Small Wars, Big Ideas

[SWJED]

Armed Forces Journal article Small Wars, Big Ideas by Christopher Griffin.

... So, what is Kilcullen doing in the blogosphere? He’s been there for some time, contributing to the Small War Journal (SWJ) site through a series of postings on their general blog. Founded by a pair of Marines, Dave Dilegge and Bill Nagle, and named in homage to the Corps’ legendary “Small Wars Manual,” the SWJ provides a combination of blogs, discussion boards, and links to its readers. The SWJ is one of the finest resources on the Internet for the student of counterinsurgency, and has attracted leading experts to contribute to its balanced, informative blog.

The list of SWJ blog contributors reads as a who’s who of the debate on counterinsurgency theory, including Kilcullen, Nagl, Frank Hoffman, Malcolm Nance, Bing West and Lt. Col. Paul Yingling. The addition of SWJ contributors in recent months is especially impressive. For example, following his controversial May 2007 Armed Forces Journal essay, “A failure in generalship,” Yingling joined the SWJ blog as a contributor to address some of the response his article had received.

The broader SWJ site amplifies the debates among its bloggers through a set of discussion boards where members of the “Small Wars Council” can join the fray with their own opinion. To take one particularly noteworthy example, Yingling’s essay inspired a thread with more than 200 postings, many of which were substantive arguments based on the merits of Yingling’s argument (a rare attribute for any blogosphere debate). The site also offers the digital SWJ Magazine, which principally publishes articles by the captains and majors who are fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and provides another excellent venue for expanding and enhancing the debate on the war.

After so many articles about how the milblogging phenomenon has threatened chains of command, engendered violations of soldiers’ civil liberties and fueled a digital propaganda war, it is refreshing to note that the blogosphere can also serve as a virtual graduate seminar for the practitioners of war. If the blogosphere provides a sustained venue for debating the strategies and doctrine of the American military, it appears that the Small Wars Journal will be a keystone to that success.

[Gian P Gentile]

Thanks to Dave Dilegge and Bill Nagle (et.al) for their hard work in running this most important blog. Thanks too to Mr Griffen for writing this piece in AFJ highlighting the contribution that this blog makes.

[Steve Blair]

..........

[Rob Thornton]

The Council has undergone some fantastic growth recently with very talented new members signing on to participate and contribute in the very manner the article highlights. The numbers of lurkers have also probably increased. It'd be a great thing, even if you are a relatively new member, to take the time to welcome and help those new members who will undoubtedly find the SWJ and join the SWC in the near future.

Some ways you can help:

1) Be inclusive and welcome them aboard
2) Tell them what the SWC is about
3) If they ask for information and you have seen a thread before that might help them or interest them, point them in the right direction.
4) Give them a friendly PM to let them know what the ROE is and how SWC/SWJ differs from other boards
5) Help facilitate worthy, professional discourse that benefits the community as a whole
6) Let new folks know its OK to agree to disagree, and also that their thoughts count - nobody how new - a member is a member - caveatted by there is some real wisdom here - some of our members have been thinking about these matters in terms of decades - and we're fortunate for the opportunity to hear their thoughts - you don't have to agree with them, but listening bears real fruit.
7) Let folks know its OK to have some fun here - we like to be professional, but we are also people and like to have fun

These are just a few ways we can help integrate new members so we all benefit.

Huge thanks to Bill and Dave, but they are two guys with day jobs in addition to the site - the sites future health and utility also depends on the membership's willingness to help out. SWJ/SWC is pretty unique and a real treasure for us all - we need to help take care of it - being a member of something means partaking of its rewards, but it also entails some service to the organization (in this case the council)

Best regards, Rob

[Ken White]

Bill and Dave deserve more than kudos for the great site and the massive effort they both put in to keep this great site operating.

[SteveMetz]

Originally Posted by SWJED

Armed Forces Journal article Small Wars, Big Ideas by Christopher Griffin.

I used this to jerk my boss' chain since I never could get a straight answer out of him as to whether I can join the cast of bloggers.

[Abu Buckwheat]

Originally Posted by Ken White

Bill and Dave deserve more than kudos for the great site and the massive effort they both put in to keep this great site operating.

This is SO true ... I don't know how they do it and keep their day jobs. Congratulations.

[SWJED]

But much of the credit goes to Council members, our bloggers and volunteer moderators - lots of work on their own time - so it was nice to see an article like this one in the AFJ...

...Yingling's essay inspired a thread with more than 200 postings, many of which were substantive arguments based on the merits of Yingling's argument (a rare attribute for any blogosphere debate).

One of but many, many examples of the quality of the discussions here on the Council. I see the stats and the Council draws viewers (lurkers) from every corner - forward operating areas, PME school houses, CONUS bases, the Pentagon, Congress, White House, media, academia and counterpart institutions of our coalition partners.

Rob offers up good advice for the future and ensuring we "keep this good thing we got" and make it better...

Dave