Month: January 2010

Israel’s Rocket Defense System Tightens Screws on Gaza

Israel unveiled “Iron Dome” last week, a missile-defense system that is designed to strike a knock-out blow against short-range rockets of the variety fired into Israel by Hamas and Hezbollah. In the short term, Iron Dome is supposed to herald the demise of the rocket threat to Israeli communities near Gaza four years after Hamas … Continue reading “Israel’s Rocket Defense System Tightens Screws on Gaza”

Congressman Prepares Legislation to Ban Blackwater

As multiple scandals involving Blackwater continue to emerge almost daily, Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is preparing to introduce legislation aimed at ending the US government’s relationship with Blackwater and other armed contracting companies. “In 2009, the U.S. government employed well over 20,000 armed private security … Continue reading “Congressman Prepares Legislation to Ban Blackwater”

Wednesday: 10 Iraqis Killed, 13 Wounded

Updated at 9:21 p.m., EST, Jan. 13, 2010 At least 10 Iraqis were killed and 13 others were wounded in the latest violence. Baghdad, meanwhile, remains under a security crackdown. Seven people were killed and six others were wounded during a suicide truck bombing at a police station in Saqlawiya. A vehicle ban is in … Continue reading “Wednesday: 10 Iraqis Killed, 13 Wounded”

Need for Presidents to ‘Look Tough’ Isn’t Getting US Anywhere

President Barack Obama is said to feel he is in trouble politically because his enemies in Congress and among the Washington journalists who decide what the "mood" of Washington is on any given day say he is not tough enough. This is the kind of mind reading about what the public thinks that got him … Continue reading “Need for Presidents to ‘Look Tough’ Isn’t Getting US Anywhere”

World’s Most Controversial Prison Enters Ninth Year

As the world marked the beginning of the ninth year of detention at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Monday, a leading legal advocacy group filed suit against the Library of Congress for firing Guantanamo’s former chief prosecutor for writing articles criticizing the use of military commissions to try suspected terrorists. Col. … Continue reading “World’s Most Controversial Prison Enters Ninth Year”

The COIN Myth, Part II

Part I noted that two key requirements of our counterinsurgency doctrine – a legitimate host-nation government and a competent, trustworthy host-nation security force – will never be accomplished in Iraq or Afghanistan. Part II will illustrate the lack of reliable intelligence in our woebegone wars. The counterintelligence field manual that Gen. David Petraeus supposedly wrote … Continue reading “The COIN Myth, Part II”

End the Korean War

We’re at war – old news, you say? Well you don’t know how old – because I’m not talking about our eternal "war on terrorism," but the Korean war. Yes, in case you didn’t know, it’s still on, at least in the formal sense: a truce was signed, on July 27, 1953, but the war … Continue reading “End the Korean War”

Iran, 1979 and 2010

The Obama administration’s Iran policy is a riddle wrapped inside a conundrum folded into a pickle. So many signals are being sent in so many directions that it’s a wonder the Iranians (or other involved parties) have any idea what’s going on. Barack Obama came into office pledging to reach out diplomatically to Iran. In … Continue reading “Iran, 1979 and 2010”

Politics Gets in the Way of Obama’s Perceptiveness

President Barack Obama recently expressed a reluctance to send U.S. forces to Yemen and Somalia, two "failed states" where al-Qaeda is active. Obama seemed to realize that such a U.S. military presence might make the terrorism problem worse. If he understands this effect in these two nations, why doesn’t the same principle apply to the … Continue reading “Politics Gets in the Way of Obama’s Perceptiveness”

Tuesday: 5 Iraqis Killed, 6 Wounded; Massive Security Sweep

Updated at 7:39 p.m. EST, Jan. 12, 2010 A massive security sweep in Baghdad has suppressed other news reporting in Iraq. The operation, which government officials say was against a bomb plot, even drowned out the stunning assessment that Dutch involvement in the Iraq War was illegal. The much-awaited testimony of former Tony Blair insider … Continue reading “Tuesday: 5 Iraqis Killed, 6 Wounded; Massive Security Sweep”