Op-Eds

Implications of DoD Directive 3000 Dr Douglas V Johnson II Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Department of Defense (DoD) Directive 3000: Department of Defense Capabilities for Stability Operations (DRAFT) has now progressed through two or three iterations and appears to be approaching formal publication. The directive could be one of the most important documents of this decade, whether properly or improperly written and interpreted."

Gangs, "Coups D' Streets," and the New War in Central America Dr Max G Manwaring Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "A new kind of war is being waged in Central America—and elsewhere around the world—today. The main protagonists are what have come to be called first, second, and third generation street gangs. In this war, gangs are not sending conventional military units across national borders, or supporting proxy forces in an attempt to conquer territory or bring down governments. Rather, these nonstate actors are more interested in commercial profit and controlling territory (turf) to allow maximum freedom of movement and action."

Welcome Iran and North Korea to the Nuclear Club: You're Targeted LTC Raymond A Millen Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In one of the great ironies of the post-Cold War era, the United States, the most powerful nuclear state in the world, seems fear stricken by the possibility of Iran and North Korea obtaining nuclear weapons. Two facts frame the dilemma: both states are intent on becoming nuclear powers, and neither the European Union (EU) nor China is willing to help curb their ambitions. Clearly, nonproliferation is an important policy goal, but the United States should not view leakage as a catastrophe. Rather, the proper response is a declaratory policy of nuclear deterrence directed specifically at Iran and North Korea once they become nuclear powers."

The International Community and Haiti: A Proposal for Cooperative Sovereignty Dr Gabriel Marcella Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "An earlier version of this commentary appeared in the Miami Herald (January 2, 2005). The reaction to that piece has been divided between approval and downright rejection. The rejection was perhaps due to the novelty of the proposal, but more probably it was the implication that Haitians, heirs to a proud legacy of liberation from the shackles of slavery, could not take care of their own affairs. Pragmatic realism, however, informs us that the value at stake here is national survival, and the issues central to the Haiti dilemma have consequences far beyond the borders of that long-suffering society."

The New RC: Will it Please Anyone? Dr Dallas D Owens Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "To their credit, the Army National Guard (ARNG) and the Army Reserve (USAR) have proposed sweeping changes to make their components capable of meeting future Army requirements. Predictions for those future requirements come from a variety of Department of Defense (DoD) offices and envision a near- to mid-term strategic environment requiring constant mobilization at levels less than, but near, those currently experienced. In turn, the ARNG and USAR know they cannot meet that need unless significant changes are made to their force structure, training, and mobilization process. Central to their proposed changes is the notion of a rotational force."

The Power of Division and Unity Dr Sherifa D Zuhur Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Twelve cartoons published by the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, on September 30, 2005, and reprinted in January in other European newspapers unleashed a strong reaction in the Muslim world. Wildly different conclusions were drawn from these events, as from several other important and divisive incidents that followed, including the thwarted takeover of port management by the Dubai Ports World and sectarian fighting in Iraq. Oddly, the cartoon incident might be the most significant illustration of extreme polarization, which has not yet been bridged nor fully addressed."

Seizing the Day: Resolution in and around the Black Sea Dr Stephen J Blank Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "President Bush’s February 2005 meeting with European and Russian leaders represented an attempt to repair relations with each of these governments, with NATO, and with the European Union (EU). While Iraq, Iran, and Israel probably were the main issues in these meetings, recent events in the Black Sea basin provide an enormous opportunity to advance a common Western agenda and even possibly to associate Russia with an extension of the realm of security in Europe."

The Return of the Latin American Left Dr Alex Crowther Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Latin America watchers decry the rise of the political left in the region, citing its animosity towards both the United States and globalization. According to this point of view, the left is rising and its influence will be detrimental to hemispheric economic and political development."

The Problem with Fourth-Generation War Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "For theorists of Fourth Generation War (4GW), there’s both good news and bad news. The good news is that there is only one problem with the notion of 4GW. The bad news is that the theory itself is the problem. Like the fabled emperor who had no clothes, 4GW is bereft of any intellectual garments: the concept itself is fundamentally and hopelessly flawed. It is based on poor history and only obscures what other theorists and analysts have already clarified."