Commentary • Page 17 of 33 • The Defense Post

Sep- 2021 -

7 September

Taliban fighters stand guard in a vehicle along the roadside in Kabul on August 16, 2021

Two Lessons About Jihadists in Afghanistan the US Is Overlooking

If the Biden Administration continues to neglect important lessons with respect to jihadists in Afghanistan, it could contribute to an increase in overseas attacks.

2 September

Members of the Amhara Special Forces seat on the top of a truck while another member looks on in the city of Alamata, Ethiopia, on December 11, 2020

David Steinman

Getting It Wrong in Ethiopia’s Tigray

Western policy that calls for an immediate ceasefire in Ethiopia, greater humanitarian access, and talks between the federal government and the TPLF is failing and making things worse.

Aug- 2021 -

27 August

Virginia National Guard Soldiers prepare their gear for after resting in the Visitor Center in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, January 2021

Corye Douglas

The National Guard Should Boost Retention With AI

Making full use of data analytics and artificial intelligence would be cost-effective in increasing the National Guard's retention, which is necessary to ensure ongoing security.

25 August

A KC-46 refuels the B-2 for the first time during developmental flight test over Edwards AFB and the Sierra Nevada Mountains in April 2019.

George Landrith

America Must Stay the Course on Its Air Tanker Acquisition Strategy

The US Department of Defense should commit to Boeing's KC-46 for the full 479 tankers that it believes it needs.

18 August

Members of an Amhara armed group who fight alongside federal and regional forces against fighters from the northern region of Tigray

Elizabeth Hume and Leslie Mitchell

What Happened to ‘We Are the World?’ Ethiopia’s Escalating Conflict

The international community must end its inaction on Ethiopia and do whatever it takes to stop the looming disastrous humanitarian crisis.

12 August

The US Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), steams in formation with ships from Carrier Strike Group Five (CSG 5) and the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) during Exercise Invincible Spirit.

David (Trace) Held III

America Must Recognize Its Own Hubris to Survive the 21st Century

The novel 2034 demonstrates the folly of current US military perception while providing insights as to how America might avoid the needless squander of “our blood and treasure.”

11 August

A Texas Guardsmen and a Customs and Border Patrol agent discuss the lay of the land on the shores of the Rio Grande River in Starr County, Texas.

Todd Carney

South Dakota’s National Guard Funding Controversy and PMCs

Concerns raised about what South Dakota’s National Guard being funded by a Republican donor could lead to are a reality with private military contractors.

2 August

Standing guard during the Tigray regional elections, which the national government declared illegal

Sam Abodo, Evan Wright, Lauren Jarvis, and Channing Lee

Washington’s Balancing Act With Tigray

Failing to act on the civil war in Ethiopia's Tigray would question Washington’s commitment to universal human rights and directly affect American economic and security interests.

Jul- 2021 -

19 July

Gregory J. Slavonic

‘Sense of Urgency’ to Confront China Has Never Been Greater

To confront China’s threat and aggressive behavior in the Indo-Pacific, the US Navy must expand with a combination of manned and unmanned vessels and partner with foreign contractors to procure key technologies.

6 July