SWJ Blog is a multi-author blog publishing news and commentary on the various goings on across the broad community of practice. We gladly accept guest posts from serious voices in the community.
Update: The full report has been released and can be found here.
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The first day, co-sponsored with the Israeli Defense Forces Logistics Command, will focus on defense issues with days two and three respectively covering challenges regarding the soldier in modern war and technological developments in the surface-to-surface missile defense arena.
This year's international speakers supporting the ILWS join an elite group of former presenters that includes General (British Army, ret) Rupert Smith, author Joseph Galloway, and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. The agenda for Latrun V can be found here. Those interested in attending will find more information and a program here.
As an end note - we are much "more than pleased" to support, in any way we can, this professional military exchange amongst the associated parties.
During most of my Marine Corps career the Corps and the Army wore the same camouflage uniform and there was no problem in identifying the difference between a Marine and a Soldier - from the cover/headgear, to the Corps' lack of unit patches and branch identifiers, to the different style rank insignia and other service devices, to the EGA and USMC iron-on stencil, to blousing vs. tucking of trousers at the boot, to the boot itself, to the different way each service rolled sleeves (Army's method was better in an NBC environment BTW), to the haircuts (Rangers excepted), to the Devil Dogs' white t-shirt peeking out at the neckline from under camouflage for goodness sake. The SgtMaj should fight the good fights and let the Army select the best possible uniform for their Soldiers and be flattered because the Corps led, by years, in the development and issue of a state of the art uniform. And mostly, isn't the real issue identifying friendly from foe from non-combatant? Let's focus on that.
Continue on for much more...
Much ado surrounds the myths of T.E. Lawrence and David Galula. So much so that academics fawn, foreign policy is derived, and military manuals preach their stories as holy works. From the practice, beautiful theory was born that enlightened western interventionists can deploy into the hinterlands, win hearts, minds, and souls, and unilaterally transform societies through the spread of democracy and capitalism.
by Greg Grimes
The scramble is on. With the Army Chief of Staff having recently announced a "clean sheet" review of what the Army will look like after operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army is joining a government-wide movement to restructure itself for post-war years. Service branches, systems proponents, defense agencies, most of the major government agencies; all are hustling to re-invent themselves for a future of budget cuts and close scrutiny.
COL Greg Grimes is currently assigned to the Joint Irregular Warfare Center of USJFCOM.
by Matthew Ince
On Monday 2 May 2011 US President Obama announced the death of Osama Bin Laden following the success of a US operation conducted by an elite group of US Navy Seals in Abbottabad, Pakistan, where the Al-Qa'ida figurehead had been taking refuge. Despite the common belief that key members of Al-Qa'ida's central leadership had been in hiding within the federally administered tribal areas of Pakistan, the suburban compound where Bin Laden was discovered was in fact just 1 km away from Pakistan's Military Academy, close to the country's capital Islamabad. While this raises many questions about US trust for the intelligence arm of Pakistan's military, Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari was however quick to point out Pakistan's early assistance in identifying the Al-Qa'ida courier that had ultimately led to up to the elimination of Bin Laden. Irrespectively, Bin Laden's death has come as good news for many, particularly in the US, where countless groups of individuals will no doubt believe that justice has finally been served for the attacks of 9/11. It also comes against the backdrop of wider transition within the Middle East and a movement towards greater freedom and democracy; a process that has already begun to render Al-Qa'ida's rhetoric and doctrine increasingly irrelevant within many parts of the Muslim world.
Matthew Ince currently works as a Project Manager at the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies. He has an MA in Geopolitics and Grand Strategy and a BA (Hons) in International Relations from the University of Sussex.
We are going to take a break this weekend from the SWJ Roundup, so much to do and so little time and resources - that said, be looking for major changes at SWJ. We'll be back on Monday.
Here is the latest edition of my column at Foreign Policy:
Topics include:
1) The Pentagon's cyberwarfare doctrine begins to emerge
2) Does Obama have three more years for Afghanistan?
The Pentagon's cyberwarfare doctrine begins to emerge
This week, the Wall Street Journal revealed that Pentagon strategists are completing a document that outlines the government's cyberwarfare strategy. The Pentagon is expected to publish an unclassified version next month. According to the Journal, Pentagon strategists are prepared to declare that a sufficiently damaging cyberattack against the United States could be viewed as an "act of war," warranting equivalent retaliation. And that retaliation would not necessarily be a United States cyber-counterstrike. As one official put it, "If you shut down our power grid, maybe we will put a missile down one of your smokestacks." It is good that the government is finally establishing a doctrine for dealing with cyberwarfare. But strategists still must grapple with a challenging form of warfare that combines elements of Cold War-era deterrence theory and modern counterinsurgency doctrine.
According to the Washington Post, the Pentagon has developed a list of cyberweapons, including various worms and viruses, for use either in support of an existing military campaign or for use, with presidential approval, at the strategic level. According to the emerging doctrine, U.S. military commanders in existing war zones would have the authority to use cyberweapons to collect intelligence from adversary networks and support tactical operations in a broader military campaign. At the strategic level, presidential approval would be required for attacks against an adversary's industrial infrastructure like the Stuxnet worm against Iran's nuclear complex.
It is not so simple to find a neat divide between strategic cyberattacks requiring presidential approval and tactical attacks delegated to field commanders. The doctrine appears to reserve to the president the decision to attack portions of an adversary's civilian infrastructure. But in an ongoing military campaign, adversary military forces will use portions of the civilian infrastructure -- for example, the telecommunications system -- for tactical military purposes. This will certainly be true if the adversary is a non-state actor. A local commander's tactical use of cyberweapons could have wider strategic effects. As with all doctrine, the emerging cyberwarfare doctrine will undergo many changes after decision-makers encounter practical experience.
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Mexican Cartel Tactical Notes: No 2. Ambush/Targeted Killing of US Law Enforcement Officer (San Antonio, Texas)
Mexican cartel linkages to this incident are currently being investigated but have not been confirmed by US Law Enforcement
Who: Sergeant Kenneth Vann, 48, Bexar County Sheriff's, Texas.
What: Ambush-Targeted Killing of US Law Enforcement Officer.
When: About 2:00 AM Saturday 28 May 2011.
Where: While in uniform, sitting in his marked patrol car at a traffic light at Loop 410 and Rigsby Road (on San Antonio's southeast side) on his way to a call.
Why: Unknown. Initial speculation via Sheriff Amadeo Ortiz is that the officer was randomly targeted because he was a governmental representative/symbol of authority. No motive has been established and no one has claimed credit.
Synopsis: Hasty overview; The officer was waiting at a traffic light. The flashing lights/siren were not turned on in the patrol car and the officer was obeying traffic laws. A small white car is thought to have pulled up next to Sgt. Vann's vehicle. A gunman then fired an estimated 28 rounds via a semi-automatic weapon— possibly an AK-47 assault rifle—at the officer in two bursts. Sgt. Vann was pronounced dead at the scene. Suspect(s) are still at large.
Update: On Tuesday, a sheriff's spokesman said investigators were looking for a royal blue Ford F-150 pickup truck that left the intersection where the incident took place. The small white car has been found and is being processed by forensics. Reward of $127,000.00 now offered for the arrest of those responsible; More than 300 officers from 10 law enforcement agencies—armed with about 1,300 warrants— were deployed to the streets of San Antonio on Tuesday, May 31 in order to get leads concerning this incident.
Tactical Analysis: Derived from news photos of the crime scene and satellite imagery. Kill zone was established at a traffic signal going forward toward I-410 bridges underpass; channeled avenue of approach/confined terrain on Rigsby Road going forward. Location is also well suited for E&E (escape and evasion) of engaging forces (I-410 and 87). The targeted killing appears to have occurred via shots entering the passenger side of the patrol vehicle that struck the officer on the right side of his body. This places the law enforcement officer at an immediate tactical disadvantage in his response since he would be required to shoot through the passenger side of his vehicle to return fire. The targeted killing appears to have been conducted in a tactically proficient manner. TTPs/Weaponry/ Ford F-150 pickup truck (of interest) appears consistent with cartel operations in Northern Mexico.
Significance: Officer Safety Issues; Reward Amount/Mass Warrant Approach; Psychological Warfare/Insurgent Tactics (If determined to have cartel linkages); Cartel Violence Spillover (If determined to have cartel linkages).
Source(s):
"Search Continues For Sergeant's Killer - Investigators Working Full-Time To Find Sgt. Kenneth Vann's Killer" - Tim Gerber, KSAT 12 News, Wednesday, June 1, 2011
"Officers Hope Warrant Roundup Leads To Info In Sergeant's Death: 10 Agencies Join Efforts In Warrant Roundup" - David Sears, KSAT 12 News, Tuesday, May 31, 2011
"Reward For Info On Vann's Death Raised To $127K: FBI Offering $50,000, In Addition To $77,000 Already Raised" - KSAT 12 News, Tuesday, May 31, 2011 (UPDATED: June 1, 2011)
"Mexican Drug Link Probed in Ambush Murder of Texas Lawman" - Borderland Beat, Tuesday, May 31, 2011 | Borderland Beat Reporter Ovemex. Original Reuters Link
"Slain Sergeant's Widow Speaks Out: Yvonne Vann Asks For Public's Help Solving Husband's Slaying" - Jessie Degollado, KSAT 12 News, Monday, May 30, 2011
"Suspect Who Gunned Down Deputy Remains At-Large: Sgt. Kenneth Vann Shot, Killed Early Saturday Morning" - Simon Gutierrez, KSAT 12 News, Sunday, May 29, 2011
"Bexar County Deputy Slain in 'Senseless' Ambush" (See crime scene photos/video) - Associated Press, WFAA.com, May 28, 2011
Mexican cartel linkages to this incident are currently being investigated but have not been confirmed by US Law Enforcement
Dr. Robert J. Bunker
The US Army COIN Center is hosting Dr. Geoff Demarest of the US Army Foreign Military Studies Office and author of the recently published book, Winning Insurgent War. He will be discussing important aspects of defeating insurgents including the legitimate use of violence in winning. His brief is tomorrow, Thursday, 2 June 2011, at 10:00 CDT (1100 EST, 15:00 ZULU).
Those interested in attending may view the meeting online at and participate via Defense Connect Online (DCO) as a guest. Remote attendees will be able to ask questions and view the slides through the software.
