11/9/2020 News & Commentary - National Security

News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.

1. Leaders slowest to congratulate Biden may be his big worries

2. Covid infections in animals prompt scientific concern

3. Growing Sino-American military rivalry - interview

4. Decorated Afghan pilot who protected US airmen is in hiding after Pentagon reverses approval to come to US

5. U.S. adversaries mum on Biden win, anticipate return to Obama-era policies

6. Meet 39 people on Biden's transition team ready to demolish Trump's legacy

7. Top cyber espionage groups that have India in their crosshairs

8. Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech is strongly effective, data show

9. Assessing the role of civil government agencies in irregular warfare

10. The operational environment: now through 2028

11. In plain sight: how an alleged Chinese spy tried to build an Australian business empire

12. Michèle Flournoy could become the first woman to run the Pentagon. Here’s what would change.

13. Philippines to back China judge for top UN court

14. New White House unlikely to drastically alter defense budget

15. Campaign planning for unconventional warfare: thoughts on a new approach to indirect action

16. Where President-elect Joe Biden stands on national security issues

17. A preview of Biden’s foreign policy

18. Army wants smaller brigades, stronger divisions & lots of robots

19. Putting combatant commanders on a demand signal diet

20. U.S.-Japan joint exercise, involving 46,000 troops, called a success

21. Pfizer’s early data shows vaccine is more than 90% effective

 

1. Leaders slowest to congratulate Biden may be his big worries

Bloomberg · Iain Marlow · November 9, 2020

All these leaders may believe in "actions speak louder than words," though their actions may vary.

 

2. Covid infections in animals prompt scientific concern

New York Times · James Gorman · November 8, 2020

I am listening to reports that Pfizer is reporting their vaccine in development is 90% effective. But what if COVID-19 is mutating? Can the vaccine be adjusted to account for mutations?

 

3. Growing Sino-American Military Rivalry - Interview

Eurasia Review · Gateway House · November 9, 2020

 

4. Decorated Afghan pilot who protected US airmen is in hiding after Pentagon reverses approval to come to US

Stars & Stripes · J.P. Lawrence · November 7, 2020

Huh???? Not a good look for the Pentagon if this is accurate reporting.

 

5. U.S. adversaries mum on Biden win, anticipate return to Obama-era policies

Washington Times · Guy Taylor · November 9, 2020

I think we might find that Biden is his own man and I would think he is not going to simply return to Obama policies. Conditions have changed a lot since Obama was president.

 

6. Meet 39 people on Biden's transition team ready to demolish Trump's legacy

Business Insider · Robin Bravender · November 8, 2020

I certainly cannot vouch for the accuracy of this list. The last name on the list is certainly interesting.

 

7. Top cyber espionage groups that have India in their crosshairs

Business Insider · Prabhjote Gill · November 9, 2020

Probably a partial target list for Cybercom and NSA.

 

8. Covid-19 vaccine from Pfizer and BioNTech is strongly effective, data show

STAT · Matthew Herper · November 9, 2020

I hope this comes to fruition and soon. I hate to be Moriarty and put out "negative waves," but my pessimistic thought is "first reports are always wrong."

 

9. Assessing the role of civil government agencies in irregular warfare

Divergent Options · Damimola Olawuyi & Paul Jemitola · November 9, 2020

I will keep beating the drum on this:

The Two "SOF Trinities:"

• Irregular Warfare
• Unconventional Warfare
• Support to Political Warfare

The Comparative advantage of SOF:

• Governance
• Influence
• Support to indigenous forces and populations
• With exquisite capabilities for the no fail CT and CP national missions

I can feel the authors foot stomping their conclusion here and I can hear a chorus of "amens" across the national security community.

 

10. The operational environment: now through 2028

Mad Scientist Laboratory · user · November 9, 2020

 

11. In plain sight: how an alleged Chinese spy tried to build an Australian business empire

Guardian · Nino Bucci · November 7, 2020

Any country with a "united front" department must be assumed to be implementing a strategy of subversion about the world.

 

12. Michèle Flournoy could become the first woman to run the Pentagon. Here’s what would change.

Defense News · Aaron Mehta · November 8, 2020

I would say she is one of the very most qualified candidates for Secretary of Defense, regardless of gender. I cannot recall any SECDEF who has as much experience in various levels of responsibility working in the Pentagon than Ms. Flournoy (save for someone like General Mattis or Rumsfeld, who did it twice!). I just hope these speculative reports do not "jinx" her possible appointment as SECDEF.

 

13. Philippines to back China judge for top UN court

Straits Times · Reuters, Bloomberg · November 9, 2020

What kind of strong arm or subversive influence took place to convince the Philippines to provide this support?

 

14. New White House unlikely to drastically alter defense budget

Law360 · Daniel Wilson· November 8, 2020

I think others may be advocating for significant cuts in defense spending, particularly those from the progressive wing of the Democratic party. Will the president-elect try to fend them off?

 

15. Campaign planning for unconventional warfare: thoughts on a new approach to indirect action

Small Wars Journal · Paul W. Taylor · November 8, 2020

Can we learn to conduct UW campaigns?

 

16. Where President-elect Joe Biden stands on national security issues

Defense News · Aaron Mehta & Joe Gould · November 8, 2020

 

17. A preview of Biden’s foreign policy

Bloomberg · James Stavridis · November 8, 2020

 

18. Army wants smaller brigades, stronger divisions, & lots of robots

Breaking Defense · Sydney J. Freedberg Jr. · November 6, 2020

I hope this is not the promise of less is more. Some missions the Army must conduct will always be manpower intensive. I am all for technology as a force multiplier, but we must recognize that sometimes there is not a substitute for boots on the ground (that belong to a living breathing human being).

 

19. Putting combatant commanders on a demand signal diet

War On the Rocks · Mackenzie Eaglen · November 9, 2020

Because you cannot say no to a warfighter (especially one that has troops in harm's way). I am reminded of a story when I was the G3 of USASOC. Our forward deployed units continue to request more special operations aviation capabilities. We were told to tell them to stop making the demands because there were none available. Months later they started requesting any type of helicopter to support operations. But because they had stopped making the requests for special operations aviation there was no demand signal that they needed additional airlift capabilities. We showed them all the previous requests and that we were told to cease making the requests but that did not worry the bean counters. So, when you stop providing a demand signal when you make a future request the bean counters will say, "but there is no demand signal." 

 

20. U.S.-Japan joint exercise, involving 46,000 troops, called a success

UPI · Ed Admaczyk · November 6, 2020

Well done in the time of COVID 19.

 

21. Pfizer’s early data shows vaccine is more than 90% effective

New York Times · Katie Thomas · November 9, 2020

I hope this works.

 

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