Doug Brooks

4/16/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/4aTNB8L 1. The Lessons of Israeli Missile Defense 2. The U.S. Has Received a Rare Invitation From China. There Is Only One Right Answer. 3. House Speaker Mike Johnson pushes towards a vote on aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan 4. In a decisive moment like this, Israel has to reaffirm its strength by striking back - editorial 5. Review says Abbey Gate bombing wasn’t preventable 6. Victory and Failure in the Great American-Israeli Eastern Mediterranean Range Day MISSILEX of April 2024 7. Fake Footage of Iran’s Attack on Israel Is Going Viral 8. Federal criminal investigation opened into Key Bridge crash 9. Israel’s War Leaders Don’t Trust One Another 10. All the US assets that helped repel Iran’s attack on Israel 11. Army Could Face Resistance from Congress as It Eyes Cuts to Education Benefits 12. Out of INF, Army deploys Typhon weapon to the Philippines 13. SM-3 Ballistic Missile Interceptor Used for First Time in Combat, Officials Confirm 14. Opinion | What it means when the mercenaries appear 15. The epic fail of Biden’s doctrine vs. Iran — no consequences 16. A Test of Strength 17. Opinion | A quandary in Israel: How to retaliate — but not escalate? 18. China accused of running sleeper cells to sow discord 19. Japan's Ukraine aid creates new rift with Russia 20. Opinion | What the United States needs to do after Iran’s attack on Israel 21. A DHS Office of Foreign Influence and Interference—Break Down Barriers to Protect US Democracy and Public Safety 22. The Talks That Could Have Ended the War in Ukraine 23. Japan’s China Reckoning 24. Call in the Coast Guard: How Maritime Law Enforcement Can Combat China’s Gray-Zone Aggression 25. Houthi Attacks in the Red Sea: A New Twist on the Jeune École? 26. Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, April 15, 2024 27. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 15, 2024

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4/21/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/3vYE5Cv 1. Niger’s Eviction of U.S. Commandos, Drones Derails America’s Counterterror Strategy 2. Army SOF use video game skills to launch drones strikes and more in new course 3. USSOCOM inducts 18 new members into Commando Hall of Honor 4. Great power competition is back. What does that mean for US special operations forces? 5. The True Story Behind “Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare ”and“ ”History's First Special Forces Mission 6. The US Debt Clock 7. Inside the White House’s Frenetic Scramble to Avert a Full-Blown Middle East War 8. U.S. Aid Is a Lifeline for Ukraine’s Struggle to Hold Off Defeat 9. U.S.-China Internet War Intensifies as House Passes TikTok Ban 10. Things Worth Remembering: ‘We Will Fight with Stones in Our Hands’ (Israel) 11. The American Myths Dividing Contemporary Politics 12. Give Me Liberty or Give Me … What? 13. "We're Going To Lose A Major War": US Navy Deletes Photo Of Ship Commander Shooting Rifle With Backwards Scope 14. Northern Virginia serves as the world’s internet hub. Its neighbors are paying a price. 15. Blinken will be the latest top US official to visit China in a bid to keep ties on an even keel 16. Are Iran’s leaders losing their grip on reality — and the country?

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A rather thorough and thoughtful case for why accurate terms of reference are vital to clear thinking about war and peace (or any issue). The last line is imperative. When we militarize our national security--i.e., when we forget about all the elements of national power, well beyond the whole of government--everything can be a nail to our hammer, per the famous response of the Vietnamese colonel to Harry Summers (paraphrased): "Yes we never beat you on the battlefield, but that is also irrelevant." From the article: “…hybrid war [is] a redundant term; it simply constitutes war as we always have known it… All warfare blends conventional and irregular forces and traditional and “asymmetric systems.” War’s very nature creates ambiguity, and seizing the initiative is part of the job when waging a war, as is paralyzing the enemy. There is nothing here that has not been practiced since ancient times…Hybrid war becomes everything; thus it is nothing…[the term] also encourages the militarization of other elements of grand strategy while driving us to view every geopolitical act through a warlike lens.”

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A unique and useful essay from Dr. Lumpy Lumbaca. I thought the title meant "And/Or" as in irregular "and/or" conventional warfare. But on a more serious note, we need to use fiction and even pop culture more often to explain irregular warfare concepts. I wonder if the writers of Andor knew they were employing these concepts? Had they read irregular/unconventional warfare doctrine or was this by chance? Or is unconventional warfare doctrine merely common sense and based on historical actions in the real world. I can say for sure that unconventional warfare is a synthesis of of the history or revolution, resistance, and insurgency, Excerpt: QUOTE: Ultimately, the brilliance of Andor lies in its ability to translate the realities of insurgency and irregular warfare into a compelling narrative set in a galaxy far, far away. It embraces the moral complexities, the internal struggles, and the immense human cost of resistance. By grounding its story in these real-world themes, Andor transcends the genre of space opera fantasy and offers a thought-provoking exploration of the fight for self-determination against overwhelming odds. While entertaining and a Hollywood production, Andor nevertheless captures the real-world elements of modern insurgency and irregular warfare. END QUOTE https://lnkd.in/e_89xK7W

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6/8/24 Korean News and Commentary https://conta.cc/4aPDD7L 1. Voice of America: [Washington Talk] “Military agreement suspended, Korean military ‘shackles’ lifted… “Information warfare must be expanded across the board.” 2. North Korea—The Forgotten Human Rights Crisis 3. North Korea recalls documentary about Kim Jong Un’s mother 4. America’s Military Strategy: Can We Handle Two Wars at Once? 5. Kim Jong Un 'polite' and Trump 'practical'? Former leader's kind words cause an uproar 6. An American Company Enabled a North Korean Scam That Raised Money for WMDs 7. Dissecting Propaganda: Using AI to Cut Through North Korean TV Spin 8. It's Getting Heated—and Filthy—on the Korean Peninsula 9. Building Trust, Building Peace: Role Of Confidence-Building Measures On Korean Peninsula 10. Russia’s war in Ukraine has turned South Korea into a manufacturing hotspot 11. Deterring North Korean aggression remains primary goal, new fighter wing commander says 12. US warns North Korea against providing Putin platform for war aims 13. Surpass the Cutting Edge: Reflections on North Korea’s Failed May 27 Satellite Launch 14. N. Korea sends balloons carrying trash to S. Korea again: JCS 15. At UN, North Koreans beg China to stop sending escapees back 16. N. Korea, China, Russia expanding nuclear arsenals at ‘breakneck’ pace: White House official 17. S. Korea, U.S. to hold 3rd round of defense cost-sharing negotiations in Washington next week

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The Future of Warfare U.S. Military: Competition and Contestation | GSF Seth Jones with a panel of the U.S. vice chiefs https://lnkd.in/dB5kgj5z As #CSIS's flagship annual #securityconference, the Forum convenes leaders from the #defense and #nationalsecurity communities to discuss the top #security challenges facing the country and the world. This year's conference will feature keynote discussions with General Charles Q. Brown, Jr., Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Honorable Avril Haines, Director of National Intelligence. The theme of the #2024GlobalSecurityForum is "Gathering Strength in a Gathering Storm." Speakers will address how the #UnitedStates can muster its strengths to counter multiple global challenges, posture for uncertainty, and prepare U.S. forces to deter and defeat aggression. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) 🦉The theme of the conference alludes to Winston Churchill’s 1948 book ‘The Gathering Storm’ about the buildup towards WWII and the parallels with today - the denial and the difficulty in being heard as the alarm is sounded. A lot of learning post the full-scale invasion of #Ukraine and #Iran’s attack on #Israel. The vice-chief of the air force compares today with the Spanish Civil War. A lot of combined wisdom and experience (and medals) on show! ✌️🥇🥈🥉🏅🎖️ #usforces #strategy #competition #intelligence A2/AD #emergingtechnology #industrialbase #manoeuvre #landwardlittorals #airmissiledefense #informationwarfare #deterrence #iran #redsea #gaza #ukraine #israel #arctic #indopacific #russia #china

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7/2/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/4cJin5c 1. Israeli Generals, Low on Munitions, Want a Truce in Gaza 2. NATO to Establish Kyiv Post, and Seeks to ‘Trump-Proof’ Ukraine Aid 3. Satellite Images Show Expansion of Suspected Chinese Spy Bases in Cuba 4. The World Is Realigning: An emerging Axis of Resistance confronts the Liberal Alliance. 5. NDU At Fort Liberty/JFK Special Warfare Center and School: Master of Arts in Strategic Studies 6. The weaponization of security clearances 7. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, July 1, 2024 8. Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, July 1, 2024 9. Eight Antifa Defendants Sentenced in Pacific Beach Assault Case 10. ‘In the Shadows’ Review: The Hostage Bargainer 11.Solving the Problem of Postwar Gaza 12. China builds new presidential palace in Pacific's Vanuatu 13. A.I. Begins Ushering In an Age of Killer Robots 14. Lawsuit accuses Iran, Syria and North Korea of providing support for Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel 15. Wokeness Is Awful. Nationalism Is Far Worse. 16. ‘Real Portal to Hell’ – Ukrainian Paratroopers Repel Assault, Destroy Seven Russian Fighting Vehicles With Troops 17. The Digital Battlefield: How Social Media is Reshaping Modern Insurgencies 18. The Looming Crisis in the Taiwan Strait 19. America Is Still Not Ready for the Next Outbreak 20. The Illogic of Doubling Down on a Failed Approach: Security Assistance and Terrorism in Africa

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MARITIME SECURITY 🚨 ⚓ MSCHoA assess that at least one PAG remains active in the vicinity of Socotra, and in the region of one of this weekend's two reported suspicious approaches. #security #mena #middleeast #maritime #maritimesecurity #shipsandshipping #shippingindustry #maritimeindustry #piracy #somalia #indianocean

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U. S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) - 9 June #Yemen Update ( #GulfofAden ): In the past 24 hours, Iranian-backed Houthis launched two anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBM) from Houthi controlled areas of Yemen into the Gulf of Aden. One ASBM struck M/V Tavvishi, a Liberian-flagged, Swiss owned and operated container ship. M/V Tavvishi reported damage but has continued underway. The second ASBM was successfully destroyed by a coalition ship. There were no injuries reported by U.S., coalition, or merchant vessels. Separately, Iranian-backed Houthis launched one ASBM and one anti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) into the Gulf of Aden. Both missiles struck M/V Norderney, an Antigua and Barbados flagged, German owned and operated cargo ship. M/V Norderney reported damage but has continued underway. There were no injuries reported by U.S., coalition, or merchant vessels. Additionally, U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) forces successfully destroyed one uncrewed aerial system (UAS) over the Gulf of Aden. Later, USCENTCOM forces successfully destroyed two Houthi land attack cruise missiles (LACM) and one missile launcher in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. It was determined these systems presented an imminent threat to U.S., coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region. This action was taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels. https://lnkd.in/esYn6Acz

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5/29/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/4bSEhSW 1. The obscure federal intelligence bureau that got Vietnam, Iraq, and Ukraine right 2. The International Criminal Court’s Appalling Misstep 3. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 28, 2024 4. Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, May 28, 2024 5. Pentagon suspends aid deliveries via Gaza pier after repeated mishaps 6. Japan reports first sighting of new PLA combat drone over East China Sea 7. White House says Rafah strike does not violate Biden’s warnings to Israel 8. Putin warns West not to let Ukraine use its missiles to hit Russia 9. Sweden to donate $1.23 billion in military aid to Ukraine 10. Why NATO matters By Richard D. Hooker, Jr. 11. AFSOC Put 15 CV-22 Ospreys in Storage to Increase Mission Readiness for Rest of Fleet 12. Opinion - Do We Still Understand How Wars Are Won? 13. A new breakthrough could deepen US troops' dependence on Chinese batteries 14. Blacklisted Chinese Companies Rebrand as American to Dodge Crackdown 15. Across the Army, units lean into drone experimentation 16. Washington needs to tell China — attacking Taiwan means war with the US 17. Veterans should volunteer to train soldiers in Ukraine 18. America Needs More Predator Submarines to Stop China 19. Rare Earth Mining Taking Heavy Toll in Myanmar’s Kachin, Groups Say 20. Staging the Comeback of Mao in Xi Jinping's China 21. American Globalism Versus ‘America First’ 22. Opinion - America’s Military Is Not Prepared for War — or Peace 23. Escaping the Zero-Sum Trap in Strategic Competition with China 24. How Ukraine Can Do More With Less 25. From the Shadows to the Social Sphere: Ukraine’s Strategy of Engagement 26. The 80th Anniversary of D-Day: An Opportunity to Seize

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HOUTHIS ON THE MARCH: U.S. intelligence assesses that Houthi militants in Yemen are working to provide Al-Shabaab with weapons, according to CNN. The move would be a major escalation in cooperation between the Iran-backed proxy and the Somali militant group, which both have posed major threats to shipping and trade in the Red Sea. U.S. intelligence along with African partners have been working to figure out if Iran is involved and whether weapons transfers have already occurred. https://lnkd.in/eSMjqTbz

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5/11/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/4dyj0Qf 1. Retired Special Warfare Commander Lauds Value of Strong Allied Relationships 2. CAMPAIGNING IN THE AGE OF 5 AGAINST 1 – Making a Case For a Global Asymmetric Competition Campaign 3. What Does the Xi-Ma Meeting Mean for Cross-Strait Relations? 4. A Plan for Victory in Ukraine 5. China's Military Is Slowly Becoming a Superpower Before Our Eyes 6. Are Campus Protesters Heroes or Hypocrites? 7. Japan and South Korea are itching to sign up to Aukus. But trust is an issue 8. US committee targets Georgia Tech's alleged ties to Chinese military linked research 9. US to announce new $400 million military aid package for Ukraine 10. Pentagon deals Russia a blow over Starlink 11. Ukraine Enhances Military Reach Using US ATACMS in Strikes Against Russian Forces 12. 'Swarm pilots' will need new tactics—and entirely new training methods: Air Force special-ops chief 13. 'ChatGPT, plan my top-secret mission' 14. Restoring Landpower’s Wings: The Case for Army Fixed-Wing Airlift 15. Germany to buy US HIMARS launchers for Ukraine 16. Fraternities Are a Cure for What Ails Higher Education 17. Civilian casualties rise in Myanmar's civil war as resistance forces tighten noose around military 18. Does America Have the Means to Fight Again?

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In a world where there's more data about you and from you that is available to explore and exploit, this is important for the US. You won't see certain other nations around the world developing these safeguards.

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4/22/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/4aIPGV7 1. PLA SSF scrapped, it’s now the PLA ISF: What does it mean? 2. US weighs sending additional military advisers to Ukraine as Russia gains momentum 3. China's scenarios for invading Taiwan could be altered following Iran's failed attack on Israel, report says 4. Information Warfare is Integrated Warfare 5. Global military spending surges amid war, rising tensions and insecurity 6. Trends in World Military Expenditure, 2023 7. Israel beefs up armored corps with new tank companies, for now and the future 8. THE MONTH IN GREAT POWER COMPETITION IN FIVE MINUTES 9. Biden Has Allowed the Marine Corps to Become Irrelevant by Gary Anderson 10. The Tech Industry is the New Defense Industrial Base 11. Israel Planned Bigger Attack on Iran, but Scaled It Back to Avoid War 12. Biden’s Small Win — and Bigger Failure — in the Middle East 13. US, Philippine Troops Kick Off Drills as China Tensions Mount 14. Public Disputes Undercut Officer Class 15. Historian says US is ‘in a moral crisis right now’ 16. How Washington Can Save its Semiconductor Controls on China 17. Europe—but Not NATO—Should Send Troops to Ukraine 18. The Coming Arab Backlash 19. Comparing Gray-Zone Tactics in the Red Sea and the South China Sea 20. New PLA unit underscores intelligentized warfare shift 21. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 21, 2024 22. Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, April 21, 2024

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In a new article for The Washington Quarterly, Jennifer Kavanagh and I assess the Biden administration's coalition-building efforts in the Indo-Pacific. Three years in, we find that Washington still lacks -the military access it would need to create a more distributed force posture in the region -a region-wide security architecture suited to mobilizing a collective and coordinated response in the event of Chinese aggression -robust allied and partner investment in defense capabilities. As important, the region's geography - both its maritime character and vast distances - work against Washington's coalition-building project. Falling back on the protection provided by the sea and questioning US commitments, countries in the region have been - and are likely to remain - unwilling to opt into the type of coalition the United States needs to enable its continued regional military primacy. We outline an alternative approach based on offshore balancing, which seeks to better leverage the region's geography to sustainably balance Chinese power and prevent Chinese hegemony You can read the article here: https://lnkd.in/eE82Ud36

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7/1/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/3zjiBkU 1. The Ukraine War in 2024: A Pivotal Year for the Transatlantic Alliance and World Order by John Nagl and Alexander Peris 2. A Call to Action: Lessons from Ukraine for the Future Force by John Nagl and Katie Crombe 3. How Bad Will Political Violence in the U.S. Get? 4. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 30, 2024 5. Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, June 30, 2024 6. Is China at War in the South China Sea? 7. NeXt Secretary of Defense 8. IN THE KILL ZONE: The Life and Times of Willie Merkerson (Part 2) 9. Analysis | What Taiwan is learning from the war in Ukraine 10. Cambodia Denies Hosting Chinese Naval Base, but Two Ships Raise Suspicions 11. For Ukraine and Russia, a Deadly Summer Lies Ahead With Little Hope of Big Gains 12. Analysis: How ready is China’s military? Dramatic downfall of two defense ministers raises questions 13. Commentary: The world came dangerously close to full-scale conflict in the South China Sea 14. Army Futures Command's Gen. Rainey reflects on AI's potential in modern warfare 15. This is how the US-built pier to bring aid to Gaza has worked — or not 16. Forgotten Wars: The Civil War in Myanmar 17. Could AI help US intelligence end decades-long aversion to unclassified data? 18. NATO Should Think Big About the Indo-Pacific 19. Trump the Realist: The Former President Understands the Limits of American Power 20. 'In the spirit of humanitarianism': China, the Philippines jointly rescue stranded Filipino fishermen in South China Sea 21. Immigration Is Behind the Strong U.S. Economy 22. War Books, Special Edition – Seventeen Great War Films: One Army Officer’s List 23. Making Sense of the Populist Present—1

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Some of the comments on this piece (in the comment section below) are extraordinarily insightful. Feel free to have a read! This is such a fundamental problem. Just as the world is getting (even) more complicated, the trend is that the US government will get officials with less lived experience in other countries.

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New paper with colleagues Erick Heginbotham and George Gilboy on estimating China's defense spending. We engage the latest figure of $700B now being widely discussed, most recently by Paparo. In a nutshell, we suggest that estimates of China’s defense spending should 1) compare the same line items for on and off budget categories and 2) use the relevant sector-specific Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) conversion factor. Our bottom line: we estimate that Chine spends $471B and the US spends around $1.3T. Also, there’s an appendix where we “show our work” in the hopes of increasing transparency about such estimates.

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7/9/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/3XRPFuE 1. A Return to Privateering - A Strategic Concept for Unconventional Warfare 2. To counter China, NATO and its Asian partners are moving closer under US leadership 3. NATO Summit Puts Biden’s Fitness Under a Microscope 4. Asia’s New ‘Game of Thrones 5. 12 people to keep an eye on at the NATO summit 6. AI-Powered Super Soldiers Are More Than Just a Pipe Dream 7. Erik Prince is Wrong for Secretary of Defense 8. China hits back at NATO's 'smears and attacks' ahead of summit 9. Russia under fire at UN over Ukraine strikes 10. Why NATO Still Exists 11. New NATO Command Will Assist Ukraine with Training, Equipment Donations 12. 82nd Airborne joins 3rd, 10th SF Groups to airdrop test new weapon sights 13. Wounded Veterans, Wounded Economy: The Personnel Costs of Russia’s War 14. Article 5 with an Asterisk: How a Tailored Application of NATO’s Collective Defense Principle Could Lead to a Sustainable Russo-Ukrainian Armistice 15. Avoiding War in the South China Sea 16. The Right Way for America to Counter Russia in Africa 17. US to loan ‘stalwart ally’ Poland another $2 billion for push to modernize military 18. NATO’s in denial about deterrence by denial 19. The West’s biggest vulnerability is internal 20. NATO Allies Confront ‘Serious Gap’ in Arms Production to Counter Russia

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