Document created: 1 December 04
Air
& Space Power Journal - Winter
2004
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Flight Lines |
Group Capt Christopher J. Finn, RAF, Editor, RAF Air Power Review
Lt Col Paul D. Berg, USAF, Editor, Air &Space Power Journal
Alliance and coalition operations—a long-standing, important aspect of military affairs—remain vital in today’s global war on terror. Some alliances and coalitions have succeeded, but others have failed miserably. The United States and United Kingdom have enjoyed a mutually beneficial partnership for a considerable time but have also suffered significant tensions and disagreements. Such problems seem as endemic to international alliances as they are to marriages. Successful alliances and coalitions, like good marriages, overcome disagreements and find ways to cooperate in pursuit of common goals. As today’s American and British Airmen ponder how best to coordinate their activities with colleagues from allied nations, they will find it useful to study how their predecessors integrated operations over the years.
Toward that end, the editors of RAF Air Power Review and Air and Power Journal have prepared this special joint issue. Both journals contain the same feature articles written by a mixture of British and American authors. To retain the articles’ unique national flavors, the British contributors convey their thoughts in "the King’s English," complete with British spelling and terminology, while the American authors employ US spelling and style. Since both ASPJ and RAF Air Power Review traditionally include book reviews, readers will find that these issues have four reviews in common—two by US and two by UK writers. However, they will also note that the journals are not identical, a fact reflected by differences in page layout as well as the inclusion of articles and reviews unique to each one. To view Air & Space Power Journal online, go to http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/ASPJ/apje.htm . RAF Air Power Review is available at http://www.raf.mod.uk/downloads/documents.html.
The editors hope that these special issues give British and American Airmen fresh insights into the dynamics of alliance and coalition operations. To make those discernments meaningful, the feature articles point out the rough spots as well as the happy times in Anglo-American relations. Sustaining a successful coalition military effort requires that leaders adopt a long-term strategic perspective to help them focus on the really important things and discount short-term distractions. Consequently, the feature articles span nine decades of war and peace, giving today’s Airmen an appreciation of how their ante-cedents’ experiences have shaped the current Anglo-American relationship.
Some people have called the US-UK partnership "special," perhaps because of shared historical experiences, culture, language, and personal friendships. Yet some of the trends evident in the ways British and American Airmen have cooperated can help both nations become more successful in forming coalitions with other nations. The future of US-UK relations in airpower and space power looks bright. Let it serve as an example of what other Airmen can do together if they set their minds to it.
Disclaimer
The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.
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