News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.
1. Czech Republic sends delegation to Taiwan, draws ire of China
2. China says Czech senate speaker will pay 'heavy price' for Taiwan visit
3. Vystrcil's Taiwan visit an opportunistic stunt: Global Times editorial - Global Times
4. Rubio says Congressional oversight of intelligence faces 'historic crisis' following DNI announcement
5. Rubio on Historic Challenges Facing Congressional Oversight of Intelligence Activities
6. Opinion | Coronavirus Winter Is Coming
7. Lost In Space: Why America Needs a New Defense Strategy
8. Artificial Intelligence Is the Next Top Gun
9. Russian navy conducts major maneuvers near Alaska
10. As Trump shakes up the military footprint in Europe, the US and Russia are making moves in the high north
11. Wife of a senior US spy says he wanted to 'take me to the afterlife'
12. Trump lauds Abe as Japan's 'greatest prime minister' as bromance set to end
13. The limits of Zoom diplomacy in Asia
14. As Trump's popularity slips in latest Military Times poll, more troops say they'll vote for Biden
15. China wants to be a friend to the Pacific, but so far, it has failed to match Australia's COVID-19 response
16. COVID-19 and Economic Competition with China and Russia
17. Japan's Abe tells Trump strengthening of alliance will not change
18. China's Missile Volley Sparked by Cold-War-Throwback Spy Plane
1. Czech Republic sends delegation to Taiwan, draws ire of China
DW · by Deutsche Welle (www.dw.com)
No doubt this draws China's ire as we will see in subsequent articles.
2. China says Czech senate speaker will pay 'heavy price' for Taiwan visit
Reuters · by Ben Blanchard, Yew Lun Tian · August 31, 2020
3. Vystrcil's Taiwan visit an opportunistic stunt: Global Times editorial - Global Times
From a CCP mouthpiece.
Now this is a real insult. (note sarcasm as this is probably a typo but I cannot resist. ) Note also the dig at Washington buried in this piece.
4. Rubio says Congressional oversight of intelligence faces 'historic crisis' following DNI announcement
The Hill · by J. Edward Moreno · August 29, 2020
Strong words from the Senator.
5. Rubio on Historic Challenges Facing Congressional Oversight of Intelligence Activities
rubio.senate.gov · by Aug 29 2020
Link above to the Senator's complete statement from his web site.
6. Opinion | Coronavirus Winter Is Coming
The New York Times · by Spencer Bokat-Lindell · August 27, 2020
An ominous warning. But with some practical advice. We will heed it?
7. Lost In Space: Why America Needs a New Defense Strategy
The National Interest · by Peter Garretson · August 30, 2020
A very interesting analysis here:
8. Artificial Intelligence Is the Next Top Gun
Bloomberg · by James Stavridis · August 29, 2020
But is the "dogfight" the right simulation for air power today? As we listen to some real pilots they remind us that if you get into a dogfight with an F-35 or F-22 you are doing it wrong. Is "dogfighting" the pacing concept we should be using?
9. Russian navy conducts major maneuvers near Alaska
militarytimes.com · by Vladimir Isachenkov· August 30, 2020
10. As Trump shakes up the military footprint in Europe, the US and Russia are making moves in the high north
Business Insider · by Christopher Woody
11. Wife of a senior US spy says he wanted to 'take me to the afterlife'
Daily Mail · by Harriet Alexander · August 30, 2020
I wonder about the "rest of the story" here.
Excerpts:
“Corcoran said that her new husband was suffering from PTSD following a lengthy CIA career.”
“Following the report, the NIC drafted a memo, which quickly leaked, claiming that the intelligence about the bounties was inconclusive.”
“The memo did not mention that the NIC's top analyst on military affairs and Taliban expert had killed himself days earlier.”
12. Trump lauds Abe as Japan's 'greatest prime minister' as bromance set to end
japantimes.co.jp · by Jesse Johnson · August 31, 2020
37 phone calls.
Excerpts:
“In their Monday morning phone call - the pair's 37th - Abe said Japan would continue working to develop new national security policies, with the missile threat from North Korea, and implicitly China, in mind, while further deepening cooperation with the United States, according to a Japanese government official who was listening in.”
“Abe said during the news conference on Friday that his administration had convened a National Security Council meeting for Wednesday to discuss specific new defense policies. Those include a proposal from a group of ruling party lawmakers urging the NSC to consider acquiring the capability to defeat missiles even when in enemy territory. The government is due to reveal a new policy on missile defense in September.”
13. The limits of Zoom diplomacy in Asia
lowyinstitute.org · by Ben Bland
A view from Australia. A call for a return face to face in person diplomacy.
But there is a new normal and unfortunately Zoom is a part of it. Surely someone could develop a more secure (but still very user friendly) platform, one that does not provide data back to servers in China.
Excerpts:
“However, there are doubts about the security of these online platforms. There is no personal touch. And the staid nature of video conferencing leaves no room for the sort of impromptu, sideline conversations where much of the real confidence-building and negotiation happens during summits and trips.”
“The priority of protecting the public from the pandemic is understandable. Nevertheless, the broader battle for influence in Asia has moved outside the Zoom waiting room to the echoing corridors of the world's foreign ministries, presidential palaces and prime ministerial suites.”
14. As Trump's popularity slips in latest Military Times poll, more troops say they'll vote for Biden
militarytimes.com · by Leo Shane III · August 28, 2020
I wonder what impact this will have on civil military relations and trust in the military. I know it is apples and oranges but how does this compare to retired general officers speaking out about politics? My anecdotal "evidence" informs me there is a difference between the active duty force and the retirement community. What I see on social media (anecdotal yes) is a lot more support for Trump than for Biden.
But the question is should we be doing these kinds of surveys? I know there is no way to prevent organizations from taking them or from service members from participating. But is this interpreted as the military putting its finger on the scale? How will people be influenced (or not) by these survey results?
15. China wants to be a friend to the Pacific, but so far, it has failed to match Australia's COVID-19 response
theconversation.com · by Ian Kemish · August 30, 2020
Australia punching above its weight.
16. COVID-19 and Economic Competition with China and Russia
warontherocks.com · by Howard J. Shatz · August 31, 2020
Sobering assessment:
However, Russia's foreign military interventions are likely to continue. These interventions tend to be low cost and high priority for the Kremlin's foreign policy, although popular support for the wars in eastern Ukraine and Syria has declined. Likewise, information operations and interference in U.S. and other foreign elections are low-cost and likely to continue. Following the disputed elections in Belarus in early August and subsequent violence, concerns about Russian intervention have emerged. Accordingly, Russia will remain a security challenge. Moscow is taking risks with its harassment of U.S. warships or aircraft. If incidents were to cause U.S. casualties, Congress could respond with more sanctions.
Finally, there are implications for both Russia and China together, with Russia continuing or even quickening its turn toward China. Accelerated by the 2014 sanctions, the two countries have drawn closer and upgraded their relations to a "comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era." Tangible aspects include the new Power of Siberia gas pipeline and plans to vastly increase Russia's energy export capacity to China. As long as Russia remains at odds with the West, a longer and steeper Russian downturn could create greater incentives for Russia to draw closer to China as a market and source of investment. Furthermore, either Russia's own policy of increasing isolation from the West, or an increase in the benefits it reaps from working with China, could disincentivize Russia from resolving its disagreements with the West to get sanctions lifted. That, in turn, may hamper Russia's ability to get much-needed Western investment and technology, potentially further stunting its growth over the long term - but not reducing it as a near-term challenge.
17. Japan's Abe tells Trump strengthening of alliance will not change
Reuters · by Kiyoshi Takenaka, Daniel Leussink, David Dolan and Jeff Mason · August 31, 2020
I hope he is right.
18. China's Missile Volley Sparked by Cold-War-Throwback Spy Plane
Bloomberg · by Anthony Capaccio · August 29, 2020
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“One man with courage makes a majority.”
- Andrew Jackson
Abraham Lincoln, 1854, on a political opponent who made false claims:
“To deny these things... puts an end to all argument. If a man will stand up and assert, and repeat, and re-assert, that two and two do not make four, I know nothing in the power of argument that can stop him.”
“Talking nonsense is the sole privilege mankind possesses over the other organisms. It's by talking nonsense that one gets to the truth! I talk nonsense, therefore I'm human”
- Fyodor Dostoevsky, Notes from Underground, White Nights, The Dream of a Ridiculous Man, and Selections from The House of the Dead