America’s Frontier Wars: Lessons for Asymmetric ConflictsCongressman Ike Skelton
Congressman Ike Skelton suggests how to overcome the threat of asymmetrical warfare by examining yesteryear’s battles to develop strategies and tactics for tomorrow’s conflicts.
Revisiting CORDS: The Need for Unity of Effort to Secure Victory in IraqMajor Ross Coffey, U.S. Army
An innovative solution to unity of effort in Vietnam, CORDS offers a blueprint for realizing the national strategy for victory in Iraq.
Broad strategic
The Most Important Thing: Legislative Reform of the National Security SystemJames R. Locher III
Whatever its adequacy in a former era, today’s national security system is an inefficient anachronism. We need sweeping reforms that create a much more agile system.
Beyond Guns and Steel: Reviving the Nonmilitary Instruments of American PowerSecretary of Defense Robert M. Gates
The secretary of defense says the U.S. must develop a cadre of deployable civilians to strengthen the Nation’s “soft” power in today’s national security environment.
Learning From Our Modern Wars: The Imperatives of Preparing for a Dangerous FutureLieutenant General Peter W. Chiarelli, U.S. Army, with Major Stephen M. Smith, U.S. Army
Looking beyond the current wars, a former commander of the 1st Cavalry Division and Multi-National Corps-Iraq calls for significant changes to the way we train and fight.
FM 3-0 Operations: The Army’s BlueprintGeneral William S. Wallace, U.S. Army
TRADOC’s commander introduces the newest version of FM 3-0, the Army’s guide to operating in the 21st century.
FM 3-07, Stability Operations: Upshifting the Engine of ChangeLieutenant General William B. Caldwell IV, U.S. Army, and LTC Steve Leonard, U.S. Army
FM 3-07 is the first doctrine of any type to undergo a comprehensive joint, service, interagency, intergovernmental, and nongovernmental review. This FM will institutionalize a whole-of-government approach to combating insurgency and sustaining success in an era of persistent conflict.
Practical application
A Cause for Hope: Economic Revitalization in IraqPaul Brinkley, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Business Transformation
An interagency initiative, the Task Force for Business and Stabilization Operations is helping to quell insurgent violence by resuscitating Iraq’s old state-owned industries.
Combating a Modern Insurgency: Combined Task Force Devil in AfghanistanColonel (P) Patrick Donahue, U.S. Army, and Lieutenant Colonel Michael Fenzel, U.S. Army
Two principals describe how Combined Task Force Devil employed a balanced strategy of military, economic, and political actions to quiet eastern Afghanistan during OIF VI.
Committing to Afghanistan: The Case for Increasing U.S. Reconstruction and Stabilization AidCaptain Craig C. Colucci, U.S. Army
The United States should increase R&S aid to Afghanistan immediately, so that Afghanistan does not become a staging ground for terrorist operations.
Preparing for Economics in Stability OperationsLieutenant Colonel David A. Anderson, U.S. Marine Corps, Retired, and Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Wallen, U.S. Air Force
During stability operations, economic actions become as important as military actions.
The Role of USAID and Development Assistance in Combating TerrorismColonel Thomas Baltazar, U.S. Army, Retired, and Elisabeth Kvitashvili
The USAID, now recognized as a critical component for fighting the War on Terrorism, is transforming to take on greater responsibilities to shore up unstable countries.
Counterinsurgency Diplomacy: Political Advisors at the Operational and Tactical LevelsDan Green
In the age of the strategic corporal, it is high time for the tactical POLAD.
Control Roaming Dogs: Governance Operations in Future ConflictMajor Troy Thomas, U.S. Air Force
Governance operations have been treated as tangential postconflict missions, leaving field commanders ill-prepared for governance tasks and delaying consolidation of political aims.
Monitoring and Evaluation of Department of Defense Humanitarian Assistance ProgramsColonel Eugene V. Bonventre, U.S. Air Force
Measures of effectiveness, normally ubiquitous throughout DOD, do not exist for monitoring and evaluating military humanitarian assistance activities. Making efforts to gauge these programs can pay dividends in stability operations.
Why We Need to Reestablish the USIAMichael J. Zwiebel
Since 1999, when the USIA was abolished, U.S. public diplomacy efforts have been spotty. Reestablishing the old agency would be one way to fix a glaring problem.
Postscript—A view from abroad
The Sole Superpower in Decline: The Rise of a Multipolar WorldShri Dilip Hiro
A widely-published author asserts that we are witnessing the rise of a multipolar world in which emergent powers are challenging American hegemony.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Armed Forces Journal – May 2008
Warfighter in chief (May 2008)If he’d shown signs of being interview-weary, it would have been understandable. It was late afternoon on the Friday that capped a week of congressional hearings during which...BY KAREN WALKER
The nonlinear future (May 2008)The network metaphor dominates current thinking about national security. Network centricity carried to its logical conclusion, however, portends an environment that becomes increasingly...BY CLEMENT C. CHEN
Obsessed with tactics (May 2008)The Navy today is overly focused on the tactical employment of its combat forces, in its doctrine and practice. This might not be a problem in case of a conflict with numerically and...BY MILAN VEGO
Carpet bombing in cyberspace (May 2008)The world has abandoned a fortress mentality in the real world, and we need to move beyond it in cyberspace. America needs a network that can project power by building an af.mil robot...BY COL. CHARLES W. WILLIAMSON III
Ending our oil dependency (May 2008)Oil, and our reliance on it, is a catalyst for terrorism. Yet the U.S. military is powered, fueled and transported by it. Cmdr. Jeff Eggers urges a major research and development effort to...
The fuel gauge of national security (May 2008)Military doctrine favors the indirect and unexpected path to decisive results, hence the prevalence of the flanking maneuver. As we are reminded nearly daily, the seemingly intractable...BY CMDR. JEFFREY W. EGGERS
Fueling alternatives (May 2008)Air Force Capt. Rick Fournier made history March 19 when he flew a B-1B Lancer over Texas and New Mexico — marking the first time an Air Force aircraft had flown at supersonic speed...
Running on empty (May 2008)We are likely standing today on the precipice of a radical shift. The U.S. must therefore prepare to endure — or to survive — the arrival of the event that will signal this...BY MAJ. DANIEL L. DAVIS
The nonlinear future (May 2008)The network metaphor dominates current thinking about national security. Network centricity carried to its logical conclusion, however, portends an environment that becomes increasingly...BY CLEMENT C. CHEN
Obsessed with tactics (May 2008)The Navy today is overly focused on the tactical employment of its combat forces, in its doctrine and practice. This might not be a problem in case of a conflict with numerically and...BY MILAN VEGO
Carpet bombing in cyberspace (May 2008)The world has abandoned a fortress mentality in the real world, and we need to move beyond it in cyberspace. America needs a network that can project power by building an af.mil robot...BY COL. CHARLES W. WILLIAMSON III
Ending our oil dependency (May 2008)Oil, and our reliance on it, is a catalyst for terrorism. Yet the U.S. military is powered, fueled and transported by it. Cmdr. Jeff Eggers urges a major research and development effort to...
The fuel gauge of national security (May 2008)Military doctrine favors the indirect and unexpected path to decisive results, hence the prevalence of the flanking maneuver. As we are reminded nearly daily, the seemingly intractable...BY CMDR. JEFFREY W. EGGERS
Fueling alternatives (May 2008)Air Force Capt. Rick Fournier made history March 19 when he flew a B-1B Lancer over Texas and New Mexico — marking the first time an Air Force aircraft had flown at supersonic speed...
Running on empty (May 2008)We are likely standing today on the precipice of a radical shift. The U.S. must therefore prepare to endure — or to survive — the arrival of the event that will signal this...BY MAJ. DANIEL L. DAVIS
Paramenters (US Army War College Quarterly) - Spring 2008
Generalship
“Revolt of the Generals: A Case Study in Professional Ethics” by Martin L. Cook (.htm format) (.pdf format)
“The Limits of American Generalship: The JCS’s Strategic Advice in Early Cold War Crises” by Wade Markel (.htm format) (.pdf format)
“The Mythical Shia Crescent” by Pat Proctor (.htm format) (.pdf format)
China’s New Reality
“Meddling in the Markets: Foreign Manipulation” by Felix K. Chang and Jonathan Goldman (.htm format) (.pdf format)
“China through Arab Eyes: American Influence in the Middle East” by Chris Zambelis and Brandon Gentry (.htm format) (.pdf format)
“The Strategic Importance of Central Asia: An American View” by Stephen Blank (.htm format) (.pdf format)
“Revolt of the Generals: A Case Study in Professional Ethics” by Martin L. Cook (.htm format) (.pdf format)
“The Limits of American Generalship: The JCS’s Strategic Advice in Early Cold War Crises” by Wade Markel (.htm format) (.pdf format)
“The Mythical Shia Crescent” by Pat Proctor (.htm format) (.pdf format)
China’s New Reality
“Meddling in the Markets: Foreign Manipulation” by Felix K. Chang and Jonathan Goldman (.htm format) (.pdf format)
“China through Arab Eyes: American Influence in the Middle East” by Chris Zambelis and Brandon Gentry (.htm format) (.pdf format)
“The Strategic Importance of Central Asia: An American View” by Stephen Blank (.htm format) (.pdf format)
Military Review – May/June 2008
Addendum: Anbar AwakensColonel Sean MacFarland, U.S. Army
A major player in the Anbar Awakening recalls how joint-force cooperation led to the turnaround in Ramadi.
The Most Important Thing: Legislative Reform of the National Security SystemJames R. Locher III
Whatever its adequacy in a former era, today’s national security system is an inefficient anachronism. We need sweeping reforms that create a much more agile system.
The Story Behind the National Security Act of 1947Charles A. Stevenson, Ph.D.
The National Defense Act of 1947 was meant to reorganize and merge the armed forces, but the fight for reform was an uphill one.
Money as a Force Multiplier in COINLieutenant Colonel Leonard J. DeFrancisci, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
During the second battle of Fallujah, civil affairs teams in Marine Regimental Combat Team 1 wielded money to shape the battlespace.
Reforming the Madrasah: A Disregarded Dimension in the War on TerrorismMajor Todd Schmidt, U.S. Army
Replacing extremist religious indoctrination with useful education in the madrasah system should be an aspect of the total effort to defeat terror.
From Enduring Strife to Enduring Peace in the PhilippinesMajor Gary J. Morea, U.S. Army
Islamic separatists in the Mindanao island group are slowly being assimilated back into Philippine society through a process of amnesty, reintegration, and reconciliation.
Title 10 Domestic Humanitarian Assistance: New OrleansMajor Michael C. Donahue, U.S. Army
The Black Jack Brigade’s efforts in support of Hurricane Katrina relief operations offer insights into the use of Title 10 forces for domestic crisis.
The Taliban: An Organizational AnalysisMajor Shahid Afsar, Pakistan Army; Major Chris Samples, U.S. Army; and Major Thomas Wood, U.S. Army
What makes the Taliban tick? Experts lay out the nuts and bolts of the organization in a rare look at the history and development of the enemy in Afghanistan.
The Al-Qaeda Media MachinePhilip Seib, J.D.
Sophisticated information operations are not beyond Al-Qaeda’s capabilities—it readily adapts old-fashioned manipulation techniques to modern-day media technologies.
Transition Teams: Adapt and WinCaptain William C. Taylor, U.S. Army
Destined for a transition team? A veteran team member suggests recipes for successful integration and effective mentoring.
Constructive Engagement: A Proven Method for Conducting Stability and Support OperationsReprint from Landpower Essay No. 07-1, February 2007, An Institute of Land Warfare Publication Sergeant Major Martin Rodriguez, U.S. Army, Retired; Major Andrew Farnsler, U.S. Army; and John Bott
Two case studies provide ideas about how to effectively integrate stability operations.
Will the Army Ever Learn Good Media Relations Techniques?Walter Reed as a Case StudyColonel James T. Currie, U.S. Army Reserve, Retired, Ph.D.
If you are looking for a near-perfect case study of how not to deal with the press, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center controversy would be a great place to start.
Insights
Through an Arab Cultural LensHelen Altman Klein, Ph.D., and Gilbert Kuperman
Avoid Western chauvinism and the dangers of a parochial mind-set by glimpsing how others see the world.
Islam and SymbolismFirst Sergeant António Rodrigues, Portuguese Army
Like all cultures, Islamic ones employ an array of iconography. Familiarize yourself with the Muslim world of poetic symbolism to gain a better understanding of the Middle East.
A major player in the Anbar Awakening recalls how joint-force cooperation led to the turnaround in Ramadi.
The Most Important Thing: Legislative Reform of the National Security SystemJames R. Locher III
Whatever its adequacy in a former era, today’s national security system is an inefficient anachronism. We need sweeping reforms that create a much more agile system.
The Story Behind the National Security Act of 1947Charles A. Stevenson, Ph.D.
The National Defense Act of 1947 was meant to reorganize and merge the armed forces, but the fight for reform was an uphill one.
Money as a Force Multiplier in COINLieutenant Colonel Leonard J. DeFrancisci, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
During the second battle of Fallujah, civil affairs teams in Marine Regimental Combat Team 1 wielded money to shape the battlespace.
Reforming the Madrasah: A Disregarded Dimension in the War on TerrorismMajor Todd Schmidt, U.S. Army
Replacing extremist religious indoctrination with useful education in the madrasah system should be an aspect of the total effort to defeat terror.
From Enduring Strife to Enduring Peace in the PhilippinesMajor Gary J. Morea, U.S. Army
Islamic separatists in the Mindanao island group are slowly being assimilated back into Philippine society through a process of amnesty, reintegration, and reconciliation.
Title 10 Domestic Humanitarian Assistance: New OrleansMajor Michael C. Donahue, U.S. Army
The Black Jack Brigade’s efforts in support of Hurricane Katrina relief operations offer insights into the use of Title 10 forces for domestic crisis.
The Taliban: An Organizational AnalysisMajor Shahid Afsar, Pakistan Army; Major Chris Samples, U.S. Army; and Major Thomas Wood, U.S. Army
What makes the Taliban tick? Experts lay out the nuts and bolts of the organization in a rare look at the history and development of the enemy in Afghanistan.
The Al-Qaeda Media MachinePhilip Seib, J.D.
Sophisticated information operations are not beyond Al-Qaeda’s capabilities—it readily adapts old-fashioned manipulation techniques to modern-day media technologies.
Transition Teams: Adapt and WinCaptain William C. Taylor, U.S. Army
Destined for a transition team? A veteran team member suggests recipes for successful integration and effective mentoring.
Constructive Engagement: A Proven Method for Conducting Stability and Support OperationsReprint from Landpower Essay No. 07-1, February 2007, An Institute of Land Warfare Publication Sergeant Major Martin Rodriguez, U.S. Army, Retired; Major Andrew Farnsler, U.S. Army; and John Bott
Two case studies provide ideas about how to effectively integrate stability operations.
Will the Army Ever Learn Good Media Relations Techniques?Walter Reed as a Case StudyColonel James T. Currie, U.S. Army Reserve, Retired, Ph.D.
If you are looking for a near-perfect case study of how not to deal with the press, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center controversy would be a great place to start.
Insights
Through an Arab Cultural LensHelen Altman Klein, Ph.D., and Gilbert Kuperman
Avoid Western chauvinism and the dangers of a parochial mind-set by glimpsing how others see the world.
Islam and SymbolismFirst Sergeant António Rodrigues, Portuguese Army
Like all cultures, Islamic ones employ an array of iconography. Familiarize yourself with the Muslim world of poetic symbolism to gain a better understanding of the Middle East.
Proceedings – May 2008
Where Are the Ballistic-Missile-Defense Cruisers?
By Rear Admiral Thomas Marfiak, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Faced with the threat of a ballistic-missile attack on America, its time to talk seriously about the next-generation cruiser.
'Worse Than a Crime - A Mistake'
By Captain J. M. van Tol, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Commanding officers should stop treating Sailors like children and more like the adult professionals they are.
Castro's Passing: Time for Engagement, Continued Confrontation, or Punitive Action?
By Colonel John C. McKay, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)
With Fidel Castro gone as Cubas President, this is a golden opportunity to build effective strategy to address a new regime.
Looking Beyond Iraq: Developing a Future Strategy (Members Only)
By Captain J. Lee Johnson, U.S. Navy (Retired)
No matter the outcomes in Iraq and Afghanistan, America needs to confront fourth-generation warfare trends globally.
Other Edge Sword's Edge (Members Only)
By Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Wallen, U.S. Air Force, and Lieutenant Colonel David A. Anderson, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)
What is the most important element in stabilizing a society that has been torn by war? Its the economy, stupid.
Surviving BRAC: Lessons for Small Communities (Members Only)
By Lieutenant Commander David S. Bartell, U.S. Navy
Careful planning before military bases close can mean a lot to the communities affected. Here are two case studies.
A Tip of the Hat to the Old Hometown (Members Only)
By Eric Mills
Celebrating the 300th anniversary of its charter this year, Annapolis is a city full of charm and history naval history.
Lest We Forget (Members Only)
By Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
By Rear Admiral Thomas Marfiak, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Faced with the threat of a ballistic-missile attack on America, its time to talk seriously about the next-generation cruiser.
'Worse Than a Crime - A Mistake'
By Captain J. M. van Tol, U.S. Navy (Retired)
Commanding officers should stop treating Sailors like children and more like the adult professionals they are.
Castro's Passing: Time for Engagement, Continued Confrontation, or Punitive Action?
By Colonel John C. McKay, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)
With Fidel Castro gone as Cubas President, this is a golden opportunity to build effective strategy to address a new regime.
Looking Beyond Iraq: Developing a Future Strategy (Members Only)
By Captain J. Lee Johnson, U.S. Navy (Retired)
No matter the outcomes in Iraq and Afghanistan, America needs to confront fourth-generation warfare trends globally.
Other Edge Sword's Edge (Members Only)
By Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Wallen, U.S. Air Force, and Lieutenant Colonel David A. Anderson, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)
What is the most important element in stabilizing a society that has been torn by war? Its the economy, stupid.
Surviving BRAC: Lessons for Small Communities (Members Only)
By Lieutenant Commander David S. Bartell, U.S. Navy
Careful planning before military bases close can mean a lot to the communities affected. Here are two case studies.
A Tip of the Hat to the Old Hometown (Members Only)
By Eric Mills
Celebrating the 300th anniversary of its charter this year, Annapolis is a city full of charm and history naval history.
Lest We Forget (Members Only)
By Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler, U.S. Navy (Retired)
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