Colleagues at Arab Digest have just published an interesting commentary on "Boundaries in the Arab world and their remarkable durability." It's not publicly available, but I do hope they'll release it as a sample for general readers. The piece, authored by Chatham House's Greg Shapland, ex of the Foreign Office, alludes to one of those … Continue reading An area, call it what you will, of safety
Tag: Iraq
Stewart on Lawrence
I'm watching Rory Stewart's narration of the life of Lawrence (yes, that Lawrence). On difficult terrain: can't patrol it with small units, because those units can then be ambushed; can't garrison it, because units there couldn't be resupplied. So much of it remains empty, most of the time, "and an empty space on the map … Continue reading Stewart on Lawrence
The Military Space
Emma Sky, on working as General Ray Odierno's advisor in Iraq: “I’m experienced in working in different cultures. The most alien culture I’ve ever worked in is the U.S. military... I was used to working in the humanitarian space, the diplomatic space. I came to Iraq and that space, the military, is all over it.” Read … Continue reading The Military Space
Omnivore 27/10/09
The "Safe Haven" Myth, John Mueller, The Nation Information Black Hole, Salman Massood, At War/New York Times Combating the Stigma of Psychological Injuries, Thom Shanker, At War/New York Times Bosnia Faltering, Jon Western, Duck of Minerva British Muslim Gangs and the Chemical Jihad, Gretchen Peters, AfPak Channel/Foreign Policy US Is Losing Afghan War on Two … Continue reading Omnivore 27/10/09
Omnivore 16/10/09
To Beat the Taliban, Fight From Afar, Robert Pape, New York Times We're Too Focused on Al Qaeda, Caroline Wadhams & Colin Cookman, AfPak Channel/Foreign Policy From COIN to Chaos, David P. Fidler, AfPak Channel/Foreign Policy The Forever War Continues, Kenneth Payne, Kings of War Lens: Under the Radar in Kandahar, Editors, At War/New York … Continue reading Omnivore 16/10/09
MICHAEL A. INNES 