Dive into the archives.
- Hot Gets Hotter in the Caucasus
Yesterday I mentioned the increasing belligerence of Russia and its aggression towards Georgia. Today, Moscow has threated force should Georgia attempt to retake its own territory militarily. The first assumption here, is that Georgia is somehow preparing for war, a charge which Moscow has almost certainly invented to buy a short term advantage. In doing [...]
- The Wine or the Sword?
Last year, while talking with several Georgian students outside an Orthodox church, they pointed at the large statue of a woman which towered over Tbilisi. It was “Mother Georgia” they said and in her hands were a bowl (for wine) and a sword. “We greet our friends with wine and our enemies with the sword” [...]
- What Now in Afghanistan?
With the promotion of General David Petraeus to CENTCOM commander, commentators are questioning what it means for Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan but let’s focus on Afghanistan.
On October 7th 2001, the Unites States and United Kingdom launched their attack on the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. The initial phase of the war consisted of minimal ground [...]
- Which Iberia?
If a text on ancient history references Iberia, don’t automatically assume you know the location. It could be indicating one of two places, separated by 4,000 miles on the map of antiquity and a universe apart in the ancient world.
Most likely the reference is to the Iberian peninsula, the geographic region containing modern-day Spain [...]
- The occupation and your job
Grendel sent in this interesting film strip by the famous war-time propagandist Frank Capra. The film was shown to American soldiers assigned to the occupying force in Germany after the second world war.
The opening statement of the film is apropos of the situation in Iraq:
“By your conduct and attitude while on guard inside Germany you [...]
- That one’s probably not covered by insurance
This is one of the few travel warnings aimed at men, not women.
Lynchings in Congo as penis theft panic hits capital
KINSHASA (Reuters) – Police in Congo have arrested 13 suspected sorcerers accused of using black magic to steal or shrink men’s penises after a wave of panic and attempted lynchings triggered by the alleged witchcraft. [...]
- Homo mobilis younghusbandus
This morning, as the bright Japanese sun shone through the window, I rolled out of bed and grabbed my Macbook. Last night’s Colbert Report had been downloaded, I had a couple of dozen emails and a few hundred RSS items.
I took the Macbook into the kitchen to brew some coffee and check Facebook. There were [...]
- Douglas Feith
Former Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith, who served from July 2001 until August 2005, has recently published a new book, War and Decision: Inside the Pentagon at the Dawn of the War on Terrorism.
It details his role in the Defense Department and the events and policy making process during his time [...]
- The Gods at Nikko
Photos of the guards at the gates of the temples of Nikko, in Tochigi, Japan.
- FARC’s last stand?
Guest post by Chief Wiggum.
The San Francisco Chronicle has an article that indicates that the Colombian Marxist group FARC is on its last legs:
Colombia’s efforts have rebels ‘falling apart’
Residents of this picturesque hill town set amid poultry and dairy farms readily recall the day leftist guerrillas bombed City Hall and then subjected them to extortion, [...]
