Recent Publications

A Changing International Order? Implications for the Security Environment
October 1, 2020 — Dr. Carol Evans, Christopher Ankersen, William G. Braun III, Ferry de Kerckhove, Kathryn M. Fisher, 2020Each year, the Kingston Consortium on International Security (KCIS)—a partnership of the academy and the military—organize a conference on international security. This conference seeks to inform debate and advance knowledge in the field of... MORE

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Mission Command of Multi-Domain Operations
September 2, 2020 — Mark Balboni, John A. Bonin, Robert Mundell, Doug Orsi, 2020This research monograph explores the Army’s emerging concept of multi-domain operations and its implications on the mission command approach. The transition to multi-domain operations changes the traditional view of how Army commanders and staffs conduct operations in the physical... MORE

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NATO Needs to Focus on the Black Sea
August 4, 2020 — Robert E. Hamilton, 2020, the Foreign Policy Research InstituteWilliam of Ockham would like a word with those who worry more about a potential Russian invasion of the Baltics than ongoing interventions in the Balkans.“Of two competing theories, the simpler explanation” is to be preferred, wrote William of Ockham, an injunction that some Western... MORE

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An Army Transformed: USINDOPACOM Hypercompetition and US Army Theater Design
July 17, 2020 — Mr. Nathan P. Freier, John Schaus, William G. Braun IIIThe United States faces a hypercompetitive geopolitical landscape in the Indo-Pacific region, arguably the most consequential theater for US national interests over the coming decades. Although the United States has created exquisite military capabilities to counter insurgencies and fight... MORE

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Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL) 2021-2022
July 7, 2020 — Editor: COL Steve Cunningham, USAWC Strategic Studies InstituteNew for Academic Years 2021-2022, the USAWC has published an updated Key Strategic Issues List (KSIL). The KSIL informs students, faculty, and external research associates of strategic topics requiring research and analysis. The USAWC in coordination with Headquarters Department of the... MORE

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Striking the Balance: US Army Force Posture in Europe, 2028—A Study Sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of the Army
June 24, 2020 — Authors: J.P. Clark and C. Anthony PfaffWithin the context of Europe, the US Army must develop a force posture that best navigates the tensions between deterring or defeating armed conflict at acceptable cost, successfully competing below armed conflict, and maintaining global responsiveness and institutional flexibility through the global... MORE

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Natural Gas in the Black Sea: Strengthening Cooperation and Balancing Power
May 27, 2020 — Robert E. Hamilton, Anna Mikulska, 2020Heterogenous, varied, diverse – few other words can concisely describe the Black Sea region. Beyond their obvious geographical proximity, there is little that unites these countries. Wedged between different continents, religions, and cultures, they also vary in size, economic prowess, and geopolitical... MORE

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Military Ethics below the Threshold of War
May 15, 2020 — Dr. C. Anthony Pfaff, 2020The future of military ethics will be profoundly affected by competition below the level of war. Such competition de-emphasizes military force while expanding permissions on the ways and means militaries employ to shape enemy interests. This resulting new ethic will introduce norms associated with escalation, reprisal, and... MORE

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Commentary on “The US Army in Multi-Domain Operations 2028”
April 3, 2020 — Author: Huba Wass de CzegeDoes The US Army in Multi-Domain Operations 2028 lack a clear theory of victory? A comparative analysis of the development of MDO and the historical concepts of Active Defense and AirLand Battle reveals the necessity of greater insight into sources of Russian and Chinese behavior and countering mechanisms, what constitutes... MORE

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Senior Conference 55—The Emerging Environment in the Indo-Pacific Region: Drivers, Directions, and Decisions
March 4, 2020 — Editors: Dr Terry Babcock-Lumish, COL Tania Chacho, MAJ Tom Fox, MAJ Zachary Griffiths As the Indo-Pacific region enters a period of uncertainty, this monograph details the proceedings of West Point’s 2019 Senior Conference 55. Scholars and practitioners convened to discuss and debate strategic changes, and experts shared thoughts during keynote... MORE

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Nonstate Actors and Anti-Access/Area Denial Strategies: The Coming Challenge
February 6, 2020 — Author: Dr. Jean-Loup SamaanThis monograph explores the emerging challenge of nonstate actors’ anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) strategies and their implications for the United States and its allies by looking at two regions, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, with case studies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis... MORE

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Professionalizing the Iraqi Army: US Engagement after the Islamic State
January 28, 2020 — Author: Dr. C. Anthony PfaffSecurity cooperation with Iraq remains a critical component of the US-Iraq relationship. Despite neighboring Iran's ability to limit US political and economic engagement, Iraq still seeks US assistance to develop its military and to combat resurgent terrorist organizations. This monograph provides a historical and... MORE

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