News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. China launches ‘gray-zone’ warfare to subdue Taiwan
2. Confirm Austin, but retire Milley
3. How China’s Communist Party trains foreign politicians
4. The U.S. can’t check China alone
5. The real reason Biden’s pick for Pentagon chief is the wrong choice
6. Pentagon weighs sharp drawback in support for C.I.A.
7. Milley is right - the U.S. should reevaluate its military commitments
8. Trump signs order to 'rebrand' US foreign assistance
9. Executive Order on Rebranding United States Foreign Assistance to Advance American Influence
10. Justices rule Muslim men can sue FBI agents over no-fly list
11. What the hell was Biden thinking with his wildly out-of-touch choice for Veterans Affairs Secretary?
12. The voice of which America?
13. Global trade is booming - just without the U.S.
14. U.S. sanctions accused human rights abusers in several countries
15. The White House is making big changes at the Pentagon - but Biden can reverse them
16. The future of the U.S. dollar
17. China detains Bloomberg News staffer in national security investigation
18. Civilian control of the military is vital
19. Coercion and competition: evaluating American options for overcoming adversaries and avoiding war
20. Global special operations: advising and mentoring in the Zoom era
1. China launches ‘gray-zone’ warfare to subdue Taiwan
Reuters · Yimou Lee, David Lague, & Ben Blanchard · December 10, 2020
A very comprehensive report from Reuters.
2. Confirm Austin, but retire Milley
Defense One · Douglas Ollivant · December 10, 2020
Wow. Doug makes an interesting argument here. But with this proposal we would have a new SECDEF and a new CJCS at the same time.
3. How China’s Communist Party trains foreign politicians
Economist · December 10, 2020
Of course, the Chinese will counter and say the US has similar programs with the National Endowment for Democracy, State's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, and USAID's Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance programs.
4. The U.S. can’t check China alone
Foreign Affairs · Odd Arne Westad · December 10, 2020
A strong critique of the China report from State's Policy Planning staff.
5. The real reason Biden’s pick for Pentagon chief is the wrong choice
Washington Post · Oriana Skylar Mastro · December 9, 2020
Dr. Mastro assesses this from a Chinese and gender perspective.
6. Pentagon weighs sharp drawback in support for C.I.A.
New York Times · Julian E. Barnes & Eric Schmitt · December 10, 2020
How does this help US national security? DOD must show how this will improve our ability to support the NSS and execute the National Defense Strategy. What is the real intent of this action?
We should be moving to a more OSS-like relationship rather than separating and stove-piping intelligence and special operations.
7. Milley is right - the U.S. should reevaluate its military commitments
Defense News · Dan DePetris · December 10, 2020
Yes, we should continually assess our military posture in support of our national security and national defense strategies. I wonder if the CJCS is anticipating some major changes to the NSS and NDS. However, senior leaders should not telegraph their desired outcome. I really fear this kind of thinking will come back to haunt us when we withdraw permanently based forces. As an infantryman, the CJCS should keep in mind a basic rule of patrolling: never give up the high ground. Our bases and alliance structure around the world is the high ground for our ability to project power and support national security. We need to think about how to best defend forward.
8. Trump signs order to 'rebrand' US foreign assistance
ABC News · Matthew Lee · December 10, 2020
The actual logo has not been determined.
A feel-good action. Have we assessed this from an information and influence activities perspective? I know it will be counterintuitive in some situations, but it might be useful to temper perceived American arrogance and operate more along the lines of the quiet professional. Of course, this can create the impression that we are only providing foreign assistance to enhance our reputation rather than to support our values and principles as well as doing humanitarian work because it is the right thing to do. This will make many of us feel good about what we are doing. but we should keep in mind we do not undertake these actions to make us feel (or look) good.
This is a similar line of effort to those who think VOA, etc. should only be American cheerleaders instead of being real, independent news organizations that provide real news to those in denied areas and who only have access to propaganda.
I wonder who is responsible for developing and deciding on the logo?
9. Executive Order on Rebranding United States Foreign Assistance to Advance American Influence
White House · December 10, 2020
Again, is this a feel-good action? Are we tying the hands of those who have to orchestrate campaigns and execute strategy? Does one size fit all?
10. Justices rule Muslim men can sue FBI agents over no-fly list
AP · Mark Sherman · December 10, 2020
The Supreme Court unanimously rules on law and not on political agendas.
11. What the hell was Biden thinking with his wildly out-of-touch choice for Veterans Affairs Secretary?
Daily Beast · Paul Rieckhoff · December 10, 2020
A veteran leader speaks out with a scathing critique.
12. The voice of which America?
Jewish News Syndicate · Juliana Geran Pilon · December 10, 2020
This article really challenges the mission and intent of Voice of America.
Putting aside all the controversy about leadership and bureaucratic infighting and organizational issues, the fundamental question is should VOA be a cheerleader for America (in particular, the current administration) or should it be committed to reporting the news to those in denied areas who are only exposed to propaganda from their authoritarian rulers?
VOA, RFA, et al, are not news organizations that report news to make us feel good. We know from decades of experience that their reporting is trusted by those in denied areas, because they report all the news to include news that includes criticism of the US. The most important projection of US values and universal human rights is freedom of the press which means reporting of news, good and bad.
So, the current leadership of the USAGM wants VOA ,et al, to be cheerleaders for the current administration. Will it want it to be a cheerleader for the next administration and only paint that administration is a positive light? Do we think that will really advance US interests?
13. Global trade is booming - just without the U.S.
Washington Post · Fareed Zakaria · December 10, 2020
14. U.S. sanctions accused human rights abusers in several countries
Wall Street Journal · Ian Talley · December 10, 2020
I suppose this is in honor of yesterday's 70th anniversary of the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For those who have never read the declaration, the 30 articles are here.
Here are the first three:
Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
15. The White House is making big changes at the Pentagon - but Biden can reverse them
Politico · Lara Seligman · December 11, 2020
Just do not undo Sec 922 on ASD SO/LIC and the Irregular Warfare annex to the NDS. :-)
16. The future of the U.S. dollar
Seeking Alpha · WWS Swiss Financial Consulting, SA · December 10, 2020
This is one of the most important national security issues.
17. China detains Bloomberg News staffer in national security investigation
Washington Post · Eva Dou · December 11, 2020
Journalists in China are at risk.
18. Civilian control of the military is vital
New York Times · Editorial Board · December 10, 2020
The Biden administration is not getting a pass from the NY Times, at least not on this issue.
And we do not get a pass either
19. Coercion and competition: evaluating American options for overcoming adversaries and avoiding war
Modern War Institute · Max Margulies · December 10, 2020
I hope many of the concepts and ideas in the NSS and NDS are carried forward into the next administration.
20. Global special operations: advising and mentoring in the Zoom era
Clearance Jobs · Jason Criss Howk · December 8, 2020
“Manners are of more importance than laws. Upon them, in a great measure, the laws depend.”
- Edmund Burke, First Letter on a Regicide Peace (1796)
"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 First Special Service Force. The OSS was a much more legitimate ancestor of today's Green Berets but the problem with U.S. Army recognition of that fact is a syndrome that has wide implications. OSS was a hybrid with a strong political and intelligence flavor."
- LTG (USA-ret.) William P. Yarborough, Southern Pines, NC, December 1982
"An opinion can be argued with; a conviction is best shot."
- T.E. Lawrence