Yesterday, along with many others, we took a look at the new regime's anti-union initiatives--or, more exactly, its anti unionized workers initiatives. These initiatives were part of Biden Inc.'s executive orders targeting the energy industry. Another executive order that will have a significant negative impact on unionized workers also came to light, but it will also have an impact on the security of our nation's critical infrastructure:
Biden Rescinds Trump Order Banning Chinese Communist Involvement In US Power Grid
Far be it from me to be cynical, but this almost looks like payback. Ask yourself: If you were Chairman Xi, what type of favor would you be asking Biden Inc. for, while hoping to keep it under the radar? To me, this would fit the bill.
An emailer sent me this analysis of the national security implications behind this EO. I will preface his analysis by adding that, in national security circles, it has long been known that China has been targeting our critical infrastructure, so it's not as if no one could have warned the new regime about this
:If I'm reading everything here right, Biden's new EO permits China to get back in the business of providing equipment for our primary power grid. That seems to include the massive transformers that the grid relies on at many critical points throughout the US.
In 2010, back when I was in the cyber-security business and keeping up with such things, a Chinese researcher published a paper (either in English, or quickly translated) addressing potential grid attacks in the US. Specifically, the paper proposed a new way of attacking the power grid in the western US.
Previous papers (that I had seen) all focused on the main (what I refer to as backbone) grid infrastructure; that part where one successful attack could take down the entire grid. Needless to say, that is also where defenders focus most of their attention.
This paper shows how attacking the peripheral components of the grid, those less heavily defended, can have the same effect. By taking down one of the least important components far removed from the backbone, some automatic switching takes place to route around the failed component, slightly increasing the load on nearby components. Do this to a few of the "unimportant" components on the fringe, with the effects "cascading" upwards toward the backbone, and you've just overloaded the main grid, and bad things happen without the main grid having been directly attacked.
The result is not just the inconvenience of no air conditioning for a while; it's the violent (probably explosive) loss of the massive transformers that makes the grid possible. These things are truly massive, and expensive, and difficult to transport from one place to another. More importantly, there are no extras hanging around waiting to be called in. And, it can take more than a year to manufacture one, and US annual manufacturing capacity is in the single digits (the last time I checked).
Now, imagine the US relying on China for some or all of these transformers. A little cyber attack, difficult or impossible to attribute to any one, takes down the grid, destroys several of these transformers, and China is just so very busy they can't be bothered to hurry up and provide replacements. Catastrophe is too mild a word for this.
From the paper:
[We] numerically obtain the estimate for the network robustness under two attacks. Some interesting and counterintuitive results are found in our cascading model, of which an interesting finding is that the attack on the nodes with the lowest loads is a more effective may (sic) to destroy the electrical power grid of the western United States due to cascading failures . . .
About the same time this was published (maybe 1 or 2 years before), a couple of PLA colonels published a paper describing how China should pursue a total war against the US. This war would be engaged for decades on economic, social, political, cyber, and other grounds before becoming a military war. I can't seem to lay my hands on it right now, but it was a very interesting paper and laid out pretty much the strategy the CCP appears to have been pursuing for quite some time.
Interestingly, Texas has its own grid, pretty much isolated from the US grid. And since Texas doesn't import much electrical power, it should be more or less unaffected. Until China starts paying attention to Texas (and they probably already are).When I think about what the uni-party is doing now, it's hard to come up with a rationale that isn't based on some evil strategy on their part.
Somebody translated this book by some Chinese Colonels into English and published it in book form.
ReplyDeleteUnrestricted Warfare: China's Master Plan to Destroy America
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1626543054
Yeah, attacks on the grid are plausible, but that may be Plan B.
ReplyDeleteAs for Plan A, numerous times on this board, I've speculated that the Dem brass are useful idiots for their ChiCom handlers, such that the latter can hope for these idiots to provoke the Deplorables into a civil war, which could quickly result in the US becoming a pimple on Chicom ass.
Right on cue, Joe gives China just what Michael Pillsbury said they are after (The Hundred-Year Marathon)… They have expressed belief that America relied far to much on cybertechnology in too many aspects of our lives. Including power. Someone should have had Joe read that before his mind went...
ReplyDeleteRay, China expert Pillsbury, who is fluent in Mandarin, has read many Chinese manuscripts and books - some very, very old. He finds the basis for what they are doing now in some of these old writings. He talks about them and quotes from them in his heavily footnoted book.
DeleteNothing in the book, or in ChiCom actions, exists outside the paradigms of warfare as set out by Sun Tsu 2500 years ago. von Clausawitz, Genesis Khan, Julius Ceasar, Napoleon would all recognize them. Neither technological or institutional innovations are more than superficial substitutes for wisdom and insight into human behavior.
DeleteTom S.
Thanks Bebe for the book recommendation, soon as I finish unrestricted warfare.
DeleteThe book was published in 2016, it would be interesting to get his view in what Trump did, Fang Fang, etc.
Clarification: I'm addressing the book, can't lay hands on the title just now, that came out of the essay written by the two Chicom officers in the '90's. They did expand it into book to the best of my recollection. In my comment at 5:28 I was not addressing the Pillsbury book, which I have not read but will defer to Bebe's opinion.
DeleteTom S.
"cybertechnology in too many aspects of our lives. Including power"
ReplyDeleteLike the internet of things. Why would I want my fridge on the internet? Or my thermostat? Or my furnace?
Our new LG dishwasher’s digital program can also be set via our smartphones. Nope. Buttons are just fine.
DeleteAccording to Pillsbury, the Chinese themselves believe we are too cyber-dependent. So many things that we don’t even think about. And then there is our military, our aircraft, naval craft, satellite systems, and on and on. The Chinese are fully aware of our Achilles heel(s) in that regard. And our vulnerability.
BTW, I am not a shill for Pillsbury, but having been very impressed with him when he has been a guest on Fox programs (Lou Dobbs and others), I decided to read his book. Probably the most plausible and scary book I have ever read. Too much of it rings big bells. And increases my belief that Joe may turn out to be the most dangerous president we have ever had.
@Bebe
DeleteIts a good thing you've read Pillsbury's book. But it really doesn't matter.
Maybe it would matter if all those mail-in 'voters' in Philadelphia and Detroit and Atlanta and Pittsburgh and Milwaukee also read Pillsbury's book.
If they could read.
Cass, although I realize what you’re talking about - some of ours that I see on forums are not the best and the brightest, and they all have votes - but there are others who haven’t time to even find out about a book, let alone read it. The MSM won’t recommend Pillsbury or his book. So I do it. We don’t have much of a conservative press. It’s up to us to spread important information and hope that some of it sticks. Otherwise we can just sit here, tapping away, talking to each other. Why not do both?
DeleteThe other option is to go Eeyore and give up.
Bebe -- My point is simpler. Millions of Dem voters will never inform themselves. They have just as much of a vote as you and anybody you persuade to inform themselves. I'm not saying give up. I'm saying its a feature. Cass
DeleteI don't think Biden's masters see China and US, or any other nation for that matter, as separate entities anymore. I call it the Globalist Oligarchy.
ReplyDeleteRight. That's because they're fundamentally stupid.
DeleteStupid, or bought.
DeleteOr, indoctrinated (as per George Harrison's song about "carrying posters of Chairman Mao".
I saw “Biden’s people” described somewhere today as being “blinkered”. President Trump still lives rent-free in their heads. Bashing him continues to be their comfort level. And most are not great minds. Even Biden’s press secretary Jen Psaki is as dumb as a post. And blinkered. She doesn’t know what she doesn’t know. Compare her to Kayleigh McEnany? No contest. And then e get into his “cabinet”. And Kamala. Pathetic.
DeleteWikipedia's article on the US power grid matches what I remember from graduate school. There's the East, West & Texas grids. Plus two isolated in Alaska, but they aren't part of the contiguous 48-states, so...
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced none of this is Sleepy Joe's thoughts or intentions but rather his Executive orders are from those who circle around him. I smell Obama and Clyburn but somehow we have to be able to follow the money trail.
ReplyDeleteHOT MIC: Biden Says ‘I Don’t Know What I’m Signing,’ Signs Executive Order Anyway
DeleteJoe is fine with anything that controls. An inadequate, rather insecure man, he has been cruel and controlling for decades.
DeleteI hafta say, I listened to that several times and didn't hear what I was supposed to hear.
DeleteI agree, Mark. It sounds more like, “I don’t know where to sign it.” And then, “Sign it here.”
DeleteWhen the reality is bad enough, I don’t get why people have to make sh%t up.
I’m waiting for his first presser. Him, not Jen Psaki. How long do you suppose we’ll have to wait? I believe that if it ever happens, it won’t go well. He will feel threatened if asked anything by Peter Doocy. His anger will flare. He’ll walk away.
ReplyDeleteI also believe that at some time, sooner or later, we’re going to hear leaks from the White House. The Residence. He’ll anger someone. They’ll take their revenge.
I looked at a video clip a while ago. Showed him taking his seat after his Big Day Speech. He almost dropped into his chair. Looked exhausted. Jill came down over his shoulder and appeared to be comforting him. He showed no reaction. How long can they wind him up and send him out there?
Will the SOTU speech be delegated to someone else? Or will something cause it to come out in print form. Or another of his videoed sessions?
All excellent questions I've been wondering about too. You saw that they put a lid on him pretending to be prez on Saturday?
DeleteMissed that yesterday, Mark.
DeleteHe has a tough act to follow, as they say in show biz. President Trump was very available. His is such a powerful personality. He presents as a confident man who knows what he wants, where he is going. Self-guided. In charge. And usually as a cheerful man, even under fire. He has enjoyed the combat. Joe exudes age beyond his years, weakness, noticeable dependence on Jill and family. They seem to shepherd him around. Insulate him. And effectively take the spotlight off him. How long can he/they get away with that?
Easy peasy. So sort of threat from wicked White Supremacist or fear of the ChiCom Croup will be more than adequate.
DeleteTom S.
I think Joe is fitted with an earpiece every time he is out in the public view - personally or on video.. That doesn't mean constant chatter in his ear, just someone to steer him where he needs to go when he strays. You an see when that actually fails, they move right in to separate him from whatever is encroaching on his space. No surprise, I know, but I can't see it working any other way with him.
DeleteSpeaking of family, Hunter is already overplaying it. Part of Joe’s going-to-church entourage today, he had the presidential caravan stopped on the way back to the White House, and went into a bagel shop to pick up bagels and coffee. “Look at me”… Not cool. But that’s Hunter.
ReplyDeleteActually, the susceptibility of the US power grid to peripheral attack was shown in striking fashion 10 years ago. The 2011 Southwest blackout. Fascinating summary in Wikipedia. In simplest terms, a technician accidently shut down ONE 500 kV powerline. Oooops! Turns out shunting electrical power on the grid is not easy peasy afterall. For several hours, there was NO electrical power from the grid in the San Diego-Tijuana area, southern Orange county, the Imperial Valley and parts of Arizona (other areas as well). I was living here at that time and I can tell you it was very scary. For hours, there was no information. No need to worry now with Slow Joe and his crew in charge! What could possibly go wrong? Neil in SD (with the lights on).
ReplyDeleteRight. We're much smarter now and we know that national security means starting wars around the globe rather than addressing concerns about mundane things like the power grid. After all, that's a problem that can be solved by outsourcing procurement, too.
DeleteBut wait, there's more: China 2 days in a row sending planes in Taiwan's airspace. https://www.foxnews.com/world/chinese-warplanes-enter-taiwan-airspace-days-after-biden-takes-office
ReplyDeleteThe good news is Harris/Biden will give the Xi no cause to strike as long as they feel secure in the saddle; and then it will be more of a request for assistance than "cause", after all they share a common enemy/victim/host - the American People.
ReplyDeleteTom S.