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.
Monthly Archives: November 2008
French Navy – Somali pirates hijack 1 ship, free another
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.
Afghanistan – From Great Game to Grand Bargain: Ending Chaos in Afghanistan and Pakistan
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
Piracy – Avast the pirates
Washington Times – Avast the pirates
Thomas P.M. Barnett opines on what to do about piracy…
German Navy – What's German For "Avast, Lubberly Scum"?
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.
Indian Navy – India navy defends piracy sinking
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.
Indian Navy – Indian navy 'sank Thai trawler'
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”.
Russian Navy – Venezuela welcomes Russian ships
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.
Piracy – Shippers seek naval blockade of Somali coast
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.
US Marines – Marines drafting plan to send more troops to Afghanistan
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.
Chinese Navy – OTH Radar and the ASBM Threat
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!)
Geopolitics / Russia – What Has Moscow Done? Rebuilding U.S.-Russian Relations
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.
US Navy – Navy carrier makes maiden voyage in Pacific
Associated Press – Navy carrier makes maiden voyage in Pacific
Aboard the USS George Washington off of Japan…
Indian Navy – India navy sinks suspected pirate 'mother ship'
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.
Afghanistan – U.S. Seeks New Supply Routes Into Afghanistan
Washington Post – U.S. Seeks New Supply Routes Into Afghanistan
Amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics…
Chinese Navy – China defends ambition to build aircraft carriers
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.
Geopolitics / Finance – Team 'Chimerica'
Washington Post – Team ‘Chimerica’
Niall Ferguson on how China+America=Chimerica.
Iranian Navy – Iran opens new naval base in Gulf
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.
Royal Australian Navy – Australia navy off for Christmas
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.
Piracy – Pirates Exploit Confusion About International Law
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
Piracy – Pirates capture Saudi oil tanker
BBC – Pirates capture Saudi oil tanker
Somali pirates have seized a giant Saudi-owned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean and are steering it towards Somalia, the US Navy reports. This act of piracy is unique for the size of the ship involved and the distance it was seized off-shore – 450 miles.
Russian Navy – Russian ship thwarts pirate attack
UPI – Russian ship thwarts pirate attack
A Russian frigate prevented the seizure of a vessel flying the Saudi flag from being taken over by pirates off Somalia’s coast Sunday.
Chinese Navy – Mystery Chinese Hospital Ship: What's It For?
Wired – Mystery Chinese Hospital Ship: What’s It For?
Late last month, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) accepted its first purpose-built floating hospital, the 10,000-ton “Ship 866.” While seemingly innocuous on the surface, ships like this are windows into an evolving military strategy for an emerging world power.
World Politics Review – New Chinese Naval Ships a Window into Evolving Strategy
US Navy – The Navy's Floating Fiasco
Time – The Navy’s Floating Fiasco
A look at the sorry state of the USS San Antonio
Russian Navy – Gorshkov's Delivery to Indian Navy Delayed Until 2012
Press Trust of India – Gorshkov’s Delivery to Indian Navy Delayed Until 2012
Russia today said the delivery of Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier to the Indian Navy would be delayed till 2012 as the vessel could be refitted only sometime in 2010.
NOSI - Naval Open Source Intelligence™ 
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