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No disrespect taken.

THis is exactly the point I've tried to make in other threads, particularly the Strategic Corporal thread. I work off my commander's intent and endstate. I then refine his...

I finally got around to watching the Emerald Express video from the USMC that was linked from another discussion page on this site. They make a point in the conclusion of the video that "the people...

I'll vote for this.

What if we defined COGs as areas of influence, either physical or theoretical, the control of which by either adversarial party places the dominating organization in a position of tactical,...

A great position paper on the subject.

Whether Clauswitz said that COGs have to offer resistance, I have no idea. I'm going with the definition in FM 1-02/MCRP 5-12A operational Terms and Graphics, which states:

Centers of Gravity –...

Physical:
- Cities
- Infrastructure (water sources, communications, electricity)
- Line of Communication

Organizational:
- Tribal links
- Religious ideology
- Political parties
- Ethnic...

I'm in the beginnings of a COIN handbook written as little AARs for direct actions, CMO operations, IO, and partnership with local leaders and security forces. Hopefully some of what we did can be...

Marc,

I have no hope in going toe to toe with a Ph.d in Anthropology. My undergraduate degree will only get me so far. :)

In the long run, we're essentially saying the same thing, though...

I'm not sure that targeting will is necessarily a feasible goal. Targeting and mitigating ideology in a fanatical people isn't going to get you very far. To say that we'll target their will infers...