MichaelW on Dec 28 2007 | Filed under: MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Over at QandO, McQ offers his take on a thoughtful article by Andrew Tilghman entitled “The Army’s Other Crisis: Why the Best and Brightest Young Officers are Leaving.”
Here are the nut graphs from McQ:
So we should certainly be concerned about the loss of CPTs. And while the fixes are obvious, given the mission, they aren’t […]
MichaelW on Dec 28 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Bill Roggio has the scoop at Long War Journal:
The Iraqi Army claimed to have captured the minister of defense of the Islamic State of Iraq, al Qaeda’s political front organization. Ahmed Turki Abbas was captured after being wounded in a skirmish near Mahmudiyah and “claimed the rank of defense minister,” Qassim al Moussawi, Iraq’s military […]
MichaelW on Dec 19 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Law, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
The aptly named Unqualified Offerings has had its share of troubles lately, and I’m not usually one to pile on, but this is simply beyond the pale (emphasis added):
Have We Given Justice to Lindh?
By Mona
American citizen John Walker Lindh is now serving 20 years in this heinous prison for what appears to have been the […]
Keith_Indy on Dec 19 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Keith's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
When members of your own party are positive about changes they are seeing first hand in Iraq, maybe it’s time to give up on giving up.
“I feel we’ve made progress, and the other part is I feel we can see an end game in sight,” Donnelly, D-Ind., told reporters on a conference call Tuesday from […]
Keith_Indy on Dec 13 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Keith's Page, Military Matters
This is interesting:
The “Key Judgments” released by the intelligence community last week begin with a dramatic assertion: “We judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program.” This sentence was widely interpreted as a challenge to the Bush administration policy of mobilizing international pressure against alleged Iranian nuclear programs. It […]
Keith_Indy on Dec 12 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Keith's Page, Military Matters
While this is welcome news, it can hardly be called justice. A just society would have stopped this guy in his tracks, long before 10,000 people were killed during the seige of Sarajevo.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071212/wl_nm/warcrimes_bosnia_dc_4;_ylt=Atb4Bpre3V1KJ4H.g7llWfkE1vAI
The U.N. war crimes tribunal sentenced former Bosnian Serb general Dragomir Milosevic to 33 years imprisonment on Wednesday for the shelling of […]
Joshua Foust on Dec 10 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Military Matters
So I mentioned before I might not continue doing these into the New Year. I am approaching one solid, eventful year of trying to summarize the important, and possibly ignored, stories of the day. I’m not quite burned out, but my time has become very precious to me (my preciousssss), and it’s just a bit […]
MichaelW on Dec 10 2007 | Filed under: MichaelW's Page, Military Matters
This is a follow-up post including new information for those who wish to send mail, gifts, care packages, etc. to wounded and covering soldiers.
About a month ago Keith drew our attention to a popular, yet erroneous, email floating around that encouraged people to send Christmas cards to “any wounded soldier”.
Recently an email similar to the […]
Joshua Foust on Dec 06 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Military Matters
Cross-posted at The Conjecturer.
Did you know the calm in Iraq is actually very fragile, which is what happens when you buy off competing factions in a civil war? I can’t imagine why—after all, the bands of roving, independent Sunni volunteer militias have contributed to something… except maybe if you read Jules Crittenden, who seems to […]
Joshua Foust on Dec 04 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters
Always yours, at The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
Dan the Missing Conjecturer and I were emailing each other today (he’s fine, thanks, just very busy). He mentioned something fascinating—Secretary Gates seems to be rather assertively professionalizing the DoD’s analytical corps (for lack of a better term), breaking it somewhat of the politicization we’ve seen under Bush/Cheney. […]
Joshua Foust on Nov 29 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters
Meticulously yours, over at The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
Northrop Grumman is far ahead of the usual timetable for the Killer Drone it’s building for the Navy.
NATO can’t be bothered to keep enough helicopters on hand to, you know, be effective.
Around the World
Fighting drugs and building peace.
North Korea still choking on its lack of food.
Oh, […]
Joshua Foust on Nov 28 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters
Cross-posted to The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
Leave it to Jules Crittenden—who thought Japan’s war crimes in World War II justifies our own crimes now—to think Bush’s comparison of Iraq to Korea is a good thing. Because Bush does what he says! Except when he promises not to torture people or to actually rebuild Afghanistan like […]
Joshua Foust on Nov 27 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters
Verbatim on The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
The Marines want exoskeletons. I guess they love Aliens and need to destroy the queen? The SEALs are out for their own as well.
It would be nice to stop lying about the problem of refugees and IDPs in the kaleidoscope of Iraq, wouldn’t it?
And how long will we be […]
Joshua Foust on Nov 21 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Cross-posted verbatim to The Conjecturer
Defense & The War
Thin solace, I know, but my piece on Ann Marlowe’s critique of the Human Terrain System (updated, too), got a link in the Small Wars Journal.
Also, Bill Roggio followed up with some good analysis on what’s going on in Pakistan; his thoughts align largely with my own.
Support the […]
Lance on Nov 20 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Media, Military Matters
Fox News has a report on Ameriya and Abu Abed, that shows a somewhat different view than the Guardian once again. One suspicious aspect of Ghaith Abdul-Ahad’s Nov. 10, Gaurdian piece “Meet Abu Abed: the US’s new ally against al-Qaida“is the description of Abu Abed in it:
The great iron gate opened and Hajji Abu Abed […]
Lance on Nov 19 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Media, Military Matters, Notes on the war
More and more coverage in Iraq is beginning to reflect the positive changes that have occurred over the last few months.
The New York Times and The Washington Post report sharp declines in attacks today (though the Post relegated it to page A14 ), the Los Angeles Times looks at signs of local reconciliation “war-weary Sunnis […]
Lance on Nov 16 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Media, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Joshua recently linked to this story. Via Confederate Yankee we get another persons view of the situation in Ameriyah:
Sphere: Related Content
MichaelW on Nov 16 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Foreign affairs, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
The war funding bill passed by the House was shot down by the Senate, but Sen. Reid promised to win the Democrats’ war against the White House through attrition (my emphasis):
Nearly a year after anti-war voters put them in power, congressional Democrats remain unable to pass legislation ordering troops home from Iraq.
Frustrated by Republican roadblocks, […]
Lance on Nov 14 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Here is a video of the two highest ranking Non-Commissioned Officers in Iraq, Command Sergeant Major (CSM) Ciotola and CSM Hill, on Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer. They are speaking from Baghdad on views within the military criticizing the war.
As we have mentioned before, despite all the coverage of it at the time, CSM Ciotola […]
Lance on Nov 14 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Health Care, Lance's Page, Media, Military Matters, Notes on the war
They have to be, so CBS tries to do the numbers. Like most of us however, when numbers fit you take them at face value:
But a five-month CBS News investigation discovered data that shows a startling rate of suicide, what some call a hidden epidemic, Chief Investigative Reporter Armen Keteyian reports exclusively.
“I just felt like […]
Keith_Indy on Nov 12 2007 | Filed under: Keith's Page, Military Matters
Hmmm, first al Sadr calls for a cease fire. Now he is actively seeking out those of his ‘army’ who are ignoring his orders.
Now, does this sound like a man who’s winning the war? Sounds more like someone who now believes you’re either part of the solution, or part of the problem, and […]
Keith_Indy on Nov 09 2007 | Filed under: Keith's Page, Military Matters
Recently an email similar to the following was sent around. I contacted the Public Affairs officer at Walter Reed to check on this, because I’ve heard for a few years that they do not accept anonymous cards or packages.
If you want, the Lieutenant Governor of Indiana is accepting cards till Nov 16th, and is […]
MichaelW on Nov 08 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, Media, MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Michael Yon captures a moment on film that in a world with a meritocratic media would surely garner a Pulitzer:
A Muslim man had invited the American soldiers from “Chosen” Company 2-12 Infantry to the church, where I videotaped as Muslims and Christians worked and rejoiced at the reopening of St John’s, an occasion all […]
Joshua Foust on Nov 07 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Hugo Chavez, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Cross-posted to The Conjecturer
Defense & The War
In the midst of petulantly crossing his arms and throwing a tantrum about the Future of Iraq Project, an anonymous FSO makes a really good point: “Sending officers into this failed, hideously violent exercise with no language training, no military liaison training, no arms or means of self-defense, no […]
Lance on Nov 06 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Phil Carter takes the most pessimistic view of the reasons behind the recent progress in Iraq. While each element of his case has some truth to it, all noted here before, on the whole it speaks more of an unwillingness to credit the change in strategy than an objective assessment. Nevertheless the caveats are worth […]
Lance on Nov 06 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Military Matters, Notes on the war
The Daily Kos spins
Unfortunately, no one seems to be calling our elected officials or the traditional media on this nonsensical idea that the “Petraeus strategy” should be credited with stanching the flow of blood. No one seems to notice that, as with everything else in Iraq, the Iraqis are going to do what they want, […]
Lance on Nov 04 2007 | Filed under: Foreign affairs, Lance's Page, Media, Military Matters, Notes on the war
They discuss this change with Michael Yon:
He was also on CBN, but I can’t get the video to work for me. Maybe you can.
Sphere: Related Content
Joshua Foust on Nov 02 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Media, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Cross-posted at The Conjecturer.
Defense & The War
Yet another former interrogator and counterterrorism expert comes out against waterboarding. Meanwhile, Jacob Sullum notes that the Congressional debate over this is obfuscating a larger question of why the President should be allowed to violate our liberties to defend our security as he sees fit.
John Nagl, one of the […]
MichaelW on Nov 02 2007 | Filed under: MichaelW's Page, Military Matters, Philosophy
In light of the recent discussion about torture around here, this little thought experiment seems appropriate and perhaps informative. If you don’t think that torture is ever a good choice, then read to the end of this post — you will change your mind:
If neither event is going to happen to you personally, but […]
Joshua Foust on Nov 02 2007 | Filed under: Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, Military Matters, Notes on the war
Cross-posted at the right-wing, garden variety, war mongering Conjecturer.
Defense & the War
Fascinating post on AQI borrowing from us and beginning its own COIN operations in Baghdad.
William Lind on buying too much into the Navy’s desire to keep on fighting the Cold War.
Meanwhile, cost overruns on the pathetically overdesigned LCS have forced another to be withdrawn, […]
Multinational Force-Iraq
QandO
Marginal Revolution
The Volokh Conspiracy
Get rewarded at leading casinos.
