Center for a New American Security

I had lunch with Amos Harel of Ha'aretz a few months ago in Tel Aviv, and he floated the idea of starting a blog on security issues in the Middle East that would reach a larger audience than his normal posts for Israel's newspaper of record. (Or is that Yedioth Ahronoth these days? I honestly don't know.) I normally enjoy the reporting Amos does with Avi Issacharoff, so I am enjoying their new blog, even if it reads less as a blog and more as just another section of Ha'aretz.

Ugh. This is a sad day for this blog. As many of you know, I am a bit of a fundamentalist when it comes to free speech. I have always supported an open comments policy on the grounds that it is better for ugly and offensive language to be exposed to the light of day than to employ some bound-to-be-arbitrary standard for moderating comments. And that policy worked for over three years.

Allow me to re-introduce myself: My name is Andrew Exum, and I have edited and authored the "Abu Muqawama" blog since February 2007. After much deliberation and consultation, I have decided to stop daily blogging. I owe it to the readership to explain both why and also how it will affect this site.

I'll be away from the blog today.

While it is true I am still heartbroken from this weekend's loss, I am also crashing on a writing assignment and thus not posting much today. I have a lot of links I am going to dump in the next 24 hours or so, though, so be patient.

You know that. So too is blogging about it. Scrooge McFick finances my own blogging, but our favorite blog and more responsible cousin -- Small Wars Journal -- relies on gifts from its readers.

I will be out of the country and unable to blog for the next month. Expect guest bloggers -- hand-selected for their skills in sarcasm (and nunchuks, naturally) -- presently.

Oh, goodness, I have offended the Blackfivers.

I have absolutely no idea what I am saying here. Feel free to guess in the comments thread.

Through the divine miracle that is the internets machine, I have found the greatest blog ever. Please go visit this site and help this clown's hit count so he'll continue blogging, for our amusement.