The Atlantic – The Wrong Man for the Job
Robert D. Kaplan on how Obama’s new ambassador to Iraq is a star diplomat—but has no experience in the Arab world. Why Christopher Hill is a bad choice.
Afghanistan – Pentagon Worries Led to Command Change
Washington Post – Pentagon Worries Led to Command Change
How General McKiernan’s ouster reflected new realities in Afghanistan – and Washington.
Russian Navy – Russia detains ship 'hijackers'
BBC – Russia detains ship ‘hijackers’
Eight people have been arrested for hijacking the cargo ship Arctic Sea, Russia’s defence minister says.
Russian Navy – Russia 'finds missing cargo ship'
BBC – Russia ‘finds missing cargo ship’
Russia says it has found a missing cargo vessel near the Cape Verde islands and retrieved its Russian crew.
Geopolitics / China – ‘Chimerica’ is Headed for Divorce
Newsweek – ‘Chimerica’ is Headed for Divorce
Niall Ferguson on the souring relationship between the US and China.
Russian Navy – 'Ransom demand' for missing ship
BBC – ‘Ransom demand’ for missing ship
Finnish police say a ransom demand has been made for a missing Russian-manned cargo vessel, the Arctic Sea.
Russian Navy – Missing ship 'found' off Africa
BBC – Missing ship ‘found’ off Africa
A missing ship with 15 Russian crew members on board has been spotted more than two weeks after it disappeared.
Afghanistan – In Afghanistan, A Test of Tactics
Washington Post – In Afghanistan, A Test of Tactics
The new U.S. strategy for Afghanistan, as articulated in military headquarters and congressional hearing rooms, puts the emphasis not on killing Taliban fighters but on winning over the local people. But in this highly contested swath of Helmand province, US Marine Corps Sgt. Anibal Paz’s squad is likely to be ambushed before he has time to sit down for tea.
Russian Navy – Russian navy joins hunt for ship
BBC – Russian navy joins hunt for ship
Russia’s navy has been deployed to find a ship reportedly hijacked three weeks ago in the Baltic Sea.
US Navy – New Navy ship in shape
San Diego Union Tribune – New Navy ship in shape
The dry-cargo vessel’s USNS Wally Schirra’s sea trials go ‘splendidly.’
US Navy – After 18 Years, Remains of Pilot Shot Down in Iraq Found
Washington Post – After 18 Years, Remains of Pilot Shot Down in Iraq Found
A nearly two-decade-long odyssey to find Navy Capt. Michael Scott Speicher, whose fighter jet was shot down during the opening days of the Persian Gulf War, ended last Sunday when the U.S. military announced that an Iraqi living in the remote desert expanse of Anbar province had helped direct Marines to the downed pilot’s burial site.
Iraq – There's Still a War In Iraq. It Isn't Ours.
Washington Post – There’s Still a War In Iraq. It Isn’t Ours.
Greg Jaffe writes that the Iraq war is over — for us.
Editorial Note – NOSI is taking a short break and will next update on Monday August 10
NOSI is taking a short break and will next update on Monday August 10.
During this time, please consider visiting our related site and downloading the War Studies Primer for an introductory course on the study of war.
Look at slides 2 and 3 in the War Studies Primer for its Table of Contents, and then choose a lecture to read and enjoy.
Russian Navy – U.S. eyes Russian submarines off East Coast
CNN – U.S. eyes Russian submarines off East Coast
Two Russian Akula-class attack submarines have been cruising in the Atlantic off the East Coast of the United States, a senior defense official said Wednesday.
US Navy – Adapting the Force to the Fight: Naval Special Warfare
US Naval Institute Proceedings – Adapting the Force to the Fight: Naval Special Warfare
Naval Special Warfare’s traditional operations now include even more-and faster-irregular warfare. This is not going to change anytime soon.
Chinese Navy – Flashpoint: The Great Wall goes to sea
Armed Forces Journal – Flashpoint: The Great Wall goes to sea
China’s naval renewal raises critical questions for the world.
Iraq – Heirs of Sargon
National Interest – Heirs of Sargon
Robert D. Kaplan reviews the history of Iraq.
Russian Navy – New Attack Sub Laid Down In Russia
Defense Technology International – New Attack Sub Laid Down In Russia
It looks like the Russian Navy’s procurement efforts are in full swing this summer. On July 24, the new multirole Yasen-class nuclear submarine Kazan was laid down at Sevmash’s facilities in Severodvinsk.
Iraq – The New Rules: 'Hard Lessons' from Iraq, for Afghanistan and Beyond
World Politics Review – The New Rules: ‘Hard Lessons’ from Iraq, for Afghanistan and Beyond
Thomas P.M. Barnett writes that the recurring theme of “Hard Lessons,” the recent report by the office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, is that of somebody finally “taking charge.” The description is patently disproven, however, by the sheer volume of its use to describe the procession of all those who tried to do so. In fact, moving “from crisis to crisis,” and creating “ad hoc offices and systems” along the way, U.S. officials reinvented the Iraq wheel darn near annually.
US Navy – Military kills mini-sub effort, repair cost too high
Virginian Pilot – Military kills mini-sub effort, repair cost too high
The U.S. Special Operations Command has canceled its mini-submarine program, a project designed to deliver Navy commando s close to their target and protect them on the way. Northrop Grumman’s Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) hit numerous hurdles since it was conceived in the late 1990s.
Indian Navy – Pakistan says Indian submarine harms regional peace
Reuters – Pakistan says Indian submarine harms regional peace
India’s launch of its first nuclear-powered submarine capable of carrying ballistic missiles is “detrimental to regional peace and stability,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said, vowing to safeguard its own security.
Columbian Navy – A New 'Submarine' Threat
DefenseTech – A New ‘Submarine’ Threat
Norman Polmar writes that the increased use of semi-submersibles to bring drugs into the United States has raised the specter of similar craft being employed to transport terrorists, explosives, and elicit funds into the country. But the likelihood of terrorists going that route is extremely unlikely.
US Marines – Patrolling the challenging landscape of Afghanistan with US Marines
The Times – Patrolling the challenging landscape of Afghanistan with US Marines
Two weeks into Operation Khanjar, their largest offensive of the Afghan war, American troops have grabbed a swath of territory in the southernmost districts of Helmand. But, as their commanders acknowledge, that is the easy part…
Afghanistan – The Long Walk: Afghanistan (and Its Future) as You've Never Seen It
Esquire – The Long Walk: Afghanistan (and Its Future) as You’ve Never Seen It
C.J. Chivers writes that eight years into the war we were compelled to wage, the ground mission in Afghanistan remains just as brutal as war there has been for centuries. And now, after years of inattention from Washington, this war begins again. On the hunt with the men of Viper company.
Israeli Navy – Israeli warships' passage through Suez Canal causes a stir
Los Angeles Times – Israeli warships’ passage through Suez Canal causes a stir
The mission prompts speculation that Israel sought to send a message about its military might to Iran and give the impression of close cooperation with Egypt against regional security threats.
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