Trained to Kill: Battlefield Participation in Kurdish Fighters
“Trained to Kill: Battlefield Participation in Kurdish Fighters“ Speaker: Cancian, M. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Date: 16 August 2019 Speaker Session Preview SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Mr. Matthew Cancian (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) as a part of its SMA CENTCOM Speaker Series. During his presentation, Mr. Cancian posed the following question: Can US training improve battlefield participation of our partners? He […]
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Trends in Online Foreign Influence Efforts
“Trends in Online Foreign Influence Efforts” Speaker: Shapiro, J. (Princeton University) Date: 15 August 2019 Speaker Session Preview SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Professor Jacob Shapiro (Princeton University) as a part of its SMA General Speaker Series. To begin, Professor Shapiro outlined three criteria used to define a foreign influence effort: 1) “foreign” (i.e., an attempt by country […]
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The Implications of Climate Change for the US Military
Speaker: Miller, S. (US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) G-2 Mad Scientist Laboratory) Date: 14 August 2019 Speaker Session Preview SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Ms. Sage Miller (US Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) G-2 Mad Scientist Laboratory) as a part of its SMA General Speaker Series. During her brief, Ms. Miller presented an overview of the military and […]
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12th Annual SMA Conference- The Evolving Anatomy of Conflict in a Dynamically Changing World
12th Annual SMA Conference – The Evolving Anatomy of Conflict in a Dynamically Changing World Author | Editor: Aviles, W. (NSI, Inc.) Conference Theme The 12th Annual SMA Conference, entitled “The Evolving Anatomy of Conflict in a Dynamically Changing World,” was held 21-22 May 2019 at the General Jacob E. Smart Conference Center at Joint […]
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America’s S&T and Dynamics of Great Power Competition
“America’s S&T and Dynamics of Great Power Competition“ Speaker: Coletta, D. (US Air Force Academy) Date: 9 August 2019 Speaker Session Preview SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Mr. Damon Coletta (US Air Force Academy) as a part of its Future of Global Competition & Conflict Speaker Series. Mr. Coletta first stated that the US needs to find a better balance […]
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Resisting War: How Communities Protect Themselves
Speaker: Dr. Oliver Kaplan (University of Denver) Date: 8 August 2019 Speaker Session Preview SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Dr. Oliver Kaplan (University of Denver) as a part of its SMA Minerva Speaker Series. His presentation focused on his book, entitled Resisting War: How Communities Protect Themselves. In his book, Dr. Kaplan looks at instances of civilian agency in order […]
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The United States, Iran, and the Politics of the JCPOA
“The United States, Iran, and the Politics of the JCPOA” Speaker: Ansari, A. (University of St. Andrews / Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)) Date: 7 August 2019 Speaker Session Preview SMA hosted a speaker session presented by Professor Ali Ansari (University of St. Andrews / Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)) as a part of its SMA CENTCOM Speaker […]
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Iranian Media Narrative Perspectives on the US and Global Competition: A Media Ecology & Strategic Analysis (MESA) Group Report
Iranian Media Narrative Perspectives on the US and Global Competition: A Media Ecology & Strategic Analysis (MESA) Group Report Authors | Editors: Cooley, S. (Oklahoma State University); Hinck, R. (Monmouth College); Kitsch, S. (Monmouth College); Cooley, A. (Oklahoma State University) Executive Summary The following highlights Iranian perspectives on: geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East, the US, the global order, and the role of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the region coming from Iranian news media intended for […]
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Overcoming “the Silo Effect” in the Department of Defense
Overcoming “the Silo Effect” in the Department of Defense Author: Lyle, D. (Air Education and Training Command (AETC) and Air University) Executive Summary Different perspectives and operational goals across services allows for specialized expertise, but also creates a vulnerability for silo creation. At times, these silos can inhibit cooperation, limit mission effectiveness, and leave critical decision points inadequately […]
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Influential Violent Extremist Organizational Partners of Iran
Influential Violent Extremist Organizational Partners of Iran Authors | Editors: Logan, M. K. (University of Nebraska Omaha); Zimmerman, L. (University of Nebraska Omaha); Ligon, G. (University of Nebraska Omaha) Executive Summary This paper addresses two key Violent Extremist Organizations (VEOs) with close ties to the Iran regime. More specifically, we examine the organizational and leadership characteristics of the Badr Brigades and Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH) using the Leadership for the Extreme […]
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