Recent Publications

Iraq and Vietnam: Differences, Similarities, and Insights
May 1, 2004 — Authors: Dr Jeffrey Record, Dr W Andrew Terrill U.S. political and military difficulties in Iraq have prompted comparisons to the American war in Vietnam. The authors conclude that the military dimensions of the two conflicts bear little comparison. Among other things, the sheer scale of the Vietnam War in terms of forces committed and losses... MORE

Strategic Consequences of the Iraq War: U.S. Security Interests in Central Asia Reassessed
May 1, 2004 — Author: Dr Elizabeth Wishnick The U.S.-led war in Iraq complicates security cooperation between the United States and Central Asia at a time when other regional powers—especially Russia, China, and India—are competing for influence in the region more overtly. Concerned about the implications of the U.S. interest in "regime change" for their own... MORE

U.S. Security Strategies: Trade Policy Implications for Latin America
April 14, 2004 — Author: Dr Max G Manwaring The Summit of the Americas Center and Latin American and Caribbean Center of Florida International University, and the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College held the first of a series of mini-conferences dealing with security issues in the Western Hemisphere in Miami, Florida, on February 26, 2004. The... MORE

China and North Korea: From Comrades-In-Arms to Allies at Arm’s Length
March 1, 2004 — Author: Dr Andrew Scobell At first, it might not seem surprising to have a formal military alliance that has endured more than 4 decades between two communist neighbors, China and North Korea. After all, their armed forces fought shoulder-to-shoulder in the Korean War 50 years ago. However, Beijing's ties to Pyongyang have weakened considerably... MORE

Countering Global Terrorism: Developing the Antiterrorist Capabilities of the Central Asian Militaries
February 1, 2004 — Author: Mr Roger N McDermott The author offers a framework for improving the antiterrorist capabilities of the Central Asian militaries, including increased and focused military training with a special emphasis on Special Forces units. The training should take place within a regional train and equip program to increase effectiveness and efficiency... MORE

The United States and Iraq’s Shi’ite Clergy: Partners or Adversaries?
February 1, 2004 — Author: Dr W Andrew Terrill The author addressed the critical need to gain the cooperation or at least the passive tolerance of the Shi'ite clerics and community. Such an effort could become more challenging as time goes on, and one of the recurring themes of this monograph is the declining patience of the Shi'ite clergy with the U.S. presence. By... MORE

Checking Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions
January 1, 2004 — Authors: Mr Patrick Clawson, Mr Henry D Sokolski Were Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, there is a grave risk it would be tempted to provide them to terrorists. After all, mass casualty terrorism done by proxies has worked well for Iran to date. The fear about what Iran might do with nuclear weapons is fed by the concern that Tehran has no clear... 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

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