Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2017

The Department of Defense (DOD) has released its "Annual Report on Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China" which addresses the "current and probable
future course of military-technological development of the People’s Liberation Army and the tenets and probable development of Chinese security strategy and military strategy, and of the military organizations and operational concepts supporting such development over the next 20 years." The report also addresses "United States-China engagement and cooperation on security matters during the period covered by the report, including through United States-China military-to-military contacts, and the United States strategy for such engagement and cooperation in the future."
Read an executive summary or the full report.

  

War Strategies of General James Mattis, Trump's Secretary of Defense Nominee

USMC Major Michael L. Valenti from the US Army Command and General Staff College Press published a report in 2014 about the strategies General James Mattis, President-elect Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, employed in war. The abstract on p. iii of The Mattis Way of War: an Examination of Operational Art in Task Force 58 and 1st Marine Division, summarizes his "way of war":

A “Mattis Way of War” is postulated in the conclusion which draws from his use of history, commander’s intent, and leadership to build up a capacity, or potential energy, for action in his unit. Once built up, he unleashes this energy utilizing explicit trust in his staff and subordinates.

Access a pdf of the full report including a three-page bibliography at http://armypress.dodlive.mil/files/2016/09/Mattis-WayofWarFinal.pdf.

Counterinsurgency Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operations

The Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Defense Intelligence Counterinsurgency (COIN) Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Operations is now available. The Department of Defense asked the task force to "identify how Department of Defense (DoD) intelligence can most effectively support COIN [counterinsurgency] operations." According to an introductory memorandum, the Task Force "examined the multi-phase COIN challenge, which includes the need to continue to support COIN operations in Afghanistan; prepare for emerging and urgent COIN ISR operations that will have to be met using current resources, and building a capability to deal with long-term COIN scenarios using new concepts of operations (CONOPS) and resources."

Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China

On August 16, 2010 the Department of Defense released a report entitled "Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China." According to the report, despite making some progress, Chinese military transparency is still lacking. For more information, see the full report or the news article describing it.

New Department of Defense Web Portal

According to an Aug. 17, 2009 news release, the Department of Defense (DoD) launched a new home page, www.defense.gov, "designed to invite participation from the public and make military news and information more accessible." A new feature called "We Want to Hear From You" allows users to ask Department of Defense leaders questions and vote on policy issues they would like to have explained. It also includes a frequently asked questions section. The site provides quick access to the most popular DoD sites including DoD news, the Pentagon Channel, and DoD social media sites.

The former portal, http://www.DefenseLink.mil, will now serve as a news Web site and will be accessible from Defense.gov.

New Military Reports

New reports are available from the Defense Science Board. Challenges to Military Operations in Support of U.S. Interests [2007 Summer Study] is available as an executive summary (Vol. I) or as the main report (Vol. II). The introduction paints a grim picture: "The United States could well confront the possibility of going to war abroad in the face of significant devastation in the homeland--dividing forces between homeland catastrophe relief operations and combat abroad--even facing the possibility that deploy and supply of U.S. military forces could be delayed and disrupted." The study investigated and made recommendations for seven areas for which the United States might need more preparation:

• Future of war
  
• Unconventional weapons and technology proliferation
  
• Nuclear proliferation-a special case
  
• Unconventional operational concepts and the homeland
  
• What we know and don't know about adversary capabilities: intelligence
  
• Fighting through asymmetric counterforce
  
• Strategic communication--another instrument of U.S. power

A December 2008 report also addressed nuclear weapons:Permanent Task Force on Nuclear Weapons Surety Report: Nuclear Weapons Inspections for the Strategic Nuclear Forces. An April 2008 related report dealt with unauthorized movement of nuclear weapons.

Cooperative Maritime Strategy

On Oct. 17, 2007 at the International Seapower Symposium in Newport, Rhode Island, the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandants of the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard presented a new joint strategy entitled "A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower." The strategy "will apply maritime power to the crucial responsibility of protecting U.S. vital interests in an increasingly interconnected and uncertain world." In addition to the strategy document, the strategy site includes links to explanatory videos, graphics, and posters.

Report of the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq

The 152 page Report of the Independent Commission on the Security Forces of Iraq, released Sept. 6, 2007, concludes that although the Iraqi Security Forces are improving, they will not be able to operate independently in the next 12 to 18 months to "secure Iraqi borders against conventional military and external threats" (p.12). Headed by General James L. Jones, Jr., USMC (Ret.), the commission lists separate findings and recommendations for each branch of the Iraqi military (Army, Navy, Air Force), the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Interior, the Iraqi Police, the National Police (recommended disbanding them), and the Department of Border Enforcement.

Defense and military history resources

This afternoon I discovered an excellent collection of links to military and military-related internet resources on the website for the library at the Joint Forces Staff College in Norfolk, Virginia. The Index to Internet Sites for JFSC Researchers lists sites by subject. Another good source of military and defense information is the GPO Access Browse Topics site, a partnership with the library at Oklahoma State University. Topics include military history, defense and security and homeland security.

For scientific and technical information from the Department of Defense, search DTIC's Scientific and Technical Information Network. The multisearch feature lets you search across an array of government databases.

New Military Command for Africa

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that the Pentagon is creating a new unified military command (AFRICOM) for all of Africa (except for Egypt which remains under the Central Command). According to Ryan Henry, Principal Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, “This command will focus on some efforts to reduce conflict, to improve the security environment, to defeat or preclude the development of terrorists or terrorist networks, and support in crisis response.” According to NPR, Navy Rear Admiral Robert Moeller will oversee the command which is due to be in full operation by the end of fiscal year 2008.