Recent Publications

Security Transformation: Report of the Belfer Center Conference on Military Transformation
March 1, 2003 — Authors: Dr John Deutch, Dr John White The attacks of September 11, 2001, represented the beginning of what President Bush has called "a new kind of war." While terrorism itself has long been on our spectrum of real and immediate threats, the magnitude of the attacks and the administration's aggressive and expansive response have changed the... MORE

Why Saddam will not Choose Exile
February 1, 2003 — Author: Dr W Andrew Terrill Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the February 2003 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Reconstructing Iraq: Challenges and Missions for Military Forces in a Post-Conflict Scenario
February 1, 2003 — Authors: Dr Conrad C Crane, Dr W Andrew Terrill With the winds of war swirling around Iraq, it is time to plan for its post-conflict reconstruction. To assist such planning, this study proposes a construct for identifying the postwar missions to be accomplished following a victory over the Hussein regime and suggests the time phasing for the... MORE

Waging Ancient War: Limits on Preemptive Force
February 1, 2003 — Author: Dr D Robert Worley The author addresses the ways that the age of terrorism is affecting American grand strategy. He contends that terrorism has made many of the basic concepts of international relations and national security obsolete. Declaring war on a tactic—terrorism—erodes the clarity necessary for coherent strategy. Dr. Worley then... MORE

Russia in Afghanistan and Chechnya: Military Strategic Culture and the Paradoxes of Asymmetric Conflict
February 1, 2003 — Author: Major Robert M Cassidy The author uses a detailed assessment of the Russian experience in Afghanistan and Chechnya to draw important conclusions about asymmetric warfare. He then uses this to provide recommendations for the U.S. military, particularly the Army. Major Cassidy points out that small wars are difficult for every great power,... MORE

Defeating Saddam Hussein’s Strategy
January 1, 2003 — Author: LTC Raymond A Millen Should war break out between Iraq and the United States, Saddam Hussein will likely adopt a strategy designed to undermine the prestige of the United States and turn the Arab World against the West. A war culminating in a titanic battle for Baghdad would provide Saddam Hussein with the prestige and respect he seeks from... MORE

Plan Colombia: Reality of the Colombian Crisis and Implications for Hemispheric Security
December 1, 2002 — Author: Dr Luz E Nagle The author analyzes Colombia's problems and makes recommendations regarding what it will take to achieve stated U.S. and Colombian objectives in that crisis situation. She also examines the concomitant issue of "spillover" from the Colombian crisis into the rest of the Latin American region. The results and recommendations of... MORE

South Asia in 2020: Future Strategic Balances and Alliances
November 1, 2002 — Author: Dr Michael R Chambers This volume consists of revised versions of papers presented at conference sponsored by the Asia/Pacific Research Center and the Center for International Security and Cooperation of Stanford University, and the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute on January 4-5, 2002. While there are numerous ways to... MORE

Saddam’s Strategy: No To Nuclear Weapons; Yes To Biologicals
November 1, 2002 — Author: Dr W Andrew Terrill Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the November 2002 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Afghanistan and the Future of Warfare: Implications for Army and Defense Policy
November 1, 2002 — Author: Dr Stephen D Biddle America's novel use of special forces, precision weapons, and indigenous allies has attracted widespread attention since its debut in Northern Afghanistan last fall. It has proven both influential and controversial. Many think it caused the Taliban's sudden collapse. For them, this "Afghan Model" represents warfare's... MORE

European Adaptation to Expeditionary Warfare: Implications for the U.S. Army
November 1, 2002 — Author: Dr Andrew M Dorman The author briefly examines the European response to the changing security environment and the opportunities presented by the European Security and Defense Policy Expeditionary Force. As he correctly observes, the establishment of a European expeditionary force will be no easy matter, will require substantial investment,... MORE

Dragon on Terrorism: Assessing China’s Tactical Gains and Strategic Losses Post-September 11
October 1, 2002 — Author: Dr Mohan Malik The U.S. relationship with China and the global war on terrorism are the two most significant strategic challenges faced by the Bush administration. Both are vital and complex; the way the administration manages them will shape American security for many years. While there is a growing literature on both key strategic issues,... MORE