Royal Marines – Royal Marines on patrol in Afghanistan have discovered another large arms cache.

• BBC: Marines seize ‘Taleban’ arsenal
  

French Navy – The French frigate L.V. Le Henaff will make a port of call in Ghana.

• Accra Mail: French Navy ship to visit

US Marines – More about the current CARAT exercises in Malaysia.

• The Straits Times: No US base, but joint exercises are fine for KL

Russian Navy – The Russian Navy is interceding in a fishing dispute between Norway and Russia.

• Norway Post: Russian naval vessel on its way to Svalbard

Background – Iraq – William Arkin on how we need to absorb the lessons of the first Gulf War, as we go about planning the second – we need to be bolder in our thinking and planning. Take the lesson of Engagement Area Thomas, for example???

• Los Angeles Times: Gulf War Redux — The president seems determined to attack Iraq again. But have we fully grasped the lessons of the last time around?