This book contains a compilation of lessons learned on conflicts involving Russian tactics, civil war, guerrilla forces, and rough terrain during the Soviet Afghan War. It contains lessons to help small unit leaders understand security, deception,...
Joint urban operations have grown in importance since the early 1990’s, with doctrine on the verge of production. This paper captures the joint urban warfare phenomenon of the past decade, its emergence in the field of military art, and the...
The attacks of 11 September 2001 taught the United States that weak states can pose as great a danger to our national interests as strong states. With this lesson still fresh in the minds of policy makers, and the mixed results of several...
The media influence ongoing and future military operations by functioning as a sort of filter (or "ether ") within the Clausewitzian Trinity, which coalesces the military, the people (public), and the government (policy makers). The relationship...
This volume presents the story of Afghanistan's fight against the Soviet Army beginning in 1979 and how the Mujahideen prevailed against a larger and decisively better equipped foe. It provides an understanding of guerrilla field craft and tactics,...
This monograph describes the history of the planning and execution of Operation JUST CAUSE. It focuses on the operation's relationship to the theory and doctrine of operational art to answer the question: Was Operation JUST CAUSE an application of...
Certain nations are growing unprecedented wealth from oil and gas revenue and large trade surpluses, and are investing at unprecedented levels in other countries via Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs). SWFs continue to increase rapidly in quantity, size...
This monograph examines the considerations involved in maintaining a peacekeeping force in the Golan Heights. The examination is based on the assumption that Israel and Syria have reached an agreement concerning the Golan Heights and that the...
The concern over the infantry squad’s effectiveness in the recent past has focused almost exclusively on its size. Critics argue that the current US Army infantry squads, both light and mechanized, are too small to accomplish their mission...
A confluence of factors led to American engagement in one of Central America's most violent uprisings: the Salvadoran civil war. By the time of President Ronald Reagan's first term as president, the civil war had created social, political and...
This paper seeks to examine the changing nature of war and the environment in which it is fought. The fact that America is not applauding its successes at the physical level of war in waging the Global War on Terror (GWOT) and does not perceive the...
A Joint Context for Training at the Combat Training Centers. Lieutenant General William S. Wallace, U.S. Army; Brigadier General Timothy D. Livsey, U.S. Army; and Lieutenant Colonel Richard A. Totleben, U.S. Army;...
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...
This study analyzes the ability of the Naval Service to translate the vision articulated in From The Sea into doctrine that synchronizes Naval Service capabilities with the Joint Operational Functions of maneuver and command and control. From The...
The Geneva Conventions, along with its Additional Protocols, represent the fundamental documents on which the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) is established. Originally established under the premise of conventional warfare, these documents have also...
Central Asia has become the forefront of US and Chinese foreign policy since its independence in 1991. The US foreign policy toward Central Asia focuses on security, economics and energy and has not changed since its development in the mid...
Understanding and leveraging the media has become critical for operational level commanders conducting urban combat operations. The insatiable public appetite for information has created conditions where tactical actions can have severe strategic...
The 21st century security environment poses challenges to military paradigms that have existed for generations. Events around the world demonstrate how military forces are increasingly assisting in a variety of civil crises and national emergencies...
Since President Bush's announcement establishing AFRICOM, the Office of Secretary of Defense, the State Department, and European Command (EUCOM) began the initial planning of Africa Command (AFRICOM). As of October 1, 2007, the United States...