Blog Posts

"Claiming the Quran’s support, the Islamic State codifies sex slavery in conquered regions of Iraq and Syria and uses the practice as a recruiting tool."

"The Kremlin is worried about not just what the American troops are teaching the Ukrainians, but what they may be learning from them and the Donbas battlefield."

The Army's retiring top officer says the time may come when the U.S. should consider embedding American forces in Iraqi units to help advise them.

"In what order does the Obama administration rank the biggest external threats to America’s national security?"

Small Wars Journal and Small Wars Journal-El Centro are pleased to announce an updated line up for the Small Wars Journal-El Centro Fellows for 2015.

"The Defense Department earlier this summer released a comprehensive manual outlining its interpretation of the law of war."

"Afghan security forces handled three complex emergencies almost simultaneously, proving perhaps that training of Afghan forces has paid off."

10 recommendations for how the US can better realize its national security interests, including consolidating the many new security assistance authorities.

CNAS CEO Michèle Flournoy and President Richard Fontaine have authored a new policy brief arguing that “current efforts to counter ISIS are not adequate to the task”.

"U.S. officials worry that a confluence of powerful drug-trafficking cartels, terrorist groups and an insecure southern border poses a strategic threat."

"For at least a year after Gaddafi’s ouster, American diplomats focused on governance and economic issues, not security, in their support for Libya."

As an international community, our accepted standards of conduct in battle have transformed radically over the last half-century.

Plans to take the Army from its high of 570,000 to 490,000 today, and then to reduce it again to 450,000 soldiers seemed prudent a few years ago.

Building the capacity of Afghan special operations forces is a key goal of the United States and its coalition partners.

Islamist militant attacks in Tunisia have caused the government to consider building a wall in the desert to keep future attackers out.

"To be sure, the nation always reduces its military as wars wind down. Other services suffer reductions and shortages. But only the Army breaks."

SWJ News & Opinion Roundup (24/7)

"Twenty-five years after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, the lessons of the Gulf War remain urgent, even in today’s chaotic Middle East."

"The U.N. requires commitments from member nations to provide rapid response forces for emerging crises."

How is the Islamic State looking at the situation in Iraq and Syria? It is impossible to be sure, but they are fairly transparent in their public statements.

The Foundation seeks to help ensure the vitality of social, economic, and governmental institutions.

“We’re now in an era in the Middle East that is orders of magnitude more complicated. We have to take stock of the reality, rather than only focus on what Iran is doing.”

Military Writers Guild (MWG) Awards: The first ever MWG Biannual Award Winners!

SWJ News & Opinion Roundup (24/7)

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman broke out of a high security prison on Saturday night for the second time.