The AFRICOM Enigma

03/27/2011
By Ed Timperlake Nathan Hodge has just written an extremely important, well-documented and insightful book on peacekeeping and related adventures.  The book provides insight into the launch of AFRICOM, a key command in the current Libyan operation. His Chapter 10, “Peace Corps on Steroids” describes with great insight and excellent sources,…

At the Christening of the USS Arlington

03/26/2011
[caption id="attachment_17045" align="alignleft" width="157" caption="Ed Timperlake"][/caption] 03/26/2011 - Second Line of Defense is visiting the Ingalls Shipyards for the christening of LPD-24, the latest in the new LPD 17 series. As “Ozzie” Osborn, the former 15th MEU commander explained in a recent SLD interview, to be posted soon: We haven't…

New U.S. National Security Space Strategy

03/22/2011
New U.S. National Security Space Strategy Proposes New Partnerships By Dr. Richard Weitz 03/22/2011 - The new approach expounded in the National Security Space Strategy released by the Obama administration in early February could, if implemented, affect a number of SLD readers, including the military logistics community, industrial players, and…

Death of a Soviet Aviation Legend

03/22/2011
By Dr. Richard Weitz 03/22/2011 - The famed Russian aircraft designer Mikhail Simonov died earlier this month, at the age of 81, after a long illness. His Sukhoi fighter jets represented the best of the Soviet defense industry and continue to dominate Russia’s arms sales to foreign countries. [caption id="attachment_16879"…

The Bahrain Red Line

03/16/2011
By Dr. Harald Malmgren 03/16/2011 - Underlying political instability in Bahrain is a fundamental conflict between the Sunni Arabs and the Shi'a Arabs. Bahrain is a Red Line for all Sunni royals and Sunni business and banking leaders in the Persian Gulf. Keep in mind that Bahrain is the banking…