Simulations and the military

An interesting bit from the Atlantic on the military version of SimCity.

Back in my board wargaming days in junior high, my favorite company, Simulations Publications Inc. (SPI) produced a simulation for the military that was also released as a "civilian" game called Firefight. A bit of poking around looking for a good link on Firefight (buy it here!) led to this interesting page. Another book to add to the list ...

Addendum: not actually a book but an online document.

Over there with Powerpoint

This bit about the military issuing Powerpoint presentations rather than actual orders is rather scary.

Hat tip: Charlie Brown

COIN in Afghanistan

A thoughtful post on counter-insurgency strategies for US forces in Afghanistan from the Economist's Democracy in America blog.

I think that sometimes we forget that most people, indeed almost all people, really just want a stable, reasonable context in which to work, play and enjoy their friends and families. If you can get to that, or even look like you are getting to that, people who want to blow things up will have no support.