Recent Publications

Assessing the Collective Security Treaty Organization: Capabilities and Vulnerabilities
October 18, 2018 — Author: Dr Richard WeitzView the Executive SummaryRussia has strengthened its military position in Central Asia and the South Caucasus through a combination of bilateral and multilateral initiatives. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) has become the most important multilateral defense structure in the former Soviet Union and is an... MORE

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Russia’s Syria Problem
October 8, 2018 — Dr. Robert E. Hamilton, Oct 2018The Russians are discovering that success on the battlefield doesn’t automatically translate to achievement of political goals. Several recent publications and organizations have proclaimed victory for Russia and the Assad regime in the Syrian civil war. President Obama’s prediction back in the autumn of 2015 that... MORE

Parameters VOL. 48 NO. 2 SUMMER 2018
October 4, 2018 — Editor: Dr Antulio J Echevarria IIFEATURES: Special Commentary. “The Military as Social Experiment: Challenging a Trope” by Jacqueline E. Whitt and Elizabeth A. Perazzo. Teaching Strategy. “Stuff Happens: Understanding Causation in Policy and Strategy” by Andrew A. Hill and Stephen J. Gerras. “Comparative Strategy in Professional Military... MORE

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Current Russia Military Affairs
July 9, 2018 — Editor: Dr John R DeniWhat are the key strategic objectives of Russian foreign and security policy? How has Russian operational planning been affected by experiences in Georgia, Ukraine, and elsewhere in recent years? What international or domestic factors most influence Russian force modernization? These and other questions were at the top of the... MORE

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Parameters VOL. 48 NO. 1 SPRING 2018
June 25, 2018 — Editor: Dr Antulio J Echevarria IIFEATURES: Special Commentary. “Right vs. Right: Personal Beliefs vs. Professional Obligations” by Linell A. Letendre and Martin L. Cook. Illusions of Victory. "LTG MacFarland: Insights on Illusions of Victory and Iraq” by Russell W. Glenn. “Avoiding Nation-Building: From Nixon to Trump” by Dominic Tierney. 21st... MORE

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Friendly Force Dilemmas in Europe: Challenges Within and Among Intergovernmental Organizations and the Implications for the U.S. Army
May 23, 2018 — Authors: Jose Luis Calvo Albero, Jose De Meer Madrid, Kirk Gallinger, Klaus Klingenschmid, Angus McAfee, Stefano Messina, Markus Meyer, Michael Mineni, Darryl RuppView the Executive SummaryAfter a period of stability, the transatlantic community is facing considerable challenges in maintaining European security. Russia’s efforts to destabilize... MORE

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Strategic Insights: Making Good on the NSS and NDS: Competing with Russia in Europe and Beyond
March 20, 2018 — Dr. John Deni, 2018In January, the Trump administration released its first National Defense Strategy (NDS), which closely followed the December 2017 release of the new National Security Strategy (NSS). Both of these documents call for a fundamental shift in the U.S. approach to security, emphasizing competition against Russia and China at the... MORE

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Strategic Insights: Nuclear Posture Review: Three Reasons the Army Should Care
February 14, 2018 — Author: Dr Michael FitzsimmonsDebate over the Trump administration’s new Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) is now in full and predictable bloom. While many of its conclusions demonstrate continuity with the Obama administration’s modernization plans, controversy has centered on two of the review’s recommendations: to deploy new low-yield weapons on... MORE

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Parameters VOL. 47 NO. 2 SUMMER 2017
August 28, 2017 — Editor: Dr Antulio J Echevarria II The Summer issue of Parameters opens with an essay by Sir Lawrence Freedman entitled “Beyond Surprise Attack.” Surprise, argues Freedman, can come in any number of forms, and sometimes those that come in the middle or end of a campaign prove the most decisive.Our first forum, Reevaluating Diplomatic & Military... MORE

The Turning Point for Russian Foreign Policy
May 25, 2017 — Author: Mr Keir GilesView the Executive Summary This Letort Paper analyzes the drivers of assertive military action by Russia, as exemplified by interventions in Ukraine and Syria. It identifies key turning points in Russia’s perception of external threat, and the roots of Russian responses to this threat making use of a capacity for military,... MORE

Strategic Insights: Getting Comfortable with Conflicting Ideas
April 4, 2017 — Prof. William G. Braun, IIIDealing with other states, whom the United States has a hard time categorizing as a threat, rival, competitor, or partner requires a new way of approaching national security decision-making. China is a partner in trade, but a rival regarding territorial rights in the South China Sea. Russian support may stabilize the... MORE

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