Abu Muqawama: Post
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Londonstani: Media Star
Hahaha, I'm starting to get media requests via my CNAS email account for Londonstani, which is hilarious if understandable given the quality of his dispatches. I know you guys are enjoying them as much as I am -- and more than what's usually on offer here. For what it's worth, I have been trying to pressure Londonstani to pull an Abu Muqawama and reveal himself, if only so we can start getting serious about shifting this blog's focus away from just counterinsurgency and more toward Middle Eastern and Central Asian security issues in general. What would you guys think about such a shift in the blog's stated focus?
Well, when/if the President
Well, when/if the President opts not to do COIN in Afghanistan you'll need something else to talk about....
You can shift the stated
You can shift the stated focus - but the actual focus has shifted a while ago. I used to see vigorous discussions over counterinsurgency theory and its application on this blog; not much of that any more. Instead, almost everything focuses on AfPak, with occasional mentions of Iraq, the new 'forgotten war,' and of Hezbollah, for obvious reasons. Might as well change the stated focus to reflect that.
Yes, Cynic, this is kinda
Yes, Cynic, this is kinda what I was thinking.I'm not really sure it would
I'm not really sure it would be that much of a shift it would be in all honesty, as the COIN stuff has been, and always is by definition, just part of the gordon knot of conventional warfare/politics/sociology/media etc.
Maybe I'm out on a limb here, but I can't imagine that anyone who dis/agrees with counterinsurgency ideas would not want to read about related issues of regular warfare and other threats. The only exceptions I can think of based on other blogs are if you get into the following (and often a case can be made that even these are pertinent):
• Really technical descriptions of weapons systems
• The political campaigns of countries that are not major players
• Taking sides on the broader Israel/Palestine debate (there are still plenty of relevant COIN and security issues to cover without comments degenerating into everyone being labelled simultaneously a Zionist-Nazi-Bin Laden-traitor-terrorist-baby killer-apologist).
Yes, there are some other good blogs, but, personally, any additional insight would be welcome. There still aren't that many great sources on the region, especially from local perspectives. I think the positive response to Londonstani's on-the-ground reports and analysis is indicative of this and I'd like to see more of it from him/her and others, though I know it might be hard to find a 'wazirstani' but maybe a tehranstani? Of course thinking of your guest bloggers, I know they would have to be up to your standards of analysis and readability.
Have you already asked Londstani just to set up at least a pseudonymous gmail account?
Well, as long as the Central
Well, as long as the Central Asian security part is better than the work Ahmed Rashid does on the region or by "Central Asia" you don't mean "formerly Soviet Central Asia." Because seriously, the region is very, very different and in many ways, very removed from the Middle East, Afghanistan, or South Asia.
Don't do it. We've got a
Don't do it. We've got a good thing going on in the comment section of the same people re-arguing the same points over and over. Changing the topic might upset this natural order.
No reason you can't do both.
No reason you can't do both. You have multiple bloggers and you are competent on both COIN and ME
I believe this is a good
I believe this is a good idea Abu, but if you could please include "northern Africa" as according to OGA / State- these locations: Libya, Egypt and etc.. are considered part of what is the NEA Region and are just as much a part of Middle Eastern security issues. That's my 2 cents.
Ouu. Londonstani, you are
Ouu. Londonstani, you are making Abu Muqawama jealous. :lol: Well Londonstani, Media Star you may be, but you haven't truly made it until you become a Bollywood star. So don't get too full of yourself. ;-)
Nathan: "the region is very, very different and in many ways, very removed from the Middle East, Afghanistan, or South Asia." Couldn't agree more.
Central Asia's history is heavily Mongol and Turk. How much does that translate into connections between Central Asia and Turkey/Mongolia today?
Deep historic connections might not mean current connections. The Mongol Seljik Turk "Moghul" empire ruled South Asia--Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India--for two centuries until about 1700. However, South Asia remains very distinct from Central Asia (heartland of the Seljik Turks), Mongolia and Turkey.
I'm actually a long time
I'm actually a long time reader of AM, and I've noticed the shifts. Qualifying the blog to include ME and CE security issues seems perfectly natural. I encourage you to do so, Andrew.
BTW Nathan at Registan, Iran is a Middle Eastern country, but it shares its Persianate culture with most of Central Asia. As Professor Richard Nelson Frye of Harvard University writes:
"Many times I have emphasized that the present peoples of central Asia, whether Iranian or Turkic speaking, have one culture, one religion, one set of social values and traditions with only language separating them."
Liked it best when it was
Liked it best when it was more COIN focused....
I liked it best when it was
I liked it best when it was more Walthamstow focused... never did manage to get those pictures of the big women at the Baker's Arms who got a little over friendly.I would feel great about the
I would feel great about the shift in focus.......at a later date. Meaning after 'O' figures all this out and decides on a definitive direction in the 'A' Stan. This blog is more influential than even you know...me thinks.....so I say stay focused until the current situation/direction is resolved.
I vote aye. I think the pro
I vote aye. I think the pro et contrea of COIN has been discussed into the ground, and has devolved into repetition and position-fighting. While I assume that a COIN focus will be a part of the blog going forward, a broadening of focus will only help. I still miss Charlie, Kip and Dr. Irack.
"What would you guys think
"What would you guys think about such a shift in the blog's stated focus?"
Isn't that called mission-creep?
Well, keep on creepin', then.
Yeah I think Cynic nailed
Yeah I think Cynic nailed it, may as well make it official.
Londonstani - did you ever meet a Geordie guy in London called Karim Shah? He workes in broadly similair field to you. I told him about you and to check out the blog. I thought he may have tried to get in touch.
Yeah, ditto fnord, I miss
Yeah, ditto fnord, I miss Charlie, Kip, Carlos et al (I read, but didn't really comment, during that 'era').
And, ahem, not to keep bringing up, er India, but....uh Naxalites, Maoists, Assam, Kashmir. I mean, this thing started as a counterinsurgency blog, right? Ain't ya got a Carlos replacement, or something? What about Charlie?
:)
Don't give in! You have to
Don't give in! You have to keep your street cred for the PhD!
andrew - don't do it, you
andrew - don't do it, you will get him killed.
I'm with the Aye crowd. No
I'm with the Aye crowd.
No reason why the blog cannot graduate up and out of a COIN centric output to a broader and more far ranging look at the region and a broader examination of security in general.
As a new reader I kinda missed the pure COIN focused days anyway, so for me I doubt I'd see much of a change as its true the blog has broadened in all but name any way.
I dont see that shit
I dont see that shit happening, education efforts. Its frustrating, because it is a lowcost possible highyield way of building foundations of legitimacy.free ads|carpet manufacturers
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