The anniversary of the end of the Great War—despite President Donald Trump visiting pan-European ceremonies in France—passed almost unnoticed in the United States. This is noteworthy because 4,000,000 Americans were mobilized for the war and about 2,000,000 shipped to Europe, … Continue reading
“The great thing is to get the true picture, whatever it is.” —Winston Churchill, 1940 There would be no current storm over security clearances if all such access ended the day people leave government service. In that case President Donald … Continue reading
On June 3, 1961, barely into the fifth month of his presidency, John F. Kennedy met with Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. Kennedy requested the meeting in February as an “informal” opportunity to become better acquainted. Kennedy had risen rapidly through … Continue reading
“All theory is gray. But forever green is the tree of life.” —Johann Wolfgang von Goethe I have enjoyed every season of the TV series “Homeland.” Writers and producers surely anticipated Hillary Clinton winning the 2016 election because season six … Continue reading
“The art of war is divided between force and stratagem. What cannot be done by force must be done by stratagem.” —Frederick the Great On Saturday morning April 14, over 100 precision-guided munitions, most if not all, cruise missiles fired … Continue reading
“The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” —William Shakespeare, “Julius Caesar” Alabama football Coach Paul Bryant’s career ended with the 1982 season, his 25th season at Alabama. Reportedly he told close … Continue reading
Hallelujah, Thine the glory. Hallelujah, amen. —William P. Mackay, 1863 I am right behind Billy Graham on life’s final lap. My first encounter with the evangelist was in 1953 when the Billy Graham Crusade visited the fairgrounds in Chattanooga, Tennessee. … Continue reading
“War is the realm of the unexpected.” — B. H. Liddell Hart, 1950 Early 19th century Prussian general and philosopher Carl von Clausewitz identified “Der Schlag,” or “the punch,” as the vital opening gambit in war. Success depends on military … Continue reading
“To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.” —Sun Tzu The recent bogus Hawaiian nuclear alert puts the smoldering crisis with North Korea in perspective. Although most experts believe it will be a year before North Korea’s … Continue reading
“Heck, I reckon you wouldn’t even be human beings if you didn’t have some pretty strong personal feelings about nuclear combat.” —King Kong, Major, USAF (from Dr. Strangelove) In 1964, when I was a college freshman, all healthy male students without … Continue reading
Are Western intelligence services—primarily America’s—stupid or is North Korea a convenient toreador’s cape for problems so enormous the Trump administration and the Congress cannot begin to handle them? Look at history. Why did the most powerful nation on earth in … Continue reading
There is nothing new or untoward in American and Russian leaders talking. President Franklin Roosevelt met Joseph Stalin at Yalta and referred to him as “Uncle Joe.” President Dwight Eisenhower entertained Premier Nikita Khrushchev during his whirlwind tour of America … Continue reading
President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia and then to Israel as part of his first foreign trip is as historically significant as President Richard Nixon’s February 1972 visit to China and subsequent mission to Moscow two months later to … Continue reading
“Force is only justifiable in extremes. When we have the upper hand, justice is preferable.” –Napoleon Bonaparte In the cold reality of international relations, the boldness exhibited by President Donald Trump in his first 100 days is far preferable to … Continue reading
“Always mystify, mislead, and surprise the enemy.” –Stonewall Jackson The ousting of Steve Bannon from the National Security Council (NSC) staff is part of a reorganization initiated by President Donald Trump’s National Security Advisor, Army Lt. General H.R. McMaster. This … Continue reading
President Donald Trump has selected the best possible person to serve as his national security advisor. Army Lieutenant General H.R. McMaster epitomizes the warrior-scholar in the tradition of Carl von Clausewitz. The U.S. Army was out of Vietnam for 11 … Continue reading
“Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. The key is Russian national interest.” Winston Churchill’s quote came a quarter century and two months after the start of World War I. In late August 1914, one month … Continue reading
Some seem to believe the election of Donald Trump reflects a general disintegration of American society evidenced by Time magazine’s selection of Trump as “Person of the Year” presiding over a “Divided States of America.” Traditionalist pundits like Christiane Amanpour, … Continue reading
College students in the streets protesting a Trump presidency are not so very different from the demonstrators who took over Columbia University in April 1968. Nevertheless, what took place in less than three weeks back then did a lot to … Continue reading
“The way to deter aggression … is to be willing and able to respond vigorously at places and with means of our own choosing.” On October 12, 1954, Secretary of State John Foster Dulles based Washington’s relationship with Moscow on … Continue reading
