Category: Strategy/Policy

DeM Banter: Interesting piece. A couple thoughts, if we assume RPAs are the scalpel of warfare, we can then assume we will see more drones employed. We are hearing UAE will purchase several "unarmed" Predators...of course these can be modified... news reports the Chinese using drones to hunt drug dealers in China with armed drones. …

Continue reading "Drones Are The Worst Form Of War, Except For All The Others By William Saletan, Slate"

DeM Banter: always love a good historical analogy...this is a good one. Welcome to the information revolution and the new lines of logistics... Politico.com February 19, 2013 Opinion Contributor To state the painfully obvious, Washington is not a town filled with much unanimity these days. But on one subject there is common ground: the recognition …

Continue reading "The Looming Certainty Of A Cyber Pearl Harbor By Peter Hoekstra"

DeM Banter: “Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” -SunTzu Great points below...Col (ret) Andrew Bacevich points out...“There’s a fundamental need to have a conversation about what kind of military we need to have and what we should expect it to do.” The cuts in …

Continue reading "Pentagon Budget Stuck In Last Century As Warfare Changes By Gopal Ratnam"

DeM Banter:   I have read many of Huntington's books, but just recently came across this one (as mentioned in an earlier post).  "Who Are We?" was published just four years before Dr Huntington's passing... and as you will note below...was a bit controversial--as were many of his other books.  Honestly at times it is disturbing how …

Continue reading "Who Are We? The Challenges to America’s National Identity [abstract] by Samuel P. Huntington"

DeM Banter:  It is interesting that we have to look to overseas news outlets for the best reporting on American issues.  The politics of this issue are blinding many to the facts... the DoD might be screaming... they might be getting blamed for not planning...but no matter how you slice and dice it... there will be impacts …

Continue reading "LOOMING DEFENCE CUTS THREATEN GLOBAL SECURITY By Michael Richardson"

DeM Banter:  All respect in the world for Sen Nunn...but he seems to believe everything is pretty okay...not sure I buy that.  Really, if we just ponder... are we safer in the nuclear realm today... or were we safer 8-10, heck 20 years ago? Welcome to the Info Revolution...data, comm, info is there for the …

Continue reading "GAUGING THE NUCLEAR THREAT: ‘WE CAN GREATLY DIMINISH THE RISK’ By Markus Becker"

DeM Banter: Ya gotta love reading Ralph Peters. Can’t agree with all his points, but he will get your blood flowing on a Saturday AM. It was not just Congress that voted for this… it was the Legislative and the Executive Branches that authored and voted for it….further, we can’t forget the military serves civilian …

Continue reading "ASKING FOR DEFENSE CUTS By Ralph Peters"

DeM Banter: mixed thoughts on this one...but...do we need friends right now? How good are those friends? Case against missile defense is old and tired...but what about bringing Russia into the shared technology of NMD if our cause is really against Iran, there would be no harm there....would there? ...I know several Russian experts, I …

Continue reading "How Obama Can Avert A New Cold War By Stephen F. Cohen"

DeM Banter: still wondering how that pivot to the East is going? Wonder if we are learning anything.... Washington Post February 15, 2013 Pg. 8 U.S. increases presence there to fight guerrillas and al-Qaeda affiliates In his first term, President Obama instructed the Pentagon to pivot its forces and reorient its strategy toward fast-growing Asia. …

Continue reading "For Pentagon, Pivot To Asia Becomes Shift Toward Africa By Craig Whitlock"