7/21/2020 News & Commentary – National Security

News & commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and published by Daniel Riggs.

1. NSA Head Vows to Hit Back at Nations Meddling With U.S. Vote

2. National security leaders, advocacy groups urge Congress to send election funds to states

3. Hacked: Why Cyber Attribution Remains an Unsolved Problem for U.S. National Security

4. Congress Must Protect America's Treaties

5. China Snuffs Out One Covid-19 Cluster, Wages War on Another

6. Iran and China, the Totalitarian Twins

7. Revamping American "Soft Power": The Case for Centralizing America's Messages to the World

8. "For Our Enemies, We Have Shotguns": Explaining China's New Assertiveness

9. Americans support Black Lives Matter but resist shifts of police funds or removal of statues of Confederate generals or presidents who were enslavers

10. Ministry of Defense Advisors Program Seeks Applicants

11.Poll shows Filipinos trust US, Australia over China

12. A Navy Veteran Had a Question for the Feds in Portland. They Beat Him in Response.

13. James Carafano: Cancel culture comes for Pentagon -- latest 'woke' proposal would hurt national security

14. Opinion | A Department of Reconciliation could fix America's racial crisis. Here's how.

15. House votes to curtail Insurrection Act powers

16. Foreign Disinformation Campaign Is Targeting Congress, Top Dems Say

17. DHS's Portland Stunt Could Undermine the Agency For Years, Former Officials Warn

18. What Comes After COVID-19? Political Psychology, Strategic Outcomes, and Options for the Asia-Pacific "Quad-Plus"

19. Feds say visiting Stanford researcher concealed ties to Chinese military

20. Some Gold Star orphans left without any military assistance under current benefits rules

21. Put down Clausewitz, Pick Up Pratchett

1. NSA Head Vows to Hit Back at Nations Meddling With U.S. Vote

Bloomberg · by Peter Martin and Billy House · July 20, 2020

Good. Let's hack back and crush these criminals who dare to interfere with our elections.

2. National security leaders, advocacy groups urge Congress to send election funds to states

The Hill · by Maggie Miller · July 20, 2020

This should be a no brainer.  Any government or elected official at the federal, state, and local level who is not doing everything they can to ensure a free and fair election should be fired or lose at the ballot box.  The integrity of our election process must be of the highest priority. To do anything less would be to undermine our political system.

3. Hacked: Why Cyber Attribution Remains an Unsolved Problem for U.S. National Security

The National Interest · by Kyle Ropp · July 19, 2020

Yes this is a critical challenge." cyber attribution is an issue that deserves our full attention."  The author offers an interesting hypothetical and makes a good case on attribution and response.

4. Congress Must Protect America's Treaties

Foreign Affairs · by Scott R. Anderson and Christopher C. Fonzone · July 17, 2020

The authors pose an interesting constitutional issue.  The founders left it unsettled how to exit a treaty that the Senate has given advice and consent for.  I always focused on the exit clauses of the treaty as to how to exit them but the question is whether the decision to leave is solely an executive decision or one that must have advice and consent of the Senate.  My gut feeling is that the decision to exit a treaty should have the advice and consent of the Senate if only for maintaining our fundamental principles of separation of power and checks and balances. This is an interesting question.

5. China Snuffs Out One Covid-19 Cluster, Wages War on Another

WSJ · by Sha Hua · July 20, 2020

Whack-a-mole?  Note the "warlike approach" and the strict population and resources control measures that could never be implemented in a free country.

6. Iran and China, the Totalitarian Twins

WSJ · by Keith J. Krach and Brian H. Hook · July 20, 2020

The "marriage" (of convenience?) of a rogue and revisionist power.

7. Revamping American "Soft Power": The Case for Centralizing America's Messages to the World

fpri.org · by Haroro J. Ingram and Alexander Guittard

I do not think soft power is the right framework.  But the authors provide a good analysis of why we do not orchestrate our influence operations very well.  If you want to effectively compete in the era of Great Power Competition you must be able to conduct effective influence operations.

I think we need an American Way of Political Warfare. 

8. "For Our Enemies, We Have Shotguns": Explaining China's New Assertiveness

warontherocks.com · by Andrew Small · July 20, 2020

Shotguns?  We could bring automatic weapons in response.  But on a serious note this provides some important insights into Chinese "assertiveness.  I find the alternative hypothesis in the penultimate paragraph similar to one many advocate for north Korea with similar results: e.g., "Carefully treading around Chinese sensitivities." Such treading is met with "shotguns" anyway.

9. Americans support Black Lives Matter but resist shifts of police funds or removal of statues of Confederate generals or presidents who were enslavers

The Washington Post

Some very interesting data. I wonder how long it will stay this way before it fades in certain demographics  (if it does).  See the article at the link for a graphic representation. For all the polling and data experts the detailed results are this link: 

10. Ministry of Defense Advisors Program Seeks Applicants

defense.gov

I was unaware of this program.  I wonder if we have similar programs at State, Justice, Treasury, Commerce, etc...  If not, why not? (most likely because they are not resourced to do so)

11. Poll shows Filipinos trust US, Australia over China

cnnphilippines.com · by CNN Philippines Staff ·July 19, 2020

Not surprising.  It is probably all Filipinos with one who disagrees (Duterte).

12. A Navy Veteran Had a Question for the Feds in Portland. They Beat Him in Response.

The New York Times · by John Ismay · July 20, 2020

The video of this Navy veteran is amazing.  He is a rock.  And those thugs who beat him ought to be disciplined, charged, and fired after they answer Mr. David's question.

13. James Carafano: Cancel culture comes for Pentagon -- latest 'woke' proposal would hurt national security

foxnews.com · by James Carafano

Not the "cancel culture" or "woke" that initially came to mind when reading the title.  But it was an attention getter.

14. Opinion | A Department of Reconciliation could fix America's racial crisis. Here's how.

NBC News · By Rep. Al Green ·  July 20, 2020

15. House votes to curtail Insurrection Act powers

The Hill · by Rebecca Kheel · July 20, 2020

16. Foreign Disinformation Campaign Is Targeting Congress, Top Dems Say

defenseone.com · by Katie Bo Williams

I have no doubt this is happening to both parties.

17. DHS's Portland Stunt Could Undermine the Agency for Years, Former Officials Warn

defenseone.com · by Patrick Tucker

I do not think the White House views this as a "stunt."  I wonder if this is someone's idea of a "new normal."

18. What Comes After COVID-19? Political Psychology, Strategic Outcomes, and Options for the Asia-Pacific "Quad-Plus"

thestrategybridge.org · July 21, 2020

And China is driving India into the Quad.  I do hope the Quad-plus comes to fruition.

An interesting discussion of political psychology. 

19. Feds say visiting Stanford researcher concealed ties to Chinese military

mercurynews.com · by Emily DeRuy · July 21, 2020

20. Some Gold Star orphans left without any military assistance under current benefits rules

militarytimes.com · by Leo Shane III · July 20, 2020

21. Put Down Clausewitz, Pick Up Pratchett

angrystaffofficer.com · by Matthew Ader · July 20, 2020