Recent Publications

Promoting U.S.-Indian Defense Cooperation: Opportunities and Obstacles
June 7, 2017 — Author: Dr Richard WeitzView the Executive Summary The U.S.-Indian security relationship has markedly improved since the Cold War with increased cooperation in a range of areas. The two countries have established stronger military, economic, and political ties based on mutual interests in combating terrorism, promoting democracy, preventing weapons... MORE

Corruption, Legitimacy, and Stability: Implications for the U.S. Army
June 6, 2017 — Author: Dr Shima D KeeneView the Executive Summary Corruption increases the level of instability and the risk of conflict by undermining the legitimacy and credibility of state institutions. It can be both a cause and effect of poor leadership and governance. States emerging from conflict are particularly vulnerable to corruption, due to the lack... MORE

SSI Live 68 – Great Power War: Force Generation Installations and an Expanded Army – Echevarria, Deni
June 5, 2017 — Is the Army ready for a ‘Great Power War’ against a peer competitor, in terms of its force generation installations? If the Army had to double in size, what challenges would it face in terms of using its Mobilization Force Generation Installations (MFGIs) to leverage the reserve component? What steps should the Army consider to overcome these... MORE

SSI Live 67 – Great Power War: Special Operations Forces and an Expanded Army – Echevarria, Deni
June 1, 2017 — Is the Army ready for a ‘Great Power War’ against a peer competitor, in terms of expanding its Special Operations Forces? If the Army had to double in size, what challenges would it face in terms of increasing Special Operations Forces? What steps should the Army consider to overcome these hurdles? Over the last nine months, an interdisciplinary... MORE

21st-Century Challenges of Command: A View from the Field
May 31, 2017 — Author: Dr Anna SimonsView the Executive Summary Leadership receives a tremendous amount of attention, but what about the day-to-day command challenges that confront O-4s, O-5s, and O-6s in today’s war zones? What has command entailed over the past decade and a half for special operations force (SOF) commanders who have deployed to Afghanistan (and... MORE

Can Egypt Lead the Arab World Again? Assessing Opportunities and Challenges for U.S. Policy
May 26, 2017 — Author: Mr Gregory AftandilianView the Executive Summary This monograph examines the possibility of Egypt leading the Arab world again, and how that effort, if successful, will present opportunities and challenges for U.S. policy. At the present time, Egypt is not in a position to do so given its many domestic problems stemming from its turbulent... MORE

SSI Live 66 – Great Power War: Maintaining and Sustaining an Expanded Army – Deni
May 26, 2017 — Is the Army ready for a ‘Great Power War’ against a peer competitor, in terms of expanding its Special Operations Forces? If the Army had to double in size, what challenges would it face in terms of increasing Special Operations Forces? What steps should the Army consider to overcome these hurdles? Over the last nine months, an interdisciplinary... MORE

The Turning Point for Russian Foreign Policy
May 25, 2017 — Author: Mr Keir GilesView the Executive Summary This Letort Paper analyzes the drivers of assertive military action by Russia, as exemplified by interventions in Ukraine and Syria. It identifies key turning points in Russia’s perception of external threat, and the roots of Russian responses to this threat making use of a capacity for military,... MORE

SSI Live 65 – The NATO Summit and German Burden-Sharing – Dr. John R. Deni
May 23, 2017 — On 24-25 May, NATO heads of state and government will meet in Brussels. This will be President Trump’s first NATO summit, and although the meetings will lack the scope and number of initiatives and other deliverables many have come to expect from a formal alliance summit, there are some key, even contentious issues that will be addressed. In... MORE

Strategic Insights: Caribbean Security Issues
May 16, 2017 — Dr. R. Evan EllisINTRODUCTIONOutside of military, law enforcement, and some academic circles, security issues are rarely part of the discourse about the Caribbean. Yet, during the Cold War, the region’s contiguity with the United States made its largest island, Cuba, the focal point of the world’s closest publicly known approximation to nuclear... MORE

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