Must Read: The Digital Intelligence Complex

Commenter Cassander regularly recommends the famous Eisenhower "military industrial complex" speech--Ike's final speech as president--seeing this prescient speech as offering insight into the current plight of our constitutional order. Today Red State offers Eric Felten riffing off the Ike theme, in a article that was originally published by Real Clear Investigations:

Sixty Years After Eisenhower’s Warning, Signs of a ‘Digital-Intelligence Complex’

Critics of tech industry power and influence point out that Big Tech is now among the biggest employers of lobbyists, hiring primarily those who formerly worked for government.

The article is a dense case study of the close collaboration between, in particular, Amazon Web Services and the Intelligence Community--forming, it seems, a nearly seamless "Digital Intelligence Complex." We're all aware of this, but this case study method puts faces to what may seem like an almost impersonal development:

The synergy between Washington and Silicon Valley can be seen as the latest manifestation of the Beltway’s revolving door. But the size and scope of Big Tech—and the increasing dependence of government on its products and talent—suggest something more: the rise of a Digital-Intelligence Complex. Like the Military-Industrial Complex that President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned against in 1961, it represents a symbiotic relationship in which the lines between one and the other are blurred.

But It's not impersonal. In point of fact it's very personal. There are real people behind this development who are benefiting--bigly. Here are the final two paragraphs:

Moderate Dog? Manchurian Dog!

President Trump famously used to refer to the erstwhile "Maddog" Mattis as "Moderate Dog"--having, unfortunately, taken the measure of the man only after Mattis had been confirmed as SecDef. Now we learn that he's even worse--he's a shill for the Red Chinese. It's the Obama military. Via Don Surber:

Just the News reported, "In an online column denouncing President Trump's "America First" policy that includes measures regarding Beijing, ex-Defense Secretary James Mattis did not disclose his affiliation with an organization that fosters international business deals with communist China.

"As coauthor with three other writers in a Nov. 23 Foreign Affairs column, Mattis did not mention that he works for the The Cohen Group consulting firm. Nor did he challenge China's tough talk against U.S. policies regarding Taiwan, nor the strict economic retaliation Beijing levied against Australia.

"Instead, Mattis criticized Trump administration policies toward Beijing. Such policies, touted by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, are not in line with The Cohen Group's approach toward international business dealings with Beijing."

 There are, unfortunately, plenty more left like Mattis, still in the military.

 

More On Woodward's 'Moderate Dog' Story

Moderate Dog, of course, is Jim Mattis--disgraced former SecDef who went from Mad Dog to Moderate Dog when Trump found out Mattis was just another Deep State lackey (see here and here). Once Trump had taken Mattis' measure he was eager to dump him for someone who would advance Trump's policies, rather than act like Defense was a private empire. Predictably, GOP senators back Mattis, just like they backed Sessions at DoJ. Whatever. Trump got his way, and a good thing it was.

There's a good article at Red State, commenting on Bob Woodward's claim that James Mattis Contemplated Going “Seven Days in May” On President Trump. The thrust of the article is that, while Woodward's general narrative is "imminently [sic] believable," it contains some improbable details. For example, Mattis is said to have retired to Washington National Cathedral to pray, whereas is Mattis is reported to be Catholic. I'm agnostic on that. The author's larger point, however is that Woodward's narrative is Dan Coats' payback to Trump for his own richly deserved firing.

Beyond the who struck John stuff, however, the author offers some interesting commentary, about Trump and the Deep State. After running through the background--an excellent read, by the way--he reflects on Trump's entry to DC life: