09/27/2020 News & Commentary - National Security
News and Commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and Published by Riley Murray.
1. Reforming Tokyo’s Ballistic Missile Defense is a Priority for Japan’s New Prime Minister
2. US congressman urges end to 'morally bankrupt and failed one China policy'
3. Earth to Washington and Beijing: It’s not all about you
4. PH Air Force eyes 21 second-hand Huey choppers from South Korea
5. Statement by President of Russia Vladimir Putin on a comprehensive program of measures for restoring the Russia – US cooperation in the filed of international information security
6. Taiwanese prepare to defend themselves from Chinese invasion
7. FBI Feeds Intel to DoD for Offensive Cyber Ops, Director Tells Congress
8. Star Wars is Bullsh*t! – Lies Science Fiction Taught Me About Strategic Planning
9. Putin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
10. Going Global: The F-35 Is Taking Over The World
11. Unmanned aircraft that saw heavy combat in the global war on terrorism are now headed to sea
12. 117 remains of Chinese soldiers killed in Korean War casketed in the ROK
13. 2 Abu Sayyaf members surrender in Sulu
14. Dress right and cover down (1st Special Forces Group and PPP)
15. USSOCOM Awarded 46 IDIQ Contracts Worth $950 Million for Special Operations Forces Support
16. RBG's Trainer, Army Vet Bryant Johnson, Does Push-Ups in Front of Her Casket
17. One of first female Ranger School graduates leads Honor Guard for Justice Ginsburg
18. The Replacements: Why and How “Acting” Officials Are Making Senate Confirmation Obsolete
19. Do our generals and admirals like war too much?
20. The Terrorist Lists: An Examination of the U.S. Government's Counterterrorism Designations Efforts
21. Harvard professor: Trump is not a dictator ... he only plays one on TV
1. Reforming Tokyo’s Ballistic Missile Defense is a Priority for Japan’s New Prime Minister
The National Interest · by Matthew Ha · September 26, 2020
From my colleague Mathew Ha. And as Mat mentions, an integrated missile defense system in Northeast Asia would be even better but I know that is a bridge too far (at least it is before the shooting starts).
2. US congressman urges end to 'morally bankrupt and failed one China policy'
taiwannews.com.tw · by Taiwan News
Here is a link to the Congressman's OpEd referenced in the article below. https://dailycaller.com/2020/09/24/tiffany-its-time-to-end-americas-failed-one-china-policy/
3. Earth to Washington and Beijing: It’s not all about you
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-china-watcher?- by David Wertime – 24 September 2020
A Sunday morning read for all China watchers. This is quite a roll-up of a broad array of commentary.
Earth to Washington and Beijing: It’s not all about you
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-china-watcher?
4. PH Air Force eyes 21 second-hand Huey choppers from South Korea
newsinfo.inquirer.net · by Frances Mangosing · September 25, 2020
Security Assistance among two of our allies. I have flown quite a few hours in a PAF Hueys. Some of them still had Budweiser beer cans from patching the bullet holes from the Vietnam era. But the PAF pilots were good. We did pinnacle landings on the highest point in Basilan and we once flew with a fuel gauge indicating zero fuel yet the pilots knew exactly how long they could fly before we actually ran out of fuel!
5. Statement by President of Russia Vladimir Putin on a comprehensive program of measures for restoring the Russia – US cooperation in the filed of international information security
en.kremlin.ru · September 25, 2020
Security cooperation between the US and Russia? Very interesting timing for this statement from Putin. Russian political warfare. Politics is warfare by other means. We would do well to remember that.
6. Taiwanese prepare to defend themselves from Chinese invasion
The Telegraph · by Nicola Smith
As they must but I hope they never have to.
7. FBI Feeds Intel to DoD for Offensive Cyber Ops, Director Tells Congress
defenseone.com · by Mariam Baksh – 26 September 2020
Yes, it is a brave new world. This is excellent interagency cooperation. Cyber may be the most important battlespace now and in the future.
8. Star Wars is Bullsh*t! – Lies Science Fiction Taught Me About Strategic Planning
angrystaffofficer.com · by KR Paul · September 27, 2020
I have never been a Star Wars aficionado but this should be required reading in SAMS and all PME schools! :-)
9. Putin nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
The Hill · by Morgan Gstalter · September 24, 2020
I guess Trump and Putin will duke it out in Norway.
10. Going Global: The F-35 Is Taking Over The World
The National Interest · by Dan Goure · September 27, 2020
I hope Dr. Goure means the free world!
11. Unmanned aircraft that saw heavy combat in the global war on terrorism are now headed to sea
Stars and Stripes – by Seth Robinson – 26 September 2020
12. 117 remains of Chinese soldiers killed in Korean War casketed in the ROK
chinadaily.com.cn · by 刘小卓 – 26 September 2020
How many South Korean soldiers has China returned to South Korea? How many ROK Soldiers (and US and UN soldiers) died in Chinese prison camps in China and have been returned to their home countries?
13. 2 Abu Sayyaf members surrender in Sulu
philstar.com · by Roel Pareño
I remember when 17 ASG members surrendered in Basilan in 2002. But this is even more critical now as we need to separate the ASG from the Islamic State and its influence. Is the AFP and the Philippine government executing a PSYOP campaign to exploit these surrenders and encourage more?
14. Dress right and cover down (1st Special Forces Group and PPP)
https://www.army.mil/article/239394/dress_right_and_cover_down - by Margaret C. Roth – 25 September 2020
Tremendous work by 1st Special Forces Group (and Natick , et el). Great initiative. But note also the equipment and techniques available in the Group as well as the various processes and organizations that came together on this initiative.
I am proud of 1st SFG but this is representative of what the American military writ large can do in the face of crisis, especially an unconventional ones (the essence of unconventional warfare is to solve, or assist in solving complex political-military problems - not that this is an unconventional warfare situation but unconventional warfare thinking can help to solve or assist in solving myriad diverse problems.
15. USSOCOM Awarded 46 IDIQ Contracts Worth $950 Million for Special Operations Forces Support
news.clearancejobs.com · by Katie Keller · September 26, 2020
As I have said if you want to understand the direction of the US military just follow the contracting process. So much can be gleaned not only from procurement contracts but also service contracts. And of course, construction contracts provide information about long term plans for basing. All of this can be combined to understand the direction of future military strategy.
16. RBG's Trainer, Army Vet Bryant Johnson, Does Push-Ups in Front of Her Casket
Military.com | By Hope Hodge Seck – 25 September 2020
Pretty classy. I had no idea of the veteran connection. 30 years in the Army. I am not sure what "Special Forces Airborne Unit” he was a member of. Video at the link.
RBG's Trainer, Army Vet Bryant Johnson, Does Push-Ups in Front of Her Casket
17. One of first female Ranger School graduates leads Honor Guard for Justice Ginsburg
wrbl.com · by Chuck Williams · September 25, 2020
I had no idea as well. I was struck when I heard the commands in a female voice as I watched the ceremony. In the old days I would have been shocked, but it seems so natural and normal today. But I did not realize Captain Haver is serving in the Old Guard.
18. The Replacements: Why and How “Acting” Officials Are Making Senate Confirmation Obsolete
The 28 page report can be downloaded here. https://ourpublicservice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Replacements-1.pdf
19. Do our generals and admirals like war too much?
The Brookings Institution · by Michael E. O'Hanlon · September 21, 2020
Spoiler alert. Do not be misled by the clickbait title (I was - based on the title I was ready to take Michael O'Hanlon to task because I assumed the answer to the question might be different).
His conclusion: We would be wrong to put our military leaders on pedestals and assume that they can solve the nation’s problems on their own. But I see no evidence they are trying to hoodwink the country into following some predetermined and overmilitarized foreign policy. President Trump has that one wrong.
20. The Terrorist Lists: An Examination of the U.S. Government's Counterterrorism Designations Efforts
ctc.usma.edu · September 24, 2020
The very comprehensive 105 page report can be downloaded here. Great work by West Point's CTC. This may be very useful to researchers. This is an excellent academic reference.
21. Harvard professor: Trump is not a dictator ... he only plays one on TV
I know I am taking a great risk among many of you for posting a video link to CNN. However, if you can overlook the partisan aspect of this (and I post this with no intent to make a partisan statement) I think it accurately describes some of the fundamental problems we have in today's society (which at the end of the piece the professor notes both Republicans and Democrats contribute to), e.g., the concept of "credentialism." The most important aspect of this short video is the call to return to the dignity of work - whatever work you do that contributes to the public good. And the contribution of dignified work is not measured in income. However, what the Professor did not note but in my opinion he is describing, is that human nature has not changed from the time of Thucydides when he said, "The strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must." Today the rank and file are filled with grievance and resentment and fighting back against the elite. Again, please do not take this as a partisan offering. I urge you to listen to this and reflect on what the professor says. I just ordered his book and I look forward to reading it.
“No matter what anyone says or does, my task is to be good.”
- Marcus Aurelius
“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”
- Harry S. Truman
"A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear."
- Marcus Tullius Cicero (42B.C.)
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