Earl Tilford

Earl Tilford

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Afghanization

By Earl Tilford (May 06, 2012)

President Barack Obama’s five-point plan for turning the war back to the Afghans is designed to cover the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces and “forge a just and lasting... more

Lessons Not Learned From Vietnam

By Earl Tilford (Apr 30, 2012)

After the fall of Saigon on April 29, 1975, military and civilian strategists sought “lessons learned.” Many were tactical or technical, such as the operational effectiveness... more

Bumper Sticker History: Remembering Some Truly Audacious Military Operations

By Earl Tilford (Mar 27, 2012)

On March 19, speaking at a Morris Township, New Jersey Democratic Party fundraiser, Vice President Joe Biden provided what may be the mother of all election year bumper... more

Iran: Israel's Options

By Earl Tilford (Mar 05, 2012)

Late in the summer of 1961, President John F. Kennedy asked the Air Force to plan a nuclear first strike on the Soviet Union. The plan involved 55 B-52 bombers hitting 80... more

Sorry Mess: Presidential Apologies and Pardons

By Earl Tilford (Mar 01, 2012)

Much ink has flowed over the recent apologies from President Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and General John Allen,... more

Strategic Abdication

By Earl Tilford (Feb 16, 2012)

From Damascus to Tehran, a test for world leadership is underway. Daily, the Syrian military—well-armed, highly trained thugs whose current mission is to keep dictator Bashar... more

Preparing the Military for Future Threats

By Earl Tilford (Jan 26, 2012)

With breaking news of a U.S. Navy SEAL team successfully rescuing two hostages from pirates in Somalia, military pundits are quick to note how the deployment of small, elite... more

Military Modernization: Back to the Future

By Earl Tilford (Jan 18, 2012)

President Barack Obama’s vision for modernizing the U.S. military is little more than an exercise in “back to the future.” Consider: Back in 2001, the armed forces were... more