For centuries, military innovation has pursued the objective of reducing the time between observation and action. But what happens when decision latency becomes so short that meaningful human cognition no longer participates in combat? This article argues that warfare is approaching a phase transition in which the traditional objective of faster decision-making gives way to a new engineering challenge: preserving stability and control within machine-speed autonomous military systems.
Recent Items
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Coffee Break: Armed Madhouse – Zero-Latency War
Topics: Coffee Break
Posted by Haig Hovaness at 2:00 pm | 2 Comments »
Will Climate Change Make Homes Uninsurable?
In many countries, most buyers borrow to purchase homes, with insurance required. Climate change is breaking that model.
Topics: Banking industry, Credit markets, Global warming, Guest Post, Politics, Risk and risk management, Social policy, Social values, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Yves Smith at 9:55 am | 13 Comments »
Links 8/4/2026
Topics: Links
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:59 am | 84 Comments »
Did the US and Israel Just Commit Their First Act of Hybrid War Against Spain?
Both countries have their motives as well as the means.
Topics: Guest Post
Posted by Nick Corbishley at 6:57 am | 14 Comments »
US Intervenes to Prop Up Japanese Yen Amid Worries About Possible Large Sales of Treasuries to Buy Yen, Carry Trade Unwind
On the US intervention to push up the yen, including some wee corrections of misperceptions.
Topics: Currencies, Dubious statistics, Economic fundamentals, Globalization, Investment management, Investment outlook, Japan, Macroeconomic policy, Politics
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:55 am | 13 Comments »
Why Have China and Russia Just Stepped Out of the Shadows in the U.S.-Iran War?
Readers will hopefully have fun with extreme neocon Simon Watkins’ upset that Russia and China dare support Iran, and worse, more openly.
Topics: China, Doomsday scenarios, Globalization, Guest Post, Middle East, Politics, Russia, Technology and innovation
Posted by Yves Smith at 4:18 am | 24 Comments »
How the Ceuta Border Crossing Incident Immediately Played Into the Hands of Spain’s Far Right
As the dust settles on the Ceuta migrant incident, the question remains: was it coordinated—and by who?
Topics: Europe, Middle East
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 9:55 am | 23 Comments »
Links 8/3/2026
Topics: Links
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 6:55 am | 76 Comments »
Iran War: Trump Keeps Up Threat Display, False Claims of Negotiations as He TACOs; Israel Still Pressing for Escalation as US Withdrawals Continue
Today’s Iran war news: Coming shortages will limit how long Trump can TACO at comparatively low cost. What happens then?
Topics: Doomsday scenarios, Economic fundamentals, Energy markets, Media watch, Middle East, Politics
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:54 am | 128 Comments »
American Oligarchs Prepare for War in the Wreckage of a State They Destroyed
Diagnosing the collapse of the American secular state and searching for a cure.
Topics: CEO compensation, Doomsday scenarios, Income disparity, Politics, Privatization, Social policy, Social values, Surveillance state, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 6:00 am | 23 Comments »
Michael Hudson — Trump, the Democrats, and the 2026 Midterms
The Democrats’ long-standing sellout of workers means they are not a shoe-in for the upcoming midterms.
Topics: Economic fundamentals, Free markets and their discontents, Guest Post, Income disparity, New McCarthyism, Politics, Social policy, Social values, The destruction of the middle class
Posted by Yves Smith at 3:23 am | 17 Comments »
Links 8/2/2026
Topics: Links
Posted by Haig Hovaness at 6:55 am | 150 Comments »
The Sunday Morning Movie Presents: Nostos (1989) Run Time: 1H 24M Plus Bonuses!
Nostos is a movie about a man, a journey, and the deep blue sea.
Topics: Guest Post
Posted by semper loquitur at 6:30 am | 25 Comments »
Federal Plan Makes Steep Colorado River Water Cuts to Arizona, California and Nevada
Let the legal battles begin. The developer behind California’s largest data center is already suing, but not even the mighty Supreme Court is a match for Mother Nature.
Topics: Environment, Global warming, Guest Post, Infrastructure
Posted by Conor Gallagher at 6:00 am | 37 Comments »
Links 8/1/2026
Topics: Links
Posted by Yves Smith at 6:55 am | 216 Comments »




