Center for a New American Security

The ASEAN Summit in Bangkok has been shut down with mass protests and clashes between pro-government groups, supporters of the previous government, and the military/police forces. How should the government respond?

Boy, who knew the G20 summit in London was going to attract roving gangs of crazy leftists?

Eh? What's that? "Everyone," you say? Oh.

Anyway, at least this is an exciting learning opportunity. In the below pictures, you see this tough-looking London cop using a baton correctly, with both hands, and another -- the lady cop to the right -- using one in perhaps the least effective way, swinging it like a damn mace and stone-cold thwaking dudes in the face.

I just read in the newspaper that a fourth Oakland police officer has died after being taken off of life support. A reader from California wrote in a few days back to ask whether or not any principles of COIN might be applied to mend the rift between the population and the "security forces" in the East Bay. Thoughts from the readership?

As much as we love him, Dave Kilcullen is only this blog's second most-favorite Australian. Our favorite we never get to write about because he never publishes anything. Today, though, in SWJ, Ben flaming galahed the following:

Who says counter insurgency is only applied in places like Afghanistan and Iraq? According to several newspaper reports over the last couple of weeks, British police are working their socks off to prevent an explosion of anger at home. "Yeah, yeah. Heard it all before," you might think. "Bloody British Muslims/ethnic minorities/hoodies and chavs - same c**p different day." Well, actually, not this time.