The Rand Company is a non-profit firm. Extra exactly, Rand is a Federally Funded Analysis and Growth Heart (FFRDC) and it’s sponsored primarily by the U.S. Government. Briefly, Rand is a “Suppose Tank” for the Beltway and Huge Authorities.
Their current report, “Commission on the National Defense Strategy” was a bit rattling, however on the identical time, introduced recycled conventional military-industrial complicated themes which are bandied about by the elite frequently to perpetuate, not remedy issues.
One can by no means be too sincere, and this Rand Report not less than shares the dangerous information upfront. The nationwide protection institution of Kamala Harris receives a failing grade.
The straightforward takeaway: The U.S. Navy and nationwide protection infrastructure is a large number and underneath duress from the Chinese language led motion to topple America. To most readers of this text, the response could be, “Please, inform us one thing we don’t already know.”
The report calls the alarm however is a bit weak on the true causal elements. Your tax {dollars} paid for this report, so it’s a report we should always learn and perceive regardless. It’s chock filled with coded messages from the “specialists” who’ve labored these points for years with out success. Within the personal sector, personalities with this monitor report are proven the door.
Not a single reference to Wokeness, CRT, or DEI
On P.59 of the report, Personnel and Readiness is addressed. The uniformed portion of the U.S. Navy is dealing with historic recruiting and retention shortfalls. The very small Area Drive (roughly 9,400) and the Marine Corps (roughly 177,000) seem to have met recruiting and retention objectives.
However the a lot bigger Military, Air Drive, and Marines are struggling, even with lowering their measurement to make it appear like they’re nearer to assembly their objectives. The report recognized that solely 23% of Individuals meet the present necessities of Navy Service – however the report fails to drill down additional to search out out why. Drilling down would expose the corrupt schooling system and social norms brainwashing the bodily, psychological, and ethical foundations of our kids
One factor the “specialists” couldn’t deliver themselves to utter within the report is the “W” phrase which stands for Wokeness. There was not a single reference within the report back to the Woke adjuncts of Essential Race Concept (CRT), Variety, Fairness, and Inclusion (DEI), or the e-book, “Antiracist Child” (I threw in that final one simply to pile on). There have been some lame narratives on causal elements for recruiting and retention, with out many supporting citations, equivalent to, “Much more regarding is the shortage of curiosity in army service for certified people, which has been exacerbated by public narratives associated to the hazards of army service.”
What public narratives? Those pushed by TikTok or legacy media? This part had a drumbeat within the background: A return of the draft is important.
It’s simpler to say the place we don’t have gaps with China
China was appropriately recognized because the lead, “pacing risk”. China was additionally recognized as a part of the “No-Limits” partnership to topple America, however the report nonetheless gave Putin equal billing with Xi when right now Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela (Venezuela was not talked about a single time within the report) are de-facto colonies of China.
Venezuela, proper in America’s entrance yard, is on the level of Civil Conflict and Maduro, the Venezuelan chief solely began going after subsequent door Guyana after his September 2023 journey to Beijing which was clearly him being summoned to report on his contribution to the Chinese language effort to trigger mayhem within the Americas.
The report was replete with examples of America falling behind within the Navy Instrument of Nationwide Energy, I’m undecided a single American benefit was introduced. This was the Captain Apparent a part of the report – one thing that readers of The Gateway Pundit have been mentioning ever because the Harris Workforce got here on board in 2021.
There was a powerful name for utilizing all Devices of Nationwide Energy Diplomatic, Data, Financial, Finance, Intelligence, and Legislation Enforcement (DIMEFIL) to claim American pursuits, along with the Navy. DIMEFIL is a flowery method of telling the non-DOD components of the Federal Authorities to do their job. DIMEFIL isn’t regulation and is totally rejected by the non-DOD U.S. Authorities.
A noble effort, however Rand, at finest, calls out signs not causes
The report basically offers Kamala a failing grade for her tenure.
There have been a lot of predictable narratives recycled within the doc. A repeated, drained, and lazy criticism of Taiwan happens with the “Prickly” versus “Status” debate speaking level. Many elites have criticized Taiwan for attempting to purchase tanks and ships to defend itself. They need to solely be shopping for drones and missiles Taiwan is lectured. Each sorts of weapons are necessary in deterring and if vital, defeating China. Taiwan has tremendously elevated protection spending (however can do much more) which mathematically addresses the $ steadiness between Prickly and Status weapons, however the report writers haven’t completed the maths nor addressed that incontrovertible fact that many Taiwanese orders, already paid for by Taiwan, have been diverted to different conflicts.
The important thing causes of success in constructing protection functionality are the readability and resolve of the incumbent administration in speaking U.S. coverage and place. The feeble nature of the important thing personalities of the Harris Administration aren’t referenced within the report directed by the Harris Administration. An fascinating report, however it misses the goal of true causal elements and as a substitute, recycles the established narratives of the established order, elite “specialists”. Rand will get a re-do for this deliverable, at their very own price.