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Ukraine

"Small wars are operations undertaken under executive authority, wherein military force is combined with diplomatic pressure in the internal or external affairs of another state whose government is unstable, inadequate, or unsatisfactory for the preservation of life and of such interests as are determined by the foreign policy of our Nation."

Small Wars Manual, 1940

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Journal

by Michael Panfil Jr. | Mon, 07/01/2024 - 7:58pm | 0 comments
Who are the ever-elusive U.S. Army Space Cadre? In this article, the Space Cadre force structure is broken down across its categories – FA40As [Space Operations Officers], FA40Cs [U.S. Army Astronauts], and 3Ys [Space Enabler ASI] – and the components of the U.S. Army. Additionally, this article underpins the space capabilities that Space Cadre can provide to the warfighter, as well as contextualizes their formation and utilization in U.S. warfighting operations such as the Gulf War (1990 - 1991) – dubbed as the “First Space War.” Lastly, this article very briefly highlights the future implications of U.S. Army Space Operations. The purpose of this article is to not only inform U.S. Army Commanders of the space professionals in their ranks but to also encourage the growth and maintenance of the U.S. Army Space Cadre as a small, modular force structure capable of bridging institutional gaps relating to space across the Joint Force.
by John Nagl, by Alexander Peris | Sun, 06/30/2024 - 1:15pm | 0 comments
Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine is now in its third year. Ukraine successfully repelled most of Russia’s initial strikes in 2022, and the West rallied to provide enormous support for the battle-hardened Ukrainian people. Yet Ukraine now faces serious challenges on and off the battlefield. Russia is advancing at the same time as international support for Ukraine has been thrown into doubt. The implications stretch far beyond Central and Eastern Europe in what some observers are now calling the opening phases of a renewed Cold War and even a possible World War III.
by John Nagl, by Kelly “Curly” Ihme | Fri, 06/21/2024 - 6:27am | 0 comments
The ”superpower” of the Army War College, as in most professional military education institutions in the United States, is the presence of international officers from allied and partner nations around the globe.   Each year, some 75 countries send their most talented senior officers to spend a year in Carlisle with their families studying, learning, and living among their American peers. This immersion often leads to forming lifelong personal, as well as professional, bonds that reap rewards for the entire international system for years to come
by Paul Burton | Tue, 06/18/2024 - 9:54pm | 0 comments
Irregular Warfare (IW) Campaigning is the art of using available resources by the Department of Defense and other Agencies in a series of linked actions, over an extended period, to eventually gain a marked advantage over your adversary, who will also be referred to as peer competitors. This long-term strategy requires continuity of desired end states through both political administrations and military command rotations. This was done by and large during the Cold War, albeit with course adjustments; the key was that the majority of America never questioned that the Soviet Union was our number one enemy. This basic common focus during the Cold War helped facilitate a unity of purpose and effort from different organizations, if not a unity of command and priority of tasks. So, the question is what agency or headquarters should take the lead in IW campaigning in the present multi-polar complex world?
by J. Connor Williams | Tue, 06/18/2024 - 9:37pm | 0 comments
  The ancient struggle between insurgents and counterinsurgents has grown in significance and frequency since the end of the Second World War, leading to increased attention and study of the subject. Guerrilla warfare has become the most prevalent form of warfare in the world. Insurgents have fought to remove imperialist powers to gain independence, while revolutionaries sought to implement Marxist societal change and the redistribution of resources in alignment with their ideological preferences. The United States has fought protracted insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan to support fledging governments, typically prevailing on the battlefield but frustrated by the political challenges. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of historical examples to evaluate when attempting to understand and appraise this type of warfare.
by Joerg Stenzel, by Wayne Culbreth | Tue, 06/11/2024 - 5:03pm | 0 comments
This narrative explores how a chance meeting in a Miami restaurant shaped Rice's involvement in securing vital military support for the Ukrainian Army, while also acknowledging the broader context of the conflict and the collective efforts of various stakeholders in the largest war in Europe in 80 years, and the 3rd largest war in Europe in 150 years, behind World War II and World War I. 
by Lech Drab, by Marzena Żakowska  | Mon, 06/10/2024 - 11:36pm | 0 comments
The central focus of this article revolves around conducting a comprehensive analysis of the role played by defense diplomacy in the intricate context of the Ukraine war. By doing so, it seeks to specifically focus on cooperative endeavors between Western nations and the Ukrainian government. Furthermore, the article strives to highlight the challenges faced in the process. By examining these aspects, we aim to address a pivotal question: What were the profound and consequential domains of cooperation in defense diplomacy between Western states and Ukraine that significantly shaped the trajectory of the war's development? The findings show that the crucial areas of this cooperation encompassed military support, military education, intelligence sharing, as well as legal and legislative collaboration.
by Al Dhobaba | Mon, 06/03/2024 - 2:21pm | 0 comments
A "quasi-outside observer" with tremendous insights into military issues, offers a critique that focuses on US military recruiting but actually does a deeper dive into a variety of service leadership issues with some proposed solutions.
by Mahmut Cengiz | Tue, 05/28/2024 - 5:16pm | 0 comments
SWJ−El Centro Fellow Mahmut Cengiz provides insight on the rise of Türkiye as a key hub in the global cocaine trade in this assessment of emerging illicit flows.
by John P. Sullivan | Sat, 05/18/2024 - 7:36pm | 0 comments
Review of Chris Dalby's "CJNG: A Quick Guide to Mexico's Deadliest Cartel" by SWJ−El Centro Senior Fellow John P. Sullivan.

Blog Posts

by SWJ Editors | Tue, 07/02/2024 - 1:00pm | 0 comments

YOU’RE INVITED: SOAA’s inaugural Intelligence and Special Operations Conference. 

July 17-18, 2024

by Dave Maxwell | Tue, 07/02/2024 - 9:49am | 0 comments

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by Dave Maxwell | Mon, 07/01/2024 - 8:08am | 0 comments

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by SWJ Editors | Sun, 06/30/2024 - 1:23pm | 0 comments

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by Dave Maxwell | Sat, 06/29/2024 - 10:14am | 0 comments

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by Dave Maxwell | Tue, 06/25/2024 - 9:56am | 0 comments

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by Dave Maxwell | Mon, 06/24/2024 - 9:24am | 0 comments

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by Dave Maxwell | Sun, 06/23/2024 - 12:31pm | 0 comments

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by Dave Maxwell | Sat, 06/22/2024 - 12:12pm | 0 comments

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by Dave Maxwell | Fri, 06/21/2024 - 10:10am | 0 comments

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by Dave Maxwell | Thu, 06/20/2024 - 10:25am | 0 comments

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