Family Jewels (Central Intelligence Agency)

This. The infamous series of reports officially admitting to & describing secret illegal activities conducted by the CIA between 1959 and 1973. Most of these were declassified & released in 2007 due to FIFAs filed by the National Security Archive. These are copies of the original photocopied "secret" level memos & reports compiled at the …

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For Those Not Keeping Track…

This is the China that states and entities have been fearing for several decades. This nightmare story has been making the rounds amongst global leaders, analysts and China watchers for the past couple of days. Lest anyone think this an aberration, it isn't nor is it intended to be by the CCP. China takes Uganda's …

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Book Review: The Future is Asian: Commerce, Conflict and Culture in the 21st Century

The Future is Asian: Commerce, Conflict and Culture in the 21st Century by Parag Khanna My rating: 4 of 5 stars This isn't a bad book. In fact, it's pretty good. But I'm torn on what to rate it. On one hand, it could potentially deserve 5 stars for accuracy, a good overview, it being …

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Book Review: Japan Rearmed: The Politics of Military Power

Japan Rearmed: The Politics of Military Power by Sheila A. Smith My rating: 5 of 5 stars Before I say anything about this book, I need to confess I know the author (to whatever degree), highly respect her expertise on Japan (she's the Council on Foreign Relations' Senior Fellow for Japan), so this commentary and …

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It’s Not Just Huawei and ZTE…

I published an article on my LinkedIn page on April 4, 2019. This is the gist. There are other technology-based companies in China, some much bigger and wealthier than Huawei, that *could* be capable of things some accuse the more famous companies of while hiding beneath the surface. Here is the link to it if …

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Certain Comments For China-Watchers

I published a new article on LinkedIn today and some of you may find it interesting, particularly those interested in foreign relations, and most especially China. What has gotten the Chinese government so anxious, so upset about Michael Pillsbury's controversial book, The Hundred-Year Marathon,​ published several years ago, that they would publish an op-ed last …

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A Review of Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare

Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare by Philip Short My rating: 5 of 5 stars I found this book very engaging. While it is not a “true” biography of Pol Pot, in that this isn’t what the entire book is about, the book is instead a study on twentieth century Cambodia, its politics, culture, international …

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A Review of Brother Number One

Brother Number One: A Political Biography of Pol Pot by David P. Chandler My rating: 3 of 5 stars The first “review” I read when I came across reviews for Brother Number One was one by “Annie,” which stated, “More objective, non-sensational and honest than than ‘Pol Pot: Anatomy of a Nightmare’.” Funny, having finished …

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