The Mali campaign continues. As does the Syrian civil war. And the UN is seeking an expanded mandate in the Congo. Anonymous hacks the United States Sentencing Commission's website in retaliation for aggressive prosecution of Swartz. Jennifer Lind argues that Japanese politicians must confront their country's past. Anton Stezhnev isn't so sure about Chris Fair et al.'s new piece in the Atlantic on drone strikes and Pakistani public opinion....
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USC-CSIS Conference on Korean Unification (3): DPRK ‘Sovereignty’ is a Sino-Russian Fig-Leaf to Slow Unification and Check US power
Here are part one and part two of this post. I spoke last Tuesday at a USC-CSIS conference on Korean unification. I learned a lot, and it was very good. If you’re interested in unification, start here with the primary report on which the conference was based. The principal investigators said a final wrap-up report will come at some point, and I’ll put up that link when it arrives. My comments below are on the papers presented on Tuesday about...
Podcast No. 19 – Interview with Daniel Drezner
The nineteenth Duck of Minerva podcast features Daniel Drezner of Tufts University.
Friday Afternoon Linkage — Miscellaneous
Thomas Ricks continues his rant on the dismissal of CENTCOM Commander General James Mattis. Ricks' earlier takes here. Some Teaparty folks think Mattis' dismissal is part of Obama's longer-term intent to kill Americans. Maybe, but at least we know the moon landing wasn't faked. But, really, while Mattis may be a popular and effective leader of Marines, his role at CENTCOM as the face of the American power in the Middle East probably requires a...
The Window on Late Ballot Requests is Closed
Over. Finished. Kaput. We will not send out any more award ballots. The last day to submit your ballot is 31 January. That should clarify things.
Adventures in Reading Comprhension
Yesterday I noted that, with the deadline for casting them fast approaching, we are no longer likely to honor requests for ballots. Since then I've received a deluge of requests for ballots. Not a single one has acknowledged that the deadline has passed -- not even a simple "I know you said, but...." Sigh.
Thursday Morning Linkage: combat exclusion edition
What you need to know about the recent policy change and the reactions. Where to start: the excellent NYT and Washington Post articles on the removal of the exclusion. Here's a great breakdown on storify of the "some things to know" about the exclusion and the changes. Rachel Maddow weighs in on her blog, calling the change a dramatic step forward. Josh Voorhees on the Slate reminds readers that the proposal gives the military three years to...
Lifting the Combat Ban for Women: why the policy change is the right choice
Today it was announced that the combat ban for women will be fully removed within the US military. This reverses a long-standing policy that restricts women from serving below the brigade level in positions specified as front-line, ground combat. Given that the policy had been recently reviewed, the change may come as a surprise to some, however there are three main reasons why this policy had to be changed right now. First, Secretary of...
“Zero Dark Thirty”: Touchstone Par Exemplar
The film "Zero Dark Thirty" has touched quite a cord in this country, such as with Peter Henne's post below that responds to my own post further below. To his credit, he opens up another strand of the wider debate this film has touched off. My own reflection delves into the torture controversy writ large, as well as the the purpose and role of art in film making form. Peter uses the latter to widen our view into what this film has to say...
What We’re All Missing in the “Zero Dark Thirty” Debate
This is a guest post by Peter S. Henne. Peter is a doctoral candidate at Georgetown University. He formerly worked as a national security consultant. His research focuses on terrorism and religious conflict; he has also written on the role of faith in US foreign policy. During 2012-2013 he is a fellow at the Miller Center at the University of Virginia. I appreciated Jeffrey Stacey’s recent post on the debate over “Zero Dark Thirty.” It’s...
Wednesday Short Takes
We're a bit over a week away from selecting the finalists for the awards. As of today we are no longer likely to honor new ballot requests. Those of you have already received a ballot should cast it. I have an interview up with Ramez Naam about his well-received technothriller, Nexus. If that's your kind of thing, the Kindle edition is on steep discount. Dan Drezner's morning evisceration of Tom Friedman is a wonder to behold. Cheryl Rofer...
“Zero Dark Thirty” Debate Needs an Interrogation
Anyone who did not see "Zero Dark Thirty" on its opening night was smart, as it was mayhem in theaters everywhere. The film shot to #1 at the box office overnight and is there still, for the plain and simple reason that it's a must see (no spoiler alert here because we all know at least a little about eliminating Osama bin Laden). Zero Dark features a razor sharp screenplay by Mark Boal, top form directing by Kathryn Bigelow, and higher than...