Recent Publications

China Center Director Series – China Maritime Studies Institute
May 30, 2024 — In episode 7 of CLSC Dialogues, Christopher Sharman and Dr. Andrew S. Erickson discuss the China Maritime Studies Institute at the Naval War College. Sharman serves as the director of the China Maritime Studies Institute and Erickson—who helped stand up the organization in 2006—is professor of strategy in the China Maritime Studies Institute. ... MORE

“Recognizing the Increasing Importance of the US-ROK Alliance”
May 30, 2024 — The essay this podcast episode is based on sets the stage for the Strategic Studies Institute’s research on the growing importance of South Korea to the US alliance system and security objectives across the Indo-Pacific region, provides reasons why South Korea may become commensurate with Japan as the region’s primary US ally, and proposes ways the... MORE

China Center Director Series – Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs
May 29, 2024 — In episode 6, Dr. Phillip C. Saunders, the director of the Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs in the Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University, discusses the organization’s research efforts, product lines, and more. ... MORE

On Lessons Learned and Unlearned: The Drivers of US Indirect-Fire Innovation
May 29, 2024 — Lieutenant Colonel Zachary Griffiths and Sergeant First Class Leyton Summerlin of the Harding Project discuss military discourse and why it matters, the impact of professional writing, tips for aspiring writers, and more. Named after Major General Edwin Forrest Harding, the Harding project focuses on US Army professional publications with the intent to renew and revive them. ... MORE

China Center Director Series – Marine Corps University
May 28, 2024 — Episode 5 of CLSC Dialogues features Daniel Rice, the China political and military strategy subject matter expert at Marine Corps University. In this episode, he explains how Marine Corps University and its Brute Krulak Center for Innovation and Future Warfare contribute to the community of interest... MORE

AI, Trust, Culture, and the Military (Part 2)
May 28, 2024 — Contesting Paul Scharre’s influential vision of “centaur warfighting” and the idea that autonomous weapon systems will replace human warfighters, this podcast proposes that the manned-unmanned teams of the future are more likely to be minotaurs, teams of humans under the control, supervision, or command of artificial intelligence... MORE

China Center Director Series – China Aerospace Studies Institute
May 27, 2024 — Episode 4 features Dr. Brendan Mulvaney is the director of the department of the Air Force's China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI). In this episode, Mulvaney introduces CASI, its mission, researchers, product lines, and more. The organization is the Department of Air Force’s premiere center for the study of China and its aerospace capabilities... MORE

“International Law, Self-Defense, and the Israel-Hamas Conflict”
May 23, 2024 — This podcast examines the international law of self-defense as it applies to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict to determine whether the October 2023 attacks by Hamas against Israel can be interpreted under Article 51 of the UN Charter as an “armed attack” that gives Israel the right to use military force in self-defense against non-state actors. It situates the conflict within ongoing legal and political debates, shows how this... MORE

China Center Director Series – China Landpower Studies Center
May 20, 2024 — In episode 3 of CLSC Dialogues, COL Rich Butler, director of the China Landpower Studies Center (CLSC) in the Strategic Studies Institute at the US Army War College, discusses the scope and mission of the CLSC and introduces its researchers and 2024 conference theme. The CLSC stood up in January 2024 to tackle questions about China’s emergence as a global power and its implications for the US military... MORE

AI, Trust, Culture, and the Military (Part 1)
May 15, 2024 — Contesting Paul Scharre’s influential vision of “centaur warfighting” and the idea that autonomous weapon systems will replace human warfighters, this podcast proposes that the manned-unmanned teams of the future are more likely to be minotaurs, teams of humans under the control, supervision, or command of artificial intelligence. It examines the likely composition of the future force and prompts a necessary conversation about the ethical issues raised by minotaur warfighting. The guests also explore culture and trust in relation to AI and the military. ... MORE

China’s Use of Nontraditional Strategic Landpower in Asia
May 9, 2024 — This article argues that the People’s Republic of China uses its police and internal security forces as a nontraditional means of projecting strategic Landpower in the Indo-Pacific and Central Asia. Instead of limiting analysis of China’s power projection to military forces, this article employs new data on Chinese police engagements abroad to fill a gap in our understanding of the operating environment in Asia. Policymakers will gain an understanding of how these activities enhance China’s presence, partnerships, and influence across the region to inform the development of recommendations for a more effective response. ... MORE

The Politics of Restraint in the Middle East
May 2, 2024 — Domestic constraints make it difficult for the United States to pursue a coherent program of restraint in the Middle East. As events in Gaza revive debates about the appropriate size and scope of the military footprint in the region, this article shows the importance of grounding any revised posture on a firm domestic foundation. Going beyond accounts that blame the obstructionism of a foreign policy establishment, it explores barriers to strategic adjustment and supports its claims through a case study of the Obama administration’s record, drawn from relevant literature, data on the distribution of military capabilities, and interviews with senior officials. ... MORE