Is self-determination the key factor for future conflicts?

The recent war in Georgia has generated a lot of interest in military circles, and opswarfare has been keenly following the events. A post is in the works, but in the meantime, a broader question is being asked.

Will future conflicts be heavily influenced by issues of self-determination? opswarfare has started looking into the legal aspects of self-determination, and beyond decolonisation (which is generally accepted), the issue is fraught with virtual minefields.

Something to ponder while Russian troops continue to linger in Georgia after the ceasefire agreement...

Poor training, confusion and friendly fire, the real story behind brave Apache rescue

The Guardian
Friendly fire is the bane of military operations. In the chaos of a battle, errors can occur easily. opswarfare feels that only combat experience (and perhaps proper training) can mitigate the risks. The Board of Inquiry report can be found here. opswarfare will summarise the report's findings and provide a short commentary soon.

Britain's MoD Releases Details of 3 Submarine Accidents

ARES
A blog post from ARES, highlighting the difficulties of submarine navigation. opswarfare is searching for the original MOD documents.

UPDATE: original documents found

1. Board of Inquiry into the grounding of HMS TRIUMPH
2. Board of Inquiry into the grounding of HMS VICTORIOUS
3. Board of Inquiry into the Collision of HMS Tireless on 13 May 2003