Strategy & Policy

A Nation at War in an Era of Strategic Change Dr Williamson Murray Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The President, Secretary of Defense, and the Army’s Chief of Staff have all stated that the United States is a “Nation at War.” This fundamental fact is key to what we do at the U.S. Army War College. Because of our continued emphasis on the Global War on Terrorism, we face significant strategic challenges as we continue to transform the force, improve interagency integration into joint operations, and, all the while, engage in active combat operations."

Observing al Qaeda Through the Lens of Complexity Theory: Recommendations for the National Strategy to Defeat Terrorism LTC Michael F Beech Student Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The defeat of al Qaeda and the global network of Islamic terrorist organizations often appear no more certain today than it did two years ago. Since 9/11 the world has witnessed terrorist attacks against US interests and its allies in seven different countries. Al Qaeda may have lost Afghanistan as a safe haven, but it has gained a new front by conducting operations against US and coalition forces in Iraq. Despite US military successes, al Qaeda retains a demonstrated ability to recruit and conduct operations globally as Osama bin Laden and many of his most experienced inner circle and associates are still at large. Although there has yet to be another devastating attack on the US homeland, it is important to remember that the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon took over three years of planning and preparation. The lack of a subsequent catastrophic attack in the US since 9/11 is not in itself proof of a successful strategy against terrorism. Despite the efforts of two years of military operations against al Qaeda, the CIA pronounced that al Qaeda still represents the single greatest risk to US national security. This paradox calls into question the very frameworks, models and tools that US strategic leaders use to develop counter terrorism policy and strategy."

Swiftly Defeat The Efforts: Then What? The "New American Way Of War" And Transitioning Decisive Combat To Post Conflict Stabilization LTC John D Nelson Student Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "Since the end of the first Gulf War in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm the United States has fought in three decisive operations: Operation Allied Force in Kosovo, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. The principles of Rapid Decisive Operations influenced the pattern and conduct of operations in all three conflicts. The success in the major combat operations of Operation Iraqi Freedom, led Max Boot, to call this a New American Way of War."

Strategic Ends in the Middle East LTC Raymond A Millen Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "At times, it is difficult to maintain focus on strategic ends while embroiled in a conflict. This is especially true as soldiers and marines battle Iraqi insurgents under close media scrutiny, while pundits question the Iraq war as a means to the Global War on Terror (GWOT) ends. As a topical issue of rectitude, the decision to invade Iraq needs to pass to the historians—continued debate on that issue is a distraction."

U.S. Army War College Guide to National Security Policy and Strategy, 1st Edition Dr J Boone Bartholomees Jr Book by the US Army War College

Strategic Consequences of the Iraq War: U.S. Security Interests in Central Asia Reassessed Dr Elizabeth Wishnick Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In this monograph, Elizabeth Wishnick builds on the analysis in her important 2002 SSI study, Growing U.S. Security Interests in Central Asia. She contends that by highlighting antiterrorism, the United States addresses a symptom rather than the causes of instability in Central Asia; thus it is contributing to the radicalization of political opposition movements and discrediting both democratization and the U.S. commitment to it. Instead, she argues, the United States should do more to address the underlying human security problems in Central Asia, which increase its vulnerability to terrorist movements."

Debating Ends, not Just Means, in the War on Terror Dr Stephen D Biddle Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The national security debate tends to focus on means. How much money should we spend? Where should we use force? How should our troops be equipped? Ends, however, ought to shape decisions about means. Yet the ends of American national security usually get less attention than the means. As the nation debates national security in this time of war, what critical questions about the ends of American strategy should we be considering?"

Toward a New U.S. Strategy in Asia Dr Stephen J Blank Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Uzbekistan has announced that it will offer U.S. forces a base for operations in Afghanistan, and that it does not rule out the possibility of a permanent base if needed. The importance of this cannot be overestimated. Both Russia and China hoped America's incursion into Central Asia was temporary and would end when the terrorism threat abated. Instead, it appears the United States will remain a major player there, not only countering terrorism but also maintaining access to large energy deposits, preserving options for democratizing these states, and establishing a global power projection capability."

From "Defending Forward" to a "Global Defense-In-Depth": Globalization and Homeland Security Dr Antulio J Echevarria II, Prof Bert B Tussing Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In July of last year, the Bush administration published the National Strategy for Homeland Security (NSHS) which, while commendable in many ways, failed to take into account the effects of globalization in planning for the nation’s security. Safeguarding America’s homeland in an era of globalization requires a more comprehensive approach based on a “global defense-in-depth.” The NSHS amounts to little more than a strategic directive for the newly formed Department of Homeland Security (DHS), rather than a national strategy..."