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Information Overload: Too Much Good Stuff to Digest

by Shawn

09.16.2009 at 12:30am

Between the day job requirements and scouring the ‘Net to bring you the most relevant Small Wars related news and commentary there are points in time where I just want to say — too much — make it stop! That said, here are several items I really would like to comment on or excerpt more completely but just do not have the time. I offer them up in digest form for your consideration.

Tara McKelvey at Columbia Journalism Review takes a cheap and shallow shot at Tom Ricks in Too Close for Comfort? – as do several in the comments section. I’d respond, but why bother when someone much more informed about such matters can do it much more eloquently? See Jamie McIntyre’s CFR’s Errant Dart at Line of Departure. Money quote: And the primary charge against Tom Ricks seems to be that he’s done too much research, talked to too many people, knows too much history, and is unafraid to say what he really thinks.

Speaking of Tom Ricks – he has several interesting posts up at Best Defense – Marine generals to Cheney: Knock it off, mac. Money quote: … we never imagined that we would feel duty-bound to publicly denounce a vice president of the United States, a man who has served our country for many years. In light of the irresponsible statements recently made by former Vice President Dick Cheney, however, we feel we must repudiate his dangerous ideas — and his scare tactics. Also see Tom’s Rory Stewart on being a government consultant. Money quote: It’s like they’re coming in and saying to you, ‘I’m going to drive my car off a cliff. Should I or should I not wear a seatbelt?’ And you say, ‘I don’t think you should drive your car off the cliff.’ And they say, No, no, that bit’s already been decided — the question is whether to wear a seatbelt.’ And you say, ‘Well, you might as well wear a seatbelt.’ And then they say, ‘We’ve consulted with policy expert Rory Stewart and he says … And speaking of Rory Stewart, Emily Stokes over at The Financial Times as a great synopsis of her interview with Rory – Lunch with the FT. Certainly an interesting man living in interesting times.

At The National – Foreign Correspondent Gretchen Peters reports on an expert panel that says NATO has lost trust of Afghans – serious stuff if true and something that cannot be taken lightly.

Moving on, The Associated Press’ John Milburn has penned a decent overview of the U.S. Army’s advisor training program at The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Bottom-line: the mission is moving from Fort Riley to Fort Polk, and significantly expanding. Good news.

Joshua Foust at Registan, not one of our fans but that is most certainly okay with us, offers up the case for Afghanistan in regards to recent historical considerations. This is part 3 of a ? part series…

The GAO offers up a US NORTHCOM “report card” in a very recent Homeland Defense report to Congress titled U.S. Northern Command Has a Strong Exercise Program, but Involvement of Interagency Partners and States Can Be Improved.

Chris Schnaubelt has a very nice research piece at the NATO Defence College’s web page – NATO and the New U.S. “Afpak” Policy – bottom line is we can do better. Dr. Schnaubelt holds the Transformation Chair at the College.

There’s more but out of time – I’ll leave you with sites (not all inclusive mind you) I should be reading more – given eight days a week – Ex’s Abu Muqawama, Best Defense – Tom Ricks again, AFPAK Channel at Foreign Policy, Marc Lynch also at FP, Thomas P.M. Barnett, Max Boot at Contentions, Herschel Smith at The Captain’s Journal, Steve Coll at The Think Tank, Danger Room – especially Noah, Jules Crittenden at Forward Movement, GrEaT sAtAn’S gIrLfRiEnD – still figuring that one out – but I like it, In Harmonium, Information Dissemination, Kings of War, The Lede at the NYT and thanks for the link guys, SWJ great friend Matt Armstrong’s MountainRunner, Outside the Beltway, Schmedlap, Shadow Government at FP, The Long War Journal’s The Threat Matrix, Joshua Foust’s Registan, the whole crew at Threats Watch, uber-embed and boots on the ground reporter David Wood, Spencer Ackerman at The Washington Independent, Wings Over Iraq, Michael Yon – another boots on the ground – never comes home kinda guy, and of course Zenpundit aka Mark Safranski – always last but not least.