Thread by @AndrewSErickson

The US should regain the strategic initiative by laying down a “Googleable” trail of online info rapidly accessible to all, particularly when China's #MaritimeMilitia rises to the forefront.

Here's a start, based on 4+ years' research @NavalWarCollege:

andrewerickson.com/2018/11/secdef…

To preempt and counteract propaganda, the US must get out in front of the #PAFMM problem with its own authoritative statements, including a fact sheet and an encounter documentation website.

nationalinterest.org/feature/shinin…

Open-source researchers, including @ChinaMaritime Studies Institute @NavalWarCollege, have already published extensive scholarship to help reveal #China's #MaritimeMilitia.

The Office of Naval Intelligence @USNavy could be asked to fill in the gaps.

nationalinterest.org/feature/shinin…

Revealing egregious behavior, on a day-to-day basis, can deter future malfeasance by China's #MaritimeMilitia.

Leadership could do so by helping Fleet Commanders more quickly declassify & approve for #public release related photos, videos & other data coming off @USNavy ships.

Public reports, public affairs releases & top officials’ statements should all contain robust coverage of China's #MaritimeMilitia. To remove camouflage of Chinese deception & spin, accurate terminology (NOT “civilian, irregular, innocent, [merely] fishermen,” etc.) is essential.

Needed: a US crisis response plan—with complete comms strategy & media guidance ready to go—BEFORE a #PAFMM-related incident erupts. US should be mindful that Beijing will likely have ready prepackaged propaganda, deployable via powerful state media mouthpieces that the US lacks.

To counter China's #MaritimeMilitia while managing escalation risks, the US should reexamine rules of engagement (#ROE) & signal to China accordingly.

US officials should state, both with Chinese interlocutors & publicly for external credibility & reassurance, that...[CONTINUED]

The US should state consistently (as SECDEF recently did) that it expects ALL 3 Chinese sea forces—INCLUDING the #PAFMM—to abide at all times by the same internationally recognized standards of law, seamanship (rules of the road regulations) & comms to which US sea forces adhere.

The US should make it plain that #China's #MaritimeMilitia will not be given a pass if it interferes with US government operations or participates in any coercive actions in international waters.

nationalinterest.org/feature/shinin…

Any elements that ignore repeated warnings by US government vessels to desist from disruptive activities that compromise the safety, ops., or mission accomplishment of any US gov't vessel should be treated as #military-controlled & dealt with accordingly.

bit.ly/DeterPAFMM

The US should treat #China’s sea forces holistically & link behavior of all 3 to US interaction with them.

Even if PRC interlocutors ignore/dismiss initially, US resolve to impose linkage will make them report back & inform organizational interests.

andrewerickson.com/2018/11/shinin…