Recent Publications

Law vs. War: Competing Approaches to Fighting Terrorism
July 1, 2005 — Authors: Ms Shawn Boyne, Mr Michael German, Dr Dallas D Owens, Dr Paul R Pillar The authors address one of the fundamental assumptions underlying the conduct of the War on Terrorism - the nature of our enemy, whether perpetrators of terrorist activities are criminals or soldiers (combatants). Although the United States recognizes that terrorist... MORE

Afghanistan: Reconstituting a Collapsed State
April 1, 2005 — Author: LTC Raymond A Millen LTC Raymond A. Millen examines warlordism as the principal impediment to Afghanistan's revival and offers a shift in strategy that addresses the war of ideas, the counternarcotics initiative, and the incorporation of the Afghan National Army into the provincial reconstruction teams. As Lieutenant Colonel Millen... MORE

Winning the War by Winning the Peace: Strategy for Conflict and Post-Conflict in the 21st Century
December 1, 2004 — Author: COL Lloyd J MatthewsDuring each of the last 15 years, the U.S. Army War College has sponsored a broad-based strategy conference that addresses a major security issue of current relevance to the United States, its allies, and, indeed, the entire world. The conference theme for year 2004 was "Winning the War by Winning the Peace: Strategy for... MORE

Toward a New U.S. Strategy in Asia
February 1, 2004 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the February 2004 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Strategic Effects of Conflict with Iraq: Post-Soviet States
March 1, 2003 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank The author has been asked to analyze four issues: the position that key states in their region are taking on U.S. military action against Iraq; the role of America in the region after the war with Iraq; the nature of security partnerships in the region after the war with Iraq; and the effect that war with Iraq will have... MORE

Russia in Afghanistan and Chechnya: Military Strategic Culture and the Paradoxes of Asymmetric Conflict
February 1, 2003 — Author: Major Robert M Cassidy The author uses a detailed assessment of the Russian experience in Afghanistan and Chechnya to draw important conclusions about asymmetric warfare. He then uses this to provide recommendations for the U.S. military, particularly the Army. Major Cassidy points out that small wars are difficult for every great power,... MORE

Afghanistan and the Future of Warfare: Implications for Army and Defense Policy
November 1, 2002 — Author: Dr Stephen D Biddle America's novel use of special forces, precision weapons, and indigenous allies has attracted widespread attention since its debut in Northern Afghanistan last fall. It has proven both influential and controversial. Many think it caused the Taliban's sudden collapse. For them, this "Afghan Model" represents warfare's... MORE

Afghanistan and Beyond: Reflections on the Future of Warfare
June 1, 1993 — Author: Dr Stephen J Blank This report provides an historical analysis of lessons from one of the most important wars of the 1980s, the war in Afghanistan. After reading this study, you will better understand the nature of operations "other than war" in multiethnic states. Many fear that these wars will set the paradigm for wars in the 1990s and... MORE