About Cmdr. Daniel Dolan, USN (Retired)

Cmdr. Dolan teaches Strategy & War with the Naval War College’s Distance Education program, and history as an adjunct professor at the University of Maine. He is a former EP-3E/Special mission P-3 naval flight officer, and frequent contributor to USNI News and Proceedings. 

Recent Posts By the Author


Iranian Presidential Election May Be Referendum on Nuclear Deal

Iranian Presidential Election May Be Referendum on Nuclear Deal

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Voting in Iran on May 19, 2017. IRNA Photo

On Friday, many of the 56 million eligible voters in Iran will cast their votes a tight contest between the current reformist president Hassan Rouhani, and the conservative candidate Ebrahim Raisi. The Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei cast his ballot early Friday morning and encouraged all eligible voters to head to the polls. Khamenei said that “the country’s fate is determined by the people.” Al Jazeera, and other international news sources are reporting long lines at the polls. Voting is scheduled to end this evening, and the results are normally computed within 24 hours. Read More →

Opinion: The Strategic Impact of Trump’s Executive Orders and Actions

Opinion: The Strategic Impact of Trump’s Executive Orders and Actions

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ISIS forces in Iraq

ISIS forces in Iraq

CORRECTION: The following piece was mislabeled as an analysis piece rather than opinion.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week that bars citizens from Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and Syria from entering the United States for 90 days, suspends refugee admission programs for 120 days and indefinitely bans Syrian refugees. Many questions have been raised about this controversial executive action. Since this action is characterized as a national security measure, this analysis will examine two questions: first, will such a policy measurably contribute to U.S. national security interests at home and abroad? And second, why the sudden change in strategy? Read More →

Opinion: Want a better Navy? Try Fixing the Little Things

Opinion: Want a better Navy? Try Fixing the Little Things

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Air-Traffic Controller 2nd Class Alexes Boutin, assigned to the operations department aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in 2012. US Navy Photo

Air-Traffic Controller 2nd Class Alexes Boutin, assigned to the operations department aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in 2012. US Navy Photo

In Malcom Gladwell’s bestselling book, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, he provides an example how New York City lowered crime by employing a program based on the “Broken Window theory.” The theory was the brainchild of James Q. Wilson and George Kelling “who argued that crime is the result of disorder. If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude that no one cares and no one is in charge.” When this theory was put into practice in New York and the little things were taken care of (i.e. cleaning up graffiti) crime went down, and the residents of New York felt more secure and proud of their city.

The Navy’s new leadership team in Washington fortunately are not tasked with solving a crime wave in the fleet, but the concept of the Broken Window theory applies to any organization—fixing the little things can make a big difference. Read More →

Opinion: Trump’s Defense Increase Might Not Equal a Better Military

Opinion: Trump’s Defense Increase Might Not Equal a Better Military

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Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Gage Skidmore


Donald Trump speaking with supporters at a campaign rally at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo by Gage Skidmore

Shortly after the presidential election, USNI News ran a piece looking forward into a U.S. military under a Trump administration.

The report pieced together statements from Trump that may represent his outline for what he often stated was a need to “rebuild the military.” Briefly summarized, Trump’s plan would result in 50 new ships for the U.S. Navy, a 33-percent growth in the size of the Marine Corps, and 50,000 additional soldiers for the Army. Read More →

Opinion: The Danger of Connecting Iran Nuclear Deal with Attacks on U.S. Warships

Opinion: The Danger of Connecting Iran Nuclear Deal with Attacks on U.S. Warships

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USS Mason (DDG-87) fires an SM-2 during a March 2016 exercise. US Navy Image

USS Mason (DDG-87) fires an SM-2 during a March 2016 exercise. US Navy Image

This is the first of two opinion pieces examining the Iran nuclear deal and the recent attacks in Yemen.

The recent spate of Yemeni Houthi rebel anti-ship missile attacks in the strategically important littorals near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, have drawn America’s attention to Yemen’s bitter civil war. Read More →

Opinion: Connecting the Dots on Recent Incidents with Iranian and Russian Forces

Opinion: Connecting the Dots on Recent Incidents with Iranian and Russian Forces

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An undated picture of a Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy patrol craft.

An undated picture of a Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy patrol craft.

Some critics attribute the increased number of aggressive air-to-air intercepts and incidents at sea to what they argue is the current administration’s weak foreign policy. That claim raises some interesting points when analyzed. There is a strong counter-argument to such claims. Read More →

Analysis: A Year After the Iran Nuclear Deal

Analysis: A Year After the Iran Nuclear Deal

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Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in Geneva on January 14 for a bilateral meeting to provide guidance to their negotiating teams before their next round of discussions, which begin on January 15. US State Dept. Photo

Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in Geneva on January 14 for a bilateral meeting to provide guidance to their negotiating teams before their next round of discussions, which begin on January 15. US State Dept. Photo

If measured only by the ton, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly referred to as “the Iran nuclear deal,” would be considered a smashing success. Read More →

Opinion: Winning the Protracted War Against Radical Islamic Terrorists

Opinion: Winning the Protracted War Against Radical Islamic Terrorists

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Soldiers of the personal security detachment for Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Redhorse, patrol the villages in the Bagram Security Zone in 2011. US Army Photo

Soldiers of the personal security detachment for Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, Task Force Redhorse, patrol the villages in the Bagram Security Zone in 2011. US Army Photo

President Barack Obama’s recent decision to leave 8,400 U.S. forces in Afghanistan through next year and NATO’s announcement over the weekend to support the United States with another 3,000 troops—as well as $1 billion in financial support— means the effort to secure a lasting peace in Afghanistan will enter its 16th year with U.S. forces still operating on the ground and in the air above Afghanistan. Two U.S. administrations have now pursued an elusive peace in this region of the world at a staggering cost in blood and treasure. Read More →

Opinion: What the Iranian Election Results Mean

Opinion: What the Iranian Election Results Mean

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani casts his vote during elections for the parliament and Assembly of Experts, which has the power to appoint and dismiss the supreme leader, in Tehran Feb. 26, 2016. Iranian Government Photo

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani casts his vote during elections for the parliament and Assembly of Experts, which has the power to appoint and dismiss the supreme leader, in Tehran Feb. 26, 2016. Iranian Government Photo

Last week’s elections in Iran served as a good barometer for gauging the mood of the Iranian electorate following the implementation of the P5+1 nuclear agreement in late 2015. Read More →