22 Comments

At what point does the “space between the bars” become so wide that they no longer serve the intended purpose or become nonexistent? The recent Supreme Court controversies demonstrate that the cage that confines the tiger(s) may be illusory. Part of Trump’s game plan was to neuter the Courts via judicial appointments. Roe v Wade being overturned is worth noting.

Cyber warfare is a potent tool for asymmetric warfare because attacking a few nodes in a network can affect millions connected to that network. Imo, Judges and Attorneys are the nodes in our court system that are demonstrably vulnerable. Systemic corruption may have already removed the bars containing the Tigers. Those Tigers are predators, and the prey is Democracy.

Expand full comment

Hasn’t it always been so..? Having worked ‘in the field’ its technology per se has only deterred 75%? ( Pretty good btw)What we’re faced with is the quick demise of law and order significantly due to its own inability to hold the guilty accountable. “Swift “ is highly unlikely anymore . Nitpicking loopholes of principles is tactical warfare but it doesn’t make the rubber meet the road. The Congress is about to go on a two week holiday...? How many hours have they worked or better yet done anything except hostage antics..meanwhile back at the main camp AND playing by the rules Biden and team are delivering EVERY. DAY.

I don’t want to say “..well, this is what your vote got you...again” though I know plenty who have (admirably ) said ‘never again’ or left ‘the party’! There’s not a lot of wiggle room ...

GOTV

💙💙VOTE ALL THE COMPLICIT OUT💙💙

Expand full comment

The next big thing in hybrid warfare from Trump that I am worried about is the use of voice cloning and other techniques to create synthetic media. Over the weekend Semafor reported on a posting to X by a campaign senior advisor that voice cloned an NBC News reporter and created a piece of propaganda that the campaign weakly claimed was “parody”. NBC News already sent a demand to the Trump campaign to take the video down.

If we consider that perhaps a test run we then have a possibility of synthetic media being created to support things like disqualifying court personnel. I know I teach computer basics at a community college but seeing that bit from the campaign was rather scary. I don’t like the possibilities created by tech like that being available to people going to such dark places.

Expand full comment

Excellent analogy and analysis. I’m going to envision Putin & Trump in a cage with bars, legal bars. I hope and pray those bars are strong enough to restrain them.

Expand full comment

That is perhaps one of the best nutshells I've read in a while. Thanks for the analogy.

Expand full comment

Agreed, an exceptionally lucid explanation from Our Lady of the Five A's.

(It's the space between the A's that shapes the name.)

Expand full comment

Double agreed.

Expand full comment

I fear the subject of asymmetric warfare, specifically the use of data to target specific voting groups, as the good professor taught us about the use in the 2016 election. My Instagram feed is full of black people trying influence other black people against the Democrats. In the previous classes I recall the professor speaking of thousands of fake profiles subverting the votes of black folks because of increased propensity to spread Kremlin messaging. The media completely ignores this.

Expand full comment

Thanks for the early holiday gift. Very much enjoyed reading in a kind of watching a horror movie way.

On another note, a suggestion for our bookclub. How about Barb McQuade's, Attack From Within (though it doesn't even come out until end of February)?

Expand full comment

were already afraid enough as it is

Expand full comment

Heard recently from a former Russian intelligence officer, who was pointing out how Putin plays the long game in hybrid-war. In Trump's case "Vladdy daddy" had been setting the subversion & destruction of America since his marriage to Ivanka's mom, now buried in the back golf course like a box of secret documents. That is when kgb/kremlin became involved, first in corruption/RICO offshore & real estate money laundering, then preparing the manchurian candidate malware agent for election subversion & violent overthrow. Everything about the 2016 election stinks of Putin, but it was Comey the gaping space which allowed the tiger to invade, with his forced laptop conspiracy only days before the election. Not only is the legal system unequipped & prepared for this hybrid & psycho-war but our media, our internet overlords, our politicians. What with Musk being Vladdy's lost stepchild, America is perhaps more vulnerable in 2024 than in 2016. Try singing "Imagine there's no Putin, it's not easy but we try, insane hell below us, above us unsecured sky"... also, Slava Ukraini 🌎💫💜 https://vote.org

Expand full comment

I fear the space between the bars has just gotten even wider. SCOTUS agrees to hear appeal that Smith's application of 'obstruction of an official proceeding' is a misuse of the way the law intended this provisio to be used.

Expand full comment

Yes, and the courts on trial as well as TFFG! This is their 2024!

Expand full comment

Brilliant, and I don't think I'm using the word loosely here.

Expand full comment

Very much so', let's hope democracy prevails...🫣

Expand full comment

Great analysis Asha.

Thank you.

Expand full comment

Here is what I don't understand, first premise, I believe Rex Tillerson had it right in describing Trump a "F-ing moron". Seconnd premise, multiple other agency heads echoed that same evaluation. The quandary is who is whispering to Trump what his next 3-dimensional chess move should be in the political arena? I cannot picture him as the human Velociraptor.

Expand full comment

Dearest Asha, I hope you are on the mend. But if you are not, let us help you please. I am very resourceful. Ok. Regarding the Zen Koan and I am not a lawyer, however in your last paragraph where you write (and I am paraphrasing) the cage’s bars are only as strong as as we (the lion) allow it to be, I thought this is the definition of Rule Of Law. You get it so well and you truly love the law. It’s beautiful to behold. The look on your face and the rising tone in your voice and speech when explaining something to us or engaging with your guests is lovely for me to see. You could be talking about engineering or mathematics it doesn’t matter. I would enjoy it. But as you’re all about the law. And the inter relationship between the law and National Security, it is so much better for me to hear you and see your. You’re fully engaged in it, with it. It’s your Alpha and Omega. And I love it. Please get well soon!!

Expand full comment

If the spaces become so wide as to unleash the kraken, and a trump dictatorship begins, I hope we will be in the streets general striking by the millions. The women of Norway just did that and shut the country down. The million pussy March comes to mind. As a group we need to refuse to participate in a system that is hosted by project 2025. I hope some leader will emerge who can organize something like a general strike if that happens.

Expand full comment

As you say, it requires strong commitment by our justice system to control the spaces. In 2024, with an upcoming election, we will get to see if our criminal justice apparatus has the mettle.... and if the Courts do as well. To make it even more difficult a large percentage of voters actually admires and likes Trump. When Trump is finally off the scene I suspect we will have more “Mini Trumps” for quite awhile. Kid Rock for president? 😳

Expand full comment

In too many instances the tigers get fed through those bars. We need to cut those supply lines now! Coddling criminals isn’t going to work!

Expand full comment