Category Archives: Information

Targeting of the Islamic States’ Media Experts

By | November 27, 2016

[November 27, 2016]  During World War II, one of the strategies employed by the Allies against Nazi Germany was the bombing and sabotage of ball-bearing factories.  The idea was to grind to a halt their highly effective armored forces which depended upon those ball-bearings.  Today we see something similar as the U.S. strategically targets the Islamic State’s (IS)… Read More »

War Stores: My Take

By | November 23, 2016

[November 23, 2016]  In the meeting halls of various veteran organizations there are old men telling war stories to other men; sometimes boorish, always boring, often brash.  That’s the stereotype anyway and yet my take is that there are actually good tales being told … if we only are willing to listen with an open mind. It’s difficult… Read More »

Leadership: Often a Balancing Act

By | November 21, 2016

[November 21, 2016]  I remember the military order clearly like it was yesterday.  As one of the senior U.S. Army engineers in Iraq, I was used to getting unusual requests but this one was different because it came directly from General Petraeus, Commander of the entire combat force.  The order?  Build enough barracks, headquarters structures, dining facilities, utilities,… Read More »

Groupthink: a Leader’s Curse

By | November 15, 2016

[November 15, 2016]  If there’s ever been a group of leaders stereotyped as falling into the trap of groupthink, it’s the military.  Groupthink, however, is real and is a leader’s curse to be avoided like a pestilence of locusts.  The recent U.S. election is a classic case of the media, pollsters, and political experts who fell for groupthink… Read More »

Americans Reject Neutrality

By | November 13, 2016

[November 13, 2016]  The United States of America is an unusual nation in many ways; including a short and sometimes violent history, a strong belief in democracy, freedom, and liberty, and Judeo-Christian values.  There was a time however that it was a nation that did not look beyond its borders and it explains why the government passed what… Read More »