Peter J. Munson

Peter J. Munson is a Marine officer, KC-130 pilot, and Middle East Foreign Area Officer.  He is currently assigned to U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command.  He is the author of two books, Iraq in Transition: The Legacy of Dictatorship and the Prospects for Democracy (Potomac, 2009) and War, Welfare, and Democracy: Rethinking America's Quest for the End of History (Potomac, forthcoming in fall 2012).  He is a frequent contributor to multiple journals and blogs, including his own.  He is the Editor of the Small Wars Journal.

Anthony Shadid, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, dies at 43 in Syria, reportedly of an asthma attack.

Marine officer Aaron MacLean at WaPo bemoans the military's lack of talent management (via @Doctrine_Man).

Bob Tollast interviews Hayder al-Khoei on developments in Iraq and the Iraqi view of events in Syria.

Brett Friedman draws attention to the deeper malaise behind the recent string of black-eyes for the Marine Corps.

"Swift realization" that the build up may have been "ill-advised" represents a "remarkable pivot."

Hugh Gusterson argues that the destruction of the Iraqi university system played a part in de-modernizing the country.