Small Wars Journal

5/30/2020 News & Commentary – National Security

Sat, 05/30/2020 - 1:04pm

News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Riley Murray.

1. Analysis | 'Deepfakes' are here. These deceptive videos erode trust in all news media.

2. US government is funding website spreading Covid-19 disinformation

3. Lessons From Operation "Denver," the KGB's Massive AIDS Disinformation Campaign

4.  Army Withdraws Nomination for Officer Involved in Deadly Niger Ambush

5. Special forces thwart cyber attack as hackers spread fake news to damage US-Polish relations

6. Trump Cuts U.S. Ties With World Health Organization Amid Pandemic

7. The United States needs the World Trade Organization

8. The Age of Magic Money: Can Endless Spending Prevent Economic Calamity?

9. Iran Just Flashed a Glimpse of a New Mini-Submarine

10. U.S. eyes use of security brigade in Tunisia amid Russia concerns

11. An Embattled Trump Unveils a New China Policy

12. Beyond Hong Kong, an Emboldened Xi Jinping Pushes the Boundaries

13. Troll farms from Macedonia and the Philippines pushed coronavirus disinformation on Facebook

14. Some options open to Trump in response to Hong Kong crisis

15. Navy SEAL who oversaw the Osama bin Laden raid warns that 'Batman and Superman are not coming' in a speech advising college graduates to become their own heroes

 

1. Analysis | 'Deepfakes' are here. These deceptive videos erode trust in all news media.

The Washington Post · by Cristian Vaccari and Andrew Chadwick

I suppose as we try to develop habits of cyber hygiene as part of a cyber civil defense mindset, we should include education on deep fakes. 

I know this is controversial to some of the tribal segments of our population, but we need to work to protect the legitimacy of the fourth estate.  The press and media are key democracy, informing the electorate, and holding political leaders accountable. If deep fakes erode that trust if is going to harm democracy. (Of course, many will argue the press has damaged its own credibility and while that argument may be correct, I ask what are we going to do without a free and open press even if it does have its biases?  Do we think we should get all our news in the echo chambers of social media?)

 

2. US government is funding website spreading Covid-19 disinformation

The Guardian · by Stephanie Kirchgaessner · May 28, 2020

Oops. Of course, we can and must ask if this report is accurate.  But some of the accusations below do comport with the political views of some parties in the US.

 

On the other hand, this indicates how difficult it is working with indigenous elements on any level.  We can be duped and taken for a ride.  Many indigenous elements learn how to play our system (and play it better than Americans).  We have diplomats and civil servants who are trying hard to promote democracy and work with various organizations in target countries to do try to do that.  This is hard work.  This gets to an oversight process.  Is there a mechanism to review the products these organizations are producing with our grants and if they are contrary to the mission, rules, and our interests is there a process to revoke the grant?  I recall some grants in some countries that were provided to groups who do not administer them effectively but there was no process to revoke them.  And even worse some of those grants were the result of Congressional earmarks (when we had them) specifically for certain organizations.

 

3. Lessons From Operation "Denver," the KGB's Massive AIDS Disinformation Campaign

thereader.mitpress.mit.edu · by Donna J. Drucker · May 26, 2020

An important case study in disinformation.  We still have a lot to learn and there is history to educate and inform us.

What is sad about this is that many of these techniques are being employed today around the COVID 19 crisis.

 

4. Army Withdraws Nomination for Officer Involved in Deadly Niger Ambush

The New York Times · by Helene Cooper · May 29, 2020

This was a long time coming but I think not unexpected.

 

5. Special forces thwart cyber attack as hackers spread fake news to damage US-Polish relations

thefirstnews.com

We should not be distracted by the title and the use of the term "special forces."  From my reading of the article it is the Polish special services who thwarted the attack.  But the article provides useful analysis of the Russian attack and some of the TTPs.

 

6. Trump Cuts U.S. Ties With World Health Organization Amid Pandemic

Foreign Policy · by Robbie Gramer, Colum Lynch, Jack Detsch · May 29, 2020

I think this is a mistake.  International organizations are one of the battlefields where political warfare is being fought. We should not be ceding the battlefield to China.  This action seems to be in contravention to our new strategic approach to China the White House released on May 26.

 

This is from our new China strategy: "The United States will work with our robust network of allies and like-minded partners to resist attacks on our shared norms and values, within our own governance institutions, around the world, and in international organizations" https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/U.S.-Strategic-Approach-to-The-Peoples-Republic-of-China-Report-5.20.20.pdf

We are not able to resist Chinese attacks on international organizations by withdrawing from those organizations. We need to compete with China in these organizations.  And we need to implement and execute the new strategy.

 

7. The United States needs the World Trade Organization

The Hill · by Kenneth A. Reinert, Opinion Contributor · May 29, 202

Again, I think it is a mistake to cede the political warfare battlefield (in this case the economic warfare battlefield) to China by withdrawing from international organizations.  It may make some of us feel good by picking up our marbles and going home in a huff but us acting out is not the way to effectively compete in Great Power Competition.

 

8. The Age of Magic Money: Can Endless Spending Prevent Economic Calamity?

Foreign Affairs · by Sebastian Mallaby · May 29, 2020

This is the key point that we must think deeply about: "The new era will present the biggest potential rewards-and also the greatest risks-to the United States. As the issuer of the world's most trusted financial assets, the United States will be able to use (and maybe abuse) the new financial powers most ambitiously. Thanks partly to the dollar's entrenched position as the world's reserve currency, the United States will be able to sustain an expansion in government spending on priorities as varied as scientific research, education, and national security. At the same time, the U.S. national debt will swell, and its management will depend crucially on the credibility of the Federal Reserve. In times of high national debt, U.S. presidents since Harry Truman have tried to subjugate the central bank. If the Fed loses its independence, the age of magic money could end in catastrophe."

 

9. Iran Just Flashed a Glimpse of a New Mini-Submarine

The National Interest · by Caleb Larson · May 29, 2020

When I look at the photo, I cannot help but think of the north Korean ISILC (semi-submersible) that they have been using for decades.  There is one sitting in the South Korean War Memorial that was captured in 1998 or 1999.  It is also similar to the semi-submersibles being used by the drug cartels in Latin American.

 

10. U.S. eyes use of security brigade in Tunisia amid Russia concerns

Reuters · by 2 Min Read · May 30, 2020

The right force for the right mission?  I cannot assess from this article alone because it really does not describe the mission and intent.  However, if the intent is to build a conventional force in Tunisia to defend against a possible Russian conventional attack from Libya the SFAB may very well be the right force for this mission.  Though I would hope there is also an Air Advisor unit to be deployed to help advise the Tunisian Air Force as well.

 

11. An Embattled Trump Unveils a New China Policy

The American Conservative – Curt Mills – May 29, 2020

Here is the link to the new strategy: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/U.S.-Strategic-Approach-to-The-Peoples-Republic-of-China-Report-5.20.20.pdf

It does not seem to be getting much media attention or analysis from pundits, scholars, and practitioners.

 

12. Beyond Hong Kong, an Emboldened Xi Jinping Pushes the Boundaries

Wall Street Journal - By Jeremy Page and Chun Han Wong - Updated May 29, 2020 6:29 pm ET

We are seeing the CCP strategy unfold before us.  Are we prepared to compete?  Are we prepared to execute our superior form of political warfare?

 

13. Troll farms from Macedonia and the Philippines pushed coronavirus disinformation on Facebook

NBC News · May 29, 2020

 

14. Some options open to Trump in response to Hong Kong crisis

in.reuters.com · Compiled by David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham

Just a few options.  I do think we can derive many options from the new White House strategic approach to China and all the US government agencies should be able to develop a substantial list of actions to support execution of the national strategy.

 

15. Navy SEAL who oversaw the Osama bin Laden raid warns that 'Batman and Superman are not coming' in a speech advising college graduates to become their own heroes

Business Insider · by David Choi

 

 "It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it." 

- Aristotle


"It's limited war for Americans, and total war for those fighting Americans. The United States has more power; its foes have more willpower." 

- Dominic Tierney

 

"A 1950 definition called doctrine 'the compilation of principles and theories applicable to a subject, which have been developed through experience or by theory, that represent the best available thought and indicate and guide but do not bind in practice. Doctrine is basically a truth, a fact, or a theory that can be defended by reason. Doctrine cannot replace clear thinking...under the circumstances prevailing."
- LTG John Cushman

Categories: News