The Powerful Operating Cell Part II. A Third Strike Hits After L'Affairs Musk and Waltz Exposing National Security...

[liberalla]

The Powerful Operating Cell Part II. A Third Strike Hits After L’Affairs Musk and Waltz Exposing National Security Incoherence

Terrence Goggin
Mar 30, 2025
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ITS NOT OVER TILL THE FAT LADY SINGS; THE CELL’S THIRD STRIKE HIT THIS MORNING WITH A LEAK TO THE WASHINGTON POST; A SECRET STRATEGIC MEMO PRIORITIZING TAIWAN AND THE INDO PACIFIC AND “ACCEPTING RISK” IN ALL OTHER THEATERS INCLUDING EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST.

I. The Third Strike

This mornings Washington Post reveals the existence of a PENTAGON “SECRET STRATEGIC GUIDANCE / NO FOREIGN NATIONAL” Memorandum distributed throughout the Defense Department in mid March by Secretary Pete Hegseth. In brief the memo is an adaption of a Heritage Foundation 2024 report advocating a primary, if not sole focus, on the Indo-Pacific region and shift the defense structure to China from deterring Russia, Iran and North Korea. In short, according to the Post, “it calls for withdrawing from a presence in most of the world.” At the same time the Administration, far from withdrawing, decided to go to war with the Houthis in Yemen, hardly a strategy of withdrawal.

II. The Political Context

Now what’s important here is not the substance of the Memorandum, which is mildly shocking, but that it was leaked for publication in the Washington Post the Sunday before the Tuesday of the crucial Special Congressional elections in CD 1 & 6 in Florida and for the swing Judicial Seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, all on April 1,2025. Why is that leak a political strike. Because, coming within days of the other two major leaks it depicts the Administration in confusion with contradictory instructions to the Joint Chiefs and Pentagon Leadership.

In terms of the timing , the Florida Districts, heavily Republican, are particularly sensitive to defense policy because they have a heavy percentage of veterans and accommodate military bases and military and civilian defense personnel. Apparent disarray and confusion is the type of issue that will erode the Republican turnout and margin. It would be an unlikely political shock for the Republicans to lose one or both seats and the Wisconsin Judicial seat, but just reducing the margin from the 30% Trump achieved in the CDs in November to say 10% would communicate a nasty tsunami coming. Any State or District with less than a 20% plus margin for Republicans would be in play in 2025. It would crack the Trump image of invulnerability and reverse it to one of being an anchor . Politicians are touchy about losing their jobs. If Trump becomes the proverbial “damaged goods” leader, his votes in Congress will think twice about towing the President’s line. This is a developing story that deserves a more in depth analysis after Tuesday. But it shows a strategic mind directing the three politically catastrophic Pentagon leaks. Exposing ongoing Defense incompetence has a tendency to create fear in voters. And they tend to attack and vote against whatever is causing that fear. More to come.

III. Back to the First and Second Strike, L’Affaire Musk and L’Affair Waltz.

I have added this Part II. of the THE POWERFUL OPERATING CELL series in order to cover not only immediate breaking news but to go into more granular detail of a “Deep Throat 2.0 at work in the National Security Establishment.

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https://thewestpointhistoryprofessor.substack.com/p/the-powerful-operating-cell-part



The above is a follow-up to Part One: A powerful cell is operating : The Leak To The Atlantic Was No Accident. Deep Throat 2.0 Exists

See part one here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100220190340

[LudwigPastorius]

1. Is the leak of what is basically a think tank paper available on the internet evidence of a "powerful operating cell"?

https://www.heritage.org/sites/default/files/2024-10/SR296.pdf

Narrator's Voice: "No, it is not."

I think Mr. Goggin is engaging in wishful thinking.

[stopdiggin]

4. thank you.

this is one guy - - with an idea. Trying very hard to build it out into a theory.

It might be interesting ... But that's about all it is for right now.

[SheltieLover]

2. Kick

Ty!

[flamingdem]

3. Sounds like a B.F.D.

Someone, many in the Pentagon trying to sink Hegseth also?

[ReRe]

5. I don't trust this guy. n/t

[Clouds Passing]

6. Thanks for posting liberalla 😁