Sanctuary, Reloaded

Alright, there’s a pretty animated back-and-forth going on between Ex, Bernard Finel, and the pros at the new go-to-blog on COIN issues, Ink Spots, on whether or not a larger troop commitment to Afghanistan is actually going to fix anything. Quite a bit of it digs into sanctuary/safe haven issues, which of course gets my attention.

Finel, to my relief, is talking good sense on the subject, too, so if anyone out there is listening, go read it. I’d tell Finel so, too, in his comments section, if it wasn’t for the fact that comments are apparently by invitation only – try as I might, I can’t get past the username/password log-in requirement  that keeps popping up.

I also can’t really afford the time to weigh in right now because I’m, well,  on a deadline to get a feature on militant sanctuaries in to Janes Intelligence Review.  I promise to weigh in by the end of the week.

Threat = Intent + Capability + Disposition + Activity

AQ vs. Hezbollah: which is scarier? This is one debate that hasn’t been given enough air time. Ex does a decent job, but misses a couple of key points in the formula.

Omnivore 21/09/09

Panther’s Claw Troops Back in UK, BBC News

Roboboat? C.J. Chivers, At War

McChrystal Calls For More Troops to Avoid Afghan Failure, Eric Schmitt and Tom Shanker, New York Times

Afghanistan Statebuilding, Jon Western, Duck of Minerva

Assess the Debate For Yourself, Bernard Finel, BernardFinel.com

They Will Mobilize If We Leave… And If  We Stay, Patrick Porter, Kings of War

Terror Suspect Had Bomb Guide, David Johnston and William K. Rashbaum,  New York Times

Third Night of Trouble in Armagh, BBC News

Police Clamp Down Amid Fears of Major Terror Attack, Henry MacDonald, The Guardian