News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Ahyoung Shin.
1. Mobilizing the military for domestic operations: some legal considerations
2. Seeking information on individuals inciting violence during First Amendment-protected peaceful demonstrations
3. Defense officials backtrack on Trump's claim that Gen. Milley is 'in charge' of military response to violent protests
4. New psychology research finds extreme protest actions reduce popular support for social movements
5. Pentagon says guard did not tear-gas protesters; Downplays role in militarized response
6. Is it revolution? (the civil unrest in the US)
7. Guard troops in DC say they want to 'give people the opportunity to express their First Amendment rights'
8. Presidents and 'presidents'
9. Beijing flexes its muscles - and Washington better get ready
10. Special operators in Syria are First American Unit to use computerized sights on their rifles
11. Philippines suspends abrogation of defense pact with US
12. Hard-core agents provocateurs infiltrate US protests
13. Viruses: Biological versus computer
14. The Overmilitarization of American Foreign Policy
15. A (resignation) letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper
16. 'I wish you the best': US military adviser resigns after Trump's controversial photo op at church
17. Three strategists walk into a bar
18. The Pen is mightier than the Sword? - SOF Need Both
1. Mobilizing the military for domestic operations: some legal considerations
sites.duke.edu · by Charlie Dunlap, J.D. · June 2, 2020
From one of the military's best legal minds. And we should all take heed this advice.
2. Seeking information on individuals inciting violence during First Amendment-protected peaceful demonstrations
A PSA, just in case when you are out at the protests and you come across suspicious persons. Consider the concept of "pseudo operations" adapted for the current civil unrest: "Pseudo operations are those in which government forces disguised as guerrillas, normally along with guerrilla defectors, operate as teams to infiltrate insurgent areas. This technique has been used by the security forces of several other countries in their operations, and typically it has been very successful." https://publications.armywarcollege.edu/pubs/1712.pdf
Rather than government forces consider extremist groups infiltrating as protestors. Also consider members of extremist groups infiltrating security reports such as the report here in LA. A person was arrested in full kit appearing to be a national guard soldier. https://www.foxla.com/news/armed-man-in-military-apparel-arrested-on-assault-weapon-charges-in-downtown-la
3. Defense officials backtrack on Trump's claim that Gen. Milley is 'in charge' of military response to violent protests
taskandpurpose.com · by Jeff Schogol
The Chairman is the senior military advisor to the President and SECDEF. As I wrote yesterday:
The CJCS is not in the chain of command by law. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/163. The President and the Secretary of Defense are in command (or what we used to call the National Command Authority). The Chairman cannot exercise military command over the Joint Chiefs of Staff or any of the armed forces.
10 U.S. Code § 163. Role of Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff
(a)Communications Through Chairman of JCS; Assignment of Duties.-Subject to the limitations in section 152(c) of this title, the President may-
(1) direct that communications between the President or the Secretary of Defense and the commanders of the unified and specified combatant commands be transmitted through the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; and
(2) assign duties to the Chairman to assist the President and the Secretary of Defense in performing their command function.
10 U.S. Code § 152 Chairman: appointment; grade and rank (https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/10/152#:)
(c)Grade and Rank.-
The Chairman, while so serving, holds the grade of general or, in the case of an officer of the Navy, admiral and outranks all other officers of the armed forces. However, he may not exercise military command over the Joint Chiefs of Staff or any of the armed forces.
4. New psychology research finds extreme protest actions reduce popular support for social movements
psypost.org · by Eric W. Dolan · May 30, 2020
The referenced study can be downloaded here: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2020-02398-001.
This is why everyone should read and study the works of Gene Sharp Robert Helvey. I commend all to read Gene Sharp's From Dictatorship to Democracy. https://www.aeinstein.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FDTD.pdf.
5. Pentagon says guard did not tear-gas protesters; Downplays role in militarized response
defenseone.com · by KATIE BO WILLIAMS
I thought it was odd. If tear gas had been used, I would have thought we would have noticed the entourage experience some of the residual effects since they walked through the area where the tear gas was allegedly used only a short time after. We should have seen people tearing up or coughing lightly as they felt the residual effects but from the media footage it did not appear anyone experienced anything.
And so it looks like the CJSC and SECDEF walked into a media ambush and were not aware of the photo op.. Not that this is the equivalent of what happened to the Chairman and SECDEF but I had a similar experience in Baslian when we were in the Philippines in 2002 for OEF-P I went to meet the Provincial Governor, Wahab Akbar who was a founding member of the terrorist group the ASG who have been given amnesty rehabilitated and then democratically elected the Governor. As we were meeting in his office, he called an aide and in walked a large group of media with cameras and microphones and he proceeded to hold an impromptu press conference. I will never forget his statement as he was standing next to me telling the press how happy he was to have American Special Forces deployed. He said the people of the Philippines were rescued from the Japanese by the Americans and now they were going to be rescued from the terrorists. He said it was fitting because both the Japanese and the terrorists were known for cutting off the heads of Filipinos. Needless to say it was not a good look for us, I did not make a statement and fortunately the press stories never got legs.
6. Is it revolution? (the civil unrest in the US)
National Review Online · by Michael Brendan Dougherty · May 31, 2020
If we are going to talk about revolution, I commend these resources to all for study. The Assessing Revolution and Insurgent Strategies (ARIS) project from the US Army Special Operations Command provides the intellectual foundation for understanding revolution and resistance. The numerous studies can be accessed at this link: https://www.soc.mil/ARIS/ARIS.html
7. Guard troops in DC say they want to 'give people the opportunity to express their First Amendment rights'
militarytimes.com · by Howard Altman · June 2, 2020
The troops are on message. But our National Guard troops across the country are being given one of the hardest missions. I have tremendous respect for our citizen soldiers. I just hope our active soldiers are not deployed for domestic operations against civil unrest.
8. Presidents and 'presidents'
The Hill · by Joseph Bosco, opinion contributor · June 2, 2020
I think Secretary Pompeo did the right thing with a strong statement congratulation President Tasi on her re-election. But this article is about the use of titles for national leaders. I think Joe Bosco (who always provides provocative insights) makes an interesting observation about the Washington Post. In a caption of photograph with a number of world leaders the Post identified Xi as "Chinese Leader" and not with a proper title as it did for all the other leaders. Most important, according to Joe, the Post did call him president.
9. Beijing flexes its muscles - And Washington better get ready
realcleardefense.com · by Bradley Bowman and Craig Singleton
From my colleagues Brad Bowman and Craig Singleton. US military supremacy in the Indo Pacific has eroded while Chinese strength has increased. The US and our allies cannot allow the balance of power to further erode.
10. Special operators in Syria are First American Unit to use computerized sights on their rifles
thedrive.com · by Joseph Trevithick · June 1, 2020
Perhaps modern warfare will become closer to a computer game. But seriously this is a fascinating capability. I just hope you do not have to reboot during a firefight - it would be terrible to get the blue screen while you are acquiring a target. (okay, please excuse the sarcasm).
Photos at the link.
11. Philippines suspends abrogation of defense pact with US
The Washington Post · by Jim Gomez | AP
Some good news for our alliance structure thought it never should have got to this point. I am sure US Ambassador Sung Kim and his country team did a lot of work to get this reversed as I am sure did many Philippine officials who value the RP-US alliance (the longest standing US alliance).
12. Hard-core agents provocateurs infiltrate US protests
asiatimes.com · by Christina Lin · June 2, 2020
This is a real threat: the infiltrators and agitators (on both sides of the political spectrum) who are hijacking the protests. This is subversion 101.
13. Viruses: Biological versus computer
asiatimes.com · by More by Mark Webb-Johnson · June 3, 2020
Very interesting comparison. We need cyber hygiene to protect us from computer viruses just as we need personal hygiene to protect us from biological viruses. We have to be prepared to fight computer viruses just as we have to be prepared to fight the next coronavirus.
14. The Overmilitarization of American Foreign Policy
Foreign Affairs · by Robert M. Gates · June 2, 2020
The military has to be in support until it has to fight a war, but even then, it still has to be in service of the political aim and that is not something that can be decided upon by the military. This should theoretically be why we need civilian control of not only foreign policy but the military as well: "If you concentrate exclusively on victory, while no thought for the after effect, you may be too exhausted to profit by peace, while it is almost certain that the peace will be a bad one, containing the germs of another war." B.H. Liddel-Hart. This quote requires civilian leadership and control.
We need balance and coherency not only among ends, ways, and means (strategy) but also with our instruments of national power. We need to have a holistic application of DIME-A - diplomatic, informational, military, economic AND Alliances. I think we need to consider Alliances as one of our key elements of national power. Our Alliance structure is also more than military. Alliances affect and require support from each of the other instruments.
Regarding Secretary Gates' comments about avoiding mission creep, General Zinni's quote is instructive. "Stay focused on the mission. Line up military tasks with political objectives. Avoid mission creep and allow for mission shifts. A mission shift is a conscious decision, made by political leadership in consultation with the military commander, responding to a changing situation." - General Anthony Zinni
Mission creep is a decidedly pejorative phrase. Mission shift results from challenging assumptions and assessment of changing conditions. But because of "mission creep" we have sometimes paralyzed ourselves and refused to adjust the mission (or to rebalance the ends, ways, and means of strategy) for fear of being charged with mission creep.
15. A (resignation) letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper
The Washington Post · by James N. Miller · June 2, 2020
A resignation letter from James N. Miller. He is a former defense official and current member of the Defense Science Board (which I believe is just an advisory position). This is not at the level of a current defense official or a military officer resigning in protest. I do wonder if HR McMaster will write a 21st Century part 2 of Dereliction of Duty to assess the actions of senior leaders (military and civilian) taking principled stands against policies. And this needs examination through all three administrations of the 21st Century from 9-11 to the present. I only recall one 3 star quietly resigning over Iraq and a handful of moderately high level government officials who have resigned since 9-11.
16. 'I wish you the best': US military adviser resigns after Trump's controversial photo op at church
Business Insider · by David Choi
A follow- up to Miller's resignation letter published in the Washington Post.
17. Three strategists walk into a bar
mwi.usma.edu · by Michael Symanski · June 2, 2020
This is an excellent thought piece. I am keeping this one in my files. This should provoke some good discussion in our PME institutions.
18. The Pen is mightier than the Sword? - SOF Need Both
sof.news · by SOF News · June 2, 2020
The entire military needs both as do our civilian government agencies (well they may only have pens and not swords). But we need people to write, to share experiences, to debate and discuss. Small Wars Journal will continue to provide that platform, especially for authentic new voices.
The above PSA aside this article is really about our ability to" lead with influence" (my words) versus kinetic operations (we need both applied in the right order and correct balance for each unique operation and appropriate for existing conditions - to achieve the "integration of effects").
This is why I like to frame special operations in terms of two "SOF Trinities:" irregular warfare, unconventional warfare, and support to political warfare and the comparative advantage of SOF: influence, governance, and support to indigenous forces and populations.
But we fear leading with influence and information. Recall the words of a PSYOP officer to me at Leavenworth (short course not the long one): It is easier to get permission to put a hellfire missile on the forehead of a terrorist than it is to get permission to put an idea between his ears.
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"Before a war military science seems a real science, like astronomy; but after a war it seems more like astrology."
- Rebecca West
"I don't know with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones."
- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
"War is too serious a matter to entrust to military men."
- Georges Clemenceau