Current events are depressing.My book manuscript looks at religious warfare and state collapse in early modern Europe. It is depressing.So some depressing-but-exciting escapism seems in order. Courtesy of YouTube: the 3rd Season BSG preview:I could've done without the background music.I've actually agonized about whether to pull this. Sometimes current events and the stark reality of actual warfare can make it difficult to enjoy, well, stories about genocide, insurgencies, war crimes, and warfare. It doesn't seem right. My wife and I haven't touched any of our more violent video games. We've...

Two very interesting pieces by Robert Kaplan in the past two days.First, Kaplan reviews a new book by Richard H. Shultz Jr. and Andrea J. Dew. The book, Insurgents, Terrorists, and Militias: The Warriors of Contemporary Combat, discusses the different methods, motivations, and goals of our primary adversaries in the GWOT. Why does it look good to me? Because they apparently take the honor, pride, and prestige motives of these actors serioulsy, as does Kaplan. If nothing else it should make for an interesting read.Second, Kaplan pens an op-ed for the NY Times today discussing the difficulties...

I spent today at and around our soon-to-be-not home with my daughter. Revisions to my book manuscript have been moving along nicely, so I thought it would be a good idea to give my wife some relief. My daughter's not only, as she will proudly inform anyone who will listen, "two," but also manifesting anxiety about moving in all sorts of strange ways. My wife needs some serious downtime and work time.My daughter, unfortunately, decided that she wanted to spend time with "mommy-daddy," my wife got no work done, and by the end of the day I was seriously contemplating taking up drinking. All of...

Coalition soldiers have recaptured both towns taken by the Taliban over the weekend.This shouldn't come as much of a surprise When the Taliban can hold towns against combined Afghan and coalition forces, than we'llknow the future of Afghanistan is in serious jeopardy. The fact that they have enough operational capability to seize them in the first place is bad enough news.The Post also notes that the Afghan government is going to try again to reestablish a "Vice and Virtues" ministry, and that Afghani officials accuse Pakistani Islamicists of (sit down, I know this will be a shock) aiding...

From the Washington Post:Michael Golden, spokesman for Schaefer, said the comptroller was speaking "in this sort of verbal shorthand that those of us who have worked with him can understand." Schaefer eventually voted for the contract.What did Maryland's Comptroller say?"Oh, we don't worry about any of those things like money. Or illegals crossing the border. That's nothing. That's just a given. Oh, come on. Korea is another one. All of the sudden, they're our friends, too, shooting missiles at us."Schaefer refused to sign an apology and claimed he had been misinterpreted.One of Schaefer's...

Via Think Progress: Kristol Suggests People of Iran Would Embrace U.S. Attack, Triggering Regime ChangeLet's see, where did I hear that one before--oh wait, I got it--Bill Kristol!February 2nd, 2002:The larger question with respect to Iraq, as with Afghanistan, is what happens after the combat is concluded. The Iraqi opposition lacks the military strength of the Afghan Northern Alliance; however, it claims a political legitimacy that might even be greater. And, as in Kabul but also as in the Kurdish and Shi’ite regions of Iraq in 1991, American and alliance forces will be welcomed in Baghdad...

It would appear that many conservatives have finally grown weary enough of the administration’s approach to foreign policy that they are beginning to make themselves heard. I agree with them on the basic point—the Iraq campaign made the US weaker and demonstrates that everyday. From the Washington Post:“Conservatives complain that the United States is hunkered down in Iraq without enough troops or a strategy to crush the insurgency. They see autocrats in Egypt and Russia cracking down on dissenters with scant comment from Washington, North Korea firing missiles without consequence, and Iran...

Forgot to pass this along earlier. More good news.The Turkish army may move into northern Iraq if violence by Turkish-Kurdish guerrillas continues, officials said yesterday.Such a move could put Turkey on a collision course with the United States, which has repeatedly warned against unilateral action in Iraq.Actually, it isn't as grim as it seems.But the Turkish government is facing increasing domestic pressure to act after 15 soldiers, police and guards were killed in fighting with the guerrillas in the past week."The government is really in a bind," said Seyfi Tashan, the director of the...