Operation Iraqi Freedom
War in Iraq is seen as a fight for strategic security in the new age.
By Col. Warren S. Lacy, USA-Ret.

The eternal question for the staff of a monthly magazine is how to cover breaking news and rapidly changing situations. Finding the answer is even tougher when the issue touches the heart of our business. Such is the case with the Iraq war.

Before we went to press for the April issue of Military Officer magazine, the war had not begun. But by the time magazines began arriving in homes, coalition forces were decisively engaged. This month, as we close production of the May issue, the course of the war is uncertain. About three weeks from the date of my writing this note, the magazine will hit the stands. At that time, will our troops be fighting door-to-door against a stubborn enemy? Or will we be consolidating our positions and preparing to rebuild Iraq? At the time of writing, I wouldn't hazard a guess.

So, we hope you see our quandary with respect to providing up-to-date information about the course of the war. What we can do, however, is paint the big picture and suggest ways we all can get involved in the war effort and show support for our men and women in the uniformed services.

For starters, we decided to look beyond the tactics of war. Instead, let's talk strategic vision. For many of us, it's been some time since we sat through those stuffy staff college or war college seminars. And even if we remember it all, does what we studied in the days of the Cold War or "the new world order" relate to today's strategic environment? To answer that question, we dropped a story originally planned for this month's lineup and commissioned the feature "Global Transaction Strategy" (page 68).

I warn you now, this piece is not light reading. But for readers who are interested in a view of "the new security paradigm that shapes this age," the item will be thought-provoking. According to the authors, when the United States finally went to war again in the Persian Gulf, it was not about settling old scores, or simply enforcing U.N.-mandated disarmament of illegal weapons, or a distraction in the war on terror. Instead, the authors contend, it marked a historic turning point - the moment when Washington took real ownership of strategic security in the age of globalization.

We also present another view of modern military operations in our story "Warfare Inc." (page 50). This story discusses private military companies, modern businesses run by professionals that are increasingly in demand as U.S. forces stretch their capabilities and find outsourcing essential.

For yet another perspective on the Iraq war, see the MOAA president's column (page 10). And how can you lend a hand? Check out our suggestions on page 26.