Recent Publications

SSI Live 93 – The Grand Strategy of Gertrude Bell and Implications for US Policy Today
September 2, 2022 — British strategist and diplomat Gertrude Bell shaped the modern Middle East and played a leading role in crafting London’s policies at a time of shifting great power dynamics. In this podcast, Dr. Heather Gregg discusses her monograph on Bell’s life and legacy and the implications for managing strategic competition today. What lessons can be drawn... MORE

The Dual-System Problem in Complex Conflicts
September 20, 2018 — Authors: Ms. Melissa Gregg, Dr. Robert D. LambView the Executive SummaryConflict and fragile environments are increasingly complex and unpredictable, but the U.S. policy system itself is much more complex and unpredictable than most leaders appreciate. In this monograph, the authors argue that until we get a grasp on this “dual-system problem,” the... MORE

Can Egypt Lead the Arab World Again? Assessing Opportunities and Challenges for U.S. Policy
May 26, 2017 — Author: Mr Gregory AftandilianView the Executive Summary This monograph examines the possibility of Egypt leading the Arab world again, and how that effort, if successful, will present opportunities and challenges for U.S. policy. At the present time, Egypt is not in a position to do so given its many domestic problems stemming from its turbulent... 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: Reimagining U.S. Foreign Assistance in the Middle East
February 7, 2017 — Author: Dr Christopher J BolanView the Executive Summary U.S. President Donald Trump has proved himself willing to question and challenge many of the conventional wisdoms embedded in contemporary American foreign policies. During his presidential campaign, he questioned the utility of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that has formed... MORE

The Al-Qaeda Organization and the Islamic State Organization: History, Doctrine, Modus Operandi, and U.S. Policy to Degrade and Defeat Terrorism Conducted in the Name of Sunni Islam
February 6, 2017 — Author: Dr Paul KamolnickView the Executive Summary The al-Qaeda Organization (AQO) and the Islamic State Organization (ISO) are transnational adversaries that conduct terrorism in the name of Sunni Islam. It is declared U.S. Government (USG) policy to degrade, defeat, and destroy them. The present book has been written to assist policymakers,... MORE

The New Arab Regional Order: Opportunities and Challenges for U.S. Policy
November 30, 2015 — Author: Mr Gregory AftandilianView the Executive SummaryThis monograph examines the new Arab regional order that has emerged over the past few years and analyzes opportunities and challenges for U.S. strategic interests. The regional order encompasses: 1) an anti-Islamist grouping of countries that came about largely in reaction to Muslim... MORE

Strategic Insights: The Russian Intervention and the Internal Dynamics of Syria
October 1, 2015 — Dr. W. Andrew TerrillThe Syrian civil war began in March 2011 and has claimed nearly 250,000 lives so far. After over 4 years of internal fighting, the Kremlin has decided to expand its role in this conflict by moving combat aircraft and some ground troops to Syria to support the Bashar al-Assad government. These actions seem like a clear prelude... MORE

Does Anyone Really Know What’s Going On? Likely Not.
June 17, 2015 — Mr. Nathan P. FreierNational security elites have fallen into a funk over the recent course of U.S. policy. At first glance, it seems the mythical Midas Touch of the United States as indispensable to solving the world’s most compelling challenges is just that . . . myth. Even a cursory examination of current events betrays a veritable dog’s... MORE

Iraq’s Shia Warlords and Their Militias: Political and Security Challenges and Options
June 3, 2015 — Author: Dr Norman Cigar View the Executive SummaryAs America’s de facto co-belligerents who often share the same battlespace in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the presence and activity of Iraq’s Shia warlords and their militias have an impact on U.S. interests and policies at both the strategic and operational levels. The... MORE

From Cooperation to Competition: The Future of U.S.-Russian Relations
May 28, 2015 — Authors: COL Gregory K Anderson, LTC Karen LT Briggman, Dr John R Deni, LTC Joseph E Hilbert, COL Gert-Jan Kooij, LTC Christopher T Lay, Dr James C McNaughtonRussian aggression in 2014 caught U.S. policy and strategy off guard, forcing reactive measures and reevaluation of the U.S. approach toward Russia. Moscow employed nonlinear methodologies and... MORE

The Growling Bear or “Why The Army Owes Mr. Putin a Favor”
March 2, 2015 — Lieutenant Colonel Michael A. AdelbergThe Army owes Mr. Vladimir Putin a “thank-you.” So does the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)—because his reckless aggression is providing both institutions a resurgent identity. Russia’s current actions provide the United States a unique opportunity, as well as foreshadowing the future. This is because... MORE