Small Wars Journal

09/09/2020 News & Commentary - National Security

Wed, 09/09/2020 - 3:33pm

News and Commentary by Dave Maxwell. Edited and Published by Riley Murray.

 

1. U.S. Military Is Offered New Bases in the Pacific

2. Nine Drug Company CEOs Sign Pledge on Covid-19 Vaccine

3. I Hope American Soldiers Read Stars and Stripes Forever

4. White House asked VA secretary about running Pentagon if Trump fires Esper

5. Opinion | We must stop helping our enemies undermine our democracy

6. The Milk Tea Alliance (Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand)

7. Stopping jihadists is a mission worth discussing during presidential election

8. China's second century of shame, thanks to its Communist Party

9. Army Chief Denies Trump's Claim That Generals Make War for Arms Makers

10. Neurotoxins Are A Rising Threat. Here's How the Military Will Detect Them

11. How America's Defense Strategy Left Us Unprepared for a Pandemic

12. Australia's "Belt & Road" Agreements: Dead and Buried?

13. How the government is keeping hackers from disrupting coronavirus vaccine research

14. Trump is serious about ending America's longest war

15. Osama bin Laden's niece says only Trump can prevent another 9/11

16. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Now Linked to 250,000 Covid-19 Cases

17. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was 'superspreading event' that cost public health $12.2 billion: analysis

18. Did Stars and Stripes win the fallout from Trump's 'losers' comments?

19. From Racism to Russia, Top General Says Army Must Change

20. 'Mulan' Has a Message: Serve China and Forget About the Uighurs

21. 5th SFAB just went on its first overseas mission to Asia

22. The Cold War Is Over, But Radio Free Europe Is Back in Hungary

23. Beyond the classics: A fresh international relations reading list for students

24. Military Forced Into Payroll Tax Deferral; 1.3 Million Can't Opt-Out

 

 

1. U.S. Military Is Offered New Bases in the Pacific

WSJ · by Gordon Lubold – 8 September, 2020

 

2. Nine Drug Company CEOs Sign Pledge on Covid-19 Vaccine

WSJ · by Jared S. Hopkins and Peter Loftus – 8 September, 2020

This unprecedented action probably makes very good business sense too.  You cannot have the public lose trust in a vaccine before it is even developed. 

 

3. I Hope American Soldiers Read Stars and Stripes Forever

WSJ · by Seth Lipsky – 7 September, 2020

As I said I still maintain a digital subscription to the Stars and Stripes. I think the description of it has independent minded is a good one and one we should all value.

 

4. White House asked VA secretary about running Pentagon if Trump fires Esper

NBC News · by Carol E. Lee · September 7, 2020

Terrible RUMINT.

 

5. Opinion | We must stop helping our enemies undermine our democracy

The Washington Post · by Opinion by Susan M. Gordon · September 8, 2020

YES.  I hope everyone gives some thought to this.

 

6. The Milk Tea Alliance (Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand)

donga.com - September 09, 2020

 

7. Stopping jihadists is a mission worth discussing during presidential election

washingtontimes.com · by Clifford D. May

 

8. China's second century of shame, thanks to its Communist Party

The Hill · by Joseph Bosco, opinion contributor · September 8, 2020

They still haven't gotten over the first hundred years of humiliation.

 

9. Army Chief Denies Trump's Claim That Generals Make War for Arms Makers

defenseone.com · by Katie Bo Williams

A strong rebuttal to the President's comments.

 

10. Neurotoxins Are A Rising Threat. Here's How the Military Will Detect Them

defenseone.com · by Patrick Tucker

The Russians (and the north Koreans) are likely being conditioned to believe they have free reign to employ these chemicals.

 

11. How America's Defense Strategy Left Us Unprepared for a Pandemic

defenseone.com · by Jerry Meyerle

This seems a little naive and idealistic.  Yes, there needs to be a global response to the pandemic.  But we also have to recognize and deal with our adversaries as they really are and not as we would wish they would be. While we may have laudable goals and willing to work with anyone to solve the pandemic that is likely not the case for our adversaries.

That said, the bigger problem is simply that we are taking a "go it alone" approach to a global pandemic.  But that is not a National Defense Strategy problem.  

 

12. Australia's "Belt & Road" Agreements: Dead and Buried?

The National Interest · by Michelle Grattan · September 8, 2020

The Chinese-PRC relationship, competition, conflict is important to observe and assess.  We should be able to learn from it.  And One belt One Road must be considered a potential threat to many countries.

 

13. How the government is keeping hackers from disrupting coronavirus vaccine research

cyberscoop.com · by Shannon Vavra · September 8, 2020

 

14. Trump is serious about ending America's longest war

Washington Examiner · by Jack Hunter · September 8, 2020

 

15.  Osama bin Laden's niece says only Trump can prevent another 9/11

New York Post · by Jon Levine · September 5, 2020

 

16. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Now Linked to 250,000 Covid-19 Cases 

metalsucks.net · by Vince Neilstein · September 8, 2020

Not sure about this source but the information should be no surprise.  But it links to this 63 page report from the Institute of Labor Economics  http://ftp.iza.org/dp13670.pd

 

17. Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was 'superspreading event' that cost public health $12.2 billion: analysis

The Hill · by J. Edward Moreno · September 8, 2020

This also refers to the 63-page report from the Institute of Labor Economics. http://ftp.iza.org/dp13670.pdf

 

18.  Did Stars and Stripes win the fallout from Trump's 'losers' comments?

Columbia Journalism Review

Timing is everything.  Did this get a reprieve for Stars and Stripes?

 

19. From Racism to Russia, Top General Says Army Must Change

defenseone.com · by Kevin Baron

 

20. 'Mulan' Has a Message: Serve China and Forget About the Uighurs

Foreign Policy · by Jeannette Ng · September 8, 2020

The cultural battlefield.

 

21. 5th SFAB just went on its first overseas mission to Asia

armytimes.com · by Kyle Rempfer · September 8, 2020

I wonder how they are faring on Soi Cowboy.

 

22.  The Cold War Is Over, But Radio Free Europe Is Back in Hungary

Vice – by Tim Hume

 

23. Beyond the classics: A fresh international relations reading list for students

The Brookings Institution · September 8, 2020

 

24. Military Forced Into Payroll Tax Deferral; 1.3 Million Can't Opt-Out

Forbes · by Shahar Ziv · September 7, 2020

Military personnel (and others) are going to face a financial crisis in the next year when they have to pay their taxes.

 

 

"Read, read, read. Read everything - trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it." 

- William Faulkner

 

 "Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love."

- Lao Tzu
 

"An unexamined life is not worth living."

- Socrates

Categories: News