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Daily Dump: Unforced Errors, Exclusive Stories, Afghanistan Aftershocks, Last Troops Leaving and More – August 31, 2021

Daily Dump: Unforced Errors, Exclusive Stories, Afghanistan Aftershocks, Last Troops Leaving and More – August 31, 2021

‘Unforced Errors’ could be applied to many circumstances in relation to the war in Afghanistan (or life in general really) and today The Modern War Institute details one of those in: An Unforced Error: How US Attempts to Suppress the Opium Trade Strengthened the Taliban – I hope our reverence for the poppy doesn’t change due to its significance in this war. It played a very different role here and will definitely be in the back of my mind on 11/11. As the Last troops exit Afghanistan, ending America’s longest war (AP), I will remember the great ones lost. The Center for Strategic and International Studies keeps up the excellent work covering the evacuation in Afghanistan Aftershocks. Reuters has a shocking Exclusive: Before Afghan collapse, Biden pressed Ghani to ‘change perception’ that is revealing but I am not sure what it reveals. Regardless of how you interpret it, intelligence was at least partly to blame. All of this and more in Today’s Daily Dump.

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.

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August 31, 2021

An Unforced Error: How US Attempts to Suppress the Opium Trade Strengthened the Taliban – Modern War Institute

FIX JPME? LOOK TO THE CARLISLE SCHOLARS METHOD – WAR ROOM

CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP AND THE RISK FOR MILITARY CULTISM – WAR ROOM

Swiftly Changing Tides: Reorienting U.S. Foreign Policy Around the Threat of Climate Change – The Strategy Bridge

Now for the Hard Part: The Taliban Face Financial Headwinds – RUSI

Podcast: Episode 8: Russia’s Red Sea Strategy – Global Security Briefing

Speaker Series: The Uses and Limits of US Leverage in Fragile States – NSI

Afghanistan Was Lost Long Ago – RAND

Osama bin Laden’s security chief triumphantly returns to hometown in Afghanistan – Long War Journal

Al Qaeda praises Taliban’s ‘historic victory’ in Afghanistan  – Long War Journal

After Withdrawal: How China, Turkey, and Russia Will Respond to the Taliban – War on the Rocks

What’s Iran’s Nuclear Deal? – War on the Rocks

Ten Things the United States Should Do to Combat Terrorism in the Sahel – War on the Rocks

Iran’s Bet on Autonomous Weapons – War on the Rocks

8/31/2021 National Security and Korean News and Commentary – Small Wars Journal

Afghanistan Aftershocks – Center for Strategic and International Studies

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Blended Finance, and Climate Change in Sub-Saharan Africa – Center for Strategic and International Studies

The Case for Complacency: Does Washington Worry Too Much About Threats? – Foreign Policy

The Divestment Delusion: Why Banning Fossil Fuel Investments Would Crush Africa – Foreign Policy

The Cuban Crackdown: How the Military Bolsters Authoritarian Rule – Foreign Policy

Shores of Tripoli Review – The Landing

Exclusive: Before Afghan collapse, Biden pressed Ghani to ‘change perception’ – Reuters

Biden says Afghanistan exit marks the end of U.S nation-building – Reuters

U.S. agency says Tigrayan forces looted aid warehouses in Ethiopia’s Amhara region – Reuters

Pakistan frets over security threats from neighbouring Afghanistan – Reuters

Afghanistan’s arc from 9/11 to today: Once hopeful, now sad – AP

Victorious Taliban focus on governing after US withdrawal – AP

Libya’s neighbors meet, urge foreign fighters to leave – AP

Last troops exit Afghanistan, ending America’s longest war – AP

Afghanistan pullout chills US-German relations – DW

Taliban seize control of Kabul airport after US withdrawal — as it happened – DW

Global calls for mediation grow over Ethiopia’s conflict – DW

Iraqi Kurdish leader helps ease Turkey-UAE tensions – Al Monitor

Taliban victory inspires pro-Iran militias in Iraq – Al Monitor

China on the cusp of a ‘profound transformation’ – Asia Times

UK gunboat diplomacy fires blanks at China – Asia Times

Pakistan military brooks no dissent on the Taliban – Asia Times

The Taliban Celebrate Victory, With a Crisis Looming – The New York Times

Ukraine’s Leader, Meeting Biden, Seeks Security Assurances After Afghan Pullout – The New York Times

Stranded in Kabul: A U.S. Resident Runs Out of Options – The New York Times

Watch: In The Shadow Of Chinese Mines, A Serbian Village Cries For Help – Radio Free Europe

U.S. Announces Fresh Military Aid To Ukraine As Zelenskiy Visits Washington – Radio Free Europe

Kenya praises fight against poaching after animal census shows improvement – Africa News

The New Puritans – The Atlantic

Water Wars: A Time for Choosing? Not for Southeast Asia, Say VP and SECDEF – Lawfare

Israel’s Victory Doctrine Achieves its First Indeterminate Outcome – Wavell Room

An Assessment of Capability Gaps that Contribute to Fighting Below the Threshold of War – Divergent Options

The Politics of Repatriation and Power of Community Reintegration in Peacebuilding – Just Security

Secret Gate Used By Special Operators To Sneak Evacuees Into Kabul’s Airport – The Drive

Al Qaeda Kingpin Resurfaces In Afghanistan Surrounded By Taliban Security – The Drive

The Story Of The Mysterious White 727 That Appeared In Kabul After The Bombing Of Abbey Gate – The Drive

The Pentagon Wants to Launch a Nuclear Thermal Rocket in 4 Years – Popular Mechanics

NASA’s big rocket misses another deadline, now won’t fly until 2022 – Ars Technica

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