Category Contemporary Security & Statecraft
Example: The Israeli bombing of a hospital in Gaza and use of white phosphorous munitions during Operation Cast Lead in 2008 During the 2008-2009 Israeli-Gazan war there were back and forth allegations that Israel had deliberately bombed hospitals in Gaza… Continue Reading →
Modern interpretations of the law of war are flawed from a war winning perspective This point cannot be hammered home enough as it is the root of the problem with Western war making in my opinion. The establishment of the… Continue Reading →
I got to thinking about the question at the title of this post a few months ago. Being me I started doing some research and then put my thoughts down in what ended up being a fairly long paper for… Continue Reading →
I will admit that when I first got the request to review Pearl Harbor: The Missing Motive I was skeptical. After finishing it I remain skeptical but will admit that the author makes a well-written, if not necessarily compelling case… Continue Reading →
An explanation of the history and organization of the UN. Given that the UN plays such a large role in contemporary international relations I thought it worthwhile to talk about what it is and what it does. Download this episode… Continue Reading →
Decision Points is a book I have put off reading for several years but finally got around to. I mainly put it off because I have essentially avoided reading any histories of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars as they hit… Continue Reading →
This episode discusses sanctions. Both types of sanctions, diplomatic and economic. More importantly it discusses their usefulness and I give you my answer to what I consider the central question; do sanctions work? Download this episode (right click and save)
This episode explores the differences between hard and soft power and discusses what is normally meant when the to terms are used. Download this episode (right click and save)
A discussion of what terrorism is, what are terrorism’s goal, and what are the realistic options for dealing with it. Download this episode (right click and save)
A fairly rambling discussion about NGO’s and what they really accomplish. I will admit upfront that I don’t have a very good opinion of NGO’s. It seems to me that after 150 years of digging wells in Africa we should… Continue Reading →
This podcast is a wider discussion of strategy and the different aspects and types of strategy there are. Strategy is not one overarching concept except at its most basic. There are different nuances to strategy and strategy development that exist… Continue Reading →
A discussion of what the different terms Tactical, Operational, & Strategic actually mean and how they are so often misused both in history books but especially within the media. Download this episode (right click and save)
This podcast discusses Air Power and its limits. Specifically I expose the myth that it is possible to win a war with airpower alone. The example of Kosovo often held up as showing airpower can win wars is discussed as… Continue Reading →
An examination of the situation in Syria and between Turkey/NATO on one side and Russia/Syria on the other in light of recent events.
This is my inaugural podcast. I plan on making this a regular feature. Generally they will be about current world events and should usually run 10-15 minutes in length. The length is because I record them in my truck on the… Continue Reading →