EUROPE'S AIRSPACE UNDER SIEGE: Europe's airlines are discovering that you don't need a missile to disrupt air travel. A wave of bomb hoaxes threatening passenger aircraft has forced diversions, emergency landings and fighter-jet escorts across the continent. The threats have also extended to broadcasters, including Ireland's RTÉ, Britain's Sky News and Bulgaria's NOVA. European investigators are examining possible Russian involvement, including the use of coordinated false threats to create disruption and public anxiety. Attribution remains unconfirmed. For those of us who are national security minded and like to just explore the possibilities, the potential payoff for Moscow is considerable: tie up airport security, scramble military aircraft, frighten passengers and undermine confidence in European security, all without launching a physical weapon. If you follow The Cipher Brief, you already know that In the hybrid-warfare business, a threatening email can be a remarkably inexpensive substitute for a cruise missile.
VARY YOUR ROUTE, AMERICA: The Pentagon has a new security tip for U.S. military personnel and their families who are stationed in Europe: don't make your daily routine too predictable. U.S. European Command is urging members of the military to vary their commuting routes and departure times, turn off geotagging on their fitness apps and exercise a bit more caution about what they post on social media. The November 6 advisory, which is part of an initiative called “See Something, Do Something,” reflects concern about Russian-linked sabotage, drone incursions and other hybrid threats. The command hasn’t identified a specific incident prompting the warning but for those of us who like to imagine, it kinda makes sense to not make your routines so… public.
STAND. FIGHT. HIT RECORD: It appears that Secretary of Defense, er, War, Pete Hegseth has a new slogan and a new production crew to go with it. With Republicans having lost control of Congress and rumors of possible impeachment talk, Hegseth posted a nearly six-minute video from the Pentagon steps on Thursday. In it, he vowed to “stand,” “fight,” and defend the republic. His press shop and political appointees then flooded social media with matching graphics of the boss, each stamped “Stand. Fight. Defend the Republic.” According to The Daily Beast, Hegseth’s office confirmed to The Washington Post that Defense Department staff recorded and produced the video. The office declined to say what it cost. Luckily, the family has an in-house cost estimator. Hegseth’s father, Brian, told one critic the video probably cost taxpayers “about $1.95.” Younger brother Phil, who also serves as a senior adviser at Homeland Security, pitched in with a photo of Pete in a helicopter and the same caption. One person not reposting is Susie Wiles. The ousted White House chief of staff reportedly spent months raising concerns about Hegseth’s self-promotion, according to the Washington Post. Her replacement, Stephen Miller, now appears in the graphics right next to Hegseth. If the $1.95 estimate is accurate, the Pentagon may finally have found a program that came in under budget.
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