Thousands of cyberspace attacks occur each day and the likelihood of a significant incident in the near future is high. The development of a coherent cyberstrategy has been slow in coming, however. This delay often emanates from the perception that cyberspace represents such a pervasive revolution in the conduct of warfare that successful deterrence strategies of the past are not applicable. Currently, the benefits for committing malicious actions in cyberspace far outweigh the risk of punishment. The thesis of this paper is that the U.S. government can follow a path to an effective...

Since the mid-1990's, the Al Qaeda Network has expressed the desire to obtain a nuclear or radiological weapon for use against the United States. While international protocols exist that are designed to inhibit acquisition by non-state actors and proliferation to rogue states, it is still possible for Al Qaeda to obtain a nuclear or radiological weapon capability. If they are successful in their pursuit of a weapon, the task facing the United States becomes prevention of a successful attack on the U.S. homeland. As international illicit trafficking efforts have grown more sophisticated, Al...

As the drawdown in defense spending starts to take effect, the Department of Defense's ability to maintain the readiness of its military forces is the subject of growing debate. Both civil and military leaders express deep-seated concerns about the impact on national security of defense cuts imposed by the Budget Control Act of 2011 and the March 1, 2013 sequestration. In the past, policy makers have tended to over correct with military drawdowns, thereby paving the way for military missteps. United States policies and defense strategies have historically left the military unprepared for the...

Air superiority has been become non-negotiable in conducting U.S. military operations. In fact, the maturation of airpower has ensured that we have not been challenged by a conventional military in a "fair fight" in over 50 years. Air superiority is not an end in and of itself-its value is directly tied to the role air superiority plays toward the overall campaign objectives. History is replete with examples of successful or failed air superiority campaigns. This paper details air superiority's role in both the Battle of Britain, and the 1967 Six Day War's Operation MOKED. Today's operations...

This paper examines the effects of a renewable energy policy on American foreign policy. As the US weans itself from oil it will accelerate the already occurring geopolitical shift in the Middle East from a region dominated by the United States to one that will be dominated by China. As a result of this shift, the US will lose access and influence in the region and realignments will occur among nation states leading the Saudis to grow their military and accelerate their quest for nuclear weapons. Unencumbered by the US, Saudi Arabian domestic policies will shift towards the more extreme...

Since late 2009, most offensive cyber capabilities have been unavailable to the Joint Force Commander. Outside of the boundaries of a theater of war, offensive cyber activities are limited to those in response to Presidential direction only. This limitation is a result of competing interests within the U.S. Government for control of cyberspace as an operational domain. The competition is currently being played out through an artificial legal debate over authorities and terminology. To remove some of the subjectivity associated with the debate over cyberspace control, the author first engages...

The national debate surrounding America's involvement in Iraq is complex and confusing. While it has been full of vitriol and invective, it has been notably lacking in balance, perspective and texture. In the middle of this national debate are the American warrior and an immediate group of family and supporters. More often than not, these fully committed participants remain quiet while listening to the raging war of words, or watching it on television sets in Iraq. The national debate is divisive, and at times, the American warrior is wounded by the words and the emotion that animate it. This...

The Posse Comitatus Act (PCA) is often the so called linchpin that bars the use of our military forces to support and enforce civil law within the borders of the United States. This act has in effect, denied the citizens of the United States the utmost protection they should be afforded by the federal government by restricting the use of Department of Defense assets to be used as force multipliers to our federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The United States will be required to once again do more with less as federal spending is decreased on not only homeland defense, but its...

This book proposes that the National Guard is a service equivalent force and requires expanded authorities to develop capabilities for its dual-role mission. The book provides an in depth analysis of the historical role of the militia and the subsequently the National Guard. It examines the debates and issues that underpin the current defense force structure and makes specific recommendations for the future development and role of the National Guard.