Recent Publications

Strategic Insights: The U.S. Foray Into The Levant
October 15, 2014 — Dr. Sami G. Hajjar The Levant is caught up in a web of political, social, and economic problems that seem to be the work of the hidden hand of the devil. The U.S. Air Force, and those of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Jordan are actively bombing positions of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, or ISIS by... MORE

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United States-Gulf Cooperation Council Security Coopeeration in a Multipolar World
October 1, 2014 — Author: Dr Mohammed El-Katiri View the Executive SummaryMilitary and security cooperation with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states is of continuing importance for the United States, given the region's pivotal location in the Middle East and proximity to Iran. But recent developments in the defense posture of the United States, together with the... MORE

Turkey’s New Regional Security Role: Implications for the United States
September 10, 2014 — Author: Dr Richard Weitz View the Executive SummaryUntil a few years ago, the relationship between Washington and Ankara was perennially troubled and occasionally terrible. Turkey opposed the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq and complained that the Pentagon was allowing Iraqi Kurds too much autonomy, leading to deteriorating security along the... MORE

Soldiers of Misfortune?
May 13, 2014 — Author: Dr Thomas R MockaitisView the Executive Summary In examining the role of security contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, the author draws broad lessons from which he provides concrete recommendations to improve the conduct of further missions. Rather than do away with contractors altogether, the author recommends limiting their roles,... MORE

The Resurgence of Al-Qaeda in Syria and Iraq
May 6, 2014 — Author: Dr Azeem Ibrahim View the Executive SummaryThe Syrian civil war has allowed al-Qaeda to recover from its setbacks up to 2010. Its main affiliate in the region seems to be testing a new strategy of collaboration with other Salafist-Jihadist groups and a less brutal implementation of Sharia law in areas it controls. In combination, this might... MORE

Augmenting Our Influence: Alliance Revitalization and Partner Development
April 16, 2014 — Author: Dr John R Deni View the Executive SummaryAs the United States and its allies prepare to withdraw most of their military forces from Afghanistan and following the end of the war in Iraq, fundamental questions have arisen over the future of American Landpower. Among them are the role of allies and partners in terms of contributing to the... MORE

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Turkey-Kurdish Regional Government Relations After the U.S. Withdrawal From Iraq: Putting the Kurds on the Map?
March 12, 2014 — Author: Mr Bill Park View the Executive SummaryThe withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq at the end of 2011 left behind a set of unresolved problems in the relationship between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and the Federal Government in Baghdad—notably relating to the disputed boundaries of the KRG, and the extent of its autonomy... MORE

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Conflict Management and Peacebuilding: Pillars of a New American Grand Strategy
October 16, 2013 — Authors: Dr Robert H Dorff, Dr Volker C Franke View the Executive SummaryThe authors examine the utility of the U.S. Government’s whole-of-government (WoG) approach for responding to the challenging security demands of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. They specifically discuss the strategic objectives of interagency cooperation particularly in... MORE

Governance, Identity, and Counterinsurgency: Evidence from Ramadi and Tal Afar
March 1, 2013 — Author: Dr Michael Fitzsimmons View the Executive SummaryThe premise of most Western thinking on counterinsurgency is that success depends on establishing a perception of legitimacy among local populations. The path to legitimacy is often seen as the improvement of governance in the form of effective and efficient administration of government and... MORE

Talking Past Each Other? How Views of U.S. Power Vary between U.S. and International Military Personnel
February 1, 2013 — Author: COL Richard H M Outzen View the Executive SummaryThe 21st century U.S. military seldom operates alone. Except for initial entry and organizational training, it works almost always with and through foreign partners. Yet over the past decade, anecdotal evidence suggests that U.S. military organizations and personnel have trouble... MORE

Beyond the Battlefield: Institutional Army Transformation Following Victory in Iraq
November 1, 2012 — Author: LTC G Scott Taylor The Army goes to great lengths to capture lessons learned and preserve these lessons for current practitioners and future generations. Though the Army is one of the most self-critical organizations found in American society, a well-deserved reputation has also been earned for failing to inculcate those lessons by... MORE

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2012-13 Key Strategic Issues List
August 1, 2012 — Author: Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Update No. 1 and Update No. 2 to the KSIL are now available with additional topics.Unlike other lists that generally reflect issues which are operational or tactical in nature, the focus of the Key Strategic Issues List is strategic. The spotlight is, in other words, on those items that senior Army and Department... MORE