Improving Strategic Competence: Lessons from 13 Years of War

Abstract

This report contributes to the ongoing debate about the lessons from the past 13 years of war and the requirements for addressing future conflicts. It addresses a particular disconnect in the current debate on the future of national security strategy and the role of landpower caused by an inadequate examination of the national level of strategy made by the U.S. government. The disconnect exists because there has been no systematic effort to collect and analyze insights from those who have been actively engaged in making policy and strategy from 2001 to 2014. A RAND Arroyo Center workshop provided a mechanism for eliciting insights from policymakers and academic experts involved in the formation of national-level strategy and its implementation over the past 13 years. This study analyzes and develops those insights in the context of the debate on future national security strategy. It applies those insights to the future operating environment, which will include irregular and hybrid threats, and identifies critical requirements for land forces and special operations forces to operate successfully in conjunction with other joint, interagency, and multinational partners.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2014
Accession Number
ADA610735

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey Decker
  • John Gordon Iv
  • Linda Robinson
  • Michael Schwille
  • Paul D. Miller
  • Raphael S. Cohen

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anti-Tank Missiles
  • Combat Areas
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Employment
  • Geography
  • Interagency Coordination
  • Intergovernmental Organizations
  • International Law
  • International Organizations
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Recreation
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Defense Technology Research and Development.
  • Strategic Security Studies
  • Systems Analysis and Design