06/05/2020 News & Commentary - National Security

News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.  

1.  China tried to erase the memory of Tiananmen Square. But its legacy lives on.

2. China, Iran targeting presidential campaigns with hacking attempts, Google announces

3. Did Chinese Communist Party intend for COVID-19 to destabilize a disunited America?

4.  America must assume that foods, medicines and chemicals from China are tainted

5. Army reservist, Navy and Air Force vets plotted to terrorize Vegas protests, prosecutors charge

6. Evidence that Antifa, 'foreign actors' involved in sowing unrest and violence: AG Barr

7. Three men connected to 'boogaloo' movement tried to provoke violence at protests, feds say

8. Facebook will block ads from state-controlled media outlets

9.  AMA statement on president "terminating" U.S. relationship with WHO

10. Cool It With the 'America In Decline' Talk

11. Rumors of America's Death Are Greatly Exaggerated

12. America in Crisis

13. Revolt of the generals

14. U.S. Special Operations Command considers smart-soldier equipment to outfit warfighters of the future

15. Disunited Democracies Cannot Face the Challenge of China

16. MPs from eight countries form new global coalition to counter China

17. President Trump's New China Strategy is Just the Realism We Need

18. The Army Will Soon Have Female Grunts, Tankers in All Brigade Combat Teams

19. The Government is Regularly Flying Predator Drones Over American Cities

 

1. China tried to erase the memory of Tiananmen Square. But its legacy lives on.

Washington Post, by Various Contributors. May 31, 2019

Yes, no one should ever forget this.  The CCP cannot erase this from the collective global memory. This is one of the best indicators of the nature of the Chinese Communist Party.  The question is in 30 years will we be saying remember Hong Kong?

 

2. China, Iran targeting presidential campaigns with hacking attempts, Google announces

Washington Post, by Ellen Nakashima, Josh Dawsey and Matt Viser. June 04, 2020

Cyber is one of the most effective tools for use in political warfare. We have to be ready for these attacks.

 

3. Did Chinese Communist Party intend for COVID-19 to destabilize a disunited America?

Washington Times, by Clifford D. May. June 02, 2020.

If this was intentional it was a pretty bold and sophisticated act of political warfare.  I do believe the way ahead is through alliances.  I like these names: Quote: "Among the names that have been suggested: "Concert of Democracies," "League of Democracies," "Community of Democracies" and "Democratic Cooperative Network.'"   I think our State Department is already working on projects in this direction, the Economic Prosperity Network and the Blue Dot Network.  These will harness likeminded (freedom loving countries) to develop common prosperity and counter China's One Belt One Road.

 

4. America must assume that foods, medicines and chemicals from China are tainted

Washington Times, by Daniel Gallington. June 01, 2020

One of the strongest critiques of China I have read recently.  There is more to this than just the headline.

 

5. Army reservist, Navy and Air Force vets plotted to terrorize Vegas protests, prosecutors charge

Military Times, by Michelle L. Price and Scott Sonner. June 04, 2020.

I have no words except to say what is the matter with these men?  I do wonder why we are just hearing about this now if they were arrested last Saturday?

 

6. Evidence that Antifa, 'foreign actors' involved in sowing unrest and violence: AG Barr

ABC News, by Alexander Mallin. June 04, 2020. 

Video at the link. 

 

7. Three men connected to 'boogaloo' movement tried to provoke violence at protests, feds say

NBC News, by Andrew Blankstein, Tom Winter and Brandy Zadrozny.  June 04, 2020.

The boogaloo movement, members of which are often referred to as boogaloo boys, is a loosely organized American far-right extremist movement. Members of the boogaloo movement say they are preparing for a coming second American Civil War, which they call the "boogaloo".

Here are some references to this "movement."

 

8. Facebook will block ads from state-controlled media outlets

CNBC, by Salvador Rodriguez. June 06, 2020.

This appears to be a significant development.  Will this help?  Unsure.  But the labeling of foreign media outlets should help all of us to better identify sources of disinformation.

I hate to have to keep pounding this drum but we should heed these words from our National Security Strategy.  Can anyone argue against these words about our democracy?

 

9. AMA statement on president "terminating" U.S. relationship with WHO

AMA, by Patrice A. Harris, M.D., M.A. May 29, 2020.

I think it is a mistake to withdraw from the WHO.  I defer to the medical expertise of the AMA. In addition I think if we are going to participate in Great Power Competition we need to recognize that much of the political warfare will be conducted within international organizations.  We should not retire early from the field.

 

10. Cool It With the 'America In Decline' Talk

Defense One, by Daniel Depetris.  June 04, 2020. 

I do not often agree with Daniel DePetris but I do agree that America does not have to be in decline though we do face some of the most significant challenges since the end of the Cold War and after 9-11.  Quote: "The bottom line: the notion that the United States is shrinking to a shell of its former glory or somehow withering in the face of challenges from its strategic competitors leaves out all nuance and simplifies a highly complicated world into clickbait."

 

11. Rumors of America's Death Are Greatly Exaggerated

National Review Online, by Cameron Hilditch.  June 04, 2020.

The author hits back at those who have called the US a failed state.

 

12. America in Crisis

Foreign Policy Research Institute, by Marvin C. Ott.  June 03, 2020.

And another view of America in crisis.  He makes an interesting point.  Think back to the end of 2019 when "no big changes, either domestically or internationally, seemed in the offing."  Who would have thought we would be in this place just 6 months later.

 

13. Revolt of the Generals

Washington Post, by Jennifer Rubin.  June 04, 2020.

Will we have a crisis in civil-military relations?  I think I can say with some certainty the events of this week are going to be studied in leadership and ethics classes at PME institutions for years to come.

 

14.   U.S. Special Operations Command considers smart-soldier equipment to outfit warfighters of the future

Military Aerospace. June, 04 2020.

Goal is to give operators the same capability they have with commercial smart phones in the U.S. while they are operating anywhere in the world.

 

15. Disunited Democracies Cannot Face the Challenge of China

Chatman House, by Roland Paris. 04 June 2020 

Which is exactly what China is trying to create: disunited democracies.

 

16. MPs from eight countries form new global coalition to counter China

Sydney Morning Herald, Latika Bourke.  June 05, 2020. 

Note Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Democrat Senator Robert Menendez joined this group.

This is a step in the right direction. Shall we call this: "Concert of Democracies," "League of Democracies," "Community of Democracies" and "Democratic Cooperative Network.'"

 

17. President Trump's New China Strategy is Just the Realism We Need

National Interest, by Walter Lohman, Thomas Spoehr, and Terry Miller. June 05, 2020.

Yes. Worth the read.  My summary: The new approach from the White House is a direct challenge to China's policies and strategy and is designed to protect U.S. interests and values.  It outlines the three challenges from China: economic challenges, challenges to U.S. values, and security challenges.  It provides an approach based on principled realism and a free and open Indo-Pacific region that does not have to exclude China. Finally, it provides guidance on implementation in four areas: Protect the American People, the Homeland, and the American Way of Life; Promote American Prosperity; Preserve Peace through Strength; Advance American Influence.

It is a step toward operationalizing the 2017 NSS.  The question is can we execute it with balance and coherency among ends, ways and means over the long term?

 

18. The Army Will Soon Have Female Grunts, Tankers in All Brigade Combat Teams

Military.com, by Matthew Cox.  June 03, 2020.

In the words of Bob D:  "The times they are a changing."  In a year or so no one will bat an eye at this. It will be the new normal.

 

19. The Government is Regularly Flying Predator Drones Over American Cities

Vice, by Joseph Cox. 03 June 2020. 

Big brother expanding its surveillance capabilities?

 

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"All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter."                                                                                                                  Edmund Burke                                                                     

"The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control."  Epictetus, The Discourses

"When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it." Frederic Bastiat