Publication

This paper discusses the doctrine on the center of gravity (COG) as a central element of campaign planning. The author argues that although the US military performs brilliantly in decisive operations, the difficulties it has faced in Iraq and Afghanistan suggest that a doctrinal renaissance is in order. This paper further examines the potential for employing the COG concept in areas beyond the realm of decisive operations and offers three options for evolving the COG, with a specific recommendation that it would be most effective if removed from doctrine and considered as an abstract concept, rather than a practical one.