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September 25, 2013  

Pentagon savings tips | History of wargames | Obama doctrine

The Stimson Center took a crack at finding savings in the Pentagon’s budget that would help the agency manage the budget squeeze.  Their conclusion: Focus on cutting benefits and slowing some weapons purchases, including the F-35. (Rick Maze, Military Times)

U.S. naval wargames are a critical part of maintaining readiness and developing strategy, but few realize the concept originated in the late 19th century.  The U.S. Naval Institute has an interesting look at the history of naval wargames, and how the U.S. imported the concept from Germany and transformed it to the simulation-heavy process we have today.  (Kyle Mizokami, USNI News)

In a whirlwind week of diplomatic shifts, President Obama has begun to articulate his evolving view on US military intervention.  David Sanger lays out how, bruised by the lack of support for a Syria campaign, during his U.N. speech Obama voiced his concern that the U.S. will stay home even in the face of atrocities.  (New York Times)

Warlord’s Quote of the Day

“Living beings everywhere compete for the means of existence. Competition takes the more intense form we call conflict when … contenders try to hamper, disable, or destroy rivals.” — Jack Hirshleifer, The Handbook of Defense Economics.

Contributed by Lani Elliott, a DOD contract instructor. From a list compiled by the Warlord Loop, a private email forum for national security experts.

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