Diplomacy & Crisis News

Rachel Bucchino

Stimulus Scam,

A pair of Indonesian hackers were arrested last month after stealing $60 million from pandemic aid, money set aside by the federal government that served to help Americans struggling in financial turmoil due to the pandemic.

A pair of Indonesian hackers were arrested last month after stealing $60 million from pandemic aid, money set aside by the federal government that served to help Americans struggling in financial turmoil due to the pandemic.

More than 20 million Americans received text messages that directed them to several fraud U.S. government websites, authorities in the Southeast Asian nation said.

Recipients of the messages entered personal information, including social security numbers, to the websites to obtain a $2,000 payment from an unemployment assistance program. 

But the information was, instead, used to steal millions of dollars worth of pandemic relief.

“Some 30,000 U.S. citizens were scammed and the government's financial loss is up to $60 million,” East Java police chief Nico Afinta told CBS News.

The duo behind the international scam was arrested in March after the police were alerted by U.S. authorities. The pair could get up to nine years in prison under the nation’s electronic information law.

Police in Indonesia didn’t note the duration of the scam.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also uncovered that Americans have already lost more than $300 million in stimulus scams from the first and second rounds of coronavirus relief, a figure that’s likely to be larger as the third stimulus payments start reaching the pockets of Americans.

The FTC says it’s very common for scammers to use people’s personal information to get access to federal aid.

Experts have pointed out that scammers can easily obtain a person’s date of birth, workplace, family history, past addresses, email, and phone, just by purchasing the data from a data broker for a small fee. With this type of information, scammers can convince government agency workers that they are, in fact, legitimate, enabling them to steal the stimulus payment.

Other methods include scammers making unsolicited phone calls, as well as sending emails, texts, or social media messages, where scammers claim to be the Internal Revenue Service or another government agency and ask for credit card information. The IRS and Treasury Department, however, never ask people for that information.

Scammers have also pressured recipients into thinking that a purchase is required to receive a direct payment, and have also even used high-pressure tactics, offered expedited delivery of the payment for a fee, and threatened loss of the money if there isn’t immediate action.

Experts have encouraged Americans to be cautious in trusting others with banking information, as they could be associated with a massive stimulus scam.

Rachel Bucchino is a reporter at the National Interest. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and The Hill.

Rachel Bucchino

Donald Trump 2024, Americas

Donald Trump was suspended from Facebook and banned from Twitter after the riot at the U.S. Capitol building in January, which is when the former president is believed to have incited violence among his followers.

If former President Donald Trump decides to pursue the White House for a third time in 2024, then he’ll likely have to launch a presidential campaign without access to his digital sidekicks—Facebook and Twitter. 

Facebook’s oversight board ruled last week that Trump would remain suspended from the platform for the foreseeable future and executives are reportedly mulling over whether to make the measure on the former president permanent.  

But Twitter took it one step further. The company’s chief financial officer, Ned Segal, confirmed to CNBC in February that Trump is officially banned from Twitter. 

“The way our policies work, when you’re removed from the platform, you’re removed from the platform whether you are a commentator, a CFO, or you are a former or public official,” Segal said. 

The rulings by the major social media platforms puts the Republican Party’s kingpin in a tough spot to reach voters in 2024—a reality that already has GOP lawmakers and operatives feeling “panicked.” And Trump, who still holds an iron-like grip over the party for his commitment to shifting both congressional chambers red in the 2022 midterm elections, would have to ignite a potential White House run without access to Facebook’s massive fundraising abilities.

“This is a huge decision, makes it infinitely harder for him to raise money,” a source close to Trump told Politico. “Facebook was the main way he raised money. He’s now going to have to spend far more in the future to find other ways to raise money. . . . It was the main way he found donors.” 

But the former president’s immediate response to the news didn’t indicate that he was concerned over the financial implications of being banned or temporarily suspended, though he did appear fearful over how he could rally support from voters without the ability to digitally communicate with them.  

While Trump and other GOP lawmakers have expressed concern over the former president being blacklisted from Twitter and potentially Facebook, some Republicans said that Trump still has vast financial and political resources even without access to the two biggest social media platforms. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich argued that the Facebook ruling would allow Trump to be seen as a tech “martyr.” 

And some GOP groups, like the National Republican Senatorial Committee, have already taken advantage of the news, as the group launched a Facebook ad with the headline, “Big Tech Is Out Of Control.” The ad upholds Trump’s significance over the party, while also attempting to reach voters and draw in donors on a platform that the former president has no access to. 

But with a rumored presidential primary playing field that has nearly a dozen GOP candidates, the social media ban and suspension could be damaging to Trump’s potential 2024 White House bid. 

“It makes it more difficult for him and it gives everyone from Tim Scott to Nikki Haley to Mike Pompeo to Ted Cruz the ability to go out and begin to win over the Trump donors and voters that exist in a vacuum that Trump is not filling,” a top GOP operative told Politico. 

Trump’s suspension from Facebook and Twitter ban came after the Capitol riots in January, which is when the former president was pressed for his involvement in inciting the violence among his MAGA following.

Trump has been looking into launching his own social media platform or using alternative outlets to connect virtually with voters, but the Trump operation has not committed to one publicly. A source close to Trump said the team was depending on getting back onto Facebook to reach his following. 

Prior to the decisions by the social media giants, Trump held the third-largest political following on Facebook with over 32 million followers and nearly 88.7 million followers on Twitter. 

Rachel Bucchino is a reporter at the National Interest. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and The Hill. 

Image: Reuters.

Peter Suciu

Taxes, Americas

For those who know they owe money, a better solution is to file and set up a payment plan, make an “offer in compromise” or even request a temporary collection delay.

Sometimes you just can't meet deadlines, including the one for the federal income tax. While the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has already extended the normal deadline from April 15 to May 17, some people will still need a bit more time. This year you can file for an extension request using IRS Form 4868, which gives you additional time to file your personal tax return.

There are several pros and cons to consider.

In most cases, the extension request will be honored automatically and you don't even have to explain a reason with the IRS for why you need an extension. Instead, just fill out the form—but be sure to double-check important details such as Social Security number and other data. It is erroneous information that results in the rare extension rejection.

By filing for an extension you'll have until Oct. 15 to file your return. This will give those who have been unable to prepare their tax return a little extra breathing room. When it comes to taxes it is always better to be correct and accurate than early.

So if you've suffered an illness, been in an accident or had to deal with lost records from a computer crash it can be best to file an extension to reduce the need to rush. You can also avoid any late filing fees by filing an extension. Victims of some winter storms in the south have already had their filings extended—and that includes residents in Alabama, Kentucky, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

However, the extra time doesn't always work for some people and just causes more time to stress, and if you're waiting for a return, it won't come until after you file. If you need the money, then you need to file as soon as you can.

Likewise, if you know that you owe, filing an extension is certainly not going to make the problem go away and even delaying it won't help the situation. The extension is only for filing your tax return, not for paying the taxes you owe. If you fail to pay by the original deadline, the IRS will charge you interest on the unpaid balance and can even add-on penalties for paying late.

For those who know they owe money, a better solution is to file and set up a payment plan, make an “offer in compromise” or even request a temporary collection delay.

“An extension of time to file your return does not grant you any extension of time to pay your taxes, according to the IRS. “You should estimate and pay any owed taxes by your regular deadline to help avoid possible penalties. You must file your extension request no later than the regular due date of your return.”

However, the IRS has provided a “Free File” to electronically request an automatic tax-filing extension, which gives you until Oct. 15 to file a return. To receive the extension, you will need to estimate your tax liability on the form and also pay any amount due.

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He regularly writes about military small arms, and is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com.

Image: Reuters

Stephen Silver

Gas Price Spike,

Earlier this week, following the cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline, exports worked that spikes in gas prices could be on the way. Now, it appears that’s exactly what has happened.

Earlier this week, following the cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline, experts warned that spikes in gas prices could be on the way. Now, it appears that’s exactly what has happened.

Per WSB, the prices have already begun to rise in the Atlanta area, frustrating local motorists. Florida, per WJCT, also saw gas prices rise 10 cents in just a week. And the Lexington Herald Leader reported that the Lexington, Kentucky, area, had posted the second-largest gas price increase in the United States. North Carolina has declared a state of emergency related to the gas issue.

Once the ransomware attack shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which experts described as the nation’s most important, experts declared that disruption of supply, and ultimately higher gas prices, was likely in the near future unless the pipeline was back online quickly. Also, it was expected that the Southeast would see prices rise first.

“At this time, our primary focus is the safe and efficient restoration of our service and our efforts to return to normal operation,” Colonial Pipeline said in a statement immediately following the recognition of the attack.

“This process is already underway, and we are working diligently to address this matter and to minimize disruption to our customers and those who rely on Colonial Pipeline.”

The Russian ransomware group known as Darkside has claimed responsibility for the hack, while claiming their only motivation is money and that they are not political actors. The FBI also considers them responsible for the attack.

“Our goal is to make money, and not creating problems for society. From today we introduce moderation and check each company that our partners want to encrypt to avoid social consequences in the future,” the group said on its website, according to NBC News.

Until now, gasoline had stayed below an average price of $3 a gallon for most of the year so far.

The White House, Tuesday night, released a fact sheet touting what it called “an All-of-Government Effort to Address Colonial Pipeline Incident.”

“The Administration is focused on avoiding potential energy supply disruptions to impacted communities, the U.S. military, and other facilities reliant on gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other refined petroleum products. The Administration is continually assessing the pipeline shutdown’s impact on the U.S. fuel supply, as well as what additional actions are available to mitigate the impact of the pipeline’s shutdown,” the White House said.

That has included the establishment of an interagency response group, while also establishing “a targeted, one-week waiver allowing multiple states to temporarily use noncompliant fuel in an effort to boost available supply.” The White House also vowed to secure “critical infrastructure,” in the wake of the ransomware attack.

Stephen Silver, a technology writer for The National Interest, is a journalist, essayist and film critic, who is also a contributor to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philly Voice, Philadelphia Weekly, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Living Life Fearless, Backstage magazine, Broad Street Review and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @StephenSilver.

Ethen Kim Lieser

Stimulus Theft,

Amid the ongoing pandemic, it appears that greed and desperation are pushing people to steal—even from highly vulnerable senior citizens.

Amid the ongoing pandemic, it appears that greed and desperation are pushing people to steal—even from highly vulnerable senior citizens.

Two people in Ohio are facing charges after police say they stole a home and other funds, including a coronavirus stimulus check, from an elderly woman. They are accused of deceiving the victim into signing over a quitclaim deed to her residence and then placing her into a nursing home.

According to the mortgage lending company Quicken Loans, a “quitclaim deed can be one of the simplest methods of transferring a property to a new owner. In other words, the property owner (also known as the grantor) can offer this type of deed and transfer the entire interest in the property to the recipient, or the grantee. Generally, no money is involved in this transaction, there’s no need for title insurance and no title search is conducted to verify the property owner.”

Throughout the disbursement of three rounds of stimulus funds, these types of criminal activities have occurred regularly. In a more extreme example, an Indianapolis man in March fatally shot four people after he and his girlfriend argued because he wanted a share of her stimulus payment, according to a court document.

Although there might be that temptation to try to deposit a stimulus check that is under a different name, the law office of Stechschulte Nell says that one should always be aware of the consequences.

“If you have tried to deposit a dead or fraudulent COVID-19 stimulus check you may be charged with a federal crime such as bank fraud, mail fraud, or wire fraud. All of these are serious crimes, with long sentences of imprisonment or large fines,” writes the law office.

“In some cases people have been defrauded of their stimulus check, and when they try to deposit what they think is their real money, they may find that they have been a victim of a scam. Even though they are the victim, they may nonetheless be charged with a crime. Regardless of why you have been charged with fraud, you need to contact an attorney as soon as possible,” it added.

Stechschulte Nell added that sizeable fines and even possible imprisonment that could span decades await those who commit check fraud.

“There are serious consequences for committing check fraud. This can include a fine of up to $1 million, or you can be imprisoned for up to thirty years (or both),” it said.

“If you have been charged with depositing a dead or fraudulent COVID-19 stimulus check, this may be one of the charges you are faced with.”

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Minneapolis-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek, and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn.

Eli Fuhrman

Tax Refund, Stimulus Payments,

The IRS is facing a major backlog of unprocessed tax returns as it struggles to manage a number of demanding tasks.

Here's What You Need to Remember: Contributing to IRS delays is the agency’s role in distributing the third-round of direct federal stimulus payments. To date, the IRS has sent out 164 million payments worth $386 billion.

The IRS is facing a major backlog of unprocessed tax returns as it struggles to manage a number of demanding tasks. In addition to processing recently filed 2020 tax returns, the IRS also finds itself faced with unprocessed 2019 tax returns and the added mission of distributing the third-round of direct federal stimulus payments. The result has been a delay for many people in receiving their 2020 tax refunds.

This year’s tax season is proving to be particularly daunting for the IRS. The IRS is now reportedly in possession of nearly 31 million returns for manual processing ahead of the May 17 tax deadline, an increase of 2 million from just a few weeks ago in mid-April. The problem will likely get worse, with 121 million returns filled out so far out of the expected total of 160 million.

Part of the problem that the IRS is facing is that it is still working through some returns from last year. The IRS is still working through some 2.4 million unprocessed 2019 tax returns. These returns remain unprocessed because of the IRS’ three-month shut down of its tax processing centers last spring as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The IRS has been playing catch up ever since, and was further hindered by the fact that even after they reopened, many tax processing centers were not operating at full capacity because of social distancing requirements. The IRS is also processing returns at a slower rate this year, with the number of returns processed down 16%.

But it is not just last year’s returns that are tripping up the IRS. This year’s returns are particularly significant, with a number of valuable COVID-relief measures tied to 2020 tax returns. Working through these added credits and rebates and determining eligibility for them is likely contributing to delays, with two measures in particular causing a slowdown. Both the recovery rebate credit and the earned income tax credit require extra verification of information, which means it will take the IRS longer to process returns in which people are claiming on or both credits. The recovery rebate credit allows people who did not receive all the money they were eligible for during the first two rounds of stimulus payments to claim the money on their 2020 tax return, while the earned income tax credit is designed to benefit people with lower incomes.

Also contributing to IRS delays is the agency’s role in distributing the third-round of direct federal stimulus payments. To date, the IRS has sent out 164 million payments worth $386 billion. Many of the payments that still need to be made are to those people eligible for what the IRS calls “plus-up” payments, or supplemental payments sent to people whose 2020 tax returns indicate that they are eligible for larger stimulus payments.

Eli Fuhrman is a contributing writer for The National Interest. This article first appeared earlier this year.

Image: Reuters.

Trevor Filseth

Stimulus Payments,

Not all Democrats are in favor of the proposals

Here's What You Need to Remember: All of these things remain progressive priorities, and Biden will likely try to address them later in his term. However, it is crucial to remember that, even in its restricted form, the American Families Plan’s goals are simply ambitions. And the plan is not likely to pass Congress, at least not without significant alterations.

Within two months of the signing of the “American Rescue Plan” – the new administration’s initial $2 trillion COVID-19 relief bill – President Joe Biden has already set his sights on bigger things. Last Wednesday, on the eve of his hundredth day in office, he announced two new spending plans – the “American Jobs Plan,” which would focus on creating new jobs, and the “American Families Plan,” which would focus on alleviating poverty and placing money directly into American families’ hands.

Of the two plans, the second is far broader in its ambitions – it contains a long checklist of welfare programs, including free community college, universal pre-K education, an expansion of the Child Tax Credit, and subsidized childcare.

Here’s what it left out.

Student Loan Forgiveness. Student loan debt in the United States hovers at around $1.7 trillion, with the average loan size at approximately $30,000 – making student loan debt a larger problem than auto loans and credit card debt. One of Biden’s campaign proposals involved cancelling $10,000 in debt for all students. Other progressive sources have proposed higher numbers.

However, it is unclear if the President actually has the authority to unilaterally cancel the debt with the stroke of a pen. There is also the matter of how to compensate the creditors, who would either stand to lose billions of dollars overnight or else be compensated through taxpayer money.

A $15 Per Hour Minimum Wage. In recent years, the issue of a $15 per hour minimum wage has pushed to the forefront of – in part due to the influence of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign. The measure has been enacted locally in a number of local areas, and Biden passed an executive order mandating a $15 per hour minimum wage for federal contractors. However, not all Democrats are in favor of the proposal; some, including Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), favor a lower, $11 per hour proposal.

A Fourth Stimulus Check. Speculation has surrounded the idea of a fourth stimulus check, with many Democrats in favor of recurring payments for the duration of the pandemic. However, Biden did not address this idea in his speech on Wednesday night.

All of these things remain progressive priorities, and Biden will likely try to address them later in his term. However, it is crucial to remember that, even in its restricted form, the American Families Plan’s goals are simply ambitions. And the plan is not likely to pass Congress, at least not without significant alterations. It is unclear if all fifty Senate Democrats support the measure. Even if they did, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was quoted as saying that Senate Republicans were “100 percent committed” to fighting Biden’s agenda, suggesting that the plan would not be able to pass without filibuster reform.

In reality, though, if Congressional horse-trading works the way it has always worked, McConnell’s “100 percent” opposition will probably translate to a smaller plan with fewer benefits – but also one that is less likely to break the bank.

Trevor Filseth is a news reporter and writer for the National Interest. This article first appeared earlier this year.

Image: Reuters.

Caleb Larson

Drones, Middle East

Back in the day, drones were more likely to fly without an escort than they are now, and this incident is why.

Here's What You Need to Remember: Yes, the F-35 Lightning II program has been plagued by cost overruns, production setbacks, and tech hick-ups. The F-22 Raptor is far from perfect. Still, these two incidents demonstrate that stealth platforms, despite the teething issues they’ve had, provide a valuable capability that is worth the investment.

Way back in 2012, an American General Atomics MQ-1, typically called “Predator” was flying in international airspace, approximately 16 miles from Iran’s coast and conducting surveillance (Iran also flies a Predator knock-off).

Back in those days, drones were more likely to fly without an escort than they are now, and this incident is why.

Two Iranian jets were scrambled and attempted to intercept and shoot down the drone. Using onboard guns, both jets opened fire on the Predator. Although the Iranian pilots conducted several passes, both were unable to hit the drone. The drone was able to return to base untouched.

American officials were subsequently able to identify the aircraft that attempted the intercept. Both were Su-25 Frogfoot bombers, essentially flying tanks. Oddly enough, the Su-25 Frogfoot (yet another example of how heavily Iran leans on foreign tech, particularly for their airframes) is not typically used as an interceptor, but rather for close air support or as a bomber.

In these roles, Su-25 pilots would be unlikely to be particularly efficient air-to-air gunners, having in all likelihood trained on stationary, ground-based targets.

Likely as a consequence of this incident, Predator drones would later fly with a fighter escort, either F-22 or F-18 Hornets. Although this would, in theory, make the drone more easily identifiable to ground-based radar, the extra firepower was deemed necessary.

Another Day, Another . . . Bomber?

Just a year later, another QM-1 Predator was flying on some sort of intelligence-gathering mission near Iran. This time, it came with an escort.

During the mission, two IRIAF (Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force) F-4 Phantoms were scrambled to interdict the drone, apparently unaware that this Predator was accompanied by a lone F-22 Raptor, likely one of the stealthiest aircraft in the world.

The F-22 was able to maneuver Top Gun-like underneath one of the F-4 Phantoms, according to reports,

“He [the Raptor pilot] flew under their aircraft [the F-4s] to check out their weapons load without them knowing that he was there, and then pulled up on their left wing and then called them and said ‘you really ought to go home.’” How embarrassing.

Stealth Is King

Yes, the F-35 Lightning II program has been plagued by cost overruns, production setbacks, and tech hick-ups. The F-22 Raptor is far from perfect. Still, these two incidents demonstrate that stealth platforms, despite the teething issues they’ve had, provide a valuable capability that is worth the investment.

Caleb Larson is a defense writer for the National Interest. He holds a Master of Public Policy and covers U.S. and Russian security, European defense issues, and German politics and culture.

Image: Reuters

Rachel Bucchino

Student Loan Debt,

The president’s $1.8 trillion American Families Plan, however, calls for free community college and invests more than $300 billion in expenditures toward higher education.

Here's What You Need to Remember: In the meantime, the White House has provided federal student loan borrowers with a forbearance program, with the interest set at zero percent. That means the borrowed amount will not grow during this time, but the program expires Sept. 30, 2021.

President Joe Biden addressed a joint session of Congress last week for the first time, where he called on Democrats and Republicans to pass his ambitious proposals that inject federal funds into infrastructure and a number of family-related policies. Since then, the president, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other key players in the infrastructure and jobs fight have been traveling across the country in efforts to sell the administration’s big-spending plans.

But the efforts omit a massive promise that Biden echoed on his presidential campaign trail—whether the administration will forgive student loans for federal borrowers.

The president’s $1.8 trillion American Families Plan, however, calls for free community college and invests more than $300 billion in expenditures toward higher education. Biden has also previously asked Education Secretary Miguel Cardona to put together a memo on the president’s “legal authority” to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loan debt through executive order, which wouldn’t require Congress’ approval, but the administration has reportedly not completed its review of the president’s legal authorities.

And while student loan borrowers and advocacy groups await the administration’s findings and Biden’s ultimate decision, lawmakers have ramped up efforts to implement a massive student loan forgiveness measure.

At a Senate subcommittee hearing last month on student debt, the subcommittee’s chair, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), opened the meeting with a striking statistic—36 million out of the 43 million federal student loan borrowers, or 84 percent, would have all of their debt cancelled if the president cut $50,000 in loans per borrower.

A number of congressional Democrats, including Warren, have continuously pressured the White House to unilaterally forgive $50,000 in federal student loans per borrower through the Higher Education Act, a measure that Biden rejected at a town hall event in January. Instead, he’s expressed support for a $10,000 cancellation.

The White House also found itself under seething pressure recently after 416 community and professional organizations signed a letter to Biden, pushing him to eradicate student debt. The letter was first sent in November and then again in January, which has been updated with 85 additional signatures.

“During the campaign, you endorsed $10,000 of relief while Congress negotiated the CARES Act, and subsequently promised to provide broad student debt cancellation ‘immediately’ as a coronavirus response. Administrative debt cancellation will deliver real progress on your racial equity, economic recovery, and COVID-19 relief campaign priorities,” the groups wrote. Signers include the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), American Federation of Teachers, the National Domestic Violence Hotline and the Sunrise Movement.

“Cancelling student debt would disproportionately help borrowers of color, respond to the coronavirus crisis, and provide much needed economic relief and stimulus. We call on you to deliver on the promise of the Biden-Harris Racial Economic Equity plan by cancelling federal student debt by executive action immediately,” they added.

In the meantime, the White House has provided federal student loan borrowers with a forbearance program, with the interest set at zero percent. That means the borrowed amount will not grow during this time, but the program expires Sept. 30, 2021.

The Education Department also cut student debt for borrowers who were defrauded by their colleges, as well as those with total and permanent disabilities.

But even with these major measures in place, Biden has still failed to resurface his campaign promise to cancel some form of student debt for federal borrowers.

Rachel Bucchino is a reporter at the National Interest. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report and The Hill. This article first appeared earlier this year.

Image: Reuters.

Caleb Larson

U.S. Navy,

It's trying, but there are a couple of obstacles to overcome.

Here's What You Need to Remember: If a workable design is created, this solar energy gatherer could harvest enormous amounts of energy, at much greater efficiency than Earth-side solar arrays.

In a recent press release, the Department of Defense explained the United States Space Force will be using the X-37B reusable space plane in the future for conducting experiments in space. The report detailed a rather bland experiment involving the effects of radiation from space on seeds—not exactly an attention-grabber.

It then casually and quietly mentioned how the Naval Research Laboratory is planning to harvest the sun’s energy for use on Earth. “A third experiment, designed by the Naval Research Laboratory, transforms solar power into radiofrequency microwave energy, then studies transmitting that energy to Earth,” the press release said.

Essentially the X-37B will carry an array of solar panels that can be deployed once the space plane is in orbit around the Earth. Once stretched out, these panels could gather solar energy from the Sun and send it back down to Earth.

High in the Sky

If a workable design is created, this solar energy gatherer could harvest enormous amounts of energy, at much greater efficiency than Earth-side solar arrays. The anticipated jump in efficiency would be thanks to the conditions in space—cloud cover wouldn’t be a problem and dust would likely cover the panels only very lightly, if at all. 

Harvested solar energy would then be beamed back to Earth in the form of microwaves. Microwaves could be used to power a variety of equipment, possibly even onto any location on Earth. The energy harvesting system could be used to provide emergency power to crisis-stricken areas—and there is also a military application, of course.

Troops at remote outposts or inaccessible locations could in theory be provided with a powerful, unlimited supply of energy. With an effective delivery system, it may have the potential to virtually eliminate some types of energy supply lines, like fuel for trucks, tanks, or other vehicles.

Additionally, solar energy could also be used to power objects in orbit, like space stations, space aircraft, or even other satellites. 

Challenges

There are a couple of obstacles to overcome though. Dr. Paul Jaffe, an aerospace engineer with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory explained that one of the non-material difficulties is simple physics—it is expensive to launch things into space. And the heavier an object is, the more propellant it needs to get airborne, and the bigger the price tag gets. In order to keep weight to a minimum, internal components would need to be made as small and light as possible, itself not an easy engineering feat.

The other issue is not specific to the solar harvesting concept, but to all satellites in general. Once aloft, satellites orbit the Earth at incredible speeds. Getting them into a different orbit for directing energy elsewhere on Earth is challenging. It remains to be seen if this project will be feasible, costs and technical difficulties aside.

Caleb Larson holds a Master of Public Policy degree from the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy. He lives in Berlin and writes on U.S. and Russian foreign and defense policy, German politics, and culture.

Image: Flickr

Caleb Larson

Fighter Jets, Middle East

Stealth is something that Iran just doesn’t do. In fact, capable and domestically-produced military planes are also something they don’t do.

Here's What You Need to Remember: Iran has a long history of claiming old (and foreign) platforms are totally new and 100 percent domestically manufactured.

Back in 2014, photos surfaced of a new subsonic combat trainer/light attack aircraft that, predictably, Iran claimed was domestically produced. A close look shows an airframe that is very much similar to Russia’s produced Yakovlev Yak-130, a light attack training jet developed in conjunction with an Italian firm.

According to The Aviationist, both the Yak-130 and the Shafaq have an “almost identical front section and large LERX (Leading Edge Root Extensions).” The missiles that were photographed on the mock-up jet’s hardpoints were “fake AGM-65 Maverick and AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles.”

Russian Trainer

Since there is limited information on the HESA Shafaq, its likely parent airframe—the Yak-130—can be used to estimate the Shafaq’s capabilities.

Though it is subsonic, the Yak-130 can perform in recon and light attack roles, Despite having had some success being exported abroad, several notable accidents have raised questions about the Yak-130’s reliability and airworthiness.

The Yak-130 has nine hardpoints with which ordinance or fuel tanks can be attached, two hardpoints are on the wingtips, one is the underbelly, and six are underwing hardpoints, for a total combat load of about three thousand kilos or around sixty-six hundred pounds.

Being a subsonic aircraft, the Yak-130’s capabilities are modest. Maximum airspeed is just below Mach 1, and the reported service ceiling is 12,500 meters or about 41,000 feet.

Although the Yak-130 is not in any way a stealth aircraft, the Shafaq is claimed to have stealth characteristics. Any degree of stealth would likely be achieved not by the airframe shape, but by radar-absorbent materials on the outside of the airframe.

Despite the obvious limitations inherent in the airframe, there has been speculation that the Yak-130 could give NATO a run for its money under certain circumstances.

Yet Another Imitation

Iran has a long history of claiming old (and foreign) platforms are totally new and 100 percent domestically manufactured. The Karrar Main Battle Tank may have some improvements but is essentially either a modified T-72 or T-90 tank with some modern components. The Azarakhsh, Saeqeh, and Kowsar jet fighters are only slightly modified American F-5 light attack jets from the mid- to late-1950s. It is even suspected that their premier fast-attack boat is a copy of an award-winning British speedboat.

Stealth is something that Iran just doesn’t do. In fact, capable and domestically-produced military planes are also something they don’t do.

Is the Shafaq a truly new creation? That’s extremely unlikely. Is it stealthy? Also unlikely. Chances are the Shafaq charade is a rebadged Russian Yak-130. Still, if it could ever enter serial production, it could be a decent trainer airframe.

Caleb Larson is a Defense Writer with The National Interest. He holds a Master of Public Policy and covers U.S. and Russian security, European defense issues, and German politics and culture. 

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Ethen Kim Lieser

Stimulus Payments,

The number of checks sent out now represents more than 85 percent of the $450 billion total earmarked for stimulus funds.

Here's What You Need to Remember: The fastest way to get a stimulus check, though, is still via direct deposit, which requires one to have an open bank account. Considering that, the IRS has been encouraging individuals to set up a free account at a local bank.

The Internal Revenue Service has confirmed in its latest press release that approximately one hundred sixty-four million $1,400 coronavirus stimulus checks, with a total value of $386 billion, have been disbursed to date under the American Rescue Plan.

The number of checks sent out now represents more than 85 percent of the $450 billion total earmarked for stimulus funds.

Despite this success to help millions of cash-strapped Americans amid the ongoing pandemic, the IRS is also keenly aware that there are certain eligible individuals who do not have a permanent address or an open bank account.

To date, most of the stimulus payments have been disbursed automatically—either via direct deposits, paper checks, or prepaid debit cards. So, without a home or a bank account, it makes the IRS’ job that much more difficult to get the stimulus money into the hands that need it the most.

Know that this is precisely the reason why the agency developed and launched a non-filers tool last year for the first round of stimulus checks—but, unfortunately, that particular tool is no longer active. Currently, the best option is to take the necessary time and file a tax return, even if there was no income earned in 2020. According to the IRS, this is considered the fastest way to garner the necessary information to disburse the funds as quickly as possible.

There is also a way to claim either or both of the missing first two stimulus checks. The IRS has reminded those affected that for this tax season—which has been extended to May 17—a handy Recovery Rebate Credit has been added to all returns, so that people in this situation can eventually get their hands on the overdue payments.

The IRS website says that “if you didn’t get any payments or got less than the full amounts, you may qualify for the Recovery Rebate Credit and must file a 2020 tax return to claim the credit even if you don’t normally file.”

It adds: “People do not need a permanent address or a bank account. They don’t need to have a job. For eligible individuals, the IRS will still issue the payment even if they haven’t filed a tax return in years.”

The agency noted that these individuals may put the address of a friend or a relative to receive the funds, adding that an address of a shelter or a drop-in day center is also acceptable.

The fastest way to get a stimulus check, though, is still via direct deposit, which requires one to have an open bank account. Considering that, the IRS has been encouraging individuals to set up a free account at a local bank. To offer even more assistance, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has launched a campaign that has already identified more than seventy banks and credit unions that are offering free or low-cost accounts.

Approximately seven million U.S. households do not have a bank account, according to the FDIC. 

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Minneapolis-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek, and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn. This article first appeared earlier this year.

Image: Reuters.

Accédez à l’article de Charles Sellen ici.

Retrouvez le sommaire du numéro 1/2021 de Politique étrangère ici.

Ethen Kim Lieser

$1400 Stimulus Payments,

Despite the fact that roughly 85 percent of all stimulus checks now have been disbursed, there are still plenty of reports suggesting that many U.S. taxpayers haven’t seen the funds that they are entitled to.

Here's What You Need to Remember: To request a trace, first call the IRS at 800-919-9835 or mail or fax a completed Form 3911, “Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund.” If the trace request was done over the phone, then one no longer has to fill out Form 3911.

According to their most up-to-date press release, the Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department have announced that 1.1 million more $1,400 coronavirus stimulus checks worth $2 billion have been issued as part of the eighth batch of payments under President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan.

The newest batch now boosts the total number sent out to date to approximately one hundred sixty-four million with a value of $386 billion. As for when Americans can expect to receive these funds, know that this particular batch began processing on April 30 with an official payment date of May 5.

Despite the fact that roughly 85 percent of all stimulus checks now have been disbursed, there are still plenty of reports suggesting that many U.S. taxpayers haven’t seen the funds that they are entitled to.

For those who are stuck in this precarious situation, know that there are several options to tap into.

First, many may not be aware, but taxpayers can speak to a live human regarding their missing, lost, or destroyed stimulus checks. The IRS Economic Impact Payment phone number is 800-919-9835—but be warned that “IRS live phone assistance is extremely limited at this time,” states the agency’s website. What this likely means is that inquiring individuals should be prepared to sit on hold for a considerable amount of time.

Perhaps the most popular option out there is the IRS “Get My Payment” tool, which can be accessed at www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment. To use it, one will just need to type in the full Social Security or tax ID number, date of birth, street address, and ZIP code—then a stimulus payment status update should soon pop up.

Take note, though, that some individuals will receive a “Need More Information” message, which means that the stimulus check was returned to the IRS because the post office was unable to deliver it.

And others will receive a message that states, “Payment Status Not Available.” The agency says that “if you get this message, either we have not yet processed your payment, or you are not eligible for a payment. We will continue to send the 2021 Economic Impact Payment to eligible individuals throughout 2021.”

Finally, for those who have gotten Notice 1444 or Notice 1444-B from the IRS stating that their payment was issued even though they haven’t received it, the impacted individuals have the option to request an IRS payment trace.

Understand that a similar action can be taken if the IRS “Get My Payment” tool shows that the stimulus funds have been transferred but nothing has changed at all in the recipient’s bank account.

To request a trace, first call the IRS at 800-919-9835 or mail or fax a completed Form 3911, “Taxpayer Statement Regarding Refund.” If the trace request was done over the phone, then one no longer has to fill out Form 3911.

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Minneapolis-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek, and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn. This article first appeared earlier this year.

Image: Reuters.

Caleb Larson

F-117 Nighthawk, Middle East

The F-117s are weird jets. But they're flying again. 

Here's What You Need To Remember: It became apparent to the United States’ war planners that if NATO bombers and fighters were to fly against the Warsaw Pact, a massive amount of airframes would be lost due to the Soviet Union’s extensive surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft arsenals, which would likely be networked together to more effectively fight-flight groups. Something had to be done.

In order to counter Soviet air defenses, Lockheed dreamed up the world’s first stealthy airplane, the F-117, which is still used today in a very limited capacity.

Origins

The Lockheed F-117 was a product of the Vietnam War. During Vietnam, The United States lost a number of both fighters and bombers due to North Vietnamese surface-to-air missiles supplied by the Soviet Union.

The Yom Kippur War in 1973 was also a learning curve for American planners — Israel had lost over a hundred airframes in a matter of weeks, again mostly due to Soviet-supplied surface-to-air missiles.

It became apparent to the United States’ war planners that if NATO bombers and fighters were to fly against the Warsaw Pact, a massive amount of airframes would be lost due to the Soviet Union’s extensive surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft arsenals, which would likely be networked together to more effectively fight-flight groups. Something had to be done.

Stealthy

Lockheed designed the first operational airplane with stealth characteristics through the use of faceting, a design process in which an “aircraft surface reflects 99.99 percent of the reflected radar energy from the radar source away from its receiver.”

In order to keep production costs low, Lockheed’s Skunk Works used a number of off-the-shelf components to deliver the F-117 in a very short amount of time. “The jet engines were out of a Northrup T-38A Talon,” a jet trainer. “The landing gear was from the Fairchild/Republic A-10A Thunderbolt II. And the environmental systems were taken from the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.”

Although the design Lockheed came up with was indeed stealthy, that is, it successfully reflected nearly all radar energy, it was very aerodynamically unstable. This was solved by using the “The fly-by-wire components…from the General Dynamics F-16,” which were essentially a quadruple-redundant computer system that made minute adjustments to the airframe’s control surfaces to allow for stable, even flight.

Engineering Challenge

One of the pioneering aspects of the F-117 was the engine intake inlet. The inlet has a radar-absorbing grid on the outside. When seen through radar, the inlet appears like a flat panel, which reflects or absorbs the majority of radar. Any radar that makes its way into the inlet is bounced around inside an S-shaped air intake and is absorbed by a radar-absorbent coating, greatly reducing the chance that any radar is then reflected outwards.

The engine exhaust is also unique. The exhaust nozzles (known as the Platypus), are flattened, to spread out the exhaust, cooling it and reducing the infrared signature to a low enough degree that infrared detectors can’t track via the exhaust.

Due to installing readily available components, Lockheed built two technology demonstrators under budget and early for just 35 million dollars — a feat even more remarkable when considering the massive costs of the F-35 Lightning II program.

New Start?

Although the F-117 fleet is retired, a number of airframes have been Congressionally mandated to stay in a state of readiness — essentially in flyable condition. Retired F-117s are used to test radar and radar-absorbent material as test platforms, or possibly as aggressor aircraft for pilot training.

As recently as March of 2020, at least one F-117 was seen flying by an amateur photographer and plane spotter. The F-117s are flying again.

Caleb Larson is a defense writer for the National Interest. He holds a Master of Public Policy and covers U.S. and Russian security, European defense issues, and German politics and culture. This article first appeared last year.

Image: Flickr

Inflation, chômage, croissance zéro, scandales sans fin et terrorisme diffus : devant l'aggravation de la crise ces dernières années, on serait tenté de se demander si l'Italie est menée par une classe dirigeante qui dispose d'un programme cohérent et de la capacité de le mener à bien. Tout ce que (...) / Italie, Politique, Société - 1982/06

LE socialisme français aujourd'hui au pouvoir se situe dans une perspective différente de celle des social-démocraties du Nord, non seulement par ses objectifs, mais aussi parce qu'il correspond à un autre type de société. Il est symptomatique que la gauche ait peu d'existence dans le Nord, hors des (...) / France, Parti politique, Social-démocratie, Socialisme - 1981/09

Le réseau d'informations que, pour simplifier, nous appellerons « giscardien », forteresse de puissance, d'argent et de talent, objet prioritaire et privilégié de l'attention du pouvoir politique et de quelques groupes financiers, a été neutralisé durant la campagne présidentielle qui a conduit à (...) / France, Élections, Médias, Politique - 1981/06

L'éloge douteux de la différence et l'horreur avouée du « grand tabou » égalitaire gagnent progressivement l'idéologie dominante. Tout le débat politique se trouve gangrené sans que l'on ose, à gauche, prendre de front des vieilles sirènes, de sinistre mémoire, soudain parées des attraits de la nouveauté. (...) / France, Extrême droite, Idéologie, Inégalités, Parti politique - 1981/05

Cette recension a été publiée dans le numéro de printemps 2021 de Politique étrangère (n° 1/2021). Raphaël Briant, chercheur de l’armée de l’Air détaché au Centre des études de sécurité de l’Ifri, propose une analyse de l’ouvrage de Gaïdz Minassian, Les sentiers de la victoire. Peut-on encore gagner une guerre? (Passés composés, 2020, 712 pages).

Dans cet ouvrage très riche, l’auteur, journaliste et politologue, livre une réflexion salutaire au terme d’une analyse du concept de victoire dans les relations internationales. À rebours d’une littérature française qui se contente bien souvent de pointer du doigt les errements stratégico-politiques qui ont entraîné l’Occident dans des guerres sans fin desquelles il ne sait plus sortir vainqueur, Gaïdz Minassian propose une approche originale et subtile pour dépasser l’aporie apparente qui entoure aujourd’hui le concept de victoire dans la réflexion stratégique. En proposant une alternative à la dialectique de la force et de la ruse au travers de la parabole homérique de la rencontre entre Achille, Ulysse et Hector, il dresse les contours d’une troisième voie permettant de sortir de l’ornière : celle de l’humilité.

Le livre s’ouvre sur le dialogue entre les deux Achéens, auquel assiste, impassible, le héros de Troie. À partir de cet échange, qui sert de fil rouge à une réflexion en quatre parties, l’auteur retrace d’abord l’évolution du concept de victoire à travers les âges. De sa formation jusqu’à son éclatement au sortir de la Première Guerre mondiale, en passant par des phases successives de reconstruction, d’intégration et de fusion, l’auteur s’attache à montrer toute l’ambivalence que recouvre la notion de victoire, pour mieux mettre en lumière ses contradictions actuelles. Il montre ainsi à quel point le logiciel des États occidentaux, exorbitant de l’ordre westphalien et imprégné de l’illusion clausewitzienne de la victoire décisive, est en décalage avec la « bellicisation de l’espace mondial », un espace désormais théâtre de guerres sans fin et de conflits infra-étatiques.

Si « la victoire […] est devenue un corps étranger au XXIe siècle », est-il légitime de se demander si l’on peut encore gagner une guerre ? L’auteur nous apprend que c’est justement parce que la grammaire de la conflictualité a évolué qu’il est plus que jamais nécessaire de définir précisément la notion de victoire, afin de mieux s’en affranchir. La deuxième partie du livre échafaude donc un édifice théorique de la victoire. Appelant à une nouvelle sociologie de la victoire, l’auteur tâche de donner corps au concept, avec ce qu’il nomme la « pyramide de la victoire ». Pour lui, « tant que l’homme ne se libérera pas du magnétisme de la pyramide de la victoire, tant que son imaginaire restera aimanté par la sacralité de la victoire, il continuera d’empiler les désillusions et d’écrire aveuglément le script de ses victoires virtuelles, en décalage complet avec le monde ».

Distinguant quatre paradigmes de la victoire – gestion de crise de haute intensité, gestion de crise de basse intensité, guerre sans fin et sortie de crise – l’auteur s’interroge, à la lumière des conflits contemporains sur l’entêtement des chefs militaires et des dirigeants politiques à s’enferrer dans des théories de la victoire inefficaces. Pour Gaïdz Minassian, le but de toute grande stratégie devrait être avant tout de gagner la paix, qu’elle passe ou non par une victoire militaire. Une manière d’y parvenir, selon lui, est dès lors de penser une victoire comme une norme d’humilité, et une norme post-conflit. En définitive, la meilleure manière de s’orienter sur « les sentiers sinueux de la victoire » est encore, comme Hector, de faire appel à son humanité !

Raphaël Briant

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