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 Prebble Q. Ramswell | Wed, 04/30/2014 - 12:39pm | 3 comments

How grievances have become a tool of Islamic extremists intent on righting perceived wrongs as determined by their interpretations of Islam.

by Scott Goldman, by Jessica Caddell, by Jeff Barta | Sun, 04/27/2014 - 10:51am | 0 comments

This article provides ten tips focused at the tactical level to assist combat leaders on advising host nation security forces on using warrant based targeting.

by Jim Lacey | Thu, 04/24/2014 - 4:22pm | 20 comments

"... Still coming from William Lind, the “self-professed” inventor, or re-inventor, of the concept of maneuver warfare it cannot be lightly disregarded."

by Steve Speece | Thu, 04/24/2014 - 8:56am | 1 comment

Dueling With Clausewitz: Games of Preemption, Wars of Attrition, and Deconstructing a Classic Analogy for Understanding the Fundamental Nature of the First World War

by Joel Lawton | Wed, 04/23/2014 - 2:57pm | 6 comments

The IC largely fails to plan and take into consideration sociocultural facets typical to a population within the purview of a unit’s operational environment.

by Stan Wiechnik | Tue, 04/22/2014 - 5:54pm | 0 comments

Schizophrenic Doctrine: Why We Need to Separate Democratization Out of Stability and COIN Doctrine

by Chief of Staff of the Army’s Strategic Studies Group (Fellows) | Mon, 04/21/2014 - 10:12am | 4 comments

By assessing individual megacities through this framework, the Army can better understand how it might operate as part of a joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational force.

by Todd Arnold, by Thomas Cook, by David Raymond, by Ed Skoudis, by Michael Weigand, by Gregory Conti | Fri, 04/18/2014 - 12:31pm | 14 comments

What we propose is unique, demanding, immersive, and fills a necessary gap.  This article is a condensed form of a more detailed analysis and description of the proposed Army Cyber Leader Course.

by JD Swinney | Fri, 04/18/2014 - 10:03am | 2 comments

The proper question is not what helicopter should the Army be using today, but rather what should the Army be developing for tomorrow.

by Brad Striegel | Thu, 04/17/2014 - 5:05pm | 32 comments

Calling “Team Yankee”: Why the U.S. Needs Heavy Armor Back in Europe

by James C. Mwombela | Thu, 04/17/2014 - 2:04pm | 0 comments

The goal of this paper is to contribute to the debate surrounding the question of whether or not American foreign policy has become excessively interventionist.

by Daniel Sukman | Thu, 04/17/2014 - 1:59am | 0 comments

Not only does non-lethal anti-access represent an option for America’s potential adversaries, in some cases it is the only option, and may be the option of last resort.

by Jill S. Russell | Wed, 04/16/2014 - 11:04am | 0 comments

From Riots to Vigil: The Community, the Police and Mark Duggan’s Legacy

by Raashi Bhatia | Tue, 04/15/2014 - 8:53pm | 0 comments

This article thus aims to bring back to light India’s national security policies following the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

by James Steels | Tue, 04/15/2014 - 8:13pm | 2 comments

"Russia seized on an opportunity and took the initiative."

by Jack McCourt | Tue, 04/15/2014 - 4:06pm | 8 comments

This is meant as a poetic book review of The Insurgents by Fred Kaplan. It is about how General Petraeus and others tried to advance Army doctrine by incorporating counterinsurgency TTP.

by Kris Bachmann | Mon, 04/14/2014 - 3:16am | 2 comments

The military must be kept in conversation with the populace it serves or risk the rise of a warrior class unable to relate to or understand the public they are defending.

by Nate Roy | Fri, 04/11/2014 - 5:28pm | 3 comments

The purpose of this essay is to enter into an ongoing debate regarding the definition of an ended insurgency.

by Sean P. Walsh | Tue, 04/08/2014 - 3:10pm | 18 comments

High-level language skills for Special Forces personnel are a requirement for current and future operations, but they are very difficult and costly to achieve and maintain.

by Octavian Manea | Tue, 04/08/2014 - 7:58am | 14 comments

Lessons from the Post 9/11 Campaigns: Small Wars Journal Discussion with General John R. Allen.

by Alex Deep | Mon, 04/07/2014 - 6:32am | 9 comments

VSO incorporates aspects of a US sponsored insurgency by attempting to expand government influence and administration to areas under the control of an occupying power.

by Alex Calvo | Sun, 04/06/2014 - 7:04pm | 3 comments

Cyberwar is War: A Critique of “Hacking Can Reduce Real-World Violence”

by Jeong Lee | Sat, 04/05/2014 - 4:45pm | 0 comments

The Lieutenant Don't Know: One Marine's Story of Warfare and Combat Logistics in Afghanistan by Captain Jeffrey Clement.

by Kieran Elliott | Sat, 04/05/2014 - 4:07am | 4 comments

There is no shortage of literature on Hezbollah’s history, ideology and strategies, but comparatively less addressing the group’s involvement in the Syrian conflict.

by Marisol Nieves, by Norman T. Lihou | Fri, 04/04/2014 - 3:34am | 8 comments

Conceptualizing Human Domain Management: Human Network Analysis and Engagement (HNAE) Operations

by Dan McCauley | Thu, 04/03/2014 - 11:43pm | 1 comment

Joint Professional Military Education: Anticipating at the Speed of the Environment

by Douglas Batson | Thu, 04/03/2014 - 10:18pm | 1 comment

Black Spots Are No Treasure Island: Land Tenure and Property Rights in Megacities

by M. David Yaman | Wed, 04/02/2014 - 9:01pm | 0 comments

At a Crossroads: Flashpoints and Opportunities in U.S. Relations with the Muslim Brotherhood

by John P. Sullivan | Mon, 03/31/2014 - 8:22pm | 1 comment

Transnational crime and its associated transnational illicit networks pose a challenge to sovereignty and governance by fostering corruption and impunity.

by Octavian Manea | Sat, 03/29/2014 - 6:25pm | 5 comments

Reflections on the Continuities in War and Warfare: SWJ Discussion with Major General H.R. McMaster

by Marcelo O.L. Serrano | Tue, 03/25/2014 - 4:02pm | 0 comments

This paper analyses the concept of War Amongst the People proposed by General Rupert Smith in his book “The Utility of Force: the Art of War in the Modern World”.

by Stephen A. Mackey | Mon, 03/24/2014 - 7:15am | 8 comments

A Civilian Expeditionary Force Defense Agency would promote creation of a readily deployable “Government in a Box” to meet contingencies.

by Octavian Manea | Sun, 03/23/2014 - 2:17pm | 0 comments

SWJ discussion with Dr. Andrew D. May, Associate Director, Office of the Director, Net Assessment, Department of Defense.

by Magdalena Defort | Sat, 03/22/2014 - 4:51pm | 9 comments

The “Hidden” Power of Illegally Armed Groups in Latin America: Mexico a Case Study

by Patrick C. Brien | Fri, 03/21/2014 - 2:33am | 1 comment

Understanding the Sea: The Practical Application of Census Operations as a Primary Tool for the Platoon-Level Counterinsurgent

by Caitlin S. Hall | Thu, 03/20/2014 - 9:34am | 0 comments

The Trusted Shadow and Trojan Horse of the United States Government: Human Behavior and the Insider Threat

by David Sniffen | Wed, 03/19/2014 - 9:36am | 1 comment

The importance of “trust” as a unifying force in military organizations and their battlefield operations is often hidden behind a ‘vale of obviousness’ and given second order attention.

by Irina Alexandra Chindea | Wed, 03/19/2014 - 1:18am | 1 comment

This essay is the first in a series exploring the issue of drug-related violence in Mexico.

by Kristen Wood | Tue, 03/18/2014 - 1:40am | 3 comments

SWJ Book Review - Hunting Che:  How a U.S. Special Forces Team Helped Capture the World’s Most Famous Revolutionary.

by Shawn Green | Mon, 03/17/2014 - 5:08am | 0 comments

The intention of this essay to argue that radical individuals and groups are not the product of perennial characteristics of Islam.

by Stephen Chenelle, by Joe Buccino, by Kris Michaud | Fri, 03/14/2014 - 2:13am | 17 comments

Since the end of World War II, the employment of the U.S. military has been linked to Middle Eastern oil and its exportation lanes.

by Jonathan Schroden, by Patricio Asfura-Heim, by Catherine Norman, by Jerry Meyerle | Thu, 03/13/2014 - 3:01pm | 0 comments

Observations from the field say “yes”.

by John Groninger, by Charles Ruffner | Thu, 03/13/2014 - 11:56am | 3 comments

Interaction among foreign forces and local farmers was perhaps never more important for mission success than in Afghanistan over the course of OEF.

by Bianca De Bortoli | Thu, 03/13/2014 - 4:12am | 1 comment

As a result of many decades of advocacy and fighting for justice, it is clear that in order to achieve the best outcome, no mechanism can do so in isolation.

by Adam Jay Harrison | Wed, 03/12/2014 - 6:31am | 0 comments

The Defense Innovation Imperative: A Prescription for Preserving and Formalizing Rapid Technology Innovation in the Department of Defense

by Juan-Camilo Castillo | Tue, 03/11/2014 - 7:06am | 0 comments

BACRIM in Colombia: Security Micro-Ecosystems and Violent Non-State Actor Fragmentation

by Evan Munsing | Mon, 03/10/2014 - 1:18pm | 21 comments

A man, a myth, and a Hollywood epic, Thomas Edward Lawrence has served as a theoretical touchstone for generations of professional soldiers.

by Brett Doyle | Mon, 03/10/2014 - 1:43am | 4 comments

Co-Existence, Co-Ordination, and Crowding Out: Examining the Interrelation Between Nonviolent and Armed Resistance Movements

by William Allen | Sun, 03/09/2014 - 1:58am | 0 comments

Once the heart of a bustling Islamic maritime trade the Horn of Africa is now wrought with war, drought, famine, and violent political decay.

by Byron Ramirez | Sat, 03/08/2014 - 8:02am | 0 comments

This essay focuses on a set of highly advanced technological inventions used for transporting and delivering narcotics.