LEARNING FROM CONTEMPORARY CONFLICTS

TO PREPARE FOR FUTURE WAR

by H. R. McMaster

War is the final auditor of military institutions.
Contemporary conflicts such as those in Afghanistan and Iraq
create an urgent need for feedback based on actual
experience. Analysis of the present combined with an
understanding of history should help us improve dramatically
the quality of our thinking about war. Understanding the
continuities as well as changes in the character of armed
conflict will help us make wise decisions about force
structure, develop relevant joint force capabilities, and
refine officer education and the organization, training, and
the equipping of our forces.

Rest of the essay - http://www.west-point.org/publicatio...rFutureWar.txt