Recent Publications

Strategic Insights: The Post-Conflict and the Transformation of Colombia’s Armed Forces
August 17, 2016 — Dr. R. Evan Ellis From July 11 to 15, 2015, I had the opportunity to participate in a seminar in Bogota, Colombia, on the topic of transnational organized crime that brought together security sector professionals from 10 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean, co-sponsored by U.S. Army South and the Colombian military. The activity... MORE

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Investigating the Benefits and Drawbacks of Realigning the National Guard Under the Department of Homeland Security
August 16, 2016 — Author: Dr Ryan Burke, Dr Sue McNeil View the Executive SummaryPart I of the 2014-2015 Army War College’s Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL)—Army Priorities for Strategic Analysis—asks: “Given the growing importance of homeland defense, what would be the benefits and drawbacks of realigning the [National] Guard under the department of Homeland... MORE

Cyberspace: Malevolent Actors, Criminal Opportunities, and Strategic Competition
August 11, 2016 — Editor: Dr Dighton Fiddner, Dr Phil WilliamsView the Executive SummaryThis volume has three parts: the first focuses on cyberspace itself; the second on some of the major forms of malevolence or threats that have become one of its defining characteristics; and the third on possible responses to these threats. One of the most significant features of... MORE

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The Pivot to Asia: Can it Serve as the Foundation for American Grand Strategy in the 21st Century
August 10, 2016 — Author: Dr Douglas StuartView the Executive SummaryDeciding when, where, and how to prioritize is the essence of strategy. U.S. President Barack Obama’s decision to designate the Indo-Asia-Pacific (IAP) as his top regional priority made good sense, in light of the ongoing shift in economic power from West to East and the rise of China as a... MORE

The Army War College Review Vol. 2 No. 3
August 1, 2016 — Author: Dr Larry D MillerThe Army War College Review, a refereed publication of student work, is produced under the purview of the Strategic Studies Institute and the United States Army War College. An electronic quarterly, The AWC Review connects student intellectual work with professionals invested in U.S. national security, Landpower, strategic... MORE

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Strategic Insights: The Mysterious Case of the Vanishing Taliban
August 1, 2016 — Dr. M. Chris Mason 2015 was a bad year for the Afghan National Security Forces. They ended the Western calendar year badly battered, like a punch-drunk prize fighter on the ropes. At least 5,500 of them died in 2015, the worst annual casualty toll since American involvement in Afghanistan’s civil war began in 2001. By the end of Western calendar... MORE

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Taking the Fight to the Enemy: Chinese Thinking about Long-Distance and Expeditionary Operations
July 14, 2016 — Author: Dr Larry M WortzelView the Executive SummaryAccording to many analysts of China’s military, when an officer of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) suggests new forms of operations, expanded domains of warfare, or new weapons systems, American security planners can dismiss these projections as merely “aspirational” thinking. This... MORE

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2016-17 Key Strategic Issues List
July 1, 2016 — Editor: Prof John F TroxellThe United States faces security challenges within a global context of rapid technological change, significant demographic shifts, an uncertain economy, and geostrategic power dynamics of historic proportions. These conditions intensify the level of uncertainty and the pace of change, and raise the potential for... MORE

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NATO Cyberspace Capability: A Strategic and Operational Evolution
June 29, 2016 — Author: Mr Jeffrey L CatonView the Executive SummaryThe development of cyberspace defense capabilities for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has been making steady progress since its formal introduction at the North Atlantic Council Prague Summit in 2002. Bolstered by numerous cyber attacks, such as those in Estonia (2007), Alliance... MORE

Strategic Insights: Strategic Implications of Brexit
June 24, 2016 — Author: Dr John R DeniThe momentous decision of British voters to leave the European Union (EU) is already having major repercussions in both economics and politics. In the former, investors fled uncertainty for more stable opportunities, while in the latter there are already calls for another Scottish independence referendum. In the worlds of... MORE

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India's Evolving Nuclear Force and Implications for U.S. Strategy in the Asia-Pacific
June 22, 2016 — Authors: Mr Yogesh Joshi, Dr Frank O'Donnell, Dr Harsh V PantView the Executive SummarySince India declared itself a nuclear weapon state in May 1998, its nuclear capabilities have grown significantly. India is now on the verge of acquiring a triad of nuclear delivery systems. Its increasing nuclear profile has also stirred a debate on its stated... MORE

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Strategic Insights: Un-"Steady" State Operations: Redefining the Approach to Phase Zero in a Complex World
June 20, 2016 — LTC Thomas R. Matelski In recent months, there has been much discussion in the U.S. Department of Defense and its subordinate components over the conduct of steady state operations, or as defined in the Joint Operation Planning Process (JOPP), Phase Zero (Phase 0) operations.1 While important to military planning, the current construct for Phase 0... MORE

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