News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.
1. Sometimes the Tourniquet Works All Too Well
2. Government Officials Announce U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict, Promote Stability
3. Pay For Some Will Decrease to Cover Social Security Deferrals
4. Biden accuses Trump appointees of obstructing transition on national security issues
5. The Marines and America’s Special Operators: More Collaboration Required
6. War Books: Major General Mick Ryan's 2021 Reading List
7. Inciting Subversion by Association: 120 Days in Detention
8. FDD | International Criminal Court election could facilitate reset with US
9. Xi eyes unwavering development of China-Russia partnership
10. Why the WHO is urging vaccinated travelers to take coronavirus precautions
11. The Biden Administration Must Prioritize Extended Deterrence
12. US Department of Energy backs five advanced nuclear reactor concepts
13. Even Homer Gets Mobbed: A Massachusetts school has banned ‘The Odyssey.’
14. Beijing’s Bigger Honey Trap
15. Great Power War: How U.S. Special Operations Forces See the Future
16. The End of the Wilsonian Era: Why Liberal Internationalism Failed
17. Why America must retaliate after massive cyberattack from Russia
18. FAA approves small drones in the U.S. to fly over people and at night
19. Forget Command And Control. Navy Leadership Is About Care And Trust (Book Review)
20. As U.S. forces leave, Somalia’s elite fighting unit fears becoming a political pawn
1. Sometimes the Tourniquet Works All Too Well
WSJ· by Gerald Holmquist · December 28, 2020
This is quite a story.
2. Government Officials Announce U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict, Promote Stability
defense.gov · by David Vergun
I hope this initiative is sustained in the next administration.
3. Pay For Some Will Decrease to Cover Social Security Deferrals
defense.gov · by David Vergun
This is a "Bah Humbug" for military and government civilians.
4. Biden accuses Trump appointees of obstructing transition on national security issues
The Washington Post· by Amy B Wang, Jenna Johnson and Dan Lamothe · December 28, 2020
Not a good look. I hope there is more to the story.
5. The Marines and America’s Special Operators: More Collaboration Required
warontherocks.com · by Gordon Richmond · December 29, 2020
An interesting argument for SOF-USMC collaboration.
Gordon Richmond throws down the gauntlet to the SOF community here. Write.
6. War Books: Major General Mick Ryan's 2021 Reading List
mwi.usma.edu · by Mick Ryan · December 29, 2020
More than books: Includes web site resources, podcasts, journals, twitter feeds, and even a film.
This is a very useful resource for military and national security professionals.
7. Inciting Subversion by Association: 120 Days in Detention
madeinchinajournal.com · by Li Qiaochu · December 23, 2020
We should add this to the data for SERE training so we understand Cinese TTPs.
8. FDD | International Criminal Court election could facilitate reset with US
fdd.org · by Orde Kittrie · December 26, 2020
From my colleague Orde Kittrie.
Conclusion: "The ICC has strayed far from its worthy founding objectives. The close US allies who are its leading funders should seize the opportunity, provided by the upcoming ICC election, to clean up the ICC and restore it to its core mission."
9. Xi eyes unwavering development of China-Russia partnership
xinhuanet.com · December 29, 2020
Note the recent Russia-PRC combined air operations in the Korean Air defense Identification Zone.
10. Why the WHO is urging vaccinated travelers to take coronavirus precautions
Axios · by Axios
11. The Biden Administration Must Prioritize Extended Deterrence
The National Interest · by Patty-Jane Geller · December 28, 2020
Excerpts:
“A No First Use policy signals to America’s allies that it may be unwilling to come to their aid no matter the circumstances, including chemical, biological, or overwhelming conventional attacks. Pledging to not use nuclear weapons first only reassures America’s adversaries, not its allies.
Ultimately, if Joe Biden wants to value alliances as a pillar of U.S. strength, then he needs to prioritize extended deterrence. That means fully resourcing the nuclear modernization programs that assure our allies and avoiding bad ideas like implementing a No First Use policy.
Strengthening relationships with allies is a worthy goal. To fully demonstrate that commitment to our allies, the next administration must prioritize extended deterrence.”
12. US Department of Energy backs five advanced nuclear reactor concepts
New Atlas · December 29, 2020
Conclusion: "All of these projects will put the US on an accelerated timeline to domestically and globally deploy advanced nuclear reactors that will enhance safety and be affordable to construct and operate," says US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. "Taking leadership in advanced technology is so important to the country’s future because nuclear energy plays such a key role in our clean energy strategy."
13. Even Homer Gets Mobbed: A Massachusetts school has banned ‘The Odyssey.’
WSJ · by Meghan Cox Gurdon · December 29, 2020
This is unbelievable. This has to stop.
Conclusion: "He’s right. If there is harm in classic literature, it comes from not teaching it. Students excused from reading foundational texts may imagine themselves lucky to get away with YA novels instead—that’s what the #DisruptTexts people want—but compared with their better-educated peers they will suffer a poverty of language and cultural reference. Worse, they won’t even know it."
14. Beijing’s Bigger Honey Trap
WSJ · by William McGurn· December 29, 2020
Excerpts:
“The is the missing backdrop to the Hunter Biden and Eric Swalwell cases. Mr. Swalwell isn’t accused of any wrongdoing, but does anyone believe he is the only U.S. politician (or staffer) compromised by a Chinese honey trap? As for Mr. Biden, even without criminal charges, shouldn’t a press corps so eager to report the false but salacious charges about Donald Trump at least consider the possibility that China may have incriminating evidence on the new president’s son?
Next July marks the 50th anniversary of Henry Kissinger’s secret trip to China. China has changed much since then, and so has its approach to America. Joe Biden might be tempted to think his son’s case and that of Mr. Swalwell will pass. But they won’t, because they are part of a much larger and more sinister China story to which Americans are only now waking up.”
15. Great Power War: How U.S. Special Operations Forces See the Future
The National Interest · by Kris Osborn · December 27, 2020
This is a very narrow and frankly, unhelpful, discussion of one small aspect of special operations in great power competition.
16 The End of the Wilsonian Era: Why Liberal Internationalism Failed
Foreign Affairs · by Walter Russell Mead · December 28, 2020
Conclusion:
“There are other, less Machiavellian ways to keep Wilsonians engaged. Even as the ultimate goals of Wilsonian policy become less achievable, there are particular issues on which intelligent and focused American policy can produce results that Wilsonians will like. International cooperation to make money laundering more difficult and to eliminate tax havens is one area where progress is possible. Concern for international public health will likely stay strong for some years after the COVID-19 pandemic has ended. Promoting education for underserved groups in foreign countries—women, ethnic and religious minorities, the poor—is one of the best ways to build a better world, and many governments that reject the overall Wilsonian ideal can accept outside support for such efforts in their territory as long as these are not linked to an explicit political agenda.
For now, the United States and the world are in something of a Wilsonian recession. But nothing in politics lasts forever, and hope is a hard thing to kill. The Wilsonian vision is too deeply implanted in American political culture, and the values to which it speaks have too much global appeal, to write its obituary just yet.”
17. Why America must retaliate after massive cyberattack from Russia
The Hill · by Douglas Schoen · December 27, 2020
Conclusion: "In order to confront the threat from Russia and China, we must bolster our alliances with our partners in Europe, a task that Trump often approached with disinterest or outright scorn. Biden enters office with the mandate to gather countries in favor of democracy to a stalwart resistance to counter the militaristic belligerence and aggression from Russia and China. This is a difficult feat that we must not and cannot achieve alone."
18. FAA approves small drones in the U.S. to fly over people and at night
VentureBeat · by David Shepardson · December 29, 2020
So when one of these crashes on your property who do you call and what do you do with the remains (and the delivery items)?
19. Forget Command And Control. Navy Leadership Is About Care And Trust (Book Review)
Forbes · by Roger Trapp · December 29, 2020
Conclusion: "This might not be quite what we expect of those who have developed their leadership skills in the armed services. But with many people finding reassurance in the involvement of the military in the current crisis, the book offers a fascinating glimpse into how caring, trust and performance are intertwined."
20. As U.S. forces leave, Somalia’s elite fighting unit fears becoming a political pawn
The Washington Post· by Max Bearak · December 29, 2020
I hope we went in with the plan to work ourselves out of a job from the very start. You can never know when the political plug will be pulled on an operation. I think I will add that to my lists of adages and planning considerations.
-----------
"Democracy is a difficult art of government, demanding of its citizens high ratios of courage and literacy, and at the moment we lack both the necessary habits of mind and a sphere of common reference."- Lewis H. Lapham
“We talk about the Constitution. We have to follow it. And I’m sorry if that’s not the outcome that you wanted.” - Adam Kinzinger
"Although our interests as citizens vary, each one is an artery to the heart that pumps life through the body politic, and each is important to the health of democracy." - Bill Moyers