Small Wars Journal

11 September SWJ Roundup

Tue, 09/11/2012 - 6:24am

Small Wars Journal Daily Roundup

US Naval Institute Daily - USNI

Real Clear World - RCP

Afghanistan

Rejected Report Now Key to US Effort to Curb Insider Killings - S&S

US Transfers Bagram Prison to Afghanistan - VOA

Issues Linger as Afghans Take Control of a Prison - NYT

Afghan Officials: US Reneged on Parts of Deal to Gand Over Bagram Prison - LAT

Taliban Claims Attack on Helicopter in Afghanistan - NYT

Taliban Says 9/11 Attacks Excuse for 'Illegal' War - LAT

Taliban Posing as ‘Attractive Women’ Online - DR

Three Dead in Bagram Base Attack - BBC

Suicide Bomber Kills 5 in Western Afghanistan - AP

ISAF Operations Summary - AFPS

 

Syria

Syrian Rebel Video Appears to Show 20 Executed Soldiers - VOA

Syrian Rebels to Turn Captured Anti-aircraft Guns on Air Force - McClatchy

UN Official Warns Syrian Rebels About Atrocities - NYT

UN Chief Urges Rights Officials to Lead on Syria - AP

Syria Weighs Heavily on France - WP

France 'Helped Syria Defector' - BBC

Syrian Waiting Game - WP editorial

 

Middle East / North Africa

US, Israel at Odds Over Iran ‘Red Line’ - WP

'Secret' Syria Strike Helps Israel Signal Resolve on Iran - Reuters

New Intelligence on Iran Nuke Work - AP

IAEA Demands Access to Iranian Military Site - VOA

Iran: Timing 'Sensitive' for US-Led Gulf Exercises - AP

Obama Nominates Envoy to Iraq - NYT

Fugitive Iraqi VP Says Death Sentence a Sham - VOA

Iraq VP Hashemi Rejects Verdict - BBC

Surviving Terror: Confessions of an Iraqi Translator - TO

Turkey Bombs Rebels in North Iraq - BBC

In Yemen, a Fierce Battle with al-Qaeda - WP

Al-Qaida's Second in Command in Yemen Killed - VOA

Yemen Says al-Qaeda Chief Killed - BBC

Palestinian Leaders Seek Economic Solutions After Protests - Reuters

Bahrain Activist in Court Appeal - BBC

Oman Activists Given Jail Terms - BBC

New Egypt Leader Has Big Plans for Revival - WT

Slick Iranian Move Puts US in Precarious Place - WP opinion

 

Terrorism / Counterterrorism

Al Qaeda Leader's Brother Offers Peace Plan - CNN

Al-Qaida Leader Confirms June Death of No. 2 - AP

Al Qaeda Confirms Death of Bin Laden Confidant Libi - Reuters

'Dirty Bomb' Threat at Hospitals Remains, GAO Report Says - WP

Bin Laden Raid Doctor Speaks Out - BBC

 

NATO

NATO’s Rasmussen Discusses Afghanistan, Syria, 9/11 Attacks - AFPS

 

US Department of Defense

DOD: Families, Friends Need to Recognize Signs of Suicide - AFPS

More Problems Raised at Pentagon F-35 Fighter Review - Reuters

Five-year Model for Army Reservists Could Extend Training Periods - S&S

 

United States

President Proclaims Patriot Day, Day of Remembrance - AFPS

Panetta Calls Flight 93 Memorial ‘Hallowed Ground’ - AFPS

For First Time in Years, 9/11 Attacks Play Minor Role in Election - AP

Obama Edges Romney in Latest Opinion Polls - VOA

Obama, Romney Close Among Likely Voters - WP

Congress Courts Veterans Leading Up to Election - AP

Forget 9/11 - WT editorial

The homeland-security Myth - WT editorial

Obama Skipping More Than Half of Daily Intelligence Meetings -WP opinion

The Deafness Before the 9/11 Storm - NYT opinion

9/11: Just Another Day? - WP opinion

The Next 9/11 - WT opinion

Rebuilding US Global Leadership - WT opinion

Romney's Foreign Policy Might Cost Him Election - FP opinion

Obama's Three Wars on Terror - FP opinion

5 Questions with John Bolton - WT opinion

 

World

The Rise of the Middle Powers - NYT opinion

 

Africa

DR Congo Official Hails Regional Summit Outcome - VOA

HRW: Congo Rebels Commit Widespread Rights Abuses - Reuters

Witnesses: Mali Extremists Amputate Limbs of Suspected Thieves - VOA

Amputations and Killings Shake an Embattled Mali - NYT

Kenya Ethnic Clashes Kill 30 - BBC

Somalia Elects a New President - VOA

Somali MPs Elect Hassan Sheikh President - BBC

Somalia Selects an Activist as Leader - NYT

New Labor Unrest Coincides With S. Africa Union Talks - VOA

Ethiopia Pardons Two Swedish Journalists - VOA

 

Americas

Hope that Colombia’s War Might End - WP

Colombian Guerrilla Deserter Helped Ecuadorean Hostage Escape - BBC

16 Bodies Dumped Beside Mexican Road - BBC

Chavez Rival Questions if Venezuela Gov't Really Socialist - AP

Ecuadoreans Close Ranks in Assange Standoff - NYT

Brazil: Rio Police Investigate Murders - BBC

 

Asia Pacific / Central

Japan Decision Raises Stakes in Island Dispute - VOA

China Sends Patrol Ships to Disputed East China Sea Islands - BBC

Communist Leader’s Absence Sets Off Rumor Mills in China - NYT

Absence of Chinese Leader Fuels Speculation about Transition - WP

In Hong Kong Election, Democrats Gain Despite Pro-Beijing Rebound - VOA

North Korea Is Ready to Discuss Aid From South - NYT

Vietnam's Economy Loses Its Roar - AP

Burmese Migrants in Thailand Await Changes Back Home - VOA

 

Europe

If Caucasus Erupts, War Could Spread - Reuters

Supervised Independence Ends in Kosovo - VOA

Supervision of Kosovo Ends, But What Does it Mean? - AP

Greece Struggles to Reach Austerity Deal With Lenders - VOA

Spain Opposes Bailout Conditions - BBC

US Groups Helped Fund Dutch anti-Islam Politician Wilders - Reuters

Turkey: One Dead in Istanbul Explosion - BBC

Newly Declassified Memos Show US Hushed Up Soviet Massacre - AP

US 'Covered Up' Soviet Massacre - BBC

 

South Asia

Tension after India Protest Death - BBC

Indian Case Could Impact Availability of Generic Drugs - VOA

Comments

tomkinton

Tue, 09/11/2012 - 11:41am

Dr. Bordin was a student in my CA class several years ago. At the time, he gifted me a copy of his PhD thesis: "Lethal Incompetence: Studies in Political and Military Decision Making". The work is dedicated to '...the gallant U.S. Torpedo aircrews at the Battle of Midway, the six Navy fighter pilots who desperately tried to protect them...'. Ironic, considering it was a Navy LCDR (Colette Murphy) who reduced his prescient work to so much trash as spokesman (woman) for ISAF. She went on to say:
'The findings are not consistent with our assessment'. Just like the rest of big army statements/SGM proclamations, there are likely no such 'assessments' to be found.

Small wonder, given this level of denial, that the CASAL came up with a mere 26% of support for our organization.

Dave Maxwell

Tue, 09/11/2012 - 8:29am

Regarding this report:

"Previously rejected report is now key to US effort to curb insider killings in Afghanistan"
http://www.stripes.com/previously-rejected-report-is-now-key-to-us-effo…

Although this on one hand is a sad commentary because we failed to heed the warnings and summarily rejected a report that did not fit our narrative on the other there is some hope. There are lessons from this. Proponents of "Design Theory" in military operations might argue that our rejection of the report showed that we failed to understand the problem and that we refused to seek and listen to alternative views. However, the good news might be that although the report was rejected and lives have been sacrificed by our mistakes, we did learn, we did "reframe" the problem and we are trying to change the situation based on a new understanding of the problem. It may unfortunately be too little too late but at least we are man enough to admit we were wrong and now pay attention to what has likely provide to be right or at least a viable alternative to our preconceived notions and our previously biased narrative. Yes hindsight is 20-20 but we should learn from this and perhaps this might be one small (but important) case study that the Design proponents can use. We should be listening to those voices with alternative views that do not match our own.

I would be interested in hearing from our Design experts and their analysis of this situation from a Design perspective. We need to be a learning organization and I hope we can learn from this tragedy.