When you can’t look away, try the Long War Journal for a detailed recap of the continuing fall in Afghanistan. Defining Leadership is more difficult than you think (in my real job we spent two days arguing about evaluating it…and the verdict is still out). What happened at 777 Pine Street, Mars, Mammoths and More!
Inspired by the Cognitive Raider Initiative, The Cognitive Warrior Project has put together a daily list of diverse articles that can easily be chosen from to play a part in developing a more mentally agile warfighter that embraces the adaptation required for tomorrow’s battlefield. Our intent is to create a space where you can choose one or two articles a day (about 10 minutes) instead of mindlessly scrolling social media.
As a reminder: The Cognitive Warrior Project is a private media site, and it is not affiliated in any way with Special Operation Forces, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. None of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard, DoD or Space Force have endorsed, supported, directed, or participated in the creation of the content at this site, or in the creation of the site itself. It’s just a media site that happens to cover the U.S Military, DoD and other National Intelligence Assets.
August 13, 2021
Irregular Warfare: A Case Study in CIA and US Army Special Forces Operations in Northern Iraq, 2002-03 – Middle East Institute
LEADERSHIP IS NOT A BUZZWORD – WAR ROOM
Speaker Series: Perspectives and Insights From the Moscow Security Conference and Associated Local Visits – NSI
Engaging with North Korea: Lessons from Game Theory – RAND
After lengthy siege, Lashkar Gah is taken by the Taliban – Long War Journal
Kandahar City falls to the Taliban – Long War Journal
Taliban overrun Herat City, Qala-i-Naw – Long War Journal
Ghazni City falls to the Taliban – Long War Journal
Syria, Airpower, and the Future of Great-Power War – War on the Rocks
Misunderstanding Organizational Change: Military Stand-Downs Don’t Stand Alone – War on the Rocks
8/12/2021 National Security And Korean News and Commentary – Small Wars Journal
Podcast: Mexico, a Complement or an Inhibitor of North American Competitiveness? – Mexico Matters
The Biden-Harris Strategy on the Root Causes of Migration (and Fragility) in Central America – Center for Strategic and International Studies
Humanitarian Suspensions and the Politicization of Aid in Ethiopia – Center for Strategic and International Studies
Bin Laden’s Catastrophic Success: Al Qaeda Changed the World—but Not in the Way It Expected – Foreign Affairs
The Right Way to Investigate the Origins of COVID-19: Only an Independent Coalition of Scientists Can Reach a Definitive Answer – Foreign Affairs
Biden Delivers on Trump’s Afghan Exit as the Taliban Surges – Bloomberg Politics
Watch: #BruteCast – Col Sönke Marahrens – The Landing
Taliban capture two large Afghan cities; embassies getting staff out – Reuters
Egypt officials say militant attack kills 7 troops in Sinai – AP
Official: Canada sending forces to close Afghan embassy – AP
Russian hypersonic technology expert accused of high treason – AP
Afghanistan: Taliban press on after seizing key cities — live updates – DW
Afghanistan troop withdrawal was a ‘mistake,’ says former German general – DW
Afghanistan: Taliban offensive puts Iran in a bind – DW
How Mekong River is turning into a new flashpoint in Indo-Pacific – DW
Turkey ‘still in lead’ as US surges troops back to Kabul airport for evacuation – Al Monitor
Raisi inauguration reveals rifts in Iran establishment – Al Monitor
A Saigon moment looms in Kabul – Asia Times
Mixed military messaging in South China Sea – Asia Times
Ghani out of options as Taliban neutralizes warlords – Asia Times
Reckoning with Xi’s new Great Wall of China – Asia Times
Afghanistan Live Updates: Kandahar, Lashkar Gah and Herat Fall to the Taliban; U.S. Readies Evacuation – The New York Times
Could the Taliban Take Over Afghanistan? Here’s What We Know. – The New York Times
Russian Prosecutors Seek ‘Restricted Freedom’ For Yet Another Navalny Aide In ‘Sanitary Case’ – Radio Free Europe
When The Wall Went Up: Berlin 1961 – Radio Free Europe
Ethiopia denounces ‘destructive’ rebel alliance as conflict grows – Africa News
The West Prepares for the Fall of Kabul – Foreign Policy
How Did Things Go So Bad So Fast in Afghanistan? – Foreign Policy
The US is sending 3,000 troops back into Afghanistan as the country falls apart – Task and Purpose
The White House is now fighting a Taliban onslaught with sternly-worded statements – Task and Purpose
The endgame: Afghanistan is disintegrating as the Taliban gain momentum – The Economist
Unruly response: Xi Jinping’s assault on tech will change China’s trajectory – The Economist
Climate Change and Defence: Are we ready for its impact? – Wavell Room
What Went Wrong: Two New Books Get It Right on Afghanistan – Just Security
A Fresh Approach: Local Thinking Should Shape the G7’s New Plan to Compete With China – Just Security
Can the Taliban Be Stopped? Three Scenarios for What’s Next in Afghanistan – United States Institute of Peace
What’s Next for Tunisia’s Transition? – United States Institute of Peace
Emergency Troop Surge Now Needed For Afghan Withdrawal (Updated) – The Drive
What Really Happened at 777 Pine Street? They thought they were doing a renovation, not an exorcism. The house had other ideas – Popular Mechanics
The Story of the SR-71 Blackbird – Popular Mechanics
Why Perseverance’s First Mars Drilling Attempt Came Up Empty – Wired
A Mammoth Tusk Reveals a Woolly (and Unprecedented) Tale – Wired
Rocket Report: NASA installs SLS software, India’s GSLV fails to reach orbit – Ars Technica
Don’t forget to drop a comment below indicating which article you read and why you chose it or thought it was interesting. As always if you have an additional source for information or another article that you think we should be discussing please let us know so we can link to it to further the discussion. And don’t forget to subscribe! It’s free and our articles can be emailed directly to you so you don’t miss a thing!