Wild Blue Yonder

Oct. 19, 2023
Poliheuristic Decision-Making Analysis: President George W. Bush and the Decision to Invade Iraq

In March 2003, George W. Bush decided to invade Iraq, pledging to destroy Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and end the dictatorial rule of Saddam Hussein. This decision by the Bush Administration has been analyzed with intense scrutiny across literature and various forms of media; however,
Oct. 12, 2023
The Air Force's Dual Approach: Adopting and Integrating with Air Force Doctrine

Two personas who helped create the United States Air Force left an indelible mark on its culture with their drastically different approaches. While Brigadier General Billy Mitchell immortalized a brazen and maverick approach that involved breaking rules and challenging authority to advocate for
Oct. 5, 2023
(Un)Powerful Propaganda: Russia’s Ineffective Use of Information Activities Against NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence

Moscow’s 2014 invasion of eastern Ukraine and annexation of the Crimea peninsula stunned the West. Through a mix of hybrid and information warfare activities, Russia managed to quickly gain control over parts of a sovereign European nation with minimal violence.[1] Consequently, following the 2016
Sept. 28, 2023
The PRC and the Overseas Chinese

In March 2018, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) announced that the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office was to be absorbed into the United Front Work Department. This reorganization brought international attention back to the concerted effort the People’s Republic of China was
Sept. 14, 2023
Growing the State Partnership Program in Africa: A Strategic Imperative for Sustained Engagement on the Continent

The 2022 U.S. National Security Strategy (NSS) stresses that to achieve American interests and bounded success with African nations, “U.S.-Africa partnerships must adapt to reflect the important geopolitical role that African nations play globally.” Such 21st-century U.S.-Africa partnerships would
Sept. 7, 2023
Airmen Out-PACED

The U.S. Air Force correctly diagnoses the problem—that in future conflicts it should expect attacks on its command nodes and information systems—but its current approach to rectifying this is not robust. While the USAF invests heavily in new information systems, technology alone cannot solve the
Aug. 31, 2023
The Unexpected Theologian: The Rise of Religious Messaging in Putin’s Re-making of Russian State Identity

As war rages in Ukraine, Vladimir Putin’s reputation as the “most evil man in the world” continues to grow across the Western world.[1] Despite this critical international view, Putin has maintained a two-decade stranglehold on Russian power in part by projecting a spiritual persona reconnecting
Aug. 25, 2023
AFSOC Pathfinding Needs a Doctrinal Foundation

AFSOC as a Technology PathfinderAir Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has stated that it intends to be a technology pathfinding element for the conventional Air Force. Like many Special Operations elements, it considers itself uniquely capable of providing value to its parent service by
Aug. 3, 2023
Putin’s Propaganda Power: Examining Putin’s Ukraine War Speeches

The propaganda machine in Russia is alive and well. While Western media highlight the disastrous state of the Russian armed forces, the perception of the war effort within Russia remains much more favorable.[1] Although commentators note the unreliability of Russian public opinion polls, in the
July 27, 2023
Aligning DAF with Program Management Industry Standard

The Industry Standard DisconnectThe United States (U.S.) is in a great power competition on who will dictate world order this century. According to the 2022 National Defense Strategy (NDS), “the most comprehensive and serious challenge to U.S. national security is the PRC [People’s Republic of