Week in Review

Steven Pressfield

Information Dissemination Logo

Michael Yon

The blogs I follow this week have been a target rich environment filled with informative, revealing and thought provoking themes. Here are a few of the best from my POV.

Leading off is the first two installments of a multi-part interview series with a Afghan tribal leader by author, Steven Pressfield of the blog, It's The Tribes Stupid!

Here is a short intro to the first installment.

SP: Chief Zazai, this summer you were elected to the paramountcy of eleven tribes in your home region in Paktia province along the border with Pakistan. Why did the tribes meet at this time? What was their agenda?

Chief Zazai: On July 17th, 2009, my 11 tribes, their Chiefs and Tribal elders gathered in the Zazi valley, where the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division is also based. The event was broadcast for three days by the TV channel “Shamasad” and was seen throughout Afghanistan. The tribes met to address the problems created by the escalation of the insurgency and of course the failure of the Karzai administration to bring a stable, uncorrupt and people-representing government to Afghanistan.

Read more: An Interview with an Afghan Tribal Chief, Part #1

Part two follows with this response when Steve asked Chief Zazai about the warlords and their relationship to the current Afghan government.

SP: Tell us a little about how today’s warlords originally came to power. They literally ruled the country in the 80s, didn’t they, after driving out the Soviets and later destroying the Afghan communist government that the Russians left behind?

Chief Zazai: During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, seven or eight freedom-fighting groups were formed by the Pakistani military, mainly by the ISI. When the last regime of the Communist party (PDPA) was thrown out, these power-hungry men started a war against each other in order to get to the throne of Kabul. They used artillery and rockets against each other and turned Kabul into rubble. These brutal men continued their animal acts for a long five years, which resulted in the loss of 60,000 innocent men, women and children in Kabul alone. These men committed atrocities, kidnapped many young boys and girls, and looted people’s livelihoods.

SP: Where are these warlords now

Chief Zazai: Where? They are running Afghanistan!
It is worse now because these same men have the muscle of the US and NATO behind them and full-fledged support when they wish to do something. These warlords are now kings and princes of Afghanistan. They can kidnap anyone for money and no one would ask them; they are in Mr. Karzai’s Cabinet, in his National Security Committee, in the Parliament; they have control in the Defense and Interior Ministries as well as the National Security Directorate, they are all over the governement and much to our surprise the International Community is treating these thugs and criminals as if they were world-class politicians.

Let me give you a straight answer here: Let’s suppose we bring guys like John Gotti and Al Capone and Scarface and make them Vice Presidents, National Security Advisors, Foreign Secretaries and members of the Congress and Senate in America. How would the American people feel about that?

Read more, and then follow the whole series: Interview with a Tribal Chief, Part 2: Warlords

Meanwhile other regional powers foretell more pressing concerns.

The revelation that Iran has a second site dedicated to developing nuclear energy, read (weapons) has caused rumblings in capitals from Riyadh to Washington. Here are two divergent views of what might happen and what should happen.

First from Galhran at Information Dissemination.

Galhran is not trained strategist, but can gin up a good geo-political analysis as the best trained PhD.

I also think all of those who are claiming that the media frenzy over Iran looks like the same kind of media frenzy that happened shortly before the war in Iraq have it right too. It has a very similar look and feel, and it is primarily because there are some very, very smart people of all political sides who are worried war is looming.

The problem is, none of what these folks are saying is actually relevant to events unfolding in regards to Iran, because they misunderstand the problem. They believe this is about UN weapon inspection results or it represents some American political problem that can be debated reasonably on information available to the public, and that this will somehow produce a right and wrong answer on the nuclear issue that suggests a course of action that can resolve the problem. They are wrong, the Presidents choices are very limited, and at this point it appears that political damage control has already begun. The only good news is that the President appears to have a clear sense of the real problem, and is on the same page with Germany, France, Great Britain, and Russia who all appear to have a good sense of the problem too. China is, as usual, difficult to take a read from based on public statements.

Galhran ends on this point.

The stakes for the President regarding Iran are very high, much higher than the political rhetoric of his domestic political opponents suggest. The consequences are too high for political games, something the Presidents opponents would do well to keep in mind, indeed, something his political supporters should keep in mind too. Iran may not have a nuclear weapon, but we may be closer to nuclear war today than many imagine possible, and the seriousness which most political analysts outside government are taking the issue is somewhat troubling to me. There are good reasons the President is holding his cards close regarding Iran, the stakes are too high for mistakes.

For the meat of his argument read more here: Misunderstanding the Problem.

Thomas Barnett offers this prospective on the limited choices in his latest War Room column.
It's the moment we've all been waiting for, and yet today's six-on-one nuclear confrontation with Iran may go down as the most botched opportunity for this kind of global resolution since Paul Wolfowitz went into Iraq and George W. Bush came out with a slice of yellow cake. Perhaps it was all the campaign rhetoric upon which now-President Obama built up these negotiations, or that a botched intelligence operation inside an enriched Middle Eastern mountainside forced him to sit down earlier than expected — alongside two great powers with their own ambitions, no less. But the "engagement track" that Washington officials say they're jumping on in Geneva this afternoon is headed straight to Sanction City. Next stop? Nowhere fast, with Beijing, Moscow, and, yes, probably a near-nuclear Iran walking away no less empowered — if not more so — than before we found that secret uranium factory. Here's why:

Read more:Continue reading this week's World War Room column at Esquire.com

And while these minds are fast at work thinking and discussing the real issues that confront our shared future, others at home from the highest office to the TV tabloids are preoccupied with more mundane issues.

Lead off example:

President Obama held an unannounced meeting here on Friday with Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, his Afghanistan commander, to discuss a possible change in strategy and a proposed troop buildup in the eight-year-old war. General McChrystal flew here from London, where he gave a speech on Thursday affirming the need for a military buildup in Afghanistan. He joined Mr. Obama in the forward cabin of Air Force One on the tarmac of the Copenhagen airport for 25 minutes after the president finished his presentation to the International Olympic Committee on behalf of Chicago’s bid to host the 2016 Games. It was the men’s first meeting in person since General McChrystal took over all American and NATO forces on the ground in June. They spoke only once after that, in a videoconference call in August, until this week, when the general joined a video conference with the president to discuss the situation in Afghanistan.

Read more: Obama Meets Top Afghan Commander as He Mulls Change in War Strategy - Peter Baker, New York Times

These only deserve a link to reveal the level of naval gazing self loathing that some self appointed social gadflies have fallen too.

Hollywood on Roman Polanski's arrest for rape of a 13 year old, 35 years ago.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6648018.html

And David Letterman's self-revelation that he cheated on his mate of 25 years with numerous staffers.

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/david-letterman-admits-sexual-affairs-staffers-details-extortion/story?id=8728424

And finally to clear the air, we turn to intrepid war corespondent Michael Yon who penned this editorial in the Washington Post.

He begins:
The coalition is weakening. While the US has gotten serious, the organism called NATO is a jellyfish for which the United States is both sea and prevailing wind. The disappointing effort from many partners is best exemplified by the partners who are pushing hardest: The British are fine examples. The British landed in Helmand province after someone apparently vouched that Helmand would be safe, and they believed it. Helmand is today the most dangerous province in Afghanistan.

Read more:
The Greatest Afghan War

Reads of the Week

A writer finding his voice

Steven Pressfield

Cpl. Joseph Etchells from 3 Plt, 2 Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was attached to 1 Plt, 2 Rifles

Cpl. Benjamin Kopp, United State Army Ranger

This weeks recommended reads will take you from how to put your thoughts to pen, to the challenge of Afghanistan and our growing peer competitor China. Then on to the sea, before pausing to ponder the personal cost of war.

It's The Tribes Stupid! founder, author Steven Pressfield has been offering up priceless jewels that anyone who wants to write well can take to the bank. For a taste I am highlighting and link the latest.

Steven begins:

I’ve been lucky in my career in having a few really terrific mentors–just guys who’ve taught me stuff about writing and work. The best is Norman Stahl, the cosmically brilliant documentarian, novelist and military historian. Do you know people who’ve got a lot of bullshit? Norm has the least of anybody I’ve ever known. In [...]

Read more:

“Writing Wednesdays” #4: On Research, Or What I Learned from a Single Sheet of Fool’s Cap

And this week he serves up a lesson in finding your "writer's voice."

How do you find your writer’s voice? A lot of humbug has been written on this subject. The myth is that in finding that voice, the writer achieves a kind of personal enlightenment. She discovers “who she really is.”Not in my experience.This is not to say that voice is unimportant. It’s crucial, make-or-break. Without [...]

Read more:

“Writing Wednesdays” #5: The Writer’s Voice

Weighing in on today's election in Afghanistan is Thomas Barnett direct from his World War Room at Esquire.com with his thought provoking views.

Because Karzai's probably going to win, and Obama's still going to trust another puppet. Because so-called democracy may take the vote, but the Taliban's still going to rule many hearts and minds. Because more U.S. troops may fight harder, but Pakistan's got the last word. To America, at least, Thursday is just another day in another long, unpopular war. And that's why Obama should be worried.

Read more:

Why the Afghanistan Election May Not Really Matter

Turning to China, Tom links an article by Henry K Kissinger that follows by 2 days a similar piece by Barnett.

Read more:

HAK on the Pacific

Steve DeAngelis of Enterra Solutions can always be counted on to produce some of the most thought inspiring and informative posts. In this one he tackles to sea.

William Shakespeare once penned: "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep. The more I give thee, the more I have, For both are infinite." We are fast learning that Shakespeare might have been right about love but he was wrong about the ocean. Neither the sea nor its bounty is infinite. Since a portion of my business involves port and harbor security and international supply chains, I pay attention to events in the maritime realm as well as events on land. For example, in another post that drew from Shakespeare entitled A Rose by Any Other Name Might Smell as Sweet, but Would It Sell? Consider the Slimehead, I discussed the issue of collapsing fish stocks in the world's oceans.

Read more:

The Not So Infinite Sea

Michael Yon closes out tonight's recommended reads with this reminder of the sacrifices made by men most of us did not know, but own a moment to pause and reflect on their lives.

Benjamin was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates quietly attended the funeral, as did my good friend, Colonel Erik Kurilla, the new commander of Ranger Regiment, where Kopp served until America lost one of its finest Sons.

Yet the effect of Corporal Kopp did not end on the battlefields of Afghanistan; he only regrouped and continued to serve. Corporal Kopp had volunteered as an organ donor and his heart was transplanted. Two days after most people would have died, Benjamin Kopp’s heart was transplanted into Judy Meikle. According to the Washington Post, Meikle said, "How can you have a better heart?" said a grateful Judy Meikle, 57, of Winnetka, Ill., who is still recovering from the surgery. "I have the heart of a 21-year-old Army Ranger war hero beating in me."

Other organs were also donated for other recipients.

And of Joseph Ecthells:

On August 11, I attended a small ceremony for a British soldier from this base in Helmand who was killed in combat the day after Benjamin passed. His name was Joseph Etchells. I was told how Joseph died in a bomb ambush, and that his last request was to be cremated, loaded into a firework, and launched over the park where he used to play as a kid. When Joseph’s last request was explained, I burst out laughing and the British soldier who told me also was laughing. The absurd humor of Joseph’s request was familiar, and it was as though Joseph were standing there with us, laughing away.

Steel your hearts and read more as you gaze on the incredible photos that accompany this post:

The Kopp-Etchells Effect

Two Men, Two Insurance Policies?

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A couple of posts back, I wrote The Road to Hell is Paved...... a dispatch by Michael Yon. In his post he traveled into the wilds of Afghanistan to interview men who claimed to be Taliban, The Road to Hell .

The reason I re-posted this story, is because over the past two weeks a major discussion has broken out on the blogospherse regarding, Nir Rosen's Rolling Stones piece about the Taliban. The battle began when Small Wars Journals editor Dave Dilegge wrote, A Personal Problem With Nir Rosen's Dance With The Devil (Updated) » it was followed by this post by Bing West, An American Journalist » . The interesting thing about this, is how much discussion has been raised by other bloggerss and to an even greater degree, by the comments section under each post. Two blogs which I hold in high esteem have weighted in on both sides of this discussion. abu mugqawama with, If only we could all be as tough and patriotic as Bing West with 74 comments and counting. And Information Dissemination who writes, The Bias, Balance, and Independence of Journalism, followed by numerous comments.

The reason I decided to offer some comment, is that Michael Yon did something very similar to Nir Rosen. He, like Mr. Rosen traveled to a remote area of Afghanistan and interviewed several men, some who claimed to have been Taliban. Yon's interview was centered on discovering details about the ambush in August of French soldiers near Sarobi.

Shortly after returning from this trip he came into possession of a thumb drive and upon downloading the photos they revealed an inside look at the Taliban. Both Yon and Rosen's reports should be viewed for their worth as a method to understand your enemy.

Comparisons to World War II or other state on state wars are a bit weak, since censorship of the press was strictly enforced to prevent information being inadvertently shared with the enemy. In this latest generation of warfare, propaganda, hiding under the guise of journalism has become a tool for stateless actors to pick away at the natural scepticism of war weary democratic societies. The value of whose report was the most balanced must be left to the eyes of the reader. Both Yon and Rosen took chances to bring their reports to the attention of the American public, how they managed to secure their safe return seems to be the major sticking point for many.

For me, a major difference between Yon's and Rosen's "Excellent adventures in Talibanland," seems to be the type of insurance policy that was taken out to insure their safe return.

In Yon's case, he traveled with two freelance westerners who he introduces this way.

In Kabul, I met Tim Lynch and Shem Klimiuk (a retired USMC and ex-Aussie paratrooper, respectively), and we drove in an unarmored truck east to Jalalabad. The canyon-filled drive would be dangerous even if there was no war, but there is a war – a rapidly growing one — and Tim pointed out burnt spots on the road where ambushes had occurred. I was unarmed, and counting on the military experience of my two guides as well as their combined seven years experience in Afghanistan. In the weeks that I would spend with Tim and Shem, we drove more than a thousand miles up and down Afghan roads without the slightest drama, except that Tim scares me with his driving. If you are rich and want the adventure of a lifetime, contact Tim Lynch. You might die. But if you live, you’ll come back with a new perspective on Afghanistan.

Yon continues to describe the meeting:

And so the meeting began. The man on the left said his name is Mohamood Farooq, and the man on the right identified himself as Abdul Samad. Both of them were from Sper Kundy. Mohamood said he was “Taliban,” while Abdul claimed he was not. In fact, Abdul said he hated the Taliban. Mohamood Farooq is also the name of a Taliban commander whose family had recently been killed in an airstrike that was targeting Farooq but missed. Apparently this was a different Farooq because I asked about his family and he said his family was fine.

After the meeting, and on their way back, Yon reports a curious development.

The seven of us loaded back into the truck and started back toward Sarobi. When we came to a good view of Sarobi, the men from Sper Kundy wanted to take a picture, which I found curious. Why would a man who has lived here all his life suddenly want a photo of Sarobi? Maybe he had a new camera. Had it belonged to a French soldier?

A major part of the continuing controversy over Rosen's adventure, involves how Rosen's contacts insured his safety the old fashion way. " If anything happens to our friend, we kill you and all your family." This has set off a firestorm that has engulfed the discussion and blotted out any insight that may be gleaned from Rosen's work. Rosen for his part has responded to his many critics and in doing so has sparked an even more important debate about journalism and ethics.

Personally, I concur with the views expressed with fellow blogger Galrahn of Information Dissemination when he writes.

Does our elected political leadership have the wisdom to make moral distinctions on media content in wartime regarding domestic media coverage of the war without influencing our system of free political speech through the media? I don't know, but I do know that regardless of the best intentions, it isn't as easy as it seems.

The thing that struck me while reading these two accounts, was that Michael Yon filed his report without trying to enhance his own importance, by name dropping the method of insurance precautions taken to ensure his story getting out. In fact several times during the trip Yon mentioned that their greatest fear was being mistaken by a predator drone for the Taliban.

Courage and morality are in the eyes of the beholder. Michael Yon traveled into harms way and relied on two stalwart guides and his own sense of survival. Nir Rosen, relied on methods that conformed to the Afghan tribal ways of a Hobbesian "state of nature, to be his insurance policy. It is up to your the reader to make your own call on which side of morality you come down on.

HG's Sunday Paper

Fabius Maximus

Financial Crisis in America

Michael Yon

Great Powers: America and the World After Bush

This has been busy week for me, I have final papers coming in from two classes, so my blogging will be curtained until they are properly graded and responded too. In lieu of that, I have created a sort of online Sunday paper to point visitors to blogs with interesting and timely posts.

Fabius Maximus opens with two posts. He has been active in offering solutions for solving the current financial crisis and this is the latest in a long series of thought provoking posts.
New recommendations to solve our financial crisis (and I admit that I was wrong)

Fabius begins:

Parts 1 and 2 are being implemented, much as described. Part 3 was described as necessary at some point in the future. I said that these probably would not work over the medium to long term, but would mitigate the downturn (slow or even reduce the economic decline, and alleviate the resulting suffering). It appears that I was wrong.
The rate of decline — destabilization of the global financial system – has become so great that these measures will prove insufficient. In my opinion (these are, of course, guesses). Since I doubt our leaders have a Plan B, here is a suggestion:

We need extreme mobilization by the government of our economic resources, as we have done during wars.

This Fab post raises interesting observations about the global warming issue that has graced our national conscious for the better of two decades.

He opens his post with.

Evidence continues to trickle in that we need not fear global temperatures rising to ruinous levels. Anthony Watts provides a reality check at his invaluable site “What’s Up with That?“ This is the same material, reformatted and condensed — with some additional material to give a better context. As always, I recommend reading the full articles.
Good news about global warming!

Turning to the world stage and war news. Small Wars Journal as usual does a superlative job of covering the latest with their concise daily roundups and informative blog discussion links. Here is a post that stood out for it's demonstration of timeless wisdom.

Which Way I Ought To Go From Here? by John M. Collins, who the editors describe this way:

John M. Collins began to amass military experience when he enlisted in the Army as a private in 1942. Thirty years and three wars later, in 1972, he retired as a colonel. He spent the next quarter century as the leading analyst on military and defense issues at the Congressional Research Service. Many of us address him as Warlord.

Collins offers this introduction.

Alice in Wonderland asked the Cheshire Cat, "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"

The answer was, "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to."

The Honorable Les Aspin, as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, asked much the same question on 9 October 1985 when he held hearings entitled "What Have We Got for a Trillion dollars?"

The world has changed a lot since then, when the US-Soviet military balance was still center stage, but structured ways of appraising national security problems and potential solutions have not. I'm therefore resurrecting my 23-year-old testimony for reconsideration, because it deals with a flock of fundamentals that the new Administration might usefully apply in its quest for ways to match military ends, ways, and means most successfully. Mismatches between forces and objectives, forces and threats, forces and strategies, forces and other forces remain prominent today.

I recommend taking the time to read all of John Collin's testimony, it is timeless in it's wisdom.

This is just in from the blogsosphere's most intrepid war correspondent, Michael Yon.

Brother, Can You Spare an Afghani? and Jurassic Trailer Park These articles serves a duel purpose of reporting the war and representing our Travel Section. Yon files a revealing photo essay and story that begins with the following observation.

Traveling along the roads of Afghanistan (when there are roads) provides a different perspective on life back home. Folks in the U.S. are worried about the economy, and while I can understand that many are struggling, it’s easy to forget how much we still have. In Afghanistan, and other countries all over the world, there are many people who literally beg for their next meals.

No Sunday paper would be complete with out it's OP-ED page. Continuing a Sunday tradition Thomas Barnett files this column.

Heroes and villains according to Woodward

There is an old Washington saying that "where you stand depends on where you sit," meaning policy views correlate to bureaucratic position.

This is worth remembering as General David Petraeus begins his strategy review of Afghanistan. Those looking for an instant replay of his counterinsurgency tactics in Iraq will be disappointed.

No Sunday news would be complete without a financial page and Martin Wolf writing in the Financial Times has this to say about the banking crisis.

The world wakes from the wish-dream of decoupling

He begins:

The worst consequences of the banking crisis – a true depression – have been avoided. But the impact of the implosion of what economist Nouriel Roubini calls “the largest leveraged asset bubble and credit bubble in history” is hitting real economies hard,

Closing out this Sunday Edition is our book corner where Zenpundit has this teaser on pending book reviews.

Reading…. Where Zen give hints of three of the latest books he is devouring.

And The AntiLibrary is available for those who are looking for more reviews.

Thanks for taking the time drop by. I hope you find the articles as thought provoking and informative as I did.

The Road to Hell is Paved......

Sarobi, Afghanistan

French Patrol, Afghanistan

French Soldiers

Michael Yon has a new post describing his latest adventure in Afghanistan. His story reads like something Kipling would have written as he traveled what Yon describes as the Wilds.

His story begins:

The Wilds, Afghanistan

Since leaving the British embed, I’ve gone unilateral. I flew back and forth between Kandahar and Lashkar Gah, drove around and talked with people down south, then flew up to Kabul. In Kabul, I met Tim Lynch and Shem Klimiuk (a retired USMC and ex-Aussie paratrooper, respectively), and we drove in an unarmored truck east to Jalalabad. The canyon-filled drive would be dangerous even if there was no war, but there is a war – a rapidly growing one — and Tim pointed out burnt spots on the road where ambushes had occurred. I was unarmed, and counting on the military experience of my two guides as well as their combined seven years experience in Afghanistan. In the weeks that I would spend with Tim and Shem, we drove more than a thousand miles up and down Afghan roads without the slightest drama, except that Tim scares me with his driving. If you are rich and want the adventure of a lifetime, contact Tim Lynch. You might die. But if you live, you’ll come back with a new perspective on Afghanistan.

His travels took him and his companions to the spot where ten French soldiers were killed in an ambush in August.

On our first trip, we drove from Kabul to Jalalabad. The road passes through a village called Sarobi. Sarobi has become known as the place where ten French soldiers were killed on 18 August, 2008, although they were not actually killed in Sarobi, but near Sper Kundy. The French soldiers were on a reconnaissance patrol in the Uzbin Valley, about 40 kilometers east of Kabul. At approximately 15:00 local time, they were spread out over a steep slope and started taking fire from the ridges above. The gunfire was fierce and accurate. After 90 minutes, the French vehicles ran out of ammunition, and they abandoned a counterattack. They fought for four hours without reinforcements, which were slow to come because the French troops lost radio contact and could not call in air support or reinforcements

Yon manages to come face to face with the enemy and describes it.

And so the meeting began. The man on the left said his name is Mohamood Farooq, and the man on the right identified himself as Abdul Samad. Both of them were from Sper Kundy. Mohamood said he was “Taliban,” while Abdul claimed he was not. In fact, Abdul said he hated the Taliban. Mohamood Farooq is also the name of a Taliban commander whose family had recently been killed in an airstrike that was targeting Farooq but missed. Apparently this was a different Farooq because I asked about his family and he said his family was fine.
It was Ramadan and there was white on Abdul’s lower lip that looked like salt from dehydration. Z, the interpreter, said he was so thirsty he could drink a lake. Mohamood and Abdul were respectful and direct. I did not sense that these men would try to harm us. I sensed they only wanted to tell their side of the story.

Abdul said that the villagers had liked the French and the Americans before the fighting, but now they hated them. Abdul called himself the Malik of Sper Kundy, meaning the head man. Mohamood and Abdul both said they were teachers. Abdul taught math and English. Abdul said he was from the Sahak tribe, and both men were Pashtun (the largest ethnic and linguistic group in Afghanistan). Abdul pointed out that there were no Taliban in Sper Kundy, which contradicted Mohamood who teaches in the same school and claimed on sidebar to Z to be Taliban. Abdul said there was Taliban in neighboring villages, though. Abdul said that about 350 families live in Sper Kundy for a total of about 1,200 people, which seemed like a small population for so many families.

I asked them to describe the fighting with the French.

Yon's report is filled with photos taken of the men he met and of pictures taken by the Taliban of their spoils of war, French weapons and uniforms stripped from the dead.

Michael pays tribute to the French soldiers who came to our aid, just as American forces came to France's aid in two wars. He then offers his gut instinct of where the Afghanistan War is headed.

Is this war winnable? I don’t know, but my gut instinct is that Afghanistan/Pakistan will devolve into something worse than Iraq ever was.

Afghanistan is considered “The Good War” only by people who don’t realize (or refuse to acknowledge) how difficult the situation is. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. And that seems to be the road we’re on in Afghanistan.

But for the moment, let’s forget geopolitics, and remember the soldiers who gave their lives not just for their country, or Afghanistan, but also for us.

Americans love to visit the beaches of Normandy and pay tribute to their countrymen who died for France. Well, here are the names of the ten French soldiers who were lost in combat on 18 August 2008, in a battle for Uzbin Valley. They, too, deserve our gratitude and respect.

Take the time to read Michaels report and reflect on the road ahead.
The Road to Hell

Sunday Morning with Coffee and the Blog

In years past Sunday morning was a time to pick up the paper and retreat to a quit place with a cup of coffee to peruse the major events and opinions of the past week, laid out amid the fresh ink and ads of what once had been a tree. Today, the electronic media has largely replaced that method for educating one's self on the events of the day.

The follow articles caught my fancy and I am endorsing them over to all those interested to read and expand one's viewpoint. I don't agree with everyone, but each is excellent in the level of craftsmanship of their arguments.

Leading off:
Mark Safranski of Zenpundit who links a post by Tom Barnett and adds comments that make more sense to the average reader. Barnett on Peters analyzing Putin.

Mark says:

One departure for me from Peters and from Tom ( at least in the sense that he did not mention it) is that I do not see Putin as consumed by anger or temper in his moves against Saakashvili, though Putin may very well have a temper.

And the welcome return of abu mugqawama aka, Andrew Exum, who has returned to the blog he founded to offer these wise words. Back like Jordan, wearin' the 45 .

Nuts, that took long enough. I told Charlie last week that I would be willing to help out on the blog a bit, and she only took five days to send me an invitation. No wonder this blog has gone straight to hell in my absence. (Not really. You guys have been great.)Now don't everyone get all excited. I'm still semi-retired. I just told Charlie that I would blog once a week -- in the first person no less! -- to help out with the load now that Kip has done rode off into the sunset.

And a view of the crisis on Wall Street by Steve DeAngelis;

Amidst all the bad news continuing to emanate from Wall Street and the accusations of corruption, greed and incompetence aimed at corporate executives who permitted it to occur, Americans haven't take much thought about the effect all of it is having on emerging markets around the world. As troubles in the American economy ripple around the globe, fears of a recession or depression are starting to grow and some countries appear on the cusp of economic panic ["Russia Again Halts Stock Trading," by Philip P. Pan and Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, 18 September 2008].
Read it in full:
Wall Street and Emerging Markets

Turning to look at American politics from across the pond, is an essay from economist Martin Wolf in the Financial Times.

He begins:

We are all Americans now. By this I do not merely mean that the leadership of the US shapes the world in which we live. The world we live in is the world the Americans or, more precisely, the Anglo-Americans have made. The US will retain a huge influence. How will it use it? That is the question we should ask about the presidential election. The choice also seems clear: it is between those who expect a world of conflict and those who believe in seeking co-operation.

What the presidential choice could mean

Prolific blogger Fabius Maximus challenges all, to open their minds and explore the issues with him as he posts on the emerging financial crisis gripping the nation.

Slowly a few voices are raised about the pending theft of taxpayer money

What do we know about the financial crisis? What are the key questions?

A vital but widely misunderstood aspect of our financial crisis

Op-Ed column from Thomas Barnett Barnett: America's hard-learned lessons from Iraq


Finally, a short report from Michael Yon on what happened to the French last month in Afghanistan, where he asks: Please read this short dispatch

So grab a second cup of coffee and go back and enjoy your Sunday blog.

Equal Time to The Land Forces

The last two posts have focused on the United States Navy and the great new blog, Destroyermen. Today, I am going to focus on the land forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of the most important unvarnished reports covering the operations in Iraq is an on-line magazine written by Michael Yon. His latest posts and photos give insight to what is happening beyond the Green Zone, and should not be missed.

A new blog reporting about Afghanistan, Ghosts of Alexander focuses on a theatre that gets all too little attention. Written by someone who describes himself as; "I am not in the military, nor have I ever served. I am in the research phase of my PhD. I will write about conflict related issues in Afghanistan: politics, culture, reconstruction, civil-military relations and insurgency."

It provides insight to the current situation and past history as to how the war developed.

Iraq has several military blogs, two of the best are, Mudville gazette and Kaboom War Journal. They report to the reader like only a soldier can. Reading their posts is like reading mail from a friend or family member away at war, it makes us contected to their experience.

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On the home front, Small Wars Journal provides a forum for discussion about military tactics and strategy, in the small wars past and present. As a bonus they offer a daily roundup of editorials from major newspapers. This journal has grown into an often quoted source for military affairs. The contributions flow from active duty soldiers, veterans, academia and concerned citizens worldwide.

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abu mugqawama states that it; is a blog dedicated to following issues related to contemporary insurgencies as well as counterinsurgency tactics and strategy. Abu Muqawama aims to be a resource for students, counter insurgents, academics, and the general public.

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Written by two intrepid souls who are not afraid to speak their minds in all matters noted in their headline. This blog always informs, while making one think. Interspersed with their biting commentary are tidbits of irony that drive home the points they are trying to make.

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Each site mentioned, offers many links that will give you more facets and sources with which to use your critical thinking skills. If you want to stay informed on the truth about what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan and the state of international conflict, take the time to read the above recommended sites.

Focus on Michael Yon

The New York Times featured an article on Michael Yon, a brave man who has dedicated the last three years bringing the unvarnished truth about soldiering in Iraq and Afghanistan.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/business/21iraqblogger.html?_r=1&oref=slog&pagewanted=all

Michael truly sees the war through the soldiers eyes. He recently spent time with our allies, the 4 Rifles battalion, of the British Army. His record of their bravery and skill is well worth reading.
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/men-of-valor-part-iv.htm
There are five parts, number four above is a taste of their valor.
Part VI was just posted and tells the true story of the British repositioning at Basra. The anecdotal story of the current commander of the 4 Rifles and his relationship with Iraq is very rewarding.
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/men-of-valor-part-vi-of-viii.htm


Turning to Afghanistan our allies have been taking some hits for tactics and not stepping up the the plate with defense spending. Their bravery can be seen in the links posted below.

The Dutch:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1SDvPVxhic&eurl=http://kingsofwar.wordpress.com/2008/01/17/nato-in-afghanistan/

The Canadians:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaC-w2dIxZc&eurl=http://kingsofwar.wordpress.com/2008/01/17/nato-in-afghanistan/

The Brits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FcXWZ0XVuw&eurl=http://kingsofwar.wordpress.com/2008/01/17/nato-in-afghanistan/

The Danes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd0osZoVjhU

Our Guys:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2ICLx1GYhc&feature=related

REFLECTION ON A NOBLE SOUL

Lt. Mark Daily

Last January 2007, as the first units were being deployed to Iraq in a campaign labeled The Surge, the U.S. Military was losing men and women to IED's and ambushes almost everyday. One of those days, January 15, saw four men of the 2/7th Cavalry and their interrupter, killed by a massive roadside bomb. The difference this incident had from other's that month, and the times before and since, can be found in a letter left by one of those men, Lt. Mark Daily of Irvine, California. To borrow a phrase from Christhopher Hitchens who writes below, "be prepared to shed a few tears."

I can not begin to tell the story of this young man as eloquently as he describes his own reason for volunteering for Iraq, or as well as what has since been written about his life and family. What I will do is offer a guide to reading about the circumstances of this young mans death and the aftermath of losing him. Quite by chance Michael Yon a correspondent, was embedded with the 2/7 on that day and wrote a dispatch describing what happened.

A few days later an article appeared in the local paper in Lt. Daily's hometown, announcing his loss.
That article told of Lt. Daily leaving a letter to his friends on his Myspace page explaining why he joined the Army after completing College

The story does not end here. Several talk radio personalities such as Hugh Hewitt and Michelle Malkin, spoke of, and posted links to Lt. Daily's letter. His letter and it's message of the importance of engagement with the world to make it a better place, spread across the radio waves and the blogosphere, where Tom Barnett commented and linked the story. It even reached the halls of Congress, where it was read into the congressional record.

As fate would dictate, I became intimate with this story when I learned my goddaughter was a close friend of both Mark, and his widow Janet. I was privileged to attend his services and saw my fellow citizens 1600 strong, honor this young man with the most moving service I have ever witnessed.

The next month, the Los Angeles Times in an article entitled "A higher calling than duty"  profiling the life of Lt. Daily and what kind of person he was, and those he left behind.

Summer came and went, and in the fall this article appeared in Vanity Fair, written by Christopher Hitchens. It seems that Mark Daily was influenced by some of Mr. Hitchens articles to enlist. Hitchens wrote a fitting and final tribute to Mark Daily.

Lt. Daily shortly before his death in January 2007

Mark Daily is only one of the thousands, who have paid with their lives during this long war. The measure of his life is that he understood what he wanted to do with his life. During his funeral, the message that kept being repeated by his family and friends, was that Mark's last message said that, "He was having the time of his life." Some might read this and not understand, how can you be in a war and have the time of your life. You could say the same thing about anyone who challenges life and in doing so, risks all. That is the element of human spirit that keeps our species moving forward.

There is a final postscript to this story. Last summer I had lunch with my goddaughter and she brought Janet, Mark's young widow, along. Later, our conversation turned to Janet and I asked her how she was doing. She told me that she was returning to school to get an MBA. I thought to myself, good for her. In the next sentence, she announced that her goal was to go into the foreign service and use the MBA to help developing countries improve their economies. She told me that her own experience of being the daughter of immigrants, and Mark’s legacy was the driving force behind her goal.

I share this story with you as another example of the resilient people who grow out the the fertile soil of a free society. They are the best example of people looking ahead to continuing to build a better future for all. Regardless of your opinion of the war, the example of Mark Daily's dream of a better world can serve as a guidepost of our own responsibility to engage with our fellow beings.

As we approach the anniversary of Mark Daily's death I offer this as a small testament to his soul.

Michael Yon: An unvarnished eye on war

Every war for the past one hundred and fifty years has had someone who provides history an unvarnished eye of the battlefield. Beginning in the Civil War, Americans saw the battlefield through the lenses of Matthew Brady's camera. Each new war brought the vision and reports from the battlefield into the living rooms of millions of people. Today the war in Iraq and Afghanistan has become the most reported war in history. One man has come to stand out among the thousand voices beseeching us to believe or disbelieve in the nobility of this long war. That man is Michael Yon, a former soldier who became a self-supported embedded correspondent, sending back reports from Iraq. http://michaelyon-online.com/

Michael's reports have been compared to those of another great American correspondent Ernie Pyle, whose report from the front lines of World War II are legendary. Each post to his on line magazine puts the reader alongside the troops, close enough to feel the danger. One post in 2005 captured a firefight, that erupted in front of Yon.http://michaelyon-online.com/wp/gates-of-fire.htm .

Every story is not just about battles and death. He recently followed the 4 Rifles of the British Army as they returned to their base in England. His chronicle of their return shows a side of the royals rarely seen in today's MSM. http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/one-step-forward.htm .

The insight that one gets about the men and women and the mission they carry out is the greatest acheivement of Yon's reporting. He is a man touched by humanity, who keeps going back time and again to tell us a story that most are content to report from afar.

Michael Yon operates on the support of contributions, he is truly an independent journalist. Those interested in knowing how to add your support can find details on his web page.
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/support-next-dispatch-from-iraq/