COIN and Counter-COIN
First, John Robb is en fuego today at Global Guerillas in a series of provocative “standing order” tactical-strategic posts challenging COIN theory. I strongly advise you to check these out. I may comment on some of these later tonight.
John has been taking time away to work on unrelated business projects and this diversion seems to have sparked a burst of creative and innovative thinking in his field of expertise. This is an excellent technique for improving productivity as the mental shifting of gears from tackling new subjects is neuropsychologically stimulating.
Secondly, there have been a couple of new responses to my earlier “Kilkullen Doctrine” post to which I want to draw your attention:
Rethinking Security – COIN and Grand Strategy
Committee of Public Safety – Hamilton Rolls Forward, Firing His Laser Eyes and Grand Strategy Through the Lens of Schizophrenia
I had linked to CoPS previously but I think my blog meltdown on Sunday obliterated that particular update.
UPDATE!
Stephen Pampinella – Critical Strategic Theory as Compliment to the Kilcullen Doctrine
The identity question may be the key to grand strategy and the meta-vision behind it – a la John Boyd’s “Theme of Vitality and Growth” as well as the reason why the USG, the bipartisan elite, the COINdinistas all shrink from it. Grand strategy is not merely about externalities, but shaping one’s own. Here America is deeply and bitterly divided.
