US Marines – What it is like to be a Marine Security Guard in Jerusalem.

• Leatherneck: “Devil Dogs” of the Holy Land: MSG, Jerusalem

Background – History – A volatile element in the Persian Gulf today is the presence of Iranian troops on three small but strategically located islands near the Straits of Hormuz. How they got there – an unintended result of the rapid withdrawal of the United Kingdom from “east of Suez” in 1968-71 – despite the concerted efforts of the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the Foreign Office has recently been illuminated by declassified British sources.

• US Naval War College Review: Deterring Iran, 1968-71 – The Royal Navy, Iran, and the Disputed Persian Gulf Islands

Background – Manpower – James F. Dunnigan on why the US military does not want to increase in size.

• StrategyPage: Congress Plays with the Troops