The politicization of intelligence products is a recurring issue that can have extreme affects upon how foreign policy is conducted, how military operations and orders of battle are planned, and how intelligence is presented to policymakers. The U.S. Naval War College describes politicization, “as the shading of analysis to fit prevailing policy and politics,” while … Continue reading Presidential Delegates: The Politicization of Intelligence and Political Appointees
Dan Caldwell, in his research paper The Cuban Missile Affair and the American Style of Crisis Management for The RAND Corporation, describes how there are seven styles of American crisis management. They are, “(1) Crises are assumed to be manageable, (2) As soon as crises begin, there is a strong tendency for previous plans and … Continue reading Speaking Truth to Power: The Most Essential Quality for Any Intelligence Professional
Following the Cold War, many scholars of international relations argued that major interstate war was to be relegated to the dustbin of history with the advent of nuclear weapons. The stakes at play in war were simply too high with nuclear Armageddon lurking around the corner. The world would be one miscalculation away from … Continue reading The Failure of Modern Strategists
Newly commissioned officers and officer hopefuls look to various areas for role models. Some looks to business and politics while others look to science and academia. Yet, most look towards military officers, persons such as GEN Creighton Abrams, LTG Lewis “Chesty” Puller, or ADM Chester Nimitz. Many are able to find key qualities for officers … Continue reading General Sam and the Warrior-Scholar: The Importance of Self-Education in the Armed Forces
Cold War II – A sequel or something new? Devolving US-China relations have seen experts declare that the Second Cold War is upon us. Having won the first Cold War, American hegemony has since declined since its ‘unipolar moment’, however only 30 years later is it reasonable to suggest that the West has learnt nothing … Continue reading Cold War II – A sequel or something new?
By Alan Cunningham Misinformation was at the heart of the 2016 Presidential Election and has been a recurring problem for governments and the public across the globe since then. With the election of President Joe Biden, the proliferation of misinformation and conspiracy theories online has grown substantially. Even during the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, it … Continue reading The Information War: How the Biden Administration Can Deal with Misinformation Online
Author’s note: Although I am by no means the first to review Colby’s book, I have not glanced at any previous review to ensure that what follows represents my thoughts alone. Furthermore, although I look up to Colby as a mentor- he has been an invaluable asset to me- I have not spared in critiquing … Continue reading Book Review- The Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict
2019 and 2020 were pretty big reading years for me, I read broadly for professional development, but I also read a lot for fun. Everything from sci-fi and historical fantasy to books that were on Generals reading lists. One book that ticked all the boxes for me was Mike Martin’s Why We Fight. So, for … Continue reading A review of ‘Why We Fight’ by Mike Martin
The purpose of this short essay is to take a critical glance at the stance and strategy China and the United States is currently undertaking in East Africa. China is undertaking a grand strategy in Africa to incentivize economic and political cooperation and development of the developing nations throughout the continent. Using its newly acquired … Continue reading China’s Role in East Africa
By Aaron Pegram Cambridge University Press, 2019, ISBN 9781108486194, 284pp Reviewed by Luke Holloway In November 1918 the guns in Western Europe fell silent signifying the end of four years of fighting. From 1916 to 1918 the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) had developed into an effective and efficient fighting force on the Franco-Belgian Front. The … Continue reading Book Review: Surviving the Great War: Australian Prisoners of War on the Western Front, 1916–18
