- From our infatuation with swing states to the pageantry of the Chinese Communist Catwalk — great night of TV in China as Xi Jingping steps out first from behind the curtain. I miss the old days when it was a surprise….
- This isn’t going to end well. This morning’s Jerusalem Post editorial: “Operation Pillar of Defense – like Operation Cast Lead – will not change the fundamental dynamics in Gaza.”
- Twitter goes to war. Aren’t there Twitter rules? Open thread
- A fundamental transformation? Competition over the rescaling of governance. Shahar Hameiri and Lee Jones on the Politics and Governance of Non-traditional Security in ISQ.
And also:
- Excellent roundtable discussion and exchange on Sarah Kreps, Coalitions of Convenience at H-diplo/ISSF.
Jon Western has spent the last fifteen years teaching IR in liberal arts colleges at Mount Holyoke College and the Five Colleges in western Massachusetts. He has an eclectic range of intellectual interests but often writes on international security, U.S. foreign policy, military intervention, and human rights. He occasionally shares his thoughts about professional life in liberal arts colleges. In his spare time he coaches middle school soccer, mentors the local high school robotics team, skis, and sails.
While obviously you don’t want to get into a debate vis-a-vis Gaza, I might suggest you avoid posting the only article mentioning it from the Jerusalem Post (Israel’s equivalent of Fox News) leading with the nonsensically ideological byline: “While Israel has not only the right but the moral obligation to defend the residents of the South.” Try Ha’aretz, or perhaps Ha’aretz and a Palestinian source.