Recent Publications

Strategic Insights: Syria Safe Zones
January 9, 2017 — Dr. Azeem IbrahimSummary. Diplomacy has all but failed in Syria, and it is difficult to envisage when and how diplomatic efforts could be restarted in light of the continued difficulties between Russia and the West. With these difficulties, it is imperative to change focus and tackle the one area where the United States might still be able to have... MORE

Turning It Up to Eleven: Belligerent Rhetoric in North Korea’s Propaganda
January 1, 2017 — Author: Dr Mason Richey After contextualizing North Korea’s capacity for belligerent rhetoric directed toward the United States and its northeast Asian allies, the author examines the contention that rhetoric from Pyongyang represents a conflict escalation risk or even a casus belli. The results of statistical tests indicate a negative correlation... MORE

The COIN Conundrum: The Future of Counterinsurgency and U.S. Land Power
December 14, 2016 — Author: Dr Thomas R MockaitisView the Executive SummaryCounterinsurgency (COIN) continues to be a controversial subject among military leaders. Critics argue that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have made the U.S. military, particularly the Army, "COIN-centric." They maintain that equipping U.S. forces to combat insurgency has eroded their... MORE

Enhancing Identity Development at Senior Service Colleges
December 12, 2016 — Author: Doctor Thomas P GalvinView the Executive SummaryIdentity development is touted as an important leader development need, but it often gets short shrift in professional military education (PME) environments, including the Senior Service Colleges (SSC). The inculcation of professional values, resiliency, and critical and reflective thought are... MORE

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Strategic Insights: Thinking Strategically About Latin America and the Caribbean
December 9, 2016 — Dr. R. Evan Ellis In the 2016 U.S. presidential debates, as on other occasions, the theme of Latin America and the Caribbean was remarkably absent. Important events in the region occasionally insert themselves into the U.S. consciousness through the mainstream media, including: the arrival of thousands of Central American child refugees at the U.S... MORE

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Strategic Insights: Think Before You Post: A Message to Those in Uniform
December 9, 2016 — Colonel Heidi A. UrbenAccording to a Gallup poll conducted July 18-25, 2016, the 2016 presidential election campaign had set an inauspicious record: never before have so many Americans held such unfavorable views of each party’s presidential nominee. Among registered voters, 58 percent held negative views of both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton... MORE

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Military Contingencies in Megacities and Sub-Megacities
December 9, 2016 — Authors: Mr Werner Selle, Dr Phil WilliamsView the Executive SummaryUrbanization is one of the most important mega-trends of the 21st century. Consequently, the possibility of U.S. military involvement in a megacity or sub-megacity is an eventuality that cannot be ignored. After elucidating the nature of urbanization and developing a typology in... MORE

Deterring Cybertrespass and Securing Cyberspace: Lessons from United States Border Control Strategies
December 2, 2016 — Author: Dr Mary ManjikianView the Executive SummaryPerhaps the best starting point for those looking to “borrow” a deterrent strategy for cyberspace from other fields is not the example of nuclear deterrence but instead the example of United States-Mexican border security. The nuclear deterrent analogy is not the best fit for understanding... MORE

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Parameters VOL. 46 NO. 4 WINTER 2016-17
December 1, 2016 — Editor: Dr Antulio J Echevarria IISpecial Commentary: The Army's Identity Crisis by Gates Brown. Toward Strategic Solvency Ensuring Effective Military Voice, by William E. Rapp. The Crisis of American Military Primacy and the Search for Strategic Solvency, by Hal Brands and Eric Edelman. Are Our Strategic Models Flawed? Faith in War: The American... MORE

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Should We Let the Bomb Spread?
November 22, 2016 — Author: Mr Henry D SokolskiView the Executive SummaryNuclear deterrence and nonproliferation no longer enjoy the broad support they once did during the Cold War. Academics and security experts now question the ability of either to cope or check nuclear rogue states or terrorists. On the one hand, America’s closest allies—e.g., Japan and South... MORE

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Colloquium Brief: U.S. Army War College 25th Annual Strategy Conference Carlisle, Pennsylvania, April 8-10, 2014 — Balancing the Joint Force to Meet Future Security Challenges
November 15, 2016 — Dr. Richard Weitz Key Insights: The international security environment will remain cluttered, confusing, and uncertain; many of these problems are unavoidable; at best, we can mitigate them. More than a decade of continuous military operations, fewer materiel resources, changing threat perceptions, and novel technologies are affecting how the U.S... MORE

Strategic Insights: An EU Military Headquarters: A Cure in Search of an Illness?
November 14, 2016 — Dr. John R. Deni In mid-September, European Union (EU) Commission President Jean Claude Juncker delivered the Commision's annual State of the Union address.1 Coming on the heels of the British vote to leave the EU, the address provided a roadmap for overcoming the challenges brought about by what Juncker termed an “existential crisis.”Among the key... MORE