Merchant Marine – As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) takes steps to better protect U.S. ports and harbors, questions linger about the potential effectiveness of the Container Security Initiative (CSI) in helping to ensure that terrorists do no harm by taking advantage of security gaps in international shipping.

• Sea Power: Shipping Container Security and the Weakest-Link Scenario

Apologies for the late update today???

Background – Bases – A great redeployment of forces is reshaping the US network of overseas military facilities.

• Air Force: Lighter Footprint, Longer Reach

US Marines – The Iwo Jima amphibious ready group prepares to return home.

• Virginian Pilot: Three-ship Iwo Jima group ready to return home

US Marines – How the Marine Corps will organize to fight can be found within a hierarchy of concepts.

• Marine Corps Gazette: The Family of Concepts

US Coast Guard – Secretary Rumsfeld questions continued reliance on the Coast Guard in military deployments.

• Sea Power: Adm. Keating Says Coast Guard Was “Pivotal” Force

US Navy – The US fleet has shrunk to its smallest size since WWI.

• San Diego Union Tribune: Navy has fewest ships since before World War I

Background – History – The distinguished public servant and scholar James Schlesinger recently gave marching orders to those assembled for the annual Midway Night, this year commemorating the 61st anniversary of the Battle of Midway. Here is an edited version of his remarks.

• Naval History: Underappreciated Victory

Background – Information Warfare – Network-centric operations have already made U.S. forces capable of moving faster and lighter, as shown in Iraq, but they are just as useful in low-intensity conflict or in rebuilding a nation.

• Aviation Week: Net-Centric Operations in War and Peace

Royal Australian Navy – A look at how oil smuggling is still being carried out in the Gulf.

• Associated Press: Coalition forces clamp down on smugglers of Iraqi oil with trials at sea

US Navy – A look at how carrier battlegroup workups have changed since the closure of Vieques.

• Virginian Pilot: Enterprise group drills in virtual war before deploying

Background – History – A look at a day of naval combat against Iran – April 18, 1988.

• SeaPower: Operation Praying Mantis Blows a Hole in Iranian Navy

US Navy – The US is considering basing an aircraft carrier in Hawaii.

• Honolulu Star Bulletin: Carrier could have permanent base here

US Marines – A veteran of two tours in Vietnam offers his views on preparing to fight in military operations on urbanized terrain (MOUT).

• Marine Corps Gazette: Combined Arms Training for MOUT Operations

US Navy – The latest naval news from the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

• SeaPower: Netherlands Weighs Downsizing Navy

Background – Iraq – The full text of General Zinni’s recent speech to the US Naval Institute.

• Naval Institute Forum 2003: 4GW & Zinni’s Question: What is Nature of Victory?
  

US Navy – The Iwo Jima amphibious ready group pulls out of Liberia.

• BBC: US pulling out of Liberia

US Marines – Sometimes the best way to learn to lead is to watch our superiors in action.

• Marine Corps Gazette: An Observation on Leadership From the Peanut Gallery

Background -War on Terror – William Arkin reviews the progress of the war on terror, 2 years in.

• Los Angeles Times: The Risky Business of Modern War

Canadian Navy – Canada considers outsourcing its sovereignty patrol.

• Halifax Herald: Navy may hire private firms to do patrols

US Navy – More naval news from around the US fleet.

• SeaPower: Northrop Grumman Ship Systems Christens First San Antonio LPD

Singaporean Navy – The navies of Singapore and Malaysia are exercising in the Malacca Straits.

• The Straits Times: Singapore, Malaysia hold naval exercise

US Navy – The Chiefs should be reading Proceedings???

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: Chiefs Are Professionals

Background – Iraq – A visit with America’s greatest Middle East sage, Professor Bernard Lewis.

• Wall Street Journal: Lewis of Arabia

NOSI will next be updated on Monday, so here is Sunday’s background piece???

Background – Diplomacy – The Bush administration’s tone-deaf approach to the Middle East reflects a dangerous misreading of the nature and sources of Arab public opinion . Independent, transnational media outlets have transformed the region, and the administration needs to engage the new Arab public sphere that has emerged.

• Foreign Affairs: Taking Arabs Seriously

Royal Australian Navy – The latest on the Collins-class submarines.

• Herald Sun: Collins subs a lethal force

US Navy – The US will close its base at Roosevelt Roads, in Puerto Rico.

• Associated Press: U.S. Will Close Puerto Rico Naval Base

US Navy – Tucked between the lines of Navy Assistant Secretary John J. Young, Jr.’s announcement in August regarding a block-buy for Virginia-class submarines are clear indications the Navy’s procurement of ships and aircraft is in store for major change across-the-board.

• SeaPower: Virginia-Class Decision Has Far-Reaching Implications

US Marines – A review of Marine Corps amphibious operations during the Cold Warówith some insightful observations.

• Marine Corps Gazette: Omar Bradley Was Right

Canadian Navy – Aboard HMCS Calgary, the Canadian Navy is burned out from the war on terror.

• Victoria Times Colonist: Tired sailors, tired ships: The cost of war on terror

US Navy – Naval news from around the US fleet.

• SeaPower: DDG Mustin Commissioned in U.S. Pacific Fleet

Background – 4th Generation Warfare – Remarks by H. Thomas Hayden, USMC, Ret., July 18, 2003. Interesting insights from a guy who’s been there and done it.

• Defense and the National Interest: Fourth Generation Warfare Today

Background – Diplomacy – Former Assistant Secretary of State James Rubin asks why did most of the world abandon Washington when it went after Saddam Hussein? The war in Iraq could never have been an easy sell, but nor should it have been such a difficult one. The Bush administration badly botched the prewar maneuvering, presenting a textbook study in how not to wage a diplomatic campaign.

• Foreign Affairs: Stumbling Into War

South African Navy – South Africa will receive the first of its new corvettes this fall.

• Business Day: Navy to Make Big Wave With New Fleet

US Marines – The light armored reconnaissance (LAR) community possesses a weapons system that could be an asset for many missionsóthe special application scoped rifle (SASR). However, there is no clear concept of employment within the LAR community. SASR employment is viewed at best with uncertainty and ambivalence, at worst with disdain. In fact, by giving the scout teams a powerful and precise long-range weapons system, the SASR offers great flexibility to the LAR unit across the gamut of LAR operations.

• Marine Corps Gazette: Scoped Rifle Employment for Light Armored Reconnaissance

Nigerian Navy – Nigeria attempts to clamp down on crude oil smugglers.

• This Day: Naval Chief Promises Crude Smugglers Tough Time

Pakistani Navy – Comments from Pakistan’s Naval Chief of Staff.

• Pakistan Tribune: Global interest focussed on Gulf region: Admiral Karimullah

US Navy – U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force Share in Army-led Networking Fire Support Program.

• SeaPower: Computer System Helps to Modernize Fire Support

Background – American Empire – The transcript of a lecture given by Professor and author Niall Ferguson on the American Empire. Ferguson is a compelling and witty lecturer, as he attempts to teach Americans some lessons of the British Empire.

• Foreign Policy Association: Is the U.S. an Empire in Denial?

Indian Navy – India looks forward to strengthing ties with the US and French Navies in the near future.

• Central Chronicle: India, US submarines to take part in joint exercise
• Agence France Presse: Indian Navy to strengthen defence ties with France

Background – Airpower – Modern airpower owes much to the elite USAF commandos who hang out with the ground forces.

• Air Force: Controllers

US Navy – The short take-off/vertical landing Joint Strike Fighter is an ideal way to support the Navy’s “Sea Power 21” concept of Sea Basing by enabling the use of unconventional aircraft carriers, allowing increased sorties per mission, and decreasing host nation logistical support. Adoption of STOVL JSFs by the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force would dramatically increase aviation capability and transform the nation’s carrier air power.

• US Naval Institute Proceedings: STOVL JSFs Put Teeth in Sea Basing

US Navy – The US will send ships from its base at Norfolk to sea to avoid Hurricane Isabel.

• Virginian Pilot: Military prepares to move ships and aircraft out of storm

US Marines – Here are some of the new items the Corps is examining and procuring, as lessons learned evolve into new gear.

• Leatherneck: Marines Continue to Gear up for Every Clime and Place

Canadian Navy – Aboard the submarine HMCS Victoria.

• Times Colonist: View from Below
  – HMCS Victoria is just like subs seen in movies

Background – Piracy – Piracy at sea, far from being a forgotten relic of the world’s buccaneering past, is now a modern growth industry.

• ABC News: Terror on the High Seas?
  

US Navy – How and why to improve ship maintainence.

• SeaPower: SHIPMAIN – Reengineering for a Culture of Readiness

US Navy – The US continues to look for naval applications for blimps.

• San Diego Union Tribune: Navy hopes blimp can be eye in the sky

Background – Secretary of Defense – Thomas Ricks looks at Secretary Rumsfeld’s current standing.

• Washington Post: Iraq Takes a Toll on Rumsfeld

Background – Diplomacy – Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright describes how since the attacks of September 11, 2001, the Bush administration has pressured every country in the world to make a simple choice: Are you with the United States or with the terrorists? But by casting the choice so starkly–and expanding the war on terror to include its campaign in Iraq–Washington has alienated many natural and potential allies and made the fight against al Qaeda more difficult. It didn’t have to be this way. The White House has acted as if it doesn’t care what others think, and the country is paying the price for its mistake.

• Foreign Affairs: Bridges, Bombs, or Bluster

Royal Australian Navy – The first international military exercise on intercepting shipments of weapons of mass destruction has begun in the Coral Sea off the north-east coast of Australia.

• BBC: Pacific weapons hunt drill begins

Indian Navy – India is considering purchasing P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft.

• UNI: Navy considering buying US maritime patrol aircraft

US Navy – The USS Carl Vinson battlegroup is set to return to port after an eight month deployment.

• Associated Press: USS Vinson Returning To Bremerton Next Week

US Navy – Some options for the future of the US Navy surface forces.

• SeaPower: Three Options for Change for the Navy’s Surface Force

US Navy – The crew of a Navy spy plane that landed on China’s Hainan Island in April 2001 after colliding with a Chinese fighter jet did not destroy all classified materials aboard, and it is “highly probable” that some fell into Chinese hands, Navy investigators concluded.

• Associated Press: Secrets on Spy Plane May Have Been Found by China

Background – Military Space – A fascinating article describing how an individual, using open source intelligence in the form of commercially available satellite photographs, is trying to open up many secret US installations.

• Map of the Month: Revealing Hidden Places: The Cryptome Eyeballing Map Series

Background – Naval Bases – A list of US naval bases that have been documented by the Cryptome sight. The satellite pictures and maps are most instructive.

• Cryptome: Eyeballing Series