News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.
1. On the Chinese Communist Party's Obscene Propaganda - United States Department of State
2. Trump's Troop Plan Stuns Germany and Rocks the Postwar Order
3. 'It's complicated', German minister says of ties with U.S.
4. U.S. Diplomats Struggle to Defend Democracy Abroad Amid Crises at Home
5. A Chinese soccer legend has called for the downfall of the Communist Party in shock videos
6. Coronavirus: How map hacks and buttocks helped Taiwan fight Covid-19
7. How the Coronavirus Sows Civil Conflict
8. A lawyer is tweeting videos of police using force at protests. There are more than 350
9. Pentagon Ordered National Guard Helicopters' Aggressive Response in D.C.
10. Analysis: White House, Pentagon tensions near breaking point
11. Special Operations Command is diving into space
12. Exposed: China's Operating Manuals for Mass Internment and Arrest by Algorithm - ICIJ
13. Japan Avoids Signing U.K.-U.S. Statement on China, Kyodo Says
14. What is antifa? Behind the group Trump wants to designate as a terrorist organization
1. On the Chinese Communist Party's Obscene Propaganda - United States Department of State
state.gov · by Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State
One of the things we need to do to undermine Chinese propaganda is to allow and support peaceful protests in the U.S. The example of how to conduct protests should come from the US. We should ensure we never give the appearance of employing Chinese tactics against protestors. But the fact that we have a First Amendment right to peaceably assemble and petition the government with grievances is one of the starkest differences between the revisionist (China and Russia) and rogue powers (Iran and north Korea) and America. Our government should be embracing our protests as one of the strongest counterpropaganda themes and messages. Our protests about securing civil rights, human rights, and freedom and justice for all.
2. Trump's Troop Plan Stuns Germany and Rocks the Postwar Order
Bloomberg · by Angela Cullen · June 6, 2020
The shot heard by alliances around the world. The US now only believes in alliances for transactional purposes. All alliances must be worried about the financial demands from the US and continued US troop presence.
3. 'It's complicated', German minister says of ties with U.S.
Reuters · by Paul Carrel; Editing by Daniel Wallis · June 6, 2020
To put it mildly.
4. U.S. Diplomats Struggle to Defend Democracy Abroad Amid Crises at Home
The New York Times · by Lara Jake and Edward Wong · June 6, 2020
Our diplomats have a tough job. But we could use the current protests as an opportunity to reinforce American values. I am going to continue to repeat Congressman Jim Clyburn's words that what has made America exceptional is our ability to correct mistakes. That is what makes this our American experiment. You do not get an experiment right the first time, every time. That is what we should focus on. That is what the protests are driving us toward - correcting our mistakes. And we have made mistakes in how we have handled the protests, some in more states and cities than others and in the federal government as well. But we can correct our mistakes because the American people can peaceably assemble to petition their grievances. We should embrace that.
5. A Chinese soccer legend has called for the downfall of the Communist Party in shock videos
CNN · by CNN Staff
As I have said I fear for his safety. I hope the Global Engagement Center (GEC) is crafting themes and messages to exploit his statements. And of course the Chinese service of Voice of America and Radio Free Asia must aggressively report this (which I know they are and will continue to do) because the news and information is so censored in China.
6. Coronavirus: How map hacks and buttocks helped Taiwan fight Covid-19
BBC · by Shiroma Silva BBC Click · June 7, 2020
Please do not be put off by the click bait title. This is a very interesting article with some techniques worth considering. Of course this is unique to Taiwan but there are lessons to be learned. But can we ever reach a point of "mutual trust?" Certainly we never will trust government but hopefully on certain issues, such as public health, we can have a sufficient level of mutual trust. (And of course as long we have separation of powers and checks and balances we should be able to generate sufficient mutual trust).
7. How the Coronavirus Sows Civil Conflict
Foreign Affairs · by Rachel Brown, Heather Hurlburt, and Alexandra Stark · June 6, 2020
The authors conclude that while the coronavirus specifically might have caught us by surprise the indicators of political violence were clear for all to see. This is the recommendation: Quote: "The challenge for violence prevention, both between states and within them, is to pay attention to new conflict dynamics in order to better understand how peace, security, and their opposites play out in the lives of the authorities and the governed around the world."
8. A lawyer is tweeting videos of police using force at protests. There are more than 350
Los Angeles Times · by Josh Rottenberg · June 6, 2020
This lawyer of conducting a one man information and influence campaign and illustrating the power of social media.
I would think that everyone would know they are live on camera in today's world. I would think that in itself would have a moderating if not deterrent effect on these types of abuses. But they are captured on camera. Of course others would argue that cameras (and software) can provide opportunities to doctor videos to suit agendas. But looking at many of these videos it is clear these videos document heinous actions that are un-doctored.
9. Pentagon Ordered National Guard Helicopters' Aggressive Response in D.C.
The New York Times · by Thomas Gibbons-Neff and Eric Schmitt· June 6, 2020
I wonder who thought this was a good idea. I would like to see the risk analysis document and who signed off on it.
10. Analysis: White House, Pentagon tensions near breaking point
AP · by Robert Burns · June 6, 2020
I hope the title is simply hyperbole. But if it is the case then we need to ask why this is the case? (Mr. Burns provides his analysis) And we have to ask how can we will fix this?
11. Special Operations Command is diving into space
c4isrnet.com · by Nathan Strout · June 6, 2020
An old joke is we always wanted to be a space shuttle door gunner. Of course we are not talking about putting SOF operators in space (although there is a SEAL at the International Space Station right now).
12. Exposed: China's Operating Manuals for Mass Internment and Arrest by Algorithm - ICIJ
This is from November 2019 but it just ended up in one of my news feeds today. I cannot recall reading this before. This should be exploited. The GEC should use this. And again the Chinese service of VOA and RFA must report on this (hopefully they did when this came out a few months ago but it will be a useful reference for continued reporting on the Chinese gulags.
13. Japan Avoids Signing U.K.-U.S. Statement on China, Kyodo Says
Bloomberg · by Chikafumi Hodo · June 7, 2020
Could disappoint the US European countries? Yes I think so.
14. What is Antifa? Behind the group Trump wants to designate as a terrorist organization
ABCNews.com · by ABC News
Know your enemy. But what if the enemy is leaderless and with no defined organization? This also shows the power of social media to mobilize resistance.
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"In a way you're writing your own obit every day. You're making the lead paragraph positive and constructive, or not. Someone's going to sum you up one day. You want to live your professional life in a way that they can write good things."
-Peggy Noonan
"There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of those words in and of themselves. They're only words. It's the context that counts. It's the user. It's the intention behind the words that makes them good or bad. The words are completely neutral. The words are innocent."
-George Carlin
"To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards out of men."
- Abraham Lincoln