US Navy – The true effect the air raids are having on Afghan morale, as seen by the correspondent John Simpson who is an observer on the ground. Simpson claims that the US technological precision does not awe the Afghans, but instead makes them regard the US as being effete. Read this, then read the next essay from 12 years ago to see if we have learned the lessons from the last war in Afghanistan???

• Daily Telegraph: The Taliban are a ragbag of deluded opportunists

Background – The Soviet Defeat – An interesting essay from 1989 written by Robert Kaplan that says the reason the Afghans ultimately defeated the Russians was the Afghan’s willingness to die.

• The Atlantic: Afghanistan Post Mortem

US Navy – The USS Enterprise is on her way home.

• Virginian Pilot: Enterprise on its way home

Canadian Navy – The second Upholder-class attack submarine, HMCS Windsor, has arrived in Canada.

• Canada.com: Second refitted British submarine, HMCS Windsor, arrives to joyful welcome