Winning Strategic Competition in the Indo-Pacific

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Winning Strategic Competition in the Indo-Pacific NATIONAL SECURITY FELLOWS PROGRAM Winning Strategic Competition in the Indo-Pacific Jason Begley PAPER SEPTEMBER 2020 National Security Fellowship Program Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs Harvard Kennedy School 79 JFK Street Cambridge, MA 02138 www.belfercenter.org/NSF Statements and views expressed in this report are solely those of the author and do not imply endorsement by Harvard University, Harvard Kennedy School, the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, the Australian Government, or the Department of Defence. Design and layout by Andrew Facini Copyright 2020, President and Fellows of Harvard College Printed in the United States of America NATIONAL SECURITY FELLOWS PROGRAM Winning Strategic Competition in the Indo-Pacific Jason Begley PAPER SEPTEMBER 2020 About the Author A Royal Australian Air Force officer, Jason Begley was a 19/20 Belfer Center National Security Fellow. Trained as a navigator on the P-3C Orion, he has flown multiple intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance opera- tions throughout the Indo-Pacific region and holds Masters degrees from the University of New South Wales and the Australian National University. His tenure as a squadron commander (2014-2017) coincided with the liberation of the Philippines’ city of Marawi from Islamic State, and the South China Sea legal case between the Philippines and the People’s Republic of China. Prior to his Fellowship, he oversaw surveillance, cyber and information operations at Australia’s Joint Operations Command Headquarters, and since returning to Australia now heads up his Air Force’s Air Power Center. Acknowledgements Jason would like to acknowledge the support of the many professors at the Harvard Kennedy School, particularly Graham Allison who also helped him progress his PhD during his Fellowship. He would also like to thank his wife, Sian, and children, Ava and Bryn, for supporting his academic interests and career, and the Royal Australian Air Force and Belfer Center for providing an Australian the unique opportunity to join the 19/20 National Security Fellowship. Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs | Harvard Kennedy School iii Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................ 1 1. Introduction ................................................................................5 2. Observe ........................................................................................ 7 2.1 The Indo-pacific? ...................................................................................... 7 2.2 China, Chinese and the CCP .................................................................... 8 2.3 Strategic Competition: cooperation, confrontation, contestation or conflation? ................................................................................................. 9 2.3.1 Defining strategic competition ..............................................................................9 1.1.1 Winning’ in competition ........................................................................................ 12 2.4 Perception is reality .................................................................................13 2.4.1 Western perceptions of the CCP .......................................................................... 13 2.4.2 CCP perceptions of the West ............................................................................... 15 2.4.3 So what? ................................................................................................................ 16 3. Orient ......................................................................................... 18 3.1 Western concepts ................................................................................... 18 3.1.1 ‘On Competition’ ................................................................................................... 18 3.1.2 ‘Essence of competition’ ...................................................................................... 19 3.1.3 Power .....................................................................................................................22 3.2 CCP concepts ..........................................................................................24 3.2.1 Unrestricted Warfare ............................................................................................24 3.2.2 The Three Warfares ...............................................................................................24 3.3 Strategic Competition’s Key Terrain ..................................................... 25 3.4 The CCP in Competition ......................................................................... 27 3.4.1 CCP policy and strategy for strategic competition ............................................27 3.4.2 Three Warfares in action .......................................................................................28 3.5 Is the CCP ‘winning’? ..............................................................................43 iv Winning Strategic Competition in the Indo-Pacific 4. Decide ........................................................................................ 51 4.1 The direct approach ................................................................................51 4.2 The indirect approach ............................................................................56 4.2.1 The U.S. and Australian approaches ....................................................................57 5. Act ............................................................................................. 66 5.1 What is to be done? ................................................................................66 5.1.1 Journeys need destinations .................................................................................67 5.1.2 Approaching the key terrain ................................................................................ 69 5.1.3 Targeting the audience .........................................................................................72 5.1.4 Who, what, where, when, and how? .....................................................................74 5.2 But the simplest thing… ......................................................................... 77 6. Conclusion .................................................................................85 Annexes ......................................................................................... 88 Annex A. Communiqué on the Current State of the Ideological Sphere ....88 A Notice from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China’s General Office ..................................................................................... 88 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 88 Noteworthy Problems Related to the Current State of the Ideological Sphere ........ 89 Pay Close Attention to Work in the Ideological Sphere ............................................... 96 Annex B. South China Sea ‘Facts on the Ground’ .........................................99 Overview ......................................................................................................................... 99 Spratly Islands.............................................................................................................. 100 Paracel Islands ...............................................................................................................113 Annex C. Pew Opinion Data .......................................................................... 133 Annex D. Lowy Power Index Data ................................................................. 138 Annex E. Joint Targeting Cycle overview ..................................................... 140 Works Consulted .........................................................................143 Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs | Harvard Kennedy School v A 10 Squadron AP-3C awaits its crew as the sun rises over RAAF Base Edinburgh, Australia. Photograph by Wade Roberts Executive Summary The strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific involving the United States (U.S.), Australia and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is arguably the most significant contemporary international relations issue. It spans all aspects of state power: hard, sharp and soft; diplo- matic, information, military and economic; and all domains: air, sea, land, space, cyber, technology and innovation. But in their rush to recover ground perceived to be already lost to the CCP, neither the U.S. nor Australia have paused to devote sufficient attention to understand- ing the nature of strategic competition, to comprehend what winning it actually means, and therefore to grasp how best to approach it. As a result, they both continue to cede the initiative to the CCP, while it continues to compete on the terms most favorable to it. Most current interpretations of strategic competition view it as a con- stant state, one that therefore defies clear articulation of end-states and the metrics that demonstrate progress towards their attainment. Such interpretations are not only imprecise but unhelpful, as they pre- vent development of concrete strategies, leaving only abstract visions against which executable planning and commitment of resources is unachievable. A more exact approach views strategic competition structurally—poised atop a hierarchy
Recommended publications
  • Arxiv:2103.00242V1 [Cs.CL] 27 Feb 2021 Media-Platforms-Peak-Points.Html Aint Ohr.Ti Silsrtdi H Entosof Definitions the in Illustrated Is This Disinfo of Harm
    A Survey on Stance Detection for Mis- and Disinformation Identification Momchil Hardalov1,2∗ , Arnav Arora1,3 , Preslav Nakov1,4 and Isabelle Augenstein1,3 1CheckStep Research 2Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Bulgaria 3University of Copenhagen, Denmark 4Qatar Computing Research Institute, HBKU, Doha, Qatar {momchil, arnav, preslav.nakov, isabelle}@checkstep.com Abstract these notions by Claire Wardle from First Draft,2 misinforma- tion is “unintentional mistakes such as inaccurate photo cap- Detecting attitudes expressed in texts, also known tions, dates, statistics, translations, or when satire is taken as stance detection, has become an important task seriously.”, and disinformation is “fabricated or deliberately for the detection of false information online, be it manipulated audio/visual context, and also intentionally cre- misinformation (unintentionally false) or disinfor- ated conspiracy theories or rumours.”. While the intent to do mation (intentionally false, spread deliberately with harm is very important, it is also very hard to prove. Thus, the malicious intent). Stance detection has been framed vast majority of work has focused on factuality, thus treating in different ways, including: (a) as a component misinformation and disinformation as part of the same prob- of fact-checking, rumour detection, and detecting lem: spread of false information (regardless of whether this is previously fact-checked claims; or (b) as a task in done with harmful intent). This is also the approach we will its own right. While there have
    [Show full text]
  • Heads of State Heads of Government Ministers For
    UNITED NATIONS HEADS OF STATE Protocol and Liaison Service HEADS OF GOVERNMENT PUBLIC LIST MINISTERS FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNTRY HEAD OF STATE HEAD OF GOVERNMENT MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AFGHANISTAN His Excellency Same as Head of State His Excellency Mr. Mohammad Ashraf Ghani Mr. Mohammad Haneef Atmar Full Title President of the Islamic Republic of Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Afghanistan Republic of Afghanistan Date of Appointment 29-Sep-14 04-Apr-20 ALBANIA His Excellency His Excellency same as Prime Minister Mr. Ilir Meta Mr. Edi Rama Full Title President of the Republic of Albania Prime Minister and Minister for Europe and Foreign Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Affairs of the Republic of Albania Republic of Albania Date of Appointment 24-Jul-17 15-Sep-13 21-Jan-19 ALGERIA Son Excellence Son Excellence Son Excellence Monsieur Abdelmadjid Tebboune Monsieur Abdelaziz Djerad Monsieur Sabri Boukadoum Full Title Président de la République algérienne Premier Ministre de la République algérienne Ministre des Affaires étrangères de la République démocratique et populaire démocratique et populaire algérienne démocratique et populaire Date of Appointment 19-Dec-19 05-Jan-20 31-Mar-19 21/08/2020 Page 1 of 66 COUNTRY HEAD OF STATE HEAD OF GOVERNMENT MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS ANDORRA Son Excellence Son Excellence Son Excellence Monseigneur Joan Enric Vives Sicília Monsieur Xavier Espot Zamora Madame Maria Ubach Font et Son Excellence Monsieur Emmanuel Macron Full Title Co-Princes de la Principauté d’Andorre Chef du Gouvernement de la Principauté d’Andorre Ministre des Affaires étrangères de la Principauté d’Andorre Date of Appointment 16-May-12 21-May-19 17-Jul-17 ANGOLA His Excellency His Excellency Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • A History of Misconduct: the Case for a Federal Icac
    MISCONDUCT IN POLITICS A HISTORY OF MISCONDUCT: THE CASE FOR A FEDERAL ICAC INDEPENDENT JO URNALISTS MICH AEL WES T A ND CALLUM F OOTE, COMMISSIONED B Y G ETUP 1 MISCONDUCT IN POLITICS MISCONDUCT IN RESOURCES, WATER AND LAND MANAGEMENT Page 5 MISCONDUCT RELATED TO UNDISCLOSED CONFLICTS OF INTEREST Page 8 POTENTIAL MISCONDUCT IN LOBBYING MISCONDUCT ACTIVITIES RELATED TO Page 11 INAPPROPRIATE USE OF TRANSPORT Page 13 POLITICAL DONATION SCANDALS Page 14 FOREIGN INFLUENCE ON THE POLITICAL PROCESS Page 16 ALLEGEDLY FRAUDULENT PRACTICES Page 17 CURRENT CORRUPTION WATCHDOG PROPOSALS Page 20 2 MISCONDUCT IN POLITICS FOREWORD: Trust in government has never been so low. This crisis in public confidence is driven by the widespread perception that politics is corrupt and politicians and public servants have failed to be held accountable. This report identifies the political scandals of the and other misuse of public money involving last six years and the failure of our elected leaders government grants. At the direction of a minister, to properly investigate this misconduct. public money was targeted at voters in marginal electorates just before a Federal Election, In 1984, customs officers discovered a teddy bear potentially affecting the course of government in in the luggage of Federal Government minister Australia. Mick Young and his wife. It had not been declared on the Minister’s customs declaration. Young This cheating on an industrial scale reflects a stepped aside as a minister while an investigation political culture which is evolving dangerously. into the “Paddington Bear Affair” took place. The weapons of the state are deployed against journalists reporting on politics, and whistleblowers That was during the prime ministership of Bob in the public service - while at the same time we Hawke.
    [Show full text]
  • Let Her Finish: Gender, Sexism, and Deliberative Participation in Australian Senate Estimates Hearings (2006-2015)
    Let Her Finish: Gender, Sexism, and Deliberative Participation In Australian Senate Estimates Hearings (2006-2015) Joanna Richards School of Government and Policy Faculty of Business, Government and Law University of Canberra ABSTRACT In 2016, Australia ranks 54th in the world for representation of women in Parliament, with women ​ accounting for only 29% of the House of Representatives, and 39% of the Senate. This inevitably ​ inspires discussion about women in parliament, quotas, and leadership styles. Given the wealth of research which suggests that equal representation does not necessarily guarantee equal treatment, this study focuses on Authoritative representation. That is, the space in between winning a seat and making a difference where components of communication and interaction affect the authority of a speaker.This study combines a Discourse Analysis of the official Hansard transcripts from the Senate Estimates Committee hearings, selected over a 10 year period between 2006 and 2015, with a linguistic ethnography of the Australian Senate to complement results with context. Results show that although female senators and witnesses are certainly in the room, they do not have the same capacity as their male counterparts. Both the access and effectiveness of women in the Senate is limited; not only are they given proportionally less time to speak, but interruption, gate keeping tactics, and the designation of questions significantly different in nature to those directed at men all work to limit female participation in the political domain. As witnesses, empirical measures showed that female testimony was often undermined by senators. Results also showed that female senators and witnesses occasionally adopted masculine styles of communication in an attempt to increase effectiveness in the Senate.
    [Show full text]
  • Time for Submissions to Inquiry Into Building Inclusive and Accessible Communities
    Senate Community Affairs References Committee More time for submissions to inquiry into building inclusive and accessible communities The Senate Community Affairs References Committee is inquiring into the delivery of outcomes under the National DATE REFERRED Disability Strategy 2010-2020 to build inclusive and 29 December 2016 accessible communities. SUBMISSIONS CLOSE The inquiry will examine the planning, design, management 28 April 2017 and regulation of the built and natural environment, transport services and infrastructure, and communication and NEXT HEARING information systems, including barriers to progress or To be advised innovation in these areas. It will also look at the impact of restricted access for people with disability on inclusion and REPORTING DATE participation in all aspects of life. 13 September 2017 The date for submissions to the inquiry has been extended to COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP Friday 28 April 2017. Senator Rachel Siewert (Chair) "The additional time will ensure that groups and individuals Senator Jonathon Duniam can make a contribution to the inquiry" said committee chair, (Deputy Chair) Senator Sam Dastyari Senator Rachel Siewert. "The committee is very keen to hear Senator Louise Pratt directly from people with disability and their families and Senator Linda Reynolds carers, as well as representative organisations. We would also Senator Murray Watt welcome submissions from service providers and innovators Senator Carol Brown who have improved accessibility in their communities or online." CONTACT THE COMMITTEE Senate Standing Committees "The committee encourages people to visit the committee's on Community Affairs website to get some more information about the inquiry and PO Box 6100 how to make a submission.
    [Show full text]
  • 2018-19 Phoenix Suns Media Guide 2018-19 Suns Schedule
    2018-19 PHOENIX SUNS MEDIA GUIDE 2018-19 SUNS SCHEDULE OCTOBER 2018 JANUARY 2019 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 SAC 2 3 NZB 4 5 POR 6 1 2 PHI 3 4 LAC 5 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM PRESEASON PRESEASON PRESEASON 7 8 GSW 9 10 POR 11 12 13 6 CHA 7 8 SAC 9 DAL 10 11 12 DEN 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM PRESEASON PRESEASON 14 15 16 17 DAL 18 19 20 DEN 13 14 15 IND 16 17 TOR 18 19 CHA 7:30 PM 6:00 PM 5:00 PM 5:30 PM 3:00 PM ESPN 21 22 GSW 23 24 LAL 25 26 27 MEM 20 MIN 21 22 MIN 23 24 POR 25 DEN 26 7:30 PM 7:00 PM 5:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 28 OKC 29 30 31 SAS 27 LAL 28 29 SAS 30 31 4:00 PM 7:30 PM 7:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:30 PM 6:30 PM ESPN FSAZ 3:00 PM 7:30 PM FSAZ FSAZ NOVEMBER 2018 FEBRUARY 2019 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 2 TOR 3 1 2 ATL 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 4 MEM 5 6 BKN 7 8 BOS 9 10 NOP 3 4 HOU 5 6 UTA 7 8 GSW 9 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 5:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 11 12 OKC 13 14 SAS 15 16 17 OKC 10 SAC 11 12 13 LAC 14 15 16 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 4:00 PM 8:30 PM 18 19 PHI 20 21 CHI 22 23 MIL 24 17 18 19 20 21 CLE 22 23 ATL 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:30 PM 5:00 PM 5:00 PM 25 DET 26 27 IND 28 LAC 29 30 ORL 24 25 MIA 26 27 28 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:30 PM 7:00 PM 5:30 PM DECEMBER 2018 MARCH 2019 SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT 1 1 2 NOP LAL 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 2 LAL 3 4 SAC 5 6 POR 7 MIA 8 3 4 MIL 5 6 NYK 7 8 9 POR 1:30 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9 10 LAC 11 SAS 12 13 DAL 14 15 MIN 10 GSW 11 12 13 UTA 14 15 HOU 16 NOP 7:00
    [Show full text]
  • Of the 90 YEARS of the RAAF
    90 YEARS OF THE RAAF - A SNAPSHOT HISTORY 90 YEARS RAAF A SNAPSHOTof theHISTORY 90 YEARS RAAF A SNAPSHOTof theHISTORY © Commonwealth of Australia 2011 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission. Inquiries should be made to the publisher. Disclaimer The views expressed in this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defence, the Royal Australian Air Force or the Government of Australia, or of any other authority referred to in the text. The Commonwealth of Australia will not be legally responsible in contract, tort or otherwise, for any statements made in this document. Release This document is approved for public release. Portions of this document may be quoted or reproduced without permission, provided a standard source credit is included. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry 90 years of the RAAF : a snapshot history / Royal Australian Air Force, Office of Air Force History ; edited by Chris Clark (RAAF Historian). 9781920800567 (pbk.) Australia. Royal Australian Air Force.--History. Air forces--Australia--History. Clark, Chris. Australia. Royal Australian Air Force. Office of Air Force History. Australia. Royal Australian Air Force. Air Power Development Centre. 358.400994 Design and layout by: Owen Gibbons DPSAUG031-11 Published and distributed by: Air Power Development Centre TCC-3, Department of Defence PO Box 7935 CANBERRA BC ACT 2610 AUSTRALIA Telephone: + 61 2 6266 1355 Facsimile: + 61 2 6266 1041 Email: [email protected] Website: www.airforce.gov.au/airpower Chief of Air Force Foreword Throughout 2011, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has been commemorating the 90th anniversary of its establishment on 31 March 1921.
    [Show full text]
  • Reading Arendt's on Revolution After the Fall of the Wall
    Keeping the Republic: Reading Arendt’s On Revolution after the Fall of the Wall Dick Howard Introduction: From where do you speak, comrade? Two decades after the fall of the Wall seemed to announce – by default, as an unexpected gift – the triumph of democracy, optimism appears at best naïve, at worst an ideological manipulation of the most cynical type. The hope was that the twin forms of modern anti-politics – the imaginary planned society and the equally imaginary invisible hand of the market place – would be replaced by the rule of the demos; citizens together would determine the values of the commonwealth. The reality was at first the ‘New World Order’ of George H.W. Bush; then the indecisive interregnum of the Clinton years; and now the crass take over of democratic rhetoric by the neo-conservatives of George W. Bush. ‘Man is born free, yet everywhere he is in chains,’ wrote Rousseau at the outset of The Social Contract; how this came about was less important, he continued, than what made it legitimate: that was what needed explanation. So it is today; what is it about democracy that makes it the greatest threat to its own existence? In this context, it is well to reread Hannah Arendt’s On Revolution, published in 1963. On returning recently to my old (1965) paperback edition, I was struck by the spare red and black design of the cover, which was not (as I thought for a moment) a subtle allusion to the conflict of communism and anarchism for the realization of ‘true’ democracy, but simply the backdrop against which the editor stressed these sentences: ‘With nuclear power at a stalemate, revolutions have become the principal political factor of our time.
    [Show full text]
  • USA -V- Julian Assange Judgment
    JUDICIARY OF ENGLAND AND WALES District Judge (Magistrates’ Court) Vanessa Baraitser In the Westminster Magistrates’ Court Between: THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Requesting State -v- JULIAN PAUL ASSANGE Requested Person INDEX Page A. Introduction 2 a. The Request 2 b. Procedural History (US) 3 c. Procedural History (UK) 4 B. The Conduct 5 a. Second Superseding Indictment 5 b. Alleged Conduct 9 c. The Evidence 15 C. Issues Raised 15 D. The US-UK Treaty 16 E. Initial Stages of the Extradition Hearing 25 a. Section 78(2) 25 b. Section 78(4) 26 I. Section 78(4)(a) 26 II. Section 78(4)(b) 26 i. Section 137(3)(a): The Conduct 27 ii. Section 137(3)(b): Dual Criminality 27 1 The first strand (count 2) 33 The second strand (counts 3-14,1,18) and Article 10 34 The third strand (counts 15-17, 1) and Article 10 43 The right to truth/ Necessity 50 iii. Section 137(3)(c): maximum sentence requirement 53 F. Bars to Extradition 53 a. Section 81 (Extraneous Considerations) 53 I. Section 81(a) 55 II. Section 81(b) 69 b. Section 82 (Passage of Time) 71 G. Human Rights 76 a. Article 6 84 b. Article 7 82 c. Article 10 88 H. Health – Section 91 92 a. Prison Conditions 93 I. Pre-Trial 93 II. Post-Trial 98 b. Psychiatric Evidence 101 I. The defence medical evidence 101 II. The US medical evidence 105 III. Findings on the medical evidence 108 c. The Turner Criteria 111 I.
    [Show full text]
  • 24 June 2016 Excellency, I Refer to the Convention on Cluster
    THE SECRETARY-GENERAL 24 June 2016 Excellency, I refer to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which entered into force on 1 August 2010. The Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits the use, development, production, stockpiling, retaining and transfer of cluster munitions, establishes deadlines for the destruction of stockpiled cluster munitions and clearance of unexploded sub-munitions and contains robust provisions on assistance to cluster munition survivors. I welcome the fact that 100 States have become parties to the Convention since its adoption in 2008. I support all efforts aimed at achieving universal adherence to and full implementation of the provisions of the Convention. A widely supported and strictly implemented Convention would benefit the victims of cluster munitions and affected communities, save lives and prevent enormous human suffering. I would therefore like to encourage your country to consider, without delay, becoming a party to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. By joining the Convention, your country would contribute significantly to the strengthening of international humanitarian law in the interests of promoting international security and preserving human life. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration. BAN Ki-moon His Excellency Mr. José Eduardo dos Santos President of the Republic of Angola President of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) Luanda THE SECRETARY-GENERAL 24 June 2016 Excellency, I refer to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which entered into force on 1 August 2010. The Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits the use, development, production, stockpiling, retaining and transfer of cluster munitions, establishes deadlines for the destruction of stockpiled cluster munitions and clearance of unexploded sub-munitions and contains robust provisions on assistance to cluster munition survivors.
    [Show full text]
  • Second Morrison Government Ministry 29 June 2021 Overview
    Barton Deakin Brief: Second Morrison Government Ministry 29 June 2021 Overview Prime Minister Scott Morrison MP has announced his new Cabinet and Ministry following the change in The Nationals leadership. Cabinet Changes - Barnaby Joyce MP is the new Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development. Michael McCormack MP has been removed from the Cabinet and is now on the backbench. - David Littleproud MP retains his position as the Minster for Agriculture and is now also the Minister for Northern Australia. The role of Minister for Drought and Emergency Management will be given to Senator Bridget McKenzie. - Senator McKenzie will be returned to the Cabinet and is also the new Minister for Regionalisation, Regional Communications and Regional Education. - Keith Pitt MP, the Minister for Resources and Water will move to the outer Ministry, with his Northern Australia portfolio goes to David Littleproud MP. - Andrew Gee MP has been promoted to the Cabinet as the Minister for Defence Industry and Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. - Darren Chester MP, the former Minister for Veterans Affairs and Defence Personnel has been removed from the Cabinet and the Ministry. Ministry Changes - Mark Coulton MP, formerly the Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government is no longer a Minister. - Dr David Gillespie MP has become the Minister for Regional Health. For more information - The Ministry List from the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet For more information, contact David Alexander on +61 457 400 524, Grahame Morris on +61 411 222 680, Cheryl Cartwright on +61 419 996 066 or Jack de Hennin on +61 424 828 127.
    [Show full text]
  • Exploring the Utility of Memes for US Government Influence Campaigns
    Exploring the Utility of Memes for U.S. Government Influence Campaigns Vera Zakem, Megan K. McBride, Kate Hammerberg April 2018 Cleared for Public Release DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. D RM-2018-U-017433-Final This document contains the best opinion of CNA at the time of issue. It does not necessarily represent the opinion of the sponsor. Distribution DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release: distribution unlimited. SPECIFIC AUTHORITY: N00014-16-D-5003 4/17/2018 Request additional copies of this document through [email protected]. Photography Credit: Toy Story meme created via imgflip Meme Generator, available at https://imgflip.com/memegenerator, accessed March 24, 2018. Approved by: April 2018 Dr. Jonathan Schroden, Director Center for Stability and Development Center for Strategic Studies This work was performed under Federal Government Contract No. N00014-16-D-5003. Copyright © 2018 CNA Abstract The term meme was coined in 1976 by Richard Dawkins to explore the ways in which ideas spread between people. With the introduction of the internet, the term has evolved to refer to culturally resonant material—a funny picture, an amusing video, a rallying hashtag—spread online, primarily via social media. This CNA self-initiated exploratory study examines memes and the role that memetic engagement can play in U.S. government (USG) influence campaigns. We define meme as “a culturally resonant item easily shared or spread online,” and develop an epidemiological model of inoculate / infect / treat to classify and analyze ways in which memes have been effectively used in the online information environment. Further, drawing from our discussions with subject matter experts, we make preliminary observations and identify areas for future research on the ways that memes and memetic engagement may be used as part of USG influence campaigns.
    [Show full text]