HOT5 Daily 11/21/2010

1. "The Left’s new narrative?" Evil Republicans want to destroy the economy in order to win in 2012. 

Representative Sample: Steve Benen as a bit of a lightweight when it comes to political analysis. But he can be counted on to faithfully repeat the left’s talking points, or absent that, come up with some off the wall theory (sometimes involving conspiracy) to try to explain and demonize the right. A recent wig out involves a vast conspiracy of right-wingers who want to see the economy stay sickly for political purposes.

2. "What Strategy in Unmatched Fury?" Is there a strategic purpose behind Chinese belligerence?

Representative Sample: If I could understand the PRC’s strategy from a realist perspective, I would be more comfortable with it. But I don’t understand what China has going for it with this strategy — which seems closer to North Korea more than anything else.

3. "'Defend the Humanities'--A Dishonest Slogan" Interesting article on one of the problems afflicting our university system.  

Representative Sample: "Defend the Humanities" is a most attractive flag to sail under. The trouble is that for those who are now using it, it is a flag of convenience only, and a deeply dishonest one. For the conception of the humanities set out above is despised by those who now ask for our help in saving the departments they run. Long ago, they took aim at it, defeated it and abolished it, and that is precisely the source of their present troubles.

4. "MANOEUVRE WARFARE" Nice concise article article on military theory. 

Representative Sample: The ultimate aim of any war is to locate, identify and overwhelm the enemy with fire or to annihilate the enemy in order to force an end to hostilities and/or to restore the political balance. When an enemy’s armed forces are destroyed, his political machine is not left with too many options.

5. "The UAV Game" It will be interesting to see what develops.

Representative Sample: In terms of UAV technology, we are at the equivalent of early World War I aviation. The first airplanes had a reconnaisance mission that was sometimes augmented by the odd grenade being chucked out into enemy trenches. It wasn’t long before two of these machines had a chance encounter, and one pilot pulled his sidearm in the vain attempt to force the other down. It wasn’t far from that to the Vickers gun, heat seeking missiles and the AIM-120.

To submit a blog post for HOT5 Daily, please e-mail me at unrright@NOSPAMgmail.com. Put HOT5 in the subject.