JIHAD -- The Invisible War: Are We Protecting Our Forces?

Abstract

Since the Vietnam War, terrorism has caused more casualties to U.S. service members than military operations. Terrorism occurs in many different forms. This paper's focus is on the implications of acts of terrorism by Islamic fundamentalists against U.S. military operations. The 1993 Beirut and 1996 Dhahran bombings demonstrate the U.S. military's failure to include force protection as an essential element of operational analysis and planning. The U.S. is in the middle of a Jihad (holy war) waged by militant Islamic fundamentalists targeting those Arab governments that court the West. Understanding the aims of the Islamic fundamentalists is essential to successful military operations in the Middle East. The U.S. Central Command's assessments cited in this paper illustrate the importance for commanders to integrate regional geopolitical issues into operations. Recommendations to improve security for US military personnel include: creating a Joint Force Protection Center to provide operational support to commanders; establishing agreements with host nations to ensure robust force protection measures; training and assigning Force Protection Officers to operational units; and institutionalizing force protection doctrine into the curricula at all formal service schools for officers and enlisted personnel. Finally, force protection measures by themselves are only a deterrent. Commanders must employ forces that are least vulnerable to the threat of terrorism yet accomplish the mission. Commanders should consider the maximum employment of expeditionary forces in operations where the visibility of U.S. forces undermines host governments or promotes Islamic fundamentalism. Continuance of current practice is detrimental to the long-term U.S. security commitments and objectives in the region.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 07, 1997
Accession Number
ADA325127

Entities

People

  • Asad Khan

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Combat Readiness
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Department Of Defense
  • Employment
  • Force Protection
  • Governments
  • Middle East
  • Military Operations
  • Military Personnel
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Security Personnel
  • Terrorism
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies