Articles by: Bradley Peniston

Hagel’s plan | UAVs stay with CIA | Building Libya’s military

Yesterday Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel laid out his plan for how to manage the Defense Department through the downturn, including six points largely focused on force sizing and the touchy subject of …

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Letting Afghans make mistakes | Spec Ops plan in doubt | UAV politics in Pakistan

For a time the prevailing logic was to put as many US troops in the field with their Afghan counterparts as possible, like a constant parental presence monitoring for the slightest mistake.  …

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Focusing fuzzy land-warfare visions | Taking an all-volunteer force to war | Luck during wartime

Peter W. Singer says it’s time to start putting shape to the fuzzy visions for America’s land forces, and offers a list of questions to help do it. (Armed Forces Journal)

Maj. …

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1962: Crowing over Cuba

Soviet truck convoy deploying missiles near San Cristobal, Cuba, on Oct. 14, 1962. This image, taken by Maj. Steve Heyser in a USAF U-2, is the first picture that proved Russian missiles were being emplaced in Cuba. (U.S. Air Force photo)

From the archive: November 3, 1962

Editor’s note: Here’s how AFJ reacted to the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis, 13 October days when the world lived on a knife’s edge.

The

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‘Get it right quickly’ | What is al Qaeda? | Navy, space leader

Daniel P. Bolger, a retired Army lieutenant general, writes about a military’s duty during times of uncertain peace. “The best the U.S. Army — or any military — can do is try …

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Underqualified undersecretary

Underqualified undersecretary

DART to Navy Secretary Ray Mabus for nominating Jo Ann Rooney to be his undersecretary.

Perhaps there have been Navy undersecretaries with less naval experience than Ms. Rooney, who is less than …

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Spying goes “insane” | Iron Triangle, bending? | Revisiting a strategy for peace

Spying goes “insane” | Iron Triangle, bending? | Revisiting a strategy for peace

NSA slide (Washington Post)

Yesterday was the day “global spying allegations” went “insane,” according to Foreign Policy. The biggest news was the Washington Post blockbuster that NSA is hoovering up user data …

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From director to actor | Can-kicking. Face-saving? | Caliphate progress report

From director to actor | Can-kicking. Face-saving? | Caliphate progress report

The last combat brigade to leave Iraq. (Army)

Gordon Adams says the U.S. is no longer the undisputed director of the global play: “The most disconcerting part of this accelerating movement on …

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ISO Mideast strategy | SOF hunts Kony | Flipflop over NSA

ISO Mideast strategy | SOF hunts Kony | Flipflop over NSA

FSA rebels cleaning their AK-47s in Aleppo, Syria. (VOA News)

Dan Drezner tries to discern a grand-strategy approach to the Middle East, and lays out a few things he hopes the administration …

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Willfully blind | Poor strategic planning | 4th-gen war

Willfully blind | Poor strategic planning | 4th-gen war

PAKTYA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – U.S. Army Pfc. Michael W. Daley Jr.
(right) and Pfc. Travis B. Woolwine, both Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division …

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