TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD .............................................................................................................. 6 BEST ESSAYS OF THE JOINT COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COURSE ..... 10 MAJ DANIELE DEMAESTRI. Should Democratic States Intervene Militarily to Promote Democracy Abroad? ................................................................................... 11 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 11 Iraq: The Foreign Imposed Regime Change ......................................................... 13 Syria: The Responsibility to Protect ...................................................................... 18 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 23 Bibliography .......................................................................................................... 26 MAJ RIHO JUURIK. Reasons for Failure of the Operation Krasnaya Gorka. A Case Study......................................................................................................................... 32 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 32 1. Strategic background ........................................................................................ 33 1.1 The Estonian War of Independence ............................................................ 33 1.2 Objectives of the Operation Krasnaya Gorka .............................................. 35 1.3 Operation Krasnaya Gorka Concept of Operation ....................................... 36 2. Analysis/Reasons for loss ................................................................................. 38 2.1 Definition of Objectives. ............................................................................... 38 2.2 Unity of Effort. .............................................................................................. 41 2.3 Maintenance of morale. ............................................................................... 43 Summary ............................................................................................................... 44 Bibliography .......................................................................................................... 46 MAJ TOMAS LUKAŠEVIČIUS. Transforming Lithuanian Special Operations Forces for the Future Operating Environment: A Proposal. .................................................. 48 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 48 1. Background ....................................................................................................... 49 1.1 Threats to Lithuanian National Security .................................................... 49 1.2 LITH SOF Capabilities, and Assigned Tasks ............................................ 51 1.3 Assessing Future Operating Environment ................................................ 52 2. Analysis and Recommendations ....................................................................... 54 2.1 Cyber-enabled LITH SOF Capability to Support Future Requirements ....... 55 2.2 Integration of Emerging Technologies ......................................................... 57 2.3 Diversity of Talents ...................................................................................... 60 2 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 63 Bibliography .......................................................................................................... 65 MAJ RYAN NEWNAN. Is Immigration a Threat to the National Security of the United States? ...................................................................................................................... 69 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 69 Immigration: Definition, Historical Context, and American Policies through 11 September 2001 .................................................................................................... 70 Border Security ..................................................................................................... 73 Sanctuary Cities .................................................................................................... 74 Crime Rates, Security Threats and Statistics ........................................................ 77 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 81 Bibliography .......................................................................................................... 84 MAJ ELMĀRS POPAKULS. What is the Role of Old Weapons Systems in Modern Militaries? .................................................................................................................. 87 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 87 Defining Obsolete Weaponry ................................................................................ 89 Analysis of Conflicts and Relevance to Latvian Armed Forces ............................. 92 Analysis of the Research Data .............................................................................. 93 Recommendations ................................................................................................ 97 Conclusions ........................................................................................................... 98 Bibliography ........................................................................................................ 101 MAJ MINDAUGAS REKAŠIUS. What Should the Defence Strategies of the maller States Look Like? ................................................................................................... 111 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 111 Irregular Warfare ................................................................................................. 113 Total Defence ...................................................................................................... 116 Conclusions ......................................................................................................... 123 Bibliography ........................................................................................................ 126 MAJ KATRIN TÕUGJAS. The Role of the European Union and Russia in Transnistria with Moldova’s Pursuit for Territorial Integrity at Stake ........................................... 131 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 131 Interests of Involved Parties in the Transnistrian Dispute: Russia and the EU .... 133 The Conflict is Embedded in Contemporary Politics, Economics, and the Social Environment, Influenced by Russia's and EU's Levers. ...................................... 135 Main Challenges for the Future of the Unresolved Conflict ................................. 140 Conclusions ......................................................................................................... 142 3 Bibliography ........................................................................................................ 145 BEST ESSAY OF THE HIGHER COMMAND STUDIES COURSE (HCSC) .......... 149 LTC FLORIAN BALTHASAR. Could Targeted Killings be Justified under International Law? ....................................................................................................................... 150 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 150 Summary of Operation Neptune Spear ............................................................... 151 Justifiability under the Law of Interstate Force .................................................... 152 Was Operation Neptune Spear a kill or capture mission? ................................... 154 International Humanitarian Law or International Human Rights Law? ................. 155 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 162 Bibliography ........................................................................................................ 164 LTC JANNO MÄRK. NATO vs China: a Race for the Supremacy of Emerging and Disruptive technologies ........................................................................................... 167 Introduction ......................................................................................................... 167 NATO Technology Trends 2020-2040 ................................................................. 168 NATO’s Approach to Developing EDT Technologies .......................................... 171 China as a Rising Power Developing EDT Technologies .................................... 174 How China is Affecting NATO’s EDT Development............................................. 179 Recommendations to NATO ............................................................................... 180 Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 183 Bibliography .......................................................................................................