Small Wars Journal

06/26/2020 News & Commentary - National Security

Fri, 06/26/2020 - 8:47am

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

 

 1. China Has 'First-Strike' Capability To Melt U.S. Power Grid With Electromagnetic Pulse Weapon

2. DHS Predicted A Summer of Violence, Radicalization, and Conspiracies

3. Getting Past the Civil War: The Morality of Renaming U.S. Army Bases Named After Confederate Generals

4.  How the Virus Won

5. Protecting Democracy Amid the COVID-19 Crisis

6. The Dangers of Designating Antifa as a Terrorist Organization Now

7. White House intensifies effort to install Pentagon personnel seen as loyal to Trump

8. INSIGHT: U.S. Must Act to Slow China's Roll Toward Global Digital Payments Domination

9. What Police Can Learn From the Military About the Effectiveness of Soft Power

10. Addressing Diversity, Army Will Remove Photos of Officer Candidates in Promotion Reviews

11. Marines Say Banning Confederate Flag Is Only One Step To Confronting Racism In The Corps

12. Army Won't Ban Confederate Flag Displays Without Pentagon Approval

 

 

1. China Has 'First-Strike' Capability To Melt U.S. Power Grid With Electromagnetic Pulse Weapon

Forbes · by James Conca · June 25, 2020

I will start off with the most ominous and threatening article today.

 

2. DHS Predicted A Summer of Violence, Radicalization, and Conspiracies

defenseone.com · by Patrick Tucker

So what we are seeing was not unexpected.  

 

3. Getting Past the Civil War: The Morality of Renaming U.S. Army Bases Named After Confederate Generals

thestrategybridge.org – by C. Anthony Pfaff - June 25, 2020

This is a very thoughtful and important essay. There are some important insights from Robert E. Lee which we should consider. I recommend it and I commend the author, C. Anthony Pfaff.

 

4. How the Virus Won

The interactive article is at the link.  Some fascinating graphics.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-spread.html

 

5. Protecting Democracy Amid the COVID-19 Crisis

diplomaticourier.com · by John Zemko

 

6. The Dangers of Designating Antifa as a Terrorist Organization Now

rand.org · by Heather J. Williams

 

7. White House intensifies effort to install Pentagon personnel seen as loyal to Trump

The Washington Post – by Missy Ryan, Paul Sonne, and Josh Dawsey – 25 June 2020

Although this will be interpreted as a partisan article it does provide a fairly comprehensive rundown of some of the major vacancies and the possible nominees.

 

8. INSIGHT: U.S. Must Act to Slow China's Roll Toward Global Digital Payments Domination

news.bloomberglaw.com · by Jamieson Greer

We must protect the global financial system that is based on the dollar as the reserve currency or we will not be able to sustain our deficit spending.

 

9. What Police Can Learn From the Military About the Effectiveness of Soft Power

TIME – by James Stavridis – 25 June 2020

But we have to be careful of the perception (or reality)  of "militarization" of the police. 

We should recall the controversy over this concept: "With Green Beret Tactics, Combating Gang Warfare" https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/01/us/springfield-mass-fights-crime-using-green-beret-tactics.html

 

10. Addressing Diversity, Army Will Remove Photos of Officer Candidates in Promotion Reviews

The New York Times · by Helene Cooper · June 25, 2020

 

11. Marines Say Banning Confederate Flag Is Only One Step To Confronting Racism In The Corps

kpbs.org - by Steve Walsh - Thursday, June 25, 2020

 

12. Army Won't Ban Confederate Flag Displays Without Pentagon Approval

military.com · by Matthew Cox · June 25, 2020

The Marine Corps and US Forces Korea can ban the flag, but the Army needs Pentagon approval?   Not a good look for my Army.

 

"Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world...would do this, it would change the earth."

- William Faulkner

 

"I am aware that many object to the severity of my language; but is there not cause for severity? I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not wish to think, or to speak, or write, with moderation. No! no! Tell a man whose house is on fire to give a moderate alarm; tell him to moderately rescue his wife from the hands of the ravisher; tell the mother to gradually extricate her babe from the fire into which it has fallen; - but urge me not to use moderation in a cause like the present. I am in earnest - I will not equivocate - I will not excuse - I will not retreat a single inch - AND I WILL BE HEARD."

- William Lloyd Garrison

 

"When the sword is once drawn, the passions of men observe no bounds of moderation."

- Alexander Hamilton

Categories: News