Dive into the archives.
- Victim of bureaucratic jealousy
Canada shows us a brilliant example of how bureaucratic turf wars on the homefront can negatively impact the war effort: Due to interdepartmental jealousies, the Department of National Defence has decided to disband the Strategic Advisory Team-Afghanistan. Since 2005 this unique Canadian Forces initiative — outside of the jurisdiction of ISAF or OEF — has [...]
- TED on Humanity
Listen to Chris Abani talk about growing up during the Biafran war (16:14). There are some serious highs and serious lows. My fave is the sheep anecdote.
Download the MP3 here if you want just the audio. More talks at TED.
- What use is xGW?
CGW has an interesting rejoinder to my suggestion for reforming xGW by doing away with the chronologic aspect. Curtis says something very striking in his post:
If xGW is merely [My italics — YH] to be a system of categorization — of label-making — we would be freed to fight however we want without bothering to [...]
- Use Connectivity to Win Abkhazia
The WSJ has an op-ed on the recent Abkhaz-Georgian-Russian tensions which for anyone following it, offers mainly a summary of the situation up until now recounting especially Georgian mistakes while spending little time on Russia. In fact, it fails to clearly define Russia’s role. While most articles continue to refer to Russian “peacekeepers” it seems [...]
- Another Drone Down?
Globalsecurity.org reports that Abkhazia claims it has shot down yet another Georgian drone, bringing the unconfirmed total to five. They include drones shot down (allegedly) on March 18, April 20th, and two more on May 4th. While Georgia denies the report, it would coincide with the rise in tensions with Russia and now, especially with [...]
- Bad News for NATO from Germany
With questions about a two-tier system for NATO and concerns about certain members being unreliable or not sharing the burden, a ruling by the German Supreme Court comes as more bad news. The issue this time was the deployment of German AWACs along the Turkish border with Iraq in 2003. The article notes that:
Germany had [...]
- 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” [...]
- Anon analysis
On the 15th of March, Anonymous took to the streets again in its War on Scientology. See the call to arms here. This is the second real life protest for Project Chanology. The date was symbolic: the 15th is known as the Ides of March, when Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC. The next [...]
- Coming Anarchy circa 2008: Exhibit A
Via Subadai come a terrifying look at the current state of Kenya’s tribal warfare. Only a year ago promoted as a stable democracy in volatile Africa that made it a darling of Washington and other donors and investors, since allegations of election rigging in December there has been ongoing tribal warfare that has not [...]
- Computer warfare conference vids online
A buddy notified me that the Technology in Wartime conference has released online video for each of its panels. Here is the lineup:
Introduction and Bruce Schneier Keynote on “Dual Use Technologies”
Panel I: When Robots Commit War Crimes: Autonomous Weapons and Human Responsibility
Panel II: Surveillance, Secret Police, and Software: Defending Digital Liberties and Human Rights in [...]
