Category: Defense and Security

Thinking About Defense in the Biden Administration

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Every New Administration Relooks the Defense Posture. This is Not Easy

 

What a New Administration Needs to Do, Up Front

Any new administration, but especially this one, post Trump, need to relook everything. It is all important and it is all seems time sensitive. But arguably, none is more complex, expensive, or high risk than the defense posture.

A long history and recent events both reinforce that dilemma. Much of what any administration has to work with is legacy, with long lead times and extensive logistics tails. New threats are constantly arising,

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Impeachment, Part II

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This Time, It’s Personal

Once More, with Feeling

Well, here we are again. Didn’t we just do this, last year? Lots of speculation is abounding about the Senate trial that starts today. This may all seem depressingly familiar, but there are some important differences to point out. One or more of them could affect outcomes.

What is Different This Time?

  1. This is Trump’s second impeachment, an historical first. In fact, there have only been four presidential impeachments in all of American history. Trump owns half of them. So much winning!
  2. The House Impeachment Managers apparently are putting together a powerful audio-visual presentation.

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The Country is On a Hopeful New Path, But…

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But Serious Danger Runs Deep and Wide – This Will Not Go Away on Its Own

 

A Country Divided? It’s Worse Than We Feared

 For a long time, many of us felt that the country was not as divided as many said. The problem was so-called leaders who thrived on conflict; beyond them, people agreed on more than was apparent. I count myself among that chorus. It appears we were wrong.

If this past election taught us anything, it is that not only is the divide real, it is based in alternate realities.

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“Isn’t It Time for Healing and Unity?”

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No, Actually Its Not

 

Instant Conversions

Striking how many Republicans who just last week were talking of massive voter fraud, civil war, etc. have suddenly become peaceniks. The ghost of Rodney King must be laughing at who is now asking “Can’t we all get along?”

There is a long list of enablers, in varying degrees of culpability, but all responsible for the situation that we find ourselves in. As information gets assembled, processed, and shared, the public will become even more aware of just how bad last week was.

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It Was the Best of Days, It Was the Worst of Days

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From the Miracle in Georgia to the Travesty in the Capitol

Tuesday Night – Wednesday Night

Well, we certainly saw the best of America and the worst of it within 24 hours, didn’t we? It was a lot to absorb either event. Having both within about 24 hours induced political and emotional whip lash. So much to celebrate, so much to mourn. So much to learn.

Georgia

What a shame. This spectacular political wizardry was quickly eclipsed by the obscenity on the Capitol. For this trulywas a spectacular act of political will, skill, and determination.

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Welcome to the Shortest Blog You Likely Will Ever Receive from Agents of Reason

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It All Comes Down to Today

 

Today is Election Day. Millions and millions of votes have already been cast. The last of them will be done early tonight. Then begins the count, the worries, the hopes. There is not much more to say at this point. Now we see what happens. More talk is wasted breath today.

Like you, I worry a lot about the machinations of the Trumpsters and their supporters. Between intimidation and administrative power or friendly judges, there are people intent on stealing this election. By this point, I expect most of them think they cannot win a fair election.

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Trump Damaged So Much. These May be the Two Worst

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One Domestic, One International “Legacy” That We Will Cost Us for Many Years

 

In case you missed it yesterday, Happy Constitution Day. September 17 is the day we celebrate the ratification of our constitution by the delegates assembled in Philadelphia in 1782. A timely reminder, given what follows in this blog today. Would that more of us read the thing.

If We Were Making a List…

Were we to write out a list of everything Trump has done that has harmed this country, we would be here for a very long time.

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Joe Biden Was Right All Along

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The First Words from Joe Biden as a Candidate Are at the Heart of This Election

Take Note

 

Political campaigns are full of forgettable phrases. They also can contain words for the ages. As it turns out, Joe Biden uttered two of the latter when he declared his candidacy. They proved to be the defining issues of this campaign and what we will be as a nation going forward.

History rarely puts that large a stamp on a few words, but it did this time. If Biden wins, it will be largely because most Americans came to agree with him.

 

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We Are Witnessing BIG History. Take Notes.

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Some of This Will Inspire Us. Much of This Will Not Be Pretty

The following post was one I drafted back in early March, but never posted. It was bumped by other news and forgotten. At the time, we were just starting to experience the pandemic that now dominates so much of our lives. Little did we know back then just how big an effect we were about to experience, and how long this fight was going to be. Looking back on this post, it seems both prophetic and a bit innocent, almost naive. I don’t know about you,

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The Secret to Solving Big Problems? LOGISTICS

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  • Hi Everyone Talks Tactics and Strategy. Making Things Actually Happen Requires Logisticians

 

Save Us from Armchair Experts

I learned a valuable lesson as a young Army officer, a lesson that time proved to be valid over and over again. The lesson is as follows. Everyone thinks of themselves as great armchair generals. Everyone thinks they know what is needed for tactics, strategy, and priorities. Darn few people have a clue about what it actually takes to make all those great plans happen on the ground. Master logistics or its all talk,

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