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Future Tense: The Lessons of Culture in an Age of Upheaval by Roger Kimball.
We are living in an age of unprecedented upheaval. The future of Western culture is uncertain. America’s economic and political vitality are more fragile than ever. The preservation of tradition is far from guaranteed. Many have observed that we are living through a world historical moment of which Hegel spoke: a time when many of the traditional assumptions about the shape and future of culture are suddenly in play. As The New Criterion embarks on its fourth decade of publication, the magazine commemorates its commitment to the civilizing values of informed criticism with the publication of Future Tense: The Lessons of Culture in an Age of Upheaval. Compiling the writings of some of the greatest essayists of our time, Future Tense examines this pivotal period through a variety of lenses. Beginning with a meditation on memorials after the 9/11 attacks (Michael J. Lewis), the essays address patriotism in relation to Pericles (Victor Davis Hanson), twenty-first century American pride and leadership (Andrew Roberts), the future of religion in America (David Bentley Hart), and the unwinding of the welfare state (Kevin D. Williamson). Continuing this arc, pieces examine self-knowledge and modern technology (Anthony Daniels), the cultural capital of museums (James Panero), and the difficulties of making law in the modern world (Andrew C. McCarthy). In its penultimate essay, the book explores the possibility of a forthcoming political revolution (James Piereson), then closes with a reflection of culture’s role in the economy of life and the fragility of civilization (Roger Kimball). Taken together, these prominent writers demonstrate an acute understanding of the value of Western thought as well as the challenges it faces. Future Tense is an engaging discourse on the prospects of society and an important collection for anyone concerned with the longevity of traditional culture.  Military Learning in the 21st Century From Wavell Room: “Military learning is a hot topic. It comes in many different guises: ‘conceptual development’, ‘the intellectual edge’, ‘strategic adaptability’, or ‘innovative by design.’ Yet behind the buzzwords and the dogma, what do we really mean when talk about learning in a military context? And how can we do it more effectively, without sacrificing core areas of enduring strength? The Fisher Model in the 21st Century by Sidharth Kaushal Six Million Dollar Men: Policy, Technology, and Talent Management by Jacob Yanofsky Ignorance and Professional Military Education: The Case for Operational Engagement by Thang Tran, Michael Oliveira, Josh Sider, and Leo Blanken Fixes To 'Up Or Out' Promotion System Could Take Years quoting Timothy Kane via Stars and Stripes Air Force veteran and economist Timothy Kane reached one overarching conclusion after writing two books on the military’s “up or out” promotion system: It’s woefully outdated. Soldier Learning 2050 By Charles Heard, Small Wars Journal: “The use of virtual reality and other technologies can’t replace physical training entirely, but they may minimize the amount of physical training required to achieve mastery of tasks.” Dismantling Contemporary Military Thinking By Bradley L. Rees, Small Wars Journal: “Despite the r/evolutionary tenets of warfare that came from precise applications of scientific and technological doctrines, the Modern/Technical School’s misinterpretation of much of Clausewitzian theory ultimately manifested in an over-adherence to Jominian mechanics, Napoleonic maneuver, and von Moltke the Elder’s approach to the application of force.” Who’s Missing? The Limits of Professional Reading Lists By Olivia Garard, Strategy Bridge: “While diverse representation, both of authorship and of content, is necessary and, still, sorely lacking, the general brouhaha fails to heed the crux of the matter. All lists list.” Approaching a Fork in the Road: Professional Education and Military Learning? By David Morgan-Owen, War on the Rocks: “What is the purpose of military education, and how should it be delivered?” The Road Less Traveled: Both Sides Are Right About Professional Military Education by Tammy S. Schultz Ditching PowerPoint: Here’s how these experts are looking to transform the way soldiers learn (Army Times) A small group of focused experts is trying to find ways to tailor, accelerate and adapt soldier learning for decades to come — and one slice of that work is an effort to end the dreaded DBPP syndrome, otherwise known as “Death By PowerPoint.” Assume Nothing; Knowledge (In)Equality By Ed, Wavell Room: “Thinking conceptually requires an openness of thought which historically might have been considered anathema to military hierarchy and good discipline." A Modest Proposal for Improving Assessment in Professional Military Education by Celestino Perez, Jr.
 Leaders Are Readers Part III: Managing Your Reading Program
From 3x5 Leadership: “Like almost all things in life and work, to grow as a leader through reading requires a defined management system to ensure long-term sustainability and effectiveness.  Trump and the All-American Trade Debate Michael Mandelbaum reviews Dartmouth College economist Douglas A. Irwin's survey of 250 years of US trade policy. 2018 Hayek Lecture
featuring John F. Cogan via Manhattan Institute On June 7, the Manhattan Institute awarded the 14th annual Hayek Book Prize to John F. Cogan for his book The High Cost of Good Intentions: A History of US Federal Entitlement Programs.  Book review: Learning from Israel’s political assassination program Kenneth Pollack | The New York Times In a New York Times review of Ronen Bergman’s recent volume on Israel’s efforts to combat terrorism using assassinations, AEI’s Kenneth Pollack explains the shortcomings of a counterterrorism strategy focused solely on assassinations. Pollack argues that “targeted killings” can be a highly effective tactic to neutralize terrorist cells and part of a powerful operational approach to cripple terror groups but that they do not offer a strategic answer to the problem of terrorism or defeat the broader movements that breed and feed the terrorist groups. Read more here. Counterterrorism: Taking Down the Big Man By Kevin Ivey, RealClearDefense: “Leadership decapitation rests on a simple principle: taking out a key player in a terrorist group in the hope that his or her absence destroys morale and slows the group’s operational tempo.” Aziz Asbar was one of Syria’s most important rocket scientists, bent on amassing an arsenal of precision-guided missiles that could be launched with pinpoint accuracy against Israeli cities hundreds of miles away. On Saturday, he was killed by a car bomb — apparently planted by Mossad, the Israeli spy agency. - New York Times The killing of a Syrian scientist as he left his house in Hama will be read as a message to the Syrian regime in Damascus. The scientist was allegedly a key part of Syria’s Scientific Studies and Research Center (SSRC). The center is involved in research and development of chemical weapons and long-range missiles that are produced near Hama. - Jerusalem Post
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Author of "The True Believer: Thoughts on the nature of Mass Movements."
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