Grace Caroline Mahan · Scholarship @ Claremont (The Claremont Colleges) 2014 · comparative case study · n=4 operations

Coalitions, Institutions, and Counterinsurgency: The U.S. - NATO Alliance in Afghanistan

Cited 0 times in the scientific literature.

Level 4 - case-series / case-control

Level 4 by design analogy (comparative case study; non-clinical scholarship).

OpenAlex W181650 · record verified 2026-08-26

What was done

This thesis evaluated differences in U.S. multilateralism between ad hoc coalitions and permanent institutional alliances (NATO) in Afghanistan counterinsurgency operations. It contrasted overarching strategies between Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and evaluated tactical differences across two paired operations: OEF Operation Red Wings vs. ISAF Operation Siege of Sangin, and OEF Operation Eastern Resolve II vs. ISAF Operation Panther's Claw.

What was found

The abstract describes the comparative framework and specific tactical comparisons but reports no specific quantitative or empirical findings.

Why it matters

This study provides a qualitative comparison of how institutional permanence versus ad hoc coalitions shapes strategic and tactical military operations in counterinsurgency campaigns.

Limits

The abstract contains no empirical results or quantitative performance metrics. The analysis is limited to a qualitative comparison of four selected military operations within a single theater (Afghanistan), limiting generalizability.

Cited by