If you have time to read only one article today, it should be the Modern War Institute’s: Digital Dunkirk: What the Afghan Evacuation Should Teach Us about the Future of Volunteer Support to the US Military. It makes me proud to have previously worked among the few who were brave enough and bold enough to step up and help rescue so many. Their actions demonstrate the potential highly motivated individuals can have on a complex problem set when not encumbered by bureaucracy and dogma. They are true patriots! To that end, for the sake of those that have served, the military must clearly and openly state what when wrong in Afghanistan to learn from the lessons there. War on the Rocks tackles these questions and more in: When America’s All-Volunteer Force Loses a War. Foreign Affairs, however, asks a more difficult question with, Has War Become Too Humane? This article takes an interesting look at how “humanizing war may have entrenched it” and ultimately blunted peace efforts. There is so much more to the story and it definitely poses some interesting and hard questions. An additional question asked today comes from DW with, Is reconciliation with New Delhi possible in Indian Kashmir? Really, I chose this article for the picture but it sheds light on a complicated region that I believe will be generating headlines of it’s own in the relatively near future. For something different today, how about the Best Undersea Photography: 20 Winners Of Ocean Photographer Of The Year 2021 from Forbes? The headline speaks for itself and I promise it will not disappoint. And for a bonus article, check out Huawei’s Decline Shows Why China Will Struggle to Dominate, an opinion piece from Bloomberg. I have tacked this on the end for two reasons: 1) I have written extensively on Huawei and I find it interesting how China’s belligerence is having an effect one of the largest telecom businesses in the word. And 2) If the story is true, this is a clear foreign policy success (that spanned two administrations) in the context of the Great Power Competition. It is definitely worth a few minutes. All of this and so much more in Today’s Daily Dump.
Inspired by the Cognitive Raider Initiative, The Cognitive Warrior Project has put together a daily list of diverse articles that can easily be chosen from to play a part in developing a more mentally agile warfighter that embraces the adaptation required for tomorrow’s battlefield. Our intent is to create a space where you can choose one or two articles a day (about 10 minutes) instead of mindlessly scrolling social media.
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September 22, 2021
Digital Dunkirk: What the Afghan Evacuation Should Teach Us about the Future of Volunteer Support to the US Military – Modern War Institute
Huawei’s Decline Shows Why China Will Struggle to Dominate – Bloomberg (Opinion)
#Reviewing Freedom – The Strategy Bridge
What Does the AUKUS Deal Provide its Participants in Strategic Terms? – Royal United Service Institute
The AUKUS Deal: Self-Reflection Required – Royal United Service Institute
China and Pakistan See Eye to Eye on the Taliban—Almost – RAND
Influential Taliban commanders added to Taliban government – Long War Journal
U.S. targets suspected al Qaeda leader in Idlib, Syria – Long War Journal
Podcast: Taliban bans women in government; ISIS attacks Taliban. – The John Batchelor Show
Podcast: Taliban boasts of victory on a Khost Province billboard. – The John Batchelor Show
Podcast: Reviewing Al Qaeda’s regional capabilities. – The John Batchelor Show
Podcast: The Haqqani Family in charge of Kabul cricket – The John Batchelor Show
Accounting for the Costs of Military Personnel – War on the Rocks
Prosecuting Western and Non-Western Islamic State Fighters – War on the Rocks
When America’s All-Volunteer Force Loses a War – War on the Rocks
The Cave – Honourable Mention | ADC Sci-Fi Writing Competition – The Forge
SWJ Book Review – Energy’s Digital Future: Harnessing Innovation for American Resilience and National Security – Small Wars Journal
9/21/2021 National Security and Korean News and Commentary – Small Wars Journal
Civics as a National Security Imperative: A Conversation with Secretary Bob Gates – Center for Strategic and International Studies
COVID-19 vaccine supply: Africa’s proactive stance needs global backing – Institute for Security Studies
The Last Chance to Stop North Korea? – Foreign Affairs
Has War Become Too Humane? – Foreign Affairs
How to Save the Iran Nuclear Deal – Foreign Affairs
Aide to Ukraine’s president survives assassination attempt – Reuters
Colombia dismisses Nicaragua’s World Court claims over maritime boundaries – Reuters
Congo arrests Middle Eastern national for links to Islamist militia – Reuters
Kosovo calls on Serbia to lower tensions, start dialogue – AP
UN: Afghanistan’s Taliban want to address General Assembly – AP
Report: Turkish frigate confronts Greek vessel – AP
EXPLAINER: Wide dangers ahead for Spanish volcanic island – AP
Ukraine: Presidential aide targeted in assassination attempt – DW
UN General Assembly: ‘The world must wake up’ – as it happened – DW
Is reconciliation with New Delhi possible in Indian Kashmir? – DW
Mexico finds a Latin American ally in Venezuela’s Maduro – DW
Egypt to overhaul hydropower plants amid Nile dam crisis – Al Monitor
Congo renews push to resolve Nile dam dispute – Al Monitor
Iran is the X factor in Central Asia power shift – Asia Times
Eurasian consolidation ends the US unipolar moment – Asia Times
Ruckus over AUKUS torpedoes united anti-China front – Asia Times
Japan, Vietnam gently coming together against China – Asia Times
Australia’s Submarines Make Waves in Asia Long Before They Go to Sea – The New York Times
Researcher Says Raw Voting Data Points To Massive Fraud In United Russia’s Duma Victory – Radio Free Europe
U.S. Farm Cooperative Takes Systems Offline After Ransomware Attack Linked To Russian Hackers – Radio Free Europe
Sudan’s failed coup linked to Bashir’s regime-Analyst – Africa News
The Myth of Moderate Jihadists – Foreign Policy
Could Somalia Be the Next Afghanistan? – Foreign Policy
A massive 2,000 year old treasure trove is missing in Afghanistan and the Taliban is hunting it down – Task and Purpose
China promises to stop backing new coal-power projects overseas – The Economist
Best Undersea Photography: 20 Winners Of Ocean Photographer Of The Year 2021 – Forbes
What’s Working and What Isn’t in Researching Influence Operations? – Lawfare
Zelenskiy Vows ‘Strong Response’ After Attack on Aide – The Moscow Times
Kratos’ New Airwolf Combat Drone Has Launched A Switchblade Loitering Munition In Flight – The Drive
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