An interesting new blog. An operator type, an Iraq and Afghan vet,  quesopaper blogging from AfPakland on situational awareness and much later in the post, on leadership:

Running To Contact

….I thought we’d cover danger in Afghanistan again by examining, “When Insurgents attack.”

A quick aside…over the years one develops a sense for explosions. Some are “ours”…outgoing mortars, rounds from a gun or controlled detonations. We learn the sounds of different weapon systems. A helicopter followed by a high pitched drone and several whooshes is an Apache firing it’s main gun and rockets. Whomp Whomp Whomp  is an M60/M240. Ma duece says Bum Bum Bum. Artillery is LOUD and has a pointy sound when outgoing. Incoming is more spherical.

We also develop a sense of distance and direction for the booms…it’s all part of our survival mechanism. Another aspect is awareness of our surroundings. We constantly scan and consider what to do if we are attacked …where is the nearest bunker or where is the closest safest place?

This sounds frightening, but we all do this. Motorcycle riding is a good analog. When riding we have to be aware of spacing. Scanning for threats and escape routes saves a rider’s life.

The sound that puts me face first on the ground are mortars wobbling towards me. They make a unique sound that I can’t quite describe. Sort of of a frantic flutter…the closest sound I can come up with is the rattle of a door stop when accidentally brushed. Rockets and their vibrating engine sound are also unnerving. If you can hear them flying, they are too damned close…

Very relevant to past blog discussions of fingerspitzegehful and the OODA Loop – a good descriptive narrative, in fact, of OODA working correctly. Theory is not the interest of the quesopaper gent, but his firsthand observations of COIN in Afghanistan are intriguing, for those interested in military policy or theory. Ideas that are often great on a whiteboard or ppt slide but may not seem quite as great once they collide with reality.

Another post from quesopaper, in the vein of theoretical rubber meeting the practitioner road:

What do they Need?

….indulge me while I inject some confusion into our clarity regarding Afghans. This is a paraphrased version of a Benedictine Grima tale from her field work. If one desires knowledge about AfPak, particularly the female’s role, Ms Grima is THE source.

The tale….Two men travel to village 1. While there, they commit robbery and murder. These crimes are detected by local police. The police debate their response, and decide to chase the perpetrators.

They enter the criminal’s village (village 2) where locals set upon the police and kill them. These villagers for whatever reason don’t appreciate nor require police involvement in their affairs. Villages 1 and 2 are content to solve crimes of any type within their own system of justice. In response to the police incursion, village 2 blocks outside access to the road preventing further police/outsider interference. Up the road a bit, the next village (village 3) hears of this incident. The road blockage makes them fighting mad. A village 2 v. village 3 mini-war occurs; people die. Why? Village 3 needs that road to survive or, shoot-some other reason. We don’t and honestly; we can’t know.

The point isn’t “should we” or “shouldn’t we” be here; that’s a different blog…Fact is we are here.

So let’s do this…Let me take you to a village. You comment below on how we are going to help….maybe we’ll all learn something….

Read the rest here.

First, posts now will appear with a “share” icon at the bottom for the greater convenience of social networking readers. 

Secondly, ZP should now be properly visible on mobile devices, fixing a longstanding complaint. Unfortunately, this has opened a new can of worms where mobile users are now unable to comment, as I am informed by Shane and Lex. If you use a mobile device and you ARE able to comment, please leave one here telling me what you are using. Trying to sort this out. The current, widely hated, comment function’s days are numbered.

Third, looking at upgrading the site, first internally for the contributors and general site usability on diverse browsers/devices and then much later the aesthetics for a “facelift”. I (and my suddenly engaged webmaster) would like to hear what plug -ins/functions you like to see on blogs or, alternatively what you think should be avoided at all costs as useless techno-clutter.

Have at it in the comments, I have no strong opinions here, I’d just like ZP to work more effectively for everyone. I will direct your suggestions to my webmaster, thanks!

One of the blogosphere’s few true 800 lb gorillas, Professor Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit fame, interviews best selling novelist Steven Pressfield:

Interesting.

For one thing, I hadn’t realized Reynolds does short, Larry King-style vignettes. Considering that the MSM and the social media crowd have been going around the last few years saying “blogging is dead”, bloggers who can roll out professional quality television type productions without anyone batting an eye testifies to the durability of the medium.

Secondly, Steve probably sold more books with an Instapundit appearance than any other media venue, with the possible exception of a NYT book review.

Generally, the comment section here is a genteel place. Most of the commenters “know” each other (internet sense) or at least visit many of the same blogs, sites and social networking services. My general philosophy is one of free speech and welcoming contrasting viewpoints, including those that disagree with my own, because the expertise and questions that the readers bring to bear make ZP worth reading.

As a result, I moderate with a very light hand and 99.9 % of the time, the only comments deleted by me are spam ( though some get delayed due to the spam filter until I approve them). Yesterday, there were signs that the tone here was changing and I have had several complaints offline, so I would like to nip things in the bud.

ZP won’t be nearly as enjoyable if foodfights begin breaking out in the comments section and it would be better if we remember to exercise enough restraint to keep discussion civil. We’re all out of grade school, are reasonably experienced at life and have an acceptable command of English – criticism can be frank and blunt, but let’s try to keep our attacks to other people’s arguments and not the people making them.

If someone has difficulty, I will step in and remind them and show them the door if they persist. Charles Cameron and Scott Shipman will determine what is out of line in terms of comments on their own postings and I will remove comments or commenters as they request.

Fear, Honor, and Interest, judging by the list of contributors, has the potential to be a vibrant group blog. Preemptively endorsed.