Tag Archives: North Korea

Democracy’s Decline

Posted on August 15, 2022 by lewbornmann

Global freedom has continuously declined every consecutive year for over a decade. While democracy can meet the challenges of the 21st century better than authoritarianism, the promise of democracy must remain real and powerful and those believing in freedom must not only defend it but broaden its reach as one of the great causes of our time. Continue reading →

Posted in antiliberal, Argentina, China, China, Cold War, Competition, Corruption, Corruption, Czech Republic, Democracy, Discrimination, Donald Trump, dysfunction, Elections, Fiji, financial crisis, France, France, Freedom, Globalization, Globalization, Governance, Honduras, Honduras, Hungary, illiberal, illiberalism, Immigration, industrial, Kenya, Middle Class, Middle Class, middleclass, Migration, Minorities, Minorities, minorities, Nigeria, North Korea, Norway, Pakistan, partisan, Personal, Poland, political polarization, Politics, Populism, Populism, Populist, Portugal, Rule of Law, Russia, Russia, Special Interests, Special Interests, Taiwan, Technology, Technology, totalitarian, Trump, Turkey, Turkey, tyranny, Venezuela | Tagged antiliberal, Argentina, China, Cold War, competition, corruption, Czech Republic, democracy, discrimination, Donald Trump, dysfunction, elections, Fiji, financial crisis, France, Freedom, globalization, governance, Honduras, Hungary, illiberal, illiberalism, immigration, industrial, Kenya, Middle Class, middle-class, middleclass, Migration, minorities, Nigeria, North Korea, Norway, Pakistan, partisan, Poland, polarization, politics, Populism, Populist, Portugal, Rule of Law, Russia, special interests, Taiwan, technology, totalitarian, Trump, Turkey, tyranny, Venezuela | Leave a comment

The Many Challenges Of 2022

Posted on January 31, 2022 by lewbornmann

Most of us were glad to see 2021 end and looked forward to the coming of 2022 with hope and anticipation that it could bring relief from the many problems and unfortunate incidents of its predecessor. Unfortunately, it is starting much the same as the old year ended. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordable Housing, Afghanistan, Afghanistan, Afghanistan, anti-police, Arizona, Assault, Australia, Barack Hussein Obama II, Beijing, Biden, Big Lie, Brunei, Build Back Better, Challenges, China, China, China Sea, Civil War, Convention on the Law of the Sea, Coronavirus, COVID, COVID-19, COVID-19, Crime, crime rate, Crimea, Department of Justice, Diplomacy, Disease, Disease, disinformation, Donald Trump, drugs, Economy, Elections, European Union, European Union, Extremism, Extremism, Extremism, Facebook, Facebook, Firearm, Fox News, France, France, George W. Bush, George W. Bush, Georgia, Germany, Germany, Global Warming, Global Warming, Google, healthcare, homicide, Homicide, Homicides, Ideology, Ideology, Immigration, Inflation, Infrastructure, Infrastructure, infrastructure, insurrection, international diplomacy, international tensions, Iran, Iran, Iranian nuclear accord, Japan, Japan, Japan, JCPOA, Joe Biden, Joe Manchin, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Korea, Korean War, Kyrsten Sinema, Malaysia, Manchin, Medicare, Medicare, Medicare, Medicare, Medication, misinformation, NATO, NATO, North Korea, Nuclear, Obama, Obama, Pathogen, Pathogens, Pathogens, Philippines, Police, Police, Police, political division, Politics, pre-K, Prescription, President, Problems, propaganda, Rape, renewable energy, republicans, Robbery, Russia, Russia, Senate, Seoul, Sinema, South Korea, Soviet Union, Soviet Union, Taipei, Taiwan, Thucydides Trap, Trump, UK, Ukraine, UNCLOS, United Kingdom, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Vietnam, violent crime, Weapon, West Virginia, world order | Tagged Affordable Housing, Afghanistan, anti-police, Arizona, assault, Australia, Beijing, Biden, Big Lie, Brunei, Build Back Better, challenges, China, China Sea, Civil War, Convention on the Law of the Sea, COVID, COVID-19, crime, crime rate, Crimea, Department of Justice, diplomacy, Disease, disinformation, Donald Trump, drugs, economic inflation, economy, elections, European Union, extremism, Facebook, firearms, Fox News, France, George W. Bush, Georgia, Germany, global warming, Google, healthcare, homicide, ideology, immigration, inflation, infrastructure, insurrection, international tensions, Iran, Iranian nuclear accord, Japan, JCPOA, Joe Biden, Joe Manchin, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Korean War, Kyrsten Sinema, Malaysia, Manchin, medicare, misinformation, NATO, North Korea, Obama, pathogen, pathogens, Philippines, police, political division, pre-K, prescription, president, Problems, propaganda, Rape, renewable energy, republicans, Robbery, Russia, Senate, Seoul, Sinema, South Korea, Soviet Union, Taipei, Taiwan, Thucydides Trap, Trump, UK, Ukraine, UNCLOS, United Kingdom, Vietnam, weapons, West Virginia, world order | Leave a comment

The Cost Of Strength

Posted on December 6, 2021 by lewbornmann

U.S. military expenditure cannot continue to increase every year as called for by military leaders. In the future, the U.S. will need to do more with less. This will require increased reliance on innovation and continuous process improvement. Continue reading →

Posted in adversary, Africa, aircraft, Aircraft Carrier, asymmetrical conflicts, Asymmetrical Conflicts, Barack Hussein Obama II, carrier strike group, Carriers, China, China, combat, conflict, Defense, deterrent, Diplomacy, Donald Trump, Drones, Drones, Dwight Eisenhower, Eisenhower, fighting, Fighting, Germany, Germany, hostilities, HSV-2 Swift, inflight refueling, Innovation, Innovation, Intelligence, international order, Iran, Iran, John (Jack) F. Kennedy, John Bolton, Kennedy, Latin America, Middle East, Military, Missile, NATO, NATO, Navy, North Korea, Obama, quadcopter, Research, Russia, Russia, Terrorism, Thucydides Trap, Trump, Venezuela, Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam War, VTOL, War, Welfare, Western International Order | Tagged adversaries, adversary, Africa, aircraft, Aircraft Carrier, asymmetrical conflicts, carrier strike group, China, combat, conflict, defense, deterrent, diplomacy, Donald Trump, drones, Dwight Eisenhower, Eisenhower, fighting, Germany, hostilities, HSV-2 Swift, inflight refueling, innovation, intelligence, international order, Iran, John Bolton, John F. Kennedy, Kennedy, Latin America, Middle East, military, missile, NATO, navy, North Korea, Obama, President Obama, quadcopter, research, Russia, terrorism, Thucydides Trap, Trump, Venezuela, Vietnam, Vietnam War, VTOL, war, welfare, Western International Order, zero-sum | 2 Comments

Life’s Challenges

Posted on July 27, 2020 by lewbornmann

It seems to me…. “When you’re up to your ass in alligators, you forget about cleaning the swamp.” ~ Robert DeBard[1]. Being well into my 80s, I can look back on what I have experienced from a perspective not all … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Army, California, California, Challenges, China, China, Cold War, Cuba, Epidemic, Europe, Europe, France, France, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Galveston, Germany, Germany, Harry Truman, Hawaii, Hurricane, Italy, Italy, Japan, Japan, Japan, John (Jack) F. Kennedy, Joseph McCarthy, Joseph McCarthy, Kennedy, Korea, Korean War, Los Angeles, McCarthy, McCarthyism, Military, North Korea, Race, Richard M. Nixon, Robert F. Kennedy, Roosevelt, Russia, Russia, San Francisco, San Francisco, South Korea, Soviet Union, Soviet Union, Spanish Flu, Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Truman, Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam War, War, War, War, William H. McKinley, Woodrow Wilson, World War I, World War II | Tagged Alaska, army, California, challenges, China, Cold War, Compiegne, Cuba, Dallas, Emperor Hirohito, Epidemic, Europe, France, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Galveston, Germany, Harry Truman, Hawaii, hurricane, Italy, Japan, John (Jack) F. Kennedy, Joseph McCarthy, Kennedy, Korea, Korean War, Los Angeles, Martin Luther King, McCarthyism, Memphis, military, Mount Katmai, navy, Newark, Nixon, North Korea, race, Reims, Richard M. Nixon, Robert F. Kennedy, Roosevelt, Russia, San Francisco, South Korea, Soviet Union, Spanish Flu, Theodore Roosevelt, Truman, Vietnam, Vietnam War, war, William H. McKinley, Woodrow Wilson, World War I, World War II | Leave a comment

With Friends Like These

Posted on January 6, 2020 by lewbornmann

It seems to me…. “Middle East history is replete with examples of missed and lost chances to make peace.” ~ Richard N. Haass[1]. The Middle East has been a major conundrum for the U.S. since approval of the Balfour Agreement … Continue reading →

Posted in Afghanistan, Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, Aramco, Aramco, Balfour agreement, Britain, Britain, China, China, Churchill, Deobandi sect, Donald Trump, Extremism, Extremism, Extremists, Fordow Facility, Foreign, Foreign Policy, France, France, Germany, Germany, India, Iran, Iran, Iraq, Iraq, Islam, Israel, JCPOA, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JUI-F, Kashmir, Kunar Province, Kurds, Kuwait, Madrassahs, Madrassas, Middle East, Middle-East, Mujahidin, Mujahidin, Mujahidin, Muslim, Muslim, North Korea, Nuclear Agreement, Osama bin Laden, Pakistan, Policy, Qatar, Russia, Russia, Salafism, Sanctions, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, Security Council, Shah, Shi’ite, Soviet Union, Soviet Union, Sunni, Taliban, Terrorism, Trump, UN, Wahhabi Salafism, Wahhabis, Winston Churchill | Tagged Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, Aramco, Balfour agreement, Britain, China, Churchill, Deobandi sect, extremism, extremists, Fordow Facility, foreign policy, France, Germany, India, Iran, Iranain sanctions, Iraq, Islam, Israel, JCPOA, Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JUI-F, Kashmir, Kunar Province, Kurds, Kuwait, Madrassahs, Madrassas, Middle East, Mujahidin, Muslim, North Korea, Nuclear Agreement, Osama bin Laden, Pakistan, Qatar, Roosevelt, Russia, Salafism, Saudi Arabia, Security Council, Shah, Shi’ite, Soviet Union, Sunni, Taliban, terrorism, Trump, Tunisia, UN, Wahhabi, Wahhabi Salafism, Wahhabis, Winston Churchill | Leave a comment

2017 – It Was A Year

Posted on December 30, 2017 by lewbornmann

It seems to me…. “And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.” ~ Rainer Maria Rilke[1]. Another year – 2017 – has now passed. When young, New Year’s was an excuse to party but … Continue reading →

Posted in AI, AI, Alexa, Amazon, Apple, Apple, Artificial Intelligence, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomous, autonomous vehicles, Bush, Canada, Cassini-Huygens, Change, Clean, Climate, Climate Change, Cortana, Cortana, Crime, Donald Trump, Driverless, Education, Egypt, Energy, England, Environment, Fossil Fuel, France, France, Google, Healthcare, Home, Huygens, Immigration, Inequality, Infrastructure, Iran, ISIS, Istanbul, Las Vegas, Manchester, Mexico, Mexico, Microsoft, Microsoft, Mogadishu, Myanmar, Nevada, North Korea, Opioids, Photovoltaic, Power, Renewable, Rohingya, Russia, Saturn, Sinai, Siri, Siri, Solar, Solar, Somalia, Speech Recognition, Syria, Technology, Terrorism, The Onion, TPP, Trans-Pacific Partnership, Trump, Turkey, UNESCO, Vehicle, War | Tagged AI, Alexa, Amazon, Apple, Artificial Intelligence, autonomous vehicles, Bush, Canada, Cassini-Huygens, climate change, Cortana, crime, driverless, education, Egypt, energy, England, environment, fossil fuel, France, Google, healthcare, Huygens, immigration, income inequality, inequality, infrastructure, Isis, Istanbul, Las Vegas, Manchester, Mexico, Microsoft, Mogadishu, Myanmar, Nevada, North Korea, Opioids, photovoltaic, renewable, Rohingya, Russia, Saturn, Sinai, Siri, solar, Somalia, speech recognition, Syria, Tehran, terrorism, The Onion, Trans-Pacific Partnership, Trump, UNESCO, war | 5 Comments

2016 – The Year That Was

Posted on January 2, 2017 by lewbornmann

It seems to me…. “For 18 years I have resisted talking about current events. I am not going to start now.” ~ George H. W. Bush[1]. 2016 was comprised of many little things: while some events over the past year … Continue reading →

Posted in Albert Einstein, Aleppo, Assad, Athletes, Atlantic City, Australia, Berlin, Brazil, Canada, Caribbean, Change, China, Climate, Climate Change Conference, CO2, COP21, Disaster, Economy, Einstein, Elections, Environment, Europe, European Union, Evacuation, Falcon 9, Fire, Florida, France, Germany, Global Warming, Global Warming, Greenhouse, Gun, Homicides, Hurricane, Immigrant, Immigration, Income, India, Indonesia, Inequality, Inequality, International Space Station, ISS, Istanbul, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Lahore, Louisiana, Mathew, Middle Class, Moon, Moon Express, Murder, NASA, New Jersey, New Orleans, New Zealand, Nice, North Korea, Obama, Olympics, Orlando, Pakistan, Paris, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Police, Populist, President Bashar, Presidential, Private-Sector, Public-Sector, Records, Red Cross, Refugee, Rio de Janeiro, Russia, San Antonio, Science, Scott Kelly, Shelter, shootings, Space, Space Lab, SpaceX, Sports, Syria, Texas, Tiangong-2, TPP, Trans-Pacific Partnership, Trump, U.K., United Kingdom, War, Washington, Weather, Weather, World War II | Tagged Alan Rickman, Albert Einstein, Aleppo, Antonin Scalia, Assad, athletes, Atlantic City, Australia, Berlin, Brazil, Canada, Caribbean, Carrie Fisher, China, climate, climate change, CO2, COP21, David Bowie, Debbie Reynolds, disaster, economy, Einstein, election, environment, EU, Europe, European Union, evacuation shelter, Falcon 9, Fidel Castro, fire, Florida, France, George Michael, Germany, global warming, greenhouse gases, gun, Gwen Ifill, homicide, hurricane, Hurricane Mathew, immigration, income, India, inequality, International Space Station, ISS, Istanbul, Italy, Ivory Coast, Janet Reno, Japan, John Glenn, Lahore, Leonard Cohen, Louisiana, Middle Class, moon, Moon Express, Morley Safer, Muhammed Ali, Nancy Reagan, New Jersey, New Orleans, New Zealand, Nice, North Korea, Obama, Olympics, Orlando, Pakistan, Paris, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, police, Populist, president, Prince, private-sector, public-sector, Red Cross, refugee, Rio de Janeiro, Russia, San Antonio, science, Scott Kelly, shootings, space, SpaceX, sports, Syria, Texas, Tiangong-2, TPP, Trans-Pacific Partnership, Trump, U.K., war, Washington DC, weapon, weather, World War II | 1 Comment

The Next War

Posted on August 16, 2016 by lewbornmann

It seems to me…. “Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed.” ~ Dwight … Continue reading →

Posted in Army, Budget, Central Intelligence Agency, Chuck Hagel, CIA, combat, Cyberspace, Cyberwarfare, Defense, Defense, Department of Defense, Department of State, Drones, Dwight Eisenhower, Eisenhower, Europe, GAO, George W. Bush, Government Accountability Office, Military, National, National Security Agency, North Korea, NSA, Pentagon, Psychological, Russia, Security, Sun Tzu, The Art of War, War, Weapon | Tagged army, Budget, Bush, Central Intelligence Agency, Chuck Hagel, CIA, combat, Cyberspace, Cyberwarfare, defense, Department of Defense, Department of State, drones, Eisenhower, Europe, GAO, Government Accountability Office, military, National, National Security Agency, North Korea, NSA, Pentagon, Psychological, Russia, security, Sun Tzu, The Art of War, war, weapon | Leave a comment

Je suis Charlie

Posted on January 19, 2015 by lewbornmann

It seems to me… “Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful.” ~ Molly Ivins. On 7 January 2015 two Muslim religious fanatics entered the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris, France, and murdered … Continue reading →

Posted in Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, Allawite, Ayatollah Khomeini, banlieues, Blasphemy, Boko Haram, Charles de Gaulle, Charlie Brown, Charlie Hebdo, France, Freedom of Expression, Hadith, Hypercacher, Iran, Iraq, ISIS, Islam, Jyllands-Posten, Kim Jong Un, Kurds, Libya, Madrasa, Middle-East, Military, Mohammad, Movies, Mujahidin, Mujahidin, Muslim, Newspaper, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Paris, Peanuts, Peshmerga, Qatar, Quran, Rights, Salman Rushdie, satire, Saudi Arabia, Sony, Syria, Terrorism, The Interview, Vincennes, Wahhabi Salafism, Writers, Yemen | Tagged Afghanistan, al-Qaeda, Allawite, Ayatollah Khomeini, banlieues, blasphemy, Boko Haram, Charlie Brown, Charlie Hebdo, France, freedom of expression, freedom of speech, Hadith, Hypercacher, Iran, Iraq, Isis, Islam, Je suis Charlie, Jyllands-Posten, Kim Jong Un, Kurds, Middle East, military, Mohammad, Mujahidin, Muslim, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Paris, Qatar, Quran, Salman Rushdie, satire, Saudi Arabia, Sony, Syria, terrorism, The Interview, Vincennes, Wahhabi Salafism, Yemen | 7 Comments

Military Intelligence

Posted on November 12, 2013 by lewbornmann

It seems to me… “Over grown military establishments are under any form of government inauspicious to liberty, and are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty.” ~ George Washington. The U.S. military by insisting to live in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Army, Autonomous Vehicles, Budget, Budget, Defense, Defense, Drones, Extremists, Ground Combat Vehicle, Iran, Maginot Line, Military, National, Navy, North Korea, Sequestration, War | Tagged Air Force, army, autonomous vehicles, Budget, defense, drones, extremists, Ground Combat Vehicle, Maginot Line, military, navy, North Korea, sequestration, war | 6 Comments