Small Wars Journal

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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.

Robert Cassidy's Reading List
by SWJ Editors | Wed, 11/21/2007 - 4:42pm | 0 comments
The SWJ asked Lieutenant Colonel Robert M. Cassidy if he would be so kind as to share his professional reading list with our community. He agreed and we are pleased to post it here, as well as a listing of Cassidy's publications.

Robert Cassidy is a U.S. Army officer. He is a member of the Royal United Services Institute and a fellow with the Center for Advanced Defense Studies. He has a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the Diplome d' Étude Supérieure de Défense from the French Joint Defense College. He is the author of Peacekeeping in the Abyss: British and American Peacekeeping Doctrine and Practice after the Cold War and Counterinsurgency and the Global War on Terror: Military Culture and Irregular War.

His articles on small wars and military culture have appeared in Parameters, the RUSI Journal, Small Wars and Insurgencies, Military Review, the Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, and Defense Concepts. ..

On Anthropology Goes to War
by Dave Dilegge | Tue, 11/20/2007 - 11:31pm | 4 comments
Having just read (for the second time today) Ann Marlowe's Weekly Standard article Anthropology Goes to War I feel compelled to take exception publicly to the overall tone of her piece and in particular several items she misrepresented, intentionally or otherwise. I do this as a card-carrying member of what Marlowe terms the "Army of the Small Wars Journal"...
18 and 19 November Iraq Briefings
by SWJ Editors | Tue, 11/20/2007 - 7:47pm | 0 comments

Major General Mark Hertling, Commander of Multi-National Division-North and the 1st Armored Division, providing an update on ongoing security operations in Iraq, 19 November 2007

Rear Admiral Gregory Smith, Multi-National Force-Iraq Communications Division, and Philip Reeker, Counselor for Public Affairs, US Embassy, Baghdad, speaking with reporters in Baghdad, 18 November 2007
Ambassador Ryan Crocker on Veterans Day
by SWJ Editors | Mon, 11/19/2007 - 6:02pm | 0 comments
While Veterans Day is a week past, the following came via e-mail today and we would like to share it with the Small Wars Journal community...
USMC forms MCTAG
by Dave Dilegge | Mon, 11/19/2007 - 5:49pm | 1 comment
LtCol Tim Grattan, Deputy Director of the newly formed Marine Corps Training and Advisory Group (MCTAG), was by my 'day job' office today and I was able to go through his briefing on the Group's 'way ahead' to include the proposed table of organization and equipment, basic concept of employment and many other issues associated with training and advising foreign military forces. While I cannot go into any details, I can say I came away quite impressed and hopeful that the Marine Corps has a solid plan to meet future training and advising requirements. A recent Marine Corps News item on MCTAG follows...
OSU Press Release: Mansoor a Buckeye
by SWJ Editors | Sun, 11/18/2007 - 5:39pm | 1 comment

Ohio State Selects Petraeus Aide as Military History Chair

Colonel Peter R. Mansoor is influential advisor in shaping "surge" strategy in Iraq.

COLUMBUS -- The Mershon Center for International Security Studies and the Department of History at The Ohio State University are proud to announce that they have selected Col. Peter R. Mansoor as the next Raymond E. Mason Jr. Chair of Military History.

Mansoor, currently serving as executive officer to Gen. David Petraeus in Iraq, will begin his duties at Ohio State in September 2008. He will assume a joint appointment between the Mershon Center and the History Department, teaching classes, conducting research, and organizing speaking and conference events in the fields of military history and national security studies.

More...

Even More for the Weekend
by SWJ Editors | Sun, 11/18/2007 - 7:57am | 0 comments
Cultural knowledge, security cooperation, USMC Irregular Warfare Center, understanding the urban environment, more on Bernard and Dorothy Fall, COIN reading, and AQ's Pakistani insurgency...
Be Careful Sunday...
by SWJ Editors | Sun, 11/18/2007 - 2:36am | 3 comments

Watch Your Six!

More for the Weekend
by SWJ Editors | Sat, 11/17/2007 - 9:36am | 0 comments
Frank Hoffman on civil-military relations, Dorothy Fall on husband Bernard, and John Nagl and Sarah Sewall on Counterinsurgency Field Manual 3-24 / Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 33.3.5...
Next Generation of US Army COIN Leadership? (Updated)
by SWJ Editors | Sat, 11/17/2007 - 2:12am | 16 comments
Ann Scott Tyson of the Washington Post reports today (Petraeus Helping Pick New Generals) that, in a move described as "unprecedented", the US Army has recalled a general from a war zone to preside over a promotion board.

The Army has summoned the top U.S. commander in Iraq back to Washington to preside over a board that will pick some of the next generation of Army leaders, an unusual decision that officials say represents a vote of confidence in Gen. David H. Petraeus's conduct of the war, as well as the Army counterinsurgency doctrine he helped rewrite.

General Petraeus will be presiding over a board that includes the selection to brigadier general (approximately 40 slots) from a pool of over 1,000 colonels...

Check it Out, Now
by SWJ Editors | Fri, 11/16/2007 - 4:54am | 0 comments
One of our favorites, ThreatsWatch or shoud we say The Center for Threat Awareness, has a new look, new content and new contributors. Check out the new ThreatsWatch today.

Last week, the Center for Threat Awareness was officially launched at BlogWorld & New Media Expo in Las Vegas. The decision was both apropos and easy considering the nature of the event and our disposition as Think Tank 2.0™. On Sunday it will have been two years since ThreatsWatch -- the Center's public face - first appeared. And thanks to the attention we have received since those early, uncertain days, we had reached a point where a corporate enterprise was not only required, but essential for future growth. From the beginning we had intended to build an organization that would work to make the key issues, events and trends relating to the threats we all face more accessible to a broader audience. The Center will ensure that we can continue to provide a venue for reasoned and knowledgeable discourse on the ideas, principles, events and challenges impacting each of us today, as well as offering us further opportunities for research and outreach beyond the scope of ThreatsWatch.

Great job guys and best to you...

Nothing follows.

Last Call: An Opportunity is a Terrible Thing to Waste
by SWJ Editors | Thu, 11/15/2007 - 9:00pm | 1 comment
The 600-lb gorilla in the living room of the improved security situation in Iraq is national reconciliation. Washington Post's Tom Ricks (Iraqis Wasting An Opportunity, U.S. Officers Say) addresses the ever-growing concern of U.S. military commanders that the window may be closing and the Iraqi government is wasting away an opportunity to take advantage of the sharp decline in attacks against U.S. forces and Iraqi civilians...
Military Review: November - December 2007 Issue
by SWJ Editors | Thu, 11/15/2007 - 5:41pm | 0 comments

Featured Articles

Fighting Identity: Why We Are Losing Our Wars -- Dr. Michael Vlahos

The "American Way of War" enshrines triumph through military "transformations." They are divine tokens of our superiority. Even better, "like-us" challenges from others are met by all-out U.S. out-performance. German combined arms innovation between the world wars led to "Patton beats Rommel." Ditto Japanese carrier aviation. Ditto Soviet atomic rock¬ets. Ditto too the Soviets' vaunted "military-technical revolution." How we outdid them! But our paradigm of military "revolution" is steadfastly both technology-driven and self-focused. The American way of war is all about "like-us" or "kin-enemies" also doing like us. We always win out in the end, and win big.

Today's transformation, however, has nothing to do with us, except per¬haps in how the new innovators take on our technologies—and target our vulnerabilities. The innovators here are emerging societies and alternative communities—not "kin-enemies" but aliens, "strang¬er-enemies." They drive this transformation of war.

More...

13 November SWJ Odds and Ends
by Dave Dilegge | Tue, 11/13/2007 - 8:08pm | 0 comments

While not all inclusive, here are some of the items that caught my eye and interest so far this week...

SWJ: The War Over the War
by SWJ Editors | Mon, 11/12/2007 - 3:31pm | 0 comments
The SWJ has been invited by the Washington Post to participate in one of their regular online discussion sessions tomorrow. Here are the details via The Post:

Join editor Dave Dilegge and publisher Bill Nagle of Small Wars Journal on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at noon ET to discuss the debate in Washington among government, military and intelligence officials over what course to follow in Iraq.

Submit your questions and comments before or during the discussion.

More coverage of The War Over the War

War Over the War discussion transcripts

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.

Nothing follows.

Mattis Takes Helm at JFCOM
by SWJ Editors | Sun, 11/11/2007 - 6:40am | 0 comments

General James Mattis assumes command of US Joint Forces Command from General Lance Smith in a change of command ceremony onboard the USS George Washington.

More...

Afghanistan Briefing
by SWJ Editors | Sun, 11/11/2007 - 6:18am | 0 comments

Brigadier General Robert Livingston, Commander of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VI, providing an update on the training and equipping of Afghan national security forces on 9 November 2007.
Veterans and Remembrance Day Sunday
by SWJ Editors | Sun, 11/11/2007 - 4:36am | 0 comments

Veterans Day, 11 November 2007

More...

9 November SWJ Odds and Ends
by Dave Dilegge | Fri, 11/09/2007 - 8:41pm | 3 comments
While not all inclusive, here are some of the items that caught my eye and interest this week...
232 Years and Counting...
by SWJ Editors | Fri, 11/09/2007 - 6:25am | 0 comments

232 Years and Counting...

Guest Blogger Andrew Lubin

Tomorrow, 10 November. is the 232nd birthday of the Marine Corps. It's the day when Marines throughout the world -- both active service and former -- will be attending celebrations and galas. Young Marines in their first set dress blues, accompanied by their equally young girl friends stuffed in their old high school prom dresses, will proudly rub elbows with the Captains, Majors, and other senior officers under whom they serve.

In many cases, being a Marine is a family tradition. There are many Birthday Balls where sons, fathers, uncles, and cousins attend en-masse -- a family fire-team, or Arty Battery, if you like, and they'll tell you, if asked, that becoming a Marine was one way of following in Dad's footsteps. In many cases, becoming a Marine was something they'd wanted to be since they were little boys...

Remember Us
by Robert Bateman | Fri, 11/09/2007 - 5:50am | 2 comments
Sunday matters. Or, more particularly, this coming Sunday matters.

It does not matter to me because of the football games that will be played or the tailgating that will occur. Nor do I care overmuch about the regularly scheduled worship services that some religions will hold on this day. The weather will not affect the importance of this coming Sunday for me. Nor should it for you. What matters is that this coming Sunday is Veterans Day.

It is difficult to make the connection, perhaps, for most people. Almost all of our First World War veterans are gone now, and the news reports tell me that the men who fought World War II are dying at the rate of 1,000 a day. More modern veterans are fading as well, while the current military is made up of less than one half of one percent of the American public. But on this day, perhaps, we might appeal and ask that those who have given the last full measure of their devotion, be faithfully recalled by their nation.

They are honored so elsewhere...

Recent MNF-I Iraq Briefings
by SWJ Editors | Thu, 11/08/2007 - 6:19pm | 0 comments

7 November: RADM Gregory Smith, Director of MNF-I Communications Division, discussing operations against al-Qaeda in Iraq in October and highlights other operational activities.

5 November: Col Stacy Clardy, Commander of Regimental Combat Team 2, speaks via satellite with reporters at the Pentagon, providing an update on ongoing security operations in western Iraq.
The AAA's Alternate Universe
by SWJ Editors | Thu, 11/08/2007 - 6:17am | 2 comments
The American Anthropological Association's full-court press against the Pentagon's Human Terrain System in general - and anthropologists' Human Terrain Team participation in particular continues.

On October 31, 2007, the American Anthropological Association's Executive Board passed a statement concerning ethical aspects of the U.S. Military's Human Terrain System (HTS) project. The project, which has received widespread national and international media coverage, embeds anthropologists and other social scientists in military teams in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ethical and procedural concerns regarding anthropologists working with U.S. Military and Intelligence agencies have been under investigation by an ad hoc commission of the AAA. The Commission will submit their final report on this subject—which extends beyond the particulars of the HTS project—during the AAA's Annual Meeting in Washington DC.

Hmm, under investigation -- I wonder what their findings might reveal? Something along the lines of: ... anthropologists embedded in HTTs facilitates cultural awareness of local populations by US Forces thus enabling cross-cultural dialogues and informed actions that directly contribute to mitigating misunderstandings thereby reducing the potential of lethal encounters?

Don't hold your breath...

Conversation with Richard Armitage and Joseph Nye
by SWJ Editors | Wed, 11/07/2007 - 8:54pm | 0 comments

Charlie Rose Show - A Conversation with Richard Armitage and Joseph Nye, Center for Strategic and International Studies Commission on Soft Power

America's image and influence are in decline around the world. To maintain a leading role in global affairs, the United States must move from eliciting fear and anger to inspiring optimism and hope.

In 2006, CSIS launched a bipartisan Commission on Smart Power to develop a vision to guide America's global engagement. This report lays out the commission's findings and a discrete set of recommendations for how the next president of the United States, regardless of political party, can implement a smart power strategy.
New Thinking on a 'New Deal' for Post-Conflict Countries?
by SWJ Editors | Wed, 11/07/2007 - 3:44pm | 0 comments

New Thinking on a 'New Deal' for Post-Conflict Countries?

By Greg Mills and Terence McNamee

Two weeks after Sierra Leone's people went to the polls this September to choose a new president, the opposition leader Ernest Bai Koroma was sworn in as the country's new leader. He won 54.6% of the final vote against Vice-President Solomon Berewa's 45.4% in a tense run-off.

Five years after its devastating civil war came to an end, the country's largely peaceful and fair election marks an important step forward in its democratic development. But this election occurred against an alarming backdrop -- extreme unemployment, declining health and education services, and infrastructure as decrepit as anywhere in Africa. Understanding what's gone wrong, why peace and stability has done nothing to alleviate crushing poverty, is important not just for Sierra Leone's new President.

There are critical lessons for the international community, too, which go beyond Sierra Leone to other post-conflict states in Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere...

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