Recent Publications

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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Return of the Balkans: Challenges to European Integration and U.S. Disengagement
May 31, 2013 — Author: Mr Janusz Bugajski View the Executive SummaryFor the first time in its modern history the entire Balkan Peninsula has the opportunity to co-exist under one security and developmental umbrella combining NATO and the European Union (EU). Unfortunately, European and American leaders have been unable to complete such a unique historic vision,... MORE

War in the Balkans, 1991-2002
August 1, 2003 — Author: Dr R Craig Nation The author writes a comprehensive history of the Balkan wars which were provoked by the collapse of the Yugoslav Federation in 1991. These wars, and the instability that they have provoked, became preoccupations for international security management through the 1990s. After an initial phase of distancing and hesitation,... MORE

The American Army in the Balkans: Strategic Alternatives and Implications
January 1, 2001 — Author: Dr Steven Metz U.S. strategy in the Balkans and the Army's role there is examined. The author recommends continued U.S. involvement, consideration of a long-term American military presence in the region, and some significant changes in role of the U.S. Army. The goals that led the United States into the Balkans have not yet been fully met... MORE

Ethnic Conflict and European Security: Lessons from the Past and Implications for the Future
October 1, 1996 — Author: Ms Maria Alongi On October 23-25, 1995, coinciding with the Bosnia peace talks being held in Dayton, Ohio, Women in International Security (WIIS), an international, nonpartisan educational program; The Friedrich-Eberet Foundation; the U.S. Institute of Peace; and the Army War College's Strategic Studies Institute sponsored a conference,... MORE

U.S. Participation in IFOR: A Marathon, not a Sprint
June 1, 1996 — Author: Dr William T Johnsen The U.S. decision to join the Implementation Force (IFOR) for the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Hercegovina (familiarly known as the Dayton Accords) marked a crucial milestone toward achieving the U.S. national objective of a lasting political settlement to the conflict in Bosnia. Equally critical... MORE

Deciphering the Balkan Enigma: Using History to Inform Policy
November 7, 1995 — Author: Dr William T Johnsen After having been fueled by the events of the distant and recent past, the current wars in the former Yugoslavia finally may be grinding to a halt. An understanding of that past, and of how history and myth combine to influence the present and help to define the future in the Balkans, is no less relevant today than it... MORE

U.S. Policy in the Balkans: A Hobson’s Choice
August 28, 1995 — Authors: Dr Stephen J Blank, Dr William T Johnsen, Dr Earl H Tilford Jr At this writing, the strategic balance may have shifted in the ongoing war in the former Yugoslavia, and the region could be on the verge of a settlement. But, the "window of opportunity" may be fleeting, and the failures and frustrations of the past four years temper any... MORE