The U.S. Army heavy conventional ground capability that crushed Iraqi forces in 1991 and 2003 no longer exists, and further reduction of Heavy Brigade Combat Teams are proposed based upon assumptions that there are no enemies willing to challenge alleged U.S. conventional warfare supremacy, or that if challengers arise, precision long range fires will neutralize them. A US Army War College student argues in this research paper that recent examples of hybrid warfare prove beyond any reasonable doubt the worth and utility of a robust, scalable heavy combined arms capability.

In the last few years, notions like 'asymmetric warfare, ' and, more recently, 'hybrid warfare' have become as common and pervasive as to appear like new orthodoxy in military thought. This U.S. Army War College International Fellow student author examines these theories through the lens of critical thinking and argues that these 'new' constructs are anything but original. Analyzing two historical case studies, the First Jewish-Roman War (66-73 CE) and the Philippine-American War (1899-1902 CE), he demonstrates that asymmetry and hybridism have been common characteristics of war through the ages since the very beginning of humanity.

The 'hybrid' theory of war set forth in this document is the result of combining the best aspects of existing war theories with the unique influences of the current strategic environment to produce a refined theory of war for the modern international arena. The foundation of all war theories stems from four basic questions: What is war? Why and by whom are wars fought? What constitutes the nature, character and characteristics of war? How are wars won?

The concept of the responsibility to protect not only the peoples of one's own state but also those people of another sovereign state should that state fail to protect its people has emerged into the national and international debate. Many states, multinational organizations and the UN have adopted this concept to varying degrees. The U.S. has increasingly incorporated this concept into its political rhetoric. Military guidance, the QDR, along with statements from political leaders continue to stress the expectation that the U.S. will face the need to protect citizens of other states from humanitarian suffering from natural or manmade atrocities. The lessons learned from previous humanitarian crises, such as Somalia, Rwanda, Kosovo, Darfur, and Burma have shaped the U.S.'s approach toward intervention. Trends and threats facing the nations of today have the potential to lead to destabilization of governments and threaten national, regional and global security.

For more than 3 decades, the term "hollow army" or the more expansive idiom, "hollow force," has represented President Carter's alleged willingness to allow American military capability to deteriorate in the face of growing Soviet capability. The phrase continues to resonate today. In this current period of declining defense resources, the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have articulated how the newly released strategic guidance and budget priorities signify a concerted effort not to "hollow out" U.S. forces. They have affirmed their dedication to preventing the recreation of the ragged military and disastrous deterioration in defense capability the Carter administration allowed to occur. However, it is also time to reexamine the term "hollow army" and its meaning as the inevitable tug of war over defense spending gets underway. This Paper places the "hollow army" metaphor within its historical context: barely 5 years after the United States finally disengaged from a major war (Vietnam), a struggling economy, and an election year in which a President was not only tenuously leading in the polls, but also confronted substantial opposition from elements of his own political party. Over the years, a specific political reading of these events has taken hold. It is the purpose of this Paper to re-read the historical events, and in doing so, come to a better understanding of the domestic political and geostrategic environment during Carter's presidency, the U.S. Cold War strategy, and the assertions made concerning the readiness of the U.S. Army to perform its missions.

Today's strategic environment on the Korean Peninsula and in Northeast Asia is volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. One roadblock to peace in Northeast Asia is a territorial dispute over a piece of terrain called Gando, which is located between the Korean peninsula and Chinese Manchuria and was a Korean territory until 1909. China currently controls the territory, but the controversy over control of Gando will reemerge if or when Korea is reunified. Gando is of such significant geopolitical and geostrategic importance that it could ignite a crisis among the nations of Northeast Asia that could potentially affect world stability. Thus a peaceful resolution to this dispute is critical to both Korea and China.

Emerging China is undoubtedly one of the biggest future security concerns for both Japan and the United States. The friction between China and Japan has recently grown, especially over territorial issues such as Senkaku Island. The United States also has disagreement with China over several issues such as human rights, Taiwan, Tibet, North Korea, and economic matters including currency and trade. The bilateral relationship between Japan and the United States will be instrumental for both countries to cope with China in the future. However, there is also friction within the Japan-U.S. alliance, and there are concerns within both countries. U.S. military bases in Okinawa have become a highly controversial issue in Japan, and Japanese criticism of the alliance has grown in recent years. In the United States, some opine that the United States should strengthen its bilateral economic relationship with China, signifying a diminution of the Japan-U.S. alliance.

Recent studies indicate that both states and warlords have been mining minerals to finance armed movements. This US Army War College student author explores the potential impact that gold, diamonds, and columbite-tantalite (coltan) have on regional stability in Africa.

Dr. Jim Hartman's chapter, extracted from a newly published book of the same name, examines the evolution of the Army's sustainability program and its contributions to the national strategic security objectives. Growing world population and an imbalance of natural resources are expected to affect U.S., as well as Army, interests. Dr. Hartman asserts sustainability is the nexus to ensure future security, which can only be achieved through the development and implementation of sound business practices. Dr. Hartman opines the Army, as a large institution, is well suited to lead a whole of government approach to sustainability.

The United States has maintained a stockpile of strategic and critical materials, primarily ores and minerals, since 1939. Since the end of the Cold War, the United States government has determined that most of the materials in the National Defense Stockpile (NDS) were excess to defense, industrial, and essential civilian needs, and has begun selling and otherwise disposing of most of the stockpiled materials. Recent concerns regarding the global availability of materials have caused a reexamination of the need for a stockpile and how the NDS might operate in order to serve the defense, industrial and essential civilian needs for materials.

This AY2010 U.S. Army War College student author analyzes two cases of purported cyberattacks by Russia in 2007 and 2008. Although subsequent investigations were inconclusive, the cyberattacks were widely believed at the time to have been instigated by the Russian government. Based on his analysis of the two case studies, the author concludes that Russia has made cyberspaceattack a major factor in its military strategy, useful to coerce "near abroad" nations to align with Russian national interests. Accordingly, he recommends a foundational strategy United States strategy to counter this Russian strategy for using cyberspace.

Beginning in 2001, the National Defense Strategy changed as DOD began implementing capabilities-based planning and strategy and by moving to an expeditionary force primarily based in the continental United States. This and each subsequent change in national defense strategy increasingly required a strategically responsive joint force to support U.S national strategy. Research shows the strategic responsiveness of the joint force has not evolved simultaneously with strategy to meet requirements for the military's two fundamental tasks to deter and wage war in support of US national policy and national strategy.

The President, Secretary of Defense and the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff routinely publish strategic guidance in the form of the National Security Strategy, National Military Strategy, National Defense Strategy and the Quadrennial Defense Review. This AY-10 student research paper analyzes correlations between the guidance contained in these documents on the Army's annual budget submissions. Following this analysis, the author discusses how the Army could better utilize the Planning Programming Budgeting System process to more effectively implement change.

This AY2010 USAWC student research paper explores the impact of ongoing deficit spending in terms of future defense budgets, investor confidence and interest rates, the economic impact of competition for financing, implications for international influence and potential financial leverage of creditors, and our ethical responsibility to future generations. The views expressed in the document are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Army War College, the U.S. Department of the Army, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

This AY-10 student research paper argues that the U.S. should adopt a grand strategy of "economic renewal." The author believes that by taking steps to reduce its debt and leading an international effort to replace the dollar as the global currency, the United States can focus on rebuilding its economic power and maintaining its role as a global leader. He expects supporting military, diplomatic, and informational strategies will ensure the world sees these changes as the actions of a global power leading visionary change instead of a declining power trying to hold onto a fading empire. He concludes changes led by the U.S. are essential for this country to maintain its power as well as to shine as a beacon of free market and democratic principles around the world.

This AY-10 student research paper discusses the strategic significance of dealing effectively with the American debt and deficit, by first describing the background of our current government approach to the economy, then examining the current projections for United States' spending from 2009 through 2019 and examining what the future might bring given anticipated American demographic changes. The author describes the economic labyrinth in detail and examines alternatives to address the challenges to America of the national deficit and debt. He concludes that while a number of alternatives are available today to address the problem of deficit financing and the associated debt and thereby strengthen the economy of the United States, three examples that are predicated on the synergistic benefits associated with small reforms provide the best chances for long-term success.

The State Partnership Program, a National Guard supported initiative, is one of the many Theater Security Cooperation programs available that the six Geographic Combatant Commanders use to meet their objectives. This AY-10 USAWC Resident Student author presents the foundations of the State Partnership Program to include its history, goals and objectives, and benefits achieved by using the program.

This US Army War College student author examines General Abrams' ethical leadership at all levels of the Army. He concludes that Abrams' ethical leadership was instrumental in the Army's successful handling of racial issues during the 1960's, in enabling the military to conduct an orderly withdrawal from Vietnam, in rebuilding the Army after the Vietnam War, and is still evident in Army organization and leadership today.

This US Army War College student author looks closely at Field Marshal Slim's ethical development and leadership during all phases of his long career. He argues that the examination shows the value of maintaing high ethical and moral standards, including how high standards can build an organizational bond between Soldiers that can prevail in the face of otherwise apparently insurmountable odds.

This US Army War College student author looks closely at the events, doctrine, and technical developments of World War II that led to the destruction by area bombing of the city of Dresden and the deaths of 135,000 of its citizens. Prior to U.S. entry into WW II American bombing strategy was intended to employ large numbers of high altitude bombers with heavy defensive firepower, flying in formation in order to accomplish precision daylight bombardment against specifically identified military-related targets. This ethical bombing technique was observed early on in the European Theater, but at some point the ethic changed.

In February 2009, the Obama Administration commissioned a 60-day review of the United States' cyber security. A near-term action recommended by the 60-day review was to prepare an updated national strategy to secure information and communications infrastructure.