News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. SECDEF promotion guidance - INDOPACIFIC
2. U.S. tells Iraq it's planning to pull out of Baghdad embassy
3. What the intelligence community doesn't know is hurting the US
4. How China masters the art of propaganda
5. The United States can't quit on the UN
6. Military suicides up as much as 20% in COVID era
7. Nearly 1M who died of COVID-19 also illuminated treatment
8. One of the nation's last OSS spies, Patricia Warner, dies at 99
9. Countering insurgencies and violent extremism In South and Southeast Asia
10. Business as usual on K Street
11. Proclamation on Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day, 2020
12. China's military might, aggressive policies spur talks of creating 'Asian NATO'
13. NYPD officer accused of spying for China puzzled city's Tibetan groups
14. The inconvenient truth about Taiwan's place in the world
15. National security adviser: after Hong Kong, China will target Taiwan next
16. With Russia, it is time to restart speaking softly and putting away the big stick
17. Trump, Pentagon collide over anti-diversity training push
18. One of first females to join the silent service: 'I'm excited to see the day when women being on submarines is not a surprise to people.'
19. Reporter's notebook: Navy SEAL admiral survives San Diego hot seat, moves on to SOCOM job
20. Don't let China conclude its opportunity is 'now or never'
1. SECDEF Promotion Guidance - INDOPACIFIC
US Department of Defense · September 22, 2020
After serving 25+ years in the Indo-Pacific region, it would have been nice to have this promotion guidance when I was still on active duty!!
Seriously though, some are rightly skeptical after the AFPAK hands personnel management debacle.
As an aside, notice this is only addressed to the Military Departments and not to the COCOMs or to USSOCOM which is supposed to have oversight of and input into service promotions and assignments, but it does not have any authority over them.
2. U.S. tells Iraq it's planning to pull out of Baghdad embassy
Washington Post · by Louisa Loveluck, Missy Ryan, & John Hudson · September 28, 2020
Big changes coming for the Iraq-US relationship?
3. What the intelligence community doesn't know is hurting the US
Center for American Progress · by Katrina Mulligan, Matt Olsen, & Alexandra Schmitt · September 18, 2020
Interesting critique of the IC.
4. How China masters the art of propaganda
Cipher Brief · by William O-Hara · September 21, 2020
Important assessment here.
5. The United States can't quit on the UN
Foreign Affairs · by Kristine Lee · September 24, 2020
6. Military suicides up as much as 20% in COVID era
AP · by Lolita C. Baldor & Robert Burns · September 27, 2020
Not a good sign for us.
7. Nearly 1M who died of COVID-19 also illuminated treatment
AP · by Marilynn Marchione · September 27, 2020
The way to honor the sacrifice of these 1 million is to learn from them so we can help others. And for those 1 million, this is not a hoax and we should not disrespect them by calling it one.
8. One of the nation’s last OSS spies, Patricia Warner, dies at 99
Boston Herald · by Joe Dwinell · September 27, 2020
9. Countering insurgencies and violent extremism in South and Southeast Asia
Eurasia Review · by Vikram Sood · September 27, 2020
10. Business as usual on K Street
International Policy Digest · by Scott Morgan · September 27, 2020
I am sure glad I work on M Street and not K Street.
11. Proclamation on Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day, 2020
White House · by Donald J. Trump · September 25, 2020
I missed this announcement. Our deep condolences and great respect for our Gold Star Mother's and Families.
12. China's military might, aggressive policies spur talks of creating 'Asian NATO'
Washington Times · by Guy Taylor · September 27, 2020
My comments, among many others, below.
13. NYPD officer accused of spying for China puzzled city's Tibetan groups
Wall Street Journal · by Shan Li & Ben Chapman · September 27, 2020
This is a bizarre case. Any country with a United Front Work Department should be considered a threat to the free world.
14. The inconvenient truth about Taiwan's place in the world
National Interest · by Paul Heer · September 27, 2020
15. National security adviser: after Hong Kong, China will target Taiwan next
National Interest · by Bill Gertz · September 27, 2020
This article covers more than China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
16. With Russia, it is time to restart speaking softly and putting away the big stick
Strategy Bridge · Alexander Grinberg · September 28, 2020
17. Trump, Pentagon collide over anti-diversity training push
Hill · by Rebecca Kheel · September 27, 2020
18. One of first females to join the silent service: 'I'm excited to see the day when women being on submarines is not a surprise to people.'
The Day · by Julia Bergman · September 25, 2020
I have great respect for any submariner regardless of gender. Their ability to live and work in that environment is beyond my comprehension.
My father worked at Electric Boat in Groton when I was growing up. We went to a lot of submarine launches in the 1960s. I also took many school trips to the submarine base in New London and taking a tour of the inside of a submarine is why I went into the Army. But I did think The Hunt for Red October was a pretty cool movie and maybe if that had come out in the 1960s at the same time as the Green Berets, I might have made a different choice! :-)
19. Reporter’s notebook: Navy SEAL admiral survives San Diego hot seat, moves on to SOCOM job
San Diego Union-Tribune · by Andrew Dyer · September 27, 2020
Survived? How about he exercised superior leadership?
20. Don't let China conclude its opportunity is 'now or never'
USNI · by James Holmes · September 27, 2020
Interesting analysis from Naval War College professor James Homes.
"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
- Elie Wiesel
"While other animals look downwards at the ground, he gave human beings an upturned aspect, commanding them to look towards the skies, and, upright, raise their face to the stars."
-Ovid ('Metamorphoses')
"The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it."
- Chinese Proverb