LESSONS ENCOUNTERED

Acknowledgments
Our chapter reviewers, who also made great and detailed contributions,
include John Wood of the Near East South Asia Center, Dr. Pete Mansoor of
The Ohio State University, Ryan Henry and Linda Robinson of RAND, Robert
Perito, Dr. Jack Kem of the Combined Arms Center, the Honorable James
Baker of the Court of Military Appeals, and Amy Belasco of the Congressional
Research Service.
A number of other invited reviewers went above and beyond and submitted
detailed comments on the manuscript. The editors and authors want
to thank in particular Professor Cynthia Watson of the National War College,
who read the manuscript twice; Professor Steve Brent and Professor
Sorin Lungu of the Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and
Resource Strategy; Colonel Tim Ryan, USA (Ret.), of the Joint and Coalition
Operational Analysis Division, J7, Joint Staff; and Lieutenant Colonel John
Gallagher, USA, Lieutenant Colonel Blair Sokol, USMC, and Colonel Charlie
Miller, USA, of the Office of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Others
who weighed in at our review conference include Norine MacDonald, Queen’s
Counsel; Major Dave McNatt, USA, TRADOC Army Capabilities Integration
Center; Major Erica Iverson, USA, TRADOC; and Colonel Joel Rayburn.
The Small Wars Journal (SWJ), for the last decade led by Dave Dilegge—
Marine, journalist, and entrepreneur—published a review essay by one of our
authors on lessons learned and invited reader responses. Among those who
contributed their thoughts were Dr. John Fairlamb, Dr. Jeff McCausland, Jeff
Goodson, Brian Petit (who sent along his own book), Keith Nightingale, David
Ronfeldt, Dr. John Kuehn, and many others on the SWJ blog whose use of
aliases prevent us from naming them. National War College faculty members
and alumni added powerful and precise commentary. Thanks also to Colonels
Dave Arnold, USAF; John Hall, USA; Ivan Shidlovsky, USA; Andrew Nielsen,
USAF; and Mark Roberts of the Department of Homeland Security for
their expert commentary. Professors Dan Dailey and Mark Clodfelter of the
National War College mixed intelligence and strategic commentary in appropriate
proportions. The Army War College’s Steve Metz also lent us his considerable
wisdom. Lastly, Jerry Lynes of J7 was supportive through every step
of the process.
A final note of thanks goes to our friends and partners at NDU Press. The
skillful work of Dr. William T. Eliason, Dr. Jeffrey D. Smotherman, Dr. John
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