News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Ahyoung Shin.
1. U.S. readies sanctions on China over rights abuses in Xinjiang
2. China's software stalked Uighurs earlier and more widely, researchers learn
3. Taiwan practices 'enemy annihilation' after China steps up activity
4. Meet the global leadership restrainers: Making America second-rate again
5. Little evidence that protests spread coronavirus in US
6. Dollar's dominance to slowly melt away over coming year: Reuters poll
7. FBI: Record-shattering surge in gun checks as BLM, 2020 election, virus boost sales
8. As China strengthens grip on Hong Kong, Taiwan sees a threat
9. SASC pushes cyber overhaul in New NDAA
10. Drone-era warfare shows the operational limits of air defense systems
11. Big pay raise, limits on troop moves highlight defense budget measure
12. Army's senior officer ranks are not diverse enough, General says
13. Don't allow a vocal fringe minority to cut our much-needed defense investments
14. Here's how to stop the virus from winning
15. The Mercenary who botched a Maduro Coup is lying low in Florida
16. History tells us that ideological 'purity spirals' rarely end well
17. The Korean War and the Rebirth of ARSOF
1. U.S. readies sanctions on China over rights abuses in Xinjiang
Bloomberg · by Nick Wadhams · July 1, 2020
The Chinese Communist Party must be held accountable for these crimes.
2. China's software stalked Uighurs earlier and more widely, researchers learn
The New York Times · by Paul Mozur · July 1, 2020
This should not be a surprise. But again the CCP must be held accountable.
3. Taiwan practices 'enemy annihilation' after China steps up activity
A lot of Taiwan military training is making the news. It seems like the Taiwanese are conducting influence operations.
4. Meet the global leadership restrainers: Making America second-rate again
washingtontimes.com · by Clifford D. May
My boss takes on the "restrainers/retrenchers."
5. Little evidence that protests spread coronavirus in US
AP · by MIKE STOBBE and NICKY FORSTER · July 1, 2020
This should spark some partisan commentary from both sides.
6. Dollar's dominance to slowly melt away over coming year: Reuters poll
uk.reuters.com · by Rahul Karunakar
Our economic instrument of power could whither. This will make our current economic problems even worse.
7. FBI: Record-shattering surge in gun checks as BLM, 2020 election, virus boost sales
Washington Examiner · by Paul Bedard · July 1, 2020
Some interesting data. It is not the time to stock provisions after the crisis occurs!
8. As China strengthens grip on Hong Kong, Taiwan sees a threat
The New York Times · by Javier C. Hernández · July 1, 2020
As it should. There is probably no issue that dominates Chinese political and military thinking than Taiwan.
Taiwan is going to need resistance and resilience in the face of the PRC threat.
9. SASC pushes cyber overhaul in New NDAA
breakingdefense.com · by Kelsey Atherton
A "cyber pandemic." Imagine if we lost access to the cyber domain during the coronavirus pandemics? This from the conclusion is surprising, "Coordinating a cyber strategy within the United States, and putting specific people in charge of it, is a major first step to having a response ready to go.." Is it true do not have coordinated cyber strategy and we have no one in charge?
10. Drone-era warfare shows the operational limits of air defense systems
realcleardefense.com · by John Parachini and Peter Wilson
Drones (UAS) and cyber. Two capabilities we have pioneered but for which we lack adequate defensive capabilities. And air defense has been one of our most underinvested capabilities and air defense against drones (UAS) appears to be a very difficult challenge.
11. Big pay raise, limits on troop moves highlight defense budget measure
Defense News · by Leo Shane III, Joe Gould · July 1, 2020
We must take care of the troops and their families. But I can hear the complaint from the bean counters. Personnel costs are the biggest part of our budget.
12. Army's senior officer ranks are not diverse enough, General says
military.com · by Matthew Cox · July 1, 2020
Sadly this has long been the case.
I do not know if this is true but I had a senior officer tell me that most generals are identified very early in their career at around the Captain/Navy Lieutenant (O3) rank and it is reflected and it is reflected consistently in their evaluation and fitness reports. I confirmed this anecdotally when I was the SF branch chief and I reviewed records for promotion boards. It was very evident who would become a general officer after looking at their career long evaluation record. I mention that because this is not an issue that can quickly be fixed unless there is a cultural change. It is a 20+ year process to make a general officer. I also participated in a study after retirement with a think tank and we had representatives from all four services review promotion records for their respective services to select for general officer based on how we understood our own service culture for promotions. The mock records were completely devoid of any identifying information as to gender or race. We had a group of 15-20 Army officers (retired O6s- to O8s) who were very diverse in terms or gender, race, and military branch and it was amazing how in synch we all were in recommendations and even in the rank order of the promotion list.
13. Don't allow a vocal fringe minority to cut our much-needed defense investments
dailysignal.com · by Sen. Jim Inhofe · July 2, 2020
We are going to be very fiscally constrained for some time. I think there are going to be significant challenges to defense funding levels this year and for years to come.
14. Here's how to stop the virus from winning
nationalgeographic.com · by Nsikan Akpan · June 26, 2020
I am amazed how many people are in denial about this crisis. I see on social media all the rationalizations and the use of statistics to say this is not a problem. And people are still comparing this to the flu.
And of course, none of those people will take the time to read this and if they do they will continue to deny the problem.
Graphics at the link.
15. The Mercenary who botched a Maduro Coup is lying low in Florida
Bloomberg · by Brendan Borrell · July 1, 2020
What a sad story and an embarrassment to our Regiment.
16. History tells us that ideological 'purity spirals' rarely end well
phys.org · by Richard Whatmore and Katrin Redfern, The Conversation
Some history to reflect upon. And both sides of the political spectrum should take heed of Balwain's words in the opening quote. I see this "purity" every day on social media on both extreme sides of the political spectrum.
17. The Korean War and the Rebirth of ARSOF
shadowspear.com · June 30, 2020
And some final history reading for today.
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"There are many men of principle in both parties in America, but there is no party of principle.
- Alexis de Tocqueville
"I hold it that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical."
- Thomas Jefferson
"A general dissolution of principles and manners will more surely overthrow the liberties of America than the whole force of the common enemy. While the people are virtuous they cannot be subdued; but when once they lose their virtue then will be ready to surrender their liberties to the first external or internal invader."
- Samuel Adams
Comments
nce Texas starts going…
nce Texas starts going Democratic in Presidential elections, they're screwed. They will still, occasionally, be able to lie and scare their way into a House majority. jasa pembuatan website profesional
“Just as nature takes every obstacle, every impediment, and works around it – turns it to its purposes, incorporates it into itself – so, too, a rational being can turn each setback into raw material and use it to achieve its goal.”
– Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
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Demographics, which are…
Demographics, which are turning the South away from old white men who think civil rights was a crime against God and toward younger, more liberal people, THAT is the greatest ideological threat that the Republican Party has ever faced. Especially Hispanics & blacks combining to become a majority in Texas. Once Texas starts going Democratic in Presidential elections, they're screwed. They will still, occasionally, be able to lie and scare their way into a House majority, but the Senate will be a lot harder (they're not getting it back this time), and the White House is a lost cause.
#16 regarding ideological…
#16 regarding ideological purity: Very interesting from a “learning from history to avoid mistakes today” perspective.
Polybius said the same thing: “Monarchy changes to tyranny and the abolishment of both gives rise to aristocracy. Aristocracy by its very nature degenerates into oligarchy; and when the commons inflamed by anger take vengeance on the oligarchy for its unjust rule, democracy comes into being; and in due course the license and lawlessness of this form of government produces mob-rule.”
- Polybius, Histories, p. 235
If it’s one thing I’ve learned reading all of Gibbon’s Decline and Fall, The Complete Works of Josephus, and Vols 1-7 (so far) of Annals of America, among others it is the immutable and eternal truth that man does not learn from history.
“The laws of history are as absolute as the laws of physics....” - Isaac Asimov,
#15. Regarding the Legend-In-His-Own-Mind Goodreaugh: “even voluntary fools require our compassion as much as natural idiots.” and: “....he lacks the head of the philosopher, the heart of a philanthropist, and the courage of a hero.” - Thaddeus Stevens, Education as a public Duty, April 1, 1835, Annals of America, Vol 6.
The OTHER thing I’ve learned is how much one megalomaniacal person can cause so much misery to so many people.