CULPABLE COMPLACENCY & U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY by Frank Hoffman

DeM Banter:  The most troubling similarity between 1914 and now is complacency...great quote from the article below and something we have been harping on here for the two years the blog has been up...a couple of other great quotes to ponder as we step into the new year... Anne Applebaum, writing recently in the Washington Post.   “We are …

The Pentagon’s Vision for the Future of Military Drones By Meghan Neal

DeM Banter:  Well...there you have it..."the upside of smart autonomous drones is that they cut costs; one of the DoD's biggest expenses is manpower, according to the report. Not to mention drone pilots are susceptible to human error, and have the ethically sound but strategically inconvenient tendency to incur psychological damage when drone strikes go wrong." …

Airmen to be evaluated on how they create positive work environment By Tom Roeder

DeM Banter:  I have been out of the office for a bit... but I did see the CSAF's email.  So we are looking to update our Performance Report system to grade "dignity and respect?"  Let me guess... it will be a Pass or Fail... and everyone will pass.  If you don't --it will nuke your career …

Should the Nuclear Triad Be Saved? By Mark Thompson

DeM Banter:  Wow...I gather the current threat (not to mention future ones) of nKorea, Iran, China, and a possibly resurgent Russia would not dictate such a force?  Decline of Empire? Priorities? Choices? ....ugh.... Nation presses ahead with wholesale upgrade as cracks appear in its value and utility The U.S. spent two generations building a nuclear …

What if the Germans had won the first world war? By Owen Sheers

DeM Banter: I have to admit... I really love this stuff.  Sure I know... one can not re-write history, but it is fun to play with the concepts. The contrarian view is good...but I did not see this one coming.  Any thoughts? www.theguardian.com / View Original / December 25th, 2013 David Cameron visits the graves of first world war soldiers in …

A Century On, There Are Uncomfortable Parallels With The Era That Led To The First World War By The Economist

DeM Banter:  Oh...if we would just attempt to understand history... some great quotes and concepts in the article below. http://www.businessinsider.com / View Original / December 22nd, 2013 AS NEW YEAR approached a century ago, most people in the West looked forward to 1914 with optimism. The hundred years since the Battle of Waterloo had not been entirely free of …

Inside the Box: People don’t actually like creativity. By Jessica Olien

DeM Banter...and I get so tired of hearing how we need bold innovative leaders that are willing to make decisions...are they rewarded?  Do we have the eco-system in place to even support them? View Original / The Slate In the United States we are raised to appreciate the accomplishments of inventors and thinkers—creative people whose …