Oct. 22, 2024

One Hundredth Anniversary of the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy: A Tribute in Three Verses

The year 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy. E

Oct. 22, 2024

Stop Talking to Yourself Military Recruiting in the Modern Age

The decision to join the military is profoundly influenced by how individuals perceive military service. Recent evidence indicates that young people tend to have a negative view of the military, and the Department of Defense (DOD) has struggled to effectively communicate with the youth market.

Oct. 22, 2024

Considering the Utility of Modern Blockade in a Protracted Conflict With China

The January 2023 Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) publication The First Battle of the Next War: Wargaming a Chinese Invasion of Taiwan is a thorough and sobering report detailing 24 hypothetical scenarios in which China takes military action to unify Taiwan with its mainland.

Oct. 22, 2024

Giving Our “Paper Tiger” Real Teeth: Fixing the U.S. Military’s Plans for Contested Logistics Against China

There is growing concern that the U.S. military is unable to deter or win a conflict with China in the Western Pacific.

Oct. 21, 2024

Joint Force Quarterly 115 (4th Quarter 2024)

By the time you read this, our national elections will be imminent. Our next President, regardless of whom that will be, must confront the world as it is, not as it could be. No one solution will fit all foreign conflicts, and none of these will necessarily fit our domestic needs.

July 25, 2019

Global Risks and Opportunities: The Great Power Competition Paradigm

The great power competition paradigm outlined in the National Defense Strategy provides a way to think strategically about inter-state competition in a multipolar world. Both history and a survey of current events indicate we should expect great power competition throughout the 21st century between the US, China and Russia in Africa, Central Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Although information operations, economic diplomacy and espionage will be the primary weapons of statecraft, say the authors, military cooperation can catalyze greater regional integration, reassure our partners and allies, and support our whole-of-government efforts.

July 25, 2019

Twenty-First Century Nuclear Deterrence: Operationalizing the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review

America must maintain credible nuclear deterrent capabilities to convince potential adversaries and allies alike that the US will defend its vital interests and will employ those capabilities, all while hedging against an uncertain future. Despite the changing environment, America continues to view nuclear deterrence largely in Cold War terms. The continued reliance on obsolete deterrence concepts exposes a gap between policy and practice. The US must eliminate this gap, say the authors, by developing a tailored and flexible deterrence posture, which will give the Joint Force a broad spectrum of nuclear deterrence capabilities.

July 24, 2019

LikeWar

Brett Swaney reviews LikeWar: The Weaponization of Social Media by Peter W. Singer and Emerson T. Brooking. The authors examine the role of social media in reshaping the character of war and politics. The result is an insightful overview of the new information battlespace for national security professionals.

July 24, 2019

Flanking the Crater

The Battle of the Crater, fought in 1864 during the US Civil War, is a successful example of tactical innovation except that it did not succeed. The idea was to alter the battlespace by tunneling under the enemy’s fortifications. The local commander made a quick feasibility study, and decided to utilize his soldiers’ skills as civilian miners. The authors use these events as a case study in innovation, particularly the role of mid-level leaders and propose a Joint Innovation Framework. Among their recommendations is appointment of a lead integrator who would help translate tactical opportunities into operational and strategic victories.

Jan. 23, 2019

Joint Doctrine Update

Joint Doctrine Updates.