How can SOF prepare for conflicts where the objectives may include hostile actions intended to disrupt civilian supplies of food and energy locally, regionally, and globally? How should the protection of resources and their associated infrastructure be assessed and prioritized? What can SOF do to prevent or mitigate the weaponization of refugees? Can the provision of energy, food, and water resources to denied areas provide a useful means of developing influence or resilience within a population? How can SOF, in conjunction with conventional forces, mitigate their own requirements to ensure that they are not a further drain on resources in deployed area?
- Higgins, Christopher J., "Strategic Planning for Refugee Integration into the United States: Lessons Learned from Afghan Resettlement Post 2021," SAASS thesis, 2025, 77 pgs.
- Higgins addresses the mitigation of refugee weaponization by framing domestic refugee integration as a critical security imperative that prevents marginalized populations from being exploited or radicalized. He asserts that when refugees are economically, socially, or institutionally excluded, their alienation elevates the risk of them being drawn into criminal behavior or extremist narratives. To proactively counter this weaponization, Higgins recommends implementing strategic integration programs—such as trauma-informed care, civic mentorship, and employment alignment—which reduce psychological vulnerabilities and foster social cohesion. By treating integration as a counter-radicalization strategy and incorporating credible refugee messengers into community policing and civic engagement efforts, the U.S. can effectively transform displaced and vulnerable individuals from potential security threats into invested stakeholders who bolster national resilience.
- Moncier, Lt. Col. Benjamin S., "The Least Worst Reality: Responsibly Ensuring Partner Conflict Civilian Casualty Mitigation," GCPME thesis, 2023, 37 pgs.