Military Doctrine and TheoryCategory

A Better State of War: Surmounting the Ethical Cliff in Cyber Warfare

This study analyzes the emergent field of cyber warfare through the lens of commonly accepted tenets of ethical warfare. By comparing the foundational understanding of concepts that determine the justice of wars (jus ad bellum) and justice in war (jus en bello) with the capabilities cyber warfare offers, this work highlights both causes for concern… Continue Reading A Better State of War: Surmounting the Ethical Cliff in Cyber Warfare

Air Power and Warfare: A Century of Theory and History

In this monograph, Tami Davis Biddle analyzes the historical record of air power over the past 100 years. Her monograph, designed for the student of strategy, is intended to provide both a concise introduction to the topic and a framework for thinking intelligently about air power, particularly aerial bombing. Her primary aim is to discern… Continue Reading Air Power and Warfare: A Century of Theory and History

Scenario Planning and Strategy in the Pentagon

  Scenario planning should be one of the Pentagon’s most important tools for developing strategy for an uncertain future. However, the formalized joint scenario planning process to support strategy and force development—Support for Strategic Analysis—has faced many challenges over the past 2 decades, and has ultimately proven less influential than intended on strategic decision-making. Explaining… Continue Reading Scenario Planning and Strategy in the Pentagon

Communication Campaigning: Primer for Senior Leaders

  Traditional approaches to strategic communication have focused on a single leader’s ability to influence stakeholders and other audiences through exceptional communication skills. But there is much more to it. What about the content of the message? How well does the message permeate the organization, allowing it to speak and act as one with the… Continue Reading Communication Campaigning: Primer for Senior Leaders

Weaving the Tangled Web: Military Deception in Large-Scale Combat Operations

Volume 1, Weaving the Tangled Web: Military Deception in Large-Scale Combat Operations surveys twelve cases of MILDEC from World War I through Desert Storm focusing on how armies have successfully used preconceptions to either immobilize an opponent or force the expenditure of energy in unproductive directions. The case studies span the major wars of the… Continue Reading Weaving the Tangled Web: Military Deception in Large-Scale Combat Operations

The Dual-System Problem in Complex Conflicts

Despite decades of research and experience in for-eign conflicts and fragile environments, institutions in the United States and beyond are often unable to position themselves for success when called upon to intervene. This monograph contributes to the growing recognition that today’s conflicts are best understood as complex systems, characterized by greater levels of fragility, uncertainty,… Continue Reading The Dual-System Problem in Complex Conflicts

Exit Strategy: Rule of Law and the U.S. Army

Establishing the rule of law is a key goal and end state in counterinsurgency (COIN) operations and is a critical aspect of securing peace and preventing future conflict. However, recent experience in theaters such as Afghanistan has shown that establishing effective rule of law institutions and practices is not a straightforward task. Consequently, considerations as… Continue Reading Exit Strategy: Rule of Law and the U.S. Army

Maintaining Information Dominance in Complex Environments

There are many risks to the U.S. Army’s command and control (C2) operations and to its intelligence and information warfare (IW) capabilities. The challenges include: significant uncertainty; sudden unexpected events; high noise and clutter levels in intelligence pictures; basic and complex deceptions exercised through a variety of channels; the actions of hidden malign actors; and… Continue Reading Maintaining Information Dominance in Complex Environments