News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Duncan Moore.
1. The few, the proud, the white: the Marine Corps balks at promoting generals of color
2. I was a U.S. diplomat. Customs and Border Protection only cared that I was black.
3. Soldier's 'vile' TikTok video about the Holocaust under investigation, Army says
4. America's little-known power play against China in Africa
5. The US and China are headed for competition but not a Cold War
6. These are all the major flashpoints between China and the U.S.
7. U.S. destroyer transits Taiwan strait for second time in August
8. New and old aircraft programs could get the ax as top U.S. Air Force general calls for a "ruthless prioritization" of its capabilities
9. The strategic implications of Chinese UAVs: insights from the Libyan conflict
10. US declassifies Taiwan security assurances
11. Close the Pentagon - it's too big of a target
12. A supercomputer analyzed Covid-19 - and an interesting new theory has emerged
13. Beijing's strategic ends: harmony through hierarchy and the end of choice
14. In China, the 'great firewall' is changing a generation
15. A call to action - enhancing our capabilities to counter cyber disinformation
16. The week QAnon became everyone's problem
17. The coming revolution in intelligence affairs
18. Secrets and lies: information warfare during the Cold War and today
19. China's war games raise fears for Taiwan's security
20. Bad cyber actors don't fear the law. We can change that.
1. The few, the proud, the white: the Marine Corps balks at promoting generals of color
New York Times · by Helene Cooper · August 31, 2020
What incredible timing with the promotion board coming up. It will forever taint the Colonel. If he is selected people will say the board was" forced" by this article. And, of course, if he is not selected (which in normal circumstances is likely for most all officers if you are on your fourth look), it will confirm the allegations against the Corps (though the data seems pretty cut and dried on the lack of Black general officers). I wondered who orchestrated this? It appears to be fellow Marines who served with him, under his command. I look at this possibly as an excellent PSYOP effort by those who are extremely loyal to the Colonel. I hope he is selected and I hope his selection is not tainted by this effort, but I fear it will be. If his Marines are willing to orchestrate this PSYOP effort out of loyalty to him, it sends a powerful message alone: the Colonel should continue to lead Marines. I am sure Helen Cooper (who won an award for her reporting on race relations in the military) probably connected with some of the Colonel's Marines and learned of this story. We should note the Colonel declined to be interviewed (we must give him the benefit of the doubt that he has nothing to do with this other than declining an interview). But, Ms Cooper most likely has learned a lot about the military and the promotion system and she (and her editors) probably understand the importance of timing for this article.
2. I was a U.S. diplomat. Customs and Border Protection only cared that I was black.
Politico · by Tianna Spears · August 30, 2020
A long read. A sad read. It is really unbelievable something like this could happen to an American, let alone a serving diplomat. I am sure people will read the CPB comments and reinforce their statements that the CPB officers were just doing their jobs. It certainly does not appear so from this story. Something does not smell right.
3. Soldier's 'vile' TikTok video about the Holocaust under investigation, Army says
Washington Post · by Alex Horton · August 30, 2020
Another black eye for the Army and the military. So, the question is how did this 2LT earn a commission to become an officer and a gentleman?
4. America's little-known power play against China in Africa
National Interest · by Seenaa Jimjimo · August 31, 2020
The subtitle says it all. We do not need to compete dollar for dollar. We need to unfailingly apply our values and principles. Foreign policy and strategy based on these is how we compete and win.
5. The US and China are headed for competition but not a Cold War
Business Insider · by Rodger Baker · August 31, 2020
The emerging geographical perspective is still "slightly out of focus."
6. These are all the major flashpoints between China and the U.S.
Washington Post · by Bloomberg News · September 1, 2020
Here is the proverbial laundry list of issues.
7. U.S. destroyer transits Taiwan strait for second time in August
USNI News · by Mallory Shelbourne · August 31, 2020
8. New and old aircraft programs could get the ax as top U.S. Air Force general calls for a "ruthless prioritization" of its capabilities
Defense News · by Valerie Insinna · August 31, 2020
We need a greater sense of urgency.
9. The strategic implications of Chinese UAVs: insights from the Libyan conflict
Jamestown Foundation · by Ryan Oliver · August 31, 2020
10. US declassifies Taiwan security assurances
Financial Times · by Kathrin Hille, Demetri Sevastopulo, & Katrina Manson · August 31, 2020
I will leave this to the China experts, but this seems to be a significant development.
More information to be found in the documents themselves, via the American Institute in Taiwan.
11. Close the Pentagon - it's too big of a target
Defense News · by James Hasik · August 31, 2020
When I saw I thought it was the Opinion, the Duffleblog, or the Sacramento Bee. It is not.
An interesting argument. But to take this argument to the local conclusion, anywhere we concentrate military capabilities (to include C2 functions) will be a target.
12. A supercomputer analyzed Covid-19 - and an interesting new theory has emerged
Elemental · by Thomas Smith · September 1, 2020
I have no medical or scientific expertise. But this is a fascinating read. If this hypothesis is proven, it seems like there are ways ahead to treat this.
13. Beijing's strategic ends: harmony through hierarchy and the end of choice
Strategy Bridge · by George Bartle · September 1, 2020
This should stimulate some discussion or at least provoke some thought.
14. In China, the 'great firewall' is changing a generation
Politico · by Yaqui Wang · September 1, 2020
15. A call to action - enhancing our capabilities to counter cyber disinformation
Real Clear Defense · by David R. Shedd & Barbara N. Stevens · August 28, 2020
16. The week QAnon became everyone's problem
Defense One · by Nicholas Grossman · August 31, 2020
Again, I find it incredible that anyone can believe this QAnon idiocy.
17. The coming revolution in intelligence affairs
Foreign Affairs · by Anthony Vinci · August 31, 2020
I recall that the Church Commission and DCI Stansfield Turner caused the shift of the focus of intelligence to a dependency on technological capabilities and away from human intelligence. I agree that AI and autonomous systems will have great application to intelligence collection and analysis, but there will always be the human element at the center – whether it is case officers in the field or the analysts interpreting the results of technical products and integrating it with human intelligence. We need to take advantage of every technological capability and innovation, but we cannot forget that "humans are more important than hardware" (a SOF truth which applies to much more than SOF).
18. Secrets and lies: information warfare during the Cold War and today
National Interest · by Milton Bearden · August 31, 2020
This is a war we have to fight. It is an integral part of Great Power Competition as well as the fight against revisionist, rogue powers and that against violent extremist organizations.
To borrow from Trotsky, "you may not be interested in (information) war, but it is interested in you."
And I must emphasize our collective responsibility as citizens to participate in this fight, as our National Security Strategy says:
"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."
19. China's war games raise fears for Taiwan's security
Economist · by The Economist · August 30, 2020
I hope one phrase in the subtitle is right and one is wrong. In fact, for the second to be true, the first has to be wrong.
20. Bad cyber actors don't fear the law. We can change that.
Defense One · by Frank J. Cilluffo & Val Cofield · August 31, 2020
The authors say we need improved law enforcement as part of layered cyber deterrence.
"History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life and brings us tidings of antiquity."
- Cicero
"History, although sometimes made up of the few acts of the great, is more often shaped by the many acts of the small."
- Mark Yost
"Most of us spend too much time on the last 24 hours, and too little on the last 6,000 years."
- Will Durant