Small Wars Journal

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.

by Lawrence E. Cline | Thu, 04/20/2017 - 3:45am | 0 comments

A Small Wars Journal and Military Writers Guild Writing Contest Finalist Article

by Alexander Schade | Thu, 04/20/2017 - 2:10am | 1 comment

A Small Wars Journal and Military Writers Guild Writing Contest Finalist Article

by Jaimie Ogilvie | Wed, 04/19/2017 - 1:54pm | 0 comments

Detailed study of foreign fighters and of their return to home countries has only emerged in the last 10 – 15 years, with even less written about it in relation to the Caribbean region.

by Jon Herrmann | Wed, 04/19/2017 - 5:28am | 0 comments

A Small Wars Journal and Military Writers Guild Writing Contest Finalist Article

by Robert Bunker, by Marisa Mendoza | Wed, 04/19/2017 - 4:56am | 0 comments

Although a number of cartels may be utilizing ultralight aircraft, seizure locations and authority reports most often attribute the use of this technology to the Sinaloa Cartel.

by Casey T. McNicholas, by Christopher J. Heatherly | Tue, 04/18/2017 - 1:21am | 0 comments

A Small Wars Journal and Military Writers Guild Writing Contest Finalist Article

by Patrick J. Christian, by Aleksandra Nesic, by David Sniffen, by Tasneem Aljehani, by Khaled Al Sumairi, by Narayan B. Khadka, by Basimah Hallawy, by Binamin Konlan | Tue, 04/18/2017 - 1:08am | 19 comments

The challenge of young-adult and refugee vulnerability to the spread of violent extremist ideology, subsequent radicalization, and devolution into violence related behavior.

by Darren E. Tromblay | Mon, 04/17/2017 - 6:10am | 6 comments

Iran and Saudi Arabia are both exporters of extremism that fuels kinetic terrorist attacks. These countries are uniquely dangerous.

by Jahara W. Matisek | Mon, 04/17/2017 - 2:04am | 0 comments

A Small Wars Journal and Military Writers Guild Writing Contest Finalist Article

by Ryan Basford | Sun, 04/16/2017 - 1:22am | 0 comments

A Small Wars Journal and Military Writers Guild Writing Contest Finalist Article

by Jens Flinch Jørgensen | Sun, 04/16/2017 - 1:10am | 1 comment

Despite force protection measures, captivity remains an integrated part of the threat to deployed NATO forces.

by Peter Kouretsos | Sat, 04/15/2017 - 6:15am | 0 comments

As China continues deepening commercial ties with LatAm, it is possible the increased flow of goods and people could present more opportunities for Chinese triads to expand their operations.

by Michael T. Lippert | Sat, 04/15/2017 - 3:47am | 4 comments

A Small Wars Journal and Military Writers Guild Writing Contest Finalist Article

by Gabriel White | Fri, 04/14/2017 - 11:41am | 13 comments

The human terrain of Syria is shifting. Buried below last week’s headlines was the news of what might amount to the largest proposed population swap in recent history.

by Grant M. Martin | Fri, 04/14/2017 - 1:09am | 14 comments

A Small Wars Journal and Military Writers Guild Writing Contest Finalist Article

by Zachary Griffiths | Thu, 04/13/2017 - 12:11am | 1 comment

A Small Wars Journal and Military Writers Guild Writing Contest Finalist Article

by Matthew Mullarky | Wed, 04/12/2017 - 12:50am | 11 comments

A Small Wars Journal and Military Writers Guild Writing Contest Finalist Article

by Hilary Matfess | Wed, 04/12/2017 - 12:21am | 1 comment

Ethiopia’s strategic value in counter-terrorism operations in the region butts heads with American foreign policy objectives of promoting democracy and liberal democratic values.

by Akali Omeni | Tue, 04/11/2017 - 11:53am | 0 comments

Why the Chibok Kidnappings occurred, and what, if anything, the Nigerian Army has done in its aftermath to prevent the repeat of a kidnapping on that scale by Boko Haram.

by Jennifer Jantzi | Tue, 04/11/2017 - 12:25am | 5 comments

This vivid narrative about an extraordinary American officer in Afghanistan presents two stories, both of interest to military professionals.

by Spencer B. Meredith III | Mon, 04/10/2017 - 2:57pm | 4 comments

The Gray Zone is becoming less opaque, less undefined because emerging analytical frameworks are finding their footing in the Department of Defense.

by Ryan Landrum | Mon, 04/10/2017 - 9:29am | 0 comments

In order to increase capacity, Congress should enact comprehensive reform legislation allowing DHS to reorganize its structure and broaden its leadership succession capability.

by SWJ Editors | Mon, 04/10/2017 - 8:51am | 4 comments

Congratulations to authors whose articles have been selected as the top essays submitted in our latest writers contest. Continue on for the listing.

by G. Murphy Donovan | Sun, 04/09/2017 - 1:04pm | 22 comments

The fight against Islamic terror has two faces today, public relations and strategic hokum. The Global Coalition on the Defeat of ISIS meeting illustrates these phenomena.

by Keith Nightingale | Sun, 04/09/2017 - 7:52am | 3 comments

It is our national tar baby. Most simply, it is a mess. We are there. We would like to get out. What are our options?

by James Torrence | Sat, 04/08/2017 - 3:37pm | 3 comments

The risks of Wi-Fi hotspots are compounded when users do not understand how Wi-Fi networks work, and thus do not comprehend the risks associated with connecting to a free hotspot.

by Richard M. Ingleby | Sat, 04/08/2017 - 11:47am | 0 comments

The primary reason for studying a nation’s military abilities should not be to affirm and extol the pleasant, but to expose and critically analyze shortcomings.

by Adam Day | Sat, 04/08/2017 - 8:10am | 0 comments

The Security Council’s decision to lower the troop ceiling by 3,600 troops is not necessarily as drastic as it sounds. MONUSCO operates at well below its authorized troop levels anyway.

by Joel Day | Fri, 04/07/2017 - 3:32am | 2 comments

Where will ISIS be after Donald J. Trump? The President has forcefully asserted that he will destroy not only ISIS, but also vowed to “exterminate” all of Islamic extremism.

by Justin M. Cobb, by Damon B. Loveless, by Angela M. Lewis | Fri, 04/07/2017 - 2:22am | 3 comments

If success was measured by how often a subject is mentioned or written about the U.S. military would surely be a smart culture-savvy force to be reckoned with.

by Octavian Manea | Thu, 04/06/2017 - 8:27am | 2 comments

SWJ discussion with Seth G. Jones, Director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation.

by Octavian Manea | Wed, 04/05/2017 - 9:08am | 6 comments

Revisited: A 2011 SWJ Discussion with Dr. Nadia Schadlow, Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Strategy

by Lucas Winter | Wed, 04/05/2017 - 8:43am | 0 comments

The Desert Hawks are a hybrid entity, both SyAA strike force and Jaber brothers PMC. The latter role has allowed them to emerge as successful loyalist intermediaries.

by Gary Anderson | Wed, 04/05/2017 - 7:49am | 1 comment

General Milley is right. We need to take on the megacity combat challenge. If the enemy know we can fight there and win, he is much less likely to fight there at all.

by Sean M. Castilla | Sat, 03/25/2017 - 11:56am | 4 comments

Despite the growing emphasis on megacity contingencies, many question the premise of U.S. participation in megacity conflict.

by Robert Bunker, by Marisa Mendoza | Thu, 03/23/2017 - 7:32pm | 0 comments

Mexican Cartel Tactical Note #31: Use of Burreros to Scale and Lift Up Border Fencing

by Charles Schultz, by Michael Kim | Wed, 03/22/2017 - 11:52am | 6 comments

This paper presents a vision of future warfare by extrapolating technological trends and uniting them under an operational concept.

by Arthur Deegan, by Yasir Khalid, by Michelle Kingue, by Aldo Taboada | Wed, 03/22/2017 - 6:17am | 0 comments

This paper explores the complexity surrounding the Syrian Civil War, current legislation that exists regarding cyber-warfare and ethics of cyber-attacks.

by Robert Fahs | Tue, 03/21/2017 - 8:11pm | 0 comments

Scholar and war correspondent Bernard Fall liked to gather information about combat in the field, near the front lines, where the fighting was going on - and he had done a lot of it.

by Nathaniel Moir | Mon, 03/20/2017 - 6:28am | 1 comment

As shown in a memorable War On the Rocks article, the legacy of the United States’ Counterinsurgency doctrine includes a contentious foundation.

by Daniel Ward | Sun, 03/19/2017 - 10:17am | 1 comment

U.S. vital interests need to be addressed through strong relationships and alliances. The U.S. cannot be content to rely on past goodwill and must actively build and nurture its ties within the region.

by Cheryl Phillips | Sat, 03/18/2017 - 2:48am | 25 comments

The United States is losing the information war against Daesh. Communication professionals must better understand the Daesh narrative, how it is constructed and promulgated.

by Terron Wharton | Fri, 03/17/2017 - 3:12pm | 3 comments

Warfighting functions do not integrate all five domains, adequately leverage emerging capabilities in electronic, information, and cyber-warfare, and do not provide a framework to synchronize them.

by Robert Bunker, by Marisa Mendoza | Thu, 03/16/2017 - 9:57pm | 0 comments

Mexican Cartel Tactical Note #30: Marijuana Kettlebells and Catapult and Air Cannon Projectiles

by Mark E. Vinson | Wed, 03/15/2017 - 1:45am | 36 comments

If, as President Obama asserted, “ideologies are not defeated by guns,” but by “better ideas,” then how should the U.S. military be used to help achieve strategic success.

by Guy Fricano | Tue, 03/14/2017 - 4:43am | 1 comment

Islamic State emphasis for hijrah in the immediate future bring support to previous observations regarding the theme of Urgency.

by Magdalena Defort | Mon, 03/13/2017 - 10:21pm | 6 comments

This essay addresses solutions for how the Army can strengthen its landpower in terms of the comprehensible understanding and awareness of the human dimension of the environment.

by Stephen Webber | Sun, 03/12/2017 - 12:54pm | 0 comments

How does a nation facing a serious internal threat develop the security institutions needed to protect its populace and what does a modern military force postured to defeat hybrid threats look like?

by Dan Sukman | Sat, 03/11/2017 - 9:25pm | 2 comments

As the Army looks to develop concepts on fighting wars in all domains, contributing to what has historically been an Air Force mission is paramount to our success in future wars.

by Jacob Udo-Udo Jacob | Fri, 03/10/2017 - 3:49pm | 1 comment

Considering how resilient Boko Haram has been over the years and the recent spate of attacks, I believe the war is anything but won and has entered a new and much more perilous phase.