Jason Criss Howk, 22 Feb 2021 The Taliban and Pakistan have shown extreme stubbornness over the years and it has cost the lives of Afghan civilians everyday. The Taliban have missed every chance to miss the chance to find peace. “On November 28, the Taliban reached out to Karzai via Mullah Zaeef the so-called Taliban… Read More What Taliban Stubbornness has Brought
I enjoy starting up new organizations and launching new ideas and policies. I also enjoy music created in the American Deep South. This article looks at how leaders and organizations can improve their creativity by employing the Muscle Shoals method of music making. Unleashing Creativity: The Muscle Shoals Method Versus the Military Decision Making Process… Read More Planning tips from Muscle Shoals
A quick explanation of what this recent department of defense change means and what it doesn’t mean. Read about it here From Counterterrorism to Irregular Warfare: What Does That Mean? #counterterrorism #sof #irregularWarfare #IO #COIN #IW #CT #terrorism #china #iran #russia
Jason Criss Howk 29 January 2021 Most peace talks struggle to find peace on the first attempt. This piece looks at the factor of experience while trying to determine who will have the military edge in the future if talks stall and or stop.
Jason Criss Howk The options are much more narrow than they were in the past but the Biden Administration still has some choices to make about Afghanistan. #clearancejobs Read my latest column about what they can do here
By Jason Criss Howk 13 December 2020 I have been watching my friends in the acting, singing, musician, dancing, and movie theater business struggle this year. It has made me think a lot about where their industry is going. I am a big fan of the arts and humanities, they make our nation wiser and… Read More Off-Broadway to On-Line
Flashback: Into the Afghan Minefields with The HALO Trust By Jason Criss Howk Thanksgiving Day 2020 Like many of you watching this season of The Crown, I am getting angry with Prince Charles, but also getting more curious about the world’s Princess. One of the things I remember vividly about Princess Diana is her work… Read More Flashback: Into the Afghan Minefields with The HALO Trust
The Electoral College is one of America’s Most Democratic Institutions Jason Criss Howk 8 November 2020 When I was teaching American Government at college and also leading a presidential election seminar series for our college’s older adult learners over the last two years, our discussions often touched on the electoral college system. Many people had… Read More The Electoral College is one of America’s Most Democratic Institutions
COVID19 Interview with Pandemics and Emerging Infectious Diseases Specialist Edward Balkovic, Ph.D. (AKA Dr. Microbe) Jason Criss Howk, 4 September 2020 As a college adjunct professor of Middle East studies, I get to teach some other professors, and often they have a lot to teach me. I sat down recently with Dr. Ed Balkovic to… Read More COVID19 Interview with Pandemics and Emerging Infectious Diseases Specialist Edward Balkovic, Ph.D. (AKA Dr. Microbe)
Jason Criss Howk 8 August 2020 As the Afghan war peace talks begin in the next week here is a guide to help you understand what might happen. After 11 years of effort from various angles to get the taliban movement to sit in a room with the Afghan government and discuss peace, I am… Read More A Guide to the Afghan Peace Talks
Jason Criss Howk 25 July 2020 Reviewing Brother Robert: Growing up with Robert Johnson by Annye C. Anderson with Preston Lauterbach, 2020, hachette Books Brother Robert: Growing up with Robert Johnson “We weren’t blood. We were family.” The continuing circle of musical skills and the stories of extended families coming together to face adversity provides… Read More #ShortBookReviews Brother Robert by A.C. Anderson
17 July 2020 Jason Criss Howk Here are my two most recent columns at Clearance Jobs News. You can see my commentary, news, and career advice as it comes out on my author page. My first piece is a part of a larger series on talented leaders. William Slim is an amazing field commander and… Read More Field Marshal Slim and the Taliban
Jason Criss Howk 4 June 2020 Had to pen to paper today to remind our nation who our military are Many have been speaking about them as if they are a foreign army…I call BS on that group Read more here https://www.militarytimes.com/opinion/2020/06/04/ive-seen-the-military-and-it-is-us/
Jason Criss Howk 15 May A typical peace process takes many years, even decades, to reach an acceptable level of stability and security. I have been reiterating that Afghanistan will be no different, there will be fits and starts, stoppages, reverses, and re-starts. That is NORMAL Don’t lose sight of the long term goals. The… Read More Afghan Peace Process Score-Card
My latest article on many of the unique education opportunities out there for folks in the National Security, Foreign Affairs and development world. You need to take advantage of all these great educators and mentors I will always remember my CFR experience. Their fellowship is top shelf. Read more here https://news.clearancejobs.com/2020/04/27/expand-your-national-security-education-prepare-to-operate-in-the-jiim-plus-world/ Cheers Jason
My latest article @clearancejobs news https://news.clearancejobs.com/2020/03/22/time-morale-and-will-the-trinity-of-warfare-and-peacebuilding/ A look at the role of 3 vital factors in warfare and peace building “You truly cannot replace time. It can work for you and work against you. You cannot control it, even though humankind created the concept of tracking it. Time tracks us. It is a force that… Read More Time, Morale, and Will: The Trinity of Warfare and Peacebuilding
Jason Criss Howk 23 February 2020 Why Pakistan must change its calculations about using Unconventional Warfare against Afghans. This is from an open forum briefing to an international audience. The Pakistani generals present during this briefing agreed with the assessment. I wrote about the outcomes of this discussion here. https://news.clearancejobs.com/2020/02/22/a-regional-perspective-on-the-war-in-afghanistan/ Start briefing: Pakistan has had… Read More Briefing on Pakistan’s campaigns against Afghanistan and why they have failed repeatedly
Six Books from Past Decades to Help Navigate the 2020s Jason Criss Howk 1 January 2020 While awaiting the football games today I have pulled out 6 books from my shelves that I am going to re-read this year to help me think about how to focus on the next decade. These books impact different… Read More Six Books from Past Decades to Help Navigate the 2020s
Afghanistan War Update: 11 September 2019 Jason Criss Howk, U.S. Army (Retired) According to The Times reporters Tomlinson and Sahi, “The Taliban vowed to fight on “for a hundred years” after President Trump revealed he had cancelled a secret summit with militant leaders and the president of Afghanistan, scrapping months of peace talks on the… Read More Afghanistan War Update: 11 September 2019
Jason Criss Howk 4 June 2019 Afghan war update The American strategy since 2009 has been to force the Taliban to deal with the offer of peace talks as a major issue that continuously sucks the morale out of their junior leaders and low level fighters. It’s a multi generation strategy and is how almost… Read More Afghan War update 4 June 2019
