It is useful to know that Russia and China, among others, would be dumb not to wage political warfare against our interests and those of our democratic allies. Political warfare is inexpensive, especially relative to traditional warfare. Munitions, which include but go well beyond mere “information,” are cheap. The damage to physical infrastructure from political warfare is virtually or completely nil compared to a traditional invasion. If we want to be glib, we can throw in that political warfare is environmentally friendly. Political warfare is tolerant of mistakes and missteps. It allows for multiple and simultaneous, even potentially contradictory, lines of effort along multiple fronts, audiences, and territories. Further, political warfare can result in a deeper and longer-lasting positive result without post-invasion reconstruction, occupation troops, or possibly a directly appointed viceroy, depending on the objective.

My definition of political warfare is derived primarily from Burnham:

Political warfare is the expression of power for hostile intent through discrete, subversive, or overt means, short of open combat, onto another. It is not mere rivalry or competition, it may have strategic or tactical objectives, and it may operate in one or more areas—political, societal, economic, psychological, or other—that are available for exploitation to affect change.

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National Security News Content:

1. Israel Strikes Iran in Narrow Attack Amid Escalation Fears
2. What We Know About Israel’s Strike in Iran
3. Israel carries out strike in Iran, Israeli official says; no damage to nuclear sites, IAEA says
4. Calling On Congress to Pass Ukraine Aid Package
5. Longstreet and How Much Work Remains to Be Done
6. Russia ramps up weapons production, using mass quantity to outgun Ukraine
7. Opinion  Here are the U.S. congressional districts benefiting from Ukraine aid
8. What Would Russian Victory in Ukraine Look Like?
9. Ukraine downs Russian strategic bomber after air strike kills eight, Kyiv says
10. New bipartisan bill seeks to tackle national child care shortage with help from the Pentagon
11. Pentagon anti-fentanyl efforts face operational challenges: watchdog
12. Why a potential TikTok ban is alive again in Congress, and what’s next
13. Drone strike at Isfahan has worked before, was it the right move now? - analysis
14. Israel gave US last-minute warning about drone attack on Iran, Italian foreign minister says at G7
15. G7 foreign ministers' statement in Italy, April 2024
16. With mild reported strike, Israel aims to bolster coalition to tackle Iran nuke threat
17. How Army special operators use deepfakes and drones to train for information warfare
18. Secret Russian foreign policy document urges action to weaken the U.S.
19. FBI says Chinese hackers preparing to attack US infrastructure
20. Unpacking the FISA Section 702 Reauthorization Bill
21. Information operations will be 'foundational' to future DOD efforts, Cybercom chief says
22. Defying Niger exit order leaves U.S. troops vulnerable, whistleblower says
23. Burmese Opposition Offensive Switches Strategy – Analysis
24. Fall Of Myawaddy Is Latest Humiliating Defeat For Myanmar’s Military Regime – Analysis
25. Brave New Ukraine
26. The Five Futures of Russia
27. A war is brewing in the Pacific
28. The Axis Off-Kilter: Why an Iran-Russia-China “Axis” Is Shakier than Meets the Eye

Korean News Content:

1. Iran's Attack on Israel was Enabled by North Korean Missile Technology
2. HRNK Advisory Opinion to His Excellency Tomoya Obokata (north Korean Human RIghts)
3.  N. Korea slams U.S. envoy's Asian tour as 'aid-begging' trip to enliven sanctions
4. S. Korea not invited to G7 summit meeting this year: sources
5. South Korea’s HHI inks deal to build four ships for Peru’s Navy
6. U.N. grants sanctions exemptions for WHO's humanitarian aid in N. Korea
7. UN OKs shipment of vaccine storage equipment to North Korea
8. N. Korea reassigns soon-to-be-retiring generals to specialized fields
9. Two Onsong County officials face struggle session for non-socialist behavior
10. US envoy stresses 'imperative' to keep NK human rights at 'forefront' of UNSC agenda
11. Rising Mideast tensions unnerve Korean construction firms
12. South Korea voices strong regrets over Japanese textbooks distorting wartime history
13. Human rights group urges gov't to submit written questions to UN to protect North Korean defectors
14. S. Korea votes in favor of Palestinian bid for UN membership
 

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National Security News Content:

1. Israel considered striking Iran on Monday but decided to wait, officials say
2. Russia is sure to lose in Ukraine, reckons a Chinese expert on Russia
3. Select Committee Unveils Findings into CCP's Role in American Fentanyl Epidemic - REPORT & HEARING
4. Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, April 17, 2024
5. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 17, 2024
6. Why Iran’s attack on Israel failed by Sir Lawrence Freedman
7. 'Mind-boggling': Israel, Ukraine are mere previews of a much larger Pacific missile war, officials warn
8. China sounds warning after Philippines and US announce most expansive military drills yet
9. Army deploys long-range missiles to China’s doorstep
10. 911 outages reported in parts of 4 states, including in Las Vegas, officials say
11. Miscalculation Led to Escalation in Clash Between Israel and Iran
12. As Pentagon awaits supplemental dollars, its operational funding is $2B in the hole
13. Russia, Iran turning Israel and Ukraine into ‘battlefield laboratories,’ experts say
14. How an Obscure Chinese Real Estate Start-Up Paved the Way to TikTok
15. Inside Amazon’s Secret Operation to Gather Intel on Rivals
16. China lobbies Congress behind closed doors on TikTok, staffers say
17. How America Can Prevent War Between Iran and Israel
18. NPR editor Uri Berliner resigns after accusing network of bias
19. Inside the changing world of drone warfare
20. A Confident Putin Has Many in Europe Frightened
21. American trust in US military no longer highest among G7 nations: Survey
 

Korean News Content:

1. Kim Jong Un’s New Way to Express Anger at the South: Turn the Lights Out
2. Putin and Kim Jong Un, partners in crime
3. [The other side of rescuing North Korean defectors] ① The missionary receives a pledge to ‘consent to penalty and video copyright’ in return
4. Missionary group pushed North Koreans to take faith class as condition of rescue
5. How Kim Jong Un May Have Secretly Aided the Attack on Israel
6. The Dire State of Women’s Rights in North Korea
7. Coffee in North Korea: It’s not just for capitalists anymore
8.  N. Korea removes street lamps along inter-Korean roads
9. Top military officer meets new U.S. Pacific Fleet commander
10. Uncertainties loom over Korea-China-Japan summit as tensions persist
11. Biden-Kishida summit and Korean politics
12. Most N. Korean defectors repatriated last year are still in re-education camps
 

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National Security News Content:

1. There is only one war going on and it is global

2. Looking for a Fight

3. Cyberattacks Surge 325% in Philippines Amid South China Sea Standoff

4. Drone-and-Missile Warfare Tests Supply-Strapped Defense Systems

5. Emboldened Iran Makes Dangerous Gamble on Open Confrontation

6. Ukraine’s Chances of Pushing Russia Out Look Increasingly Grim

7. Iran's Attack on Israel: Four Important Lessons for Ukraine and World

8. The Liberator’s Dilemma: The Paradox of American Leadership

9. "Two Arrows Crossed" A History of U.S. Army Special Forces Branch Insignia

10. Israel’s near-perfect missile success had a special line of defense

11. Putin's Dangerous Delusions

12. Minxin Pei on China’s economy, surveillance state, repression of dissent, and more

13. Matthews: The new ‘Axil of Evil’ is bigger, better armed and power-hungry

14. The desperate alignment of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea

15. Philippines, US forces to train retaking island in joint drills

16. Meet the Marine aviator of the year ― an unmanned aerial vehicle pilot

17. Korean War hero Ralph Puckett to lie in honor at US Capitol

18. ‘Indefinite’ Defense Department IDs Inconvenience Air Travelers, May Be Dropped As Acceptable Identification

19. NPR suspends veteran editor as it grapples with his public criticism

20. China’s Hands Are Tied Against Tangle of US Alliances

21. Under Biden, US Reimagines Asian Alliances As ‘Lattice’ Fence – Analysis

22. PacNet #22 – Wither the Hub and Spokes System?

23. Austin Talks With China Counterpart as Nations’ Ties Improve

24. Austin Meets Virtually With Chinese Defense Minister for First Time

25. The Costs of Comms: Adapting for the Communications-Restricted Battlefield

26. The Rising Ransomware Tide, Chinese Spy Cranes, and the Biden Executive Order on Maritime Cyber Security

27.  China Is Battening Down for the Gathering Storm over Taiwan

Korean News Content:

1. There is only one war going on and it is global

2. Iran's Attack on Israel: Four Important Lessons for Ukraine and World

3. Raw From an Election Drubbing, South Korea’s Unpopular President Says Sorry

4. The desperate alignment of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea

5. Largest joint airpower drills over Korean Peninsula include 25 aircraft types

6. Korean War hero Ralph Puckett to lie in honor at US Capitol

7. How to monitor North Korean nuclear violations after Russia’s UN veto

8. China’s Hands Are Tied Against Tangle of US Alliances

9. Beyond the Ballot: Analysis and Implications of the South Korean General Election in 2024

10. North Korea is buying Chinese surveillance cameras in a push to tighten control, report says

11. What N. Korea gains - and loses - through its new unification policy

12. Digital Surveillance in North Korea: Moving Toward a Digital Panopticon State

13. Ex-N. Korean diplomat indicted on sanctions evasion, money laundering charges in U.S.

14. NIS monitoring possible use of N. Korea's weapons technology for Iran's attack on Israel

15. Yoon, Kishida agree to deepen trilateral ties with U.S.

16. US Says Russia’s Arms Trade With North Korea Violates Sanctions

17. US 'incredibly concerned' about suspected NK-Iran military ties

18. Belarusian deputy FM visits N. Korea: KCNA

19. [Kim Seong-kon] Democracy and the future of South Korea

Be forwarewarned.  There is some math in this essay.

But this is a serious essay for SOF and other practitioners and covers a lot of ground, e.g., irregular warfare, PME, the moral hazard of liberation, population centric military operations and a liberator's dilemma model (see the math).

Access the full essay HERE.

The Liberator’s Dilemma: The Paradox Of American Leadership

By

Joseph Long

As the special operations profession enters a new era of Special Operations Forces (SOF) involvement in geopolitical competition in the “gray zone” as part of a comprehensive U.S. strategy of integrated deterrence, the leadership skills developed by the broader profession of arms remain necessary but insufficient. For special operations, the complexity of the emerging security environment suggests there is increasing uncertainty on how the Joint SOF profession must exercise leadership in support of American interests that center on partner forces of both developed and developing nations, as well as the interests of micro-level populations and associated non-state, sub-state, and paramilitary actors. As SOF adapts to these requirements through joint and combined integration, or “the imperative of approaching complex, complicated, wicked, and compounded challenges through ‘whole of governments, whole of societies,’” SOF must recognize the reality that this environment necessitates a new framework for understanding military leadership.¹

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National Security News Content:

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

Korean News Content:

1. Yoon discusses Mideast tensions, N.K. issues with U.S. envoy
2. US envoy to UN urges Russia, China not to 'reward' North Korea's bad behaviour
3. S. Korea reaffirms capabilities to respond to N. Korean attack after Iran’s missile salvo
4. S. Korea, US hold NK human rights talks in Washington
5. The communist front that North Korea targeted in its unification policy overhaul
6. S. Korea 'strongly' protests Tokyo's renewed claims to Dokdo, calls in Japanese diplomat
7. Pro-Russian hacking group paralyzes website of North Korea’s airline
8. ＜Inside N. Korea＞ Government confiscates private plots of farmland and forces people to return farming
9. Japan's Ukraine aid creates new rift with Russia
10. How the Sewol Sinking Changed South Korea
11. Senior US officials discuss N. Korea, Taiwan, South China Sea in talks with Beijing officials
12. U.S. envoy, FM Cho discuss ways to build new mechanism for N.K. sanctions monitoring
13. How North Korea exploited the tragic Sewol ferry sinking for anti-ROK propaganda
14. What are implications of US Army's structural transformation for Seoul?
15. 5 kinds of North Korean refugees
16. This is not Lee Jay-myung's victory
17. North can genetically engineer biological weapons, U.S. report warns
18. Satellite imagery reveals nighttime lights at North Korea's Camp 22

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National Security News Content:

1. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 14, 2024
2. Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, April 14, 2024
3. The New Civil War Movie Is Eerily Right About How the Country Could Split Apart
4. What Are the Stakes of ‘Civil War,’ Really?
5.  75th Rangers sweep Best Ranger, Best Mortar, and International Sniper competitions
6. How the U.S. Forged a Fragile Middle Eastern Alliance to Repel Iran’s Israel Attack
7. Analysis: Israel Repelled Iran’s Huge Attack. But Only With Help From U.S. and Arab Partners.
8. Chinese Company Under Congressional Scrutiny Makes Key U.S. Drugs
9. An Essential Part of Modern Life That Armies Should Never Attack Again
10. Opinion | A stunning victory with the shield creates an opening for Israel
11. Israel is quiet on next steps against Iran — and on which partners helped shoot down missiles
12. Iran says it gave warning before attacking Israel. US says that's not true
13. Return of horse-drawn caissons to Arlington National Cemetery delayed
14. U.S. details Pentagon’s role in defending Israel from Iranian attack
15. House Speaker Mike Johnson says he will push for aid to Israel and Ukraine this week
16. How to Stop the Iran Threat: Four Critical Steps America Must Take
17. ‘Catastrophic success’ of credentialing program for soldiers may lead to cuts
18. Lessons From Gaza’s Most Vulnerable: Understanding Civilian Protection in Wartime
19. Iran’s Neutralized Counterstrike: Israel’s Air Defense Operation Was Effective—Just Not Necessarily Replicable
20. Chinese exodus leaves Cambodia boomtown with 500 'ghost buildings'
21. The US Army isn't ready to attack across rivers
22. The US Army's power to rapidly defeat enemies may be a thing of the past
23. The Middle East Could Still Explode

Korean News Content:

1. Editorial: US-Japan, China-N. Korea tighten grip on Northeast Asian security as S. Korean politics rages on
2. 'Day of Sun' reference over N. Korean late founder's birthday reemerges in state media
3. U.S. envoy meets FM Cho in Seoul after Russia's veto on U.N. panel monitoring N.K. sanctions
4. The North Korean origins of Iran's rocket strike capability against Israel
5. As winter training ends, N. Korean military takes action to tighten combat discipline
6. Kim Jong Un, China’s Zhao Leji seek enhanced cooperation
7. N. Koreans complain about Kim Jong Un's inspection of tank unit
8. ＜Inside N. Korea＞ 'National Unified Price System' implemented on domestic products...Stores are given booklet showing prices in new system… Government aims to tighten control over economy
9. Korean official development assistance increases by 11%
10. Samsung Electronics Gets $6.4 Billion for Texas Chip Plants
11. Emergency plan needed for a new Mideast crisis (South Korea)
12. Congratulations, democracy (South Korea)
 

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National Security News Content:

1. Scoop: Biden told Bibi U.S. won't support an Israeli counterattack on Iran
2. The US is basically facing World War III — but Biden & Co. aren’t acting like it
3. Opinion: View From the Ivory Tower
4. Trump Has a Plan for Ukraine: It’s Biden’s
5. Live updates: U.S. helps Israel thwart Iranian attack of 300 drones and missiles
6. America’s Chip Renaissance Needs Workers
7. The Only Way for Israel to Truly Defeat Hamas
8. Why Israel is losing the war of global public opinion over its tactics in Gaza
9. America’s Foreign Policy Utopians Ignore Culture
10. How to Prevent an American Decline
11. Opinion | Now it’s up to Israel: De-escalate or retaliate against Iran?
12. Drones are crowding Ukraine’s skies, largely paralyzing battlefield
13.  Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 13, 2024
14.  Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, April 13, 2024
15. Strike Complexes and the Operational Art
16. Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil refineries shows the growing threat AI drones pose to energy markets
17. U.S. Military Isn't That Concerned About War With Iran
18. How Will Israel Respond to the Iranian Attack?
19. Iran's attack on Israel raises fears of a wider war, but all sides have also scored gains
20. The New Civil War Movie Is Eerily Right About How the Country Could Split Apart

Korean News Content:

1. Yoon presides over emergency meeting on Mideast crisis
2. Defense chief says N. Korea's hypersonic missile 'unsuccessful' in last-stage glide flight
3. N. Korea's health minister heads for Russia: KCNA
4. HD Hyundai to co-develop unmanned surface vessel with U.S. AI firm Palantir
5. South Korea election: President Yoon down but not out
6. Foreign minister unveils diplomatic agenda to ambassadors
7. NK leader's meeting with China's top legislator raises Kim-Xi summit possibility
8. N. Korea elevates high-level exchanges with China, Russia
9. The ASEAN Regional Forum and Korea’s Global Pivotal State vision
10. US aircraft carrier joins 3-way naval drill with Korea, Japan
11. S. Korea 'strongly condemns' Iran's attack on Israel
12. Rising Corporate Preference For Macs Draws Attention Of Advanced Hackers, Including Those From Kim Jong Un's North Korea: Report - Apple
13. Can North Korea launch a nuclear strike?
14. Kim Jong Un "desperate" to control narrative in North Korea: US official

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National Security News Content:

4/13/24 National Security News and Commentary https://conta.cc/440p3Ze

1. Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

2. Joint Readout on the Inaugural U.S.-Philippines 3+3 Meeting

3. Tony Abbott, a Fighter in the Cold War With China

4. Why Taiwanese Islands With View of China Aren’t Worried About Rising Tensions

5. Ukraine Drops Ancient Roman Weapons From Drones To Stop Russian Trucks

6. U.S. Moves Warships to Defend Israel in Case of Iranian Attack

7. China Has Helped Russia Boost Arms Production, U.S. Says

8. Opinion | The Middle East is on the precipice of the wider war no one wants

9. Myanmar’s Collapsing Military Creates a Crisis on China’s Border

10. How Iraq was lost (book review by Robert D. Kaplan)

11. J.D. Vance: The Math on Ukraine Doesn’t Add Up

12. Taiwan's Ma visits Xi, whose intentions he trusts

13. A Warm Welcome for Japan’s Kishida in Washington

14. The End of Secular India

15.China’s Public Memory Management in Kyrgyzstan

16. Ukraine Already Uncovers 11 Spy Cells This Year: Ukrainian Intelligence

17. Hamas has a secret weapon no one talks about: Western stupidity

18. Israel–Hamas War (Iran) Update, April 12, 2024

19. Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 12, 2024

20. China-Taiwan Weekly Update, April 12, 2024

21. SPECIAL REPORT: RUSSIAN STRIKES MORE EFFECTIVE AS UKRAINE EXHAUSTS DEFENSES

Korean News Content:

1. The North Korea Hypersonic Missile Threat Is Real
2. Deterring an Emerging Nuclear Axis in Northeast Asia
3. Joint Press Statement for the 24th Korea-U.S. Integrated Defense Dialogue
4. Stinging Election Loss Leaves South Korean Leader at a Crossroads
5. Pyongyang, Beijing vow strong friendly ties: KCNA
6. China's top legislator Zhao meets key N. Korean official over ways to bolster bilateral ties
7. U.S. envoy to stress 'ironclad' security commitment, openness to N.K. dialogue during DMZ visit: official
8. U.S. has not given up on renewing mandate of U.N. panel monitoring N.K. sanctions: official
9.  U.S.-Japan-Philippines announce mutual defense treaty in South China Sea
10. The IPEF, targeting a 14-nation crisis, starts on Wednesday
11. Yoon expected to announce the directions for government reform
12. South Korea, US plan exercises against North Korea nuclear use scenario
13. [From Pyongyang to Manhattan] ① Siblings who defected from North Korea as Ivy League graduate students
14. How a North Korean missile researcher became a South Korean MP
15. HGV Unproven at IRBM Ranges: Analysis of the April 2 Hwasong-16Na Hypersonic Missile Test
16. After Russia’s Veto: The Future of the Sanctions Regime Against North Korea