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DeM Banter: not sure this is going to go away...we will need a decision...no? Friedman's parting comment..."This is the problem from hell. Sometimes the necessary and desirable are impossible, which is why I commend the president on his caution, up to now." What more needs to be said? New York Times March 27, 2013 There …
Continue reading "Caution, Curves Ahead By Thomas L. Friedman"
DeM Banter: Sometimes there are just limits to what can be done given the human condition. Pondering how this will end up... in the short term it will be akin to Libya, in the long term it will be Afghanistan after the Soviet Invasion. We can not forget Iranian and Russian ties to Assad. Further …
Continue reading "On The Hill, They’re Not Heeding The Lessons Of War By Walter Pincus"
DeM Banter: Albert Einstein once said: "Insanity was doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Does the below "strategy" seem like merely renaming the status quo to anyone but me? Forward-partnering will be heard all over DC now... replacing the former "lead from behind," which replaced enabling, which replaced enlargement...all …
Continue reading "Rethinking U.S. Security Strategy By Hans Binnendijk"
DeM Banter: Â Very nice piece covering so many of the RPA issues that we have debated on the blog as well. Â We need to get to the strategic level quickly and ponder what the next 5 to 10 years will look like in the robotic war arena and then guide where we are going. Â Right …
Continue reading "WHEN THE WHOLE WORLD HAS DRONES By Kristin Roberts"
DeM Banter: Another big convo that we need to have... what is the responsibility of the Federal Government--really, this is open to debate... is it not? But if we believe National Defense is part of it--what does that look like? Is there a corresponding strategy to how we defend our nation? Is nuclear defense part …
Continue reading "America’s Nuclear Deterrent–And Defenses–Are Eroding Fast By Jon Kyl"
DeM Banter: General Barno has had some very interesting pieces as of late. This is one we probably all have to agree with...but it is really about the "and...." And what? And then? This seems incredibly obvious...so what are we doing about it? The machine that is Washington DC takes so long to change, adapt, …
DeM Banter: Argh! Where are we going? ...Just looking for "the plan." Totally understand we can't be all things to all people...and we need cuts...but ??? Thoughts? Washington Post March 19, 2013 Pg. 13 Declining national influence is a choice, and America seems to be making it. What foreign policy practitioners politely call the "churn" …
Continue reading "Creating A Global Vacuum By Michael Gerson"
"The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come …
Continue reading "The Cart…The Horse…and Commitment: DeMarco Banter"
DeM Banter: So many issues here... was the "pivot" every really feasible? Was it ever really a "strategy?" But what troubles me is the quote from the CJCS..."...we'll need to adjust our ambitions to match our abilities." What could be more against what America has always stood for? Were we not the land of dreamers? …
DeM Banter: Well there's a bumper sticker for you...."America The Retirement Home." Not making the tough call and choices...is still making a choice...no? As Rush once said..."If you choose not to decide...you still have made a choice." Tough, tough, tough choices must be made, but isn't that why we send folks to Washington? Thoughts? Washington …
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