For the fun of it I'm reading "The complete book of running" James F. Fixx
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For the fun of it I'm reading "The complete book of running" James F. Fixx
Read it in high school 25 years ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by selil
Captivating read at the time. In hindsight, it seems Fixx ran too much for his own good; seemed to be doing it for the endorphin rush, not health.
Shame he dropped dead doing something that he preached for health. There's only so much you can do with a genetic issue.
I just bought a paperback copy of Ghost Wars by Steve Coll. I'm not sure of what the consensus opinion is of this book or the author's work in general. But I figured it would be interesting to read a book that discusses Afghanistan up to 9/10/01.
Coll won the Pulitzer prize for Ghost Wars. I thought it was very good and have yet to read or hear anything negative about the book. He's a sharp guy, and a great foreign correspondent. I recently purchased a copy of his 1994 On The Grand Trunk Road: A Journey into South Asia; so far, so good.Quote:
Originally Posted by Schmedlap
He runs a solid blog at The New Yorker called Think Tank covering national security issues; he's got SWJ on his blogroll so he cant be that bad a guy.
Just started, will post thoughts upon completion......
Just finished "The Coming Anarchy" by Robert Kaplan, and "Hezbollah" by Norton. Kaplan's book was very interesting to be sure. Now working on Waltz's "Man, the State, and War" as well as Asimov's "Foundation."
Norton's Hezbollah is a good read, but I recommend it be preceded by the book he wrote twenty years earlier, Amal and the Shi'a. Although not intended as a set, they read well that way, and the first provides useful context for the second.Quote:
Originally Posted by Zack
Well, as of now... my macroeconomics textbook (I have an exam in a couple days).
But I'm hoping to finish The Accidental Guerrilla and The Strongest Tribe before September.
Once all that is said and done, I'll begin research on my M.A. thesis and will do so by asking a big question (e.g. exactly what is security? - any book recommendations that addresses this question would be much appreciated) and work my way from there to a more specific question (e.g. how can "the state" co-exist with social organizations that provide for their own security?). Should be a good intellectual romp.
Cool, I will check that out. ThanksQuote:
Originally Posted by Jedburgh
When I was in your position a few years ago the following books really helped me and they contain very comprehensive bibliographies for further research:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mack
Barry Buzan et al, Security: A New Framework for Analysis
Barry Buzan, People, States and Fear, 2nd Ed.
Ken Booth (Ed.), Critical Security Studies and World Politics (2005)
R. D. Lipshutz (Ed), On Security (1995)
K. Krause & M. C. Williams (Eds.), Critical Security Studies: Concepts and Cases
Hope thats useful
In the Graveyard of Empires: America's War in Afghanistan
by Seth G. Jones
http://www.amazon.com/Graveyard-Empi.../dp/0393068986
I just finished the history of the recent 2001-2009 events in Afghanistan. I fonund nothin new here. Seth Jones captures this history in a cogent text totally consistent with what most everyone already knows.
His most useful concept is an explanation of the enemy as a hybrid and complex organism composed of many disperate parts from Taliban and al Qaeda to corrupt qovernment officials and drug traffickers, common crimials to tribal leaders to foreign national interests. Mr. Jones' characterization of the enemy as composed of many parts is helpful in understanding the problems we face in this region; however, he provides no solutions or even potentials for future success.
In this regard, Mr. Jones only provides an overview of recent events without greater context or long term history. I found it helpful as a single source reference, but encourage those interested in Afghanistan to complement it with other works like the "The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East" by Robert Fisk. Althought, Mr. Fisk is mostly appoligetic for all Western nations' action in the Middle East, he does provide a different perspective.
I'd hope Fisk provided more historical context as he took over 1000 pages to do it.
Thanks Tukhachevskii.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barry Buzan et al, [I
I've posted those sources in my "Things to Read Sooner Than Later" list. Much appreciated!
Guys,
Finishing Warfare 2.0 on the heels of The Utility of Force (Smith). Preceeded by Hunting Insurgency and Counterinsurgency Leadership Targets (Turbiville) and for some historical flavor A Scratch of the Pen.
Anyone looking at today's and tomorrow's engagements would be well served by reading the first two. They provide interesting context for discussions of the nuts-and-bolts of warfare.
Turbeville's Hunting Leadership Targets in Counterinsurgency and Counterterrorist Operations: Selected Perspectives and Experience can be downloaded in full at the JSOU pubs website from the 2007 selections.Quote:
Originally Posted by OpsIntel
There is also a thread on HVTs/Political Assassination in the Global Issues and Threats section of the Council.
Taking a break from non-fiction to maintain sanity and refresh my brain. It has put me in a very good mood. I have a stack of non-fiction waiting though.
Finished:
"Legion" by William Peter Blatty, sequel to The Exorcist. Murder/cop mystery continuing the story of the first, years later. Not that scary, but interesting ideas and questions.
"The Haunting of Hill House" inspiration for several movies of same/similar name. A little dated, but scary without ever actually showing anything. Evil ending too.
"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card. Military/political themes, but still sci-fi fun.
Next up, Asimov's "Foundation."
I just finished two interesting books, Warrior King by LTC Sassaman and Drowning in the Desert by Capt Gembara. The signifiance of the two books is that they reflect the author's view of their experience during a combat tour in Iraq that first year of occupation after our invasion. Both authors are members of the same Brigade, Sassaman is the commander of the 1-8 Infrantry Battalion and Gembara is the SJA at the brigade headquarters. Sassaman would receive a career ending letter of reprimand for a incident involving one of his platoon sergeants and Gembara, as the SJA, worked on the prosecutors case against the same sergeant. In my mind, Sassaman's book reflects what happens when the general officers could not come up with a strategy for those initial years of the occupation. Left to find his own solutions to the problem, LTC Sassaman uses his initiative to establish one of the most aggressive and successful programs within his brigade and division. The Gembara book supports this success and confirms that Sassaman is a "Warrior King". What I find interesting about the two books is that Sassaman is the combat commander fighting a rising insurgence using the rules of war. Gembara sees the same incidents through the eyes of a lawyer using the rules of law as the filter. These two views clash when in a operation conducted by one of Sassaman's company's a number of insurgents are captured and two enemy are killed. Gembara applying the rules of law sees it as a cover up for a war crime. Laws of War or Rules of Laws; which should you follow in a counter insurgency?
Great White One,
It depends ! :DQuote:
Laws of War or Rules of Laws; which should you follow in a counter insurgency?
There is a fairly lengthy discussion thread on the board focused on Sassaman and his book.Quote:
Originally Posted by Polarbear1605
Jmm99 says - It depends !
Ah Ha! and that is my point. I am glad we are starting to finally think alike. :wry:
Jedburgh - Thanks for the heads up on the Sassaman discussion thread. I have read about half of it and will continue tonight. Sorry I missed that one! I may comment later just to see if I can break those previous heart-rate records that it set ;)
I am reading Commanding Heights, an interesting collection of strategic thoughts on complex operations just published in July of 2009 by the Center for Complex Operations (NDU).
I especially like the notes from Gen Barno on the importance of establishing face-to-face trusted advisory relationships, and the importance of working closely with Foreign Service officers as a partner in the counterinsurgency effort since I've heard the same again and again from the DOS perspective.
I'm not through it yet... but there are some goodies:
Bremmer, Chiarelli, Nash, and others authored sections...
Cheers,
Rachel
Patriot Pirates: The Privateer War for Freedom and Fortune in the American Revolution by Robert H. Patton.
-Definately not the highschool mythology of the Revolution; much discussion of the economic factors behind the insurgency.
-Maritime insurgency is a neglected historical field, and this is a great in depth study.
-Great attention to the strategic, operational, and tactical issues of insurgency, especially when privateers are involved.
I could see basing an overview of COIN for sailors on this one, as it addresses COIN holistically, but with a clear nautical flavor. I'm not quite done yet, but it is worth taking a little extra time and is very enjoyable.
Van
Just finished "Man, the State, and War" by Waltz and am now reading Mearsheimer's "The Tragedy of Great Power Politics" and Robert Pape's "Bombing to Win." Hooray for IR theory eh?
Foundation is awesome. I just read it about two weeks ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by patmc
I'm currently working my way through System Analysis, Design and Development by Charles S. Wasson. Anyone who's looking at a duty assignment in TRADOC or AMC ( or their counterparts in other services) might want to look into it.
Glad to hear it. I've got the hard cover on my floor, really looking forward to reading it, especially because my home town (Portsmouth, NH) pops up more than once in the index.Quote:
Originally Posted by Van
Just finished The Unforgiving Minute. I appreciated Mullaney's honesty and Candor; not only regarding combat, but also his personal life.
I've started Lone Survivor...having trouble trudging through the first 50 pages. I think Luttrel makes some statements that some could consider partisan, which I don't like. But it's his book...
The Culture of War by Martin van Creveld
Intelligence and How to Get It: Why Schools and Cultures Count by Richard Nisbett
The Gallic Wars by Julius Caesar
Reading the last one on Kindle, which I recommend highly for convenience for any books you do not need a copy of on your shelf.
Oh cool Zenpundit posts here. Love your blog. How is the Intelligence book so far? I read the hyper-long review essay you posted, and I am looking forward to reading it.Quote:
Originally Posted by zenpundit
I am also now reading Great Powers, America and the World After Bush as well as Warden's the Air Campaign.
Hi Zack,
The Nisbett book is very good. While he's an academic this book was much edited for the layman interested in human intelligence, psychology, learning and educational systems. He's doing a lot of meta-analysis of psychometric studies on how heritable intelligence actually is vs. responsive to educational intervention or environment ( diet, parenting, illness etc.) Very up to date - strongly recommend it.
Strategy MCDP 1-1 from the SWJ Library. Cain't believe I missed this. Practical very practical......might have to give up M.O.M.:D:D
http://smallwarsjournal.com/documents/mcdp1-1.pdf
None of us are perfect. :D
You might consider these as well for an all-levels of warfare tutorial as seen by the Corps:
MCDP 1-2: Campaigning
MCDP 1-3: Tactics
MCDP 3: Expeditionary Operations
I expect you also know MCDP 1: Warfighting, which is the capstone.
I like the writing style of these USMC pubs - not quite Hemingway, but easy to read.
I have, I just assumed the USMC Strategy model followed the Army,what is that saying about assume:D.Quote:
Originally Posted by jmm99
The Maneuver Warfare Handbook by Bill Lind. Finally found a paperback copy for $14.95 instead of the 50 bucks for a hard copy. I always wanted to see what the controversy was over this document. I always try to get the original documents to see if the author really said or meant what people say he said or meant.:wry: So we shall see.
Hamely's "Operations of War," the 1909 edition. Well worth it if you can find a copy. Google Books has it here
Just returned from a week in the UK for a conference. Read three good books on the plane.
Resolved to finally read Nate Fick's One Bullet Away and Craig Mullaney's The Unforgiving Minute. Both are similar in a number of ways - smart, articulate, idealist young men become officers, head to combat, and find themselves conflicted by the experiences it imparts upon them. Of the two, I enjoyed Fick's much better (also added some perspective to my earlier read of "Generation Kill") but both were good narratives. Fick's ability to articulate not only what happened but eloquently describe his feelings and reactions to it set his work far above Mullaney's. I found myself identifying with Fick quite a bit.
I remain disappointed that both of the above got out of the military, essentially because (they don't say it directly, but read between the lines), they didn't see their intelligence and insight would be appreciated inside the system if they stayed. Both officers found themselves too reflective and bothered by their experience which contrasted with most of their peers. I think they are not as alone as they perhaps thought they were. However, both had lucrative post-military options drawing them out given their education.
I finally read council member Tom Odom's Journey Into Darkness. Excellent, excellent read, and heartbreakingly frustrating. A book that should be read more widely than perhaps it is. Tom, I'm going to have to email you after I digest it some more. My hat's off to you and Stan.
Niel
Niel,Quote:
Originally Posted by Cavguy
I concur. A memoir from MAJ Fick or Mullaney after company command time would have been much more impressive. Oh well. On their behalf, they did a good job of describing our life to the public given their limited experiences.
I'm gonna order Tom's book now :D.
v/r
Mike
Just finished it today after having read Gen Kill a couple of years ago ... my thoughts on Nate Fick are exactly the same as yours.Quote:
Originally Posted by Cavguy
Interestingly I picked up a H/C from a second hand store without looking too closely. Whoever the clown was who had it before me treated it like a text book and highlighted/annotated the text all the way through. .. I hate people that do that to books. What concerns me is some of the conclusions “Mel” draws. Linkages to Ataturk? Every section in which the moral decision conflicted with the tactical/operational decision is highlighted with random annotations like " War is a bitter fruit; a devil's egg, born by devilish politicians and high Government officials."
Thanks "Mel" :rolleyes:
On the professional side, I just finished Foot Soldier: A Combat Infantryman's War in Europe By Roscoe C. Blunt, Jr.
The book lives up to its name and that of its author; it is a blunt account of the infantry war immediately after Cobra (the breakout) until the crossing of the Rhine and surrender. The book is not without its issues; look at the reviews on the Amazon page linked above. Some of Blunt's stories seem far fetched; single handed combat against a King Tiger is but one example. There are others. As a memoir it is entertaining. As a historical account I have my doubts. Paul Bunyan and his blue ox Babe are also part of history.
I tentatively recommend it to all as a sample memoir; I got to read it as it showed up in a care package. You will, of course, have to decide for yourself.
On the lighter but entertaining and informative side, I am nearing the end of my Richard Sharpe (Sharpe's Rifles) reading festival. I have but 2 books and 2 short stories left to read out of the 25 books. The Peninsular Wars as put forth in the series are interesting and relevant to today's never-ending discussion of warfare. I have two more of the command group on them as well.
Best
Tom
Tyl Ulenspiegel By Charles de Coster (also found on Google Books for free).
Not an obvious choice, but a bit of fantasy fulfillment about the Spanish abuses of Flanders in the Sixteenth century, and a Flemish peasant who pushed back. Being of Dutch/Belgian (Flemish; the family name used to be van Koert until we got to Ellis Island) descent, I am seeing where my sense of humor came from. But more seriously, themes of religious conflict, a heavy-handed foreign occupier, and the oppressed population pushing back make this relevant to the COIN theme.
I'm also reading Tom Odom's "Journey into darkness".
Great book.
I'm at the Ntarama church. I've paused to reason about it. If possible.
Thanks Sir for your book.
Graycap
Tom,
I have a way of passing this comment to the author. I am sure he'd be impressed. Now, do you want the agency for sales in your AO?Quote:
On the lighter but entertaining and informative side, I am nearing the end of my Richard Sharpe (Sharpe's Rifles) reading festival. I have but 2 books and 2 short stories left to read out of the 25 books. The Peninsular Wars as put forth in the series are interesting and relevant to today's never-ending discussion of warfare. I have two more of the command group on them as well.
davidbfpo
GraycapQuote:
Originally Posted by Graycap
Thank you for that.
Best regards,
Tom
David,Quote:
Originally Posted by davidbfpo
Please do. And tell him that Sharpe and SGM Harper must march again!
Best
Tom
A slight furore - when the comments are read - over what books to read if you're going out to Afghanistan: http://www.cnas.org/blogs/abumuqawam....html#comments
Some are familiar, others are for deeper reading.
davidbfpo
Just capped of The Logic of Failure by Dietrich Dorner as part of the reading for the complex planning elective I'm currently doing.
Still not sure what to take away from all his research. It's either:
a) No matter how good your efforts are now, the unintended consequences of your intervention/action in 10 years will probably make the situation worse anyway; or
b) People are incapable of recognising impending failure when it is staring them in the face; or
c) Both of the above.
I think we're doomed :eek:
I came to that conclusion years ago. Solution: drink more, worry less -- and I'm still here...:D
Though I have watched a number of the great and good (in their own minds) who told us we were inept, rapacious, depraved, greedy and so forth who also ate right, avoided the minor vices etc. depart this mortal coil. :wry:
Sounds like an interesting book I will have to check it out.
I'm now reading Plato's Republic (don't know how I avoided it for this long) and Wilson's Ghost by McNamara and James Blight.
There were several years where I read that book annually. It's wonderful, I hope you enjoy it.Quote:
I'm now reading Plato's Republic (don't know how I avoided it for this long)
I love it so far. Socrates is hilarious.Quote:
Originally Posted by karaka