Iran-China-America: “Targets of Opportunity” and Experiments
“Just a few days ago an American minister delivered a speech. After half a century… the Americans have now confessed that they staged the 28th Mordad [August 19, 1953] coup. They confessed that they supported the suppressive, dictatorial, and corrupt Pahlavi shah for twenty-five years…And they are now saying that they supported Saddam Husayn in his war against Iran…The question is, what good will this admission do us…years after the crime was committed…” – Ayatollah Khamene’i
Kenneth Pollack, The Persian Puzzle: The Conflict Between Iran and America
Like the “fog of war” the shadow of a world pandemic has lingered, manifesting itself shortly before China’s “Full Harvest Moon” in October, then, redirecting its aim towards Iran in January’s Full Wolf Moon. Did the West look towards the East responding “by any means necessary”? In an apparent twist of irony and blowback the threatened Iranian “52 different sites” turned out to be 50 US states and a cultural icon.
Nature or man-made? Origin and source?
“There are two possible outcomes: if the result confirms the hypothesis, then you’ve made a measurement. If the result is contrary to the hypothesis, then you’ve made a discovery.” ― Enrico Fermi
In these times of experiments and in the spirit of physicist Enrico Fermi, an investigation will be conducted where we may arrive at “two possible outcomes” revealing a “measurement” or a “discovery.”
Probing the trajectory of events and political policies, foreign and domestic, in the past 41 months, we begin in the U.S. with the January 2017 inauguration of their new President.
Original impetus was in changing the laws of man in preparation for the laws of nature. Swift reversal or disruption of policies of the previous administration was in order. Immediate concerns in 2017 were domestic policies and laws. Foreign affairs were next in line starting with pacts and treaties.
IRAN SANCTIONS and JCPOA – 8 May 2018: U.S. announced its withdrawal from the JCPOA. It was now Iran’s move.
U.S.-CHINA TRADE WAR – 12 December 2018: Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Judiciary, FBI and Homeland Officials Testify on Chinese Espionage. Judging from their words, we get an idea of their frame of mind:
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) states, “China is an economic juggernaut with no respect for the rule of law. Chinese military that’s stronger, faster, and more lethal… The implications for the U.S. would be profound, both security wise and economically…This is what the future holds unless we wake up and we act. It’s time to tackle the underlying problems head on while there’s still time.”
Cornyn’s sense of urgency appears evident as does the Chairman Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), “arguably greater more existential threat and that happens to be China’s effort to overtake the U.S. as the world preeminent superpower in all phases of society and economy.” Less than a week after the hearing, China seems to have solidified their fears.
CHINA 40th Anniversary – 18 December 2018: President Xi Jinping’s speech on China’s Reform Policies noted, “our party must…have the courage to rid itself of any virus that erodes its health so that the party will continuously purify, improve, and reform itself and have a stronger capability to lead politically, guide through theory, organize the people, and inspire society.”
A strong argument can be made that the “Made in China 2025” blueprint may include strategic plans to absorb global tech giants who capitalize on mobile engineering amassing data from a service economy.
Consider President Xi Jinping words, “No one is in the position to dictate to the Chinese people what should or should not be done.” China has made it pretty clear. U.S., you need to play by their rules or not play at all. Looks like the U.S. stomped on the game board and took their chips home.
On the topic of 5G and Global Security, Mike Rogers, former Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, alerted the public that it is the “most important National Security Problem” today. Was the problem so great that measures taken were “by any means necessary”? Two days after President Xi Jinping’ speech…
GENERAL “Mad Dog” JAMES MATTIS RESIGNS– 20 December 2018
General’s resignation, “You’re going to have to get the next secretary of defense to lose to ISIS. I’m not going to do it.” General Mattis, described as a “war fighter” resigned reportedly pointing to his and the President’s “difference of opinion.” General Mattis argued, “I’ve been informed by four decades of experience, and I just couldn’t connect the dots anymore.” Sir, General, I believe that I have.
IRAN “To Catch a Spy” – June 2019
“The Iranian Intelligence Ministry first announced in June that it had dealt a “heavy blow” to U.S. cyber-espionage networks as tensions between the two longtime rivals boiled over in the Persian Gulf.” Four months later, what follows are the apparent programed directed aims at the two targets → China in October and Iran in January:
“Target of Opportunity” → 7th CISM Military World Games – 18–27 October 2019- Location: Hubei Province, Wuhan, China
Hunter’s Moon in October 2019 shined bright red as China reportedly hosted the “World Games” event with dozens of nations participating. Naturally, theories were presented where athletes representing the U.S. took part in bio-warfare given their reported proximity to the “hotspot,” Wuhan.
Key question, ‘Who stood to gain’? According to The Economist, “China’s rulers see the coronavirus as a chance to tighten their grip. Officials are playing politics with the viral outbreak.” Given the actions and inactions of the rest of the world, other governments also stood to benefit.
Speaking of COV-19, U.S. President has been noted in stating, “This came out of nowhere. Actually it came out of China…” So, which is it, “nowhere” or “China?” First, promote uncertainty, then, “deal with uncertainty.” Sound familiar? In a minute you’ll see.
According to the Secretary of State, “I saw comments from the Chinese foreign ministry talking about coercive activity with respect to Australia who had the temerity to ask for an investigation.” Mr. Secretary, Australia is not the only one with “temerity.”
Initial question arises as to the difference between source and origin. How it came to be and where it sprung from may not necessarily be the same.
Thought Experiment: I find out that one of my neighbors whom I’ve had disputes with will be judging a pie contest. I enter my name into the contest. I genetically engineer a pie. On the day of the contest, I box it and take with me placing it on the judges table alongside other pies. After the judges finish the pie tasting, I learn the pie I entered did not win. I return home. Several days later, I learn that my neighbor along with the other judges become ill due to a virus. Later, their family, friends and coworkers also take ill.
Source and origin? Scientists may agree with me and conclude that the source of the virus was one of the pies. The origin of the outbreak was the pie contest ceremony. Information can be collected of all the contestants and where they reportedly baked their pies and ingredients used, but unless the “Spiemaker” admits specifically what pie was contaminated, it all amounts to a pile of data.
To my point, on the 6th of May 2020 the U.S. Secretary of State was questioned by reporters as to the “Origins of Coronavirus Outbreak.” He responded that “The information we provide about where this virus began in Wuhan is just data. We don’t know precisely where this virus originated from [but] there’s an easy way to find out the answer to that. Transparency…” Transparency on the part of whom, Sir?
In an October 2019 paper, “Risk of Being Open and Transparent with Old and New Enemies” it is pointed out that transparency hinders counterintelligence and poses risks. James R. Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence stated the “nature of intelligence is to deal with uncertainty.” Interesting that Clapper mentioned intelligence and uncertainty.
On February 26, 2020, the Former National Intelligence Council Chair Gregory Treverton spoke on the “Future of Intelligence.” Treverton stated, “I don’t see a lot of interesting things going on with respect to what seems to be this very difficult espionage problem. Everybody likes spies. Right. Cause it feels like that’s something special. I don’t always remind people that spying is a kind of a “target of opportunity…” Sir, you don’t have to.
U.S. President used similar phrases two months earlier explaining his order for a drone strike. Perhaps he was having an “espionage problem” with China and Iran. And this was his way of dealing with uncertainty or as he explained, “target of opportunity.”
Scientists initially agreed that the origin of COV-19 was China. But does origin = source? Take for example the “Great Influenza” of 1918. According to Lawrence Gostin, Director O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, the “Great Influenza’ erroneously named the ‘Spanish Flu’ “originated in the U.S.”
It is not difficult to ascertain how and where. Remember that in “The Great War,” America’s first mass conscripted army base was built in Kansas, Camp Funstor. It appears the source of the virus was the infected soldiers and the origin was the U.S.
A century later, the wars that followed have not been “Great” but the bloodied soil has attracted more birds to swarm making it a perfect feeding ground for a wilderness of deception.
“Wilderness of Mirrors”
Speaking of spies, Treverton brought up James Angleton noting that “he referred to counterintelligence as a ‘wilderness of mirrors’, where you never knew if somebody was a double, a triple or quadruple agent.” Now, getting back to Clapper. How does the West deal with uncertainty? By way of deception.
In April of 2019, the Secretary of State is noted in stating, “In terms of how you think about problem sets… I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole. It’s – it was like-we had entire training courses.” Now, let’s put this in context with the pandemic.
On the 6th of May, the Secretary states, “We don’t have certainty and there is significant evidence that this came from a laboratory. The statements can both be true. I made them both.” True or lies?
Media need to consider the individual being questioned. If by their own admission they were trained to lie, then asking either/or questions is not ideal. The answer does not lie between the lines. The answers are in the lines fed by the spy.
Iranian “Target of Opportunity” → Major General Qassem Soleimani, January 2, 2020
Full Wolf Moon in January had a fiery gaze reminding me of the cries of wolves, not to be confused with what the West sees as “lone wolves.” In a January interview with Jen Kirbyjen from Vox, Kenneth Pollack, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute think tank in Washington and longtime Iran expert offered his insights:
“The US just killed Qassem Soleimani. It’s not just that we killed someone important, it’s the act itself. It’s the willingness to do something so big to Iran. My gut right now is that, so far, this has been advantageous for Iran’s hardliners. Because this reinforces their narrative that the United States, particularly Trump, is just a mad dog who can’t possibly be reasoned with, who should not be negotiated with.”
Pentagon: “Strike came at the direction of U.S. President.”
U.S. President: “Target of opportunity” and “Right thing to do.”
Alleged “imminent threat” was not clear and present.
Gentlemen, it’s been our experience in matters of defense and national security that “If something is fishy, look whose casting bait.”
Theory: After the China mission in October, U.S. turned its aim to Iran targeting its Major General. Withdrawing from their deal with Iran was not sufficient for the U.S. It was necessary to “save face” when they failed in their June 2019 mission to infiltrate Iran with their spies.
Impetus Behind the Targets?
My mentor reminds me, “When you flirt with Russia, the Chinese grow jealous. When you smile at the Arabs, the Israelis frown.” In these times, it appears the only one frowning is the U.S. as the Chinese flirt with Israel and Russia smiles at Iran.
China → “China 2025” and 5G
Is China jealous of the U.S. flirting with Russia? Recall Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA), Chairman words, “The media hysteria over all things Russia has distracted attention from an arguably greater more existential threat and that happens to be China’s effort to overtake the U.S. as the world preeminent superpower in all phases of society and economy.”
Grassley’s statement exemplifies Congress’ weak attempt of pointing the finger at an easy target. Yet, it gives credence to the argument that unable to offer tangible evidence and make their case against Russia, they have now set their eyes on all things China.
What says Russia? At the 2019 End-of-year news conference Vladimir Putin stated “If you think its interference….I don’t think it has anything to do with interference.” Sir, we agree and apparently so does the Kingdom. No, not the Saudi Kingdom, the United Kingdom. Reportedly, “The UK is interested in developing ties with Russia.”
Will leaders and political figures leverage yet another crisis? Consider China’ friends and her enemies separately from her rivals. Recall Putin’s words, “I know what my interests in my country are.” Of course, it may be as Grassley argues, that “China is all too happy to have our attention deflected away from the threat that they pose to our economy…and our very standing in the world” distracting us with Russia.
Or, did President Xi Jinping’s words get their attention?: “Comrades and Friends, to build a solid national defense and a strong military commensurate with China’s international standing and consistent with its security and development interests…”
Recently, the accomplishments made by China on both the military front and cyberspace appeared to have been confirmed by U.S. Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State. On May 4th, Mark Esper stated “Army needs to transition from the Reagan Era of Big Five.” Esper’s concern in revealing the West’s archaic system runs counter to the Secretary of State earlier illusive words.
On April 29th the Secretary of State declared, “On Cyber frontiers. Simply put, in upcoming 5G networks, mobile data traffic entering American diplomatic systems will be subject to new stringent requirements, if it is transited HUAWIE equipment. The objective is that untrusted IT vendors will have no access to U.S. State department systems… We will keep doing all we can to keep our critical data and our network safe from the Chinese Communist Party.” Mr. Secretary, are you living in the past? Simply put, China’s systems have been integrated for decades and interlinked for counter attacks.
Sir, “Made in China” had largely replaced “Made in America” by the 2000s. By 2018, a new “trust” was quickly unleashed. Apple CEO stated, “Here’s what we do today. The iPhone is really not made anywhere. It’s made everywhere. That’s the truth.” If two of the most coveted items, PPEs and Phones, are made “everywhere,” safety is an illusion.
Not convinced? According to a 22 February 2019 report from the World Economic Forum ‘This is China’s plan to eclipse Silicon Valley’:
“Now the Chinese government has outlined its plans to unite what it calls the Greater Bay Area into a giant megalopolis, and transform it into a high-tech centre that could rival California’s Silicon Valley and Japan’s Tokyo Bay. The Greater Bay Area boasts an impressive manufacturing base, particularly in the powerhouse of Dongguan, a city sometimes dubbed “the world’s factory”, which produces a fifth of the world’s smartphones…” Need Phones and PPEs? No problem.
President Xi Jinping, judging from the Secretary’s concerns, you’ve succeeded. Then again you knew that long before as you stated in 2018, “In just a few decades we have completed an industrialization process that took developed countries several hundred years.” Speaking of developed countries, how long will it take for the U.S. to come up with a reliable process for COV-19 testing or other viruses? How, with its dependence on China and their command and control of supply chains?
Speaking of trade, what deal will be made when for China “talent is our most important resource.” The pandemic has exemplified how U.S. systems are set up to fail. Talent, labor, supplies are either subcontracted or imported. It will be interesting to see what new trade deal U.S. accepts from China that is “fair and reciprocal” when China is who controls the lines of production.
On the Israel-China water desalination project, Jason Greenblatt thinks that “the U.S. is rejecting” it. Why is that? Says Greenblatt, “China has a certain way of doing business.” I find the reason has more to do with what was voiced by Greenblatt and what Pompeo hinted in his April 29th speech, China’s influence across the globe.
U.S. Secretary of State recently visited Israel. The i24 News Desk discussed the subject of annexation and a proposed China Infrastructure deal with Israel. On the annexation, says David Makovsy, “not sure Pompeo’s interests and Bibi’s interests are aligned.” Interesting, just six months ago in December there was a lot of enthusiasm on the part of Bibi and Trump on some kind of “deal” they were proposing to Palestine.
Speaking of deal breakers and dealmakers, Makovsy pointed out that “Israel currently has a deal with Hamas.” Not surprising. Didn’t the U.S. make a deal with Al Qaeda? Iran, it looks like everyone from China to Israel to the US and others are making deals except for you.
Iran → Nuclear Deal and U.S. Spies
Is Israel smiling and Iran frowning from U.S. targeting Soleimani and breaking deals? Answer may be found in the 2016 paper, “Persian Puzzle: Is U.S. Policy Towards Iran Promoting A Delphic Image? Washington Questions Nuclear Deal Obfuscating Iran’s Stable Financial Market.” My paper was inspired by Kenneth Pollack’s 2004 book, The Persian Puzzle: The Conflict Between Iran and America.
Pollack, a former CIA analyst, makes a relevant point in his book’s introduction under “A St. Patrick’s Day Lesson.” In it he refers to March 17, 2000 when then Secretary of State Madeleine Albright made a statement in Washington:
“In 1953 the United States played a significant role in orchestrating the overthrow of Iran’s popular prime minister Mohammad Mosaddeq. The Eisenhower administration believed its actions were justified for strategic reasons; but the coup was clearly a setback for Iran’s political development…”
I am reminded of the words of Prof. Mordechai Kedar. Kedar notes that in the Middle East they interpret the West’s words in multiple ways, “What you say, what you mean, and what you try to hide.” Kedar’s statement is invalid. Such an argument can apply to people regardless of their faith or country.
Prof. Kedar adds that “In America, what you say is what you mean…easy to be cheated when they come to Middle East.” Sir, your statement is not only invalid but it appears you are misinformed. It is also easy to be cheated by an American. Just ask the former CIA director now Secretary of State, “We lied, we cheated, we stole.” However, unlike some secretaries, generals are not “a dime a dozen.”
According to Pollack, Major General Qassem Soleimani, “This guy was arguably the second-most-powerful man in Iran…the most powerful Iranian figure in their foreign policy. He was widely respected within the Iranian leadership.” I concur with Pollack. Still, given the general’s power, experience and strategic accomplishments, how was it that after decades of taking precautions, he became a “target of opportunity?” How and Why?
How? Two possibilities: Programed Target or Political Sabotage
Programed Target – Palantir, a CIA-funded startup, cofounder Alex Karp shared how his company’s products are used for “targeting of all kinds.” However, Pollack, a former CIA analyst describes Soleimani, “This was an exceptionally competent, capable guy.” Was he betrayed and set up?
Political Sabotage – Soleimani’s enemy may have been from within, his country or his closest ally. As Pollack notes, “The way he was able to manipulate Middle Eastern leaders, the strategies he pursued, how he’s kind of knitted together all of these different conflicts to work in tandem with each other. These are brilliant approaches. There’s nothing out there to suggest that Ghaani has the same level of brilliance.”
Why? Vengeance. General Soleimani’s immense successes from combating ISIL and leading up to last years’ spy detection may have been his enemies’ determinant. Iran’s ministry reported that “The detected spies were employed in sensitive and vital private sector centers in the economic, nuclear, infrastructure, military and cyber areas and operated as contractors or advisers in these sectors, where they collected classified information.”
U.S. Secretary of State stated in a recent speech, “We talk about this in the context of nuclear assurance all the time…so that you can prevent an accidental nuclear release. We need the same kinds of processes for bio-systems and bio-laboratories as well.” Was he talking of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs)? Why has the focus turned to Iran and South America?
Concern for nuclear arsenals is clear. “Iran’s ability to purchase conventional weapon systems starting in October 23 of this year in the absence of action. We’re not going to let that happen…”
A connection is clearly being drawn between the two countries, but to what ends. “I want to update the world on the Madero regime connection to Islamic Republic of Iran. Over the last few days multiple aircraft belonging to the Mahan Air transport unknown support to the Madero regime, ‘birds of a feather. I’ve asked my team to update our plans to reopen the U.S. Embaxxy in Caracas so that we are ready to go, as soon as Madero steps aside…” It appears the U.S. is “taking a cue” from FBI negotiators and “stalling for time.”
Given his familiarity with birds, the Secretary of State may have heard the phrase, “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” Sir, what of “captured birds”? Recall the Newsweek July 23, 2019 article, “China Responds to Iran Capturing ‘U.S. Spies’: Remember When Mike Pompeo Said CIA Lies, Cheats and Steals?” by Tom O’Connor.
According to the paper, “The Iranian Intelligence Ministry announced Monday that it had captured 17 individuals suspected of spying for the U.S. last month. That same day, Pompeo accused Iran of having “a long history of lying”… ” Mr. Secretary, looks like you got beat at your own game and “caught red handed.”
On spying, Treverton shared with us that:
“…even if you’re a good spy, that spy may not be in the right meeting or may not be able to get information out safely so my experience, particularly if you look at American spies for foreign countries, they were all in a category of people who knew about technology, or assets right things that the Russians or others would like to know about tomorrow or the next day if they couldn’t find out about it today.”
From Hanssen to Snowden, it appears U.S. spies are in the wrong business. Treverton and Special Agents in the business intelligence and investigations may agree.
In his 2004 book Inside, A Top G-Man Exposes Spies, Lies, and Bureaucratic Bungling Inside the FBI, I.C. Smith, Former Special Agent at the FBI, states “the FBI, with principal responsibility for detecting spies in the United States, had not detected [Robert] Hanssen for well over a decade.”
China is far ahead on the spy game, “The penetration of an adversary’s operation is the ultimate goal in foreign intelligence, and from all indications, the Chinese had succeeded masterfully.”
Powerful Catalysts: Globalization and Military Weapons
One can make a strong argument that the prime movers of the spread of the COV-19 were globalization and drone strikes.
Real time analytics originally point to China as being in the “eye of the storm.” Initially, South Korea coming second to China can be explained by its proximity to the “eye.” Yet, Italy, nowhere near China had no explanation for its high numbers. However, what may have been overlooked is that for decades Italy received large number of immigrants and migrant workers from China.
Visiting Firenze, Roma, Milano and other cities of Italia I saw how once revered fashion houses exchanged craftsmanship quality for quantities of lire, manifesting in the clothing industry as it bred cultural divide between Italians and Asian immigrants. Open borders facilitated the growth of China’s “world factory” and early technology transfers between the West, China, and India.
In an April 16, 2018 article with the headline, “Made in Italy”, D. T. Max a staff writer for the New Yorker, writes “The first significant wave of Chinese immigrants arrived in the industrial zone around Prato, a city fifteen miles northwest of Florence, in the nineteen-nineties. Nearly all of them came from Wenzhou, a port city south of Shanghai.”
Amidst the many references to “wet markets” the one that does not get talked about are the fashion markets. According to the writer, “While Florence was celebrated for its premium leatherwork, Prato was best known for the production of textiles…[turned into] pronto moda, or “fast fashion”… These items sold briskly to low-end retailers and in open-air markets throughout the world.”
EU, Italy and African Connection? “Prato is believed to have the second-largest Chinese population of any European city, after Paris, and it has the highest proportion of immigrants in Italy, including a large North African population.”
How did the virus spread to U.S.? According to the New Yorker, “In the Prato area, some six thousand businesses are registered to Chinese citizens…In 2016, Lin opened her first Pop Bag store, full of glistening fixtures and backlit shelving, on Via Calimala, in Florence. And, a few weeks ago, she opened a kiosk at the Time Warner Center, in New York City.”
After Italy’s numbers placed it in second place, the surge in cases in the Middle East placed it in third place. As D. T. Max notes, “Recently, many Chinese mill owners have started hiring workers from countries including Syria, Pakistan, and Senegal.”
Iran? The success of preemptive measures is dependent on clandestine operations – NOT in being open and transparent to the enemy. In launching the air strikes at the “target of opportunity,” General Soleimani, did the U.S. see it as “killing two birds” with one drone? Was the drone equipped with an air-borne biochemical weapon strategically landing on an airport in Iraq in close proximity to Iran?
“The American Experiment”
America, it appears the enemy found paradise on earth as it smiles at how the smallest of invisible “terrorists “ have managed to infiltrate the borders of your land and people. Attacking the grid was the fear. But was the “pandemic” really an attack? Or, were the peoples of the Americas also a “target of opportunity?”
Let’s look back to April 2019. Recall the words of the Secretary of State, “In terms of how you think about problem sets…It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment.”
Speaking of the President, Treverton described what it was like briefing Donald Trump about intelligence before the 2017 inauguration. When asked, “where the intelligence community is going vis a vis human intelligence,” Treverton pointed to “Information” and “Experiments”:
“From my perspective it’s been a little slow to embrace the torrent of information out there… It also has some constrains of access and use that Google and others don’t. So on the open source side that’s a big concern of mine….There’s been some interesting experiments. There was a Latin American experiment. I have just committed a security violation. Never mind. An experiment in some country with the CIA stationed in the future. I thought that was interesting. That’s been sort of rolled up.”
Yes Treverston, given the lockdown all across America, and the world, roughly two weeks after your speech this “experiment” you speak of is very interesting especially as the Secretary of State spoke of the “glory of the American experiment” back in April of 2019.
It readily appears that when the people were ordered by their government to shutdown and lockdown, they didn’t “blink an eye.” But the people clearly did not and will not stand for either a Police State or Military State.
U.S. is noted for its political shutdowns. Was it “experimenting” and running a test run for lockdowns for a pandemic and testing? Yes, fear provided a perfect opportunity for people to volunteer to be tested. I imagine Google was familiar with such volunteerism but not from Americans. Reportedly their company was experimenting with test samples during a disease outbreak in Africa some years back.
Hmm, how do you get Americans to voluntarily provide DNA samples and examine genetic codes if they’re not “sick?” Well, would you like to learn if you are prone to be sick? Or, maybe you feel a need to find out about your ancestors. Yep, there’s lots you can learn from DNA. There’s also lots of money you can make from patenting DNA. Just ask Big Pharma and Silicon Valley.
I recall an August 19, 2013 article in the Silicon Valley Business Journal that points to a Forbes interview by David Brooks.
In it we find “a revealing profile of one of Palo Alto’s largest and most secretive startups, and its CEO, Alex Karp. Palantir, for those who don’t know, is pretty much the poster child for government/Silicon Valley partnership — a CIA-funded startup that makes data analytics software that lets the state do everything from track suspected terrorists through social media to predict disease outbreaks.”
It appears Palantir was more successful at tracking “terrorists” than predicting the current COV-19 outbreak. Was this program error or by design? Recall my thought experiment above. Who stood to gain?
Politicians hold their book of faith in one hand as they shake the hand of the devil with the other. Right, it is election year. It is not difficult to foresee the impact of a pandemic on the economy and politics, specifically the presidential election.
U.S., the epicenter, is leading the world in pandemic cases and deaths. Interestingly, reports point specifically to California’s Silicon Valley taking preemptive measures in early January. But not Washington State or Oregon?
State officials are welcoming future partnerships with media social companies. No surprise, as one does not elect saints into office. And now governors are reportedly welcoming Silicon Valley companies to assist with online academic learning. Lockdown appears to be creating opportunities for students and for locking in data. Telemedicine and telehealth are sure to follow.
Now it’s become clearer why both government and private sectors have been pushing for 5G up to last December. It is interesting that on the same day that proposed Federal probes of social media and tech companies were announced, a hearing on 5G Wireless Development was underway where FCC Commissioners were pushing 5G and Wi-Fi 6.
“We want to make sure these networks are fast, reliable, but also secure.” – U.S. FCC Chairman
Is 5G safe? Ask yourself. Why are health and other agencies not implementing policies with the same gusto as the FCC? Current pandemic, economy and social crises have eclipsed 5G and other issues. Facebook, time to get digital. Now is the time to get the “coin” rolling.
Yes, these American experiments are interesting. But is it really unfathomable that the U.S. has been running experiments on their own people? It was revealed to be a “Latin American experiment.” But Treverston’s intelligence may not have been altogether accurate. The experiment apparently encompasses all of the Americas.
Speaking on control and invasions, as to Havana, Cuba, Secretary of State stressed “we notice now the regime in Havana has taken advantage of the COV-19 pandemic to continue its exploitation of Cuban medical workers. We applaud leaders in Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia and other countries which have refused to turn a blind eye to these abuses by the Cuban regime…”
Cuba and the Secretary’s reported admission to lying and spying brings to mind Jim Rasenberger’s book, “The Brilliant Disaster: JFK, Castro, and America’s Doomed Invasion of Cuba’s Bay of Pigs.” According to Rasenberger, the 1961 “Bay of Pigs” fiasco was evident to all stakeholders, Cuba, Russia and the responsible party, the U.S. How did the U.S. rationalize their actions? “Plausible Denial.”
One thing is clear, whether accidental or by design, a virus spread and created an opportunity to enhance surveillance systems in western governments. — Facilitated by both a central intelligence (CIA) and artificial intelligence, (CAI).
Intelligence is not necessarily about facts or truths. Real truth seekers are but a few. As the French Philosopher René Descartes reminds us, “If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things.”
Dr. Taha Jabir al-Alwani and Dr. Imad al Din Khalil have a different view. Both scholars are with the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT) and are the authors of “The Ethics of Disagreement in Islam,” prepared from the original Arabic by Abdul Wahid Hamid, The International Institute of Islamic Thought, Herndon, Virginia USA.
Scholars posit that it is written in the Qur’an, “If the Truth were in accord with their own desires, the heavens and the earth would surely have fallen into ruin, and all that lives in them (23: 71).”
“Targets of opportunity” – Right, Wrong, or Natural Thing to Do?
The U.S. President striking down a general arguing that it was the “right thing to do” speaks in terms of morality. Sir, executing generals and leaders is not about right or wrong. In the words of a great physicist, Wolfgang Pauli, “Das ist nicht nur nicht richtig, es ist nicht einmal falsch!“ Noting Pauli, I find such an action was neither right nor wrong. It was absurd.
Even more absurd is the U.S. thinking it can catch up to China, centuries in the making, whose technological advances are years into the future. “China’s Pearl River delta is the site of the most dramatic urbanization in human history… with an economy worth $1.5 trillion – roughly the same as Australia and Spain, and nearly as big as Russia and South Korea.”
Who will be the next “target of opportunity”? Responding to the audience on the question of Coronavirus and China and germ warfare, Treverton stated:
“I think this does show is the inherent limitations of an authoritarian regime. It also means, I assume, since Xi is central in his power, that he’s also taken more responsibility. Anything bad that happens in China is now him. So I’d be surprised if there aren’t people around him now trying to figure out how to get rid of him, very quietly…It just seems like it’s a kind of natural thing to do.” Yes Treverston, for intelligence it readily appears that taking out targets is the “natural thing to do.”
Sun Tzu writes of Eastern Warriors, “Indirect tactics, efficiently applied, are inexhaustible as Heaven and Earth.” But Tzu also said that “The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.” It appears the “bad fighters” of today put themselves at a distance looking for or creating a crisis and opportunity to defeat who they perceive is the enemy. Still, targeting a General emboldens the enemy.
New Rules of Engagement
Gentlemen, when engaging with friends, enemies, or competitors, I’ve learned that it’s how one thinks. One needs to “have a feel for the game.” Recall, the deer walks straight ahead, not looking up. Eagles have visual vantage point. Hawks have power. Falcons capitalize on speed, element of surprise.
Sir, Mr. President, on your watch, you targeted a powerful and brilliant general but lost your own. I am reminded of a tale “Where Eagles Dare” where “Allied agents lead commandos sent to free a general from a castle in Bavaria.” Turning fiction on its head, the fact remains that in the case of Soleimani, a command was ordered to take out the general. Or was the fact based on fiction, turned to accrued intelligence to program a hit, targeting a General?
General James Mattis’ loyalties are clearly with his country and what its Constitution stands for. Exhibiting a commanding presence, actions of Mark Esper, Secretary of Defense run parallel to those of the General. Graduate of the United States Military Academy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, and George Washington University, Dr. Esper holds a Master of Public Administration degree and a doctorate in Public Policy. Yes, like the General, the officer and gentleman knows when to command his military and when to lead his people.
U.S. having presence across the globe needs to be reminded that they need to “sleep in the same bed they made,” unstable and bloody. Nabeel Khoury, author of “Bunker Diplomacy,” and non-resident senior fellow with the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East at the Atlantic Council argues that killing Soleimani was “political assassination.”
Khoury points to Soleimani’s importance: politically, militarily, and strategically.” Such a decision he argues will “generate acts of revenge…” Once again, I am reminded by my mentors that Iran “moves very strategically and very quietly.”
U.S. at the epicenter of COV-19 has over 115,000 deaths. Mr. President, as the leader of the free world, how will you eliminate the responsible party, a virus, with its ground zero in the U.S.? Right, like hypersonic aircrafts and missiles, the virus is a moving target.
Mr. President, mobilization of your country continues as tens of thousands march across your nation and thousands more around the world. Still, your hands are tied by your own laws to respond to what you call “insurgents” and “terrorists.” With all your defense power, you are powerless to fight your war at home and wars abroad.
Francis J. “Bing” West says it best. West is a Marine combat veteran and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, author of The Wrong War: Grit, Strategy, and the Way Out of Afghanistan, “The United States possessed precision firepower, with sensors that tracked any individual out of doors. In theory, the U.S. military claimed that “rule of law” was a guiding principle in combating any insurgency. In practice, the U.S. military applied no systemic rules of law.”
Theory and practice brings us back to Fermi and the question posed at the beginning of this investigation. Of the “two possible outcomes” which was revealed, “measurement” or “discovery”? Based on available evidence and testimonials, I would argue both. Governments measured how far they could go to control people and discovered new forms of “invasion” of privacy and rights.
Fall, Winter, and Spring have come and pass leaving behind bodies in their wake. Summer approaches, yet there is a chill in the air. It has been declared by American scientists that we are nearing the “darkest winter.” Yes, “revenge is best served cold.”
I am reminded, happy belated birthday, Mr. President. I’m not one to bake cakes, though I have experimented with pies. Interested in a genetically engineered pie?
Iran and China, the U.S., a country divided, is facing a cold deadly virus and social unrest. Reciprocity or “Target of Opportunity”?