Professor, Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies, Nat'l Defense University, DC. Middle East, Arms Sales, Gulf, COIN,Missile Def. Aspirant Flaneur
Apr 15, 2024 • 25 tweets • 10 min read
(1/24)🧵 on yesterday's #IranAttackIsrael #missile #drone #MissileDefense events. I'll discuss tactical / operational matters, look at #strategy, and then asymmetric warfare. This is my world -- welcome to it!
(2/24) Tactical: As of writing, #Israel appears to have mounted one of the most successful air defenses against a complex attack since the dawn of the drone age. It looks as though there was no real damage inflicted by #Iran #DroneAttack ; missiles had marginal effect
Oct 9, 2022 • 20 tweets • 14 min read
🧵(1/ 20) Thoughts on the #US / #Saudi relationship ILO @OPECSecretariat decision: There’s a marked elite / citizenry divide in the US over the relationship: popular opinion is asserting itself in a way neither side wants.
(2/20) First, important to note that no-one in the #USA who doesn’t work on #saudi issues has been positive towards the regime there. It’s a monarchy, it denies basic human rights, it is based on extracted wealth (discovered by Americans).
Dec 15, 2021 • 9 tweets • 8 min read
Thread (1 of 9) Lots of angst over the #UAE threats to cancel #F35 purchase. Most miss the point b/c most don't know how US #weapons sales work (or not). @GulfStatesInst@GulfIntlForum@CENTCOM@CH_MENAP@RUSI_org@modgovae@IISS_org@thegulfblog@Dr_Ulrichsen@Cinzia_Bianco
(2 of 9) First, #USA sells weapons with conditions: so many conditions that they are more accurately described as "rentals" than sales. A purchaser has to agree to how these weapons are used, stored, disposed of when done. In most instances, this is to ensure wpns don't go...