 percent of protests this summer were peaceful, report shows
17. Statement from the OPCW Director-General on Allegations of Chemical Weapons Use Against Alexei Navalny
18. Germany Joins the ‘Indo-Pacific’ Club
1. Allies and Former U.S. Officials Fear Trump Could Seek NATO Exit in a Second Term
The New York Times · by Michael Crowley · September 3, 2020
This cannot be so. I am sure cooler heads will prevail and prevent any rash decision that could have far reaching negative national security effects for the US.
2. Covid-19 has shown the world is not prepared for potential bioweapons
capx.co · September 2, 2020
This has been a dress rehearsal. Have we learned from it? How are our actions being assessed by our adversaries? Do they assess vulnerabilities they can exploit some day with a bioweapon?
3. Prospects unclear for U.S. push for NATO-like anti-China mechanism in Indo-Pacific region
en.yna.co.kr · by 변덕근 · September 4, 2020
Some Koreans are concerned about being caught in the middle between China and the US. Other Koreans know the ROK has already made the "choice" between China and the US in October 1953 when the Mutual Defense Treaty was signed.
4. Terror and Technology From Dynamite to Drones
warontherocks.com · by T. X. Hammes · September 4, 2020
Two great Americans: T.X. Hammes and Audrey Kurth Cronin. Another book for my reading pile.
5. The Marines Are Pumping Millions into a High-Tech Wargaming Center. Here's Why
military.com · by Gina Harkins · September 3, 2020
6. Wargaming Cyber Security
warontherocks.com · by Benjamin Schechter · September 4, 2020
A lot on war games these days. Some people have an aversion to the use of the term war games.
7. The Cold War lives on in Asia
DW · by Deutsche Welle
Major differences between Europe and Asia. It does not bode well for a security architecture in Asia.
8. The Making of a Real American Diplomat
Afsa.org -BY JULIE CHUNG
A great story about another great American. This is why immigration is so important to our country and what makes our country great.
9. NTSB: ‘Unexplained’ Course Change Was ‘A Critical Error’ in Fatal USS Fitzgerald Collision
news.usni.org · by Sam LaGrone · September 3, 2020
I will leave it to all my SWO friends to assess.
10. FDD | U.S. Needs a New ICC Strategy
fdd.org · by Orde Kittrie Senior Fellow · September 3, 2020
Key point: "The United States can more effectively attempt to block the ICC’s illegitimate investigations by building on bipartisan support at home and leveraging common ground with allies. The United States should emphasize that potential ICC steps forthcoming in 2020 that are hostile to American interests could cause damage to the court’s relationship with the United States that would outlast the current administration."
11. FDD | Protection from China’s Comprehensive National Power Requires Comprehensive National Defense
fdd.org · by Cleo Paskal Non-Resident Senior Fellow · September 2, 2020
12. US Special Operations Command gets first brand-new Chinook variant
Defense News · by Jen Judson · September 2, 2020
13. The Pentagon has ordered Stars and Stripes to shut down for no good reason
USA Today · by Kathy Kiely, Opinion contributor
What will the north Koreans say? We used to provide them copies of the Stars and Stripes every day at the JSA. I wonder if we still do. I recall a north Korean spy who was captured in Pyeongtaek back in about 1996. He was posing as a professor from the Philippines. He was caught faxing material about the stationing of the 6th Cavalry Brigade (attack helos) at Camp Humphreys. The information he was caught faxing were clippings from the Stars and Stripes articles which were provided to the north Koreans at JSA.
14. China’s Population To Drop By Half, Immigration Helps U.S. Labor Force
Forbes · by Stuart Anderson · September 3, 2020
Immigration has always been one of America's great advantages. We will not sustain an effective working-age population without it.
15. Troops: White nationalism a national security threat equal to ISIS, al-Qaida
militarytimes.com · by Leo Shane III · September 3, 2020
The military is a microcosm of society. And the headline should have included and greater than north Korea, Afghanistan, and Iraq. But I am sure we will hear the intellectually bankrupt "fake news" to describe this.
16. Over 90 percent of protests this summer were peaceful, report shows
The Hill · by Zack Budryk · September 3, 2020
Again I am hearing the intellectual bankrupt concept of fake news in the background.
17. Statement from the OPCW Director-General on Allegations of Chemical Weapons Use Against Alexei Navalny
18. Germany Joins the ‘Indo-Pacific’ Club
thediplomat.com · by Sebastian Strangio · September 3, 2020
Interesting development and I hope some good news (especially as noted in the subtitle).
-------
"Mistakes are the portals of discovery."
- James Joyce
"Be curious, not judgmental."
- Walt Whitman
"A great leader treats people with respect even when they present different opinions. Without a variety of views and opinions, we would have no innovation or creativity in our nation. Being a bully and being strong are not the same thing. Being strong is standing up for your convictions. Being a bully is trying to intimidate those who are perceived to be weaker or a threat.”
- Rick Snyder