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From the Dept. of Friends Selling the Books of Friends
December 29, 2008 | Posted by Abu Muqawama - 4:09pm | 40 Comments
At times like this, this blogger feels a little silly for his Thou Shalt Not Mention Israel-Palestine rule. And I promise, if any of us run across any good articles on the fighting taking place from a tactical or operational perspective, we'll pass them along. But today, I want to highlight the new book by Brookings scholar P.W. "Pete" Singer. 
I read an article or op-ed by Pete written over a year ago and posted on this blog that while I liked what the author had to say, his double-initialed first name was ridiculous. Who does this pompous jerk think he is, I asked. A.A. Milne? E.E. Cummings? T.X. Hammes? That led to the following conversation between a friend and me:
"Uh, you know there's a reason he uses 'P.W.', don't you?"
"No."
"Yeah, like he's worried people will confuse him with the other Peter Singer."
"Who? The Irish scrum-half?"
"No, that's Peter Stringer. I'm talking about the other Peter Singer."
"Who?"
"Just Google him."
[Seconds pass.]
"Oh."
So let's be clear: the Peter Singer this blog has come to know and admire over the past year is not the bio-"ethicist" who doesn't think killing an infant is the same as killing a grown man. This book by Peter Singer -- P.W. to you -- is going to be worth reading. It's about war. In the future. My copy is already in the mail, in fact. Aside from being a great guy, Pete is one of the brightest young defense analysts working today. His last two books have been really well received, and I suspect this one will be as well. Anyway, read the reviews here, and buy it here:
I read an article or op-ed by Pete written over a year ago and posted on this blog that while I liked what the author had to say, his double-initialed first name was ridiculous. Who does this pompous jerk think he is, I asked. A.A. Milne? E.E. Cummings? T.X. Hammes? That led to the following conversation between a friend and me:
"Uh, you know there's a reason he uses 'P.W.', don't you?"
"No."
"Yeah, like he's worried people will confuse him with the other Peter Singer."
"Who? The Irish scrum-half?"
"No, that's Peter Stringer. I'm talking about the other Peter Singer."
"Who?"
"Just Google him."
[Seconds pass.]
"Oh."
So let's be clear: the Peter Singer this blog has come to know and admire over the past year is not the bio-"ethicist" who doesn't think killing an infant is the same as killing a grown man. This book by Peter Singer -- P.W. to you -- is going to be worth reading. It's about war. In the future. My copy is already in the mail, in fact. Aside from being a great guy, Pete is one of the brightest young defense analysts working today. His last two books have been really well received, and I suspect this one will be as well. Anyway, read the reviews here, and buy it here:
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