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Technology Strategy in Irregular Warfare: High-tech Versus Right-tech
From the thesis abstract: "When faced with any type of irregular warfare, technology integration has proved to be problematic for developed countries with technologically advanced militaries. Developed countries train and equip their militaries and develop military doctrines that tend to focus on protection from other developed countries. Thus, these military agencies are well prepared for conventional warfare and assume they can use the same operational concepts against irregular adversaries as well. Unfortunately, this theory has proved incorrect. History suggests that developed countries rely on the most advanced technologies to provide an advantage in all operations; however, high-tech does not always equate to right-tech. Through three related case studies, this thesis analyzes how strong actors use varying levels of technology to engage weak actors in irregular warfare, and how the misuse of technology can lead to defeat rather than victory for the strong actors. I suggest that advanced militaries should develop technology strategies for irregular warfare that are based on tailored capabilities. Additionally, these agencies need processes that promote tactical and technological innovation to fill operational gaps in their capabilities for waging irregular warfare."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Rowlette, Kevin P.
2015-12
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Finding Effective Responses Against Cyber Attacks for Divided Nations
From the thesis abstract: "There can be hostile relations between nations that are divided politically or ideologically, and there are threats in cyberspace as well as physical space. Although every cyber threat, like a physical threat, has countermeasures, this can be hard because of the complexity of cyberspace and the ethics in cyberspace. This study tries to find effective countermeasures for South Korea in cyberspace against North Korea's continuing cyber attacks in light of the Korean peninsula's situation, a typical example of divided nations in the world. To find good solutions, South and North Korea's cyber capabilities are compared in terms of infrastructure, organization, defensive capabilities, offensive capabilities, and vulnerabilities. Characteristics and features of North Korea's cyber attacks are inferred by analyses of past attacks. Based on these analyses, this study recommends defensive and offensive countermeasures to mitigate these cyber threats and prevent escalation. Each countermeasure is assessed using considerations such as prevention of escalation, efficient use of limited resources, international laws and ethics, and bargaining power in the real world."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Park, Ji Min
2015-12
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Study on the Decision Factors in the Delay of the ROK-U.S. Wartime OPCON Transfer: Focusing on the Domestic Determinants
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis begins by asking why the wartime OPCON [Operational Control] transfer period between the ROK [Republic of Korea] and the United States has continuously been delayed. To answer this question, the author studies how domestic politics have affected the continuous delay. To investigate the influence of domestic politics, this thesis first applied Graham Allison's Rational Actor Model (security); second, it applied domestic politics from Allison's bureaucratic politics model; and third, to fill a gap between security (RAM) and domestic politics, this thesis used Robert Putnam's Two-Level Game theory to clarify interconnectivity of international and domestic levels. The result of this study indicates that the security environment is critical and could affect the continuous delay of the wartime OPCON transfer; however, the key actors of those decisions are policy decision makers. Unless the security environment changes drastically, the ROK conservatives and progressives, and the U.S. neoconservatives and pragmatists, will remain key members. The ROK, with its strong ally--the United States--should meticulously prepare the process of the wartime OPCON transfer to maintain the peace of the Korean Peninsula under unexpected political and economic situations, mainly focusing on the future-oriented combined ROK-U.S. military structure."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Jung, Jinhak
2015-12
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Trolling New Media: Violent Extremist Groups Recruiting Through Social Media
From the thesis abstract: "With the advent and subsequent growth of several new media technologies, violent extremist groups have incorporated social media into recruiting strategies. How are violent extremist groups using social media for recruiting? This thesis explores several new media technologies--websites, blogs, social media, mobile phones, and online gaming--to determine if violent extremist groups rely on social media for recruiting. By comparing the communication of al Qaeda and ISIS [Islamic State of Iraq and Syria], this thesis concludes that violent extremist groups rely on social media, and they employ a wide range of new media technologies to attract and recruit new members. In some instances, virtual interaction still requires face-to-face communication to adequately recruit someone into a violent extremist group."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Chang, Mark D.
2015-12
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Dim Networks: The Utility of Social Network Analysis for Illuminating Partner Security Force Networks
From the thesis abstract: "As the security landscape changes, the importance of strong and influential partnerships for security cooperation (SC) increases. The process of selecting the best possible partners should not be neglected; tools to accomplish this task may already exist. Recently, the use of social network analysis (SNA) has allowed the military to map dark networks of terrorist organizations and selectively target key elements. SNA data collection and analysis efforts remain focused on these terrorist networks, whereas friendly or light networks have been relatively neglected. This thesis highlights the importance of analyzing light networks for SC and introduces the concept of dim networks. These are networks that consist of friendly actors whose connections to external organizations may not be public. This thesis has potential to improve partner security force engagement selection through the use of SNA principles, methods, and software, yielding several dividends. First, it provides a commander with a detailed understanding of the foreign units involved in SC, which allows for development of a more focused engagement strategy. Second, it allows SC planners to invest time and resources on the partner security forces that most effectively advance the commander's engagement priorities. Third, it reinforces the collection of network-related data on organizations the U.S. military cooperates with and the importance of analyzing that empirical data to improve SC."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Fernandes, Antione C.; Taylor, Travis J.
2015-12
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Precipitating the Decline of Al-Shabaab: A Case Study in Leadership Decapitation
From the thesis abstract: "The tactic of leadership decapitation, using military action to capture or kill terrorist leadership, is a key component of United States counterterrorism strategy. Policymakers argue that eliminating terrorist leadership is an effective way to disrupt, and, ultimately, destroy terrorist organizations. Since 2001, hundreds of terrorist leaders have been captured or killed by U.S. counterterrorism operations. In spite of this, the spread of violent, radical jihadist groups like Al-Shabaab has expanded and grown in strength. This thesis analyzes the United States' approach of leadership targeting toward Al-Shabaab in Somalia, and asks the research question: Under what conditions are leadership decapitation effective in degrading the terrorist group Al-Shabaab? This thesis finds that leadership decapitation operations have a limited effect in disrupting and preventing future acts of terrorism. It argues for a more analytical approach to leadership decapitation in order to improve its effectiveness. This thesis argues for leadership targeting principles that are likely to be effective counterterrorism strategies and lead to the long-term decline of the group, including basing targeting decisions on understanding the group's internal dynamics, integrating decapitation operations into comprehensive counterterrorism strategies, and capitalizing on existing leadership divisions, which can be as effective as lethal military action."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Butler, Brett M.
2015-12
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Power Management System Design for Solar-Powered UAS
From the thesis abstract: "Drone technology has catapulted to the forefront of military and private sector research. Of particular interest are unmanned aerial systems that are able to stay airborne for extended periods by absorbing energy from the environment. This requires extreme aerodynamic efficiency in order to minimize the power required to maintain flight, and a recognition that every sub-system in this system of systems must operate at optimal levels in order to achieve this nearly perpetual flight. A critical component of a drone is the electrical hardware that optimizes solar energy absorption and manages energy storage. In particular, weight-to-power consumption demands consideration as inefficiencies quickly equate to additional power requirements. While off-the-shelf components are available for many of the individual pieces, none of these parts is optimized with size and weight in mind. Therefore, the impetus of this thesis is to examine the power management system within a systems engineering framework. This study includes maximum power point tracking, battery management, energy storage and flux tracking by the batteries, propulsion, avionics and payload components. The results drove the design and development of a compact single circuit that optimally integrates these sub-systems into a lightweight module for particular mission sets."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Fauci, Robert T., III
2015-12
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New Challenges to Authoritarian State Stability: The Proliferation of Modern Information Communications Technology
From the thesis abstract: "Numerous political commentators have proclaimed the rapid proliferation of information and communications technology (ICT) as the harbinger of instability to undemocratic governments. But does the spread of ICT necessarily destabilize authoritarian regimes, and does it impact different types of autocracies to the same degree? To determine the effect of ICT on governments, this study adopts a quantitative approach. The relationship between state stability and ICT penetration in countries from 1990 to 2013 is examined using logistic regression techniques. The results of the analysis indicate a statistically significant negative relationship between the onset of violence and ICT presence. Authoritarian regimes, specifically those with institutionalized succession regimes, such as monarchies and one-party states, appear to experience less violence as ICT levels increase, whereas stability changes only marginally in democratic countries. Governments and individuals may utilize ICT in disparate manners in pursuit of opposing objectives, but the spread of ICT to authoritarian regimes seems to favor existing institutions rather than the populace. To better understand the relationship between the stability of authoritarian regimes and ICT penetration, it is recommended that future research blend qualitative analysis with an examination of more specific elements of ICT."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Bylsma, Colin D.; Colby, Samuel T.
2015-12
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Cyber-enabled Unconventional Warfare: The Convergence of Cyberspace, Social Mobilization, and Special Warfare
From the thesis abstract: "The United States currently faces an environment of constrained resources and increasing threats where new foreign policy options need to be considered. An area that holds the potential for low-profile campaigns to confront enemies of the United States is cyber-enabled unconventional warfare (UW). Conducting military operations through cyber-enabled UW is less expensive, and inherently, it involves less physical risk than a conventional deployment of U.S. military personnel abroad. This research indicates that seven conditions exist in the cyberspace environment that can enhance the conduct of UW. Since no organization in the U.S. military with the requisite capabilities to exploit these conditions in the cyber domain exists, one should be created. Cyber-enabled UW can provide scalable military options to U.S. policymakers that are currently not available."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Gladding, Ryan S.; McQuade, Sean P.
2015-12
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Transitions from Violence to Politics: Conditions for the Politicization of Violent Non-state Actors
From the thesis abstract: "It is imperative for a nation to understand the most effective way to combat threats to its national security, and at times the best reaction to a violent atrocity could be diplomatic. This thesis examines the politicization process of violent non-state actors and the five statistical factors that contribute to the likelihood of a successful transition from violence to politics. These five salient factors include the occurrence of negotiations, the ideology of the organization, the motivations of the organization, the types of targets it selects to attack, and the longevity of the group. These factors are identified through a statistical analysis, and tested in successive chapters examining case studies of violent actors that have successfully politicized, are currently transitioning, or have failed. The objective of this thesis is to determine if the factors examined can be used to predict the likelihood of other violent non-state actors successfully transitioning to politics. Additionally, the case is made that politicization significantly reduces violence. The conclusion suggests how legitimate state actors that are combating violent non-state actors can gauge ripeness for politicization and suggests how to focus a state's efforts in order to support either a political transition or facilitate a group's collapse."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Hanrahan, Brian; Woody, David C.
2015-12
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Phases of Violent Extremism: Targeting the Evolution of Al-Shabaab
From the thesis abstract: "The events of September 11, 2001, and the reactions that followed sparked a surge in international terrorist organizations, resulting in increased threat to U.S. national security. Although military operations have had some short-term successes against violent, extremist organizations (VEOs), they are an insufficient long-term counter-extremism strategy. It is apparent that a new approach and new way of analysis are necessary. We examine the problem by focusing on Al-Shabaab, a VEO in Somalia, with attention to its stages of development. Using unclassified sources, we apply three theoretical frameworks to determine whether deterrence might be effective as a countervailing strategy at each stage. For Phase One, beginning before the organization's establishment, we look at historical and cultural context. Phase Two analyzes formation and growth from the perspective of social-movement theory, and Phase Three employs a structural perspective, using organizational-design theory, to the VEO in its mature form. Conclusions are drawn, based on deterrence theory, for each stage in the VEO's evolution. This research provides a foundation by which policy and strategy makers may gain insight into the seams, gaps, strengths, and weakness of VEOs as they change over time, and where deterrent strategies may be applied to advantage."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Jordan, Richard S.; Van De Venter, Nathaniel B.
2015-12
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Joint Combined Exchange Training Evaluation Framework: A Crucial Tool in Security Cooperation Assessment
From the thesis abstract: "A focal point of American security readiness is proactive security interaction with cooperative states and allies abroad to deter threats, protect the homeland, and advance national interests. As a component in this effort, the militaries of the United States and the Republic of the Philippines (PH) have been conducting recurring bilateral engagements since 1991. Among these Security Cooperation programs, Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) produces a high return on training investment through the enhancement of US Special Operations Forces (SOF) in mentor, instructor and advisor roles, as well as increasing cultural understanding and trust between American and Filipino counterparts, US-PH interoperability, and both militaries' tactical skills. Despite several decades of conducting JCETs, no objective assessment of these events has been done. Thus, this study develops the JCET Evaluation Framework (JEF)--a tool based on the Eight-Step and ADDIE [Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate] training models to examine the effectiveness of JCETs. Uniquely, this study compares the post-training reports from both the PH and US SOF units to validate the evaluation design, and provides recommendations for the improvement of future JCETs: improving after-action report formats, developing an overall engagement strategy, improving resource sustainment and the human rights vetting processes, and conducting and bilaterally sharing post-engagement surveys."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Leuthner, Scott D.; Cabahug, Emmanuel G.
2015-12
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Wireless Sensor Buoys for Perimeter Security of Military Vessels and Seabases
From the thesis abstract: "Naval vessels at anchor and seabases are vulnerable to attack by small surface crafts. The past two decades have demonstrated that attacks of this type are indeed possible, and that current security measures may not be sufficient to mitigate such a threat. As technology matures, it should be implemented into providing security for these valuable naval assets. An example of technology to be incorporated is wireless sensor networks. These wireless sensor networks have been utilized in recent conflicts, in the form of unattended ground sensors, with a high degree of success. By incorporating these ground sensors in an open ocean environment, attacks by small surface crafts toward naval vessels and seabases may be precluded. The innovation of attaching wireless sensor nodes to buoys and positioning them around naval vessels to provide the necessary standoff against attack was investigated. Wireless sensor buoys were created using commercial-off-the-shelf products and existing prototype wireless sensor nodes. The tests that were conducted during this thesis determined that the current sensor nodes are suitable, and could be implemented in creating an ad hoc network on an open ocean environment. Future work to include the addition of alternate sensor modalities and longer ranging networks should be investigated."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Kent, Stephen D.
2015-12
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Evaluating the Generality and Limits of Blind Return-Oriented Programming Attacks
From the thesis abstract: "We consider a recently proposed information disclosure vulnerability called blind return-oriented programming (BROP). Under certain conditions, this attack allows a return-oriented programming attack against previously unknown binaries. We precisely enumerate the assumptions for a successful BROP attack to take place. We analyze prerequisite knowledge to perform a BROP attack, including the need to exploit a stack-based buffer overflow. In particular, we examine the types of buffer-handling functions and canaries that may render these functions useless for exploitation purposes. We survey network service binaries, to examine how often different BROP requirements are satisfied in real software, including the presence of certain gadgets and the behavior on crashes. We find if an optimized attack fails, a 'first principles' BROP attack is unlikely to succeed. Our survey shows that certain required gadgets are rare, limiting a first principles attack. We show the presence of required gadgets fluctuates with binary version number and build conditions. The majority of the services we survey do not appear vulnerable to BROP due to missing gadgets or re-randomization on crash. We suggest some ameliorations that may further limit the applicability of this attack."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Keener, Lawrence
2015-12
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Cause for Concern? The Spread of Militant Islam in East Africa
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis examines the spread of militant Islam in Kenya and Tanzania. We argue that Islamist militants who have gained a foothold in Kenya and are attempting to expand into Tanzania are behind an increasing number of attacks. We contend that spillover effects from the failed state of Somalia, along with influence from other external actors, are as important--if not more important--than other factors that receive the bulk of the attention, such as socioeconomic disparities and the perceived lack of political representation of Muslims. A third under-recognized but critical factor is the burgeoning population of Muslim youth. Ultimately, this thesis seeks to draw attention to the importance of these three factors. It concludes by offering options to counteract the spread of militant Islam in the region."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Mlula, Moses B.; Ruszkiewicz, Andrew J.; Shirley, Matthew J.
2015-12
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Insurgent Design: The Re-emergence of Al-Qa'ida from 9/11 to the Present
From the thesis abstract: "Analysts disagree on how to characterize al-Qa'ida's evolution. One perspective regards jihadi-Islamism in general to be self-marginalizing. A second perspective describes the merging of discrete jihadist grand strategies that is considered symptomatic of the decline of al-Qa'ida and its allies. A third finds that al-Qa'ida is gathering strength. This study expands upon the gathering strength perspective, contending that al-Qa'ida's successes are derived from its design orientation and competence. Al-Qa'ida agents have vigorously redesigned their transnational system to adapt to a profoundly hostile and unpredictable environment. For al-Qa'ida and its brethren, the highest rate of adaptation is occurring on the battlefield, as they experiment with varied technologies of warfare, rather than in debate over grand strategic ideas. Where before there were fleeting, desultory actions by terroristic cells, now maturing organizations vie for territorial control, establishing jihadi emirates and proto-states. To respond effectively to the situation, Western understanding of al-Qa'ida and the wider system of jihadi-Islamist insurgency must evolve apace."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Russo, Joshua A.
2015-12
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Mapping Libyan Jihadist Networks for UW
The term "UW" in the document title refers to "Unconventional Warfare." From the thesis abstract: "The post-Gaddafi Libyan war continues along fractured lines of allegiance. Various militia networks are in open armed conflict with each other and pitted against other jihadist networks. The central government is split in two and the United Nations is working to broker a unity government that can offer at least a partial solution. One of the contributing factors to this conflict and the pervasiveness of jihadist networks in Libya is a Libyan history of conflict stretching back to World War I. These jihadist networks arose both before and during the civil war. The latest jihadist organization to entrench itself in the civil war is the Daesh. In this thesis, Daesh's expansion in Libya is explored through the lens of a political process model. Then, jihadist networks in Libya are mapped. Their social ties between each other and other non-jihadist elements of Libyan civil society are illuminated in a search of candidate brokers. The most influential jihadist brokers are identified and ranked in terms of their relative influence. Finally, these insights are used to help define new strategies for contending with jihadists in Libya."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Beuerlein, Robert
2015-12
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Ungoverned Spaces and the Survival of Terrorist Groups in Africa: A Case Study of the Lord's Resistance Army
From the thesis abstract: "Uganda's location in a region plagued by armed conflict entails ongoing security challenges. The situation becomes even more complicated when the various armed groups/insurgencies enjoy the breakdown of security, limited governance, and lack of control of vast territories where they operate. This thesis examines the role of ungoverned spaces and how they facilitate the survival of terrorist groups in Africa. It further seeks to evaluate policy prescriptions available to ameliorate the problem of ungoverned spaces. To answer these questions, this thesis uses the Lord's Resistance Army as a case study and analyzes other violent extremist groups--Al-Shabaab, Al Qaeda in the Maghreb, and Boko Haram--in relation to ungoverned spaces. The study reveals that instability emanating from ungoverned spaces is contagious and can recur even when it appears to have been contained. Although interventions through bilateral, regional, and multilateral mechanisms may offer some orderliness in ungoverned spaces, the real solution may lie in addressing the latent causes of violence and instability. These measures include embracing democratic practices and economic empowerment, and strengthening government institutions so that states are functional--and spaces are governed."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Abasa, Africano
2015-12
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Impacts of Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief Operations on the Mental Health of Marines
From the thesis abstract: "In this thesis, I analyze the role of participation in a Humanitarian Assistance/ Disaster Relief (HA/DR) operation on the mental health of Marines serving between 2001 and 2011 by examining the hazard of being diagnosed with four mental health disorders during and after the mission while controlling for relevant demographic and service-specific variables. The four mental health illnesses examined are depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse and self-inflicted injuries. The statistical model used in the thesis is the Cox proportional hazard model, a standard nonparametric method of survival analysis. I found that during the year HA/DR participation occurred, Marines were at less risk of being diagnosed with each of the four mental illnesses relative to those never deployed. In the years following participation in a HA/DR operation, Marines have comparable risk of being diagnosed with each of the four mental health illnesses relative to those that were never deployed. In contrast, Marines who returned from OEF/OIF [Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom] deployments have elevated risks of all four mental health illnesses compared to those never deployed. Additional analysis showed that the effect of HA/DR deployments are similar across segments of Marines, but the elevated risks following OEF/OIF deployments are larger for male Marines relative to female Marines and for enlisted Marines relative to officers."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Burke, Zachary R.
2015-12
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Cruser News [December 2015]
This newsletter from the Naval Postgraduate School's (NPS) Consortium for Robotics and Unmanned Systems Education and Research (CRUSER) contains the following articles: "InfraGard Sand Diego Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Symposium," by Matthew Miller; "Rapidly Installable Robotic Applique Kits (RIRAK)," by Troy Takach; "Joint Interagency Field Experimentation (JIFX) February 2016," by Tristan Allen; "Student Corner," by Thomas M. Rice, Erik A. Keim, and Tom Chhabra; "Aqua Quad," by Kevin Jones; and "Librarian Corner," by Greta Marlatt.
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
2015-12
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Using Their Own People Against Them: Russia's Exploitation of Ethnicity in Georgia and Ukraine
From the thesis abstract: "Russia consistently exploits ethnic divides in its foreign policy strategy, specifically against states in its 'near abroad.' Georgia and Ukraine have been on the receiving end of this strategy for most of their post-Soviet history. As a result, the sovereignty of both has been systematically and repeatedly violated by Russia. A comparative study of Georgia and Ukraine, two countries that share a unique historical relationship with Russia but are now ideologically moving outside its orbit, permits a more nuanced view into two distinctive aspects of Russia's exploitation of ethnic divisions: Georgia as an ancient and unique nation located in the crossroads of three continents, and Ukraine as a fellow Slavic country with a shared Russian history fighting to create its own identity. Russia's efforts to exploit ethnic divides fall into six categories: exporting propaganda, manipulating identity, arming insurgents, supplying fighters, exploiting presence, and freezing conflicts. Though Russia has successfully weakened Georgia and Ukraine through these six strategic methods, Russia has struggled to achieve its long-term goals of limiting Western influence, creating a Russian hegemony, and restoring Russia to great-power status. In pursuing these goals, Russia not only irreparably damaged ethnic relationships in Georgia and Ukraine, but also severely tarnished its international reputation."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Kendall, Kyle Oliver
2015-12
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Making the National Security Council Better in the Bahamas to Resolve Illegal Migration
From the thesis abstract: "The Bahamas' economy depends primarily on tourism. Unchecked crime and cross-border threats jeopardize the country's economic viability. The Bahamian government must find the solution for safeguarding the country's relatively high standard of living. Nonetheless, no national security policy has been forthcoming for the yet-developing small island state just fifty miles off the Florida coast. Central to a secure Bahamas is instituting a comprehensive national security strategy aimed at mitigating threats to national security. More direct involvement of the National Security Council (NSC) with improved civilian control and leadership will better coordinate national security. Such an outcome will bring focus to the unrelenting Haitian problem that results from illegal Haitian immigration to The Bahamas. This thesis examines how the NSC and its processes might optimally engage to realize strategic-level resolutions to the country's challenges. Both strategic and operational recommendations are offered to mitigate the Haitian problem. It is concluded that while The Bahamas has strong institutions, its hesitancy in developing a comprehensive and coherent national security strategy will prove detrimental if not remediated. Bahamian authorities will then be less reflexive and more assertive in seeking to reduce national security threats to the island nation."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Henfield, Darren A.
2015-12
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Energy Security in Jordan
From the thesis abstract: "This thesis explores if the energy strategy o f the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, as formulated and executed by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, will help the country achieve greater energy security. This work qualitatively analyzes the progress in each energy subsector--hydrocarbons, nuclear power, and renewables--on goals presented in the country's strategy and provides further analysis to determine each subsector's potential to play a greater role in future energy development. The primary conclusion is that the goals within Jordan's overarching energy strategy have not been realized and, consequently, the strategy is not on track to provide energy security. This conclusion is based on three main findings. First, Jordan failed in meeting targets to diversify and exploit domestic hydrocarbon resources--being forced to rely on foreign heavy fuels and running a deficit to meet basic energy needs. Second, the kingdom's nuclear program has not kept up with development milestones and further nuclear progress is hampered by significant political and resource constraints. Third, the administration in Amman has been unsuccessful in fully capitalizing on the abundance of renewable energy resources readily available within Jordan's borders."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Steiner, John R.
2015-12
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Methods to Secure Databases Against Vulnerabilities
From the thesis abstract: "Many commercial and government organizations utilize some form of proprietary or open source database management system. Recent history shows security incidents involving database management system vulnerabilities resulting in the compromise of personal information for millions of people. This thesis identifies common vulnerabilities affecting database management systems: injection, misconfigured databases, HTTP [Hypertext Transfer Protocol] interfaces, encryption, and authentication and authorization. This thesis also examines three open source database management systems: MySQL, MongoDB, and Cassandra. We test each against the aforementioned vulnerabilities and provide recommendations to mitigate the vulnerabilities."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Sloan, Jonathan P.
2015-12
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Combating Paramilitary Terrorism on the Homefront: An Examination of Capabilities and Limitations of U.S. Response Forces
From the thesis abstract: "After the September 11 attacks, it was expected that terrorists would continue their innovations in tactics to eventually use high-tech weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Such a WMD attack has not occurred. During the past decade, however, law enforcement and military authorities in the United States and in other countries have faced a number of terrorist attacks carried out using more conventional paramilitary methods with devastating results. This thesis examines the paramilitary terrorist attacks that occurred in Beslan in 2004 and in Mumbai in 2008 in an attempt to understand the threat and to establish the criteria for an effective U.S. response to paramilitary terrorism. It is important to understand that a drastic difference exists between requirements for response to paramilitary terrorism and the more common active shooter protocols. This thesis examines the capabilities and limitations of law enforcement, the National Guard, and the active component (AC) of the military to recommend a response that could be uniformly achieved across the United States. It was determined that the AC of the military is the only capable response force. It requires additional planning, coordination, and cross-training with regional civilian counterparts for an effective response to a paramilitary attack to be established."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Clees, Michael R.
2015-12
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Analysis of the Capabilities Supporting Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations of the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL) and the United States Marine Corps Marine Expeditionary Unit (USMC MEU)
From the thesis abstract: "The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review emphasized the importance of the Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR) mission in rebalancing the Asia-Pacific region. The coupling of the U.S. pivot to the Pacific and the frequency of natural disasters in the vicinity of Sumatra, Indonesia, focused this research project on the disaster response capabilities of the Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut [TNI AL]) and the United States Marine Corps--Marine Expeditionary Unit (USMC MEU). To examine the gaps between demand and supply, we derived potential demand through the analysis of historical HA/DR scenarios while garnering potential supply through a study of the TNI AL and USMC MEU organic assets. Through this analysis, we created a capabilities matrix to capture and present both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of HA/DR demand and available responder supply. This matrix encompasses the general categories of personnel, material, logistics, and communication, and how these categories affect the availability of medical support, sustenance, habitat, and infrastructure. The completed matrix identified regional capability shortfalls that can be addressed to increase future HA/DR responsiveness. These include the procurement of additional vertical lift, the pre-positioning of critical supplies, and the building of population resiliency."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Achwandi, M. Reza; Hamler, Danny A.; Hoyt, Todd A.
2015-12
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Saudi Arabia's Implementation of Soft Power Policy to Confront Iran's Obvious Threats
From the thesis abstract: "The American scholar Joseph Nye was the first to coin the term 'soft power.' The soft power of a country is based on three resources: the culture, the value of internal policy, and the strength of the foreign policy. In international politics, soft power is among the ways in which success can be achieved without hard power. The concept of soft power has become an integral part of today's language for Saudi Arabia's political leaders, who use soft power to confront challenges with Iran. Such a concept has to be maintained for Iran to stop increasing its influence in the region. This thesis explores Saudi Arabian soft power aimed at counteracting challenges presented by Iran's hegemonic ambitions in the Middle East. Accordingly, the thesis explores the tools at Saudi Arabia's disposal that could enable it to counter Iran's ambition of dominating the Middle East and the rest of the Arab world."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Alanazi, Abdullah Khuliyf A.
2015-12
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Sowing the Seeds of Soft Power: The United States and India in the Next Great Game
From the thesis abstract: "In both the 2010 and 2015 National Security Strategy, the White House published President Barack Obama's remarks emphasizing that the United States must integrate all the tools of national power to further U.S. strategic interests. This is especially true in a dynamic and increasingly multipolar world. In what this thesis calls the Next Great Game, the future key players in this emerging geopolitical scenario are Iran, Russia, China, and India. This thesis focuses on India. Using Joseph Nye's concept of hard power and soft power, this thesis explores what bonds can and do serve to align the United States and India. In doing so, this thesis makes it clear that the United States and India share several soft power bonds as a result of their respective historic connections to British colonialism, which to a certain degree has already set the conditions for the integration of all the tools of U.S. national power with India. Though historic disagreements and complex regional relations stymie the process, the United States must be cognizant of the type of relationship that is presenting itself and understand that the tools of government may be less important than the form of power being exercised."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Blankenhorn, Daniel
2015-12
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Evolution of Strategic Thought Since September 11, 2001: A Swiss Perspective on Clausewitz, Classical, and Contemporary Theories
From the thesis abstract: "Since 1991, a long list of scholars has sought to write off Clausewitz as outdated and no longer worth study. In light of the past fifteen years and the absence of a strategic victory in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, however, Clausewitz's early retirement is misguided, to say the least. Are the classical theories of Clausewitz on the nature of war--particularly concerning small wars and insurgencies--relevant to contemporary conflicts since September 11, 2001? This study is chiefly based on secondary sources, including books and scholarly articles originating from the work of scholars, political researchers, and think tanks. The research method is qualitative, and it compares, contrasts, summarizes, and critically assesses the adaptations of, and effects on, counterinsurgency policy, strategy, and doctrine in English-speaking nations and Europe. The study shows that the content of Clausewitz's 'On War' must be understood in the political and strategic context of the 21st century and not that of the 19th century. Now is the time to put aside visceral reactions against Clausewitz and start to study his work with closer attention, especially at the junction of the military and the political."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Monnet, Gregoire O.
2015-12
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Countering the Hidden Hand: A Study of Iranian Influence in Iraq
From the thesis abstract: "The purpose of this thesis is to illuminate the pathways of Iranian influence in Iraq in order to provide U.S. decision makers with a possible strategy to counter Iran's malignant influence there. By using a combination of social network analysis and social movement theory, this study illuminates the network of actors fighting Daesh in Iraq by first analyzing the network to map Iran's influence channels and identify macro- and micro-level brokerage within the network. Using a social-movement focused approach, this study then identifies a candidate group for mobilization. Study of the network reveals that Iranian influence is exerted via its sponsored Shi'a militias and by conducting bloc recruitment of tribal militias. To counter this, the Jubouri tribal confederation located in Salahuddin Province offers high potential for mobilization under U.S. sponsorship that could be used to combat Iranian influence."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
O'Connor, Patrick R.
2015-12
