NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg meets Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor

Changing the Playing Field: Non-Traditional Security Threats and the State of International Security

Brief Analysis By Alan Cunningham on April 29, 2022 | Reading time 5 min

Whenever national security is brought up in public discourse, it is commonly thought of and discussed in stricter terms. Images of military personnel performing combat operations, government-sponsored hackers performing network intrusions, or hypersonic missile launches are among the first images. However, these are only part of the entire national security threats posing nation-states around the globe. Non-traditional security threats pose a real and serious challenge to the Intelligence Community and the U.S. national security strategy as a whole.

The Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima

The Decision to Use Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

In-Depth Analysis By Alan Cunningham on April 11, 2022 | Reading time 14 min

While it took less than a second for the atomic bombs on the 6th and 9th of August 1945 to detonate and usher in an age of nuclear fear and paranoia, the decision to drop the bombs took much longer. The ability to destroy an entire city within seconds, wiping out millions of people with the single press of a button, immediately became realized and decades of weapons stockpiling and threats would follow, multiple times stopping just short of bringing the world to destruction. Simply stated, a more diplomatic approach should have been performed to secure America’s moral and ethical standing in the aftermath of the Second World War and in contemporary times.

Confederate Monument, Arlington National Cemetery

Traitors to Their Country: The Argument for Removing Confederates from the Arlington National Cemetery

Opinion By Alan Cunningham on March 28, 2022 | Reading time 4 min

The U.S. Civil War began on 12 April 1861 and would end four years and fourteen days later on 26 April 1865. While exact numbers of the ceased are unknown, it is estimated that some 750,000 Americans died in the conflict, some 360,000 dying for the United States and 260,000 dying on the Confederate side. The conflict forever changed the course of American history and was a monumental development from a social, political, legal, and economic perspective.
However, in the decades after the Civil War, partly due to the promulgation of Lost Cause myths, a more positive view of the Confederacy and their military has evolved.

Marine Corps War Memorial

General Sam and the Warrior-Scholar: The Importance of Self-Education in the Armed Forces 

Brief Analysis By Alan Cunningham on March 14, 2022 | Reading time 5 min

Newly commissioned officers and officer hopefuls look to various areas for role models. Some look to business and politics while others look to science and academia. Yet, most look towards military officers, persons such as GEN Creighton Abrams, LTG Lewis “Chesty” Puller, or ADM Chester Nimitz. Many are able to find key qualities for officers in these persons; duty to country and subordinates, leadership, tactical ability, and intelligence.
However, one officer that frequently is never mentioned is Lieutenant General Samuel V. Wilson of the U.S. Army.

U.S. Army in Afghanistan

Lessons on Insurgency and Counterinsurgency (COIN) from Star Wars

In-Depth Analysis By Alan Cunningham on February 22, 2022 | Reading time 12 min

In the aftermath of the war in Afghanistan, much can be learned from Star Wars about the practice of Counterinsurgency (COIN). In the fictional universe, the period between the final moments of Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith (ROTS) and Episode VI: The Return of the Jedi (ROTJ) would be when COIN tactics would be most clearly utilized. With Afghanistan, the United States effectively lost, the Taliban taking control of Kabul and pushing out the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the pro-democracy, U.S.-allied government. This is quite similar to how the Empire itself lost to the Rebel Alliance; a large, technologically advanced force being overwhelmed by a smaller, primitive force. However, beyond this similarity of being an insurgency, the Taliban and the Alliance share little else.

CIA director William Joseph Burns

Black Operations: A Primer on Covert Action throughout U.S. History

Brief Analysis By Alan Cunningham on February 15, 2022 | Reading time 7 min

Covert Action (CA) has been a point of contention within political and foreign policy discourse, with constant discussions about the legalities of targeted killings and enhanced interrogation techniques. There are vast historical examples of U.S. intervention abroad which complicated matters in their respective regions, in some cases having an opposite effect than what was intended, in other cases resulting in scandals that eroded the public’s faith in governmental institutions, and in other cases simply resulting in a less stable country or government. In spite of all the discussion about covert action, it is undeniable that it can be extremely beneficial when dealing with foreign powers and with new issues like non-state actors and international terrorism.

US Navy Seal and Monument

A Professional Fighting Force: The U.S. Navy SEALs and the Road to Reform

In-Depth Analysis By Alan Cunningham on January 28, 2022 | Reading time 11 min

The U.S. Navy SEALs have long been regarded as one of the most preeminent and effective special operations forces in the United States. However, in recent years, SEALs have displayed a serious problem in maintaining their level of professionalism. Various SEAL teams have been investigated for alcohol abuse, sexual assaults, and heavy narcotics usage, posing such a serious risk to national security that the units had to be called home or certain soldiers had to be placed on leave. These are serious problems within the SEAL community and pose a significant national security/defense risk.

Pennsylvania National Guard -Presentation and demonstration in the polygraph training area

The Lasso of Truth: The American National Security Workforce and the Polygraph

In-Depth Analysis By Alan Cunningham on December 28, 2021 | Reading time 27 min

Polygraphs are an incredibly popular tool. They are used in criminal and civil cases, by the prosecution and defense alike, to determine the credibility of sources, defendants, and suspects. However, polygraphs are incredibly problematic. As has been shown by various scientific reports and assessments, they have zero scientific basis, are far too open to individual bias and partial interpretation, and incredibly unreliable. Yet they are in use by nearly every federal law enforcement agency for employment and investigative purposes and are utilized by the courts in certain circumstances. My own view on polygraphs is rather negative, having personally researched the issue and been the subject of such an exam for employment purposes.

NYPD Counterterrorism Unit

The Real Culprit: Globalization as A Cause of Terrorism

Brief Analysis By Alan Cunningham on November 1, 2021 | Reading time 6 min

In the 21st century, terrorism has been one of the most prominent national and international security and defense problems. While terrorism is a centuries-old issue, it has gained prominence since the massive improvement of technology from the mid-20th century onward and has become a force used by state and non-state actors and poses significant problems for democratic and authoritative regimes alike. In many ways, terrorism and its ability to be conducted anywhere, at any time, has been aided seriously by globalization.