News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.
1. Russia trying to stoke societal tensions and white supremacy is the most lethal threat to the United States, new DHS report says
2. Exclusive: German official quashed intelligence report on China's influence
3. A Quad of consequence: Balancing values and strategy
4. In Tokyo, Pompeo Touts Quad Forum as Way to Counter China
5. Years after they fought in Afghanistan, US troops watch as their children deploy to the same war
6. A U.S. soldier is returning from abroad. CBP may not allow him back.
7. H.R. McMaster's 'Neither Trump' Manifesto
8. Facebook bans QAnon across its platforms
9. U.S. says Taiwan military budget boost insufficient for 'resilient defense'
10. Nearly 40 nations criticize China's human rights policies
11. U.S. Raises China Concerns Over Israel's Sale of Largest Seaport
12. Japan Unveils Record $52 Billion Military Budget (Thanks to China and North Korea)
13. Joint Doctrine for Unconventional Warfare 2.0
14. Quad gains traction as unified anti-China front
15. To stop a Chinese invasion, Taiwan has to first fight the stigma of military service
16. The four presidential prospects need to unite against China
17. Cambodia confirms US-funded defence facility has been razed
18. The Future of Chinese Power
19. Why Taiwan is the canary in the coal mine of US-China confrontation
1. Russia trying to stoke societal tensions and white supremacy is the most lethal threat to the United States, new DHS report says
The Washington Post · by Ellen Nakashima and Shane Harris · October 6, 2020
Here is the link to the DHS report.
We should take this serious and remember our responsibility to defend ourselves. Our NSS lays out our responsibilities as critical thinking citizens.
"A democracy is only as resilient as its people. An informed and engaged citizenry is the fundamental requirement for a free and resilient nation. For generations, our society has protected free press, free speech, and free thought. Today, actors such as Russia are using information tools in an attempt to undermine the legitimacy of democracies. Adversaries target media, political processes, financial networks, and personal data. The American public and private sectors must recognize this and work together to defend our way of life. No external threat can be allowed to shake our shared commitment to our values, undermine our system of government, or divide our Nation."
2. Exclusive: German official quashed intelligence report on China's influence
Axios · by Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian
Chinese malign influence is a global threat.
3. A Quad of consequence: Balancing values and strategy
lowyinstitute.org · by Titli Basu
Good assessment of the Quad:
“Power asymmetry with neighbours and Beijing's hegemonic aspirations fuels its vision of a Chinese century, as opposed to an Asian century. Beijing's aggressive strategic posturing during a pandemic illustrates the Chinese Communist Party's relentless push to advance a Sino-centric order. It has further sharpened the clash over political values, rules, norms and principles.
While there is no appetite in India for entering any formal alliance system, there is certainly deeper strategic coordination.
Beijing sees the Quad through the lens of a military alliance, as the core of an Indo-Pacific strategy directed towards containing China. The Quad is seen as Tokyo's project to marginalise and offset Beijing's regional primacy. The Quad certainly touches a nerve in Beijing.”
Conclusion: "Abe Shinzo has left office but his strategic vision of Asia's Democratic Security Diamond forms one of the key pillars for stability in the post-Covid order. As the Quad gathers in Tokyo, the participants should agree on a joint statement that both manages expectations yet imparts a clear strategic vision and an action plan on key issues that will shape the future of the liberal order. As Quad gains strategic heft, a positive and productive memo will be crucial in garnering regional support."
4. In Tokyo, Pompeo Touts Quad Forum as Way to Counter China
voanews.com · by William Gallo· October 6, 2020
This is the challenge. Some members feel forced to make a choice but instead need and want to walk the tightrope between China and the US:
“The complex web of competing economic interests and rivalries in Asia has made it difficult for even some formal U.S. allies to choose between the U.S. and China. Many say the choice does not need to be made at all.”
“Asked earlier this month about the hypothetical idea of joining an expanded Quad, South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha reacted negatively, ‘We don't think anything that automatically shuts out, and is exclusive of, the interests of others is a good idea,’ she said, according to the Yonhap news agency. ‘If that's a structured alliance, we will certainly think very hard whether it serves our security interests.’"
5. Years after they fought in Afghanistan, US troops watch as their children deploy to the same war
Stars and Stripes · by JP Lawrence and Philip Walter Wellman · October 6, 2020
Something we should all reflect on.
6. A U.S. soldier is returning from abroad. CBP may not allow him back.
The Washington Post · October 6, 2020
Truth is stranger than fiction. Some of these cases are hard to fathom.
7. H.R. McMaster's 'Neither Trump' Manifesto
Bloomberg · by Eli Lake · October 6, 2020
The pundits wished for a tell all. Instead, they found an intellectual treatment of US national security.
8. Facebook bans QAnon across its platforms
NBC News · October 6, 2020
Yes, I support free speech without question (every aspect from flag burning to conspiracy theories and everything in between except yelling fire in a theater). I do not think a democratic government should ever restrict it. However, non-government organizations (e.g., businesses) can police their platforms. I wish no one had to restrict this and I wish all people could think critically and not fall for this kind of conspiracy theory crap. But I wonder what effect this will have.
9. U.S. says Taiwan military budget boost insufficient for 'resilient defense'
Reuters · by David Brunnstrom · October 6, 2020
I fear Taiwan's defense budget could never be big enough. A very interesting statement from Dave Helvey:
"While the PLA's actions are real and dangerous, the PLA is not unbeatable," he said. "Taiwan can, through smart investments, send a clear signal to Beijing that Taiwan's society and its armed forces are absolutely committed to the defense of Taiwan."
Referring to the proposed defense budget, he added:
"These increases, while a step in the right direction, however, are insufficient to ensure that Taiwan can leverage its geography, advanced technology, workforce and patriotic population to channel Taiwan's inherent advantages necessary for a resilient defense."
10. Nearly 40 nations criticize China's human rights policies
Los Angeles Times · by Associated Press · October 7, 2020
Good. But 40 is not enough by a long shot.
11. U.S. Raises China Concerns Over Israel's Sale of Largest Seaport
Bloomberg · by Ivan Levingston · October 6, 2020
I understand this will provide an excellent location for Chinese ISR activities.
12. Japan Unveils Record $52 Billion Military Budget (Thanks to China and North Korea)
The National Interest · by Peter Suciu · October 6, 2020
But will it change its constitution to be able to effectively employ its military capabilities?
13. Joint Doctrine for Unconventional Warfare 2.0
linkedin.com · by Robert Burrell
A short but important essay from the author of the USSOCOM Joint UW doctrine in 2015. As soon as the Joint UW pub was published the Joint Staff made it FOUO. As a mentor of mine said if you want to make doctrine irrelevant you make it FOUO.
Now we have the unclassified IW annex which does describe UW as fundamental to IW.
Yet there seems to be a conspiracy against UW in DOD and even in the SOF community.
These two strategic vision documents from USASOC and 1st Special Forces Command do not mention UW at all (of course the focus is on resistance but resistance is a fundamental aspect of UW - in fact it is the foundation of UW) . I will write more on this in a formal OpEd discussing the importance of the IW annex and the inflection point at which we have arrived:
Army Special Operations Strategy
1st Special Forces Command: A Vision for 2021 and Beyond
Rather than ignoring or marginalizing UW DOD and the Joint Staff should be directing an update of Joint UW doctrine in accordance with the IW annex.
Joint Doctrine for Unconventional Warfare 2.0
14. Quad gains traction as unified anti-China front
asiatimes.com · by Richard Javad Heydarian · October 6, 2020
Overly optimistic assessment?
15. To stop a Chinese invasion, Taiwan has to first fight the stigma of military service
Los Angeles Times · by David Pierson · October 6, 2020
Everyone on Taiwan will have to be in this fight. Resistance among the people will be critical and if developed now and capabilities demonstrated it can become unconventional deterrence to support overall deterrence of the PRC.
16. The four presidential prospects need to unite against China
The Hill · by Joseph Bosco · October 6, 2020
17. Cambodia confirms US-funded defence facility has been razed
thejakartapost.com · by The Jakarta Post· October 04, 2020
Chinese political and economic warfare is being practiced in Cambodia.
18. The Future of Chinese Power
defenseone.com · by Michael Schuman
19. Why Taiwan is the canary in the coal mine of US-China confrontation
SCMP · by Antonio C. Hsiang · October 07, 2020
This quote is going in my quote book:
"If you are not at the table, you are on the menu," US Senator Michael Enzi once said.
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"It was indicative of the U.S. Army's basic misunderstanding of what Special Forces really are, that the official lineage of Special Forces is traced back to the 1st Special Service Force. The OSS was a much more legitimate ancestor of today's Green Berets, but the problem with the U.S. Army recognition of that fact is a syndrome that has wider implications. OSS was a hybrid with strong political and intelligence flavors.
- LTG (USA-RET) William P. Yarborough
Southern Pines, NC
December 1982
"An opinion can be argued with; a conviction best shot."
- T.E. Lawrence
"There is an immutable law of the SOF bureaucracy which states that an operation becomes more feasible the farther aware one is from the physical risks involved in that operation."
- CPT William H. Burgess III, April 1986