Royal Marines – 40 Commando is returning to Iraq.

• The Scotsman: Royal Marines called back to southern Iraq

Royal Navy – HMS Exeter makes a port call in China.

• People’s Daily: British royal navy fleet visits China

US Navy – A key House committee sharply rebuked the Navyís shipbuilding program on Wednesday, complaining that ìcontinued shiftingî in the serviceís plans has created ìconfusion and frustrationî in the industry and among lawmakers.

• Virginian Pilot: Navy shipbuilding program heads into wave of criticism

US Marines – A look at what makes a good leader.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: Notebook Reflections on the FACE of Leadership

Background – Military Strength – James F. Dunnigan ranks the world’s armed services.

• StrategyPage: The Ten Most Powerful Armed Forces on the Planet

NOSI is taking a break and will next be updated on Monday June 28. Here are the readings for this weekend.

Background – History – John Ericsson’s effect on the Royal Navy.

• International Journal of Naval History: The Royal Navy, John Ericsson, and the Challenges of New Technology

Background – Geopolitics – Ralph Peters writes that in the US military, the danger of accepting the traditional wisdom has become part of the traditional wisdom. Despite our lip service to creativity and innovation, we rarely pause to question fundamentals. Partly, of course, this is because officers in todayís Army or Marine Corps operate at a wartime tempo, with little leisure for reflection. Yet, even more fundamentally, deep prejudices have crept into our militaryóas well as into the civilian worldó that obscure elementary truths. There is no better example of our unthinking embrace of an error than our rejection of the term ìwar of attrition.î The belief that attrition, as an objective or a result, is inherently negative is simply wrong. A soldierís job is to kill the enemy. All else, however important it may appear at the moment, is secondary. And to kill the enemy is to attrit the enemy. All wars in which bulletsóor arrowsófly are wars of attrition.

• Parameters: In Praise of Attrition

Background – Leadership – A review of the book “The Modern Prince: What Leaders Need to Know Now.”

• US Naval War College Review: There Is No Substitute for Prudence