Smart Power in Irak, Africa, Afghanistan... everywhere, everytime, everybody

Today,

1. At Spanish conservative newspaper ABC, El concepto militar: Retirada responsable, on Irak, by GD (r) Ricardo Martínez Isidoro. Also, at the left-centrist El País, Serbia por los Balcanes, by Jordi Vaquer i Fanés, Director de la Fundación CIDOB.

2. Courtesy of SWJ, US Army Africa: Smart Power in Action, and,

3. Also courtesy of SWJ, from Statement of General James N. Mattis, USMC Commander, United States Joint Forces Command (NATO ATC) Before the House Armed Services Committee March 18, 2009, last paragraph:

As Secretary Gates made clear, the guiding principle behind our efforts to prepare for an uncertain future will be balance. Balance will enhance the agility and capabilities of our joint forces as we work to make irregular warfare a core competency. War remains fundamentally a human endeavor that will require human solutions. Technology is a key enabler, but it is not the solution. We will embrace a whole-of-government approach to bring all of our nation's resources to bear, while continuing to build alliances and enhancing our international partnerships. And finally, we must remain focused on the long-term security of our nation, and avoid being captivated by short-term distractions. As General Omar Bradley said, “We need to learn to set our course by the stars, not by the lights of every passing ship.”