return of the headlines
Trying to get back in the swing of things here….
There’s been a lot of buzz about this story lately:
But this article provides some context that’s missing everywhere else:
The report appeared in November 2008, and was intended for use in “long range planning guidance.” It was not meant to predict anything. Media sensationalists latched on to the comments about “rapid collapse” scenarios in the JFCOM speculative study and totally missed the point that this was a “what if?” scenario for planning purposes, not a prediction. JFCOM’s long-range planners thought Pakistan and Mexico were “worst cases” of rapid collapse. Okay, this is fodder for wargaming and long-range planning excursions. No doubt a Mexican collapse would have huge effects on the US. However, the direct comparison to Pakistan was a huge stretch.
Read the report yourself, if you want. The Mexican collapse scenario appears in exactly one paragraph out of 56 pages:
Been a long time since we visited the former Soviet periphery. Here’s a quick look around:
- Kosovo’s new armed forces take control of security
- Saatchi & Saatchi to spice up Kosovo’s image
- Russia Ready For Talks On OSCE Georgia Mandate
- Ukraine proclaims victory after Russia gas war
I’m sure this is nothing to worry about:
If there’s any water on the moon, this is the place to look. Too bad we have to hitch a ride from India to find out.
Here’s some early evidence that Obama won’t do what you want without you making a stink about it (and maybe not even then- time will tell.) This is a draft of a plan that has lots of process ahead of it, but he didn’t have to move it forward at all:
And finally, here’s what you’ve been waiting for: PIRATES!
- Gunmen attack ship in Nigeria, kidnap worker
- Japanese taskforce approves naval mission to Somalia
- Warships and weather hamper Somali pirates
