Nat Sec Planning for the 21st

3 Credits · Level: Graduate

Washington’s problem in the nutshell is that it doesn’t think very well. The last quarter century has seen an explosion in the human capacity to create and manipulate new knowledge—yet many of the instruments used to support national security leadership are as creaky as ever. All this needs to change if America wants to outthink it enemies and it help it friends secure a safe, free, and prosperous future. This course provides both an introduction to the theoretical constructs and practical exercises in the three critical pillars of overseeing national security affairs—planning, strategy, and decision-making. Lessons provide a foundation for the skills, knowledge, and attributes to analyze, address, and manage national security affairs at the operational and strategic levels. The first part of the course provides an introduction and practical exercises in the most cutting-edge methods of analysis. The second part of the course teaches the fundamentals of strategy, policy, and decision-making and offers a practicum in these activities.