Ben WatsonVerified account

@natsecwatson

Producer of The newsletter + podcast • former and • bwatsonmedia[at]protonmail[dot]com

Washington, DC
itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/def…
Joined October 2011
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  1. Sep 7

    And I got called a "f*ckin hippie" on Fort Bragg ( turf) when my hair just *slightly* touched the top of my ears...

    Canadian military unveils marijuana policy. No consumption 8 hours before normal duty, 24 hours before handling weapons or using vehicles, and 28 days before precision tasks, working on a plane or submarine, or deployment outside the country.
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  2. Retweeted
    Sep 7

    Enjoyed my chat with for the Defense One podcast on Yemen pre-talk talks, the state of the civil war, and why current models of international diplomacy might not be suited to conflicts like Yemen’s

    As explained to me, "First and foremost it's important to say these aren't peace talks... [but rather] talks about talks — pre-talk talks." And even those didn't happen as planned this week. Listen to our full chat here:
    1 reply 11 retweets 18 likes
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  3. Retweeted
    Sep 7

    . Coalition conducts defeat-ISIS exercise in eastern

    20 replies 61 retweets 97 likes
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  4. Sep 7

    As explained to me, "First and foremost it's important to say these aren't peace talks... [but rather] talks about talks — pre-talk talks." And even those didn't happen as planned this week. Listen to our full chat here:

    " peace talks uncertain as rebels fail to attend"
    3 retweets 9 likes
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  5. Retweeted
    Sep 7

    Message to Russia: US-backed forces conduct ‘company-sized’ live-fire air assault training mission Friday following Russian threats to cross into restricted zone near coalition outpost near At Tanf, Syria

    11 replies 79 retweets 115 likes
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  6. Retweeted
    Sep 5

    TOLOnews lost two of its best journalists tonight in a bombing in . Journalist Samim Faramarz and Ramiz Ahmadi were killed while covering the first explosion in Kabul city.

    41 replies 300 retweets 404 likes
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  7. Retweeted
    Sep 5

    army chief of staff Gen. Taher al-Uqaili meets today commander of the Central Command Gen. Joseph Votel ,discussing the ways to develop and train Yemeni Cost Guard, Navy and Special forces.

    9 retweets 8 likes
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  8. Retweeted
    Sep 5

    Young athletes, in their wrestling uniforms, helping evacuate wounded friends. Suicide bombing targeted a wrestling gym in the west of Kabul in the past hour. Details still coming out.

    The suicide bombing inside Maiwand Gym in PD 6 area of Western left at least 15 injured and 2 dead, so far.
    23 retweets 25 likes
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  9. Retweeted
    Sep 3

    One U.S. service member was killed and another wounded during an apparent insider attack in eastern Afghanistan, Sept. 3.

    80 replies 396 retweets 338 likes
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  10. Retweeted
    Aug 31

    From Raqqa to : tells us about her latest reporting trip into Syria’s former ISIS battlegrounds like Manbij, Kobane, and Raqqa. 🎧Listen on iTunes here

    5 retweets 4 likes
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  11. Retweeted
    Aug 31

    In a heavy rain, a military honor guard carries the flag-draped casket of Senator McCain up the Capitol steps.

    101 replies 1,251 retweets 4,710 likes
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  12. Retweeted
    Aug 31

    a spectacular image from above of the casket of John McCain. (by Morry Gash/AFP/Getty Images)

    165 replies 2,686 retweets 9,249 likes
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  13. Retweeted
    Aug 29

    In case you missed this wonderful podcast, here's author discussing why the war has gone on for so long...

    On this week's : • shares her analysis (co-authored with ) of why the Afghan war has gone on so long • Rethinking ‘militarized policing,’ with and more 🎧Listen here on Overcast:
    5 retweets 2 likes
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  14. Retweeted
    Aug 27

    About damn time. U.S. DoD issued warning to that it is prepared to reduce military and intelligence support for its campaign against rebels in neighboring if the Saudis don't demonstrate they are attempting to limit civilian deaths

    2 replies 8 retweets 8 likes
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  15. Retweeted
    Aug 28

    What did we learn that's new in Afghanistan this summer? This week's podcast opens with a great walk-thru by 's , who hears pessimists among the ranks, but says times have changed, the Taliban has changed, and Ghani was right about the ceasefire and peace.

    On this week's : • shares her analysis (co-authored with ) of why the Afghan war has gone on so long • Rethinking ‘militarized policing,’ with and more 🎧Listen here on Overcast:
    6 retweets 8 likes
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  16. Aug 28

    SecDef Mattis on unrest in Afghanistan — and across the world more broadly: "It's enormously easier to be the criminal in a town than to be the policeman." (Or, Dostoevsky once wrote, "There is nothing easier than lopping off heads and nothing harder than developing ideas.")

    1 reply 3 retweets 6 likes
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  17. Aug 28

    Granted numbers are squishy* but touted this very statistic on Dec 21, 2017: Pentagon then echoed it on Jan 1 2018: *

    Mattis: now down to less than 2% of land once held, adds US recognizes the "fight is not over"
    5 retweets 7 likes
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  18. Retweeted
    Aug 25

    Thanks to for a good conversation on Radio, with a shout-out to and an unnamed Syria analyst who is absolutely brilliant.

    6 retweets 6 likes
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  19. Retweeted
    Aug 24

    Enjoyed chatting with on Radio about police militarization. Thanks for the opportunity to discuss this research! [starts around 31:15]

    1 retweet 4 likes
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  20. Retweeted
    Aug 20

    "Why Long Wars No Longer Generate a Backlash at Home." My thoughts in with

    4 replies 109 retweets 169 likes
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