Recent Publications

Evolution of the Latin American Strategic Environment and the Posture of its Security Forces
January 14, 2025 — The security environment in Latin America and the Caribbean continues to evolve, driven in part by dramatic underlying changes in the broader global dynamics. Latin American security forces, constrained by a combination of resources and administrative and political factors, struggle with varying degrees of effectiveness to adapt. This paper... MORE

Evolution of the Latin American Strategic Environment and the Posture of its Security Forces | R. Evan Ellis

Rebuilding Armed Forces: Learning from Iraq and Lebanon
May 1, 2011 — Author: Dr Florence Gaub Security Force Assistance becomes more and more important not only in the post-conflict reconstruction process, but also in a more general way in the foreign policy of the United States. Looking into the experience of both Iraq and Lebanon, this monograph offers useful insights for future military assistance programs and... MORE

Op-Ed: What If They Threw a War and…
February 1, 2011 — Mr. Lawrence KaplanThis is the February Op-Ed of the SSI NewsletterAs a member of the media who reported on the U.S. military in Iraq, I had numerous opportunities to measure the “gap” between the press corps and the Armed Forces. One of these came a few years ago at a grubby Italian restaurant near a military base in North Carolina, where I was... MORE

Security Sector Reform in Liberia: Mixed Results from Humble Beginnings
March 1, 2008 — Author: Mr Mark Malan The author presents an explanatory overview and analysis of progress made with the process of security sector reform in Liberia--with particular reference to the armed forces and the police. The author begins with a concise review of what the theory of SSR and its application in the Liberian context and follows with a... MORE

The Test of Terrain: The Impact of Stability Operations Upon the Armed Forces
July 16, 2005 — Author: Dr Douglas V Johnson II On June 16-18, 2005, the Strategic Studies Institute co-hosted a conference on "The Impact of Stability Operations Upon the Armed Forces" in cooperation with the Centre d’Etudes en Sciences Sociales de la Défense, Royal United Services Institute, the Association of the United States Army, the Förderkreis Deutsches... MORE

The Mexican Military Approaches the 21st Century: Coping with a New World Order
February 1, 1994 — Author: LTC Stephen J Wager In 1993, the Strategic Studies Institute and the University of Arizona cosponsored a conference on "Mexico Looks to the 21st Century: Change and Challenge." It brought together a distinguished group of academic and government specialists to discuss Mexico's future, particularly the changes likely to be brought about by... MORE

Domestic Missions for the Armed Forces
February 1, 1993 — Author: Senator Sam Nunn During the summer of 1992, Senator Sam Nunn, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, initiated legislation to enhance civilian and military cooperative efforts in meeting critical domestic needs. In a speech before the Senate Armed Services Committee, he called for a major reexamination of the roles and missions of... MORE