Small Wars Journal
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"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

Radical Islamist Weaponized Drone Use I&W (Indications & Warning) in Africa: A Terrorism Research Note
by John P. Sullivan, by Keaton O.K. Bunker | Fri, 12/01/2023 - 8:39pm | 0 comments
Categories: drones - unmanned aerial systems - El Centro 1 December 2023 The global rise of drones has made vast changes to how countries wage war, spy on their enemies, and even deliver goods. Terrorist groups are also rapidly incorporating drone technology for intelligence, propaganda, and attack purposes. The impact of weaponized drone use has been felt in conflicts all over the world including the Russo-Ukraine war, conflicts in the Middle East, and now it has begun to enter Africa. There have been more struggles between governments and violent nonstate actors in Africa than anywhere in the world, and now that drones are actively being used by radical Islamist terrorist organizations in the continent, it is important to analyze how they have utilized drones since 2018 and how that usage may change via an indications and warning (I&W) perspective.
“Digging ourselves out of a hole.” Some thoughts on the current recruiting crisis
by Martin Stanton | Wed, 11/29/2023 - 10:17pm | 0 comments
In the past year we have been bombarded by stories about the military – particularly the Army, experiencing a recruiting crisis that has caused major shortfalls in manning the force.  There are various reasons given for this recruiting shortfall.  From pushback against the “woke” military by traditional military families to non-participation by normally liberal/progressive communities,  the impact of the Afghan debacle and the mismanaged “Global War On Terror” (GWOT) conflicts of the first two decades of the 21st century to highly publicized veteran’s issues (suicide etc.), the involuntary separation of thousands of servicemembers who were reticent to take the COVID vaccine, changing demographics, competitive pay scales in the civilian workplace and cumbersome recruiting processes, the causes given for the recruiting crisis are legion and likely all true to some extent.  
The Cobra and the Mongoose: the Legacy Of The Mi-24 and the Stinger Missile in The Soviet-Afghan War
by Walter Kunkle | Fri, 11/24/2023 - 7:45pm | 0 comments
The Soviet Union’s decade-long incursion into Afghanistan has been compared to the American experience in Vietnam. Both wars bore some surface similarities to each other, though closer examination would reveal a multitude of differences behind the circumstances that brought them about, the relative commitment both great powers had to these conflicts, and the motivations for their involvement in the first place. But one striking similarity exists: both wars saw heavy use of the helicopter in an offensive role. The U.S. had taken notice of the successes the French had seen with these weapons of war in Algeria. The Bell AH-1 Cobra that the United States came to rely on in Vietnam was the first dedicated helicopter gunship ever fielded, and proved similarly instrumental to the U.S. war effort. Inspired by this design, the Soviets incorporated notable features from the AH-1 into their own flying gunship, the Mil Mi-24 helicopter, referred to by NATO observers as the “Hind.” Borrowing further characteristics from the contemporaneous UH-60 Black Hawk transport helicopter, the Hind would make its international debut in the early 70s and come to prominence in the Soviet-Afghan War.
Perspective – Send in the Robots: Counter-Terrorism Response and Emerging Drone Technology
by Zachary Kallenborn , by Derrick Tin, MD, by Gregory R. Ciottone, MD | Fri, 11/17/2023 - 3:26pm | 0 comments
Terrorists, suicide bombers in particular, create chaos and bring death and destruction to the masses. Not only are innocent people hurt or killed, buildings and critical infrastructure will likely be damaged or destroyed. Police, firefighters, medics, and other first responders may struggle to respond when bridges and roads are compromised and saving lives means entering collapsing, contaminated buildings and potentially placing their own lives at risk. Drones are increasingly being used to help.
Sequencing Burma’s Resistance:  A Three-Phase Approach to Defeating the Junta
by J. “Lumpy” Lumbaca | Fri, 11/17/2023 - 10:39am | 0 comments
This paper proposes that a three-phase approach is necessary for Burma’s resistance movement to be victorious.  Phase One requires all ethnic minority groups to put differences aside and mass kinetic and non-kinetic efforts to defeat the junta.  Phase Two demands both substantial international support for the resistance we well as increased global pressure on the junta.  Phase Three involves minority groups agreeing to a common strategic vision for post-junta Myanmar.  It is critical that Phase One takes priority and reaches a certain level of success before any subsequent phases can effectively occur.  Phases Two and Three may take place simultaneously. 
Versatility at the Tip of the Spear: Food Security and the Utility of SOF
by Lydia Kostopoulos, by Peter Cloutier, by Isaiah Wilson III | Mon, 11/13/2023 - 2:46pm | 0 comments
The full use and utility of special operations forces has been underappreciated in the context of food security. It is food (in)security that lies at the heart of every conflict today and yet invisible to most in its most fundamental context as a matter, and driver, of global security and defense. Special Operations Forces (SOF) offer unique capabilities that can respond best to USAID Administrator Samantha Powers’ concluding statement in the 2022-2026 U.S. Global Food Security Strategy that, “Conflict remains the single largest driver of food crises worldwide, so the Strategy also leverages investments in conflict mitigation, peacebuilding, and social cohesion.” The COVID pandemic has brought our global food systems to the public eye, and it is the Russo-Ukrainian War that has made the fragility of the food system all the more visible and hard-felt.
Irregular Warfare:  Undermining the CCP’s Dangerous and Illegal Activities in the Indo-Pacific
by J. “Lumpy” Lumbaca | Sun, 11/12/2023 - 4:00pm | 0 comments
To address the dangerous and illegal actions of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the Indo-Pacific, the United States Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) requires a comprehensive Irregular Warfare (IW) campaign strategy. The word “campaign” is used since this is an enduring effort that requires constant assessment and refinement to ensure effectiveness. The first part of this paper outlines strategic focus areas that the IW campaign should be built upon. The second part of this paper describes specific lines of effort that may be used as building blocks toward strategic success. The emphasis on the second part of the paper is to inspire new, creative thinking toward undermining CCP malign activity.
SWJ Book Review – Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine
by Sean S. Costigan | Fri, 11/10/2023 - 8:58pm | 0 comments
Book review of Mark Galeotti's "Putin's Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine" by Professor Sean Costigan.
Whistling in the Dark: Why the Pentagon’s Joint Concept for Competing is Not Enough
by Ryan Shaw | Thu, 11/09/2023 - 8:01pm | 0 comments
A tree fell in the Pentagon forest and, judging by the response, no one was around to hear it. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs signed the Joint Concept for Competing (JCC) in February and it was published without any formal announcement. Its release was noted in Small Wars Journal; only a few news outlets and analysts offered commentary. The muted response is surprising, because it is a serious and thoughtful document that aims to revolutionize the United States’ approach to employing military power in strategic competition—it is a big tree, indeed.
Ensuring the Success of America’s First University-Based Irregular Warfare Research Center
by Dave Maxwell | Wed, 11/08/2023 - 9:51am | 0 comments
The wars in Ukraine and Israel both promise to be nasty, brutish, and … long. They also represent the new normal in the willingness and ability of U.S. competitors to use “irregular” means to undermine U.S. allies, partners, and friends in a bid to displace the U.S.-led international order. In Ukraine, it is Russian proxies and mercenaries in addition to conventional forces. And in Israel, it is Iranian surrogate terrorist groups. It is likely there is the invisible hand of China’s unrestricted warfare operating in the background throughout the world. (Editor's Note: Today (8 November 2023) the Special Forces Regiment is conducting its annual ceremony to honor President John F. Kennedy for his leadership and for championing the Green Berets)

Blog Posts

12/3/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Sun, 12/03/2023 - 7:58am | 0 comments

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12/2/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Sat, 12/02/2023 - 1:00pm | 0 comments

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12/1/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Fri, 12/01/2023 - 9:39am | 0 comments

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11/30/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Thu, 11/30/2023 - 7:58am | 0 comments

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11/29/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Wed, 11/29/2023 - 11:19am | 0 comments

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11/28/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Tue, 11/28/2023 - 7:51am | 0 comments

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11/27/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Mon, 11/27/2023 - 9:07am | 0 comments

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1. Green Beret’s tribute to JFK continues

11/26/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Sun, 11/26/2023 - 9:41am | 0 comments

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ASU's Competitive Statecraft Initiative will produce Inter Populum, a new academic journal dedicated to issues surrounding irregular warfare
by SWJ Editors | Sat, 11/25/2023 - 8:03pm | 0 comments

An important new Journal.  Access Inter Populum HERE.

 

November 22, 2023

11/25/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Sat, 11/25/2023 - 11:55am | 0 comments

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11/24/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Fri, 11/24/2023 - 11:57am | 0 comments

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11/23/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Thu, 11/23/2023 - 10:58am | 0 comments

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11/22/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Wed, 11/22/2023 - 10:03am | 0 comments

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11/21/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Tue, 11/21/2023 - 9:15am | 0 comments

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11/20/23 National Security and Korean News and Commentary
by Dave Maxwell | Mon, 11/20/2023 - 9:39am | 0 comments

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