The use of pilotless drones are up 94% in 2008.  The flight hours graph is particularly enlightening; 400,000 hours logged for all of 2008 between the military services.

I wonder what the numbers will be in 2009 and in 2010 as the United States escalates in AfPak.

The article, "Rage Against the Machines: Explaining Outcomes in Counterinsurgency Wars," by Lyall and Wilson III is an interesting read for anyone looking for a scientific explanations as to why insurgencies fought in modernity are losing propositions.

I've been researching the Just War tradition lately specifically jus post bellum with intent to submit a paper in January or so. So far I find the research and sources pretty satisfying and enlightening. But a series of questions and comments keep cropping up in regards to what has been written: 1) The overwhelming focus on inter state war in terms of the Just War tradition, 2) lack of comment on counter insurgencies within the tradition, and 3) lack of linkage between jus ad bellum, jus in bello, and jus post bellum.

Does anyone know of writers, books, or articles that have commented on the three points above?

 

The article, "Supercomputing for the Masses," caught my eye.

The key quote of the article, "Seven of the world’s top 10 supercomputers use standard chips from A.M.D. and Intel, as do about 90 percent of the 500 fastest machines. “I think this says that supercomputing technology is affordable,” said Margaret Lewis, an A.M.D. director. “We are kind of getting away from this ivory tower.”

I found this article interesting.

This quote especially caught my eye:

 "With an expanding economy and a car fleet mushrooming with its middle class, China has been searching far and wide for oil reserves. In recent years China has formed alliances and joint ventures in Venezuela, Russia and Brazil to produce oil, and Chinese companies are competing to obtain large-scale contracts for exploration and development of fields in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa."

This article was pretty interesting.  Apparently the gene that is responsible for psychosis is also responsible for creativity too. 

I don't know if I can fit this into a larger national security and science picture but I did enjoy the article.