07/02/2020 News & Commentary – National Security  

News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Ahyoung Shin.

1. U.S. readies sanctions on China over rights abuses in Xinjiang

2. China's software stalked Uighurs earlier and more widely, researchers learn

3. Taiwan practices 'enemy annihilation' after China steps up activity

4. Meet the global leadership restrainers: Making America second-rate again

5. Little evidence that protests spread coronavirus in US

6. Dollar's dominance to slowly melt away over coming year: Reuters poll

7. FBI: Record-shattering surge in gun checks as BLM, 2020 election, virus boost sales

8. As China strengthens grip on Hong Kong, Taiwan sees a threat

9. SASC pushes cyber overhaul in New NDAA

10. Drone-era warfare shows the operational limits of air defense systems

11. Big pay raise, limits on troop moves highlight defense budget measure

12. Army's senior officer ranks are not diverse enough, General says

13. Don't allow a vocal fringe minority to cut our much-needed defense investments

14. Here's how to stop the virus from winning

15. The Mercenary who botched a Maduro Coup is lying low in Florida

16. History tells us that ideological 'purity spirals' rarely end well

17. The Korean War and the Rebirth of ARSOF

 

1. U.S. readies sanctions on China over rights abuses in Xinjiang

Bloomberg · by Nick Wadhams · July 1, 2020

The Chinese Communist Party must be held accountable for these crimes.

2. China's software stalked Uighurs earlier and more widely, researchers learn

The New York Times · by Paul Mozur · July 1, 2020

This should not be a surprise. But again the CCP must be held accountable.

3. Taiwan practices 'enemy annihilation' after China steps up activity

uk.reuters.com 

A lot of Taiwan military training is making the news. It seems like the Taiwanese are conducting influence operations.

4. Meet the global leadership restrainers: Making America second-rate again

washingtontimes.com · by Clifford D. May

My boss takes on the "restrainers/retrenchers."

5. Little evidence that protests spread coronavirus in US

AP · by MIKE STOBBE and NICKY FORSTER · July 1, 2020

This should spark some partisan commentary from both sides.

6. Dollar's dominance to slowly melt away over coming year: Reuters poll

uk.reuters.com · by Rahul Karunakar

Our economic instrument of power could whither. This will make our current economic problems even worse.

7. FBI: Record-shattering surge in gun checks as BLM, 2020 election, virus boost sales

Washington Examiner · by Paul Bedard · July 1, 2020

Some interesting data. It is not the time to stock provisions after the crisis occurs!

8. As China strengthens grip on Hong Kong, Taiwan sees a threat

The New York Times · by Javier C. Hernández · July 1, 2020

As it should. There is probably no issue that dominates Chinese political and military thinking than Taiwan.  

Taiwan is going to need resistance and resilience in the face of the PRC threat.

9. SASC pushes cyber overhaul in New NDAA

breakingdefense.com · by Kelsey Atherton

A "cyber pandemic." Imagine if we lost access to the cyber domain during the coronavirus pandemics?  This from the conclusion is surprising, "Coordinating a cyber strategy within the United States, and putting specific people in charge of it, is a major first step to having a response ready to go.." Is it true do not have coordinated cyber strategy and we have no one in charge?

10. Drone-era warfare shows the operational limits of air defense systems

realcleardefense.com · by John Parachini and Peter Wilson

Drones (UAS) and cyber. Two capabilities we have pioneered but for which we lack adequate defensive capabilities. And air defense has been one of our most underinvested capabilities and air defense against drones (UAS) appears to be a very difficult challenge.

11. Big pay raise, limits on troop moves highlight defense budget measure

Defense News · by Leo Shane III, Joe Gould · July 1, 2020

We must take care of the troops and their families. But I can hear the complaint from the bean counters. Personnel costs are the biggest part of our budget.

12. Army's senior officer ranks are not diverse enough, General says

military.com · by Matthew Cox · July 1, 2020

Sadly this has long been the case.  

I do not know if this is true but I had a senior officer tell me that most generals are identified very early in their career at around the Captain/Navy Lieutenant (O3) rank and it is reflected and it is reflected consistently in their evaluation and fitness reports. I confirmed this anecdotally when I was the SF branch chief and I reviewed records for promotion boards. It was very evident who would become a general officer after looking at their career long evaluation record. I mention that because this is not an issue that can quickly be fixed unless there is a cultural change. It is a 20+ year process to make a general officer. I also participated in a study after retirement with a think tank and we had representatives from all four services review promotion records for their respective services to select for general officer based on how we understood our own service culture for promotions. The mock records were completely devoid of any identifying information as to gender or race. We had a group of 15-20 Army officers (retired O6s- to O8s) who were very diverse in terms or gender, race, and military branch and it was amazing how in synch we all were in recommendations and even in the rank order of the promotion list.

13. Don't allow a vocal fringe minority to cut our much-needed defense investments

dailysignal.com · by Sen. Jim Inhofe · July 2, 2020

We are going to be very fiscally constrained for some time. I think there are going to be significant challenges to defense funding levels this year and for years to come.

14. Here's how to stop the virus from winning

nationalgeographic.com · by Nsikan Akpan · June 26, 2020

I am amazed how many people are in denial about this crisis. I see on social media all the rationalizations and the use of statistics to say this is not a problem. And people are still comparing this to the flu.

And of course, none of those people will take the time to read this and if they do they will continue to deny the problem.

Graphics at the link.

15. The Mercenary who botched a Maduro Coup is lying low in Florida

Bloomberg · by Brendan Borrell · July 1, 2020

What a sad story and an embarrassment to our Regiment.

16. History tells us that ideological 'purity spirals' rarely end well

phys.org · by Richard Whatmore and Katrin Redfern, The Conversation

Some history to reflect upon. And both sides of the political spectrum should take heed of Balwain's words in the opening quote. I see this "purity" every day on social media on both extreme sides of the political spectrum.

17. The Korean War and the Rebirth of ARSOF

shadowspear.com · June 30, 2020

And some final history reading for today.

 

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"There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle. 

- Alexis de Tocqueville

 

"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical." 

- Thomas Jefferson

 

"A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader."

- Samuel Adams