Patrick Goldman

I’ve served with both LCDR Bolstad and LT Bain. Fantastic officers, fantastic WTI’s, and an excellent article highlighting the intense effort underway to rapidly improve US naval officers tactical proficiency using proven and commence sense methods.

(9/9) The US alone does not need to be the world's police. It should seek the assistance of allies and partners to maintain global peace and norms. A return to spheres of influence and a willingness to cede global power to hemispheres would fundamentally alter the world we all live in.

(8/9) The development of large, slow cargo vessels has been done under the assumption that the United States Navy would defend the free flow of maritime traffic without the risk of state or non-state piracy. This promise, however, must be upheld by the rest of the world, not just the United States.

(7/9) This capability has been degraded, however, with the impressive buildup of PRC denial capabilities stretching as far as the second island chain. However, ceding strategic waterways to states such as the PRC or Russia would likely be catastrophic for international trade.

(6/9) Simply put, no other branch of service can do what the Navy can do diplomatically without a serious risk of unnecessary escalation. The Navy's amphibious capabilities and abilities to strike deep inside nations allow for deterrence in a way that bomber planes do not.

(5/9) If the navy is transformed into a hemispheric power, another impact is on diplomacy, deterrence, and maritime trade. No other branch of service has a greater diplomatic aspect to it than the Navy, be it humanitarian assistance or signal via freedom of navigation operations.

(4/9) The obvious answer is that it will obviously impact how the US military prepares for war and operates. If the government's policy is that the US is now a hemispheric power, rather than a global power, then the need for incredible power projection changes substantially.

(3/9) But how does this change if the US policy shifts to a Victorian-era belief in spheres of influence? Does a 21st-century Monroe Doctrine include military operations in the Western Pacific? How does this impact defense R&D? Doctrine? Tactics? Training?

(2/9) Over the past decade or so, it has been generally accepted that the United States would seek to defend Taiwan's sovereignty in the event of invasion. There are many reasons why the United States would seek to do this, but at its core is the fragile international semiconductor supply chain.

(1/9) For anyone in the defense and national security circles, the Davidson Window is familiar to you. It is the public estimate that China is likely to invade Taiwan either in the spring or fall of 2027. With the odds of an invasion increasing exponentially as time goes by.

An excellent show and story that definitely inspired an interest to learn more about the history of Hawaii

Federal Workers Are Being Told to Blame Democrats for the Shutdown Workers at one agency were given unhinged, partisan language to use when setting out-of-office replies.

But wait, it gets worse. Reported from The Wire yesterday afternoon:

www.wired.com/story/govern...

The enemy of your enemy is your friend, after all.

On Grand Strategy Check out On Grand Strategy - <b>&ldquo;The best education in grand strategy available in a single volume . . . a book that should be read by every American leader or would-be leader.&rdquo;&mdash;<i>...

If you wish to support small bookstores, book can be found here:

bookshop.org/p/books/on-g...

It can also be found through almost any other means of buying books.

I’m telling you, the book is incredible and is a book I will most certainly read multiple times.

Over the past couple weeks I’ve been reading “On Grand Strategy,” by John Lewis Gaddis and, wow, what an incredible book. Despite my slow pace (life, ya know) it’s a very readable book that just slightly over 300 pages. Any strategic mind, or just someone who appreciates good literature, must read!

When ppl in the most powerful nation on earth vote on the basis of lies from their media, they hurt not only themselves but the whole world.

upine.medium.com/the-vast-rea...

The question isn’t just how to fight in space—but which model of space power endures. Is the U.S. advantage in commercial dynamism sustainable, or does China’s statist approach offer greater wartime durability?

#greatpowercompetition

4/4

#Commercial innovation gives the U.S. speed and adaptability. Yet it also creates vulnerabilities: companies can be coerced, disrupted, or even targeted. In a long great power competition, are market-driven models enough?

3/4

But here’s the deeper challenge: the U.S. increasingly relies on commercial space providers, while #China and #Russia are doubling down on #centralized, state-controlled systems. That divergence carries big implications for resilience in #wartime.

2/4

Kari Bingen and @csis.org rightly frames #Ukraine as a test of #space in #modern conflict. The #war has made clear that satellites are no longer just enablers—they’re contested terrain.

1/4

(7/7) Peace is possible.

Get outside of your bubble, beyond the meme and the talking heads.

Meet the person. Ask them about their family, their life, their passions.

Find what we have in common and embrace the differences.

Be respectful of each other and treat others how you wish to be treated.

(6/7) but it is important to listen.

Regardless of our religion, our nation of origin, our clothes, whatever the difference, the people around you want most of all the same things in life as you do.

We can all exist together. But it won't come free. It will take respect and honesty and humanity.

(5/7) By getting outside of your comfort zone and meeting the person, not just the meme will broaden horizons and, hopefully, lead to understanding and #peace.

An open mind can bring a wonder of experiences to your life. You don't have to agree with everything the other person has to say…

(4/7) How many wars, conflicts, or family arguments have come from #ignorance?

People are tribal by nature. It is natural to stick to your own and fear or be suspicious of those who are different than you.

But #tribalism breeds ignorance which can, maybe unintentionally, breed hate.

(3/7) At one point, one of the panelists, Youssef Elazhari, made this statement:

“Governments do not make #peace, people do.”

This has sat with me all day.

I strongly believe people have more in common than differences. Yousseff’s statement also highlights the importance of respectful dialogue.

(2/7) It was an enlightening experience with a diverse room of people with differing opinions towards #Israel and from a wide variety of life. At times it became tense but it never became violent and people were passionate.

(1/7) Yesterday I went to a panel discussion hosted by the San Diego World Affairs Council with members of the NGO #Sharaka as the guest to discuss their mission and work towards encouraging peace, understanding, and coexistence between the world and Israel, and Israel and the world.

Just look at where in Poland wreckage has been recovered. It’s not an accident. You don’t violate sovereign airspace that deeply and broadly “by accident.” I don’t buy it for one second.

Source:
apnews.com/article/russ...

The map (from the AP) relates to the areas where wreckage was found. That’s not an “accident.” That’s not a whoopsy daisy. That’s deliberate and intentional. Whether the targets were Ukrainian or Polish doesn’t matter, it wasn’t an accident.

apnews.com/article/russ...

So, ask yourself, when you find yourself using “they,” “the,” “those,” and “them,” are you othering? Are you closing your mind to reason and rational thought? The world is multidimensional and so you should be too. Think critically. Stand up to hate. Be kind and be aware.