Re: The Military Market...On College Campuses

The article Wynton cited is missing the viewpoint of two important folks: the good people running military education organizations like Navy College Office and DANTES, and the actual, you know, people getting the degree. It's hard to get anywhere near the whole picture without looking at the buyers of the product and the people who enable the military people to use that tuition assistance. I don't know why they didn't think of such.

Well, yeah, I probably do.

I attached some points below.

Thoughts on Korean Missiles

Spook86 at In from the Cold has some relevant thoughts from an intel view:

Over the next few days, the MSM is likely to cast the North Korean missile launchers as something of a propaganda coup. ...

But if Kim's missile spectacular was a "success" in that respect, it was also a colossal failure on other, equally important levels. For almost a decade, Kim Jong-il has wanted a platform that can put a satellite into orbit, or (if used an ICBM), threaten the United States.Today's TD-2 failure reminds everyone that the TD program has been almost a complete bust... North Korea can't afford any more failures on the scale of the 1998 TD-1 launch, or today's failed effort.

That's because ballistic missiles are Pyongyang's most important product--and one of their few viable sources of hard currency... With today's TD-2 failure, those customers are still waiting, and may look to other sources for the technology. Fewer missile sales would represent another blow to North Korea's already-bankrupt economy, and slow the pace of upgrades for Pyongyang's own missile forces.

North Korean Missiles

I thank Steve for his kindness, but I'm not sure why the two approaches -- ridicule, and taking a back seat to Japan/ROK -- are not compatible. Furthermore, I think they mesh well with the approach GIKorea favors.

The DPRK's main interest is in forcing the US into bilateral talks, so that it can make demands on an apparently equal footing, and without having to satisfy Japanese, Chinese, Russian, and South Korean interests as well. None of those nations are entirely happy with the DPRK. China and Russia, normally considered to be "in the DPRK's corner" to some degree, have engaged in a few demonstrations of annoyance during the process: China shut off the DPRK's oil for one whole day, allegedly due to "malfunction"; China and Russia's recent joint exercise featured a massive amphibious landing, which was considered by many a threat to both Taiwan and the DPRK; and China has increased the number of heavy military units on the border.

The DPRK missile launch appears to have intended to force the US to do just what Albright wants -- negotiate directly. We can refuse to do that, and indeed ought to refuse to do so. The six-party talks are in our interest.

The "point and laugh" approach, however, is still highly useful as a part of that approach. If the point is to not let North Korean muscle-flexing extort bribes, it is good to notice verbally how puny those muscles are. A strong shaming of the North Korean government might discourage future such acts, because they will not wish again to look stupid and weak in front of the other nations they have to move.

Nor does it mean putting the US "ahead" of Japan or South Korea. The DPRK wants bilateral talks. A US official can scoff at the attempt to force us into talks of that sort, and point out that the US won't be forced by a nation that can't keep its missiles in the air. A message of ridicule is not one that demands we take the lead. Indeed, insofar as it closes off the possibility of bilateral talks to the DPRK, it leaves them looking to China and South Korea (not so much Japan, but also Japan) as their only hopes of saving face.

US Response to North Korean Missile Tests

I have been following closely the media coverage of today's extra fireworks extravaganza courtesy of the North Korean government and I have found the coverage quite interesting. What I find most interesting is the number of former Clinton era officials out on the news programs trying to rewrite history. I have seen Sandy Berger and Madelline Albright out saying that the Bush administration needs to take a diplomatic approach and engage the North Koreans like they did. Better yet she was telling Larry King we need to get the UN involved. Like that would really scare Kim Jong-il into behaving.

Let's look at this for a minute. The Clinton era government gave into North Korean demands in the early 90's and what did they have to show for it? Well more billigerence. The North Koreans continued secretly with their nuclear program and test fired a Taepodong1 over Japan in 1998, not to mention the mulitiple mini-spy sub incidents that led to the deaths of numerous South Korean civilians and military personnel.

The Military Market...On College Campuses

I'd be interested in reactions to this piece by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Apparently they will be hosting an online colloquy this Thursday, July 6th, at 12 noon Eastern Time. Having some milbloggers join in and mix it up might be interesting and even create some blog-worthy exchanges.

RE: DPRK Missiles

This is one of those rare moments when I must respectfully disagree with Grim.

There is little room for ridicule, at least not in any official manner, though the missile's failure is amusing in light of Kim's very public -and rediculous- chest pounding. More though, it is saddening considering how many meals were squandered in its wake while so many North Koreans quite literally starve.

As mentioned in a comment to an earlier entry by Eagle1, our response should be close to nill. Ignore the extortion attempt and let South Korea and Japan mete out the condemnation. Call it diplomatic solitary confinement of sorts for a regime that wants nothing more than attention and the crisi-driven leverage it lends to extort.

Remember how WH Press Secretary Tony Snow characterized NoKor's threat of nuclear war to a reporter (paraphrasing): "It is a theoretical threat about a hypothetical condition that has not yet happened, if you get my drift." Expect a continuation of this dismissal from the White House.

As far as letting the North Korean people know how little respect, and fear, their government has earned, I doubt seriously that the people we would desire to reach would A) hear or B) fairly give a damn one way or the other. They just survived a NoKor winter and many are concerned no farther than the next meal for them and their children.

With respect to the latest edition of The Adventures of Kim, consider another look at it here:

North Korea is not testing the missile as much as they are testing US and Japanese resolve, fishing for reaction. While North Korea has threatened the US with nuclear war, the United States has essentially dismissed the North Korean threats. This does not serve the extortion-minded communist regime’s strategy well.

As James Na noted in The Seattle Times, North Korea’s entire missile crisis gambit could backfire on them by eroding whatever appeasement exists in both South Korea and Japan. They are likely overplaying a familiar hand of international extortion. For this reason, the United States reaction to today’s Scud missile launches will likely be somewhat muted, keeping in line with the course taken thus far, allowing South Korean and Japanese reaction do the heavy lifting. The next 48 hours will tell just how much North Korea has overplayed its hand, if at all.

Gtimo the Envy of Carlos the Jackal

Remember Carlos the Jackal?

He told the court his human rights were being violated because he never got the full luxurious Gitmo treatment accorded to less-glamorous Taliban-style terrorists. Instead, he was stuck in a French jail with only French accommodations … like his own TV set, two hour daily walks, a hour in the exercise room, twice-weekly visits from a doctor, once-weekly visits from a priest, a window to see daylight, a washstand and his own bed. But it wasn’t good enough compared to what the Zarqawi types got at Gitmo and he wanted more.

And the crazed (and free) lunatics call Gitmo a torture center...go cry to Carlos. But the money quote is right here:

During the 1990s, while Bill Clinton was turning away a Sudanese offer to hand over Osama bin Laden, the French took up them up on their offer to fork over the Jackal, who was hiding in Sudan. The French gendarmes flew in and quelle surprise! hauled The Jackal back to Paris in a sack.

Re: The Best 4th of July Gift Ever

Take it from this Soldier's Mom, no words will be necessary when that mother meets MSGT Camacho... he will know that he has her undying gratitude... It will be all tears and smiles... and hugs. I, for one, want the MSGT to know that Mrs. Kennedy and I are glad that such men as the MSGT serve.

PowerLineBlog Interview

Our friends over at PowerLineBlog kindly asked me to offer some reflections on Home of the Brave.
You can read them here.

The Best 4th of July Gift Ever

I just received the best 4th of July gift ever: a call from MSGT Javier Camacho, a Silver Star recipient whom Cap and I feature in Home of the Brave. MSGT Camacho was calling to let me know that tomorrow he will be meeting the mother of PFC Adam Small, Mrs. Mary Kennedy, for the very first time. MSGT Camacho saved PFC Small's life when he braved tremendous enemy fire to muscle open the jammed hatch of PFC Small's Bradley, even as the vehicle's weapons began to cook off.

"I'm a little nervous about meeting Mrs. Kennedy," he said. "It will probably be an emotional day. I don't know what I should say."

Somehow I don't think MSGT Camacho will need to say much of anything. I think he's said more than any of us ever could.