Five Good Reads

If you are not reading Eagle1, you are missing the story of Somalia. Piracy is out of control, the action is daily, the number of people held hostage right now is approaching 200, the number of ships held for ransom is more than a dozen, and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. If you are looking to get caught up, hit the homepage, scroll to the very bottom, and work up. The intentional inaction to stop piracy is politically driven, it is impossible to believe coalition naval forces are this incapable stopping piracy.

Michael Yon has the story of the Kajaki Dam as told from the inside. This was the most important British operation of the war to date, and perhaps since WWII. This is a story for Americans, British, Canadians, Australians, and Danes who are looking to understand not just how, but why.

Bryan McGrath takes a look at the Woodward book, and anytime he opens up the curtains regarding some of the processes that took place in the roll out of the Maritime Strategy, you know I'm paying attention. One day I'm going to college, and one day I'm going to apply to one of these think tanks and get a job, even if it is as an intern, but for many reasons AEI will be the one think tank that will not see my resume. Bryan offers another reason in my mind why. I don't do 'self first' strategy, if I did I certainly wouldn't use a name like "Galrahn."

Mike is talking about Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter, which is a discussion we will be having on the blog later this week. If you haven't read Winters article in Proceedings this month you really should, then ask yourself a question. Are these the right questions for a SECNAV to be asking on a public forum? I highlight this because those are questions many bloggers ask on a public forum, and I'm no SECNAV.

David Axe has an article in the Washington Times regarding soft power, South America, and Adm. Stavridis. Excellent depth and analysis, the Navy can't pay for news reporting this good (although speaking for David, he will take checks)! Between Michael Yon and David Axe, support independent journalism every chance you get, otherwise you end up reading an article from some guy in a cozy New York office who trusts someone they have never met to give them the full story over the phone. When you compare the work, there really is no comparison between the reporter who works from the phone and the reporter who works from the field.