Recent Publications

On the Uses of Cultural Knowledge
November 1, 2007 — Author: Dr Sheila Miyoshi Jager The author explores the role that cultural knowledge must play in thinking about a new strategy for counterinsurgency. Although the importance of cultural awareness and understanding of adversary societies has been widely recognized as essential to operations and tactics on the battlefield, its significance has been... MORE

Making Riflemen from Mud: Restoring the Army’s Culture of Irregular Warfare
October 1, 2007 — Author: LTC James D Campbell Prior to World War II, the Army had a deeply ingrained facility with and acceptance of what we now term unconventional warfare—raising, training, advising, and cooperating with tribal militias, local paramilitaries, and other nonstate armed groups. This culture of irregular warfare was attributable to nearly 300 years... MORE

Knowing when to Salute
July 1, 2007 — Author: Prof Douglas C Lovelace Jr, Dr Leonard Wong Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the July 2007 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Colombia and the United States–The Partnership: But What Is the Endgame?
February 1, 2007 — Author: AMB Myles R R Frechette American Ambassador to Colombia, 1994-97, Myles R. R. Frechette provides authoritative, eloquent, and impassioned perspectives on both the achievements and failures of American and Colombian efforts. He argues that American policy made analytical errors that need to be rectified, including underestimating the... MORE

Regional Fears of Western Primacy and the Future of U.S. Middle Eastern Basing Policy
December 1, 2006 — Author: Dr W Andrew Terrill The United States has a core national interest in maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East as well as containing or eliminating threats emanating from that region. Yet, there is often disagreement on the ways to best achieve these goals. The author seeks to present his analysis of how the United States and... MORE

Friction in U.S. Foreign Policy: Cultural Difficulties with the World
June 1, 2006 — Author: LTC Andrew W Stewart The United States is so culturally different by virtue of its “New World paradigm” that its direct leadership style is becoming counterproductive. If the United States were more “street smart” on the world scene, it could better identify nuanced subtleties and better leverage allies, who, in turn, are better positioned... MORE

Strategic Planning by the Chairmen, Joint Chiefs of Staff, 1990 TO 2005
May 1, 2006 — Author: Dr Richard M Meinhart This article examines how the Chairmen Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1990 to 2005 used a strategic planning system to respond to their global challenges. By analyzing this planning system’s evolution, processes and products along with each leader’s use, leadership concepts are identified for future leaders in the... MORE

Law vs. War: Competing Approaches to Fighting Terrorism
July 1, 2005 — Authors: Ms Shawn Boyne, Mr Michael German, Dr Dallas D Owens, Dr Paul R Pillar The authors address one of the fundamental assumptions underlying the conduct of the War on Terrorism - the nature of our enemy, whether perpetrators of terrorist activities are criminals or soldiers (combatants). Although the United States recognizes that terrorist... MORE

Transformation and Strategic Surprise
April 1, 2005 — Author: Dr Colin S Gray The current process of military transformation will enable the Armed Forces to do better what they already do superbly well. It is important to excel at decisive maneuver and in the application of precise, yet overwhelming firepower. But those attributes, though key in warfare against regular enemies, tend to be less... MORE

Northeast Asia–Cultural Influences on the U.S. National Security Strategy
June 1, 2004 — Author: Mr Larry B Rogers The U.S. core interests and National Security Strategy are founded on Western cultural operatives that assume all nation-states will respond to its influences in a predictable manner. When states do not respond appropriately, we assume they are either recalcitrant or irrational. A decade ago, this approach towards the... MORE

New Century, Old Thinking: The Dangers of the Perceptual Gap in U.S.-China Relations
April 1, 1998 — Author: COL Susan M Puska The author provides an examination of the reciprocal relations between China and the United States over the past century and a half. She articulates the theme that cycles of misperception have characterized the relationship. If this past is prologue, then potential conflict looms darkly over future U.S.-China interactions... MORE

U.S. Africa Policy: Some Possible Course Adjustment
August 1, 1994 — Author: AMB Daniel H Simpson Ambassador Daniel H. Simpson addresses the question of U.S. interests in Africa and past, present, and future U.S. policy toward that continent of more than 50 countries and 800 million people on an analytic basis, followed by clear recommendations. His presentation of U.S. strategic interests in Africa permits clear... MORE