Recent Publications

Parameters VOL. 47 NO. 1 SPRING 2017
May 1, 2017 — Editor: Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Mission Command: Strategic Implications – Anthony C. King, Russell W. Glenn, and Thomas-Durell Young.After 15 Years of Conflict – Charlotte F. Blatt, Stanley J. Wiechnik, Ellen "Elle" Klein, Douglas A. Sims II, and Amy B. Adler.Modernization Among US Partners – Ian Langford, and Rémy Hémez.Review Essay – Larry D... MORE

Social Media—The Vital Ground: Can We Hold It?
April 21, 2017 — Authors: Dr Steve Tatham, Mr. Ian TunnicliffeView the Executive Summary The impact of social media on the media environment has been widely recognized; as has the ability of extremist and adversarial organizations to exploit social media to publicize their cause, spread their propaganda, and recruit vulnerable individuals. Supporting the growth of... MORE

Strategic Insights: Strategic Questions Loom Large for President Trump in the Middle East
April 11, 2017 — Dr. Christopher J. Bolan“Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” Sun TzuThe primary shortcoming of U.S. policymakers since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, has been a consistent inability to translate tactical and operational military successes into sustainable... MORE

Strategic Insights: Getting Comfortable with Conflicting Ideas
April 4, 2017 — Prof. William G. Braun, IIIDealing with other states, whom the United States has a hard time categorizing as a threat, rival, competitor, or partner requires a new way of approaching national security decision-making. China is a partner in trade, but a rival regarding territorial rights in the South China Sea. Russian support may stabilize the... MORE

Antiquities Destruction and Illicit Sales as Sources of ISIS Funding and Propaganda
April 3, 2017 — Author: Dr W Andrew TerrillView the Executive Summary The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) has embarked on a campaign to destroy or sell priceless world heritage relics throughout the area under its control. While images of the outrageous destruction of priceless artifacts have been seen throughout the world, the strategic and military... MORE

Between Business and War: A Vital Choice for the United States and China
March 29, 2017 — Dr. David Lai, Mr. Frederick J. GellertIn January, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Determined to fix America’s festering domestic and international troubles, the new President put forward his manifesto:For many decades, we've enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry; subsidized the... MORE

Indian and Chinese Engagement in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Comparative Assessment
March 13, 2017 — Author: Dr R Evan EllisView the Executive Summary This monograph comparatively examines the content and country focus of high-level diplomacy for each of the two actors, as well as the volume and patterns of trade, the activities of Indian and Chinese companies in the region, and their relationship to their respective governments in eight sectors:... MORE

Strategic Insights: Is the European Union Really That Important to U.S. Security Interests?
March 9, 2017 — Dr. John R. DeniQuestioning long-held assumptions and challenging existing paradigms in U.S. security policy can be a useful way to ensure that American leaders are not pursuing strategies that do not actually support and promote U.S. interests. However, on the question of whether the European Union’s (EU) existence is in U.S. interests, the... MORE

China’s Interests and Goals in the Arctic: Implications for the United States
March 7, 2017 — Author: Dr Elizabeth WishnickView the Executive Summary China has been elaborating its position on the Arctic at the same time as the United States has been refining its own Arctic strategy as Chairman of the Arctic Council through April 2017. This Letort Paper examines the geopolitical implications of China’s growing involvement in the Arctic for... MORE

Strategic Insights: Reimagining U.S. Foreign Assistance in the Middle East
February 7, 2017 — Author: Dr Christopher J BolanView the Executive Summary U.S. President Donald Trump has proved himself willing to question and challenge many of the conventional wisdoms embedded in contemporary American foreign policies. During his presidential campaign, he questioned the utility of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that has formed... MORE

The Al-Qaeda Organization and the Islamic State Organization: History, Doctrine, Modus Operandi, and U.S. Policy to Degrade and Defeat Terrorism Conducted in the Name of Sunni Islam
February 6, 2017 — Author: Dr Paul KamolnickView the Executive Summary The al-Qaeda Organization (AQO) and the Islamic State Organization (ISO) are transnational adversaries that conduct terrorism in the name of Sunni Islam. It is declared U.S. Government (USG) policy to degrade, defeat, and destroy them. The present book has been written to assist policymakers,... MORE

Strategic Insights: Unlearned Lessons and the Dual-System Problem
January 25, 2017 — Dr. Robert D. LambIn early 2003, the Association of the U.S. Army and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released the final report from their joint, blue ribbon Commission on Post-Conflict Reconstruction (PCR) that had completed its year-long study in 2002.1 The PCR Commission had extracted lessons from U.S. and international... MORE