New Books in History Amos Fox and Franz-Stefan Gady, "Multidomain Operations: The Pursuit of Battlefield Dominance in the 21st Century" (Howgate Publishing, 2026)
Feb 14, 2026
Amos Fox, Professor of Practice at Arizona State University and retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, explains why modern doctrine like Multi-Domain Operations may be miscast. He traces MDO’s origins, critiques its tech-first tilt, and defends the enduring need for land forces, artillery, and tailored allied approaches. Short, sharp takes on Ukraine, Indo-Pacific challenges, and how doctrine should fit theaters, not hype.
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Scope MDO To Threat And Theater
- Treat MDO as a guiding principle, then create theater‑specific doctrines that adapt it to threat and environment.
- Develop 'MDO in Europe' and 'MDO in Indo‑Pacific' variants rather than one-size-fits-all doctrine.
Consolidation Gap: Who Holds Terrain?
- MDO's tech focus risks hollowing out land forces and critical capacities like engineers and MPs.
- Without forces to consolidate gains, sensing-and-strike cycles leave a strategic gap on the ground.
SOF Strikes Create Backlog For Line Units
- Amos Fox recounts special operations arriving, striking, and leaving without follow‑on forces in Iraq.
- Regular units then had to manage local backlash and repair damage after covert raids.
