Retired Navy Captain Kelly, a former surface warfare officer, is a frequent contributor to Proceedings. He was a reporter for The Navy Times and The San Diego Union-Tribune and now lives in San Diego, California.

Articles by James F. Kelly Jr.

Now Hear This: Obama's Afghanistan

By Captain James F. Kelly Jr., U.S. Navy (Retired)
January 2010
President Barack Obama finally handed down his long-awaited decision on Afghanistan in early December. To the surprise of no one, it reflected a compromise; not the full 40,000 additional troops ...
U.S. Army (C. J. Sheely)

Now Hear This: Rally 'Round the New President

By Captain James F. Kelly Jr., U.S. Navy (Retired)
January 2009
Barack Obama won the recent presidential election convincingly, and it is time now for all Americans to rally around the next commander-in-chief. We need to offer our support and prayers ...
Corbis (Benjamin Lowy)

Now Hear This: Supporting the Services

By Captain James F. Kelly Jr., U.S. Navy (Retired)
August 2008
Blackwater Worldwide, a provider of security and security training for military, police, and other government agencies, recently tried to build a military training complex in rural east San Diego County ...
u.s. army (timothy kingston)

Now Hear This: No Easy Exit

By Captain James F. Kelly Jr., U.S. Navy (Retired)
February 2008
In at least one respect, President George W. Bush is a fortunate man. He is surrounded by military experts, not only the real ones in uniform, but the amateurs in ...

How the Terrorists Can Win

By Captain James F. Kelly, U.S. Navy (Retired)
September 2004
After reviewing the various reactions to events precipitated by the slaughter of the four U.S. civilians in Falluja, the beheading atrocities, overreaction by much of the media to the mistreatment ...