Blogging on terrorism, the war on terror, and related policies has become a global pasttime. And a good thing it is: bloggers can critique, poke holes, poke fun, probe facts and pose questions that the mainstream media may not, or else they gather a lot of material in one place. A few, like Jeffrey Lewis' Arms Control Wonk, and the blogs on the Inside Iraq site, are personal in tone; others are straightforward collections of news, and the rest push either left- or right-leaning views on terrorism and how to deal with it. In no particular order:
Jeffrey Lewis performs the implausible feat of writing a witty blog on WMD, nuclear arms, and the politics of nuclear arms control in the international arena. India, Pakistan, Iran, North Korea, and U.S. and NATO weapons systems are standard topics
Wired's Danger Room blog promises to keep readers up to date on "what's new in national security." Its articles on military, law enforcement and national security routinely touch on relevant science and technology issues in counterterrorism, the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and the future of counterterrorism and counterinsurgency.
An unabashedly in-your-face site that is exactly what it says it is: against the current wars, on terror, in Iraq, and in Afghanistan. Headlines detail how many have been killed in the recent U.S. war, how much it costs, and how many Americans don't like it. A "Viewpoints" section collates thoughtful journalism from around the web on these issues.
The Counterterrorism Blog offers itself as "unique, multi-expert … one-stop gateway to the counterterrorism community." Entries are soberly reported right–leaning comments on a wide range of terrorist groups, global terrorism issues and the war on terror. The site is especially good at raising and weighing terrorist and related threat issues.
Inside Iraq blogs are written by Iraqi journalists who are working for McClatchy Newspaper (an American syndicate). The bloggers from Baghdad and the provinces share what their lives are like in the shadow of an incomplete war. They offer a wonderful supplement to the news, whether commenting on Iraqi politics, their kids' accomplishments, or their views of Iraq's past and future.
The Afghanistan Conflict Monitor collects article on Afghanistan and Pakistan from the point of view of war and security. Attacks, plans, Taliban and Al Qaeda activities, and news about deployed forces from Canada, the United States and elsewhere are frequent items. This is a good site to gather up-to-date news coming out of Afghanistan.
Iraq the Model is a well-read blog on war, coalition moves, and regional conflict, judging by its comments. These lively comments can make it worth a trip. The origins of the blog are obscure though. Links out are to well-known right wing commentators and American military sites, such as CENTCOM. There's nothing illegitimate about this per se, just wish the blog would announce its real source.
Mountain Runner provides "commentary and observations on public diplomacy, counter-insurgency and small wars, civil-military relations, private military force, and other fun stuff." Matt Armstrong, the author, provides sharp, engaging comments on communication and war, from an insider's perspective.
Laura Rozen's blog on "national security and foreign policy issues" from her perch in Washington D.C., gives update on Iraq, Iran, and other of the moment topics. Her presentation can be terse, so you have to be up on the news already, but she rounds up an impressive amount of material with a progressive slant.
In Case of Emergency, Read Blog, follows news and developments on citizen preparedness for terrorism, natural disasters and other emergencies. The author, NPR reporter John Solomon, is writing a book on the topic. He covers legal steps, homeland security, and other state and national developments from the unique perspective of citizen preparedness.
