Military planning is a logical, systematic process for conducting problem solving and decision making. The planning process exists to support the commander in making decisions. As a part of the operations process (planning, preparation, execution...
In 1979 the age old struggle for the control of Islam between the Shiite and Sunni sects re-emerged in the Middle East. Four events occurred in 1979 that defined the context of contemporary Middle Eastern politics: the Islamic revolution in Iran,...
It is dangerous to assume that in today's operating environment, a universally accepted definition of what war is, and what war is not, is readily available. While most Soldiers and policy makers claim to know war, "knowing it when they see it," is...
Since 1925, Iranian governments purposefully shaped the Iranian national identity in an attempt to socially prioritize membership in nationalist and religious social groups, over others such as ethnicity or profession. Further, successive Iranian...
The ownership of vast quantities of military power and the ability to project that power globally does not ensure the achievement of the 'ends' desired from a war. Since 1945, the United States and her Western allies increasingly fail to realize a...
In the past two decades, Radical Islam rooted in Europe became an obvious security threat. This monograph argues that Western Europeans are partially responsible for permitting or not preventing the presence of radical Islamists in the Balkans and...
The United States is a founding member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and has considered the Alliance an integral component of U.S. defense strategy for over sixty years. At the height of the Cold War, a third of the entire U.S....
This monograph answers the question, Will users of the information technology systems develop the situational understanding and visualization to enhance the battlefield decision making capabilities in the Force XXI mechanized battalions and...
The United States Army's concept to best leverage new technologies and support expanding mission requirements in the twenty-first century is to field a "Strike Force." The initial Strike Force will serve as an interim headquarters, able to rapidly...
There is a strong institutional push in the Army today emphasizing technology and systematic command processes over human ability as keys to battlefield supremacy. This argument discounts the historically vital role of the ground tactical...
This monograph investigates a gap in U.S. Army doctrine on the prevention of terrorist attacks. First, this monograph shows that the goals, organization, and tactics of terrorist are a formidable threat to the Army. Second, it uses case studies...
Army recruiting is experiencing significant difficulties due to the casualty toll resulting from the War on Terrorism in Iraq. The Army faced its toughest recruiting period during fiscal year (FY) 2005 in which it failed to meet its 80,000 new...
The current policy on banning homosexuals from military service is not only unconstitutional but hypocritical as well. The United States Constitution guarantees all Americans the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It also bans...
The lack of knowledge by our military professionals when it comes to our military
history is a concern because this absence results in making the same mistake twice. This issue
needs to be one of our priorities as military leaders, allowing for a...
Army recruiting is experiencing significant difficulties due to the casualty toll resulting from the War on Terrorism in Iraq. The Army faced its toughest recruiting period during fiscal year (FY) 2005 in which it failed to meet its 80,000 new...
From February through September 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Major Joseph Halloran served as the operations and intelligence officer for the Joint Area Support Group in the International Zone, Baghdad. Halloran found himself...
This study investigates the nature of defense and analyzes defense spending in an economic-rationality framework. It attempts to find justification for defense spending within such a framework. The study examines the nature of international...
This thesis is a study of a tactical combat system. It examines the capabilities of the attack helicopter to determine the suitability of its employment in operations other than war (OOTW). Suitability is established based upon those attack...
Irving Janis introduced the theory of groupthink in his classic study Victims of Groupthink in 1972. He attempted to determine why groups, often consisting of individuals with exceptional intellect and talent, made irrational decisions. He...