Digital Commons Network^™

A Transatlantic Bargain For The 21st Century: The United States, Europe, And The Transatlantic Alliance, Ellen Hallams Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

In the 21st century, the transatlantic bargain that has framed the relationship between the United States and its NATO allies is under more scrutiny than ever before. In a changed geopolitical environment, one characterized by the complexity of modern military operations, the growing power of China, and a climate of economic austerity in the West, a consensus has emerged on both sides of the Atlantic as to the need for a revised bargain to accommodate the changing dynamics of global politics. Washington is becoming less and less willing to tolerate what it sees as fundamental gaps within the Alliance—in defense …

Closing The Candor Chasm: The Missing Element Of Army Professionalism, Paul Paolozzi Colonel

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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Candor stands as the keystone element in creating the foundation of trust in the Army, yet the topic is muted. Stewards of the Army Profession build trust through authentic communication—in education, training, and modeled in application. Candor was previously included in Army Doctrine, yet nearly no mention of it currently exists in professional military education and dialogue. Through personal experiences and review of literature, two examples—the demands placed on the Army Reserve Components and a review of the Army’s counseling and evaluation environment—serve as illustrations where candor requires revitalization. Candor must be reinforced to be valued …

2013-14 Key Strategic Issues List, John F. Troxell Professor

Articles & Editorials

*September 24: Part I, Imperative 2 has been updated*
**November 18: Part II, Commands 1 and 3 have been updated**

The KSIL is available for online viewing here: 2013-14 KSIL

For several years, the Strategic Studies Institute has annually published the Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL). The overall purpose of this document is to make students and other researchers aware of strategic topics that are of special interest to the U.S. Army. Part I of KSIL is entitled "Army Priorities for Strategic Analysis" (APSA) and is a list of high-priority topics submitted by Headquarters, Department of the Army. Part II …

Cartel Car Bombings In Mexico, John P. Sullivan Mr., Robert J. Bunker Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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Contemporary Mexican cartel use of car bombs began in mid-July 2010 and has since escalated. Given the proximity to the United States, some literally within miles of the border, the car bombings, with about 20 incidents identified over the last 2 1/2 years, should be of interest to local, state, and federal U.S. law enforcement, the U.S. Army, and other governmental institutions which are providing increasing support to Mexican federal agencies. An historical overview and analysis of cartel car bomb use in Mexico provides context, insights, and lessons learned stemming from the Medellin and Cali cartel …

Development Of The Baltic Armed Forces In Light Of Multinational Deployments, James S. Corum Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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Developing coalition security strategies within NATO has never been easy. However, it does help to have a thorough understanding of one’s allies and their concerns and perspectives. This monograph provides an in-depth view of how three Baltic nations (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) view current and future security threats and likely problems. It also recommends some ways in which the United States might respond to these issues.

The Causes Of Instability In Nigeria And Implications For The United States, Clarence J. Bouchat (Usaf, Ret.) Lieutenant Colonel

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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An understanding the political economy of Nigeria is needed to reveal the root causes of its many ethnic, religious, economic, and political problems and to address them for the long term. The pressures now weighing on Nigeria could literally fracture the state along deep fault lines if rampant corruption and partisanship continues. As mutually important partners for both of our interests in Africa, the United States should assist in specific but indirect ways to help Nigerians overcome their political economic problems. Within such assistance, the role of the U.S. military is particularly delicate but needed through …

The Effectiveness Of Drone Strikes In Counterinsurgency And Counterterrorism Campaigns, James Igoe Walsh Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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The United States increasingly relies on unmanned aerial vehicles to target insurgent and terrorist groups around the world. This monograph analyzes the available research and evidence that assesses the political and military consequences of drone strikes. It is not clear if drone strikes have degraded their targets, or that they kill enough civilians to create sizable public backlashes against the United States. Drones are a politically and militarily attractive way to counter insurgents and terrorists, but, paradoxically, this may lead to their use in situations where they are less likely to be effective and where they …

A Framework For Restructuring The Military Retirement System, John Z. Smith Dr., Roy A. Wallace Mr., David S. Lyle Colonel

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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The current military retirement system has been integral to sustaining the All Volunteer Force (AVF). Mounting federal budget challenges, however, have raised concern that the program may become fiscally unsustainable. While several restructuring proposals have emerged, none have considered the implications of these changes to the broader issue of manning an AVF. Changes to the existing system could create military personnel shortfalls, adversely affect servicemember and retiree well-being, and reduce public confidence in the Armed Forces. With the right analytical framework in place, however, a more holistic system restructuring is possible, one that avoids these negative …

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization And Libya: Reviewing Operation Unified Protector, Florence Gaub Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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On March 17, 2011, a month after the beginning of the Libyan revolution, with up to 2,000 civilians dead, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decided on backing a no-fly zone over Libya and authorized “all necessary measures” to protect civilians. While France, Great Britain, and the United States took immediate military action using air and missile strikes, considerations to hand over military actions to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) emerged within days of the operation. On March 22, 2012, NATO agreed to enforce the arms embargo against Libya; 2 days later, it announced to …

Brithish National Strategy: Who Does It?, Hew Strachan

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Book Reviews, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

The Future Of The Arab Gulf Monarchies In The Age Of Uncertainties, Mohammed El-Katiri Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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Seismic cultural and political shifts are under way in the Arab Gulf monarchies. The political upheavals and transitions that have swept through the Arab world over the last 2 years have not toppled the Arab Gulf rulers, but did not leave them untouched, either. Rulers of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states face heightened internal and external challenges and uncertainties. Pro-democracy protests and calls are extending from Bahrain to other oil-rich countries of the Arabian Peninsula. The expectations of GCC citizens, particularly the educated youth, are increasingly moving from socio-economic demands to political ones. They are now …

The Lure Of Strike, Conrad C. Crane

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

The Female Soldier, Anthony C. King

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Looking Back: Understanding Abu Ghraib, George R. Mastroianni

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Commentaries And Replies, Usawc Press

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Joint Strategic Planning System Insights: Chairmen Joint Chiefs Of Staff 1990 To 2012, Richard M. Meinhart Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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Military leaders at many levels have used strategic planning in various ways to position their organizations to respond to the demands of the current situation while simultaneously preparing to meet future challenges. This Paper will first describe the Chairman’s statutory responsibilities and strategic challenges, because this affects leaders and the focus of the strategic planning system. The Paper then briefly examines how the Joint Strategic Planning System (JSPS)changed in five major ways during the time period of 1990 to 2012 before describing in greater detail the key products and processes of the current system. The Paper …

Nigerian Unity: In The Balance, Gerald Mcloughlin Mr., Clarence J. Bouchat (Usaf, Ret.) Lieutenant Colonel

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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Nigeria’s future as a unified state is in jeopardy. Those who make or execute U.S. policy will find it difficult to advance U.S. interests in Africa without an understanding of the pressures that tear and bind Nigeria. Despite this, the centrifugal forces that tear at the country and the centripetal forces that have kept it whole are not well understood and rarely examined. After establishing Nigeria’s importance to the United State as a cohesive and functioning state, this monograph examines the historic, religious, cultural, political, physical, demographic, and economic factors that will determine Nigeria’s fate. It …

The Struggle For Yemen And The Challenge Of Al-Qaeda In The Arabian Peninsula, W. Andrew Terrill Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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In recent years, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has been widely recognized as a more dangerous regional and international terrorist organization than the original al-Qaeda led by Osama bin Laden until his death in 2011. In 2010-11, AQAP was able to present a strong challenge to Yemen's government by capturing and retaining large areas in the southern part of the country. Yemen's new reform President defeated AQAP and recaptured areas under their control in 2012, but the terrorists remain an extremely dangerous force seeking to reassert themselves at this time of transition in Yemen.

Downsizing The Army Profession, Leonard Wong

Articles & Editorials

No abstract provided.

Cyber Infrastructure Protection: Vol. Ii, Tarek N. Saadawi Dr., Louis H. Jordan Col, Vincent Boudreau Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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Increased reliance on the Internet and other networked systems raise the risks of cyber attacks that could harm our nation’s cyber infrastructure. The cyber infrastructure encompasses a number of sectors including: the nation’s mass transit and other transportation systems; banking and financial systems; factories; energy systems and the electric power grid; and telecommunications, which increasingly rely on a complex array of computer networks, including the public Internet. However, many of these systems and networks were not built and designed with security in mind. Therefore, our cyber infrastructure contains many holes, risks, and vulnerabilities that may enable …

Asia-Pacific: A Strategic Assessment, David Lai Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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Dr. David Lai provides a timely assessment of the geostrategic significance of Asia-Pacific. His monograph is also a thought-provoking analysis of the U.S. strategic shift toward the region and its implications. Dr. Lai judiciously offers the following key points. First, Asia-Pacific, which covers China, Northeast Asia, and Southeast Asia, is a region with complex currents. On the one hand, there is an unabated region-wide drive for economic development that has been pushing Asia-Pacific forward for decades. On the other, this region is troubled with, aside from many other conflicts, unsettled maritime disputes that have the potential …

War And Insurgency In The Western Sahara, Geoffrey Jensen

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

Home to the largest functional military barrier in the world, the Western Sahara has a long history of colonial conquest and resistance, guerrilla warfare and counterinsurgency, and evolving strategic thought. This monograph explores the past, present, and future of the region, including its relationship to developments in Morocco, Algeria, and elsewhere in North Africa.

At a crucial crossroads between Africa and Europe, the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, and the "Arab World" and the West, Morocco has long had a special place in U.S. diplomacy and strategic planning. Since September 11, 2001, Morocco's importance to the United States has only increased, …

Egypt's New Regime And The Future Of The U.S.-Egyptian Strategic Relationship, Gregory Aftandilian Mr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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This monograph examines the strategic importance of Egypt for the United States by exploring Egypt's role in the Arab-Israeli peace process, its geographical role (providing air and naval access) for U.S. military assets heading to the Persian Gulf, and joint training programs. With so much at stake in the Middle East, the idea of "losing" Egypt as a strategic ally would be a significant setback for the United States. The Egyptian revolution of early 2011 was welcomed by U.S. officials because the protestors wanted democratic government which conformed to U.S. ideals, and the institution that would …

Making Strategic Sense Of Cyber Power: Why The Sky Is Not Falling, Colin S. Gray Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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Cyber is now recognized as an operational domain, but the theory that should explain it strategically is, for the most part, missing. It is one thing to know how to digitize; it is quite another to understand what digitization means strategically. The author maintains that, although the technical and tactical literature on cyber is abundant, strategic theoretical treatment is poor. He offers four conclusions: (1) cyber power will prove useful as an enabler of joint military operationsl; (2) cyber offense is likely to achieve some success, and the harm we suffer is most unlikely to be …

Sharing Power? Prospects For A U.S. Concert-Balance Strategy, Patrick Porter Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

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The subject of U.S. grand strategy has been getting increasing attention from the policy and academic communities. However, too often the debate suffers from being too reductionist, limiting America’s choices to worldwide hegemony or narrow isolation. There is a wide spectrum of choices before Washington that lie “somewhere in the middle.” Frequently, not enough thought is given to how such alternative strategies should be designed and implemented. The future cannot be known, and earlier predictions of American decline have proven to be premature. However, there is a shift in wealth and power to the extent that …

Governance, Identity, And Counterinsurgency: Evidence From Ramadi And Tal Afar, Michael Fitzsimmons Dr.

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

The premise of most Western thinking on counterinsurgency is that success depends on establishing a perception of legitimacy among local populations. The path to legitimacy is often seen as the improvement of governance in the form of effective and efficient administration of government and public services. However, good governance is not the only possible basis for claims to legitimacy. The author considers whether, in insurgencies where ethno-religious identities are salient, claims to legitimacy may rest more on the identity of who governs, rather than on how whoever governs governs. This monograph presents an analytic framework for examining these issues and …

Drone Wars: Risks And Warnings, Alan W. Dowd

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Drones: What Are They Good For?, Jacquiline L. Hazelton

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.

Parameters Spring 2013, Usawc Parameters

The US Army War College Quarterly: Parameters

No abstract provided.