News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. Biden chooses veteran diplomat Burns as CIA director
2. ‘Political moat’: China locks down 11 million to insulate Beijing from new COVID outbreak
3. Outgoing Capitol Police chief: House, Senate security officials hamstrung efforts to call in National Guard
4. 1st Special Forces Command investigating PSYOP captain for involvement in Trump D.C. rally
5. Trump Administration seeks to impose last-minute scrutiny of Chinese schooling
6. Capitol assault a more sinister attack than first appeared
7. Video shows Capitol mob dragging a police officer downstairs. One rioter beat the officer with an American flagpole.
8. The erosion of national will - implications for the future strategist
9. China threatens 'counterstrike' over US contact with Taiwan
10. Avoid ‘great-power competition’ in future security strategies
11. The Capitol Hill insurrection reveals veterans are at war against themselves
12. A 25-year-old bet comes due: has tech destroyed society?
13. Police departments across the U.S. open probes into whether their own members took part in the Capitol riot
14. One Trump fan’s descent into the U.S. Capitol mob
15. A small group of sleuths had been identifying right-wing extremists long before the attack on the Capitol
16. How to secure the U.S. Capitol: the U.S. Army can stop another attack
17. Lawmakers may have been exposed to the coronavirus in Capitol lockdown, attending physician says
18. The Capitol mob: a raging collection of grievances and disillusionment
19. Rep. Eshoo introduces legislation to change congressional oath of office
20. Special operations news update – Monday, January 11, 2021
1. Biden chooses veteran diplomat Burns as CIA director
WTOP News · AP · January 11, 2021
2. ‘Political moat’: China locks down 11 million to insulate Beijing from new COVID outbreak
Fortune · Eamon Barrett · January 11, 2021
This is an apt description of Chinese actions.
3. Outgoing Capitol Police chief: House, Senate security officials hamstrung efforts to call in National Guard
Washington Post · Carol D. Leonnig et al. · January 10, 2021
There will be finger pointing for a long time to come.
4. 1st Special Forces Command investigating PSYOP captain for involvement in Trump D.C. rally
Military Times · Howard Altman · January 11, 2021
Let the conspiracy theories begin.
5. Trump Administration seeks to impose last-minute scrutiny of Chinese schooling
Axios · Stef W. Kight · January 10, 2021
Money talks...
6. Capitol assault a more sinister attack than first appeared
AP · Jay Reeves, Lisa Mascara, & Calvin Woodward · January 11, 2021
Some of the brutal video scenes that are emerging are quite troubling such as the policeman being dragged down the capitol steps and being beaten even with an American flagpole.
7. Video shows Capitol mob dragging a police officer downstairs. One rioter beat the officer with an American flagpole.
Washington Post · Katie Shepherd · January 11, 2021
It is tragic to see Americans doing this to fellow Americans. These actions are indefensible.
8. The erosion of national will - implications for the future strategist
Mad Scientist Laboratory · Dr. Nick Marsella · January 11, 2021
What about our national will? A timely thought piece.
9. China threatens ‘counterstrike’ over US contact with Taiwan
24Matins.UK · January 11, 2021
A diplomatic counterstrike, I presume.
10. Avoid ‘great-power competition’ in future security strategies
National Interest · Kevin Bilms · January 6, 2021
We continue to have definition and terminology paralysis, which I fear blocks our intellectual rigor.
11. The Capitol Hill insurrection reveals veterans are at war against themselves
Task & Purpose · Jeff Schogol · January 10, 2021
I am seeing this divide play out on my various social media feeds. There is an imbalance among passions, reason, and chance. I am also seeing an age divide not only among veterans, but among the younger and older ranks on active duty. There seems to be a sharp divide by age in some cases (not all, of course).
12. A 25-Year-Old Bet Comes Due: Has Tech Destroyed Society?
Wired · Steven Levy · January 5, 2021
Beware of making gentlemen's bets. Who really won? You be the judge.
13. Police departments across the U.S. open probes into whether their own members took part in the Capitol riot
Washington Post · Kim Bellware · January 10, 2021
14. One Trump fan’s descent into the U.S. Capitol mob
Wall Street Journal · Michael M. Phillips & Jennifer Levitz · January 10, 2021
Is this a representative story? Also, note the age divide even within a family.
15. A small group of sleuths had been identifying right-wing extremists long before the attack on the Capitol
Washington Post · Robert Klemko · January 10, 2021
I wonder how this will change the TTPs (tactics, techniques, and procedures) of extremist protesters on both the far sides of the political spectrum? Will they improve their OPSEC? Will they forgo social media, which of course is the necessary tool to amplify their messages and actions? Will they shift to full masks and disguise throughout protests?
16. How to secure the U.S. Capitol: the U.S. Army can stop another attack
National Interest · Kris Osborn · January 10, 2021
I do not think we want the active-duty military in DC. Sure, it has been done before in our history, but I think we need to avoid it now.
17. Lawmakers may have been exposed to the coronavirus in Capitol lockdown, attending physician says
Washington Post · Paulina Firozi, Amy B Wang, & Mike DeBonis · January 10, 2021
This is not good.
18. The Capitol mob: A raging collection of grievances and disillusionment
Washington Post · Amy Brittain et al · January 10, 2021
Is the subtitle the perfect storm of conditions?
19. Rep. Eshoo introduces legislation to change congressional oath of office
Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo · December 23, 2020
I understand there are no co-sponsors and, thus, is unlikely to pass or even make it to the floor. It should not be necessary. The oath should mean this to everyone already. But maybe people need a reminder.
20. Special operations news update – Monday, January 11, 2021
SOF News · January 11, 2021
"As we bring up our children, we have to remember that we are caretakers of the future. By improving their education, we improve the future of mankind, the future of this world."
- Immanuel Kant
"For if a person shifts their caution to their caution to their own reasoned choices, they will at the same time gain the will to avoid, but they shift their caution away from their own reasoned choices to things not under their control, seeking to avoid what is controlled by others, they will then be agitated, fearful, and unstable."
- Epictetus
"When an arrow does not hit its target, the marksman blames himself, not another person. A wise man behaves in the same way."
- Confucius