Recent Publications

Parameters | Winter 2024–25
November 21, 2024 — Welcome to the Winter 2024–25 issue of Parameters. This issue consists of an In Focus special commentary, three forums (Indo-Pacific, Security Cooperation, and Historical Studies), and the regular Civil-Military Relations Corner installment... MORE

War with China: A View from Early 2024
April 11, 2024 — US defense analysts are overdue for a fundamental reassessment of the strategic factors that would shape a future Sino-American war. The United States may lower the overall risk of sparking a war between Washington and Beijing by more formally committing advanced US capabilities in intelligence collection and targeting, long-range fires, and theater air and missile defense to Japan and South Korea and by initiating bilateral planning to introduce such capabilities in Taiwan in the future. The US defense community still lacks a broad and integrated national strategy for successfully managing the rivalry with China. A clear-eyed assessment of a possible United States-China war could lead to a national strategy... MORE

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"Introduction to the China Landpower Studies Center"
February 15, 2024 — The China Landpower Studies Center will open in 2024. It is intended to be an approachable organization. It will tackle the complex and pressing questions about China’s emergence as a global power and its implications for the US military and provide senior leaders and practitioners with a better understanding of the strategies, capabilities, and the integration of the PLA into the CCP’s campaign to turn... MORE

Parameters VOL. 47 NO. 4 WINTER 2017–18
March 8, 2018 — Editor: Dr Antulio J Echevarria IIFEATURES: Exploring War’s Character & Nature. "Clausewitz’s Theory of War and Victory in Contemporary Conflict" by Emile Simpson. "Will War’s Nature Change in the Seventh Military Revolution?" by F. G. Hoffman. Learning from Military Transformations. "Lessons Unlearned: Army Transformation and Low-Intensity... MORE

Cover for Parameters VOL. 47 NO. 4 WINTER 2017–18

U.S. Landpower in the South China Sea
July 7, 2017 — Author: LTC Clarence J Bouchat (USAF, Ret)View the Executive Summary U.S. landpower is an essential, but often overlooked, element of national power in semi-enclosed maritime environments like the South China Sea. This monograph gives U.S. policymakers a better understanding of the role of the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Forces... 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

Between Business and War: A Vital Choice for the United States and China
March 29, 2017 — Dr. David Lai, Mr. Frederick J. GellertIn January, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. Determined to fix America’s festering domestic and international troubles, the new President put forward his manifesto:For many decades, we've enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry; subsidized the... MORE

Strategic Insights: Should China Be Given the Benefit of the Doubt?
October 17, 2014 — Dr. David Lai The South China Sea territorial dispute is a protracted and complicated problem. Recently, it has become an even more contentious issue between the United States and China. At the center of this disagreement is China's massive territorial claims and its persistent approach to dealing with the disputes in bilateral and diplomatic... MORE

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The Paracel Islands and U.S. Interests and Approaches in the South China Sea
June 1, 2014 — Author: LTC Clarence J Bouchat (USAF, Ret) View the Executive SummaryThe Paracel Islands and South China Sea disputes require better understanding by U.S. policymakers in order to address the region’s challenges. To attain that needed understanding, legal aspects of customary and modern laws are explored in this monograph to analyze the differences... MORE

Op-Ed: Reflections on “The China Threat”
August 1, 2013 — Prof. Neil J. DiamantIt seems that not a day passes without dire warnings about China’s rising economic and military power. China, we are told, is a multi-front menace. Due to “rising nationalism” and an insatiable demand for energy, China covets increasingly large areas of the South China Sea, and ominously seeks to establish a robust forward... MORE

The United States and ASEAN-China Relations: All Quiet on the Southeast Asian Front
October 1, 2007 — Author: Dr Ian Storey While the overall security situation in Southeast Asia is something of a mixed bag, with grounds for both optimism and pessimism, one of the most encouraging trends in recent years has been the development of ASEAN’s relations with major external powers. Relations between China and ASEAN in particular have demonstrated a... MORE

String of Pearls: Meeting the Challenge of China’s Rising Power Across the Asian Littoral
July 1, 2006 — Author: LTC Christopher J Pehrson China's rising maritime power is encountering American maritime power along the sea lines of communication (SLOCs) that connect China to vital energy resources in the Middle East and Africa. The "String of Pearls" describes the manifestation of China's rising geopolitical influence through efforts to increase... MORE