Massive Hack: First Thoughts and Caveats
Soon after Vladimir Putin’s rise to power, he pushed for a walled-off “Russian internet” which was a strategic shot fired across our bow. Russian operations since would turn global internet-dependent nations and entities into a constellation of sieves to reverse the internet security advantage in favor of the “Russian internet,” if such was attainable. Hackers have…
US-Self-Sabotage: Energy Policy and Nord Stream 2
Bloomberg reports that Nord Stream 2 is again underway at a clip, with Russia pushing forward and Germany trying to proof the project against the Trump-led U.S. sanctions against our German NATO ally, friend, and fellow democracy. In 2014, Representative John Boehner and others argued that fast-tracked, increased U.S. LNG exports abroad would free global supplies…
China Update: Seizing Advantage from Strategic Lame Duck
Bloomberg reported that Iraq is prepared to enter a multi-billion dollar energy deal with China similar to that China made with Russia several years ago that culminated in the Siberian pipeline to China. These prepaid oil for financing deals are tools China uses to decouple its energy needs from U.S. domestic sources while gaining influence…
On Xi’s Menu: Lame Duck Divisé
Seizing the Gray: China leverages Donald Trump’s predictably divisive lame duck period at home to project itself as the responsible global leader in the world. China acted similarly when Donald Trump was in his fire and fury phase toward North Korea, later praising Kim Jong Un with no firm denuclearization commitments. Space Race: On December 1,…
Argument: Dynasties in U.S. Politics Present Security Vulnerabilities
Power families using their resources, names, and influence to repeatedly win or determine political offices can become de-facto dynasts to the detriment of U.S. national security. Much like software, firmware, or operating systems, such families are like programs running public offices with informational and other flaws that become well known and more vulnerable over time.…
Brief Discussion: Is It Treason for High Officers to Aid Nazism, Neo or Otherwise?
Listen Instead… The answer to the question of whether it is chargeable treason for U.S. high officers to aid Neo-Nazis in any form acting with hostility toward the United States in loyalty to the historic Nazi regime, I don’t know. A case could be made. Here are some preliminary thoughts worthy of discussion and further…
Breaking the Divisiveness Pickle
“The Social Dilemma” documentary offers a pithy insiders’ look at social media’s and search engine roles in the ‘divisiveness pickle’ felt by U.S. Americans, to use the baseball term also known as a “rundown” between bases. The false dichotomies in demagogic, agitation propaganda, and partisan narratives make “the pickle” an apt…
Covid19 Vaccine Influence in Latin America
Followup: This note adds context to discussions of ways to meet challenges to U.S. policies reversing autocratic digital influence in Latin America. Reports: Andres Oppenheimer wrote in the Miami Herald that the Trump Administration, as recently as late July, was not planning to supply Latin America with U.S.-developed vaccines while Russia and…
First Debate: Draining the Swamp to Waterboard America with the Firehose of Falsehood
The anti-George Washington seeks another term. The incumbent in the White House is ‘draining the Swamp,’ with his “Firehose of Falsehood” plumbed in reverse and directed out his mouth at our eyes, ears, noses, and throats, waterboarding us with the bacterial corruption of the Swamp. ‘Toxic waste dump’ is a more apt…
The Covid-Digital Storm: Authoritarian Influence on Latin America’s Digital Demographic
Purpose: To explore the digital demographic connection to reversing Russian and Chinese subversion of democracy and liberty in Latin America. Background Before Covid19 spawned a pandemic, Russia and China had been plying influence operations and digital authoritarianism to pressure Latin America’s governments, elections, nationalists, businesses, security biases, attitudes toward democracy, and…