Recent Publications

Resolving Insurgencies
June 1, 2011 — Author: Dr Thomas R Mockaitis Understanding how insurgencies may be brought to a successful conclusion is vital to military strategists and policymakers. This study examines how past insurgencies have ended and how current ones may be resolved. Four ways in which insurgencies have ended are identified. Clear-cut victories for either the government... MORE

Military Modernization and the Russian Ground Forces
June 1, 2011 — Author: Dr Rod Thornton Russia’s political leaders are currently pushing a state- and society-wide process of modernization. The Russian military, a deeply conservative institution, is being asked to accept fundamental changes that threaten the very livelihoods of those being asked to implement them. New structures can be created and new equipment... MORE

The Russian Military and the Georgia War: Lessons and Implications
June 1, 2011 — Author: Dr Ariel Cohen, COL Robert E Hamilton In August 2008, the armed conflict on the territory of Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia broke out between Russia and Georgia. The Russian-planned military campaign lasted 5 days until the parties reached a preliminary ceasefire agreement on August 12. The European Union, led by... MORE

The European Campaign: Its Origins and Conduct
June 1, 2011 — Authors: Dr Clayton K S Chun, Dr Samuel J Newland The authors begin with an examination of prewar planning for various contingencies, then move to the origins of “Germany first” in American war planning. They then focus on the concept, favored by both George C. Marshall and Dwight D. Eisenhower, that the United States and its Allies had to conduct... MORE

Op-Ed: Conventional Arms Control and European Security
May 16, 2011 — Dr. Jeffrey D. McCauslandThe Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (often referred to as the CFE Treaty) was signed in Paris on November 19, 1990, between members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Warsaw Pact. At its signing, many analysts hailed it as “the cornerstone of European security,” and it is clearly the most... MORE

Colloquium Brief: American Society and Its Profession of Arms
May 2, 2011 — Dr. Leonard WongConference Key Insights Whether it is the military-industrial complex, veterans resuming civilian lives, ROTC in colleges, or early childhood education, American society has always been, and continues to be deeply intertwined with the military profession. In many aspects concerning U.S. society and its military profession, panelists... MORE

The Military’s Role in Counterterrorism: Examples and Implications for Liberal Democracies
May 1, 2011 — Author: Dr Geraint Hughes The author examines historical and contemporary examples of military involvement in counterterrorism, outlining the specific roles which the armed forces of liberal democracies have performed in combating terrorism, both in a domestic and international context. He describes the political, strategic, conceptual, diplomatic,... MORE

Rebuilding Armed Forces: Learning from Iraq and Lebanon
May 1, 2011 — Author: Dr Florence Gaub Security Force Assistance becomes more and more important not only in the post-conflict reconstruction process, but also in a more general way in the foreign policy of the United States. Looking into the experience of both Iraq and Lebanon, this monograph offers useful insights for future military assistance programs and... MORE

Cyber Infrastructure Protection
May 1, 2011 — Author: COL Louis H Jordan Jr, Dr Tarek N Saadawi This book provides an integrated view and a comprehensive framework of the various issues relating to cyber infrastructure protection. It provides the foundation for long-term policy development, a roadmap for cyber security, and an analysis of technology challenges that impede cyber infrastructure... MORE

Central Asian Security Trends: Views from Europe and Russia
April 1, 2011 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank The war in Afghanistan has added considerably to the strategic significance of Central Asia due to its proximity to the conflict. Moreover, the continuation of the war increasingly involves the vital interests of many other actors other than the U.S. and NATO forces currently there. This monograph, taken from SSI's... MORE

Hard Power and Soft Power: The Utility of Military Force as an Instrument of Policy in the 21st Century
April 1, 2011 — Author: Dr Colin S Gray Power is one of the more contestable concepts in political theory. In recent decades, scholars and commentators have chosen to distinguish between two kinds of power, “hard” and “soft.” The former is achieved through military threat or use, and by means of economic menace or reward. The latter is the ability tohave influence... MORE

Resolving Ethical Challenges in an Era of Persistent Conflict
April 1, 2011 — Author: COL Tony Pfaff The character of irregular warfare has challenged the American “way of war” in a number of ways. Not only does it challenge how U.S. forces fight, it also brings into question the ethical norms that they employ to govern the fighting. The resulting confusion is especially evident in the public debate over the use of force in... MORE