Recent Publications

U.S. Military Engagement with Transcaucasia and Central Asia
June 1, 2000 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank The Clinton administration has proclaimed a strategy to engage and enlarge the democratic community of states. By virtue of their strategic location adjacent to Russia, the Middle East, and Europe s periphery, and their large-scale oil and natural gas deposits, Transcaucasia and Central Asia have become important testing... MORE

Mediterranean Security into the Coming Millennium
August 1, 1999 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank The papers included in this volume represent just such an effort to lay a firmer foundation for this continuing dialogue and to bring together different points of view. In October 1998, the Strategic Studies Institute, assisted by Pepperdine University, assembled a distinguished group of analysts from the United States,... MORE

East Asia in Crisis: The Security Implications of the Collapse of Economic Institutions
February 5, 1999 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank The challenges to the United States and to its armed forces are numerous and highly significant. Moreover, we must begin to address them now even if other institutions cannot or will not do so with us. Those crises comprise ASEAN's decline as a meaningful security provider, Russia's collapse, Japan's stagnation, South... MORE

European Security and NATO Enlargement: A View from Central Europe
April 1, 1998 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank On August 4-5, 1997, the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI), together with the Reserve Officers Association, cosponsored a conference in Prague on "Eurasian Security in the Era of NATO Enlargement." In order to clarify fully the emerging security agenda in Europe and hear from member states and other interested parties,... MORE

Russia’s Armed Forces on the Brink of Reform
March 1, 1998 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank Despite over a dozen years of talk, the Soviet and now Russian military has not undergone a true military reform. What did happen was a form of degeneration and disintegration, but not a methodically planned and directed transformation and/or adaptation to new conditions. Consequently, defense policy, in all of its... MORE

Shadow Politics: The Russian State in the 21st Century
December 8, 1997 — Author: Dr Peter J Stavrakis In April the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute hosted its Eighth Annual Strategy Conference at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. The theme for the 1997 Strategy Conference was "Russia's Future as a World Power." For two days, scholars, military professionals, and policymakers from the United States,... MORE

The United States and Russia into the 21st Century
October 1, 1997 — Authors: Dr Michael McFaul, Dr R Craig Nation In late April 1997, the U.S. Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute hosted its Eighth Annual Strategy Conference. The topic for this year's conference was Russia's Future as a World Power. The concluding panel for this conference, The United States and Russia into the 21st Century, included the... MORE

The Crisis in the Russian Economy
June 30, 1997 — Author: Dr Vitaly V Shlykov Retired Soviet Army Colonel Vitaly Shlykov presents a brutally honest appraisal of the harsh realities that are a part of today's Russia. This report was presented at the Army War College's Eighth Annual Strategy Conference, "Russia's Future as a World Power," held at Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, April 22-24, 1997... MORE

The Russian Military in the 21st Century
June 3, 1997 — Author: Dr Alexei G Arbatov In April 1997, the U.S. Army War College held its Eighth Annual Strategy Conference, the topic of which was "Russia's Future as a World Power." Most of the speakers discussed various aspects of the many crises besetting Russia, and there were differing views on whether Russia would be able to surmount those crises and... MORE

Challenges and Options in the Caucasus and Central Asia
April 22, 1997 — Author: Dr Pavel K Baev In April 1997, the U.S. Army War College held its Eighth Annual Strategy Conference. This year's topic was "Russia's Future as a World Power." Dr. Pavel K. Baev, a senior researcher at the International Peace Research Institute in Oslo, Norway, discusses the disintegration of order along Russia's southern border. Following a... MORE

Why Russian Policy is Failing in Asia
April 2, 1997 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank Since its inception as a state, Russia has been both a European and an Asian power. Although Russia today, as was true during much of its history, is torn by an identity crisis over where it belongs, its elites have never renounced Russia's vital interests in Asia and the belief that it should be recognized as a great... MORE

The Dynamics of Russian Weapon Sales to China
March 4, 1997 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank Russia has recently sold or transferred many military weapons or technologies to China. Russian state policy has also officially joined with China in a relationship described as a strategic cooperative partnership. Some Russian diplomats also say that there is virtually complete identity with China on all issues of Asian... MORE