Recent Publications

The Clash of the Trinities: A New Theoretical Analysis of the General Nature of War
September 11, 2017 — Author: MAJ Daniel D. MaurerView the Executive Summary This monograph reimagines war’s fundamental nature, extending Clausewitz’s theory of its political origin and “Trinitarian” elements in a way that embraces alternative, sociological explanations like that of John Keegan. Ultimately, it proposes a new way to visualize the complexities of war’s... MORE

Special Commentary – Fighting the “Islamic State”: The Case for U.S. Ground Forces
May 1, 2015 — Author: Dr. David E. JohnsonAbstract: This article argues counterinsurgency wars are not analogous to the challenges presented by the Islamic State. The United States needs to accept the nature of the war it is in, and undertake a clear and comprehensive assessment of the means necessary for strategic success. Such an assessment will make apparent... MORE

2010 SSI Annual Strategy Conference Report “Defining War for the 21st Century”
February 1, 2011 — Authors: COL Phillip R Cuccia, Dr Steven Metz The Strategic Studies Institute's XXI Annual Strategy Conference, held at Carlisle Barracks from April 6-8, 2010, addressed the topic of the meaning of war. While it did not seek to produce a definitive answer to questions about the nature and definition of war, it did highlight the crucial questions... MORE

Cover for 2010 SSI Annual Strategy Conference Report “Defining War for the 21st Century”

Dueling Natures
October 1, 2008 — Author: Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the October 2008 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Rethinking Asymmetric Threats
September 1, 2003 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank For several years U.S. policymakers, officials, and writers on defense have employed the terms "asymmetric" or "asymmetry" to characterize everything from the nature of the threats we face to the nature of war and beyond. The author challenges the utility of using those terms to characterize the threats we face, one... MORE

Globalization and the Nature of War
March 1, 2003 — Author: Dr Antulio J Echevarria II The author explores the nature of war, and how it has changed as a result of globalization. He uses the Clausewitzian model of war's trinity (political guidance, chance, and enmity) as a framework for understanding the nature of war, a concept that has been only vaguely represented in defense literature. He then... MORE