LexNextThe Lexington
Policy Blog
- The Urgency Of Strengthening America’s Electric Grid Cybersecurity (From RealClearEnergy)
The U.S. electric grid continues to face a bevy of foreign and domestic cyberattack threats. Therefore, it makes more sense than ever before for utilities and transmission operators to aggressively fortify their cyber defenses. In fact, failure to do so is a classic case of being penny-wise and pound-foolish. The grid’s Operational Technology (OT) vulnerabilities are particularly notable. OT refers to [ Read More…]
- Loren B. Thompson, Ph.D
- Why Block Buys Of Warships Are Needed To Match China’s Naval Buildup
The U.S. Navy is facing a major naval buildup by China, and it is struggling to keep up. If the Navy is to meet the challenge, it will need to spend its funds wisely–including especially the money dedicated to ship construction. One useful tool is purchasing warships of the same type in blocks of several vessels, with new ships commencing [ Read More…]
- Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D.
- This US Bomber Is Why China Suddenly Wants To Talk About Nukes And AI (From Fox News)
The Air Force’s super-secret B-21 Raider stealth bomber quietly made its first flight in California on Nov. 10, flying from the factory to Edwards AFB at not much more than tree-top level. Yes, right before China’s President Xi Jinping visited San Francisco. All of a sudden China wants to start talks on AI and nuclear weapons. Little wonder, for the B-21 is full of [ Read More…]
- This US Bomber Is Why China Suddenly Wants To Talk About Nukes And AI (From Fox News)
The Air Force’s super-secret B-21 Raider stealth bomber quietly made its first flight in California on Nov. 10, flying from the factory to Edwards AFB at not much more than tree-top level. Yes, right before China’s President Xi Jinping visited San Francisco. All of a sudden China wants to start talks on AI and nuclear weapons. “The leaders affirmed the need to address the risks of advanced AI systems and improve AI safety through U.S.-China government talks,” the White House stated on [ Read More…]
- Five Fatal Flaws In Lina Khan’s Assessment Of Amazon (From RealClearMarkets)
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan shot to notoriety with a 2017 article in The Yale Law Journal, “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox,” where she charged that vigorous antitrust action should be taken against the company. She asserted this while acknowledging Amazon had low profits, was continually reinvesting in its businesses, and providing low-priced, i.e., competitively priced, items to its customers. There are fundamental errors and omissions in both the article and a related lawsuit the FTC recently announced against Amazon. [ Read More…]
- Why Using Nuclear Weapons In Ukraine Is A Real Option For Putin (From Forbes)
Using nuclear weapons for anything other than deterrence has become unthinkable in the West. Not so in Moscow. Every new iteration of Russian strategy stresses the centrality of nuclear systems in Moscow’s defense posture–including in regional conflicts along Russia’s periphery. Russia has both the doctrine and the capability to use short-range, low-yield weapons in Ukraine that might turn the tide of war in Moscow’s favor. Moreover, Russian President Vladimir Putin has good reason to suspect that the West would not [ Read More…]
- If Ukraine Military Aid Is Cut, Some GOP Districts Will Be Big Losers (From Forbes)
A growing contingent of House Republicans opposes further military aid to Ukraine. If it successfully blocks the Biden administration’s request for more money, many GOP-held congressional districts will suffer economic fallout. U.S. munitions plants, whether publicly or privately operated, increasingly tend to be sited in the South and Midwest where the GOP is strongest. An end to Ukraine aid would reduce demand for materiel made in those districts. I have written a commentary for Forbes here.
- How the Postal Service’s Finances So Quickly Returned To The Crisis Stage (From FEDweek)
On April 6, 2022 as President Biden signed the Postal Service Reform Act (PRSA), there was abounding yet misplaced optimism that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) had turned the corner financially and would have a bright future. Congress provided USPS with $107 billion in assistance from PSRA, on top of $10 billion from the December 2020 COVID package. Also, in April 2022, USPS’s 10-year strategic plan said it would break even in fiscal year 2023 if PSRA were enacted and [ Read More…]
- Iran Doubles Down On Terror But It Holds A Losing Hand (From Fox News)
The mullahs in Iran are gloating over anti-Israel protests, and harassment attacks by the Axis of Resistance. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds force commander Esmail Ghaani has been shuttling to Lebanon and other locations, holding meetings, hoping to whip up more mayhem. And Iran would love to elbow the U.S. military out of the Middle East and fulfill its dreams of regional hegemony. Don’t count on it. Iran’s military options are limited, the economy is a shambles, and behind the scenes, a lot of [ Read More…]
- Fix America’s Dangerous International Mail System (From The National Interest)
While Congress overwhelmingly enacted legislation in 2018 to curtail opioids, fentanyl, and other illegal contraband from entering the United States via the international postal system, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has dropped the ball on enforcement. This has public health and national security ramifications that Congress should investigate and fix. A scathing September 25 report from the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General documented these shortcomings at CBP. Lexington Institute’s Paul Steidler discusses this in an Op-Ed [ Read More…]
- Israel Crisis Signals Need To Bolster U.S. Homeland Security–Including Internet Infrastructure (From Forbes)
The Israel-Hamas conflict has created a new spawning ground for terrorists intent on attacking America. Washington will need to spend more time thinking about the security of its critical infrastructure. One cluster of activity deserving special attention is the servers, data centers and communications links supporting the internet. When the 9/11 attacks occurred, America’s internet-driven economy had barely begun to emerge. Today, virtually every facet of commerce and culture depends on internet access. Google’s layered and multifaceted security practices offer [ Read More…]
- The Case For A Robust U.S. Amphibious Warfare Force (From 1945)
Unfortunately, over the past several decades, the United States’ planning for future conflicts has had to adjust to many “punches” from adversaries. The events of 9/11 once constituted such a blow, as did the rise of great power competitors, culminating in Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Hamas’ monstrous 10/7 attack on Israel and the prospect of a multi-front war between that state and its regional adversaries looks to be a third such punch. However, despite the U.S. military’s need [ Read More…]
- Pentagon Plans For Networked Warfare Will Falter Without Better Access Controls (From Forbes)
The centerpiece of Pentagon modernization plans is an ubiquitous network called the Joint All-Domain Command and Control system–JADC2. It’s a way of providing all warfighters with robust, reliable information enabling optimum responses to threats. However, because JADC2 contains so much vital information, it is essential that malicious actors not be able to gain access. The mechanism for sorting out who should be admitted and who should not is a software system called Identity, Credential and Access Management, or ICAM. Without [ Read More…]