Alan Cunningham, Author at Quo Vademus

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.

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.

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.

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.