After years of fighting counterinsurgency wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the US Army has a tough mission ahead of it. During those counterinsurgency years—some of which continues today as we keep a lid on any resurgence of ISIS—the US Army engaged in a combination of urban warfare and search and Read more…
Yesterday, Virginia could not agree on a budget for the next two years. So, the Governor and both sides agreed to symbolically meet in the epicenter of the Capitol in the shadow of Geroge Washington’s statue and plot a way forward. That path will take the General Assembly into a Read more…
Four years ago this month, I began writing each week to all of you on matters that I think are important. Today marks the 200th issue of my weekly missives. I hope that you have found them useful. So, forgive me if I engage in a bit of self-promotion concerning the Read more…
For anyone who follows politics, we’re headed for one of the most uproarious national elections in the history of our country. There will be so many twists and turns, ups and downs, flips and flops, that it will be impossible to avoid the dizzying nausea. Not only will there be Read more…
I turned 73 this week. I never thought I would reach it. However, by the grace of God, I’m still enjoying life. Birthdays for me are low key affairs. We get together with kids and grandkids for dinner, but with each passing year, I find time to think about my life, Read more…
I love spring. Most people do. Set aside the possibility of a late season cold or flu. I’ve had those in the April and May time frame, and they can knock you out and ruin balmy days, budding flowers, and blossoming trees. And yes, I also get hay fever—allergies more generally—and Read more…
There are things I just don’t understand. Among them is how my internet system works. Yes, I know that the internet connects me digitally to my email, google, favorite news sites, and topics related to my research. Mine broke this week, badly, sometimes ten times a day. For that reason, Read more…
It’s now evident to everyone—even those who can’t imagine it—that we’re headed for a rematch of the 2020 Presidential election. You may have wished for another result, but as the old Scottish proverb goes, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.” And for those who lament the presidential candidates before Read more…
Since I often write about leadership in one form or another, I get much advice on that topic. In today’s profoundly divided political environment, I’m told that this or that person is a “real leader who will save America” or some other gargantuan claim that is also impossible. No one Read more…
Some years ago, I was speaking with a distinguished scholar and former university president. Over coffee he lamented, “Where are the Marshalls of today?” I knew to whom he was referring. General George Catlett Marshall, a 1901 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, former Chief of Staff of the Army, Read more…