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While grateful for the suggestion on subscribing, I find myself dismayed you didn't even make the slightest effort to contradict my assertion that I'm an idiot.

...Ah, well. I suppose I wouldn't...

PPS: I have a big "Amen!" for this statement of yours. I used a term previously that I think sums it up: Humble. Yet in support of your reservations on all this in practical application, how in God's...

Sorry for this extended stay in Absentia! :) I'm on final approach with what I hope to be one of the most important books of the decade on balanced peacemaking, and it devours all of my non-work...

I like this observation. Your signature line references keeping a population in check through fear of monsters. A "leader" can easily manage his flock through fearmongering, as easily as a comic...

Absolutely, David - the three names I facetiously put out were convenient to mind as "recent" (in decades) events. I had no intention of highlighting dictatorial Arab/Muslim regimes, but the...

Totally disagree. The US has had a great run of making bad governments look good and persuading people to like the government we think they ought to like! Just look at all our success stories:...

See, now I agree with both of you on the important message of "time" required for an effect. In my observation DoD thinks quick. There's no way to quickly assist a society to stability, because...

ganulv and Dayuhan,

Thanks for your comments - I think each time we have an exchange of perspectives it illuminates a little better what assumptions might be driving a conversation in different...

Thanks for the supportive words, motorfirebox. I'd like to point out to everyone that my intention is NOT to offer yet another "right way" to do war, peacemaking, diplomacy, or building mousetraps....

Great arguments, gents. I'm glad the issue was in play as recently as April. For my shameful absence I can only claim that I've been insanely busy trying to get my manuscript done and into my...

Dayuhan,

Is it fair for me to Reply to your well-considered note a full eleven months after you wrote it? This feels a bit like the pace of exchanging letters from war during the 18th century. :)...

Gents,

It's been nearly a year since my last breath in this forum. After finishing the Afghanistan tour I returned to DC...and straight into the cyclone of writing, speaking and managing stuff....

Firn,

I support your assertion that we can defeat many ills with one well-placed investment. In fact, I've lifted the below suggestion from the April piece from my "Applied Smart Power" blog,...

Thanks much for the boost, Mike.

You know, I've got about a million pieces just about ready for prime time. Who do we talk to about publishing in the Journal?

Gents, one factor that may be clouding the issue is that I'm not writing about "soft" power, which is a perfectly necessary part of improved security, but about "smart" power (balancing hard and...

Gentlemen, the troublemaker is back. I've been all over Afghanistan the past few weeks, usually with very poor or no bandwidth. Thanks to heavier pipes at tonight's base, I am able to re-enter the...

Thanks, Mike et al. (Who is this "Al" guy?)

I've been off the net for a couple of days, waiting fruitlessly in Kuwait for my milair to OEF. While aircraft get downed for maintenance and our...

Mike,

Thanks for the welcome. You're right about the water thing. I feel a mounting sense of anxiety as I deploy farther and farther...and farther...from the beautiful, blue sea! :eek:

...This is such an excellent discussion. You two and others are bringing a lot of valuable perspective and information. (You can be sure, though, that I'll be extremely wary about flavoring my...

M-A,

Thank you for your insight. I agree that healthy boundaries between civil and military actors are very important. If professional soldiers become distracted by playing with children, then no...

This is great! An outpouring of love and affection to really make me feel at home. :) Please forgive my delayed re-entry - I'm en route Afghanistan and access is limited.

As I mentioned at the...

"Smart power" is a term used in a 2004 Foreign Affairs article by Suzanne Nossel.

She was defining in one phrase a necessary blending of two concepts originally contrasted by Prof. Joseph Nye in...

Believe me, I'd be plenty happy not to face heavy fire with my very first posting, but I've encountered resistance to Smart Power as being too "touchy-feely". Folks sometimes assume it's an...

(Moderator added comment: Introductory remarks were on the Hail & Farewell thread: http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=8667).

My long-winded introduction is really just to set the...