10/12/2020 News & Commentary – National Security
News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. Keep an eye on Taiwan
2. Chinese 5G not living up to its hype
3. U.S. war games in Germany as Washington plots withdrawal
4. The case for new global financial order
5. Defund CENTCOM
6. Tulsi Gabbard introduces bills to drop charges against Snowden, Assange, reform Espionage Act
7. Inside the plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer
8. US Army Europe and US Army Africa to merge as commander pins on fourth star
9. End-strength goal met, with growth in diversity this year, Army says
10. The rise of the CIA and the decline of America’s moral standing (book review)
11. A whirlwind of uncertainty is stirring up extremism
12. It looks like Trump just ended the Afghanistan war via Twitter
13. Transcript: NPR’s full interview with Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman Mark Milley
14. Wartime spies get their due
15. All wars are culture wars
16. How America collected intelligence in China during World War II
17. Trump’s continuing vandalism of the Voice of America
18. The 1619 chronicles: journalism does better when it writes the first rough draft of history, not the last word on it.
19. A democratic disadvantage: sharp power and regime typology in international relations
20. The Michigan kidnapping plot wasn’t about Trump. It goes deeper than that.
1. Keep an eye on Taiwan
Defense One · Michael Schuman · October 11, 2020
2. Chinese 5G not living up to its hype
Chosun Ilbo · VOA News · October 12, 2020
But is any 5G system living up to the hype? Is 5G really here? What of the revolutionary changes that were forecasted have taken place?
3. U.S. war games in Germany as Washington plots withdrawal
NBC News · Willem Marx · October 11, 2020
Training must continue. It is perishable. It cannot (or should not) be halted while awaiting political decisions.
4. The case for new global financial order
National Interest · Sukhayl Niyazov · October 11, 2020
I don’t know. I fear that, if the dollar is not the reserve currency, US power will decline precipitously. But I will leave it to the economic experts to assess.
5. Defund CENTCOM
War On the Rocks · Justin Logan · October 12, 2020
Quite a critique.
6. Tulsi Gabbard introduces bills to drop charges against Snowden, Assange, reform Espionage Act
American Military News · Ryan Morgan · October 8, 2020
I find this incredible. I don’t understand how any American could propose such a thing, let alone a US Congressperson.
7. Inside the plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer
CNN · Julia Jones · October 11, 2020
I wonder how many other plots are brewing among anti-government extremists.
8. US Army Europe and US Army Africa to merge as commander pins on fourth star
Defense News · Jen Judson · October 8, 2020
Defense News · by Jen Judson · October 8, 2020
9. End-strength goal met, with growth in diversity this year, Army says
Army Times · Kyle Rempfer · October 9, 2020
Some good news.
10. The rise of the CIA and the decline of America’s moral standing (book review)
Washington Post · Beverly Gage · October 9, 2020
I think the title is an indicator of the fairly negative review of a negative book. I take some exception to the characterization of Edward Lansdale.
11. A Whirlwind of Uncertainty Is Stirring Up Extremism
Defense One · J.M. Berger · October 10, 2020
Focus on tech leaders.
12. It looks like Trump just ended the Afghanistan war via Twitter
Task & Purpose · Jeff Schogol · October 11, 2020
An interesting conclusion.
13. Transcript: NPR’s full interview with Joint Chiefs Of Staff Chairman Mark Milley
NPR · Steve Inskeep · October 11, 2020
It is a sad state of affairs that the Chairman must answer the questions on elections.
14. Wartime spies get their due
Spy Talk · Jeff Stein · October 11, 2020
15. All wars are culture wars
Bloomberg · Kori Schake · October 10, 2020
I am reminded of this quote: “War embraces much more than politics: it is always an expression of culture, often a determinant of cultural forms, in some societies the culture itself” (John Keegan in A History of Warfare).
16. How America collected intelligence in China during World War II
National Interest · Warfare History Network · October 11, 2020
Long read and some interesting history.
17. Trump’s continuing vandalism of the Voice of America
Washington Post · Jackson Diehl · October 11, 2020
I know Mr. Pack and his supporters will pan this, especially because it relies on an NPR report and is published in the Washington Post. But it pains me to read this about my beloved VOA and RFA.
18. The 1619 chronicles: journalism does better when it writes the first rough draft of history, not the last word on it.
New York Times · Bret Stephens · October 9, 2020
This is a very controversial op-ed. Credit to the NY Times for publishing it.
19. A democratic disadvantage: sharp power and regime typology in international relations
Strategy Bridge · James Micciche · October 12, 2020
20. The Michigan kidnapping plot wasn’t about Trump. It goes deeper than that.
Slate · Fred Kaplan · October 9, 2020
A sobering conclusion comment from David Kilcullen.
“The OSS was 70 years ahead of its time.”
– Robert Kim, Author, Project Eagle
“When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.”
– Benjamin Franklin
“The fundamental reason for human rights being trampled in North Korea lies in the ‘Dear Leader Absolutism’ dictatorship. There can be no human rights for the people in North Korea where the greatest morality and absolute law is giving one’s mind and body to the Dear Leader; and living as a slave who obeys completely and unconditionally the Dear Leader – it is the only life permitted the North Korean People.”
– Hwang Jang Yop, 2 DEC 99
