Small Wars Journal

12/14/20 News & Commentary - National Security

Mon, 12/14/2020 - 7:26pm

News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.

1. Trump delays plan to hasten coronavirus vaccines for White House staff

2. John le Carré, best-selling author of Cold War thrillers, is dead at 89

3. Asian-American man who was Navy Seal & doctor will join 2024 NASA moon mission

4. Russian government spies are behind a hacking campaign that has breached U.S. agencies and a top cyber firm

5. Army suspends battalion command team in South Korea amid racism investigation

6. DOD leaders brief Women, Peace, Security Program to Congressional caucus

7. Biden considers Samantha Power for USAID: report

8. China's policy banks are lending differently, not less

9. How to prepare for a national security crisis

10. Rebuilding, reaching out, and other lessons from Ronald Reagan

11. Five things to know about Lloyd Austin, Biden's Pentagon pick

12. 'Race matters': Austin advocates tout his historic candidacy in the face of other concerns

13. She stalked her daughter's killers across Mexico, one by one

14. Joseph Francescon named as Deputy Chief of Staff to Defense Secretary

15. Dutch intelligence says it's uncovered two Russian spies

16. Outsourcing disinformation

17. 18,000 organizations possibly compromised in massive supply-chain cyberattack

18. Russian hack was 'classic espionage' with stealthy, targeted tactics

19. U.S. Treasury, Commerce Depts. hacked through SolarWinds compromise

20. How to turn General Austin into Secretary Austin

 

1. Trump delays plan to hasten coronavirus vaccines for White House staff

New York Times · December 11, 2020

 

2. John le Carré, best-selling author of Cold War thrillers, is dead at 89

New York Times · Sarah Lyall · December 13, 2020

A sad day for all those who grew up reading his novels.

 

3. Asian-American man who was Navy Seal & doctor will join 2024 NASA moon mission

Mothership · Matthias Ang · December 10, 2020

An overachiever is understatement when describing Jonny Kim. What a great American, who should be an inspiration to all students growing up. I think the only thing left for him to accomplish after going to the moon will be to run for President.

 

4. Russian government spies are behind a hacking campaign that has breached U.S. agencies and a top cyber firm

Washington Post · Ellen Nakashima & Craig Timberg · December 13, 2020

Those pesky Russians.

 

5. Army suspends battalion command team in South Korea amid racism investigation

Army Times · Davis Winkie · December 13, 2020

The Korea team is exercising good leadership. However, if these allegations are substantiated, why do we still have relatively senior people (apparently a battalion command team) in our formations who think and act like this and think they can get away with this kind of behavior?

 

6. DOD leaders brief Women, Peace, Security Program to Congressional caucus

US Department of Defense · Jim Garamone · December 14, 2020

 

7. Biden considers Samantha Power for USAID: report

Fox News · Julia Musto · December 14, 2020

 

8. China's policy banks are lending differently, not less

Diplomat · Tristan Kenderdine · December 12, 2020

This is in response to the recent Financial Times article that assessed "a sharp drop-off in China policy bank lending to Belt and Road economies based on a Boston University Global Development Policy Center dataset on China's Overseas Development Finance."

One thing I have learned from listening to Chinese experts is that is hard to get reliable data out of China, which accounts for the varied assessments.

 

9. How to prepare for a national security crisis

Foreign Affairs · Paul B. Stares · December 11, 2020

Of course, the ideal is to prevent crises altogether. But, of course, our adversaries have a vote.

 

10. Rebuilding, reaching out, and other lessons from Ronald Reagan

War On the Rocks · Simon Miles · December 14, 2020

I always like to review President Reagan's top secret 8-page NSDD 32 U.S. National Security Strategy (of which there were only 36 original copies).

One of the important lessons I take from President Reagan is that he simultaneously addressed human rights while he conducted arms control negotiations with the USSR.

 

11. Five things to know about Lloyd Austin, Biden's Pentagon pick

Hill · Rebecca Kheel · December 13, 2020

The 5:

He and Biden formed a close bond.

He has had a trailblazing career.

His time at CENTCOM came with controversies.

He has ties to defense contractors.

He is media-shy.

 

12. 'Race matters': Austin advocates tout his historic candidacy in the face of other concerns

Defense News · Joe Gould · December 14, 2020

 

13. She stalked her daughter's killers across Mexico, one by one

New York Times · Azam Ahmed · December 13, 2020

What an incredible story.

 

14. Joseph Francescon named as Deputy Chief of Staff to Defense Secretary

Homeland Security Today · December 12, 2020

Hmm... we are fellow alums from the real Miami, though I think I graduated before he was even born!

 

15. Dutch intelligence says it's uncovered two Russian spies

Stars & Stripes · Mike Corder · December 10, 2020

 

16. Outsourcing disinformation

Lawfare · Shelby Grossman & Khadeja Ramali · December 13, 2020

 

17. 18,000 organizations possibly compromised in massive supply-chain cyberattack

Dark Reading · Jai Vijayan · December 14, 2020

Wow.

 

18. Russian hack was 'classic espionage' with stealthy, targeted tactics

Washington Post · Craig Timberg & Ellen Nakashima · December 14, 2020

 

19. U.S. Treasury, Commerce Depts. hacked through SolarWinds compromise

Krebs on Security · Brian Krebs · December 20, 2020

 

 20. How to Turn General Austin Into Secretary Austin

Defense One · Charles A. Stevenson · December 14, 2020

 

"The arms are fair, when the intent of bearing them is just."

- William Shakespeare

"Three men behind the enemy are worth 50 in front of him."

- Frederick the Great

"Writing is done by writing and the way to begin to write is to begin to write.  Lousy writing is better than no writing because the one can be improved but the other does not exist.  Of course, it is your privilege, if you wish, to become a fourth-rate premature has-been, looking no man in the eye and creeping shame-faced about the academic gutter, ridden by guilt and perfectionism, humiliating your old parents, disappointing your supporters, embarrassing your friends, a once promising scholar now gutless and defeated.  However, do not let me pressure you."

- John King Fairbank in a letter to his doctoral students, 1970s

Categories: News

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