Lessons for a Long War: How America Can Win on New Battlefields
As the guarantor of international security, the United States must commit to a long-term military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. But what are the tools necessary to succeed on the new battlefields of the Long War? In this volume, a group of the foremost U.S. military officials and national security experts analyze the American experience in Iraq and Afghanistan thus far in order to map a way forward―not only for the military, but for diplomats, elected officials, and the American public. Giselle Donnelly, Frederick W. Kagan, and their coauthors offer several core lessons for success in The Long War. They argue that decentralizing command is the key to efficient operations on an ever-changing battlefield; that air power is the unsung hero of counterinsurgency warfare; that public opinion can influence crucial military decisions; and that the military should minimize its role in domestic affairs. Finally, although the battlefields have changed over the last fifty years, the authors contend that America's long-held counterinsurgency strategy―to foster political support at home, employ diplomacy overseas, and extend military assistance to allies―remains effective. The Long War will not soon be over. But, in the words of retired Army special forces officer Colonel Robert Killebrew, the United States already has "the tools it needs in order to prevail in the wars of the twenty-first century.
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Lessons for a Long War: How America Can Win on New Battlefields
As the guarantor of international security, the United States must commit to a long-term military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. But what are the tools necessary to succeed on the new battlefields of the Long War? In this volume, a group of the foremost U.S. military officials and national security experts analyze the American experience in Iraq and Afghanistan thus far in order to map a way forward―not only for the military, but for diplomats, elected officials, and the American public. Giselle Donnelly, Frederick W. Kagan, and their coauthors offer several core lessons for success in The Long War. They argue that decentralizing command is the key to efficient operations on an ever-changing battlefield; that air power is the unsung hero of counterinsurgency warfare; that public opinion can influence crucial military decisions; and that the military should minimize its role in domestic affairs. Finally, although the battlefields have changed over the last fifty years, the authors contend that America's long-held counterinsurgency strategy―to foster political support at home, employ diplomacy overseas, and extend military assistance to allies―remains effective. The Long War will not soon be over. But, in the words of retired Army special forces officer Colonel Robert Killebrew, the United States already has "the tools it needs in order to prevail in the wars of the twenty-first century.
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Overview

As the guarantor of international security, the United States must commit to a long-term military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. But what are the tools necessary to succeed on the new battlefields of the Long War? In this volume, a group of the foremost U.S. military officials and national security experts analyze the American experience in Iraq and Afghanistan thus far in order to map a way forward―not only for the military, but for diplomats, elected officials, and the American public. Giselle Donnelly, Frederick W. Kagan, and their coauthors offer several core lessons for success in The Long War. They argue that decentralizing command is the key to efficient operations on an ever-changing battlefield; that air power is the unsung hero of counterinsurgency warfare; that public opinion can influence crucial military decisions; and that the military should minimize its role in domestic affairs. Finally, although the battlefields have changed over the last fifty years, the authors contend that America's long-held counterinsurgency strategy―to foster political support at home, employ diplomacy overseas, and extend military assistance to allies―remains effective. The Long War will not soon be over. But, in the words of retired Army special forces officer Colonel Robert Killebrew, the United States already has "the tools it needs in order to prevail in the wars of the twenty-first century.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780844743295
Publisher: American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
Publication date: 05/16/2010
Pages: 180
Product dimensions: 6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Giselle Donnelly is a resident fellow in defense and security policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute. She previously served as policy group director and professional staff member for the House Committee on Armed Services.

Frederick W. Kagan is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and director of the AEI Critical Threats Project. He was formerly associate professor of military history at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Table of Contents

Introduction Thomas Donnelly Frederick W. Kagan 1

What Is the "Long War"? 1

How Did We Get into the Long War? 4

Which Way Forward? 7

1 Domestic Politics and the Long War Peter D. Feaver 11

Public Opinion 12

Partisan Politics 16

The Media and the Marketplace of Ideas 27

Conclusion 32

2 Renegotiating the Civil-Military Bargain After 9/11 Mackubin Thomas Owens 34

Public Acrimony 36

Military "Pushback" 40

The "Normal" Theory of Civil-Military Relations 43

Civil-Military Relations and the Constraints of Service Culture 47

The Unintended Consequences of Defense Reform 52

The Use of the Military in Domestic Affairs 57

Civil-Military Tensions in the Obama Administration 61

Conclusion 63

3 Centralization vs. Decentralization: Preparing for and Practicing Mission Command in Counterinsurgency Operations H. R. McMaster 64

Theory vs. the Reality of Counterinsurgency Warfare 65

Counterinsurgency Demands Decentralization 69

Preparation for Decentralized Counterinsurgency Operations 72

The Foundation for Operational Planning 79

The Essential Elements of Operational Plans 83

Directing Counterinsurgency Operations 88

Conclusion 92

4 The Air Force and Twenty-First-Century Conflicts: Dysfunctional or Dynamic? Charles J. Dunlap 93

Air Force Culture and Leadership Development 96

An Airpower Renaissance? 104

The Civilian Casualty Conundrum 106

Airpower and COIN 108

Is Imitation Flattery or ...? 110

The Future 111

5 Strategy, Counterinsurgency, and the Army Robert Killebrew 114

Political Support for Counterinsurgency 117

Diplomacy's Role in Counterinsurgency 120

Military Assistance and Country Teams 121

Fighting Insurgencies in the Twenty-First Century 122

Recommended Strategies for Twenty-First-Century Counterinsurgency 124

Conclusion 132

Notes 135

Index 159

About the Authors 167

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