Economist – Naval gazing
China’s Hainan island – A curious blend of beaches, babes and naval bases.
Terrorism – 'Terror' Is The Enemy
New York Times – ‘Terror’ Is The Enemy
Philip Bobbitt gives his views on how the war on terror should be waged in the future.
Iraq – Official History Spotlights Iraq Rebuilding Blunders
New York Times – Official History Spotlights Iraq Rebuilding Blunders
An unpublished 513-page federal history of the American-led reconstruction of Iraq depicts an effort crippled before the invasion by Pentagon planners who were hostile to the idea of rebuilding a foreign country, and then molded into a $100 billion failure by bureaucratic turf wars, spiraling violence and ignorance of the basic elements of Iraqi society and infrastructure.
Indian Navy – Indian navy 'captures 23 pirates'
BBC – Indian navy ‘captures 23 pirates’
The Indian navy says it has arrested 23 Somali and Yemeni pirates who tried to storm a ship in the Gulf of Aden.
Geopolitics / Iran – The Latter-Day Sultan: Power and Politics in Iran
Foreign Affairs – The Latter-Day Sultan: Power and Politics in Iran
The real decision-maker in Iran is Supreme Leader Khamenei not President Ahmedinejad. Blaming Iran’s problems on President Ahmadinejad inaccurately suggests that Iran’s problems will go away when Ahmadinejad does.
French Navy – Charles de Gaulle Overhaul Completed
Defense Technology International – Charles de Gaulle Overhaul Completed
Afghanistan – Obama Versus Osama
New Republic – Obama Versus Osama
John Nagl’s view of what it will take to “win” in Afghanistan…
Royal Navy – Two aircraft carriers delayed for two years to rescue MoD from budget shortfall
Daily Telegraph – Two aircraft carriers delayed for two years to rescue MoD from budget shortfall
Two major aircraft carriers designed to boost Britain’s world standing will be delayed for two years as part of a package of measures to rescue the Ministry of Defence from a £1.5 billion budget shortfall.
Piracy – On the Lawless Seas, It's Not Easy Putting Somali Pirates in the Dock
Wall Street Journal – On the Lawless Seas, It’s Not Easy Putting Somali Pirates in the Dock
Though piracy is a globally recognized crime, few governments are willing to navigate the legal and logistical barriers that impede convicting seaborn bandits.
US Navy – It's an Airplane. It's a Submarine. It's Possible?
Defense Technology International – It’s an Airplane. It’s a Submarine. It’s Possible?
DARPA is seeking concepts for an aircraft that can clandestinely insert and extract an eight-person special-forces team. The mission is to take off from a runway, fly 1,000nm as a conventional aircraft, fly another 100nm close to the surface, then travel the final 12nm to the coast underwater. Transit should take less than 8 hours, including any time required to land on water and reconfigure from aircraft to submarine – and the vehicle should be able to loiter near the coastline – on or under the surface – for three days in sea state 5. Then return the same way…
Geopolitics / India – The other Middle East
New York Times – The other Middle East
Robert D. Kaplan writes that South Asia and the Middle East are now part of one long continuum…
Piracy – Royal Navy admiral Phillip Jones heads EU Somali pirate task force
The Times – Royal Navy admiral Phillip Jones heads EU Somali pirate task force
A Royal Navy admiral took charge yesterday of the European Union’s first naval task force, assembled to protect international shipping in the waters off Somalia amid calls for a United Nations pirate court to be set up to try those apprehended at sea.
Afghanistan – Letter from Pashmul: Policing Afghanistan
New Yorker – Letter From Pashmul: Policing Afghanistan
Patrolling a Taliban stronghold – an ethnic-minority force enters a Taliban stronghold.
Piracy – Yo Ho EU!
Defense Technology International – Yo Ho EU!
The EU anti-piracy operation launched by European foreign ministers meeting in Brussels today will be a first for the EU in more than one way. It will be the first naval operation conducted by the EU. It will also be the first time the EU has relieved NATO in an operation which is ramping up rather than being scaled down.
Piracy – A look at how Somali pirates operate
Associated Press – A look at how Somali pirates operate
As piracy explodes off Somalia’s lawless coast, the questions become ever more stark: How can ragtag bands of Somali pirates stand up to international warships? And why not just shoot the bandits when they try to clamber aboard? First, the pirates are not as ragtag as one might expect. And second, it’s a big ocean.
Royal Navy – Admirals walk the plank after Iranian humiliation
The Times – Admirals walk the plank after Iranian humiliation
The Royal Navy has been accused of carrying out a discreet purge of senior figures involved in the fiasco over the arrest by Iranian Revolutionary Guards of 15 British sailors and Marines.
Geopolitics / India – Behind Mumbai
The Atlantic – Behind Mumbai
Robert D. Kaplan offers insight into the Hindu-Muslim tensions festering within India
Royal Navy – Falkland Islands to be left without warship
Daily Telegraph – Falkland Islands to be left without warship
The Falkland Islands are to be left without the protection of a British warship for the first time since the war with Argentina because the Royal Navy no longer has enough ships to meet all its commitments.
Russian Navy – Russian ship sails through Panama
BBC – Russian ship sails through Panama
A Russian warship has sailed through the Panama Canal for the first time since World War II.
Geopolitics / China – Their Own Worst Enemy
The Atlantic – Their Own Worst Enemy
James Fallows writes that as China prepares to take its place as the world’s dominant power, it faces confounding obstacles: its insularity and sheer stupidity in delivering the genuine good news about its own progress.
Danish Navy – Danish navy blows up 'pirate' ship
The Times – Danish navy blows up ‘pirate’ ship
Danish forces have scuppered a vessel belonging to Somali pirates after rescuing its crew in a storm.
Information Warfare – Marching off to cyberwar
The Economist – Marching off to cyberwar
Attacks launched over the internet on Estonia and Georgia highlight the difficulty of defining and dealing with “cyberwar”
Chinese Navy – Is China Moving Towards A Carrier?
DefenseTech – Is China Moving Towards A Carrier?
Norman Polmar writes that after more than a decade of speculation about China obtaining an aircraft carrier, there appears to be some movement in that direction — although not related to procurement of a ship.
Russian Navy – Russia to Send Warship Through Panama Canal
Associated Press – Russia to Send Warship Through Panama Canal
Russia said Wednesday it is sending a warship through the Panama Canal for the first time since World War II, a short journey loaded with symbolic weight: the destroyer will dock at a former U.S. naval base, showcasing Russia’s growing influence in the region.
Russian Navy – Russian warships hold exercises with Chavez's navy
Associated Press – Russian warships hold exercises with Chavez’s navy
Russian warships have ended training exercises with Venezuela’s navy in Moscow’s first such Caribbean deployment since the Cold War.
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