Friday, April 30, 2004

Il Duce? LOL. 1:31:01 PM    Comment_ Trackback []

Mail and Guardian.  This Iraqi prison story gets worse and worse (and the ramifications are going to be very, very bad).  Pics (mature content).  There is also a sub-story here about private mercenaries without legal controls (they behaved badly too, but could not be prosecuted).  See "Mercenaries Unbound" for background on this issue. Martin Van Creveld once pointed out that parties at war eventually converge on a common set of behaviors.  It looks like we are giving more ground than our opponents. 11:10:18 AM    Comment_ Trackback []

Reuters.  Zaqwari denies plans to make a chemical attack in Jordan.  This demonstrates the perils of al Qaeda's loose sub-contracting network.   9:36:42 AM    Comment_ Trackback []

UPI.  President George Bush told the panel investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks a security memo he got warning of attacks lacked a date or place.  This is nearly the lamest excuse I have ever heard.   It would seem apparent that the absence of a time and place for an impending attack should increase worry not decrease it. 9:28:34 AM    Comment_ Trackback []

KCS.  A strong sign of confusion: the DoD proposes a ban on weapons for the 70,000 private contractors in Iraq.  I am at a loss to explain this. 6:47:55 AM    Comment_ Trackback []

The flap over Nightline's plans to read the names of the US dead in Iraq underscores the fundamental truth that the all volunteer army radically reduces concern over casualties.  Conscription would end this war in a nano-second.  I am neutral on this truth, there are good and bad aspects to this.  I am just pointing it out because it means that bodycount attacks are not a high yeild tactic against an all volunteer force (which means we can last in Iraq for a long, long time). Further proof:  there is no shortage of volunteers that want to go to Iraq if the pay is right (see Private Military Companies). 5:41:47 AM    Comment_ Trackback []

Three new journal posts to Global Guerrillas: Global Guerrilla software -- preview of I2P, an innovative bit of software from the global guerrilla underground. How to hack the power system -- all it lacks is a sign that says "hack me. Al Qaeda financing -- Osama's major innovation is that he created a financing system that allowed his terrorist network to severe its ties with nation-states (see Global Guerrilla Financing for the next major innovation in this area). 5:30:32 AM    Comment_ Trackback []

Nice presentation on the basics of fourth generation warfare (large PPT).  Very important aspect: Strategic objective:  win the moral war. Operational objective:  win the mental and moral war. Tactical objective:  win the physical, mental, and moral war. In this model, the treatment of Iraqi prisoners and the siege of Fallujah (particularly the statements prior to the operation) does harm strategic objectives. You might say this is obvious, but it isn't for so many people. 5:15:04 AM    Comment_ Trackback []

Loic Le Meur asks if Europe needs a President.  I think it does.  However, why not multiple Presidents?  One for foreign policy and security affairs.  One for Economic issues.  One for social justice.  Think granular.  Think flexible.  4:26:10 AM    Comment_ Trackback []