Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

James

@gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social

25K followers 490 following 8K posts

Uphold Thucydidian-Clausewitzian-Hegelian-Fukuyamist thought. https://othermeans.substack.com/

othermeans.substack.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

James @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social · Sep 21

For the sake of posterity, the reading lists I made for military theory and war related literature.

52 110 940

James @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social · 6h

Unfortunately she’s deeply relatable

2 47

Reposted by James

Sebastian Bae @sebastianbae.bsky.social · 8h

I love the idea of wargame design centered on China's perspective and decision space in a Taiwan contingency. So it's disappointing that they didn't discuss the design or execution more. Personally, I want to do a #wargame centered on TWN will to fight.
warontherocks.com/2025/10/a-wa...

A Wargame to Take Taiwan, from China’s Perspective

In August 2025, 25 international experts gathered at Syracuse University to do something unusual: plan China's invasion of Taiwan. For two days,

warontherocks.com

4 2 55

Reposted by James

Daemon Primarch MetaBlueSky ♨️ @metabluesky.bsky.social · 17h

SecDef Niedermeyer, my Gods.

1 1 35

Reposted by James

Joe Stieb @joestieb.bsky.social · 16h

Here I am doing a push-up. Do you see?

Here my hair looks great. DO YOU SEE?

5 23 130

Reposted by James

UNITED24 Media @united24media.com · 16h

Meet Mr. Catsky — studying The Art of War on the frontlines.

6 55 270

Reposted by James

Secretary of Defense Rock @sodrock.bsky.social · 17h

22 73 550

Reposted by James

Sharon @sharonk.bsky.social · 17h

part of the issue with trying to theorize Trumpism as a social formation is that there's like, multiple parts of it

you have a personalist authoritarian element, a far-right element (see DHS's socials now), and also much like Yoon a conservative party that will not reign in the executive

Sharon @sharonk.bsky.social · 6d

I really think the best comparative example for Trump is probably Yoon

4 10 150

James @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social · 18h

People in DHS are still...people—and there really are not that many people in DHS. People get tired and burnt out, especially when they're working extended and stressful shifts in constant conflict with everyone they come into contact with. It's not a sustainable strategy.

14 18 280

James @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social · 18h

If you want something positive, I'd say that the current DHS strategy of using excessive force has been extremely counterproductive. Rather than actually detaining people, they're now spending significant time and resources dealing with hostile crowds wherever they go.

40 190 1.1K

Reposted by James

Classics & Virtues @classicvirtues.bsky.social · 18h

Woke 2.0 is going to hit like 80s crack

@loganclarkhall

Trump won. You don't have to do this anymore.

Quote Tweet of:

Young Republicans

We are appalled by the vile and inexcusable language revealed in the Politico article published today. Such behavior is disgraceful, unbecoming of any Republican, and stands in direct opposition to the values our movement...

24 270 1.7K

Reposted by James

Ali Winston @awinston.bsky.social · 20h

Whoever holds the keys to this DHS account marched in Charlottesville circa 2017

36 310

Reposted by James

Clay Ranck @clayranck.bsky.social · 21h

Trump playing up his bullet dodging skills at the Charlie Kirk memorial is really beyond parody.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 22h

Trump at the Charlie Kirk memorial event: "They fired sniper rifles at ICE agents, and me. But I made a turn at a good time. I made a turn at a good time. Charlie couldn't believe it, actually."

59 340 1.7K

Reposted by James

Reconstructionist @unavaleable.bsky.social · 21h

It's genuinely remarkable in that Donald Trump has zero virtue, like even Andrew Johnson—a guy who showed up to his own inauguration so shitfaced that people in the 1860s thought it was uncouth and regularly compared himself explicitly to jesus and moses—at least sided with the union

3 18 190

James @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social · 21h

"Biden had dementia"

Yeah okay, explain this shit

7 9 160

James @gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social · 21h

You wouldn't possibly guess in a million years what the event is that he's honoring here. Incredible.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 21h

Trump on LA: "They already lost 25k houses to fire because they wouldn't let the water come in from the Pacific Northwest. They didn't do it and we had 25k homes where they had no water in the sprinklers, they had no water in the fire hydrants. We broke in and had the water come down."

8 13 160

Reposted by James

Nom de Plume Brett @maverickbrett.bsky.social · 1d

1 16 110

Reposted by James

Adam @adam35.bsky.social · 1d

Ope he spoke with someone else! New foreign policy!