This monograph addresses the question of whether the U.S. Army can fight and win the nation's wars when those wars bear little or no resemblance to World War II. The question isolates a problem America's military has faced several times since World...
The execution of the Baghdad Security Plan in 2007 to 2008 marked a turning point in United States (U.S.) Army counterinsurgency (COIN) methodology. It highlighted decentralized execution utilizing the maneuver battalion as the prime unit of...
This monograph discusses the importance of understanding the impact that a failure to provide for security of the Ground Lines of Communication (GLOC) can have on the successful execution of tactical operations. The problem facing military planners...
This monograph analyzes the Iran-Iraq War from its inception in September of 1980 through the Iranian Faw Counteroffensive of February 1986. It uses the precepts of operational art to examine the performance of the belligerents in this prolonged...
Osama bin Laden and Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri enticed tens of thousands of Muslims from around the world to travel to Afghanistan, swear allegiance to bin Laden and the cause of Al Qaeda, fight and even die for that cause. Bin Laden united faithful...
This monograph will explore the origins of the Islamic fundamentalist movement in South Asia that can be traced back to the Islamization program during the Zia ul Haq regime in Pakistan. Since 1947, Pakistan's early political administrations were...
In many respects, America’s military, economic and diplomatic situation in 1991 resembled Great Britain’s in 1919. Rather than reduce global commitments, the end of the Cold War saw an increase in a number of global interests, many which would...
Many Americans associate the fall of Rome with Alaric and the Visigoths and other warrior peoples from the north, but serious students understand that Rome’s decline was slow and from within. Ralph Peters writes, “In its confident years, the...
The United States has now invaded Iraq on two separate occasions. These invasions offer some interesting similarities such as occurring on nearly the same terrain with similar equipment and against Iraqi forces under the leadership of Saddam...
Political and media pundits have labeled the current period of post Cold-War world order the Pax Americana, reminiscent of the Pax Romana that occurred from 27 BC- 180 AD, during the zenith of the Roman Empire. It is the view of many that since the...
United States. Army. Engineer Center and Fort Leonard Wood.
The Essayons, originally published as the Fort Leonard Wood Guidon in 1966 then as the Guidon from 1966 to 1987. Became Essayons in 1988 and remained that way until 1999 when it reverted back to Guidon. It has been and continues to be a record of...
United States. Army. Engineer Center and Fort Leonard Wood.
The Essayons, originally published as the Fort Leonard Wood Guidon in 1966 then as the Guidon from 1966 to 1987. Became Essayons in 1988 and remained that way until 1999 when it reverted back to Guidon. It has been and continues to be a record of...
In the long history of warfare, a recurring theme is the combined use of regular and irregular forces to pursue victory. The practice of employing regular and irregular forces together was not only applied, but also instrumental in bringing victory...
How should militaries think about social media as a factor in military operations? In this study I examine recent Arab Spring scholarship, with a particular focus on the significant impact of social media on events in Egypt in early 2011. Existing...
This paper examines the question whether the U.S. Army should subdivide MOUT doctrine into two parts, precision MOUT and Combat In Built-Up Areas (CIBUA)? Current MOUT doctrine attempts to avoid fighting in cities. This doctrine evolved from the...
The question this monograph attempts to answer is whether "coercive strategies and their associated defeat mechanisms provide valid courses of action (COAs) for the US against global terrorists networks and nations that harbor terrorists?" The...
Efforts to measure progress in the US War on Terror are frustrated by a complex strategic situation and a shadowy network of enemies. The “Long War,” as the conflict is referred to by many public officials, is likely to remain costly in human...
During Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, the Army demonstrated its unrivaled ability to overmatch an enemy in a conventional mechanized conflict. In less than six weeks, the Army, as part of the American led coalition, destroyed the Iraqi...
This monograph determines the utility of the “reconnaissance-pull” concept for division commanders. Although the term, “recon-pull” is becoming widely used by many Army leaders, analysis proves that the concept is rarely applied in...
This monograph discusses the adequacy of U.S. Army leadership doctrine for preparing officers to lead on the future battlefield. Current leadership doctrine focuses on command climate, unit cohesion, and team building. While important, these areas...