Whole of Government Approach to Conflict

March 2018 No Comments

R4 Question #2: 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 of effort in both planning and execution? Author | Editor: Canna, S. (NSI, Inc). Executive Summary Not many experts were willing to tackle this problem of […]

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Iraq: Coalition or Bilateral Approach?

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Question (R6.3): What is most favorable for the stability and the future of Iraq after the defeat of Da’esh: continued presence of an international Coalition or normal state-to-state bilateral relations? If a Coalition is the preferred option, what could be the “unifying factor” for a post-OIR coalition in Iraq and what situations could exist/emerge to […]

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New Iran Strategy

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Question (R6.6): How does USCENTCOM, working within a whole of government approach, coordinate military operations in support of the change in approach towards Iran from the previous to the current administration? Author | Editor: Jafri, A. (NSI, Inc). Executive Summary As battlefield successes actualize, decision makers have an opportunity to align tactical and operational policies […]

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Building Partner Capacity: Iraq

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Question (R6.10): What can the U.S. and Coalition partners realistically do to enable Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) to combat a long-term ISIS insurgency? Recognizing the enormous resources the U.S. poured into the ISF from 2003 until 2011, only to see much of the force collapse in 2014, what can we do to avoid making the […]

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Denying the Seeds of Future Conflict

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Question (R6.1): What conditions (demographic, political, etc.) should exist on the ground in the Middle Euphrates River Valley and the tri border (Syria/Jordan/Iraq) region to deny the seeds of future conflict from being planted – particularly taking into account the assumed intention of Iranian proxy forces to establish a Shia “land bridge?” Which of these […]

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Competition Short of Armed Conflict with a Regional Power

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Question (R6.7): Are there examples from US history of competition short of open conflict1 with a regional power? What lessons exist that may be applied to resolving competing US/Iran objectives short of open conflict? Which examples are most relevant—pre- or post-World War II? Author | Editor: Polansky (Pagano), S. (NSI, Inc.) Executive Summary The experts […]

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Global Power Competition

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Question (R6.2): In the event that the US/Coalition is challenged by another global power [Russia for the purposes of this response], what are the second and third order effects in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility? Author | Editor: Jafri, A. (NSI, Inc). Executive Summary As Russia continues to challenge United States’ power and influence around […]

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Strategic Risk in the Space Domain

February 2018 No Comments

[Q16] Which international actors currently have the greatest strategic risk in the space domain? What affordable non-space alternatives are there to mitigate or avoid that strategic risk? A Virtual Think Tank (ViTTa)® Report. Author: George Popp (NSI, Inc.) Summary Response This report summarizes the input of 15 insightful responses contributed by space experts from National […]

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Blame, Sway, and Vigilante Tactics

January 2018 No Comments

Blame, Sway, and Vigilante Tactics: How Other Cultures Think Differently and Implications for Planning. Author | Editor: G. Sutherlin (Geographic Services, Inc.). Executive Summary Planners require context in order to achieve their goals. While planners understand that colder or more elevated locations have implications for an operation, the capacity to similarly adapt plans and operations […]

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Ally, Adversary, and Partner Use of Space

January 2018 No Comments

[Q2] How does each entity in the following categories conceive of space operations for military and commercial purposes? How do they approach space operations and services? Is there any difference in how their commercial ventures (if any) consider security during peace, crisis, and conflict? a. PRC, Russia, Iran, North Korea; b. European Space Agency, Japan, […]

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