Advancing Leadership will Change the World…DeMarco Banter

I am a firm believer in leadership.  With strong leadership, everything moves forward.  Leaders are advancers. They advance and push the thinking of their teammates right out of the box--smashing the status quo and advancing creativity.  Leaders elevate others' performances--making those they work with (and for) better than anyone every thought possible.  Leaders improve the …

U.S. Strike Could Pull Nation Into War, Experts Say By Ernesto Londono and Ed O’Keefe

DeM Banter: When there is no strategy to fall back on... and that pesky thing called history points in a different direction...things don't resonate too well. Washington Post August 28, 2013 Pg. 1 Washington has had mixed success with limited intervention An imminent U.S. strike on Syrian government targets in response to the alleged gassing …

Obama Weighing Limited Strike On Syria By Karen DeYoung and Anne Gearan (and a little history)

DeM Banter...A little history...."Nevertheless, the administration believed that something had to be done. If the United States allowed itself to be humiliated by the regime, then its military credibility would be seriously undermined. The regional alliance that the United States led might dissolve as the area's countries lost faith in American protection. Across the world, …

Downrange Dreams ‘Therapeutic bombing’ of Syria would accomplish little By Eliot A. Cohen

DeM Banter: strategic piece from Eliot Cohen...historically can we show where this option has provided the outcome sought? I understand we keep talking Kosovo as THE example, but there were many other issues at play there that are not at play here. Obviously Cohen has his own biases as well...but it is important to examine …

A REPORT CARD FOR U.S. POLICY IN THE MIDEAST By Aaron David Miller

DeM Banter:  Back when the USAF had money to travel... I was fortunate enough to attend a conference on The Hill where Aaron David Miller spoke. What impressed me about Dr Miller was he appeared to be very non-biased and very much a realist... I am sure some will disagree with his thoughts on "national interest," …

THE FAILED GRAND STRATEGY IN THE MIDDLE EAST By Walter Russell Mead

DeM Banter:  However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results. -Sir Winston Churchill Wall Street Journal August 24, 2013 Pg. C1 The Saturday Essay In the beginning, the Hebrew Bible tells us, the universe was all "tohu wabohu," chaos and tumult. This month the Middle East seems to be reverting to that …

Obama Officials Weigh Response To Syria Assault By Mark Landler, Mark Mazzetti and Alissa J. Rubin

DeM Banter: This just hurts on so many levels... the death toll in July varied between 80,725 and 106,425 ...and now we are going to wait for evidence of chemical weapons use (M-9 tape?). On another level...we ground 33% of our combat aircraft and then want to look at airpower options. These situations are immensely …