zenpundit.com

Here’s an array of interesting topics:

Top Billing!  Haft of the Spear – In the Age of Obama

A project in which I am very pleased to have a small part.

SWJ Blog – Mexico’s Criminal Insurgency ( originally at DNI)

Global Guerillas – THE STAGE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY’S EPOCHAL CONFLICT

Abu Muqawama (Londonstani) – Extremism and theology – Saudi style and Extremism and theology

Michael Porter – Businessweek – Why America Needs an Economic Strategy ( Hat tip to Richard Florida)

Election Opinions from: Wizards of Oz ,  Duck of Minerva,   DNI,  Sic Semper Tyrannis,  Soob,  Mapping Strategy,  Complexity and Social networks Blog

Open the Future – 80 Hours in the Air-Conditioned Nation

That’s it!

Top Billing! SWJ Blog – Rosen Affair Roundup

A must-read collection of links on Nir Rosen’s highly controversial “embed” with the Taliban.

I’m not buying the argument that journalists somehow are morally excused or above the legal obligations of other American citizens in dealing with an enemy in an armed conflict with the United States. Rosen’s personal daring, talent or whether he may have uncovered valuable information in Pushtunistan or not ( negotiation and deal-making is a historic component of Afghan tribal warfare) isn’t the point.  If I openly sold the Taliban medical supplies or collected donations for them, I’m pretty sure the FBI would arrive at my door in short order. What’s the moral difference if your business involves a laptop and information rather than shipping physical goods ? Any?

CTLab Review – A Brief History of Negotiating with the Taliban

On a related note.

Kings of War – Aesop von Kissinger: Lessons from Vietnam

FPRI – From Stone to Silicon: A Brief Survey of Innovation

John Seely Brown – Learning 2.0 : The Big Picture (PDF)

Conceptually rich handful of slides in PDF format.

Center for Contemporary Conflict – The Strategy of Containment in Fighting Terrorism

The Jamestown Foundation – Taming the ISI: Implications for Pakistan’s Stability and the War on Terrorism

Shlok’s first policy briefing ( meant to highlight this earlier)

Rough Type – Openness is not enough

That’s it !

Here it is:

Top Billing!  Global Guerillas – JOURNAL: Some Final Observations

Information Dissemination – On Hearts, Minds, and Piracy

Pundita – War at sea: piracy and the rise of private navies and More on William Ayers’ education plan: Ayers-Obama relationship primarily an education issue for voters — but try telling that to the news media

ERMB – Books Forever and When does Connectivity Narrow Thinking?

Sic Semper Tyrannis – Tribe on tribe – Pakistan and GOP = Whigs?

Col. H.R. McMaster – Learning from Contemporary Conflicts to Prepare for Future War ( Hat tip Wiggins)

And, finally, Lexington Green sent me the following:

The Truth About Putin and Medvedev by Amy Knight ( a Soviet Studies specialist)

The Great Marathon Man  By Peter Green

That’s it!

It’s late, so I’ll do this quickly:

Top Billing! Art Hutchinson – Preparing One’s Mind to See

Great post by Art on perception and our mental constructs through which we filter reality. Many points of interest to consider in light of Boyd’s OODA Loop. Things in which Dr. Chet and Dan of tdaxp would be interested

Insurgency Research Group – Militias, Tribes and Insurgents: The Challenge of Political Reintegration in Iraq

Hidden Unities – “If You’re An American… You’re An American”

Chicago Boyz ( David Foster) – Obamian Acolytes vs Joe the Plumber

A wide-ranging debate over history and the limits of free speech at Progressive Historians

CTLab (Michael Innes) – Readings of Note

MountainRunner – Arming for the Second War of Ideas: the Department of Global Affairs

SWJ Blog – Dave’s rant along with Mediating Between Crusaders and Conservatives

That’s it…because I’m tired and have to get up in five hours.

In a loose, conversational, style:

Top Billing! Coming Anarchy – VOTE NIXON!  He’s got my vote.

Gunnar has a good piece on Charlie Rose interviewing Warren Buffett

Sam Liles opines on Taleb’s The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable with his review White swans: Along with ducks spray painted black

Nice post by Dave about Issues 2008: Reforming Government featuring typical Illinois style corruption, where the state is simply a fleecing machine for suckers.

Matt Armstrong recommends this post on propaganda by Lines and Colors.

The SWJ Blog and WaPO think that the next president should keep Robert Gates as SECDEF. So do I – though I’m not holding my breath.

The Kings of War have preliminary impressions of Martin van Creveld’s new book, The Culture of War and they are decidedly mixed – Van Creveld and his targets. Tom gets some advance comments on his new book Great Powers: America and the World After Bush from General Petraeus ( sidebar: it appears that Dr. Barnett’s trusty webmaster, Sean Meade, has managed to scrounge up an unusually cheery header pic for the blog. Perhaps it was taken after a Packers victory or something)

Criticizing Senator Obama’s political relationship over a period of years with ex-Weatherman terrorist and still Leftist radical Bill Ayers -and the Obama campaign’s attempt to spin it away as “some guy in my neighborhood” – will get you tarred as a “segregationist“. I’m getting the vibe that the Obamaniacs, who already see “political opposition= racism”, will, if victorious, be all too willing to use the hand of government to pressure critics into silence.

Does anyone besides me find it somewhat ironic to hear praises for Stoicism being sung from these quarters?