"Colleagues say the general’s handling of the episode reflects his firmly held views against torture and prisoner mistreatment, which are shared by many military."
Blog Posts
SWJ Blog is a multi-author blog publishing news and commentary on the various goings on across the broad community of practice. We gladly accept guest posts from serious voices in the community.
"Military chiefs are prepared to give President-elect Donald Trump the options he wants to intensify the fight against the Islamic State."
“The lessons of how Syria arrived at a moment of catastrophe, and how we arrived at this moment of helplessness, are clear. And if the US does not learn from them, we will repeat them.”
“A strategy that went from a ‘good war’ to the shorthand ‘Afghan good enough’
reflects the president’s coming to terms with what was possible in Afghanistan.”
“Brig. Gen. Rick Uribe said he agrees with the forecast given by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi that it would take another three months to liberate Mosul.”
“The Islamic State starts the new year with a drastically depleted bank account, counterterrorism officials say.”
“We are not at war in Africa - but our African partners certainly are.”
“A 2013 article by Russian Gen. Valery Gerasimov emphasized importance of cyberwarfare.”
“As he seeks a pardon, the NSA thief has told multiple lies about what he stole and his dealings with Russian intelligence.”
“Federal police are joining fight after counterattacks by Islamic State inflict heavy casualties.”
“COIN continues to be a controversial subject among military leaders. Critics argue that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have made the U.S. military, particularly the Army, "COIN-centric."
“The Secretary doesn’t understand why his peace talks failed.”
"Secretary of State John Kerry’s rebuke of the Israeli government on Wednesday set off a wave of criticism from lawmakers in both parties."
“A Kurdish-Arab force is closing in on the Islamic State’s capital in Syria, but there is still no plan to seize it.”
Kerry unveiled broad guidelines Wednesday for an eventual peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, warning that a two-state solution to the conflict is in "serious jeopardy."
Continue on for a translation of the full text of a speech given by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Pearl Harbor on Dec. 27, 2016.
“The president-elect’s plans to defeat ISIS will rely heavily on elite soldiers already on the verge of burnout.”
“Make insurgency a core mission for Baltic ground forces. Instead of training and equipping their soldiers to fight like NATO units, prepare them to fight asymmetrically.”
“Don’t buy their propaganda of ‘retaliation’ for Western strikes in Syria. The jihadist group has larger ambitions in Germany and France.”
Islamic State is arguably more dangerous and effective than Al-Qaeda ever was. It is also potentially the next stage of evolution for a radical, violent form of Salafism that has been developing.
"As the world body scrambles to fulfill its commitments, it is recruiting some peacekeepers from militaries that have records of abuse or serve repressive governments."
“It wasn’t that long ago that the Pentagon was talking about taking down ISIS’s strongholds ASAP. Now, victory might not come until late 2018. Maybe.”
"At the core of the Islamic State’s global success - and vulnerability - is a peculiar blend of theological boldness and criminal opportunism."
"U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's transition team has asked two Cabinet departments for the names of government officials working on programs to counter violent extremism."
Western security officials are increasingly worried that the Islamic State terror group may be a step ahead of their renewed efforts to stop terrorist infiltration of their countries.