News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.
1. Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper Message to the Force on Accomplishments in Implementation of the National Defense Strategy
2. U.S.-China Tensions Could Lead To Attack on USD Global Reserve Currency Status
3. Learning lessons from World War II and the Cold War
4. FBI chief slams Chinese cyberattacks on U.S., calls it 'one of the largest transfers of wealth in human history'
5. U.S. commander confident Iraq will ask American forces to stay as it confronts militias
6. The Upside of a New Cold War with China
7. Trump administration formally withdraws US from WHO
8. USAGM CEO Michael Pack names James M. Miles, former SC Secretary of State, Acting CEO of Open Technology Fund
9. Grassley: Senate would 'probably' override Trump veto of defense bill amid base renaming fight
10. Foreign competition: the WTO seeks a new leader
11. FBI: China attacking US in massive campaign including cyber, propaganda, economic espionage and more
12. EXCLUSIVE: Southcom commander describes Chinese and Russian threats in the Americas
13. A Bird? A Plane? No, It's a Google Balloon Beaming the Internet
14. Military's Top Appeals Court to Consider Whether Retirees Can Be Court-Martialed
15. As nine alumni highlight racism at West Point, the academy's IG starts review of 'all matters involving race'
16. US Approves $2b Osprey Aircraft Sale to Indonesia
17. Right-Wing Media Outlets Duped by a Middle East Propaganda Campaign
18. Warfighters in Ivory Towers: Does the US Army Need Officers with Doctoral Degrees?
19. 'The military's #MeToo': In wake of Vanessa Guillén death, servicewomen bear deep scars
20. Opinion | College Courses Online Are Disappointing. Here's How to Fix Them.
21. Raising the age of military enlistment
22. Two Female Airmen Reclassify after Attempting to Complete Special Ops Training
1. Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper Message to the Force on Accomplishments in Implementation of the National Defense Strategy
defense.gov July 7, 2020
As I have written before, I have never seen US senior leaders talk about the National Security and Defense Strategies. I certainly do not recall any SECDEF providing a SITREP on the implementation of the strategy.
There is video here.
2. U.S.-China Tensions Could Lead To Attack On USD Global Reserve Currency Status
seekingalpha.com · by Zoltan Ban · July 7, 2020
We must be very concerned with this and the Administration must make every effort to defend against these attacks.
Note the conclusion. The author believes that there will be no change in the confrontation with China if Vice President Biden is elected.
3. Learning lessons from World War II and the Cold War
washingtontimes.com · by Clifford D. May
Yes we should. There is a lot to learn despite the cries that we have not entered a Cold War 2.0. This sums up the big difference between the Cold War and today in America: "America's grand strategy in the Cold War, embraced by centrist Democrats and centrist Republicans alike, aimed at frustrating Soviet empire-building in the hope, if not conviction, that Communism's internal contradictions would cause it to collapse sooner or later." Who are the centrists today? They certainly are not in charge. Can we unify against external threats when we are so focused on perceived internal threats?
4. FBI chief slams Chinese cyberattacks on U.S., calls it 'one of the largest transfers of wealth in human history'
CNBC · by Amanda Macias · July 8, 2020
And it is only going to get worse.
5. U.S. commander confident Iraq will ask American forces to stay as it confronts militias
The Washington Post· by Missy Ryan · July 7, 2020
6. The Upside of a New Cold War With China
Bloomberg · by Hal Brands · July 7, 2020
I think only Hal Brands can find an upside in this. He provides us with positive and negative lessons from the Cold War. I find this quote (among many) to be a particularly instructive reminder: "Precisely because the Cold War was a fierce ideological contest over what type of system could best meet the aspirations of humanity, it created an imperative for America to live up to the image it portrayed to the world." Today is an ideological war like it was in the past. My take on this is in this graphic.
7. Trump administration formally withdraws US from WHO
The Hill · by Brett Samuels · July 7, 2020
I think we are making a mistake. International organizations are a key battleground in the ideological competition with China. We should not be ceding the high ground.
8. USAGM CEO Michael Pack names James M. Miles, former SC Secretary of State, Acting CEO of Open Technology Fund
usagm.gov July 7, 2020
At 78 years old I wonder about his qualifications. Where is his technical, Internet, and communications expertise? What does he know about internet and communications penetration of authoritarian countries? I am sure he will surround himself with a team of experts in all these areas but I cannot imagine we cannot find someone with the requisite expertise for this position. I guess his business acumen and non-profit management expertise trumps relevant experience with the mission. I just hope he listens to his experts.
9. Grassley: Senate would 'probably' override Trump veto of defense bill amid base renaming fight
The Hill · by Jordain Carney · July 7, 2020
Has a defense bill ever been vetoed and then had the veto overridden by Congress?
10. Foreign competition: the WTO seeks a new leader
espresso.economist.com · July 7, 2020
11. FBI: China attacking US in massive campaign including cyber, propaganda, economic espionage and more
americanmilitarynews.com · by Laura Widener · July 7, 2020
Cyber. Propaganda, and economic espionage (and more!)
12. EXCLUSIVE: Southcom commander describes Chinese and Russian threats in the Americas
Washington Examiner · by Abraham Mahshie · July 6, 2020
This is a global competition that is taking place in most all theaters. We have to be careful about placing a geographic main effort in one theater when competitors are operating in multiple theaters. We need to provide the right resources in support of the correct policies and strategies for the different regions.
13. A Bird? A Plane? No, It's a Google Balloon Beaming the Internet
The New York Times · by Abdi Latif Dahir · July 7, 2020
Loon balloon. I spoke with some Google researchers about similar capabilities about 10 years ago for Korea. I wish we could do this for north Korea but of course this would be viewed as a direct threat to the regime and they would probably retaliate kinetically.
14. Military's Top Appeals Court to Consider Whether Retirees Can Be Court-Martialed
military.com · by Gina Harkins · July 7, 2020
Should we be worried? :-)
15. As nine alumni highlight racism at West Point, the academy's IG starts review of 'all matters involving race'
armytimes.com · by Kyle Rempfer · July 7, 2020
Someone is paying attention.
16. US Approves $2b Osprey Aircraft Sale to Indonesia
jakartaglobe.id · July 08, 2020
This could be a very important capability for Indonesia though 8 will hardly be game changing.
17. Right-Wing Media Outlets Duped by a Middle East Propaganda Campaign
The Daily Beast · by Adam Rawnsley · July 6, 2020
A fascinating influence campaign exposed. Also fascinating are the reactions to the exposure. That is assuming this report is accurate.
18. Warfighters in Ivory Towers: Does the US Army Need Officers with Doctoral Degrees?
mwi.usma.edu · by Paul Lushenko · July 8, 2020
Does it need them? Probably not. But does it benefit from having the right officers obtain that education? Yes I believe so. I support higher education for our officers and NCOs as well (note the NDU/CISA/SWCS graduate program at Bragg for NCOs, warrant officers, and officers as one example).
But another way to ask the question is whether these programs will change the anti-intellectual culture within the military? I think not. If anything those few excellent officers in these programs will be simply held up as examples to say the Army supports education. Where the anti-intellectual culture needs to change is with the rank and file military and at PME institutions and most importantly with the individual officer who should see the value in being a life-long learner striving to develop a superior intellect without concern for sheepskin. And leaders at all levels should be encouraging lifelong learning (and leading by example in their intellectual pursuits).
19. 'The military's #MeToo': In wake of Vanessa Guillén death, servicewomen bear deep scars
The Washington Post· by Alex Horton· July 7, 2020
This is a horrific story made worse by what was not done and how sexual harassment is (and is not) handled that might have prevented this tragedy. Like racism, this has to change.
20. Opinion | College Courses Online Are Disappointing. Here's How to Fix Them.
The New York Times · by Lisa Feldman Barrett · July 8, 2020
There are good and bad. I have been observing my daughter's experience and it was a tough transition in the middle of the semester. But she is taking summer courses and they are improving. I think there are good ideas below and I hope schools and professors consider them. I also think that the vast majority of professors were not prepared to teach this way so they are going through their own learning process. It will get better. It has to.
21. Raising the age of military enlistment
militarytimes.com · by Peter Polack and Jack McCain · July 7, 2020
Some food for thought. This is a real challenge: "The two greatest threats to the free world will come from the East and they must not face young, inexperienced and weak minded opposition."
22. Two Female Airmen Reclassify after Attempting to Complete Special Ops Training
military.com · by Oriana Pawlyk · July 7, 2020
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"The means of defence against foreign danger have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people."
- James Madison, Notes of Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787 Reported by James Madison
"You are young, my son, and, as the years go by, time will change and even reverse many of your present opinions. Refrain therefore awhile from setting yourself up as a judge of the highest matters."
- Plato
"In the future, we should anticipate seeing more hybrid wars where conventional warfare, irregular warfare, asymmetric warfare, and information warfare all blend together, creating a very complex and challenging situation to the combatants; therefore it will require military forces to possess hybrid capabilities, which might help deal with hybrid threats."
- Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono