The Atlantic – Obama’s Foreign Policy: Buying in at the Bottom

Robert D. Kaplan writes that George W. Bush has poised America for a diplomatic rebound, which the next administration will get the credit for carrying out.

Associated Press – Somali pirates hijack 1 ship, free another

Somali pirates seized control of a chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden on Friday and a French naval helicopter, too late to prevent the hijacking, picked up three security guards who jumped into the sea.

Foreign Affairs – From Great Game to Grand Bargain: Ending Chaos in Afghanistan and Pakistan

Ahmed Rashid writes that the crisis in Afghanistan and Pakistan is beyond the point where more troops will help. U.S. strategy must be to seek compromise with insurgents while addressing regional rivalries and insecurities

Washington Times – Avast the pirates

Thomas P.M. Barnett opines on what to do about piracy…

Defense Technology International – What’s German For “Avast, Lubberly Scum”?

The German Ministry of Defense will make up to 1,400 military personnel available for the EU’s anti-piracy naval operation…The frigate that Germany plans to contribute to the mission only requires 500 men for alternating crews but it is also planned to place commandos on German-owned cargo ships.

BBC – India navy defends piracy sinking

The Indian navy has defended its action in sinking a ship near Somalia that maritime officials have confirmed was a hijacked Thai fishing boat.

BBC – Indian navy ’sank Thai trawler’

The owner of a Thai fishing trawler has said the Indian navy sank it off Somalia’s coast last week after wrongly assuming it was a pirate “mother ship”.

BBC – Venezuela welcomes Russian ships

Russian warships have arrived for joint exercises with Venezuela’s navy, the first deployment of its kind in the Caribbean since the Cold War.

Associated Press – Shippers seek naval blockade of Somali coast

Shipping officials from around the world called for a military blockade Monday along the coast of Somalia to intercept pirate vessels heading out to sea.

Los Angeles Times – Marines drafting plan to send more troops to Afghanistan

Marine Corps leaders are devising a plan to send thousands of additional combat troops to Afghanistan to wage aggressive warfare against the Taliban that they expect could take years.

IMINT & Analysis – OTH Radar and the ASBM Threat

A fascinating post on how China can close the sensor-shooter loop to provide targeting for its anti ship ballistic missiles – “Over the horizon radar systems, once a source of long range early warning for Cold War enemies, have evolved to the point that their presence on the battlefield poses a serious threat to friendly forces. While many nations have developed OTH systems for various surveillance purposes, Chinese developments in this and other fields have effectively transformed the OTH from a missile warning system to a missile targeting system.”

(Special thanks to Cris for bringing this post and some other recent posts to my attention!)

Foreign Affairs – What Has Moscow Done? Rebuilding U.S.-Russian Relations

The next president will have to reassess the U.S.-Russian relationship and find the right balance between pushing back and cooperating.

Associated Press – Navy carrier makes maiden voyage in Pacific

Aboard the USS George Washington off of Japan…

Associated Press – India navy sinks suspected pirate ‘mother ship’

An Indian naval vessel sank a suspected pirate “mother ship” Wednesday in the Gulf of Aden and chased two attack boats into the night.

Washington Post – U.S. Seeks New Supply Routes Into Afghanistan

Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics…

Daily Telegraph – China defends ambition to build aircraft carriers

China has no plans to use aircraft carriers to achieve global power and challenge the United States’ dominance, a senior general has said in a pointed defence of its rapid military expansion.

Washington Post – Team ‘Chimerica’

Niall Ferguson on how China+America=Chimerica.

Daily Telegraph – Iran opens new naval base in Gulf

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have opened a fourth naval base along Iran’s Gulf coast in the port of Assalouyeh. It will control a 190-mile stretch of coastline west of the strait between Kish Island and the port of Dayyer.

BBC – Australia navy off for Christmas

Most of Australia’s navy is to be given two months off over Christmas as part of a new strategy to cope with crew shortages, the defence minister says.

Wall Street Journal – Pirates Exploit Confusion About International Law

A nice explanation of why it is so difficult to prosecute pirates after they are captured.

The Times – Iranian grain ship seized as Somali pirates hold world to ransom