Recent Publications

Central Asia’s Shrinking Connectivity Gap: Implications for U.S. Strategy
November 20, 2014 — Author: Mr Roman Muzalevsky View the Executive SummaryThe United States is witnessing a transformation of Central Asia—a critical yet highly understudied and misunderstood area of the world, which is seeing growing influence of China, India, and Russia. The agendas of these actors, as well as the United States, Japan, the EU, Turkey, and Iran,... MORE

Creating an Effective Regional Alignment Strategy for the U.S. Army
November 19, 2014 — Authors: Major Raven Bukowski, Major John Childress, LTC Michael J Colarusso, COL David S Lyle View the Executive SummaryAs the war in Afghanistan draws to a close, the Army increasingly is focused upon “regionally aligning” its forces. To do so effectively, however, it must undertake several initiatives. First, the Army must acknowledge and... MORE

Cover for Creating an Effective Regional Alignment Strategy for the U.S. Army

Tribal Militias: An Effective Tool to Counter Al-Qaida and Its Affiliates?
November 18, 2014 — Author: Dr Norman Cigar View the Executive SummaryDespite over a decade of open war, dealing with Al-Qaida and its affiliates in the Middle East is likely to remain a concern for the foreseeable future and will pose a challenge requiring the use of any tool that is likely to be effective in meeting the threat. Developing effective tools to counter... MORE

The Role of Leadership in Transitional States: The Cases of Lebanon, Israel-Palestine
November 18, 2014 — Author: Dr Anastasia Filippidou View the Executive SummaryLeadership is dynamic; it is a continuous process and ever-changing relationship between numerous different factors. The research focuses on political leadership in transitional situations and the efforts of leadership in the transformation process from weak and fragmented states or... MORE

Stepping Up: Burden Sharing by NATO’s Newest Members
November 10, 2014 — Author: Dr Joel R Hillison View the Executive SummaryThis book examines the burden sharing behavior of new NATO members. It makes the argument that new NATO members are burden sharing at a greater rate than older NATO members. It also suggests that NATO’s expansion did not lead to greater free-riding behavior in NATO, contrary to the predictions of... MORE

Cover for Stepping Up: Burden Sharing by NATO's Newest Members

Nuclear Weapons Materials Gone Missing: What Does History Teach?
November 6, 2014 — Author: Mr Henry D Sokolski View the Executive SummaryIn 2009, President Obama spotlighted nuclear terrorism as one of the top threats to international security, launching an international effort to identify, secure, and dispose of global stocks of weapons-usable nuclear materials—namely highly enriched uranium and weapons-grade plutonium. Since... MORE

Cover for Nuclear Weapons Materials Gone Missing: What Does History Teach?

Strategic Landpower Task Force: Strategic Landpower in U.S. Conduct Of Modern Warfare
November 5, 2014 — Cadet Hamad Agha, Cadet Christopher Dante, Cadet Gregory Rice, Cadet Kord Roberts, Cadet Jackson Turner ForewordU.S. national security strategy is in the midst of a historic transformation as direct American military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan ends and the nation searches for ways to exercise power more efficiently than in the past. The... MORE

Strategic Insights: Can the EU Declare Energy Independence From Russia?
November 4, 2014 — 2LT Scott CowmanSecond Lieutenant Scott Cowman is a reservist with the U.S. Army. From January to May 2014, during his last semester at Dickinson College, he was an intern with the Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College. The worsening situation in Ukraine has yet again reminded the European Union (EU) and the United States that Europe... MORE

Cover for Strategic Insights: Can the EU Declare Energy Independence From Russia?

Maneuvering the Islamist-Secularist Divide in the Arab World: How the United States Can Preserve its Interests and Values in an Increasingly Polarized Environment
October 28, 2014 — Author: Mr Gregory Aftandilian View the Executive SummaryThis monograph examines the Islamist-secularist divide in Arab countries, particularly in Egypt and Tunisia, and why it has become so intense and polarizing. It demonstrates that having Islamist parties in power or in domineering positions in Arab societies often provokes a backlash from... MORE

U.S. Policy and Strategy Toward Afghanistan after 2014
October 28, 2014 — Author: Dr Larry P Goodson, Prof Thomas H Johnson View the Executive SummaryWhat should the United States do about Afghanistan? After nearly 13 years and substantial U.S. national commitment in a country on the other side of the world, much has changed in Afghanistan, the United States, Afghanistan’s region, and the globe. To prepare policy and... MORE

Strategic Insights: Should General Dempsey Resign? Army Professionals and the Moral Space for Military Dissent
October 21, 2014 — Dr. Don M. Snider Given that all Army professionals have taken an oath to “support and defend the Constitution,” in what instances may, or even should, the stewards of the profession dissent in a public way—including resignation or retirement—from an administration’s policy that they believe to be so incorrect as to be ineffective, potentially... MORE

Cover for Strategic Insights: Should General Dempsey Resign? Army Professionals and the Moral Space for Military Dissent

Strategic Insights: Should China Be Given the Benefit of the Doubt?
October 17, 2014 — Dr. David Lai The South China Sea territorial dispute is a protracted and complicated problem. Recently, it has become an even more contentious issue between the United States and China. At the center of this disagreement is China's massive territorial claims and its persistent approach to dealing with the disputes in bilateral and diplomatic... MORE

Cover for Strategic Insights: Should China Be Given the Benefit of the Doubt?