Long War: Building the Balance Between Today's Necessities and Tomorrow's Need

摘要

This thesis proposes changes within the military to achieve a more balanced portfolio of capabilities in the array of tools the U.S. military has for executing the Long War. Through comparative analysis of the ongoing Long War to the nearly fifty year struggle of the Cold War, this paper identifies significant similarities and differences that form the basis for proposed changes in the military. The proposed changes call for an increase in human intelligence capability, a reexamination of established force protection practices, and a program that attempts to more closely align the military with the society they protect and serve. All proposed changes, minus one, are actions that may be made within the purview of the defense establishment using the resources the Department of Defense has at its disposal. The one exception follows an example already used by the United States and Congressional action of the past. This paper proposes concrete changes within the military that if enacted will directly affect the efficiency and effectiveness of forces waging the current conflict and increase the likelihood of achieving the national goal of winning the Long War.