Michael Spirtas

Overview

Commentary

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  Security Cooperation

  Ukraine's Dream Could Be Taiwan's Nightmare

  Defenders of territorial sovereignty and a peaceful world order may be cheered by Ukraine's success, but there is danger that success could decrease the urgency of efforts to strengthen Taiwan. China will seek to learn from the problems Russia has had in Ukraine. Will the U.S. and other supporters of Taiwan do the same?

  Oct 28, 2022

  War on the Rocks

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  Operational Readiness

  The Future and Past of War and Disease

  The U.S. government is actively reviewing its efforts to counter biological attacks and the Department of Defense is taking steps that could allow it to perform day-to-day operations during a pandemic, but it might not be preparing adequately for a future large-scale operation during a more-transmissible and lethal pandemic.

  Jan 27, 2022

  United Press International

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  Operational Readiness

  Are We Truly Prepared for a War with Russia or China?

  The U.S. Department of Defense will likely need a strategy to overcome a war with either Russia or China. As threats from these two countries grow, what can the United States do now to prepare for major conflict?

  Oct 9, 2018

  The Hill

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  Military Doctrine

  Toward One Understanding of Multiple Domains

  The U.S. defense community can and should do what it can to get the most benefit from operating across domains. It just needs to remember to proceed carefully to discern between actual benefits and falsehoods that may do more harm than good.

  May 2, 2018

  C4ISRNET

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  Hey Washington Experts — Don't Roll Your Eyes Over Trump, Roll Up Your Sleeves

  Policy experts do not want to be irrelevant or ignored. The Trump administration does not want to fail, and needs to generate winning policies. By working together, the administration and the policy community could help one another, and, more importantly, the nation.

  Jan 12, 2017

  Fox News Channel

• 
  North Atlantic Treaty Organization

  Why Brexit Won't Necessarily Hurt NATO

  Concerns that the Brexit vote could weaken NATO are overblown. There will likely be a wide range of fallout that will spread beyond the economic realm, but the European Union is not NATO and it's far too early to expect dramatic outcomes.

  Jul 3, 2016

  U.S. News & World Report

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  Russia

  Is Winter Coming? Or, Our Russia Strategy

  Many ask if Russian actions represent a new challenge to international order, and, if so, what is the best course of action to respond to it.

  Nov 12, 2015

  Breaking Defense

Publications

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  Report

  First Mover Typology for the Space Domain: Building a Foundation for Future Analysis

  The authors offer a categorization and nuanced views of first moves in military strategy as a basis for understanding and further analysis of first mover advantage in the space domain.

  Jan 25, 2023

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  Report

  Running the Joint: Air Force Efforts to Build a Joint Task Force Headquarters

  The authors examine U.S. Air Force efforts to develop a capability to carry out a Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF HQ) mission. The findings will be relevant to anyone interested in Air Force efforts to stand up a JTF HQ.

  Jul 13, 2021

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  Research Brief

  Multiple Dilemmas for the Joint Force: Joint All-Domain Command and Control

  The authors examine potential command and control impediments to multidomain operations and propose alternative models for joint all-domain command and control.

  Dec 3, 2020

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  Report

  Multiple Dilemmas: Challenges and Options for All-Domain Command and Control

  The authors examine potential command-and-control impediments to multidomain operations and propose alternative models for joint all-domain command and control.

  Dec 3, 2020

• 

  Tool

  Hedgemony: A Game of Strategic Choices

  Hedgemony is a wargame designed to teach U.S. defense professionals how different strategies could affect key planning factors in the trade space at the intersection of force development, force management, force posture, and force employment.

  Sep 21, 2020

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  Research Brief

  Creating a Separate Space Force: Challenges and Opportunities for an Effective, Efficient, Independent Space Service

  Taking into account the goals of effectiveness, efficiency, independence, and identity, the RAND Corporation proposed the activities that should transfer to the new Space Force and analyzed how best to sustain career fields in the small service.

  Mar 13, 2020

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  Report

  A Separate Space: Creating a Military Service for Space

  As the United States creates the Space Force as a service within the Department of the Air Force, RAND assessed which units to bring into the Space Force, analyzed career field sustainability and drew lessons from other defense organizations.

  Mar 13, 2020

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  Report

  Understanding the Emerging Era of International Competition: Theoretical and Historical Perspectives

  The new era of intensifying global competition is characterized by growing rivalry in the political, economic, and military spheres. This report summarizes the findings of a RAND Corporation study about the emerging era of international competition.

  Dec 19, 2018

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  Report

  Strategic Planning and the U.S. Air Force: Characteristics of Success

  The U.S. Air Force has embarked on a new round of strategic planning under the auspices of its 2015 Strategic Master Plan. This report represents a general survey of the state of the art in strategy and planning.

  Nov 10, 2017

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  Report

  Pakistan: Can the United States Secure an Insecure State?

  Exposits likely developments in Pakistan's security environment over the coming decade, assesses Pakistan's national will and capacity to solve its problems, and suggests related policies for the U.S. government to pursue.

  Apr 5, 2010

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  Report

  Preparing and Training for the Full Spectrum of Military Challenges: Insights from the Experiences of China, France, the United Kingdom, India, and Israel

  The authors examine the militaries of China, France, the UK, India, and Israel to identify different approaches to readiness, adaptability, and operational issues in the context of full-spectrum operations and deployments.

  Dec 14, 2009

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  Report

  What It Takes: Air Force Command of Joint Operations

  Discusses the theory and practice of joint task forces (JTFs), command-related developments in the Department of Defense, four JTFs, and requirements for JTF headquarters in order to develop recommendations for the U.S. Air Force to consider.

  Jan 29, 2009

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  Report

  Thinking About America's Defense: An Analytical Memoir

  Lt Gen Glenn A. Kent offers a personal overview of analyses of dozens of historic national security issues drawn from his Air Force and RAND careers spanning the latter half of the 20th century.

  Sep 29, 2008

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  Report

  Department of Defense Training for Operations with Interagency, Multinational, and Coalition Partners

  "Integrated operations" require the U.S. military to work with other government agencies, organizations, and foreign militaries. Current headquarter-staff training needs to be revamped to focus on high-priority tasks.

  Aug 1, 2008