DSS Hubris

Blind Leading the Blind?

2005-12-23T18:10:00.000-05:00

Jonah Goldberg makes an interesting point concerning isolationism and America's view of our enemies. In this example, he highlights Time's rather bland description of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as an "unlikely firebrand," as opposed to, say, a murderous fanatic. Beyond that, he brings up the Isolationist tradition in America (and Britain) in the 1930's, when , according to JFK, the

Missile Defense on a Roll

2005-12-18T23:29:00.000-05:00

I have written about missile defense before, but there has been a lot of news lately, and all of it good.In the past month, there have been four successful tests of various missile defense systems. On November 17th, we successfully tested the Aegis SM-3 missile, against a separating warhead, the first time this has been done. A week later, the THAAD program got back on track after a six-year

What Do Iraqis Think?

2005-12-15T16:54:00.000-05:00

Many of those who debate the Iraq war state that the Iraqis don't want us there, and that we have made things much worse for them. However, this poll refutes these notions, and shows that Iraqis are feeling pretty good about things, to wit: 71% say their life is good 61% say that security is good 66% say that crime levels are good 74% say their schools are good 70% say their economic situation

The Other Nuclear Threat

2005-12-08T20:30:00.000-05:00

Bill Gertz highlights a new book that outlines a looming threat:A single nuclear weapon carried by a ballistic missile and detonated a few hundred miles over the United States would cause 'catastrophe for the nation' by damaging electricity-based networks and infrastructure, including computers and telecommunications, according to 'War Footing: 10 Steps America Must Take to Prevail in the War for

The Iraq Strategy is (Slowly) Working

2005-12-07T21:35:00.000-05:00

I haven't had the time to comment on President Bush's speech on Iraq last week at my alma mater, but the one thing that struck me was the criticism by the left that it was "nothing new." That is one thing we agree on, since Bush has been explaining the strategy in Iraq for some time. It's just that the media hasn't been covering it until the Democrats made it issue number one (which it is).

Why Iraq?

2005-12-04T21:16:00.000-05:00

Of the many arguments made about the Iraq war, including by many of my commenters, is why not attack North Korea? Or Iran? There were lots of reasons for choosing Iraq as the next battle in the War on Terror, and the fact that an invasion of Iraq, even with the unforeseen diffculties, would be easier than an invasion of NK or Iran was an obvious one. Jonah Goldberg makes this point in The

No Nuclear Taboo for Terrorists

2005-12-04T20:03:00.000-05:00

This article was written by my friend and DSS classmate Kip Holdridge, and is an excellent rebuttle of the idea of nuclear deterrence with rogue states and terrorists:The October 24, 2005, edition of The Wall Street Journal contained an opinion piece titled “The Nuclear Taboo” by Thomas C. Schelling. In it, Mr. Schelling argues that a universally held taboo has emerged concerning nuclear weapons

A Tortuous Debate

2005-11-26T16:55:00.000-05:00

Let me state right up front, I hate the idea of torture. As a member of the armed services, I am sensitive to the argument that if we torture our enemies, they will torture us. And I share the concern held by many that torture is unreliable. However, the current McCain amendment that would outlaw all torture, all the time, troubles me even more. Finally, I have read a commentary on the

Are We Winning?

2005-11-23T23:16:00.000-05:00

Victor Davis Hanson, in an article on National Review Online, explains the dilemma for Democrats, torn as they are between their instinct to cut and run, as expressed by Rep. Murtha, and the political calculus of betting against a winner: For now Democrats stammer, sputter, and go the Bush shoulda / coulda route - not quite ready to take the McGovern sharp turn, forever waiting on polls and

Successful THAAD Flight Test

2005-11-23T16:52:00.000-05:00

In another test of the Ballistic Missile Defense System, a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor was successfully flight tested yesterday. This is the second successful test for a missile defense system, following the successful Aegis SM-3 intercept last week. This test was just of the interceptor, with no target missile involved, but it is an important step in getting THAAD

Silence is Deafening

2005-11-18T21:19:00.000-05:00

I'm sure you have all heard this important news today:The Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Navy today successfully conducted a significant test of the Aegis missile defense system. The test involved for the first time a “separating” target, meaning that the target warhead separated from its booster.No? Well, if the test had been unsuccessful, I'm willing to bet that it would have gotten much

From the Front

2005-11-18T18:18:00.000-05:00

Sgt. Hook has asked for this to be spread far and wide, and for good reason. Here is the view from the front, which you aren't getting from the media:My fellow Americans, I have a task for those with the courage and fortitude to take it. I have a message that needs not fall on deaf ears. A vision the blind need to see. I am not a political man nor one with great wisdom. I am just a soldier who

Who Needs the French?

2005-11-17T19:17:00.000-05:00

Democrat John Murtha from Pennsylvania has called for surrender:My plan calls: To immediately redeploy U.S. troops consistent with the safety of U.S. forces. To create a quick reaction force in the region.To create an over- the- horizon presence of Marines. To diplomatically pursue security and stability in Iraq <...>Our military has done everything that has been asked of them, the U.S. can

Why We Fight

2005-11-16T21:56:00.000-05:00

Another of the left's current arguments is that since Saddam didn't have stockpiles of WMD, the war was a mistake, and of course, George Bush knew this going in, but lied about it. But Bush used many rationales for the war, although admittedly WMD was the single biggest issue. But as Bush said, even knowing what we know now, he would still have made the same decision, since the other reasons

Jonah's Challenge

2005-11-16T20:47:00.000-05:00

In a recent Corner post on NRO, Jonah Goldberg submitted the following question:Does EJ (Dionne) think Bush is lying when he says that showing a lack of resolve is harmful to troop morale and/or encouraging to our enemies? Or does EJ think it is true but nobody should say it?I mean that seems like an important part of the equation, doesn't it?Moreover, this seems like exactly the sort of thing

Hiatus

2005-10-24T18:48:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed, DSS Hubris has been on hiatus for the past several weeks. I have recently moved to the DC area to begin a new job, and that has taken up all my time. However, as I get settled, I will renew posting, so check back in a bit, and you should start seeing new content soon!

Hurricane Katrina Relief

2005-09-04T19:15:00.000-04:00

Instapundit has this post listing many charities to consider giving to. Please send whatever you can.Also, in response to charges that Iraq has affected the National Guard response, here's an article countering that.And finally, this post by John Frum responds to the many "It's Bush's fault" arguments we are already hearing. The time will come for lessons learned, but for now let's just worry

No Wonder They Hate Us

2005-08-28T02:15:00.000-04:00

Davids Medienkritik, a German blog, explains how the media there feeds the hatred of America overseas.

What Bush Should Be Saying

2005-08-27T18:26:00.000-04:00

Christopher Hitchens says what Bush should be saying.

Putting The Who In It

2005-08-26T19:20:00.000-04:00

An article in the New York Times describes the findings from an internal investigation of the CIA and it's failures prior to 9/11. The report focuses on failures in leadership, especially George Tenet, for "failing to develop and carry out a strategic plan to take on Al Qaeda in the years before 2001, even after he wrote in a 1998 memo to intelligence agencies that "we are at war" with it..."

Will Work For Food!

2005-08-25T06:29:00.000-04:00

Fellow Milblogger Lt Smash at The Indepundit just lost his job as a contractor, after his contract was reduced, and is currently looking for gainful employment. Check out his blog and maybe he's the guy you are looking for!Similarly, I have just reentered the work force after a two year break as a full-time graduate student (I left work after my contract was similarly downsized, leaving me

Huh?

2005-08-24T18:20:00.000-04:00

This was the lede in a story by Reuters today: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has approved full-rate production of a new Hellfire missile variant, touted by President George W. Bush for its ability to kill guerrillas in urban settings, the missile's manufacturer said on Wednesday. U.S. commanders in Iraq have asked for more of the rounds, said Lt. Col. Kevin Curry, an Army

Able Danger update

2005-08-24T04:01:00.000-04:00

The Able Danger story refuses to go away, and The Strata-Sphere has been following it closely, maybe too closely, since we just don't have enough information in the public sphere to figure out who knew what when. Anyway, the latest is posted here, and full archives of his reporting are posted here. Enjoy!

What Else Weren't We Told?

2005-08-14T02:21:00.000-04:00

For those of you, like myself, who thought the 9/11 Commission report was the final say on what happened leading up to that fateful day, Betsy's Page addresses the revelation that the Commission didn't tell us everything they knew. The military had already been aware of Mohammed Atta prior to the attacks, but were prevented from investigating him because he had a green card. This was a result

London Bombings - Homegrown Terror?

2005-08-13T16:02:00.000-04:00

In an article in today's Independent, police are quoted as saying that the July 7 bombers were self-contained, and apparently planned and executed the attack independent of any outside mastermind. They believe that the oldest bomber, Mohammad Sidique Khan, organized the group and planned the attack without being guided by an al-Qaida or other terrorist mastermind. If true, this presents the

Pressthink

2005-08-12T06:43:00.000-04:00

Only the media would distinguish between reservists and guardsmen and active duty in terms of the sacrifices they are making for us: Aug. Death Toll for Reserves in Iraq Soars Any death is cause for sorrow, but this type of reporting is only meant to undermine the war effort and the national resolve, which is the only way we could lose the war, as we did in Vietnam. The media triumphed then,

6-Party Talks End in Failure

2005-08-10T16:29:00.000-04:00

For those who weren't able to follow this story closely, North Korea zone gives an excellent play-by-play and analysis:Multilateral talks have failed. Bilateral talks have failed. Years of generous South Korean offers and payments have produced no significant discernable change in the North Korean regime, despite the cost in taxpayer dollars, political scandals, lost North Korean lives, and

1,800 and Counting

2005-08-10T15:51:00.000-04:00

Jeff at Geopolitical Review makes a great point about the way the MSM reports on the casualties from Iraq:Perhaps growing impatient at the slow approach of the 2,000 death count (but at the same time growing impressed with the work of the “insurgents” in Iraq), the AP published a headline last week and today with the unusual death toll of “1,800.” . . . In the world in which the MSM lives,

Hiroshima 60 Years Later

2005-08-06T22:31:00.000-04:00

Today is the 60th anniversary of the dropping of the Atomic bomb on Hiroshima. As on the 50th anniversary, it is yet another opportune time to reasses the morality of the decision to drop the bomb, as well as the morality of nuclear weapons in general, both of which have been questioned during the interval between then and now, and which will likely continue to be debated for some time.

Back from Recess

2005-07-20T01:41:00.000-04:00

I'm back from several weeks of travel, including a couple weeks in Europe. No, I wasn't in London during the bombings, but I will have some thoughts on that, as well as other issues that have come up during my absence. So I thank those who have continued to check this blog regularly, and look forward to continuing to add substance to a debate that is too often radicalized.

Hypocrisy

2005-06-07T17:42:00.000-04:00

You Big Mouth, You! and Curious Muse both highlight a disturbing trend among not just the Islamic public, but in our own media: the double standard that the United States is held to. Amnesty Internatonal proclaims that Guantanamo is a Gulag, and Thomas Friedman has called for Gitmo to be shut down.Of course, this is nothing new. Throughout the Cold War, the U.S. was criticized for "human rights

Arsenal of Freedom

2005-06-03T22:18:00.000-04:00

Glenn Reynolds has made a couple of mentions recently about arming people so they can defend themselves. In responses to the Darfur situation and Mugabe's Zimbabwe, Reynolds suggests that arming the victims of government-sponsored attacks and starvation is the moral response.A statistical analysis of the cost of war versus the cost of government supports such a conclusion. Over the years,

Prospects for the EU

2005-06-01T18:31:00.000-04:00

Glenn Reynolds covers the Dutch vote on the EU constitution, with several links providing background, as well as the view from Dutch bloggers. This follows the rejection of the new constitution by France. It remains to be seen what the effects on the EU will be. Perhaps a less ambitious version will be hammered together in order to pass muster, although many of the issues seem insurmountable.

The Commander-in-Chief Speaks

2005-05-27T15:59:00.000-04:00

No, not Geena Davis. President Bush gave the Commencement address at my alma mater, the Naval Academy, today. A few of his notable quotes follow:Today, we face brutal and determined enemies -- men who celebrate murder, incite suicide, and thirst for absolute power. These enemies will not be stopped by negotiations, or concessions, or appeals to reason. In this war, there is only one option --

Good news service on China

2005-05-21T14:38:00.000-04:00

This is a good daily newsletter for those interested in China developments.

Graduation!

2005-05-16T02:37:00.000-04:00

Friday was commencement, and no one asked me to leave the procession, so I guess that makes it official. We are finally done, and looking forward to joining the military-industrial complex and helping to forge defense policy. Not sure that's a good thing, but if anyone reading this is looking for newly-minted, overeducated Masters degree holders, then shoot us an email! Seriously, I want to

Militant Democracy

2005-05-12T14:24:00.000-04:00

Chrenkoff quotes a post by Oliver Kamm, a liberal from England who, however, understands the threats we face. Here is what Kamm had to say:In the early days of the Federal Republic of Germany, built upon the wreckage of a regime of unmitigated barbarism, an informal understanding emerged between a conservative cause that had definitively broken with its traditions of authoritarianism and

Milbloggers in the News

2005-05-12T13:53:00.000-04:00

Great article in USATODAY about MilBlogs. Check it out to see what they are all about. Hat Tip: Mudville Gazzette

Russia Sees Democracy as a Threat

2005-05-12T13:25:00.000-04:00

In this AP story, Russia accuses several NGO's of spying, including those from the United States and the UK:"Our opponents are steadily and persistently trying to weaken Russian influence in the Commonwealth of Independent States and the international arena as a whole," [Federal Security Service chief] Patrushev said. "The latest events in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan unambiguously confirm

Like It's a Bad Thing

2005-05-11T11:18:00.000-04:00

AP: Bush Speech Likely to Antagonize Russia. Let's hope so!

Outsourcing and National Security

2005-05-09T17:54:00.000-04:00

In a Washington Times commentary, Paul Craig Roberts makes the case that outsourcing jobs is a danger not only to the U.S. economy, but to our national security. Since I am not an economist, I refer you to this rebuttal by John Tamny in NRO. Tamny persuasively argues that Roberts leaves out the effects on capital if the U.S. were to try and prevent the free flow of labor, using the moribund

Preparing for the Next War

2005-05-07T13:47:00.000-04:00

In a critique of a Max Boot article in Foreign Affairs, Wretchard highlights the problems of military transformation. Specifically, what is the mission we are preparing for, and who will be the next enemy? Building an Army geared towards fighting the War on Terror may leave us unprepared for the next great power conflict. I don't think fighting China using counter-insurgency tactics will get

EU Gets One Right

2005-05-06T15:04:00.000-04:00

The upcoming Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on May 9th have provided a bit of a controversy between the EU and Russia. To its credit, the EU has recognized that the end of Nazi occupation of Eastern Europe also marked the beginning of Soviet domination. This is an important position of the new members of the EU who suffered under Soviet occupation. Of course, Russia wants to ignore that

Seeing the Benefits of Canceling the Comanche

2005-05-04T13:13:00.000-04:00

The Army canceled the Comanche helicopter on October 23, 2004. The Comanche seemed to encompass many transformational attributes--such as stealth--that the Department of Defense and the Army would have needed. However, after decades of work and soaring costs Comanche was canceled. Daniel Goure writes that we are finally seeing the benefits of this high profile cancellation:The cancellation of the

MSM Does It Again

2005-05-03T13:16:00.000-04:00

Rantingprofs does an admirable job of fisking the New York Times, and its penchant for weakening U.S. deterrence in the world. In her post, Cori Dauber explains the purpose behind the President saying that Iraq has not weakened our options elsewhere, in response to a question at his press briefing. No president can ever admit weakness. Of course, the NYT decides to undercut U.S. credibility

Putting Teeth in the NPT

2005-05-02T19:47:00.000-04:00

The 2005 Review Conference on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) starts today. The United States has put out a proposal that would penalize those states that violate Articles I and II of the treaty, namely the promise not to seek nuclear weapons. In return for that promise, non-nuclear weapon states are given the "right" to peaceful nuclear power by the five nuclear

Supporting the Global Hawk

2005-04-29T09:25:00.000-04:00

There are many reasons to support the Global Hawk, the unmanned aerial vehicle that can fly higher, and longer (about 30 hours) than any manned aircraft could. Loren Thompson, who supports the Global Hawk, writes that:The real threat to America's spy satellites is an Air Force program called the Global Hawk, because it can do most of the things that spy satellites can do and a lot of things they

The United States of Canada?

2005-04-28T19:12:00.000-04:00

Remember after the presidential election, when the blue-staters were depressed by the defeat of John Kerry? One of the most memorable symbols of their sense of alienation from the red states was the (in)famous "Jesusland vs. the United States of Canada" map that spread quickly through the blogosphere. Some liberals were in such denial, that they publicly considered the idea of emigrating to

EMP

2005-04-28T10:51:00.000-04:00

In a recent Washington Post column, Senator Jon Kyl writes that electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is one of the only ways terrorist or rogue regimes could defeat the United States.An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack on the American homeland, said one of the distinguished scientists who testified at the hearing, is one of only a few ways that the United States could be defeated by its enemies --

World Terror Attacks Tripled in 2004

2005-04-26T19:45:00.000-04:00

The above is the headline on a Reuters article describing the new terror report compiled by the U.S. government. Of course, the new report employs a different methodology than previous reports, and in particular includes violence in the Kashmir region. Reuters alludes to these facts, but does not make it clear until the closing paragraphs that the report cannot reliably be compared to previous

Illegal Immigration Threatens National Security

2005-04-26T17:58:00.000-04:00

While the illegal immigration issue is a domestic one for many, concerning jobs, social services and the drug trade, it has important implications for national security as well. In the post-9/11 age, it seems prudent to control our borders against terrorists, at the very least, if not cheap labor and drugs. While the Mexican border gets all the press, the Canadian border has proven even more

Syrian Occupation of Lebanon Ends

2005-04-26T17:36:00.000-04:00

So says The Guardian. In addition to the last remaining outpost of the Syrian military, the head of Syrian intelligence in Lebanon has left the country. Once known as the most-feared man in Lebanon, Rustum Ghazaleh will likely return for the ceremony commemorating Syrian withdrawal, and then hopefully leave forever. It remains to be seen the extent of the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon in

Winning the Hearts and Minds

2005-04-08T15:19:00.000-04:00

Bill Roggio explains why Iraq is the central front in the War on Terror, describes the grand strategy of al Qaeda, and shows why it is failing:Iraq has provided the United States a unique opportunity to engage al Qaeda in the heart of the Middle East. After the assault of Afghanistan, the rout of the Taliban and the inevitable scattering of al Qaeda, a new front was needed to draw out and engage

The Real Election Result

2005-04-08T14:40:00.000-04:00

The Belmont Club describes a change in tactics by the insurgents in Iraq. They are reverting to larger-scale direct attacks on Coalition and Iraqi forces, despite heavy losses. The recent attacks against Abu Ghraib also are a change. It seems that the insurgents are getting desparate for attention and a victory. But the attacks, even against Iraqi forces, have failed, and the Iraqis have

Homeland Security Needs a Quadrennial Review

2005-03-28T14:32:00.006-05:00

Just as Department of Defense must submit a quadrennial review of its strategies, Congress must also mandate the Department of Homeland Security to do the same. In a recent Defense News article, James Carafano argues this point writing that,Nowhere is the need for a detailed assessment on the scale of the QDR more important than in homeland security. . . Congress [needs] to re-evaluate DHS roles

Revolution in Kyrgyzstan

2005-03-25T02:47:00.000-05:00

Events in Kyrgyzstan this week have surprised many with the speed at which they progressed. However, that is to be expected in these revolutionary times. Kyrgyzstan is the third former Soviet republic to rebel against autocracy and corruption, and the newest member of the "Freedom Honor Roll." Events there also highlight the danger of violence in the process. It is still too early to tell if

The Pentagon Should Support the F/A-22 Raptor

2005-03-21T13:47:00.000-05:00

Despite the lack of support that the Pentagon is showing, the F/A-22 Raptor is an ideal plane for transformation. Although conceived during the Cold War, this plane has taken on numerous new missions and accomplishes many of the Air Forces transformational goals. In a recent article in Defense News, John Michael Loh argues that for the Pentagon to get a maximum return from this plane, it must be

War Blogging

2005-03-18T17:07:00.000-05:00

Greyhawk at Mudville Gazette makes a great point about the media and the war in Iraq: Stop and think about that for a minute. The troops at the front had to counter the negative (and non-factual) reporting of America's media. Don't just read these words - really, think about the ramifications. America's media had let it's readers/viewers down. By design or by incompetence there was never anything

A look at the 2005 QDR

2005-03-14T16:06:00.000-05:00

In the near future the 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), which outlines defense priorities for the next four years, will be published. The Heritage Foundation is reporting that:The 2005 Quadrennial Defense Review should be quite different from past reports because of the unique conditions under which it is being conducted. By applying lessons learned from recent operations, new analytical

The Godfather of MilBlogs

2005-03-14T05:08:00.000-05:00

Greyhawk at Mudville Gazette has qualified for retirement from the Army with 20 years of service. Congratulations, and thank you for your service! He's not sure whether to hang it up just yet, since we still have work to do, but he's earned a respite from the war. Please drop him a line thanking him and wishing him luck in all future endeavors.

Hezbollah in the Lebanese Government?

2005-03-11T17:26:00.000-05:00

A recent JINSA Report rightly criticizes the New York Times for reporting that the Bush administration would support and even encourage a strong Hezbollah presence in a new Lebanese government because of this weeks rally supported by the terrorist organization. At this rally, Hezbollah and many Syrians (whom Hezbollah brought to the rally) claimed that the democratic movement in Lebanon was a

Supporting the troops = Supporting the mission?

2005-03-11T00:32:00.000-05:00

Brain Shavings makes an interesting argument. He quotes a lefty who feels the need to steal yellow "Support the Troops" ribbons off of cars when he sees them out of guilt for our country sending them to die in a war he does not support. Besides the idiotic sentiment that the guy displays, it puts in stark contrast the differing propositions of supporting the troops vs. supporting the war. I

Operation Homecoming

2005-03-10T20:57:00.000-05:00

Mudville Gazette passes on word of a TV show trying to document homecomings of military personnel who are currently deployed. My friends are all back from Iraq now, but if you or anyone you know is coming home soon, check it out.

Change vs. Status Quo

2005-03-09T14:04:00.000-05:00

James Robbins in National Review Online writes that change is good. This is something that I postulated in this post, that the status quo is not in our interests. Robbins quotes President Bush from his speech at NDU on Tuesday:By now it should be clear that decades of excusing and accommodating tyranny, in the pursuit of stability, have only led to injustice and instability and tragedy.Robbins

How much credit...

2005-03-04T00:56:00.000-05:00

. . . belongs to President Bush for events in the Middle East has been much-debated recently, in light of the events in Lebanon and other countries (see "Freedom Honor Roll" on the sidebar). Rich Lowry opined on the subject in NRO, in response to a post by Ed Kilgore in talkingpointsmemo.com. Obviously, the invasion of Iraq, and its subsequent elections has proved a catalyst. But a further

Arab Nationalism

2005-03-01T17:57:00.000-05:00

An interesting comment from Instapundit concerning the protests in Beirut has me thinking:What's interesting, in fact, is the Christian/Muslim unity that's emerged in these anti-Syrian protests.One look at the pictures from Lebanon and it is hard to miss the level of nationalism being shown. We are finding out that despite historical claims by Syria, the people of Lebanon do not see themselves

Israel Update (2): The United States Agrees

2005-03-01T15:07:00.000-05:00

Not only does Israel believe that Syria was involved in the terrorist attacks that killed five (which is up from four) Israelis last week, but now The United States agrees. Reuters is reporting that Secretary of State Rice confirmed Israeli suspicions stating that:There is evidence that Islamic Jihad, headquartered in Syria, was in fact involved with the planning of those attacks in Tel Aviv. And

Israel Update

2005-02-28T17:50:00.000-05:00

The Jerusalem Post is reporting that the Israeli Defense Forces discovered a car bomb packed with explosives in Israel today. The car bomb that a Nahal Brigade company commander found was an exact replica of the car bomb that killed four Israeli citezens as reported on this blog yesterday.A Nahal Brigade company commander spotted the red Volkswagon with wires protruding from it and alerted

Events in Israel Are Not Very Surprising. . .

2005-02-27T16:59:00.000-05:00

In an unsurprising set of events, terrorists attacked a night club in Tel Aviv late Friday night that killed four innocent Israeli citizens. The difference between this attack and others over the past four years was that many strategic decision-makers, policy-makers, and politicians were hopeful that peace in the Middle East was closer than it had been in a long time. However, the many skeptics (

1848, 1989... 2005?

2005-02-26T22:25:00.000-05:00

Mark Krikorian makes an observation that has been bouncing around in my head these last few weeks. He writes in The Corner on NRO that the situation in Lebanon reminds him of 1848, when democratic revolution swept through Europe, if only to die out amid government reactionary suppression. But these revolutions eventually bore fruit. The year 1989 is another milestone in the history of liberty.

Missile Defense Test Successful

2005-02-25T16:41:00.000-05:00

If you blinked, you probably missed this news, since the legacy media doesn't like good news concerning the missile defense program, but MissileThreat.com reports on the successful test of the sea-based SM-3 missile interceptor yesterday. This makes the SM-3 five for six in successful intercepts. While two recent failures of the ground-based interceptor have received plenty of press, this

Media vs. U.S.

2005-02-24T17:13:00.000-05:00

It is my opinion that most of the media is a joke. I mean, why do I need to hear countless hours of the Jackson case, or the Scott Peterson case. The media never mentions that there are thousands of other cases like these that never even get mentioned. However, being that this blog concentrates on foreign and defense policy I will now give this situation a defense twist. Loren Thompson of the

The China Problem

2005-02-22T18:27:00.000-05:00

On CNBC's Kudlow & Company today, Stratfor President George Friedman stated that the next economic collapse will happen in China. As Stratfor stated last summer:It is our view that China, which got started later than other Asian economies, is on course to be the third Asian meltdown in this generation. The euphoria about China until very recently -- and China's assiduous attempts to stoke

Uncommon Valor

2005-02-19T17:18:00.000-05:00

Today is the 60th anniversary of the invasion of Iwo Jima by the Marines during WWII. In the battle, which lasted 36 days, three divisions of Marines fought for control of an island only 4 miles long and 2 miles wide, and over 6,800 lost their lives in the effort. 27 Medals of Honor were awarded, the highest for any single battle in U.S. history. This was the battle that Adm. Chester Nimitz

Fact-checking the Conspiracy Theorists

2005-02-16T17:29:00.000-05:00

The March 2005 cover story for Popular Mechanics has an excellent article debunking the myths that have grown up around 9/11 (hat tip Instapundit). A good read.

Is the Future of NATO in Jeopardy?

2005-02-15T15:44:00.000-05:00

President Bush will soon make a trip to Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members cannot agree on all that much. In a Defense News article titled "Bush and NATO’s Future: Visit Is Chance To Revitalize Alliance," Karl-Heinz Kamp describes the major disagreements that face NATO today. The first problem is that many European nations, primarily the "old" NATO nations, do not

Missile Defense System Failure?

2005-02-14T20:29:00.000-05:00

The AP reports that another interceptor missile failed to launch during a test of the missile defense system. This was the second failure in a row. However, like the first failure, the problem was not with the missile technology itself, but of other systems.An initial test evaluation blamed equipment at a Pacific island site rather than the interceptor itself. The previous test, on Dec. 15,

Condi Lied?

2005-02-11T19:06:00.000-05:00

Daily Kos, in effect, lies when he calls Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice a liar. He bases his assertion on the release of a memo from Richard Clarke, then national counter-terrorism advisor, dated January 25, 2001, addressed to Rice. In it, Clarke requests a Principals level review of the al Qaeda threat. In contrast, Kos points to a Washington Post column written by Rice on March 22, 2004

Are we still MAD?

2005-02-10T10:11:00.000-05:00

Missilethreat.com is reporting that U.S. Ambassador to Russia Alexander Vershbow assured Russia that a proposed European ballistic missile defense system is not meant to counter its strategic nuclear stockpile. If you simply look at the globe, you can see that geographically, any systems that would ultimately be in Europe would be oriented towards threats from the south, the southwest countries

A Challenge, Part Deux

2005-02-09T06:11:00.000-05:00

Lost in the kerfluffle over the exchanges between Juan Cole and Jonah Goldberg (here, here, here, here, here and here) has been a close examination of Cole's initial proposition, that the 1997 Iranian elections were "much more democratic" than the recent Iraqi elections. Of course, since Cole has focused on ad hominum attacks, rather than a reasoned argument, this is not surprising. Goldberg

Freedom vs. the Left

2005-02-08T17:16:00.000-05:00

Victor Davis Hanson lays out the accomplishments of the defenders of freedom, and thoroughly fisks the Global Left. A must read: In place of Harry Truman and JFK we got John Kerry calling the once-maimed Prime Minister Allawi a "puppet," Senator Murray praising bin Laden's social-welfare work, Senator Boxer calling Secretary of State Rice a veritable liar for agreeing with the various casus

Charm Offensive

2005-02-08T14:40:00.000-05:00

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice made a speech in Paris today, evoking memories of shared interests and past accomplishments between the U.S. and Europe. While differences remain, especially with France, the speech was well received, and France is indicating a desire to improve relations with the U.S., putting the Iraq war behind them. This does not mean that France will do anything so bold

SMS Name Change

2005-02-08T03:05:00.000-05:00

This issue has little resonance beyond Missouri, or even this school, but for anyone interested, my friend Matt at Patriotic News from the Ozarks has been covering this issue here and here. A good case study in partisan politics clouding an otherwise non-partisan issue.

Super Bowl Ad

2005-02-08T02:49:00.000-05:00

Hero Salute has posted the Anheuser-Busch ad from the Super Bowl, which thanks the troops for their service. In case you missed it. Hat tip to Little Green Footballs. UPDATE: Just what the hell does THIS mean??? From a Reuters article on the Super Bowl ads: "Budweiser did best with the patriotic sentimentality," said [Mark DiMassimo of DiMassimo Carr Brand Advocates]. "In theory, I don't

Why the Elections Matter

2005-02-07T14:03:00.000-05:00

The recent Iraqi elections were important for more than just electing a national assembly. It was the beginning of a process of Iraqis taking ownership of thier government and security, and leading the fight against the insurgents. Now they are no longer being occupied, and fighting on behalf of the United States, but they are invested in the situation, and can begin to defend themselves and

Crazy Iranian Spokesman

2005-02-06T15:24:00.000-05:00

"President Bush has no authority to accuse Iran of sponsoring terrorism while the U.S. supports 'Zionist terrorists' and runs military prisons that use 'torture'." WOW, this statement by an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman is pretty telling. It is obvious that this is an attempt to respond to President Bush's criticism of Iran in his State of the Union speech. I wonder why the United States and

A Challenge

2005-02-05T16:00:00.000-05:00

Professor Juan Cole has launched a bizarre attack on Jonah Goldberg. In essence he charges Goldberg with, um, talking about the Middle East even though he isn't a professor. Apparently this disqualifies Jonah from having an opinion on anything related to Iraq, Iran, Shia Islam, or the quality of the music videos aired on Arab satellite networks: I think it is time to be frank about some things.

Defense Budget and Missile Defense

2005-02-05T14:52:00.000-05:00

Rumors have been spreading fast about what the Defense Budget will be for the next fiscal year. Bloomberg is reporting that President Bush is asking for $419 billion for the defense budget in 2006. This amount shows a four percent increase from the previous years budget. "The Pentagon's fiscal 2006 request includes about $147.8 billion for operations and maintenance, $78 billion for weapons

Bush Reaffirms Transformation

2005-02-04T15:28:00.000-05:00

Writers for this blog have now written time and time again about how important U.S. military transformation is for the national security of the United States. We have also written about how important Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld is for transformation to stay on course. In an interview with Larry King last night, Secretary Rumsfeld stated that he tried to resign twice over Abu Ghraib. "I

The Coalition of the Willing

2005-02-03T10:40:00.000-05:00

The Elections in Iraq on Sunday were important for multiple reasons, however, it was of critical strategic importance because, as JINSA points out, the United States has a new partner in the coalition of the willing. This partner--a democratic Iraq--is of critical importance to the strategic aims of the United States. Sunday's election was not only the first step of this process, it was also a

Is a bigger Army really what we want?

2005-02-01T14:56:00.000-05:00

This blog has discussed the issue of transforming America's Military on several occasions. Transformation is a necessary, long-term process in its beginning stages. Those who do not understand transformation are the same people calling for a larger Army. In a Lexington Institute article, "No to a Larger Army!" Daniel Goure makes the point that a larger Army is not necessary because of what

Study in Contrasts

2005-02-01T14:04:00.000-05:00

There is no more striking display of differences between the United States and the United Nations than events this weekend. While U.S. action in Iraq has led to free elections, UN inaction in Sudan will lead to more death. The UN's failure to call a spade a spade, by calling it genocide, relieves them of any legal requirement to do something to stop the killing in Sudan. And why is that?

Congratulations!

2005-01-31T16:44:00.000-05:00

The White House announced today the appointment of Dr. Jack D. Crouch II as Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor. Among other things, Dr. Crouch was one of my professors here at DSS last year, before leaving to become Ambassador to Romania. Some other blogs have already noted his new job, less than approvingly. Laura Rozen at War and Piece calls him an "uber hawk" (

Victory for Freedom

2005-01-30T19:30:00.000-05:00

More imperial hubris from Pres. Bush. I'm speaking, of course, of the Iraqi elections. What arrogance to think we can export democracy at the barrel of a gun. . . oh wait, seems like we did just that. Not necessarily force democracy, but defeat the forces of tyranny to allow a people to freely choose their own way. I know there is a long way to go yet, and this is just the first step, but I

Acquisition Reform?

2005-01-29T16:05:00.000-05:00

Most--if not all--bureaucracies face the red tape problem. That is, to produce something, a bureaucratic organization must go through hours and hours and hours and hours of gaining approval. The Department of Defense is no different, however, a slow acquisition process can mean the life or death of U.S. soldiers. In a recent article in Defense News, Dov Zakheim, former Pentagon Comptroller and

No Good Solution: The Iran Problem

2005-01-28T17:26:00.000-05:00

In a recent article in Defense News, Keith Payne, President of the National Institute for Public Policy, makes the point that the United States is not left with many options regarding the Iranian nuclear dilemma. "President Bush faces what the late, great deterrence theorist, Herman Kahn, said often is the case when leaders confront a crisis: They must choose among several miserable alternatives

Our Enemies, Ourselves

2005-01-27T20:10:00.000-05:00

Well, by now the news that the Chair of the Ethnic Studies Department of the University of Colorado thinks that the victims of the September 11 attacks were "little Eichmanns" who pretty much deserved what they got is all over the web. According to an article in The Rocky Mountain News, this great scholar and moralist, one Ward L. Churchill (Sir Winston must be rolling in his grave!), apparently

The CIA and Team B

2005-01-26T17:20:00.000-05:00

A CIA collection of historical essays on the CIA's analysis of the Soviet Union contains an essay that discusses the Team B experiment in 1976. Although this is a dated issue, and contains what many see as arcane points on a bye-gone era, I think it is representative of the type of thinking that has prevented the CIA from better assessing the threats to this country, which is especially important

Is Soft Power Enough?

2005-01-25T19:52:00.000-05:00

Arthur Chrenkoff takes on Edward Luttwak and others who propose the idea that American "soft power" in the form of cultural dominance will ultimately win the War on Terror, or otherwise advance U.S. security interests. While Joseph Nye believes it is critical, Chrenkoff notes that soft power "might not necessarily translate into more positive American influence worldwide or greater security for

Sudan Watch

2005-01-25T19:14:00.000-05:00

If you want to remain up to date on the Darfur situation, there is no better place than Sudan Watch. Warning: The saga of political indifference displayed can get depressing, when you consider the thousands who are dying in the meantime.