Recent Publications

China’s Interests and Goals in the Arctic: Implications for the United States
March 7, 2017 — Author: Dr Elizabeth WishnickView the Executive Summary China has been elaborating its position on the Arctic at the same time as the United States has been refining its own Arctic strategy as Chairman of the Arctic Council through April 2017. This Letort Paper examines the geopolitical implications of China’s growing involvement in the Arctic for... MORE

Strategic Insights: Reimagining U.S. Foreign Assistance in the Middle East
February 7, 2017 — Author: Dr Christopher J BolanView the Executive Summary U.S. President Donald Trump has proved himself willing to question and challenge many of the conventional wisdoms embedded in contemporary American foreign policies. During his presidential campaign, he questioned the utility of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that has formed... MORE

The Al-Qaeda Organization and the Islamic State Organization: History, Doctrine, Modus Operandi, and U.S. Policy to Degrade and Defeat Terrorism Conducted in the Name of Sunni Islam
February 6, 2017 — Author: Dr Paul KamolnickView the Executive Summary The al-Qaeda Organization (AQO) and the Islamic State Organization (ISO) are transnational adversaries that conduct terrorism in the name of Sunni Islam. It is declared U.S. Government (USG) policy to degrade, defeat, and destroy them. The present book has been written to assist policymakers,... MORE

Strategic Insights: Unlearned Lessons and the Dual-System Problem
January 25, 2017 — Dr. Robert D. LambIn early 2003, the Association of the U.S. Army and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released the final report from their joint, blue ribbon Commission on Post-Conflict Reconstruction (PCR) that had completed its year-long study in 2002.1 The PCR Commission had extracted lessons from U.S. and international... MORE

Prospects for the Rule of Law in Cyberspace
January 24, 2017 — Author: Mr Keir GilesView the Executive Summary The application of international law and legal principles in cyberspace is a topic that has caused confusion, doubt, and interminable discussions between lawyers since the earliest days of the internationalization of the Internet. The still unresolved debate over whether cyberspace constitutes a... MORE

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: 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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