by Ariel Cohen, Ph.D., James Jay Carafano, Ph.D. and Lajos Szaszdi, Ph.D.

While all the facts of last week's Russian-Georgian war are not clear, enough information--including eyewitness accounts--has been reported in the media to draw initial conclusions about the performance of Russian military forces and the implications of these operations for U.S. defense policies. Unquestionably, the war is a reminder that "conventional" military operations as an instrument of modern combat are far from obsolete. The U.S. and its allies must retain a robust conventional capacity to deter aggression and assist in the defense of its treaty obligations to NATO and other allies.

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by Nicholas Stuart

There's a pause for a second, and Major General Jim Molan considers his response carefully before replying. "Our commandos are just as good as the British, American and Dutch soldiers they were serving alongside in the Middle East." At first the words sound reassuring, but in fact they shouldn't be. The significance of this statement is not what the general says, but rather what he's leaving out.

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