Monthly Archives: February 2013
Sequestration: A National Security Nightmare
Cross posted from Annandale Patch.
To War In Africa: Prediction Fulfilled
From today’s NYT: Opening a new front in the drone wars against Al Qaeda and its affiliates, President Obama announced on Friday that about 100 American troops had been sent to Niger in West Africa to help set up a … Continue reading
An Example Of An “Approved” Leak On Cyber Threats
From today’s NYT: The building off Datong Road, surrounded by restaurants, massage parlors and a wine importer, is the headquarters of P.L.A. Unit 61398. A growing body of digital forensic evidence — confirmed by American intelligence officials who say they … Continue reading
From Andy To Paul, Definitely Not With Love
From Andrew J. Bacevich’s “Open Letter To Paul Wolfowitz” in the March 2013 edition of Harper’s: Twenty years ago, you became dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and hired me as a minor staff functionary. I … Continue reading
GAO: VA Wait Times “Unreliable”
Shocking, I know. Full testimony here.
Mali: Quagmire In The Making
From the Guardian, on the Islamist rebels attack on Gao: Black-robed Islamic extremists armed with AK-47 automatic rifles invaded Gao in wooden boats on Sunday to launch a surprise attack on the most populous city in northern Mali, two weeks … Continue reading
Liberals, Obama And The Lessons Of History
Former Bush and Obama aide Douglas Ollivant has a reminder in today’s NYT on what really matters in the executive powers debate over drones, etc.: For four years, Mr. Obama has benefited at least in part from the reluctance of … Continue reading
Assassination-By-Drone: Symptom Of A Disease
Although I’ve been pleased by all of the recent drone-related media coverage driven by the leaked DoJ memo and the CIA director confirmation hearing for John Brennan, I’ve also been concerned that the larger issue has been absent from the … Continue reading
The “Arab Spring’s” Winter Of Discontent
An excellent piece in the Guardian on the rising Salafist threat in Africa: Late last year, largely unnoticed in the west, Tunisia’s president, Moncef Marzouki, gave an interview to Chatham House’s The World Today. Commenting on a recent attack by … Continue reading
Of Drone Wars And Star Chambers
Even if they are glad Mr. Awlaki is dead, many Americans are uneasy that a president can use secret evidence to label a citizen a terrorist and order his execution without a trial or judge’s ruling. Hence the idea of court oversight for targeted killing, which on Thursday, unexpectedly, got serious discussion from senators and Mr. Brennan.
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Long Strange Journey 