Small Wars Journal

09/12/2020 News & Commentary - National Security

Sat, 09/12/2020 - 12:42pm

News and Commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and Published by Riley Murray.

 

1. Soldier to receive Medal of Honor after helping save 70 captives from execution by Islamic State

2. There's still work to be done to avoid the next 9/11: Thomas Kean & Lee Hamilton

3. Why I Fear For Taiwan

4. Removal of flag honoring veterans from White House sparks anger

5. QAnon spreads across globe, shadowing COVID-19

6. 'Ally-shoring' will help US rebuild economy and global leadership

7. China, Iran and Russia dismiss US election hacking claims

8.  Can Social Media Incite a War?

9. We're numb to the coronavirus

10. Trump ally who sought to change CDC Covid reports claims he was fighting 'deep state'

11. Current IO Topics: Disinformation and conspiracy theories are impacting decisions of governance. Call them out.

12. West Coast officials are already fighting wildfires. Now they're fighting misinformation, too.

13. How China Ramped Up Disinformation Efforts During the Pandemic

 

 

1.  Soldier to receive Medal of Honor after helping save 70 captives from execution by Islamic State

The Washington Post – by Alex Horton - September 11, 2020

There is a video at the end of the article at this link of SGM Payne describing the operation in his own words. It is very much worth watching.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2020/09/11/medal-of-honor-payne-trump/

Good work by the US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School producing this video.

And how about the new Army uniform with those pinks and greens (and brown jump boots)?

I watched the ceremony on the White House live page and at first I thought the camera work was terrible as it never panned the audience and never switched to an audience view when the President was acknowledging people such as SGM Payne's wife and son or the wide widow of MSG Wheeler.  Then it struck me this was probably by design as there were likely SGM Payne's fellow operators who are still in the unit and there was likely a request and coordinating instructions to the camera crew to keep the camera focused on the President and SGM Payne. There was a slight scan of the audience during the the arrival and departure of the official party but no other cuts to audience views as there normally are in these events.

 

2. There's still work to be done to avoid the next 9/11: Thomas Kean & Lee Hamilton

USA Today · by Thomas H. Kean and Lee H. Hamilton, Opinion contributors

Terrorism is an ongoing global "infection" for which there is no vaccine that is anywhere near 100% effective.  We have to continue to manage this problem through intelligence, law enforcement, information and influence activities, political action, economic development, education, and, when appropriate, military action.  It is every bit of an ideological war as the one being waged with the revisionist and rogue powers.

 

3.  Why I Fear For Taiwan

scholars-stage.blogspot.com – by Tanner Greer - September 11, 2020

Some useful analysis and perspectives on Taiwan's military capabilities. 

 

5. QAnon spreads across globe, shadowing COVID-19

The Hill · by Chris Mills Rodrigo · September 12, 2020

Sigh...Again why do people fall for QAnon and its idiotic and dangerous conspiracy theories?  If you believe in these conspiracies and QAnon please seek immediate mental health assistance.

 

6. 'Ally-shoring' will help US rebuild economy and global leadership

The Hill · by Elaine Dezenski and John Austin, Opinion Contributors · September 10, 2020

Our alliance system is key to our national security and our global power.  

 

7. China, Iran and Russia dismiss US election hacking claims

CNN · by Donie O'Sullivan and Zachary Cohen, CNN

They doth protest too much.

 

8. Can Social Media Incite a War?

osiris.substack.com · by David C. Benson

An interesting question. I think the subtitle offers important food for thought.  It may not be a cause of war, but it certainly can be a contributor to instability.  I can just be another venue or platform and line of effort for subversion and psychological warfare which can be a destabilizing force.  And if you are concerned with stability you need to effectively compete on these platforms.

I wonder if China assesses this conclusion as accurate or we mirror imaging incorrectly?

 

9. We're numb to the coronavirus

Axios · by Neal Rothschild

And of course, some believe the pandemic is a hoax.

However, we can and must get on with our lives, but we have to learn how to make adjustments to protect ourselves and others.  But it takes concerted civic action and implementation of proven public health measures to deal with this pandemic.  Denial by so many only hurts and kills fellow citizens.

 

10. Trump ally who sought to change CDC Covid reports claims he was fighting 'deep state'

The Guardian · by Martin Pengelly · September 12, 2020

Of course, everything is about setting the narrative and effective messaging.

And this will generate lots of controversy.

But what is interesting to me is the continuing BS about the "deep state" (a conspiracy theory as bad as QAnon (and related).  I say this because the actual "deep state guru" Steve Bannon has debunked the deep state conspiracy theory last year.  I guess he created a monster.  But I wonder why the Steve Bannon disciples and acolytes have not supported his "new" message from last year.  See this article and the below excerpt:  https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/aug/21/steve-bannon-lou-dobbs-deep-state-conspiracy-theory

 

11. Current IO Topics: Disinformation and conspiracy theories are impacting decisions of governance. Call them out.

standuprepublic.com · by Molly McKew · September 8, 2020

Yes, call them out.

 

12. West Coast officials are already fighting wildfires. Now they're fighting misinformation, too.

NBC News · by Brandy Zadrozny · September 11, 2020

Go figure.  But we should not be surprised by this.  

 

13. How China Ramped Up Disinformation Efforts During the Pandemic

cfr.org · by Joshua Kurlantzick

 

"Genius is the ability to put into effect what is in your mind. There's no other definition of it."

- F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

"The willow submits to the wind and prospers until one day it is many willows - a wall against the wind."

- Frank Herbert, Dune

 

"If you want to be happy, practice compassion."

- Dalai Lama

Categories: News