Iraqi Nationalism in Countering Iran
Question (R4.1): How Strong is Iraqi Nationalism in Countering Iranian Influence? Author | Editor: Canna, S. (NSI, Inc.). Executive Summary History of Iraqi Nationalism As with all newly formed Arab states following the conclusion of WWI, Iraq struggled to establish an inclusive national identity (Abouaoun, Dagher). Rooted in the Hashim monarchy’s attempts to preserve antiquated […]
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Implications of Bad Outcomes in Yemen
Question (R4.11): What are the implications for the U.S. and GCC countries if the Arab coalition does not succeed or achieve an acceptable outcome in Yemen? Author | Editor: Aviles, W. (NSI, Inc.). Executive Summary Conflict in Yemen is now reaching the third year of its current incarnation, and despite the foreign intervention of GCC […]
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US Benefits to Supporting Afghanistan
Question (R4.10): Is the current U.S. approach to supporting Afghanistan beneficial? Or does it promote a cycle of dependency and counter-productive activities in the region? What strategic and local factors would need to be considered, managed and accepted in any significant change in military and/or other support? Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc.). Executive […]
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US and Russia Interests in Middle East
Question (R4.7): What are the respective national interests of the US and Russia in the Middle East, and what are the options for alleviating US/Russian tensions to mutual satisfaction and improved regional stability? Author | Editor: Pagano, S. (NSI, Inc.). Executive Summary The geopolitical foundation of the Middle East is undergoing a fundamental shift in […]
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US Foreign Policy as a Global Power
Question (R4.5): Does US foreign policy strike the right balance in supporting US interests and its role as a global power? Or, should the US consider a more isolationist approach to foreign policy? What impact could an isolationist policy have on Middle East security and stability, balance of influence by regional and world actors, and […]
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TAB A – 4th Round Quick Look Questions
Question TAB A: 4th Round Quick Look Questions Author | Editor: SMA Program Office. SMA Round Four Questions How strong a factor is Iraqi nationalism in countering Iranian influence? How could DoD and DoS be better postured to address regional and world conflicts to ensure a whole of government approach to identify and synchronize lines […]
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Panel Discussion on the Gray Zone
Panel Discussion on the Gray Zone. Author | Editor: Popp, G., Canna, C., Bragg, B., Stevenson, J. & Kuznar, L. (NSI, Inc.). Overview At the request of the Commander, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), the Strategic Multi-Layer Assessment (SMA) team initiated an effort, titled Gray Zone Conflicts-Challenges and Opportunities-A Multi-Agency Deep Dive Assessment, focused […]
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Role of Human Geography, Culture and Language
The Key Role of Human Geography, Culture and Language in Effective Communication. Author | Editor: Sutherlin, G. (Geographic Services, Inc.). Overview To begin with a truism, people in different places speak different languages; they belong to different cultures. This is not in dispute, but it remains a persistent operational challenge. Understanding other cultures well enough […]
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SMA Project Noor Programmatic Overview
Author | Editor: Popp, G. (NSI, Inc). This video is a brief overview of the Strategic Multi-Layer Assessment (SMA) team’s Project Noor effort in support of USCENTCOM. Over the past year, the SMA Reach Back Cell has produced a vast corpus of knowledge and insight in support of key USCENTCOM questions regarding Syria and […]
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Discussion with NPS Experts – May 2017
SMA Reachback Panel Discussion with Experts from Naval Postgraduate School – May 2017. Author | Editor: Peterson, N. (NSI, Inc). On 11 May 2017, NPS convened a panel session and discuss areas related to the 4th round of CENTCOM Reach Back Cell Questions. The speakers are listed below, and their biographies are available in Appendix […]
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