Comments on: News Brief, The Devil’s Territory http://asecondhandconjecture.com/index.php/2007/07/19/news-brief-the-devils-territory/ Questions through the veil of ignorance Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:08:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Beb8. http://asecondhandconjecture.com/index.php/2007/07/19/news-brief-the-devils-territory/comment-page-1/#comment-206865 Beb8. Sun, 01 Jun 2008 03:36:09 +0000 http://asecondhandconjecture.com/?p=1284#comment-206865 <strong>Beb8....</strong> Beb8.... Beb8….

Beb8….

]]> By: Lance http://asecondhandconjecture.com/index.php/2007/07/19/news-brief-the-devils-territory/comment-page-1/#comment-59769 Lance Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:09:55 +0000 http://asecondhandconjecture.com/?p=1284#comment-59769 I have to agree with you guys on Kilcullen, and his involvement in Petraeus' efforts are a part of why I became convinced the change in tactics was real as opposed to a facade. It takes a certain kind of person to surround himself with the kind of independent thinkers that Petraeus does. They are not yes men, and steeped in the kind of thinking we need to see. By the way, it also speaks well of Pace, who has bucked all kinds of resistance in getting these people in key places. Also, his willingness to embrace them rather than act as if they were shoved down his throat. In all the talk of his incompetence, I don't think it has been acknowledged. I have to agree with you guys on Kilcullen, and his involvement in Petraeus’ efforts are a part of why I became convinced the change in tactics was real as opposed to a facade. It takes a certain kind of person to surround himself with the kind of independent thinkers that Petraeus does. They are not yes men, and steeped in the kind of thinking we need to see. By the way, it also speaks well of Pace, who has bucked all kinds of resistance in getting these people in key places. Also, his willingness to embrace them rather than act as if they were shoved down his throat. In all the talk of his incompetence, I don’t think it has been acknowledged.

]]> By: Joshua Foust http://asecondhandconjecture.com/index.php/2007/07/19/news-brief-the-devils-territory/comment-page-1/#comment-59767 Joshua Foust Thu, 19 Jul 2007 11:20:06 +0000 http://asecondhandconjecture.com/?p=1284#comment-59767 It does, to an extent. Our biggest problem right now is that even our long standing allies, like Britain, are distancing themselves. That's directly from, for lack of a better term, a lack of tact. Similarly, we really don't make a strong case for the GWOT <i>not</i> being a war on Islam when our interactions with the Islamic world are all military. Ditto the argument that we actually are not an Empire (both propositions I agree with). We don't send that message by front-loading the military so strongly we have to use them to accomplish things the State Department normally would. It does, to an extent. Our biggest problem right now is that even our long standing allies, like Britain, are distancing themselves. That’s directly from, for lack of a better term, a lack of tact. Similarly, we really don’t make a strong case for the GWOT not being a war on Islam when our interactions with the Islamic world are all military. Ditto the argument that we actually are not an Empire (both propositions I agree with). We don’t send that message by front-loading the military so strongly we have to use them to accomplish things the State Department normally would.

]]> By: peter jackson http://asecondhandconjecture.com/index.php/2007/07/19/news-brief-the-devils-territory/comment-page-1/#comment-59766 peter jackson Thu, 19 Jul 2007 05:35:55 +0000 http://asecondhandconjecture.com/?p=1284#comment-59766 I just encountered the same Kilcullen article @ Small Wars Journal. I don't agree that the size of our military vs. the size of our diplomatic corp is particularly meaningful, but otherwise he makes a lot of excellent points. I've long held that Al Queda and the <a href="http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2007/06/david-kilcullens-call-for-a-ne/" rel="nofollow">Irhabist</a> movement have been doing nothing more than expoiting loopholes in the Westphalian system with their no-state status. It's exciting to discover that someone who is actually smart and I agree about something. yours/ peter. I just encountered the same Kilcullen article @ Small Wars Journal. I don’t agree that the size of our military vs. the size of our diplomatic corp is particularly meaningful, but otherwise he makes a lot of excellent points.

I’ve long held that Al Queda and the Irhabist movement have been doing nothing more than expoiting loopholes in the Westphalian system with their no-state status. It’s exciting to discover that someone who is actually smart and I agree about something.

yours/
peter.

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