The Modern War Institute at West Point hosted a multidisciplinary panel to discuss the role of security assistance and working with partner militaries in large-scale combat operations. Over the last two decades Americans have primarily approached security assistance through the lens of building counterterrorism and counterinsurgency capacity in weak and developing states. As the ongoing war in Ukraine shows, security assistance remains a vital feature of modern conventional conflict, which requires us to think differently about the challenges and opportunities presenting themselves.
How security assistance supports deterrence and great power competition? What do partners bring to the table? From arms trade to training and advising to military exercises, panelists will address these questions and more before opening for audience discussion.
The council was chaired by Dr. Max Margulies and featured Dr. Frank Sobchak, MWI’s chair of irregular warfare studies, Maj. Maia Molina-Schaefer of the Department of Foreign Languages, Maj. Kyle Wolfley of US Army Cyber Command, and Maj. Sean Marquis of the Defense and Strategic Studies program. After their remarks, the panelists took questions from cadets, faculty, and staff.
Watch the War Council in full below.
Image credit: Spec. Marcus Floyd