Laura Galante

10/1/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/3XLBKEU 1. U.S. and Allies Sound Alarm Over Their Adversaries’ Military Ties 2. North Korea assisted Hezbollah in building tunnels - now the Israelis have to deal with them 3. Israeli Forces Conduct Operations in Lebanon After Crossing Border Overnight 4. Russia's Military After the Ukraine War: Enter the Gray Zone? 5. Israel Defends Itself—and May Save Western Civilization 6. Putin’s Nuclear Blackmail Goes Doctrinal – Analysis 7. Question for the candidates: How will you reassure allies worried about the credibility of the US security guarantees? 8. How to Exploit Israel’s Success 9. Ukraine's recent strikes on arms depots caused the largest loss of Russian and North Korean ammo in the war: UK intel 10. The Air Force’s special recruitment problem: Americans know SEALs and Green Berets, not PJs 11. How should Israel fight information warfare? 12. A Conservative Human-Rights Agenda 13. Disinformation Risk Threatening Global Economy – OpEd 14. What the West Gets Wrong About the Global South 15. World War II turned modest librarians into vital spies 16. Former commander of SEAL training to face board of inquiry over candidate’s death 17. The State Department Reform Commission: A Once in A Generation Opportunity to Reform American Diplomacy 18. The United Nations in Hindsight: Does the Security Council Matter? 19. How to Get Colombia’s Peace Process Back on Track 20. Israel should hit Iran where it hurts 21. America’s Strategy of Renewal By Antony J. Blinken 22. Weaponizing Technology: The Psychological And Behavioural Impact Of IEDs In Modern Warfare – OpEd 23. Fewer vets will be on the November ballot for Congress this year 24. Here are all the veterans running for Congress in 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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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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11/20/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/3ZjMuMM 1. Defining the Indefinable: A Critical Analysis of Current Irregular Warfare Doctrine 2. China military now a ‘significant threat’ capable of winning in a conflict with U.S., says report 3. Kyiv Claims Successful Strike on Command Post in Russia’s Belgorod Region 4. Conflicts "Eating Into" Critical Munitions Stockpiles Needed For China Fight Top U.S. Officer In Pacific Warns 5. US to begin providing anti-personnel mines to Ukraine 6. The Osprey’s Safety Issues Spiked Over Five Years 7. Pentagon misstated how Special Operations troops died off Cyprus last year 8. JUST IN: Indo-Pacom Needs More than Drones for Air Superiority, Commander Says 9. Deterring the Nuclear Dictators 10. NATO Must Respond to Russian Shadow War on European Soil 11. A ‘hammer attack’ just outside Boise: Indian, U.S. special forces train for urban raids 12. Army taps ‘Ghost Fleet’ authors to write novel on multi-domain warfare 13. Fiction for a future war by Mick Ryan 14. INDOPACOM is replacing a pile of partner-nation networks with just one 15. Reviewing a past attempt to "reform" US international broadcasting 16. Trump administration may signal a radical shift in the Indo-Pacific, experts say 17. ‘We must be ready’: INDOPACOM chief sounds alarm on China’s interest in invading Taiwan 18. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 19, 2024 19. Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, November 19, 2024 20. Russia Has Suffered Colossal Losses in Ukraine. Is Its Army Depleted? 21. Beyond Sanctions: Economic Warfare and Modern Military Conflict 22. America Needs a New National Strategy for Irregular Warfare

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8/17/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/3M8BiuQ 1. INDOPACOM wants more special operators in the Pacific 2. US fighting 'four Cold Wars' at the same time—Iran expert 3. White House cyber czar is working to grow a new generation of cybersecurity workers 4. Israel’s Approach to Iran May Be Getting Bolder 5. Ukraine Has a Strategy, the U.S. Doesn’t 6. What's Ukraine's endgame in Kursk? 7. China's rhetoric turns dangerously real for Taiwanese 8. Kursk could hasten Russia's post-Putin political succession 9. The Big Five - 17 August edition by Mick Ryan 10. We All Pay the Price for Protectionism 11. How Trump and Harris Differ on Economic Policy 12. Beijing-based 'Green Cicada' AI network uncovered on social media, fears of US election disruption 13. X’s new AI image generator will make anything from Taylor Swift in lingerie to Kamala Harris with a gun 14. Trump speeds AI-driven truth decay 15. Russia is pushing disinformation about Kursk operation, Ukrainian officials say 16. How the U.S. Can Counter Disinformation From Russia and China 17. From the Pentagon to the Philippines, integrating deterrence in the Indo-Pacific 18. What Taiwan Can Learn from Ukraine's Kursk Offensive Against Russia 19. Has Zelensky walked into Putin's trap? 20. The Kursk Gamble: Ukraine’s High-Stakes Play to Force Russia's Hand – War Comes Home To Russia 21. Ukraine offensive in Russia expands beyond Kursk region, soldiers say 22. Ukraine’s offensive derails secret efforts for partial cease-fire with Russia, officials say 23. Mike Waltz, first Green Beret elected to Congress, has a lesson for us all

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Looking forward to the 2024 #SecurityCooperation Conference in Washington DC. I'll be presenting on Session 4A on "Empowering Partners through Professional Military Education." My topic is "Reading Thucydides in Abu Dhabi: A Case Study of the UAE National Defense College" which will touch on the challenges of graduate-level education in #authoritarian and Middle Eastern countries. October 27 - 30, 2024 https://lnkd.in/e4dzPsdp #AbuDhabi #UAE #PME

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Colorado’s counterterrorism center is warning law enforcement that insider threats are “likely to be an issue” in next week’s election. In an election that has already seen ballot box fires set in three states, the threat landscape is historic. From WIRED: “What were once considered sleepy and mundane administrative roles in government have become the subjects of intense scrutiny in the past four years. Election workers across the US have reported death threats against them and their families, stalking, and harassment. The volume of threats against those workers was so significant that the Justice Department was compelled to form the ‘Election Threats Task Force’ in 2021. And the threats have been a major factor in what’s been the highest rate of election worker turnover seen in decades; at least 36 percent of local election offices have changed hands since 2020. By 2022, in 50 out of 67 counties in Pennsylvania, election chiefs had left their positions due to threats.” #elections #vote2024 #cybersecurity #electionsecurity #publicpolicy https://lnkd.in/gUjyJZQ4

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Bottom Line Up Front: In my humble and personal opinion (not affiliated with company or anyone else for that matter) I respectfully submit that it's not a good idea naming the USS Helmand Province after an ill-conceived operation, with failing outcome, and topped off with an embarrassing total withdrawal. As well-intentioned as it may have been, the Navy should reconsider decision and name it after something else. At a minimum, please name it after something other than a place that we fought and lost so many only to ultimately lose the country to the Taliban. Admittedly, and clearly, I'm not a Marine who fought in Helmand. Respect the heck out of those who did... heroism galore... And respect for our British counterparts and allies who also had their challenges but fought bravely in Helmandshire. My comments not intended to diminish or downplay their sacrifices, bravery, or even some tactical wins while there. But, as a veteran who spent about 16 years of my life deployed in or nearly exclusively focused on Afghanistan and had a front seat view of the start and peak of the "surge" that brought the Marine contingent to Helmand in force, this naming is more than a bit of a tone deaf mistake. I have no doubt that the Navy has all the best intentions in mind when it considered this name. But please reconsider it. Article follows, recommend reading. https://lnkd.in/eRaSYatW

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At the end of an administration, it's worth measuring "integrated deterrence" efforts vs the PRC and relative influence ratings. Constructive U.S. global engagement has been a net good thing, but the CCP remains undeterred from many malign actions. The assumption of adherents to "integrated deterrence" as a major pillar of our National Security Strategy was that we could feasibly achieve deterrence (stop another nation-state from doing something). Perhaps this notion was only realistic in isolated cases like deterring a major invasion vs Taiwan. In reality, most of the PRC's broad range of malign actions vs the U.S. and other nations continue, and will likely always do so, which requires us to actively expose, mitigate, minimize, and counter with asymmetrical penalties using all DIME instruments and whole-of-society efforts to reduce vulnerabilities. In my view, a combination of "integrated shaping," "integrated assurance," and "integrated deterrence" themes might serve as better organizing constructs to deal with the implacable intentions of a committed adversary. Stopping them altogether was always a foreign policy fantasy. Final note, I wish I had seen a better attempt within the US government while I was there to measure what I tried to do below. POTUS and the cabinet deserve a better "CEO's Dashboard" to calculate at the executive level what's really developing across macro-strategic lines. A basic governance decision aid. The ratings below are my subjective judgments, but there are ways to add empirical metrics. My .02.

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FOUR TAKE-AWAYS FROM LAST WEEK’S FBI/DCIS RAID ON A CONTRACTOR Most people have heard by now that one of the very largest GSA Schedule contractors was raided last week by a joint FBI/Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) task force. While raids are rare, they do occur and can significantly disrupt your business and attract unwanted attention. Here are four tips contractors should follow to minimize armed federal agents suddenly appearing at their door. 1. Carefully Vet Your Business Partners: The raided company is reportedly not the main target of the FBI/DCIS investigation. Rather, it is a company that they partner with. Remember, you are “your brother’s brother”, at least according to the feds. Companies must do a thorough check on any potential partner to ensure that their business practices measure up – and follow up with periodic checks. The raided company took a definite relationship hit and took it during the last week of the fiscal year. That’s a big price to pay for a partner’s problems.  2. The Enforcement Community Does Not Care About Your Business Cycle: The raid occurred September 24th, the busiest time in the federal business year. The timing not only delayed business for critical hours, but the media attention will also likely make contracting officers think twice about issuing last-minute task orders with the company. This impacts not only the company, but those who rely upon it to be a conduit for their government business. Contractors should take note that the enforcement communities’ mission is just that, enforcement. They’re not so interested in the business cycle or whatever else might be happening. They want to ensure that the documents and/or people they seek are available when they want them to be. 3. Make Sure You Have Outside Counsel Readily Accessible: While lawyers may or may not be able to stop or mitigate the impact of a raid on your business, they can usually find out why you’ve been visited, what the broad, general scope is of what the government is looking for and ensure that any incursion is limited specifically to what was originally authorized. No company should incur such potentially significant business incursions without a qualified attorney available to protect their rights.  4. Make Sure Your Company Is Ready with a Media Response: Whether an investigator, DOJ official, or other federal agent comes to visit, it’s important to not just be prepared to cooperate but to have a strategy already in place on how you will respond. This response doesn’t have to be specific to compliance, but more than one company has been caught flat-footed by some type of negative market or media attention.  Think of this as your company “Go Kit”, part of the set of tools you turn to in an emergency. It’s been 42 years since the infamous “Tylenol Scare” but there’s a reason why budding business execs still read about how the company’s response helped save them from additional trouble.

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The Pentagon is leading efforts to implement the White House’s National Security Memorandum on AI, focusing on responsible adoption in national security systems. At the RAI in Defense Forum, John Turner, Acting Deputy CDAO for Policy, shared how the CDAO is rolling out Responsible AI toolkits to help agencies meet ethical AI standards while protecting human rights and privacy. Leidos is committed to supporting this initiative by deploying responsible, ethical, and mission-focused AI solutions that are valued by customers and built on deep experience and partnerships. Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/3YQ2qpI #ResponsibleAI #FederalIT #TechEthics

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What does C2 feel like from a Civ/Mil point of view? I talked to former NATO Sec Gen Jaap de Hoop Scheffer about what makes Civ/Mil relationships work at the highest levels of an Alliance. The tensions between domestic agendas and international obligations, decision-making in NATO, and how to achieve coherence and agreement in matters of war all get some air time. The conclusion, perhaps unsurprisingly, is that the level of co-operation between politicians and their military counterparts is not something that can be scripted or forced: it depends more on personalities, behaviours, and shared interests than on orders and formal hierarchies. Reflecting on successes and failures, Jaap makes for compelling listening.

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11/10/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/4entxNl 1. How the Gray Zone Challenges Western Norms of Conventional Warfare: A Paradigm Shift in Military Strategy11/10/24 Korean News and Commentary 2. Biden administration to allow American military contractors to deploy to Ukraine for first time since Russia’s invasion 3. Qatar Tells Hamas Leaders to Leave 4. Grading Goldwater-Nichols at Forty Years; Has it Worked? 5. Deals and Deterrence: Trump’s Foreign Policy in a Dangerous World 6. A Recommendation for the Incoming Administration 7. The end of Pax Americana by Ivo Daalder 8. China Courts U.S. Allies as Defense Against Trump’s Protectionism 9. Western leader blurts out what was once taboo on Ukraine 10. The Meaning of an Election Night U.S. Missile Test 11. Russian Ammo Depot Hit by Ukrainian Forces in Bryansk Region 12. Taiwan Sees a Higher Price for U.S. Support as Trump Returns to Power 13. With Trump’s win, Australia worries AUKUS may come under new scrutiny 14. ‘America First’ and Threading the Needle on Tech Sovereignty 15. Trump on Day 1: Begin deportation push, pardon Jan. 6 rioters and make his criminal cases vanish 16. A guide to key figures in Donald Trump's orbit 17. 50,000 Russian and North Korean Troops Mass Ahead of Attack, U.S. Says

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There is a strong necessity to further implement Cyberspace and Electromagnetic Spectrum in Multidomain Operations! What does that mean for NATO? My vision: 1. The Alliance is able to defend itself within cyberspace as effectively as it does in the air, on land, at sea and in space in order to maintain freedom of action and manoeuvre at all times. 2. The Alliance is able to gain access to, and maintain advantage within the electromagnetic spectrum against adversarial sub-threshold activities; and to create & maintain superiority within the electromagnetic environment throughout the transition from peace to crisis and conflict. 3. The Alliance has integrated cyber and electromagnetic operations into its cross domain approach. 4. Static- and deployable CIS will ensure Command & Control at all times. The implementation of this vision is very important: - It strengthens NATOs credibility - It assures our citizens and - It deters our adversaries You can count on me. Let’s do it together - unity is key‼️ #WeAreNATO #WeAreStrongerTogether

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“…the force was a major strategic decision by China’s Communist Party and Central Military Commission (CMC) to integrate information resources…” Integration vice coordination, synchronization, and deconfliction…. The distinction between these ideas is absolutely critical. #China #NationalSecurity #PSYOP #InformationWarfare #Cognitivewarfare #MilitaryStrategy #SpecialOperations #SOCOM #DefenseStrategy #CognitiveDomain #PsychologicalOperations #ModernWarfare #Influence #GreatPowerCompetition #DepartmentofDefense #MISO #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Cyberwarfare #CYBERCOM

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