Monthly Archives: January 2007

Got Your Score Card?

"In any case, it appears that the fighting had little to do with either the Sunni-led insurgency or the sectarian bloodletting between Shiites and Sunnis in the Baghdad area. More likely, the battle stemmed from rivalries within the Shiite community, … Continue reading

Posted in Current Affairs | 37 Comments

Military History Thread

"If Col. Lang would be willing to give us a place on his site, I thought it might give us amateur military historians a place to discuss and compare our notes about these disastrous military campaigns." I am establishing a … Continue reading

Posted in The Military Art | 1 Comment

An old war “comes home.”

There was a demonstration out on the National Mall yesterday.  It looked like "back to the future," complete with The Fonda, the peace symbol "thingy" and a pronounced aura of tie-died togetherness.  One could almost smell the tear gas.  This … Continue reading

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Babak on Revolution

"Col. Lang: The "revolutionary change" that US is seeking has already happened – it is called the Islamic Revolution (in Iran). Khomeini’s amalgamation of the principles of Islam and those of Republicanism has outlined the contours of the future evolution … Continue reading

Posted in Current Affairs | 37 Comments

Situation Room – 26 January 2007

"Let’s get some more now on our top story, President Bush authorizing U.S. military forces in Iraq to capture or kill Iranian agents in that country if there’s intelligence showing they’re planning to attack U.S. or coalition forces. Let’s get … Continue reading

Posted in Current Affairs | 68 Comments

“Quadrillage”

As I have written before, the new army counterinsurgency manual is "old wine in new bottles."  It is merely the re-packaging of the same methods of counter-insurgency which we and the French learned at great expense in the middle of … Continue reading

Posted in Current Affairs | 56 Comments

Lebanon is Burning

What are the "sides?’ On the government "side" we have Christians, Sunni Muslims, the Druze, the French, the Americans, the Saudis and the Israelis. On the "anti" side we have the Shia, some Christians, some Sunni Muslims, Iran and to … Continue reading

Posted in Current Affairs | 32 Comments

“The Good Shepherd” A Review

Download the_good_shepherd.doc by Alan Farrell

Posted in Farrell, Film, Movie Reviews | 7 Comments

Two Points

A wise man advised me this week to conintue listening to the TV Sunday newsies no matter how boring or irritating they may be.  I agree. In carrying out that mission this week I fastened upon two points: – The … Continue reading

Posted in Current Affairs | 43 Comments

Final Exam?

"Mr Maliki has been under heavy pressure from the US to crack down on Shia militias ever since he took power last summer and the beginning of this year is widely viewed as his last chance to demonstrate that is … Continue reading

Posted in Current Affairs | 21 Comments