Tim Hsia

Before ISIS, a Resonant Image of a Captured Flag in Iraq

New York Times

Aug 2015

One image from our experience in the United States Army during the Iraq war stands out. It is a photograph of our squadron commander, then Lt. Col. Rod Coffey, holding a captured flag. The flag is now the widely known black banner of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL. The photograph was taken by one of Colonel Coffey’s soldiers in March 2008 after American forces completely defeated insurgents in a portion of Diyala Province. Colonel Coffey stands with the flag in his right hand, his trademark cigar dangling in his left and the look of a man resolved to defeat militants whose barbarism today is ever so disturbingly documented by the media.

How Cyberwarfare and Drones Have Revolutionized Warfare

The New York Times

Jun 2013

We believe the next few decades will be dominated by advancements in software and hardware (cyber and robotics, including drones) just as the last decade was dominated by counterinsurgency. We also believe that historians will look back and see advancements in cyberwarfare and robotics as the first two revolutions in military affairs of the 21st century. While we were deployed overseas, we saw firsthand the impact of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, in a counterinsurgency fight. Drones enabled headquarters to break through the fog of war swiftly, giving commanders greater command and control over the battlefield. At the same time, our ability to undermine the enemy’s communications network was important in the counterinsurgency fight. O

America’s Multiethnic Military

The New York Times

Apr 2010

If I had to summarize my thoughts on immigration and the military, and the pursuit of the American Dream, I would quote General Pace: “My dad came here, sometimes worked three jobs, but the jobs were there for him and the opportunities were there for him. …There is no other country on the planet that affords that opportunity to those who come.”

China’s Growing Military Might

The New York Times

Nov 2009

When the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq end, the United States military will probably view China in a much different light from the way it did prior to 9/11. China will no longer be a curiosity. China’s economic rise and defense spending will be a cause for concern for some in the military. For Japan, America’s strongest ally in the region, the prospect of the Chinese economy eclipsing that of Japan could move toward reality.

Unexamined Civil-Military Relations

The New York Times

Aug 2009

Before 9/11 conventional wisdom said that the United States no longer had the stomach for prolonged wars.

New York Times Op-ed: A Clean Fight

The New York Times

Feb 2009

New York Times At War Contributor

New York Times

Jan 2009

The captain, a 2004 West Point graduate, was on his second deployment to Iraq, with 3rd Squadron, Second Stryker Cavalry Regiment, and has since returned to the United States, via Germany. His first, and very popular, At War post was Unexamined Civil Military relations, exploring the issue of whether the creation of an all volunteer force has dissolved society’s relationship with the military. Capt. Hsia provided a valuable non-journalist’s perspective on events in Iraq and Afghanistan, supplementing our regular team of correspondents, photographers and videographers.

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OPSEC Key to Current and Future Operations

Infantry Magazine

May 2008

The world today is indeed flat. It is possible now to quickly disseminate and share information globally in seconds rather than days. On today's battlefield, any soldier or insurgent can collaborate with their comrades across the globe in real time to influence or alter future decisions. If intelligence drives operations, then it is paramount that the US military conceal its intelligence capabilities.

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Intelligence Collection and Sharing

Infantry Magazine

Jan 2008

Years from now after the Iraq and Afghanistan wars have ended; historians will pore over the operations and tactics of the U.S. Army during both campaigns.

Los Angeles Times Op-ed: The Outsourced War

Los Angeles Times

Sep 2007

From the time a soldier wakes up until he goes to sleep, he interacts with civilian contractors. Most of the focus has been on personal security detachments, or PSDs -- the bodyguards, like Blackwater. But by some estimates there are as many of 180,000 contractors, and PSDs make up only a small fraction of them. The majority of the jobs are service support for the troops and are filled by non-Americans. The effect of these civilians in the Iraq war has yet to be fully examined, and the legacy of their role will affect how our nation fights its future wars.

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Tim Hsia

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