Secretary of Defense Gates has received praise from some worthy analysts. It would be deserved, if speeches alone could reform DoD. It would be heroic, if we had any signs that Gates was even trying. The Zenpundit (25 April 2008): On a related matter I’m very, very happy with Robert Gates. I think he just …
Secretary Gates would be a hero – if speeches could reform DoD Read More »
A new article by Dr. David Kilcullen: “Political Maneuver in Counterinsurgency“, posted at the Small Wars Council (24 April 2008) — “Road-Building in Afghanistan, Part 1 of a Series on Political Maneuver in Counterinsurgency” Over the past eight years Kilcullen has laid a profound theoretical foundation for COIN on which he has written many articles …
Roads in Afghanistan, a new weapon to win 4GW’s? Read More »
One of the baleful influences on the 4GW analysis is the science of Psychohistory developed by Hari Seldon, capable of accurately predicting history (as described in the Foundation novels of Isaac Asimov). Social science “laws” in the real world are just heuristics, generalities not to be confused with the Laws of Thermodynamics. This is especially true in military theory. For example, Clausewitz’s …
Theories about 4GW are not yet like the Laws of Thermodynamics Read More »
This series describes the various types of solutions to modern warfare, herein called fourth generation warfare (4GW). It sketches out a typology, showing the five types of writings about 4GW, their relationship to one another and their relative potential. Analysts – the foundation of the pyramid. All solutions rely on sound analysis. Visionaries -bold imaginations seek solutions to …
Arrows in the Eagle’s claw – about 4GW analysts Read More »
