Slow Learning

I observe with some degree of pride that Captain Andrew Betson (Army), a student of mine at the Patterson School, has an article in the latest Armed Forces Journal. The article began life as a seminar paper in last spring's Counter-Insurgency course. It's excellent work; check it out.

Normally in a given year I teach a fall course on National Security Policy, and a spring course on Defense Statecraft. Each year I also have the opportunity to teach an additional seminar of interest. Last year it was Counter-Insurgency, this year Airpower, and next year Seapower. Fun to teach what you love...

Teaching Notes

I'm sure that all eyes are locked on the situation in Egypt. Discussion of the role to be played by the Egyptian military certainly dominated the current events portion of both of my classes this week. Nevertheless, a couple of teaching points:

• This represents the final iteration of my COIN syllabus. I had initially intended to include a week on the maritime implications of COIN and hybrid warfare, but in the end I decided that I couldn't make it work. I'm quite excited by the roster of guest speakers, however.
• If you have plenty of time to kill, I'm podcasting my Defense Statecraft course. Technically, it's more of an adventure that I'd like, as I've already had some minor recording problems. Unfortunately, you can't hear many of the student questions, which are the best part of the course. Especially in a school like mine, from which many students will seek government jobs with sensitive security requirements, there are privacy considerations for broadcasting student comments in class. Thus, I haven't taken additional steps to ensure voice capture, meaning that some parts of the podcast feel relatively sparse.

Final Exam Time

My Defense Statecraft Final Exam:

DIP 750 Defense Statecraft
Spring 2010
Please answer one of the following three questions by 5:45pm today.

1. Critics of the 2010 QDR have argued that it fails in its mandate to set forth a strategic plan for the next twenty years. Evaluate this argument. Is it wise to spend time thinking about the medium term while in the midst of two wars? Is it possible to conduct strategic planning with a twenty year time frame?
2. On March 26, 2010, the South Korean patrol ship Cheonan exploded and sank in disputed waters. Discuss, from a South Korean point of view, the difficulties associated with determining responsibility for the sinking, and with developing an appropriate response.
3. The “COIN vs. Conventional” debate is currently roiling the US defense establishment. Characterize each position in the debate, and discuss what is at stake. Which side has the more compelling argument? What events might “prove” the case of one faction or the other?

Next year, I plan a substantial set of revisions to this course and to DIP 600 National Security Policy. The aim will be to make the transition between the courses more seamless, so that the course takes on the feel of a 28 week, full year class rather than two distinct classes. The trick, of course, is that there actually is a seam; some students take the Spring (Defense Statecraft) course without having taken the fall (National Security Policy). Also, with luck I'll manage to podcast the entire sequence.