Finding a Strategy for the War on Terror
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As President Bush looks for a new strategy in Iraq, some experts say the military has not come to terms with a new kind of warfare. Will new military leadership re-examine the complex challenges of the "war on terror?" Is it really a "war" at all? Plus, weather problems trap thousands of holiday travelers, and LA's Democratic Mayor Villaraigosa loses a battle despite the support of Republican Governor Schwarzenegger.
Making News
Storms Disrupt Holiday Travel ()
Tens of thousands of airline passengers have been stranded just as the pre-Christmas travel crunch gets under way. It’s all because of weather problems in Denver and London. The closures, caused by heavy snow and fog, created a ripple effect that stranded 10,000 travelers in Los Angeles alone.
Guests:
- Chris Elliott: Ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler
Main Topic
Counterinsurgency: Is This the Future of the US Military? ()
President Bush has acknowledged that current strategy in Iraq is not working. As the President reconsiders, senior military leaders are stepping down, giving Defense Secretary Robert Gates the chance to pick new ones. The Los Angeles Times reports that the military is divided between a conventionally-minded old guard and a new generation focused on counterinsurgency. The answers to questions about what should be changed may well apply not just to Iraq, but also to the so-called "war on terror." Some experts say it's not really a "war" at all--with a single enemy worldwide. They say it's as much about information as guns. Is America faced with a new kind of warfare? Is counterinsurgency required after all?
Guests:
- Peter Spiegel: Pentagon Correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, @SpiegelPeter
- Harlan Ullman: Senior Associate, Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Bruce Hoffman: Professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University
- Dan Goure: Vice President, Lexington Institute
Links:
Reporter's Notebook
LA Mayor's Public-School Takeover 'Unconstitutional' ()
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has statewide ambitions in California. He's a Democrat, but Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is supporting the Mayor's high-profile effort to tackle the problems of public education. Following examples set by New York's Michael Bloomberg and Chicago's Richard Dailey, Villaraigosa's been trying to take over LA Schools, and a new state law gave him partial control. Yesterday, the elected school board, which claimed the law was unconstitutional, won a court battle when a local judge dashed the Mayor's hopes, at least for the moment.
Guests:
- Jaime Regalado: Executive Director of the Pat Brown Institute, @PBI
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