Journal
Journal Articles are typically longer works with more more analysis than the news and short commentary in the SWJ Blog.
We accept contributed content from serious voices across the small wars community, then publish it here as quickly as we can, per our Editorial Policy, to help fuel timely, thoughtful, and unvarnished discussion of the diverse and complex issues inherent in small wars.
Temporareality is a strange military internal sub-culture that I have personally observed for over 16 years in 4 post 9-11 deployments.
The intent of the work is to develop a theory and philosophy behind the narco-killings taking place in contemporary Mexico.
Article two of two in the latest Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
Confidence building measures rely on four key components: Reputation, Status, Transparency & Trust. In theory, when RTS2 combine to establish sustainable CBMs, regional conflicts can be prevented.
The deployment of automated weapons systems poses significant ethical challenges, especially jus in bello.
One key purpose of this study is to analyze and assess how Daesh’s actions as a non-state actor either supported or hindered their goals of establishing a religious caliphate.
A nexus of policy guidance meant to protect the defense industry, reduce weapons proliferation and improve financial accountability has hamstrung ANDSF materiel procurement.
Article one of two in the latest Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
The increased proliferation of information collection technologies is becoming a threat to the Army’s Mission Command Philosophy.
A key to potentially improving influence efforts may be found in economics, in a concept called Consumption Theory.
Erdogan has instigated an irregular and Iranian-like militia structure that helps him control streets, inflict oppression and carry out covert operations against dissident political groups.
The latest article in the Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
Since the end of the Barre era, no Somali leader or group of leaders has managed to de-clan the Somali National Army, which is why it remains dysfunctional today.
Intelligence agencies in Afghanistan are failing to collect high-value information that could be beneficial to Afghan’s domestic security.
The types of unmanned systems the Department of the Navy should acquire are those systems that directly support naval expeditionary forces that must conduct forcible entry operations.
The U.S. military resumed its counterterrorism mission in the Philippines in September 2017. This new operation comes on the heels of the rise of ISIS-linked groups.
I argue that the war endures, in large part, because national security policy makers, military operators, and think tank scholars have embraced several false assumptions.
Article three of three in the latest Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
N’Dala was 37-years-old when he died on Jan. 2, 2014 in an ambush. He had earned the trust and respect of his fellow soldiers, UN troops and the Congolese population.
Article two of three in the latest Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
Northern Mali has been living in perpetual and unfulfilled postwar reconstruction phases due to repeated unsuccessful national reconciliations.
I pulled out "Cold Cash War" again recently, as it reached its 40th birthday this year, and to my surprise found elements of it held up well enough that I thought they deserved to be shared.
Article one of three in the latest Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
Operational art and deep-operations theory in Russia traces its theoretical beginning to Napoleon’s six-month campaign in 1812.
The military oversight is the first federal intervention where federal forces took command in a Brazilian state since the return to democracy in 1988.
Article five of five in the latest Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
Article four of five in the latest Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
Psychological Warfare, the most potent weapon leveraged by both sides in the 1947 to present Arab-Israeli conflict, finally gets the attention it deserves.
Article three of five in the latest Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
There is no perfect way to reorganize for advising, but the lessons utilized by TF Strike are undeniably pertinent as the Army considers the organization and employment of SFABs.
Article two of five in the latest Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
Article one of five in the latest Mad Scientist at Small Wars Journal series.
Two anti-personnel mines (minas antipersonales) were recovered from suspected members of the Cartel del Golfo (Gulf Cartel) in Reynosa, Tamaulipas.