Diligent’s CEO J. Michael Barrett authored an op-ed for the Washington Examiner about how in an era of fiscal constraints there needs to be more realism injected into our national security policy, starting with stopping the waste of funds to the hopeless cause of any ‘meaningful victory’ in Afghanistan.  The piece closes with the recognition [...]

Diligent team co-authored a recent feature article for the Washington Examiner titled Smarter Grid is a Smart Investment.  It is based on a 4-part strategy document we recently completed for the Lexington Institute regarding how to make the U.S. Electrical Grid more resilient, available here: http://www.lexingtoninstitute.org/energy.  

Mike Barrett is part of a panel discussing the recent events in Egypt and how the current regime’s actions mean we should delay transfer of 20 F-16 fighter jets.  A link to the clip on YouTube is available by clicking here.

As several million Americans continue to struggle with the devastation wrought by Superstorm Sandy, it is worth asking how the nation can better prepare to weather future natural and manmade disasters. This is particularly important in considering one of the storm’s most important impacts – namely, its near-total destruction of the electrical power grid and [...]

Diligent’s CEO Mike Barrett discusses the realities of the ongoing conflict in Syria and the reported possible use of chemical weapons.  Discussion includes 3 plausible scenarios regarding those reports, as well as putting the death in Syria in perspective in comparison to Mexico, another war torn nation and one that’s on our border and closer [...]

Diligent CEO Mike Barrett discusses the ongoing sanctions against Iran and how the regime there continues to make investments thru revenues from smuggling oil into world markets in an interview with Melissa Francis of Fox Business News.  A clip of the interview is available on YouTube by clicking here: Oil Sanctions, Smuggling & Investments.

Diligent CEO Mike Barrett’s latest article appeared in The Hill newspaper on 29 October, 2012.  A pdf version of the article is available by clicking here: Battle Ready Radars.

Diligent’s CEO Mike Barrett discusses the evolution of asymmetric warfare and technology used by sub-state groups as reflected in the Israeli shoot-down of an unarmed drone, noting that the escalation of kinetic events portends a coming conflict.  A copy of the video on YouTube is available by clicking here:  Studio B, Israel Shoots Down Iranian [...]

Diligent CEO Mike Barrett discusses national security under the Obama Presidency and implications for US interests in Libya and across the region.  A clip of the interview on YouTube is available be clicking here.

Diligent CEO Mike Barrett discusses the ongoing unrest across the Middle East and the Egyptian motion to suppress speech related to Islamic figures.  A link to the video on YouTube is available here: Studio B, 9-26-2012.

Diligent CEO Mike Barrett’s latest article, “All Revolutions Involve Chaos”, appeared in Defense News on September 24, 2012. A link to a .pdf version of the article is available here: All Revolutions Involve Chaos.

Diligent CEO Mike Barrett’s latest article, “The Dangerous Precedent of POTUS Picking Targets“, appeared in the Small Wars Journal on August 27, 2012.  A link to a .pdf version of the article is available here: The Dangerous Precedent of POTUS Picking Targets.

Diligent CEO Mike Barrett discusses the ongoing warfare in Syria and the Assad regime’s use of tanks and planes against civilians as an example of the case that this is all-out ‘Total War’ unlikely to end through negotiation, but rather only after significantly more bloodshed.  A clip of the interview is available on YouTube by clicking here: [...]

Diligent CEO Mike Barrett discusses the ongoing warfare in Syria and the reality that this is about a broader regional Sunni-vs-Shi’a intra-Islam dispute and that while the opposition’s claims of a weakened regime cannot be taken at face value because they have an interest in creating the image of a faltering regime.  A clip of the [...]

Diligent CEO Mike Barrett discusses how Syria continues to evolve as a part of the Sunni-Shi’ia internal schism on Stuido B with Shepherd Smith.  Click here to see the video clip on YouTube.

The U.S. Army would like to move forward in their effort to supply the Afghan military with 21 Russian-manufactured MI-17 helicopters for $375 million which are to be purchased from Russia’s main weapons exporter, Rosoboronexport.  It should be noted, though, that the Afghan military has been using their US taxpayer-funded helicopters to transport illegal drugs [...]

Diligent’s J. Michael Barrett had a piece in the Washington Examiner discussing the silence of the ‘realists’ when it comes to current foreign policy discussions such as when and where to intervene using the U.S. military and other facets of national security.  The link is here: http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/2012/05/where-are-foreign-policy-realists/579351 or in pdf format here: Where are the [...]

North Korea stands ready to launch a long-range missile amid reports of an impending underground test of their nuclear capabilities.  Should we care? There are always two audiences for North Korea’s actions, internal and external: First, Kim Jong Un, the new leader, has a need to appear strong.  The place is a basket case in [...]

It is perhaps not a surprise that the strategy for conflict management coming from the war-weary US has been trending towards a transfer of responsibility to foreign partners. Indeed, President Obama’s May 2010 National Security Plan outlines four initiatives for ensuring international order: Ensure Strong Allies, Build Cooperation with Other Centers of Influence, Strengthen Institutions, [...]

A Washington Post editorial today (Challenging Egypt’s Generals) describes how one former prisoner and now blogger in Egypt turned out to be right — “In March of last year, just weeks after the revolution, the activist posted an essay on his blog contending that, contrary to the slogan shouted in Cairo’s Tahrir Square during the [...]