The present challenge to the nation-state system broadly, and USG specifically, consists of non-state actors operating within the context of weak governance and unofficial economy. This thesis explores USG effectiveness in disrupting terrorist or...
On September 11, 2001 a relatively obscure Islamic organization, executed an attack against the United States with catastrophic effects. Most of the United States, as well as the world, could not fathom how a single organization could conceive,...
The Marine Corps should expect to fight within a strategic context of complex irregular warfare (CIW) for the near- to mid-term while retaining the ability to fight a major combat operation (MCO). As a result, the Distributed Operations...
The U. S. Army’s current operating concept of Full Spectrum Operations is nothing more than a return to an earlier concept, Flexible Response. The Army adopted Flexible Response in the early 1960s to mitigate the threat posed by Soviet nuclear,...
Threats to security within the Asia-Pacific region continue to evolve. Traditional and non-traditional threats to state sovereignty and individuals exist across the region. Despite most recent security challenges being transnational, the dominant...
Following the 1994 genocide an estimated two million people fled the country into exile in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The group that fled was comprised of a formidable military force in varying states of combat readiness. Seventeen...
The present situation in Afghanistan is not being resolved by the current U.S. strategic approach. Given the recent uptick in insurgent violence, the shift in emphasis with regards to Afghanistan, and the change in presidential administrations, the...
With operations in Iraq complete and an ongoing transition in Afghanistan, what is the role of the heavy armor force in the Army of 2020? This thesis analyzes the capabilities of the current heavy force through the lens of the current strategic...
America's frontier wars: lessons for asymmetric conflicts. Congressman 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...
The task of protecting borders and ports of entry from transnational and other threats to the security of the United States is a colossal undertaking, requiring the coordination and cooperation of many U.S. government agencies. This newsletter is a...
This monograph explores the role of Coast Guard law enforcement detachments (LEDETs) abroad in the post-Cold War, post-9/11 strategic security environment. Drawing on the work of National Defense University and Thomas Barnett, the author finds that...