War

• [New] China's reported defence budget in 2021 is about a quarter of U.S. defence spending, which amounted to $714 billion in fiscal year 2020 and is expected to increase to $733 billion in the 2021 fiscal year.
• [New] More fully integrating allies into the U.S. space architecture would be an important step toward ensuring the resiliency of national security space systems that any American-led coalition will need.
• [New] Strategic messaging needs to emphasize U.S. intent to promote security and stability in space rather than military space superiority, which would be especially difficult to achieve given the threat environment and might be impossible to measure.
• [New] The Department of Defense should focus on measures to increase the resiliency of U.S. space systems and thereby reduce vulnerabilities.
• [New] The Department of Defense and the intelligence community need to invest more in capabilities that will increase the resiliency of national security space systems.
• [New] Many governments around the globe are establishing funds to support local gaming industry, which is also expected to develop space for mobile games.
• [New] States are likely to go in alliance with any nuclear state in order to avoid the risk, cost and difficulties of nuclear weapon programs e.g. NATO countries are in alliance with US.
• [New] As the United States and other countries build better AI, they may end up pushing nervous adversaries and even allies to take steps that could increase the risk of armed conflicts.
• [New] 2021's National Defense Authorization Act may ban any federal agencies buying drones made in China, amidst fears DJI could be forced to send sensitive U.S. government or citizens' data back to Beijing.
• [New] The U.S. could take into account a navy response to the rocket assault that hit an airbase in western Iraq the place American and coalition troops are housed.
• [New] For the first time since World War II, America's technological predominance - the backbone of its economic and military power - is under threat.
• [New] Today, China is the dominant global supplier of rare earths, a group of 17 chemical elements used in the production of critical components of key technologies, which could easily be used as a weapon against other countries in a trade war or a conflict.
• [New] The United States could plan and prepare to share responsibility for the direct defense of Taiwan in a variety of scenarios.
• [New] The crude oil price will react to news that Iran has rejected talks with the US and the EU on nuclear weapons.
• [New] Demand for biomedical lab space is insatiable right now and will remain in high demand for next 24-36 months in the Boston-Cambridge metro.
• [New] The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence is out with its comprehensive final report recommending a path forward for ensuring U.S. superiority in AI that calls for the Defense Department and the intelligence community to become AI-ready by 2025.
• [New] SETAF-AF will continue direct support to AFRICOM, remain in Italy and retain its current strength of military and civilian personnel.
• [New] To avoid a full conflict with the United States, it is likely that China will turn to proxy warfare in regions of U.S. interest.
• [New] Israel has struck hundreds of Iranian targets in Syria in recent years, and Netanyahu has repeatedly said Israel will not accept a permanent Iranian military presence in its neighbour.
• [New] While Israel and the Sunni Arab states have long viewed Iranian nuclear weapons as an existential threat and are skeptical of the JCPOA's ability to stop an Iranian bomb, none of them were party to the original agreement.

Last updated: 06 March 2021