Politicians Often Lie . Can Congress Get The Truth From Those Who Testify.? Americans Have Lost Faith In Virtually All Our Institutions. Sad Indeed.

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by DailyWire
President Blasted After Top Generals Directly Contradict Biden's Story

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HOOVER Monthly briefings (edited.)

The Hoover Institution Monthly Briefing on National Security September 2021

Welcome to the Hoover Institution’s monthly briefing on national security. This month we reflect on the impacts of the post-9/11 period on intelligence; what failure in Afghanistan means to promoting freedom and democracy; the possibilities for a resurgence of al-Qaeda or ISIS; technology’s role in shaping history; and China’s race for technology dominance. Finally, we appreciate the wit and intellectual power of William F. Buckley Jr.

When Intelligence Is Not Serving Its Nation

Hoover senior fellow Amy Zegart in a recent opinion piece, argues that post-9/11 spycraft “does not serve America’s national security interests as it once did . . . [and] has taken time and talent away from [the CIA’s] original purpose of preventing strategic surprise.” What has happened, she explains, is an intermingling of the traditional Department of Defense warfighting function and the CIA intelligence-gathering role, resulting in an overly tactical focus of both. The consequences could be damning: “a diminished ability to understand, anticipate and counter longer-term threats—like China’s rise and Russia’s information warfare—that could threaten American lives and interests far more than today’s terrorist plots.” She recommends that the CIA regain “the balance between fighting the terrorist enemies of today and providing the intelligence to detect, understand and stop the enemies of tomorrow.” Zegart extends her argument and suggests, “The US intelligence community needs a radical reimagining to succeed,” which would include open-source intelligence, expanded talent, and evolved strategy.

When Intentions Fall Short

Research Fellow Joe Felter characterizes US involvement in Afghanistan as two wars, writing, “One was by necessity: safeguarding America from transnational terrorist attacks. The other was a war of choice: bringing greater freedoms and opportunities to Afghanistan.” John Yoo, visiting fellow, argues that the second mission, the one of choice, was a failure because it “was based on the assumption that any political and cultural environment would be receptive to the attractions of liberal democracy, capitalism, and international human-rights law. . . . But nothing in the political culture or traditions of Afghanistan . . . was favorable to such a radical constitutional transformation.” He suggests that US elites should finally learn “that external force rarely succeeds in bringing about the constitutional transformation of a society so long as it remains culturally resistant.” Senior Fellow Peter Berkowitz offers an alternative conclusion to the belief that “promoting democracy and freedom are beyond America’s capabilities [and] imposing destabilizing practices and institutions on local populations have no place in a responsible US foreign policy.” Berkowitz argues that to secure “the conditions conducive to freedom at home,” US foreign policy must be grounded in America’s needs and priorities. It must also recognize that promoting democracy and promoting freedom are separable and distinct achievements and, in many cases, severely limited. Additionally, the US must improve its understanding of other nations’ cultures as well as rededicating itself to the principles of freedom on which the United States is based. Listen to senior fellows H. R. McMaster and Victor Davis Hanson discuss the “lost war” on Uncommon Knowledge.

Terrorism’s New Foothold?

The rapid fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban raises immediate concerns about expanded and unchecked terrorism. Cole Bunzel, Hoover Fellow, discusses those justified fears but explains the current limitations. “The two movements, al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (also known as ISIS), are vying for influence [but] both face serious obstacles in their quest to use Afghanistan as a platform to bolster their strength and launch a new wave of terrorist attacks.” The Taliban control creates an opportunity for al-Qaeda “to reconstitute and reorganize but it is not well positioned to seize it,” whereas “ISIS will seek to play a spoiler role, but it will have a hard time winning domestic support or matching the Taliban in terms of manpower and resources.” The irony is that ISIS sees the Taliban victory as capitulation to the United States, which will continue “to attempt to degrade both groups through continued drone strikes.” While not minimizing the threat, he cautions that “success is by no means a foregone conclusion” for either group. For more on the terrorism threat in Afghanistan, listen to the Caravan Notebook.

Technology’s Role in the Future of History

Applying “20th-century terms about 21st-century phenomena” is how Senior Fellow Niall Ferguson reviews his post-9/11 predictions. He notes a familiar pattern in his analysis: “underestimating the impact of technological change on all our daily lives.” He also acknowledges that “all the structural changes in the public sphere brought about by the internet were more historically significant than anything else that had happened since the 1980s.” With that awareness, he puts a new lens on history. “Technological discontinuity matters at least as much as the eternal historical verities (power corrupts, democracy turns into tyranny via demagogy, and so on). If the global war on terrorism was Vietnam reprised—if the fall of Kabul was the fall of Saigon re-enacted—it matters that the earlier event was broadcast on television and the later one on social media.” While historians and the public search for an “end” of a historical event (e.g., the war on terror), Ferguson reminds us, “There is no end of history.” Likewise, there is no end to technology’s disruptive power or the potential for each scientific breakthrough to unlock new ones.

The Race for Tech Superiority

As China modernizes its nuclear arsenal and the US reviews its nuclear posture, America should not lose sight of the bigger race, explains Rose Gottemoeller, research fellow. “China may be a rising nuclear power, but its bigger agenda is building up its science and technology prowess.” She suggests that nuclear weapons should not be the primary focus of our efforts and money, but instead “the new and emerging technologies that are rapidly maturing into military assets. Innovations in artificial intelligence, big data analysis, quantum computing and quantum sensing and biotechnology are where future defense capacity is being born. The Chinese have sworn to beat us at acquiring and exploiting every one of them.” She calls for US government research funds to “push the frontiers of science and innovation.” For more about risks being posed by collaborative research with authoritarian nations, see the China Global Sharp Power’s (CGSP) essay “Global Engagement: Rethinking Risk in the Research Enterprise.” +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Learn to speak Chinese? A Little Dose of Reality. In the future China will employ millions of American workers and dominate thousands of small communities all over the United States . Chinese acquisition of U.S. businesses set a new all-time record last year, and it is on pace to shatter that record this year. The Smithfield Foods acquisition is an example. Smithfield Foods is the largest pork producer and processor in the world. It has facilities in 26 U.S. states and it employs tens of thousands of Americans. It directly owns 460 farms and has contracts with approximately 2,100 others. But now a Chinese company has bought it for $ 4.7 billion, and that means that the Chinese will now be the most important employer in dozens of rural communities all over America. Thanks in part to our massively bloated trade deficit with China, the Chinese have trillions of dollars to spend. They are only just starting to exercise their economic muscle. It is important to keep in mind that there is often not much of a difference between “the Chinese government” and “Chinese corporations”. In 2011, 43 percent of all profits in China were produced by companies where the Chinese government had a controlling interest in. Last year a Chinese company spent $2.6 billion to purchase AMC entertainment – one of the largest movie theater chains in the United States. Now that Chinese company controls more movie ticket sales than anyone else in the world. But China is not just relying on acquisitions to expand its economic power. “Economic beachheads” are being established all over America. For example, Golden Dragon Precise Copper Tube Group, Inc. recently broke ground on a $100 million plant in Thomasville, Alabama. Many of the residents of Thomasville, Alabama will be glad to have jobs, but it will also become yet another community that will now be heavily dependent on communist China. And guess where else Chinese companies are putting down roots? Detroit. Chinese-owned companies are investing in American businesses and new vehicle technology, selling everything from seat belts to shock absorbers in retail stores, and hiring experienced engineers and designers in an effort to soak up the talent and expertise of domestic automakers and their suppliers. If you recently purchased an “American-made” vehicle, there is a really good chance that it has a number of Chinese parts in it. Industry analysts are hard-pressed to put a number on the Chinese suppliers operating in the United States. China seems particularly interested in acquiring energy resources in the United States. For example, China is actually mining for coal in the mountains of Tennessee. Guizhou Gouchuang Energy Holdings Group spent 616 million dollars to acquire Triple H Coal Co. in Jacksboro, Tennessee. At the time, that acquisition really didn’t make much news, but now a group of conservatives in Tennessee is trying to stop the Chinese from blowing up their mountains and taking their coal. And pretty soon China may want to build entire cities in the United States just like they have been doing in other countries. Right now, China is actually building a city larger than Manhattan just outside Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Are you starting to get the picture? China is on the rise. If you doubt this, just read the following: * When you total up all imports and exports, China is now the number one trading nation on the entire planet. * Overall, the U.S. has run a trade deficit with China over the past decade that comes to more than 2.3 trillion dollars. * China has more foreign currency reserves than anyone else on the planet. * China now has the largest new car market in the entire world. * China now produces more than twice as many automobiles as the United States does. * After being bailed out by U.S. taxpayers, GM is involved in 11 joint ventures with Chinese companies. * China is the number one gold producer in the world. * The uniforms for the U.S. Olympic team were made in China. * 85% of all artificial Christmas trees the world over are made in China. * The new World Trade Center tower in New York is going to include glass imported from China. * China now consumes more energy than the United States does. * China is now in aggregate the leading manufacturer of goods in the entire world. * China uses more cement than the rest of the world combined. * China is now the number one producer of wind and solar power on the entire globe. * China produces 3 times as much coal and 11 times as much steel as the United States does. * China produces more than 90 percent of the global supply of rare earth elements. * China is now the number one supplier of components that are critical to the operation of any national defense system. * In published scientific research articles China is expected to become the number one in the world very shortly. And what we have seen so far may just be the tip of the iceberg. For now, I will just leave you with one piece of advice - learn to speak Chinese. Nicholas C. Bozick Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Special Forces (USA) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In listening, over the last two days, to some of the testimony of three high Pentagon officials,  low grade it is reasonable to believe they are generally competent from a military viewpoint. What concerns me is whether the advice they gave was understood, if so, why was it not taken by the administration and how much of the questions and responses bordered on evasion, covering one's behind, political drama and theater, perhaps some outright lies and the pollicization of the military. This hearing is, perhaps, better than some but it still leaves anyone trying to assess what and who to believe in an impossible position. Why? Because Gen. Milley volunteered what happened was one of the worst tactical operations yet no one is likely to be held responsible. We are also left not knowing how many Americans were left behind and who are still trying to escape from Afghanistan and why.. While this is going on Biden's domestic agenda is possibly going to implode as Democrats fight among themselves. Meanwhile America continues to be flooded by illegal immigrants and murders are exploding in our nation. I have not event mentioned the confusion caused by the administration's advice regarding COVID, attempts to radically destroy public education and a few other assorted matters like inflation, employment and energy availability. Of one thing I am certain - Biden is an incompetent disaster and anyone who denies this is blind.  (At least we have the Laundrie family and their dirty wash to focus on if you have  given up on the other insignificant news. +++  .Breaking: Dick Morris: Biden Makes Voters Want Trump Again +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++