10th Annual SMA Conference – From Control to Influence
10th Annual SMA Conference – From Control to Influence? A View of—and Vision for—the Future. Author | Editor: George Popp, Sarah Canna, & Nicole (Peterson) Omundson (NSI, Inc.). Conference Background The Strategic Multi-Layer Assessment (SMA) office hosted the 10th Annual SMA Conference on 25-26 April 2017 at Joint Base Andrews. This year’s conference, formally titled […]
Continue ReadingPanel Discussion on Iraq and Syria
Panel Discussion on Iraq and Syria. Author | Editor: Popp, G. & Canna, S. (NSI, Inc.). Executive Summary This report represents the views and opinions of the participants. The report does not represent official USG policy or position. At the request of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), the Joint Staff (JS), the Deputy Director for […]
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Successful Campaign Against ISIS
Question (R4.4): What does a successfully concluded campaign against ISIS look like? Considering costs, reputation, and balance of influence, how should the U.S./Coalition define success? Is the defeat of ISIS a success if it causes the balance of power in the region to shift towards Iran, Assad, or Russia? Author | Editor: Hayes Ellis, D. […]
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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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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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Discussion with NPS Experts – May 2017
SMA Reachback Panel Discussion with Experts from Naval Postgraduate School – May 2017. Author | Editor: Nicole (Peterson) Omundson (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 […]
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Highlights From Round 1, 2, 3 Questions
SMA Reachback: Highlights From CENTCOM Round 1, 2 and 3 Questions. Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). Overview ISIS will be defeated militarily. However, whether it is ultimately overcome by containment or by deploying ground forces to apply overwhelming force, the path to mitigating violent extremism in the region is a generations-long one. Military […]
Continue ReadingMeaning of ISIS Defeat & Shaping Stability
The Meaning of ISIS Defeat and Shaping Stability — Highlights from CENTCOM Round 1, 2 and 3 Reach-back Reports. Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). Conclusion ISIS will be defeated militarily. However, whether it is ultimately overcome by containment or by deploying ground forces to apply overwhelming force, the path to mitigating violent extremism […]
Continue ReadingImpact of the Presence of ISIS in Africa
Question (AR1.Q1): How will the future of ISIS in Syria and Iraq impact the presence of ISIS in Africa? Author | Editor: Polansky (Pagano), S. (NSI, Inc). While the consideration of ISIS’s fate in Syria and Iraq of course adds significant value to the question of ISIS in Africa, ISIS’s next steps there appear to […]
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Strategic Multi-layer Assessment Report Card
Strategic Multi-layer Assessment (SMA) Report Card. Author | Editor: Astorino-Courtois, A. (NSI, Inc). Strategic Multi-Layer Assessment (SMA) provides planning support to Commands. SMA projects focus on complex operational imperatives requiring multi-agency, multi- disciplinary solutions that are NOT within core Service/Agency competency. SMA solutions and participants are sought across USG and beyond. SMA is accepted and […]
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