Recent Publications

Anticipating Contemporary War: How Well Did We Do?
September 12, 2011 — Dr. Antulio J. Echevarria, II Few recognized it at the time, but in 1974 the eminent British historian Sir Michael Howard wrote what was to become one of the most important phrases for the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA)-Transformation era of the 1990s and early 2000s:I am tempted to declare that whatever doctrine the Armed Forces are working... MORE

Organizing to Compete in the Political Terrain
July 1, 2010 — Author: Dr Nadia Schadlow In this analysis, the author identifies some of the continuing obstacles to achieving civil-military integration in war. She argues that there are continuing disagreements about who should lead the shaping of the political landscape in war, and that while doctrine has advanced in this area, good doctrine does not guarantee... MORE

A Case Study in Security Sector Reform: Learning from Security Sector Reform/Building in Afghanistan (October 2002-September 2003)
November 1, 2009 — Author: Capt Jason C Howk This paper provides a case study to help explain the SSR concepts that were recently formalized in U.S. Army Field Manual 3.07, "Stability Operations Doctrine." It provides insights into how the military interacts with host-nation governments, the United Nations, the State Department, and national embassies to solve... MORE

War’s Second Grammar
October 1, 2009 — 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 2009 newsletter.Read Now MORE

The Serpent in Our Garden: Al-Qa’ida and the Long War
January 1, 2009 — Author: COL Brian M Drinkwine The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11) caused Americans to realize that our sense of invincibility had been shattered. This paper will identify al-Qa’ida and Salafi-Jihadists as our enemy and will recommend new approaches to fighting terrorism. Colonel Brian Drinkwine will explore al-Qa’ida’s organization,... MORE

Transforming to Effects-Based Operations: Lessons from the United Kingdom Experience
January 1, 2008 — Author: Dr Andrew M Dorman The author examines the extent to which the United Kingdom (UK) has transitioned to effects-based operations to ascertain: (1) Areas where the U.S. Army could draw lessons from UK policies; (2) Areas where the U.S. Army and the British Ministry of Defence could develop integrated or complementary approaches and doctrines... MORE

The Implications of Preemptive and Preventive War Doctrines: A Reconsideration
July 1, 2007 — Author: Dr Colin S Gray Preemption and prevention are different concepts. To preempt is to attempt to strike first against an enemy who is in the process of preparing, or is actually launching, an attack against you. Preemption is not controversial. The decision for war has been taken out of your hands. Prevention, however, is a decision to wage... MORE

China’s Nuclear Forces: Operations, Training, Doctrine, Command, Control and Campaign Planning
May 1, 2007 — Author: Dr Larry M Wortzel Recent books and journal articles published in China provide new insights into nuclear doctrine, operations, training, and the employment of the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA) strategic rocket forces. The major insights come from exploiting sections of a doctrinal text published for PLA institutions of higher military... MORE

Doctrine that Works
August 1, 2006 — Author: Dr Douglas V Johnson II Each month a member of the SSI faculty writes an editorial for our monthly newsletter. This is the Op-Ed for the August 2006 newsletter.Read Now MORE

Training Indigenous Forces in Counterinsurgency: A Tale of Two Insurgencies
March 1, 2006 — Author: Dr James S Corum The author examines the British experience in building and training indigenous police and military forces during the Malaya and Cyprus insurgencies. These two insurgencies provide a dramatic contrast to the issue of training local security forces. In Malaya, the British developed a very successful strategy for training the... MORE

Insurgency in Nepal
December 1, 2003 — Author: Dr Thomas A Marks Insurgencies in the 21st century are different than the Cold War era ones that generated existing doctrine and strategy, and which shaped the way that most American strategists think about insurgency. The beast has mutated and evolved. So, too, must those who confront it. To help Army and Department of Defense leaders... MORE

Clausewitz’s Center of Gravity: Changing Our Warfighting Doctrine–Again!
September 1, 2002 — Author: Dr Antulio J Echevarria II The author cuts through the myriad interpretations surrounding the concept and gets back to the original idea as conceived by its author, the Prussian military theorist, Carl von Clausewitz. In going back to the original concept, Lieutenant Colonel Echevarria reveals that Clausewitz intended the center of gravity... MORE