prbeckman

owl.purdue.eduPurdue Universityplus_iconplus_iconplus_iconplus_iconPurdue University is a world-renowned, public research university that advances discoveries in science, technology, engineering and math.

Purdue's Online Writing Lab has a good list of Logical Fallacies for those didn't get this in college or need to refresh. owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_...

"Fallacies are common errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic of your argument. Fallacies can be either illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points, and are often identified because they lack evidence that supports their claim. "

prbeckman reposted

Your Sunday Listen: Join The Strategy Bridge Podcast host @prbeckman.bsky.social for a conversation with Kevin Benson about the origins of the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) and the influence of its graduates on Operation Just Cause and Desert Storm. thestrategybridge.org/the-podcast

prbeckman reposted

Dan Sukman

@dansukman.bsky.social

Terrific discussion. Kevin‘s books are worth the time for any planner and strategist to read.

The Strategy Bridge@thestrategybridge.bsky.social

@prbeckman.bsky.social is back with a new episode of The Strategy Bridge Podcast. Today, he’s talking with Kevin Benson about the origins of the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) and the influence of its graduates on Operation Just Cause and Desert Storm. thestrategybridge.org/the-podcast

prbeckman reposted

In this new epidode of ThecStrategy Bridge Podcast, @prbeckman.bsky.social is talking with Kevin Benson about the origins of the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS) and the influence of its graduates on Operation Just Cause and Desert Storm. thestrategybridge.org/the-podcast

In the new Strategy Bridge podcast I talk with Kevin Benson about his new book “Raising the Bar: The School of Advanced Military Studies and the Introduction of Operational Art into US Army Doctrine, 1983-1994.” Benson is a graduate and former director of SAMS. thestrategybridge.org/the-podcast

traffic.libsyn.comtraffic.libsyn.com

In the new Strategy Bridge Podcast episode, I talk with Kevin Benson about the origins of the School of Advanced Military Studies and the influence of its graduates on Operation Just Cause and Desert Storm. Listen here: traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thest...

nytimes.comOpinion | I Went to Uganda and Saw the Authoritarian FutureA crackdown in Uganda shows how new technologies, Chinese influence and America’s moral retreat are making the world safer for autocrats.

"The Authoritarian Future Is Already Here: A reign of terror grips Uganda. Specifically, the reign of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the country’s belligerent and erratic military chief" www.nytimes.com/2026/10/08/o...

nytimes.comFrom Iran to the U.K., Trump Is Being Forced Into RetreatA war that was intended to demonstrate the reach of American power has now done the opposite. It is a lesson in unintended consequences.

"A war that was intended to demonstrate the reach of American power has now done the opposite. It is a lesson in unintended consequences." www.nytimes.com/2026/10/07/u...

nytimes.comHow the Houthis Triumphed on the Red Sea and Sparked a New War in YemenIn a single night, an Iran-allied militia trounced Saudi-backed forces to take control of Yemen’s Red Sea coast. No one was able, or willing, to stop them.

"How the Houthis Triumphed on the Red Sea and Sparked a New War in Yemen - In a single night, an Iran-allied militia trounced Saudi-backed forces to take control of Yemen’s Red Sea coast. No one was able, or willing, to stop them." www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

honest-broker.comWhy Everybody Loves Glen CampbellIn 1960, a country boy named Glen Campbell showed up in Los Angeles with a guitar, a pompadour hairdo, and a lean, hungry look....

Why Everybody Loves Glen Campbell www.honest-broker.com/p/why-everyb...

nytimes.com‘An Interrogation of the Truth’: The New Latin American Theater (Gift Article)Across the region, documentary-style works have risen to address political and economic realities.

"The New Latin American Theater Across the region, documentary-style works have risen to address political and economic realities." www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/t...

cnn.comFor centuries, cargo ships allowed regular travelers to join their voyages. What happened? | CNNThis niche travel industry once had around half a dozen major players offer international voyages. Most of them are no longer in business, but a few exciting options remain.

21 Sept

"For centuries, cargo ships allowed regular travelers to join their voyages. What happened? Less than a decade ago, giant shipping companies like Maersk Line offered paying travelers a unique way to explore the world. Pandemic restrictions changed everything." www.cnn.com/travel/cargo...

nytimes.comHow Sept. 11 Paved the Way to Mideast Power for IranThe American invasion of Iraq in 2003 set the path for Tehran to dominate its neighbor and whetted its appetite to expand its influence across the greater Middle East.

16 Sept

"How Sept. 11 Paved the Way to Mideast Power for Iran - The American invasion of Iraq in 2003 set the path for Tehran to dominate its neighbor and whetted its appetite to expand its influence across the greater Middle East." www.nytimes.com/2026/09/16/w...

12 Sept

Stopped by the Second Story Books warehouse in Rockville and picked up a few aviation history books.

@tyrellmayfield.bsky.social

12 Sept

In the mail…

prbeckman reposted

Minor Spear Carrier

22 Aug

I enjoyed sitting down with @prbeckman.bsky.social for this conversation.

The Strategy Bridge@thestrategybridge.bsky.social

The AFPAK Hand program was a unique and at times controversial approach to the conflict in Afghanistan. Join podcast host @prbeckman.bsky.social for a conversation with @tyrellmayfield.bsky.social about the program, it’s goals, shortfalls, and outcomes. thestrategybridge.org/the-podcast

cordcuttersnews.comAfter 71 Years, Columbia House Closes for Good: The Mail-Order Giant That Defined a Generation Is Gone | Cord Cutters NewsColumbia House, the long-running direct-to-consumer media retailer once famous for its mail-order music clubs, is set to shut down for good on September 15, 2026. After more than seven decades in oper...

17 Aug

This was how I started building my teenage record collection in the early 1980s> After 71 Years, Columbia House Closes for Good: The Mail-Order Giant That Defined a Generation Is Gone cordcuttersnews.com/after-71-yea...

prbeckman reposted

14 Aug

@tyrellmayfield.bsky.social

prbeckman reposted

Minor Spear Carrier

12 Aug

Was a pleasure to sit down with @prbeckman.bsky.social for this conversation.

The Strategy Bridge@thestrategybridge.bsky.social

Join host @prbeckman.bsky.social for a TSB Podcast with @tyrellmayfield.bsky.social, former AFPAK Hand and author of the 2013 Small Wars Journal article “Handcuffed: The Burden of Institutional, Management, and Leadership Problems on the AFPAK Hands Program.” thestrategybridge.org/the-podcast

prbeckman reposted

archive.smallwarsjournal.comHandcuffed: The Burden of Institutional, Management and Leadership Problems on the AFPAK Hands Program | Small Wars JournalIf the DoD continues to ignore the management and leadership issues facing the APH program it can expect more of the same.

12 Aug

Replying to @thestrategybridge.bsky.social

For those interested, The Small Wars Journal is in good hands, and you can find @tyrellmayfield.bsky.social’s article in their archive here: archive.smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/han...

prbeckman reposted

12 Aug

smithsonianmag.comBeware the Black WidowThe P-61, the Beaufighter, and the first air war fought in the dark.

21 July

"Beware the Black Widow: The P-61, the Beaufighter, and the first air war fought in the dark." www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-ma...

nytimes.comHow Terrorist Groups Are Using A.I. to Gain an Edge in BattleA.I. chatbots are not just a propaganda tool for violent extremists but are aiding in bomb construction and attack planning, new research finds.

10 July

“How Terrorist Groups Are Using A.I. to Gain an Edge in Battle - A.I. chatbots are not just a propaganda tool for violent extremists but are aiding in bomb construction and attack planning, new research finds." www.nytimes.com/2026/07/10/u...

2 July

The view from Oak Ridge looking out across the field that troops from Alabama and North Carolina would march across to attack troops from Maine, NY, and Pennsylvania on July 1, 1863.

18 June

Kuerner hill on a beautiful sunny day. It’s great to have the opportunity to explore the landscape that Karl Kuerner and Andrew Wyeth painted.

8 June

March 1944 - "the Joint Chiefs of Staff have decided that our first major objective in the war against JAPAN will be the vital LUZON-FORMOSA-CHINA COAST Area. Strategy will be directed to attain this objective by the most direct and expeditious course possible"

8 June

Here are the detailed orders from JCS to CINCPOA and CINCSWPA outlining courses of action.

This is interesting. Nimitz's proposal for a series of operations leading to Formosa-China Coast. Note the key role of SWPA forces in Central Philippines in his plan.

"If we are to obtain advantages of establishment of our forces in FORMOSA STRAIT region prior to end of typhoon season 1945 CAUSEWAY must follow as closely after LEYTE as movement and preparation of forces will permit."

"I recommend that the Joint Chiefs of Staff issue a directive now for the progressive advance of SWPA forces into the CENTRAL PHILIPPINES to be followed by the establishment of POA forces in the FORMOSA STRAIT REGION with a target date of 15 February."

This is the Command History of the 7th Amphibious Force which served in SWPA in WW2. And below is the list of amphibious operations the 7th executed. www.history.navy.mil/research/lib...

And the next group...

6 June

After the Yap invasion was canceled, Nimitz offered the 24th Corps (7th, 96th, and 77th Infantry Divisions) to MacArthur for the Leyte op. But he was also considering using the 24th Corps to seize Iwo Jima. That would have been an interesting alternative history.

6 June

Here is a more detailed message to King about Nimitz's planning.

6 June

"Destruction of the enemy fleet is always the primary objective of our Naval Forces. Attempts by enemy fleet units to interfere with amphibious operations are both hoped for and provided against..."

nytimes.comIreland, Seen as a Weak Link in Europe’s Defense, Is Trying to Bulk Up

4 June

"As concern rises in Europe over threats from an emboldened Russia, the Irish government says it’s working to plug gaps in its military, which reflect a tradition of neutrality." www.nytimes.com/2026/06/04/w...

3 June

Nimitz's reasons for opposing OSS operations in the POA.

youtube.comHype! | FULL MOVIE | Sub Pop, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden | Seattle Grunge Music DocumentaryYouTube video by Shout! Studios

2 June

Good documentary on the Seattle music scene of the 80's and early 90's. - "Hype!" www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HWV...

2 June

The draft plan for Operation Olympic, the invasion of Honshu, scheduled for 1 Nov 1945.

29 May

🤔

25 May

The Army divisions in WWII website has been updated. armydivs.com/divisions?vi... These are the 21 Army divisions that served in the Pacific War.

armydivs.com77th Infantry Division — US Army Divisions in World War IIThe 77th Infantry Division ("Statue of Liberty") — infantry division activated 1940, serving in the Pacific Theater. 3 campaigns, 208 days of combat.

25 May

My favorite division is the 77th Infantry Div. It fought with marines to liberate Guam, then did a great flanking amphibious landing at Ormoc on Leyte, and then did a series of amphibious landings on islands near Okinawa before fighting on Okinawa. armydivs.com/77th-infantr...

hegemon.substack.comChina's Favorite American Ideathe "Thucydides Trap" shows how bad history can succeed if it serves a purpose

20 May

"Criticism of the Thucydides Trap has been so vicious and thorough that I can organize it into five different categories" hegemon.substack.com/p/chinas-fav...

20 May

"Every cable news segment that explains the Trap implicitly reproduces the Chinese framing. Every article that treats the concept as settled analytical wisdom reinforces the premise that China is rising and America has to adjust."

millersbookreview.comIs the Nonfiction Book Crisis for Real?And Are Podcasts to Blame? The Panic Makes for a Good Story. But the Numbers Tell a Different Tale

19 May

“Is the Nonfiction Book Crisis for Real? And Are Podcasts to Blame? The Panic Makes for a Good Story. But the Numbers Tell a Different Tale.” www.millersbookreview.com/p/is-the-non...