State of The Nation

Taiwan (ROC) Major Military Bases - Most Originally Built by Japan, but extensively modernized China Maritime Report #42: “Invasion Plans: Operation Causeway & Taiwan’s Defense in World War II” Summary China Maritime Report (CMR) #42, “Invasion Plans” is about Operation CAUSEWAY, the American plan to invade Taiwan during World War II. Ultimately, the invasion was aborted and related documents were sealed in classified vaults or burned to maintain secrecy. Uncertainties have long surrounded how Imperial Japanese forces on Taiwan – then called Formosa – deterred a much-stronger U.S. military, and what planners at the time believed would happen had the operation taken place. What lessons might the past have to teach warfighters in the present day about the future of conflict? By revisiting the history of Taiwan-focused war plans, we may better assess current challenges and develop insights that could inform future strategic, operational, and tactical decisions. This

RTX (ex-Raytheon) busted for ‘extraordinary’ corruption | Responsible Statecraft Summary RTX (formerly known as Raytheon) has agreed to pay nearly $1 billion in fines and penalties to resolve multiple cases of misconduct. Here's a summary of the offenses and amounts paid: 1. Defrauding the Department of Defense:    - RTX engaged in two schemes to defraud the DOD in connection with contracts for Patriot missile systems and a radar system.    - This resulted in the DOD overpaying by over $111 million.    - RTX will pay a criminal monetary penalty of $146,787,972 and $111,203,009 in victim compensation. 2. Bribery in Qatar:    - RTX bribed a high-level Qatari military official to secure defense contracts between 2012 and 2016.    - For this, RTX will pay a criminal monetary penalty of $230.4 million and forfeit $36,696,068. 3. Export Control Violations:    - RTX violated the Arms Export Control Act by failing to disclose bribes paid in connection with Qatar-related c