Recent Publications

Strategy Education Across the Professional Military Education Enterprise
May 18, 2015 — Colonel John C. Valledor We can find plenty to read and study on the subject of leadership; in fact, there is a veritable mountain of studies, essays, and books explaining how to build leaders. Not so if one wants to build (or become) a strategist.General John Galvin1Emerging Realities and the Education of Strategists. Since the horrific... MORE

From Frozen Ties to Strategic Engagement: U.S.-Iranian Relationship in 2030
May 12, 2015 — Author: Mr Roman MuzalevskyView the Executive SummaryThe nuclear talks between Iran and P5+1 following the most stringent sanctions against Iran to date have opened new prospects for relaxation of tensions between Tehran and the West and for a U.S.-Iranian détente in the long run. The coming to power of new presidential administrations in both the... MORE

Thucydides Was Right: Defining the Future Threat
April 3, 2015 — Author: Dr Colin S GrayView the Executive SummaryTo define future threat is, in a sense, an impossible task, yet it is one that must be done. The only sources of empirical evidence accessible are the past and the present; one cannot obtain understanding about the future from the future. The author draws upon the understanding of strategic history... MORE

Mastering the Gray Zone: Understanding a Changing Era of Conflict

Senior Conference 50, The Army We Need: The Role of Landpower in an Uncertain Strategic Environment
February 11, 2015 — Authors: Major Charlie D Lewis, COL Jeffrey D Peterson, Dr Rachel M Sondheimer View the Executive SummaryThe United States Military Academy (USMA) Senior Conference is run annually by the Department of Social Sciences at the USMA on behalf of the Superintendent. This event allows distinguished representatives from the private sector, government,... MORE

American Grand Strategy and the Future of U.S. Landpower
December 5, 2014 — Authors: Major Joseph V Da Silva, Dr Hugh P Liebert, Prof Isaiah Wilson IIIView the Executive Summary The U.S. military faces a dramatic rebalancing among its services. As the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have waned, an era of budget austerity has emerged and the U.S. strategic focus has shifted toward the Pacific, American air and sea power have... MORE

Cover for American Grand Strategy and the Future of U.S. Landpower

Memorandum for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Secure Balance and Flexibility In Future Joint Forces
June 13, 2014 — Author: Mr Nathan P Freier The 25th Annual U.S. Army War College Strategy Conference "Balancing the Joint Force to Meet Future Security Challenges" occurred against the backdrop of a complicated decision making environment. It sought establish a context for future military decision making based on two foundational questions: what are the most... MORE

Cover for Memorandum for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: Secure Balance and Flexibility In Future Joint Forces

Op-Ed: Balancing The Joint Force: Defense and Military Challenges Through 2020
March 11, 2014 — Dr. John R. Deni As America’s involvement in large-scale combat operations in Afghanistan comes to an end this year, Washington’s attention, as well as its resources, will shift to address other pressing national security concerns. Some of the most likely security challenges that might threaten vital American interests over the next 5-7 years are... MORE

U.S. Governmental Information Operations and Strategic Communications: A Discredited Tool or User Failure? Implications for Future Conflict
December 3, 2013 — Author: Dr Steve Tatham View the Executive SummaryThrough the prism of operations in Afghanistan, the author examines how the U.S. Government’s Strategic Communication (SC) and, in particular, the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Information Operations (IO) and Military Information Support to Operations (MISO) programs, have contributed to U.S... MORE

Forging an American Grand Strategy: Securing a Path Through a Complex Future. Selected Presentations from a Symposium at the National Defense University
October 22, 2013 — Author: Dr Sheila R Ronis View the Executive SummaryOn November 8-9, 2011, the National Defense University (NDU) held a conference entitled "Forging an American Grand Strategy: Securing a Path Through a Complex Future." The discussion that began at that conference needs to be further developed and continued. More importantly, we, as a nation, need... MORE

An Assessment of the DoD Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace
September 23, 2013 — Author: Dr Thomas M Chen View the Executive SummaryIn July 2011, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) issued the DoD Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace, which outlines five strategic initiatives: 1) Treat cyberspace as another operational domain; 2) Employ new defense operating concepts to protect DoD networks; 3) Partner with other U.S... MORE

AFRICOM at 5 Years: The Maturation of a New U.S. Combatant Command
August 8, 2013 — Author: Mr David E Brown View the Executive SummaryThe U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), newest of the six U.S. Department of Defense geographic combatant commands (CCMDs), was created in 2007 amid great controversy in both Africa and the United States over its location and mission. Over the last 5 years, AFRICOM has matured greatly, overcoming much... MORE

Academic Engagement Notes: 2013 International Studies Association (ISA) Annual Convention
May 23, 2013 — Dr. Robert J. Bunker, Dr. John R. DeniThe annual convention of the International Studies Association (ISA) was held in San Francisco, CA, on April 3-6, 2013. The 54th annual convention theme was, “The Politics of International Diffusion: Regional and Global Dimensions.” This conference was a major academic event with over 1,000 panels and round... MORE