The demise of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact left the United States with no single identifiable threat. The "victory" of the Cold War has not provided the US with a significant "peace dividend" as predicted, but instead presents an unstable and uncertain world. Future conflicts may present US forces with enemies which do not represent traditional nation-states but are instead formed from ethnic, religious, tribal, criminal, or corporate based groups. The current intelligence preparation of the battlefield (IPB) process provides a useful framework for organizing information required by future commanders. What is lacking, however, is an appreciation for all of the intangible factors which may influence that battlefield based on the potential disparity of actors involved. This monograph examines theoretical and doctrinal underpinnings of the effectiveness of estimates, the IPB process, and the modern tenets of Army operations. Each of these areas provide a means of recognizing the need for additional information in the products provided to the future operational commander, and the methods by which this may be achieved.

ADA 284088 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)