InterAgency Journal 14-2

The fall 2024 edition of the InterAgency Journal begins with the second of a two-part article discussing key considerations for the Department of Defense’s move toward “electrifying” its operations. This first part explores the issues surrounding the vulnerability of our supply chain of rare earths and strategic metals. The second part in this edition focuses on the Army’s strategy to secure the DoD rare earths and strategic metals supply chain in an environment of strategic competition.

The next article examines the interagency partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to collaborate on research, education, and career initiatives located at the intersection of biomedical and humanities research. This partnership provides a case study for other government agencies seeking mutually beneficial relationships that serve the greater good.

The third article, penned by USMC Lt. Col. Robert Issac Baskins examines interagency integration between the Departments of Defense and State based on his experiences in the South Pacific theater of operations. Baskins discusses his observations of the DoD-State Department personnel exchange program and makes recommendations for improving the integration of the two departments to better safeguard national security interests.

In the fourth article, political science student and international scholar Tom Kühnel examines NATO’s post-Cold War policy toward Russia and explains how the two actors’ relationship is rooted in their respective history, population characteristics, geographical factors, national self-images, and each one’s national security perspective.

“How to Win Without Fighting” by Collin Hayward is the fifth article in this edition. Hayward explores Cold War lessons on the risks and rewards of political warfare. He uses case studies from the Cold War in which the U.S. successfully employed political warfare to effect regime change and analyzes them to assess whether there is a way that the United States can successfully engage in political warfare today without violating its legal, moral, and ethical principles…or risk engaging in a general war.

Finally, this issue concludes with a thought-provoking look at ethics in intelligence operations by Chaplain (Major) Brett Newman. Newman addresses the question of what kind of ethical system is able to provide the necessary ethical justification for continual intelligence collection. Newman looks at the issue through the lens of the Just War Tradition – just requirements for going to war (jus ad bellum) and just actions in war (jus in bello), reviewing the history of intelligence operations from WWII to today, in an effort to help the nation develop clear guidance on ethically sound intelligence gathering moving forward.

The Simons Center thanks all its readers for their interest in ethical leadership and interagency cooperation and looks forward to your thoughts on this edition of the InterAgency Journal.

Click the cover image below to visit the Simons Center website and read or download IAJ 14-2.

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Simons Center website and read IAJ 14-2