Small Wars Journal

12/25/2020 News & Commentary – National Security

Fri, 12/25/2020 - 12:29pm

News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.

1. Has Navalny's Prank Shattered the FSB Myth Once and For All?

2. Split Up NSA and CYBERCOM

3. No, China Did Not 'Expel' a US Warship from its Territory, Navy Says

4. A pandemic atlas: How COVID-19 took over the world in 2020

5. 5 Places You'll Most Likely Catch COVID, According to Dr. Gupta

6. COVID Symptoms Normally Appear in This Order, Study Finds

7.  Hey, soldiers and spies - think twice about that home genetic ancestry test

8. How to solve logistical challenges during a South China Sea conflict

9. Why Americans Are Turning Inwards

10. Covid-19 Caused Chaos for Investors in 2020. These Hedge Funds Earned Billions.

11. Trump thanks military, healthcare workers in Christmas message: "Our gatherings might look different'

12. Another successful Christmas Eve for NORAD crews tracking and escorting Santa Claus

13. Culture Eats Strategy: Personal Incentives Set the Menu

14. Teaching Technology, Innovation, and Modern War at Stanford, Part 9: A Conversation with James Mattis

15. Clash of globalization and nationalism

16. Apologise, Afghanistan tells China after busting its espionage cell in Kabul

 

1. Has Navalny's Prank Shattered the FSB Myth Once and For All?

The Moscow Times · by Sergey Radchenko · December 23, 2020

You have to admit that it was a damn good "prank."

 

2. Split Up NSA and CYBERCOM

defenseone.com · by Javed Ali and Adam Maruyama · December 24, 2020

Some radical proposals:

“We would also advocate for moving the NSA from its organizational home in the Defense Department. It should be led by a Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed civilian who reports to the DNI. Such a move would improve NSA's existing authorities and capabilities, place it under the intelligence umbrella for which it's best suited, and improve its ability to serve national-level and military-specific intelligence requirements.”

 

3. No, China Did Not 'Expel' a US Warship from its Territory, Navy Says

military.com · by Gina Harkins · December 23, 2020


4. A pandemic atlas: How COVID-19 took over the world in 2020

It has been a year unlike any probably in all our lifetimes.

At least when we get to 2021 we can say Hindsight is truly 2020.

A pandemic atlas: How COVID-19 took over the world in 2020

https://apnews.com/article/pandemics-brazil-israel-india-coronavirus-pandemic-c1ba685119fd12108dd6d89f2fb89702

 

5. 5 Places You'll Most Likely Catch COVID, According to Dr. Gupta

eatthis.com · December 24, 2020

A public service announcement.  Follow the science.

 

6. COVID Symptoms Normally Appear in This Order, Study Finds

eatthis.com · December 25, 2020

Another public service announcement.

 

7. Hey, soldiers and spies - think twice about that home genetic ancestry test

rollcall.com · by Gopal Ratnam · December 24, 2020

When you think about it this could be one of the most creative espionage operations in history.  Just imagine the data that people are willingly providing.  We work so hard to protect our liberty from our own government's over reach yet we willingly provide critical private and personal information to corporations that have links to hostile governments.  But at least we will be able to fill out our family tree.

I can see a future question on the security clearance form SF 86  assess your security risk.  

"Have you ever submitted your DNA to a genealogical tracking company?  Is so, when, and to what company(s)?"

While it might not necessarily be disqualifying it may limit the type of work you may do and may require some mitigation measures.

 

8. How to solve logistical challenges during a South China Sea conflict

Defense News · by Scott Trail · December 24, 2020

The tyranny of distance and the missile threat are two key conditions that must be overcome or at least dealt with as effectively as possible.

 

9. Why Americans Are Turning Inwards

The National Interest · by Nikolas K. Gvosdev · December 24, 2020

This is probably the key point: "but also be linked to concrete benefits that Americans will receive."  The ability to describe those benefits and make them meaningful to the broad electorate will be key to the future.

Sober conclusion:  "A new administration must recognize, as the Munich Security Conference has, that the American public is "now both less able to be a guarantor of the international order and less willing to make over proportionate contributions" to sustain it. Rather than seeing this as a problem to be ignored, the Biden team should build on the campaign focus of strengthening the overt linkages of American foreign and security policy to the doorstep concerns of the voters. If Americans embrace U.S. global engagement as vital to their personal health, their paychecks, and even the security of their smartphones, the foundations for a new and enduring political consensus for U.S. foreign policy can be laid."

 

10. Covid-19 Caused Chaos for Investors in 2020. These Hedge Funds Earned Billions.

WSJ · by Juliet Chung· December 25, 2020

 

11. Trump thanks military, healthcare workers in Christmas message: "Our gatherings might look different'

Newsweek · by Janice Williams · December 25, 2020

Video at the link.  

 

12. Another successful Christmas Eve for NORAD crews tracking and escorting Santa Claus

baytoday.ca 

Whew.  I was worried about this. :-)

 

13. Culture Eats Strategy: Personal Incentives Set the Menu

wavellroom.com · by Scottie Mac · December 15, 2020

You can listen to the 10 minute podcast at the link

Interesting conclusion: "Critically, the current system forces junior and mid-level commanders to advocate, rather than act, and focus on delivering today over adapting for tomorrow. This limits innovation, adaptation and agility. This research indicates that military personnel are motivated by making a difference and supporting the staff they lead. Empowering them to act rather than advocate is an incentive in itself. Part 3 of our series explores how the MOD might position itself to empower individuals and harness a self-adaptive network. It would require a bold strategy and change in the culture of what it means to be in command. Individual incentives hold the key. Peter Drucker famously said that "culture eats strategy for breakfast"; economists show us that when faced with complexity, individual incentives set the menu."

 

14. Teaching Technology, Innovation, and Modern War at Stanford, Part 9: A Conversation with James Mattis

mwi.usma.edu · by Steve Blank · December 24, 2020

Video at the link.

I recommend reading his final story with this conclusion: "Think about that my fine young friends. On your worst day. I want you to remember that story. Think about that. That he would give anything right now to be sitting where I'm sitting and his daughter sitting where you're sitting, right now. As imperfect as we are, as angry as we are at each other in this country right now-and it seems angrier than I was even at terrorists when I'm shooting them. Think of how great this country is on its worst day, and then roll your sleeves up and make it better. It's that simple-make it stronger. Keep faith with each other, help each other. And remember three words: put others first. And you won't be going to some shrink when you're forty-five years old wondering what you did with your life. Have a good night, young folks. And thanks for having me here."

 

15. Clash of globalization and nationalism

dailyasianage.com · by Brigadier General (Retd) AF Jaglul Ahmed · December 25, 2020

A view from Bangladesh.  The general covers a lot of ground in this short essay.

Conclusion:

“Under this challenging environment, champion of globalization are confounded as to how to grab the benefit of global economy, enjoy the cultural imperialism, while keep extremism at bay without looking at the source of it and seal off. Ultra-nationalists, at the same time, believe that uniqueness of culture must be maintained for racial supremacy and allow narrower space to other cultural minorities to live as subjugated class only.

Imperial vision of globalization doesn't like boundaries to establish economic and cultural supremacy, while the champions of religion denies national boundaries to spread in unstoppable pace against the secular vision of globalization. The big question is - how the process of globalization could be reversed and concept of nation state changed to new social, economic and political identity for peaceful and harmonious life for all race under any colour and creed.”

 

16. Apologise, Afghanistan tells China after busting its espionage cell in Kabul

hindustantimes.com · by Shishir Gupta · December 25, 2020

 

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"Every strike brings me closer to the next home run." 

- Babe Ruth

 

"I think the two things most opposed to good counsel are haste and passion; haste usually goes hand in hand with folly, passion with coarseness and narrowness of mind."

- Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War

 

"My idea was that the role of the special forces were to train Vietnamese to behave as guerrillas, harassing the supply lines down through the mountains of the, ah, the Viet Cong. And the special American special forces were to train their special forces to do that."

- Roger Hilsman

Categories: News