February 7, 2020 | Get The SITREP​

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The SITREP

Stay sharp, stay informed. A weekly intel roundup for frontline leaders.

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♠ Welcome to The SITREP. In this edition you'll find coverage of the coup in Myanmar, a prospective peace deal in Yemen, a discussion of extremism in the US military, and more. Thank you for reading SITREP 004 and remember: Ignorance is Failure. ♠

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♠ Coup in Myanmar (or is it Burma?)

Big news this week out of the country of Burma/Myanmar (hint: it's both) as the military enacted a coup and removed the civilian government on Monday. The South-East Asian country has long been a hotspot for uncertainty and instability, but has had a (mostly) stable government for a decade.

• Burma has been ruled by a democratically elected government for about ten years, but unrest due to a recent election spiraled into a takeover by the military and removal of Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratically-elected leader of the country.
• The coup began with claims by the military-backed opposition party that the vote was fraudulent (sound familiar?) and ended with a military convoy rolling through the capital to seize power.
• The US has urged the military leadership to maintain democratic process and avoid bloodshed. Although in all fairness, the outgoing government wasn't always democratic and has been accused of violating minority rights.

While Burma's long term fate is uncertain, perhaps the most surreal part of the entire historical week was the fitness instructor who accidentally filmed the coup as it happened. ♠

♠ Drawdown in Yemen

Last week's edition of The SITREP was all about how President Joe Biden may or may not change US foreign policy and military presence abroad, with some commentators predicting active interventionism with others stating Uncle Joe will decline further foreign excursions. The Biden administration took action this week however, in a decision that may prove to be telling with regards to Biden's priorities. The country in question? Yemen.

• A brutal civil war has been raging in Yemen for 6 years, which all started as an offshoot of the Arab Spring movement which led the longtime president Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down. The Houthi (Shia minority) rebel group took advantage of a failed transition to seize territory and launch attacks.
• US involvement began in the form of support to Saudi Arabia and other Sunni countries who led the intervention with the primary goal of deterring alleged Iranian support to the rebels.
• Citing a "humanitarian and strategic catastrophe", President Biden announced an end to US financial and military aid to the conflict and the desire to reach a swift diplomatic resolution.

Will the drawdown in Yemen show Biden's hand with regards to other smoldering conflicts? After all, his predecessor claimed a desire to end foreign engagements, but met with mixed results. Campaign promises often have a hard time when they run up against the tough realities of international politics. ♠

♠ A Game of Chicken with American Destroyers

More cat and mouse games in the South China Sea. This time, it was a dance between the guided missile destroyer USS John McCain, and two Chinese PLA Navy frigates. So what happened exactly?

• The McCain was conducting routine freedom-of-navigation ops in international waters, but within China's (illegally) claimed maritime domain. The US Navy conducts these operations frequently to show China (and the rest of the world) that the US does not recognize China's territorial claims.
• It's also not unusual for China to respond with either naval or aviation assets. This time, the PLA Navy launched two frigates which trailed the McCain at a distance.
• We've covered hightened tensions with China in a previous issue of the SITREP, so this isn't anything new overall. But what may get interesting is if the US escalates diplomatic ties and military training with Taiwan.

Like we said last week, China is the foreign policy challenge that will define the success or failure of the new White House administration. And it's increasingly looking like the South China Sea and relations with Taiwan that could be the catalyst for any future conflict. ♠

♠ Extremism in the Ranks: Crisis or Exaggeration?

The storming of the Capitol Building was a low-point in American history. Few disagree. However, what surprised many in the aftermath of the protests surrounding the election was the number of veterans and active-duty military who were connected to the riot. In the wake of the revelation that 20% of the rioters had some form of military connection, the Department of Defense has launched an initiative to investigate extremism in the DoD.

• To combat suspected extremism in the military, the Pentagon has launched an investigation via a watchdog organization and is reviewing it's current practices with regards to screening candidates as well as already active-duty military members.
• Additionally, the US Navy has revealed the results of a study on racism and white-supremacy within it's ranks, and has returned with 60 recommendations on reducing racist beliefs and activity.
• Not everyone agrees that there's a serious problem, however. Some conservative commentators have rebutted that the Capitol insurrection was an isolated incident, and that the extremism investigations are tantamount to an ideological purge of the military.

All militaries are reflections of the societies in which they are formed, and the US military is no different. The events surrounding the Presidential election just go to show that the US military can still improve in intolerance for racism and extremist behavior. ♠

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♠ Weapon of the Week: The M60 Machine Gun

This Weapon of the Week is none other than the legendary M60 Machine Gun, commonly nicknamed as
"The Pig." The Pig began as a replacement for the Browning Automatic Rifle and was designed to serve in the role of squad automatic weapon. Most famous for it's duty in Vietnam, the M60 was loved for it's firepower and maneuverable size, even if it was sometimes known to be particular about maintenance and durability. More on Wikipedia. ♠

• Range: ~1,200 yrds (max effective)
• Action: Gas-operated, short-stroke gas piston, open bolt
• Rate of Fire: 550-650 rounds/min
• Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
• Used By: US, UK, and NATO allies from the 1960s to present day

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♠ Weekly Read: Promised Land, Crusader State

In this masterwork by Pulitzer Prize winner Walter McDougall, discover a unique and realistic perspective on American foreign policy from it's roots to the modern day. This book discusses the how and why behind America's foreign policy and military decisions and objectively dissects the mindset behind American thinking. An indispensable read for those seeking a holistic understanding of America's place in the world. ♠

Get it on Amazon: Promised Land, Crusader State: The American Encounter with the World since 1776. (referral link).

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♠ Saved Rounds

• ​Low and (Not So) Slow - Watch as a Russian SU-24 buzzes the USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea.
• ​The Stoner Arms Dealers - The Rolling Stone report that led to the film "War Dogs." A wild ride.
• ​Kill the Homothetic Army - The next war could be 1914 all over: one General's warning.
• ​Bombs over the Arctic - B-1s will be deployed to Norway, for the first time ever.

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♠ Closing Quote

“In his search to be a great leader, the young centurion sought out the Republic’s veteran warrior. Looking up from his labor, the sage spoke: “I know not what beats beneath your tunic, but what I saw in a leader from foot soldiers to proconsul is thus:

One who makes drill bloodless combat and combat bloody drill…
One who disciplines the offense and not the offenders…
One whose heart is with the Legion and whose loyalty is to the Republic…
One who seeks the companionship of the long march and not the privilege of position…
One whose commission is assigned from above and confirmed from below…
One who knows the self and, therefore, is true to all…
One who seeks to serve and not to be served…

This is the one who leads best of all.”

― LTC Jeffrey Spara

♠ We Need Your Feedback!

The SITREP is a project dedicated to informing and educating ground-level leaders in the military, government, and private sector with approachable foreign policy and military news. In order to improve, we need to hear from you, SITREP readers. What did you like about this edition? What do you think we should add? Do you prefer deep dives into a few topics (like today), or more topics with shorter summaries (like SITREP 001)? Let us know by replying to this email (team@thesitrep.co) or by hitting us up on Instagram @the__sitrep.

Stay Sharp,

-SITREP Staff

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