Recent Publications

European Strategies in Post-Pandemic Peer Competition: Implications for America
September 22, 2022 — Dr. John R. Deni, Sept 25 2022 in Taylor & Francis OnlineThe recent reconceptualization of national and/or defense strategies, hangovers from the sovereign debt crisis, and the impact of the pandemic-induced recession in four of the most powerful European countries – France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom – will have profound implications... MORE

Deconstructing the Collapse of Afghanistan National Security and Defense Forces
September 21, 2022 — The rapid collapse of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in August 2021 was widely anticipated and due to its structural constraints and qualitative decline from 2018–21. This article provides a targeted analysis of ANDSF operational liabilities and qualitative limitations, referencing often overlooked statements by US and Afghan political and military officials, data from official US government reports... MORE

“Professionalizing Special Operations Forces”
September 20, 2022 — The special operations community could best address the perceived ethical crisis it faces by professionalizing as an institution. While earlier assessments have attributed special operations forces’ ethical issues to a focus on mission accomplishment that led to a broken force generation process and a high operations tempo, such diagnoses obscure a more comprehensive solution. Using sociologist Andrew Abbott’s work on professions as a framework, this article explores the benefits of building the kinds of institutions that can claim a jurisdiction, develop and certify expert knowledge, and establish and apply a code of ethics that addresses special operations unique concerns so that it builds trust and better serves the American people... MORE

“The Grand Strategy of Gertrude Bell: From the Arab Bureau to the Creation of Iraq”
September 19, 2022 — The remarkable life of early-twentieth-century British adventurer Gertrude Bell has been well documented through her numerous travel books and biographies. Bell’s role as a grand strategist for the British government in the Middle East during World War I and the postwar period, however, is surprisingly understudied... MORE

“The Cuban Missile Crisis: Miscalculation, Nuclear Risks, and the Human Element”
September 14, 2022 — Decisive Point Podcast, Dr. Arthur I. Cyr, leadership, deterrence, Cuba, nuclear weapons, missile crisis... MORE

SSI Live 94 – Gorbachev’s Passing and Legacy
September 3, 2022 — Earlier this week, the last leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, passed. To discuss his leadership of the Soviet Union’s last years and his legacy today, SSI’s own Dr. Bob Hamilton, former SSI research professor Dr. Steve Blank, and former USAWC professor Dr. Craig Nation sat down with SSI Live host John Deni. How did Gorbachev differ... MORE

SSI Live 93 – The Grand Strategy of Gertrude Bell and Implications for US Policy Today
September 2, 2022 — British strategist and diplomat Gertrude Bell shaped the modern Middle East and played a leading role in crafting London’s policies at a time of shifting great power dynamics. In this podcast, Dr. Heather Gregg discusses her monograph on Bell’s life and legacy and the implications for managing strategic competition today. What lessons can be drawn... MORE

Enabling a More Externally Focused and Operational PLA – 2020 PLA Conference Papers
August 31, 2022 — Although the People’s Liberation Army is not yet a global expeditionary force on par with the US military, the former has nevertheless significantly expanded its ability to operate abroad. Through enhanced technological capabilities, robust relationships with foreign militaries, increased access to overseas military bases and dual-use facilities, and the implementation of major structural reforms, the People’s Liberation Army has built a more integrated joint force capable of conducting a wider and more complex array of missions... MORE

Parameters | Autumn 2022
August 26, 2022 — Download the Full IssueIn Focus From the Editor in Chief Antulio J. Echevarria II Why America’s Army Can’t Win America’s Wars John A. Nagl Sino-Russian Relations and the War in Ukraine Zenel Garcia and Kevin D. ModlinWar and Its Effects Deconstructing the Collapse of Afghanistan National Security and Defense Forces Thomas F. Lynch III Linking... MORE

Parameters | Autumn 2022
US Army War College Press

“SRAD Director’s Corner: Understanding North Korea and Key to Security in East Asia”
August 25, 2022 — In this episode, Colonel George Shatzer focuses on North Korea and the Kim family regime. He reviews Becoming Kim Jong Un: A Former CIA Officer’s Insights into North Korea’s Enigmatic Young Dictator by Jung H. Pak and Rationality in the North Korean Regime: Understanding the Kims’ Strategy of Provocation by David W. Shin and shows how these books might help readers better understand North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un and the implications of his actions for US foreign and military policy in the region. The books also provide insights for strategists attempting to plan for security in East Asia... MORE

“Sino-Russian Relations and the War in Ukraine”
August 18, 2022 — Claims that China has taken “Russia’s side” in the Ukrainian War oversimplify Sino-Russian relations. Garcia and Modlin contend Sino-Russian relations are a narrow partnership centered on accelerating the emergence of a multipolar order to reduce American hegemony and illustrate this point by tracing the discursive and empirical foundations of the relationship using primary and secondary materials. Furthermore, they highlight how the war has created challenges and opportunities for China’s other strategic interests, some at the expense of the United States or Russia... MORE

“Why America’s Army Can’t Win America’s Wars”
August 10, 2022 — Since achieving victory in World War II, the United States military has a less than enviable combat record in irregular warfare. Through a detailed historical analysis, this article provides perspective on where past decisions and doctrines have led to defeat and where they may have succeeded if given more time or executed differently. In doing so, it provides lessons for future Army engagements and argues that until America becomes proficient in irregular warfare, our enemies will continue to fight us at the lower levels of the spectrum of conflict, where they have a good chance of exhausting our will to fight... MORE