Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Michael Robinson

@eclipticevader7.bsky.social

1.2K followers 740 following 35 posts

Civ mil, polarization, natsec, & domestic politics | Book: Dangerous Instrument: Political Polarization and Civil Military Relations | Views own, not USG

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Nov 27

🎥In honor of the 82nd anniversary of Casablanca's US release, some of the great (and real-life) things about the classic film🧵

1 9 21

Reposted by Michael Robinson

Foreign Policy @foreignpolicy.com · 8d

While every administration has fired some military leaders, none has relieved so many, so early in their tenure, and in this dramatic fashion.

How Military Leaders Should Respond to Trump’s Norm-Busting

There’s no shame in getting fired when it is not for cause.

foreignpolicy.com

2 17 37

Reposted by Michael Robinson

Lindsay P Cohn @lindsaypcohn.bsky.social · 2d

Folks we are watching the adjudication of some of the most important constitutional issues of federalism, executive discretion, and judicial review since the 19th c

www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Judge issues new broader order barring any National Guard from relocating to Oregon

Judge asked federal government lawyer: 'Do you believe this is an appropriate way to deal with a judge’s order that you disagree with?'

www.oregonlive.com

43 620 1.9K

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · 7d

3 5 18

Reposted by Michael Robinson

Kori Schake @kschake.bsky.social · 29d

Grateful to @breakingdefense.com for running an excerpt from my book. Thank you, @aaronmehta.bsky.social 🙂

Can America's trust in its military survive the present moment? [Book excerpt] - Breaking Defense

An excerpt from The State And The Soldier: A History Of Civil-military Relations In The United States written by Kori Schake of AEI.

breakingdefense.com

6 19 61

Reposted by Michael Robinson

Aaron Mehta @aaronmehta.bsky.social · 29d

Happy to present a small excerpt from @kschake.bsky.social 's upcoming book, sure to be a masterpiece.

breakingdefense.com/2025/09/can-...

Can America's trust in its military survive the present moment? [Book excerpt] - Breaking Defense

An excerpt from The State And The Soldier: A History Of Civil-military Relations In The United States written by Kori Schake of AEI.

breakingdefense.com

1 5 16

Reposted by Michael Robinson

Eric M. Murphy @ericmmurphy.bsky.social · 29d

Looking forward to getting my own copy of @kschake.bsky.social’s book, and this excerpt certainly whet’s the appetite.

breakingdefense.com/2025/09/can-...

3 9

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Sep 5

let’s gooooooooo

1 4

Reposted by Michael Robinson

Lindsay P Cohn @lindsaypcohn.bsky.social · Sep 2

So, sending troops to Chicago or Baltimore would be much more complicated than either LA or DC.
🧵

James McGuire @gozermac.bsky.social · Sep 2

@lindsaypcohn.bsky.social do you have any insight on the authority to operate in IL? I get the base but leaving the base what stops local cops from stopping them?

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Sep 2

Pritzker: "I refuse to pretend that any of this is normal ... I refuse to fall into the pundit trap that demands we sacrifice vital constitutional rights if it's being done in the fake guise of fighting crime."

9 110 440

Reposted by Michael Robinson

Kori Schake @kschake.bsky.social · Aug 27

I just received my first copy of the book!

39 69 470

Reposted by Michael Robinson

Kori Schake @kschake.bsky.social · Aug 27

I love the photo — it’s 1943, FDR in Morocco enroute to the Casablanca conference, being saluted by soldiers whose shadow you see, generals (including Patton and Devers) arrayed saluting both the president and soldiers, FDR’s hat and hand over his heart.

Kori Schake @kschake.bsky.social · Aug 27

I just received my first copy of the book!

4 15 120

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Aug 20

yeah but what’s your plan for the pass of cirith ungol

CNN @cnn.com · Aug 20

“That is specifically at the request of the president, who understands that in the hot temperatures down here, when something is painted black, it gets even warmer, and it will make it even harder for people to climb,” Kristi Noem said.
https://cnn.it/475N8lg

4 4 16

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Aug 15

1 16 96

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Aug 12

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Aug 9

The irony here being if [right] were the Army’s actual position then [left] wouldn’t need to be said anonymously

An Army official, speaking on the condition of anonymity citing the issue's sensitivity, said Groberg is a "national hero" and one in a long series of soldiers who will be featured online by the service this year as it celebrates its 250th birthday. Loomer's attack, the official said, is "despicable.

"The Army is not going to check the political affiliation of our soldiers before we recognize them," the official said. "A man or woman serving is not a Democrat or Republican, they are an American. Their political affiliation has nothing to do with their service.

2 50 210

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Jul 26

Still not as bad as Microsoft Teams

Dan Snow @thehistoryguy.bsky.social · Jul 26

Today in 1184 Henry VI of Germany was having a strategy meeting when the wooden second storey floor collapsed. Most of the courtiers fell through into the latrine cesspit below the ground floor, where more than 50 drowned in liquid excrement.

12 170 740

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Jul 5

RELEASE THE FEAVER CUT

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Jul 5

1 1 27

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Jun 15

In every war college student there are two wolves

1 1 27

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Jan 24

MS Teams, 2031 CE:

Cast of TNG on Old British Sailing Ship Holodeck attire

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Nov 27

Writer Julius Epstein would later remark that the film "contained a great deal of corn, more corn than in the states of Kansas and Iowa combined. But when corn works, there's nothing better." 🧵

Julius Epstein; Won Oscar for 'Casablanca'

The script Julius Epstein and his twin brother Philip were writing just before the outbreak of World War II was a typical assignment for the Warner Bros. contract writers.

www.latimes.com

2 4

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Nov 27

The film is seen as perhaps one of the most widely successful propaganda films in history, broadcasting to a reluctant America a role for itself in the world like Bogart's Rick. And still, on its own stands as a classic fixture of American cinema, despite accusations of its 'corniness'.

1 1 4

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Nov 27

By the film's end, Rick finally makes the choice to spirit Ilsa and Laszlo safely away. Walking into the fog with Renault, Rick's final quips presages the importance of the Allied cause.

1 3

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Nov 27

While freedom fighter Laszlo is nearly aways lit brightly on the film, Rick is often noir-ishly portrayed half in shadow, half in light, signaling the more ambiguous moral stance of the character and his reluctance to take a stand.

1 5

Michael Robinson @eclipticevader7.bsky.social · Nov 27

Rick and Sam's "what time is it" conversation is often clocked as a goof -- it is night in Casablanca, and yet he says "I bet they're asleep all over America". This is instead a statement about the country being "asleep" in its isolationism to the horrors gripping Europe at the time.

1 1 4