News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Ahyoung Shin
1. Challenging China's "Wolf Warrior" Diplomats by Dean Cheng
2. US approves $7.5 billion in foreign weapons sales in one day
3. The Trump administration is considering banning TikTok in the US
4. Build a national counter-drone network
5. Highly infectious Coronavirus strain takes over
6. Terrorist groups must not be allowed to exploit 'fragilities' caused by global health pandemic
7. The tip of the American military spear is being blunted
8. Coronavirus roundup: More universities announce plans for largely online fall terms
9. The US pioneered digital contact tracing. Why aren't we using it to fight COVID-19?
10. China detains Xu Zhangrun, leading critic of President Xi Jinping
11. Opinion | Facebook can't be reformed
12. Why women absolutely belong in the US military's special operations forces
13. The two-man OSS mission through the Tibetan mountains to contact the Dalai Lama
14. Pentagon draft policy would ban Confederate flag displays
15. Black US Army cadets say they were called the N-word and 'shunned' for reporting discrimination at West Point
1. Challenging China's "Wolf Warrior" Diplomats by Dean Cheng
heritage.org · by Dean Cheng
This report in PDF can be downloaded here https://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/BG3504.pdf
This is an important paper. Dean Cheng provides an excellent survey of Chinese history, diplomacy, and culture leading to the rise of the "warrior diplomats." He offers three recommendations. (and notes the importance of better coordinating US messaging and public diplomacy to include effective use of the USAGM and VOA, RFA, etc).
2. US approves $7.5 billion in foreign weapons sales in one day
Defense News · by Aaron Mehta · July 6, 2020
Maybe someone got ahold of the autopen and went to work!
3. The Trump administration is considering banning TikTok in the US
NME · July 7, 2020
I hate to see a ban on anything. I would like the American public to just delete the app on their own because they were informed and and understand the threat and danger it poses.
This is not a long term solution because the Chinese will find another way to extract data from the American people. We need education on good cyber hygiene and cyber civil defense. I know it is a naive thought but if a populace is better informed of the threat and is educated and trained to defend themselves our adversaries will have a more difficult time attacking us. Or we can just ban them as they are introduced and play whac-a-mole.
4. Build a national counter-drone network
defenseone.com · by Zak Kallenborn
Although Clausewitz tells us defense is the stronger form of war, I think it does not apply in missile defense, cyber defense, and drone defense. Defense is harder with the capabilities. But we must try to build good defenses against drones and other capabilities. But we must also accept there is no perfect defense.
Some food for thought here.
5. Highly infectious Coronavirus strain takes over
english.chosun.com · July 7, 2020
I am getting more worried every day. I think I will follow in the footsteps of Miyamoto Mushashi or any Buddhist Monk and go to the mountains and find a cave to live and to write and live out the rest of my days as long as it has a good wifi connection).
6. Terrorist groups must not be allowed to exploit 'fragilities' caused by global health pandemic
news.un.org · July 6, 2020
But these groups are learning organizations and seek weaknesses to exploit. And the pandemic is exposing weaknesses.
7. The tip of the American military spear is being blunted
Foreign Policy · by Tanner Greer · July 6, 2020
A critique of US Marine Corps reforms.
8. Coronavirus roundup: More universities announce plans for largely online fall terms
Inside Higher Ed · July 7, 2020
I hope they will enough in residence offerings so our international students do not get caught up in the idiotic immigration proposals being made to make them return to their home countries or risk being deported if their university goes to all online classes. We really know how to cut off our nose to spite our face.
9. The US pioneered digital contact tracing. Why aren't we using it to fight COVID-19?
defenseone.com · by Bhaskar Chakravorti
Because Americans no longer trust science. This is the key action in continuing and stopping the spread of the virus. We should remember that with rights comes responsibility. And we all have a responsibility to safeguard our nation and our fellow citizens.
10. China detains Xu Zhangrun, leading critic of President Xi Jinping
The Washington Post · by Gerry Shih · July 6, 2020
Should be no surprise.
11. Opinion | Facebook can't be reformed
The New York Times · by Charlie Warzel · July 1, 2020
12. Why women absolutely belong in the US military's special operations forces
Business Insider · by Charlie
This should stir up some discussion. But it is a done deal. It is happening and will continue to happen (albeit slowly perhaps). So get on with it.
13. The two-man OSS mission through the Tibetan mountains to contact the Dalai Lama
coffeeordie.com · by Matt Fratus · July 6, 2020
Some SOF/OSS history. This is a pretty cool piece of trivia. "His Holiness the Dalai Lama visited Washington, D.C., in 2016 and carried his gold pocket Patek Philippe watch (reference 658) gifted to him by OSS officers in 1942, a kind gesture sent from President Franklin Roosevelt." We do this very poorly today. Yes we give gifts to our counterparts and they are often cherished in this way. But our military personnel do it out of their own pockets (so they do not give Patek Philippe watches) because "official representation" funding is so limited (both in amounts to be spent and who can provide such gifts). The fact is every SF ODA, PSYOP Team, and Civil Affairs Team and other military units gives gifts to their counterparts. And the sad irony is no matter how poor and poverty stricken a country might be, the host nation counterparts give us more valuable gifts in return.
14. Pentagon draft policy would ban Confederate flag displays
militarytimes.com · by Lolita Baldor · July 6, 2020
Are we headed for another civil-military dust-up? There should not even be a debate over this.
15. Black US Army cadets say they were called the N-word and 'shunned' for reporting discrimination at West Point
Business Insider · by David Choi
The 40 page policy proposal referenced in this article can be accessed at this link. It is a very remarkable letter from recent West Point graduates with detailed information and proposals. It is difficult to dispute first person accounts of experiences from these nine serving officers who had the guts to put their name on this letter and make very thoughtful, professional, and well researched policy recommendations.
https://www.slideshare.net/TimothyBerry8/an-anti-racist-west-point
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"An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight... the truly wise person is colorblind."
- Albert Schweitzer
To be a philosopher is not merely to have subtle thoughts, nor even to found a school, but so to love wisdom as to live according to its dictates, "a life of simplicity, independence, magnanimity and trust."
- Henry David Thoreau
"A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion."
- Grantland Rice