In my judgment, Michael Yon is the most honest and fairminded voice coming out of Iraq and Afghanistan, public or private. I rely on his insights to form my opinions. Consider buying his 1st edition book; he is an award winning, independent photojournalist http://www.michaelyon-online.com/ the essay on “Gobar gas” is testimony to the power of […]
Tag: Iraq
More reflections on Mintzberg on planning
In 1978, Professor Henry Mintzberg writes: “Most of our studies show evidence of two main patterns, one superimposed on the other. The first is the life cycle of an overall strategy its conception, elaboration, decay, and death. The second is the presence of periodic waves of change and continuity within the life cycle. (Longer cycles […]
Systems dynamics meets the Afghan war via Powerpoint
It is becoming a common practice to laugh at that slide, but try on this thought experiment: what if someone made a slide of a zoom in on the surface of a semi-conductor chip? Wouldn’t that seem as incomprehensible and “foolish”? and yet by the slow process of developing knowledge we have become capable of extraordinary […]
Mindfulness resources
Image via Wikipedia in class discussion, mindfulness came up. here are some resources i have used for years to work on my own “practice of mindfulness” excellent audio CD on proper breathing: a gateway to mindfulness http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Cohens-Guide-Healthy-Breathing/dp/1591794412/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270921310&sr=8-7 visualization techniques and meditations i have been using for years http://www.amazon.com/Qigong-Meditations-Ken-Cohen/dp/1591794358/ref=pd_sim_b_1 Eckhardt Tolle is a recently popular “mindfulness” guru, but […]
A reflection on charismatic leadership
Image via Wikipedia I am naturally skeptical about charismatic leaders, but I have seen its power in action. Just before GEN Petraeus left our college to take command in Iraq he gathered faculty and students in our large auditorium, which seats 2500. He spoke in a very relaxed manner, hardly the tone you might expect […]
Forked tongue, 2 faces and a ton of debt
Image via Wikipedia Out of one side of his mouth: “When times are tough, you tighten your belts,” Obama said, according to a White House transcript of his appearance Tuesday at a high school in North Nashua, N.H. “You don’t go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage,” Obama said. “You don’t […]
War is hell
From The Fourth Star: Four Generals and the Epic Struggle for the Future of the United States Army. The book chronicles the careers of four different generals (GEN John Abizaid, GEN George Casey Jr, GEN Peter Chiarelli, and GEN David Petraeus).: A few weeks before he was scheduled to depart, Abizaid was walking on a […]