Recent Publications

The Strategic Importance of the Global Oil Market
June 4, 2015 — Author: Dr Leif Rosenberger View the Executive SummaryThis Letort Paper analyzes the new global oil market. It shows how the price of oil reflects the confluence of four interrelated factors. First, the Paper explores why the supply of oil has been soaring in the world. Second, it explains why the demand for oil has been relatively weak. Third, it... MORE

Iraq’s Shia Warlords and Their Militias: Political and Security Challenges and Options
June 3, 2015 — Author: Dr Norman Cigar View the Executive SummaryAs America’s de facto co-belligerents who often share the same battlespace in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the presence and activity of Iraq’s Shia warlords and their militias have an impact on U.S. interests and policies at both the strategic and operational levels. The... MORE

From Cooperation to Competition: The Future of U.S.-Russian Relations
May 28, 2015 — Authors: COL Gregory K Anderson, LTC Karen LT Briggman, Dr John R Deni, LTC Joseph E Hilbert, COL Gert-Jan Kooij, LTC Christopher T Lay, Dr James C McNaughtonRussian aggression in 2014 caught U.S. policy and strategy off guard, forcing reactive measures and reevaluation of the U.S. approach toward Russia. Moscow employed nonlinear methodologies and... MORE

Toward a Unified Military Response: Hurricane Sandy and the Dual Status Commander
April 9, 2015 — Authors: Dr Ryan Burke, Dr Sue McNeil View the Executive SummaryThe 2013-14 Army War College Key Strategic Issues List stated: “If Hurricane Sandy is seen as an archetype of a complex catastrophe, then a careful analysis of the effectiveness of the DoD response within the context of dual status commanders [DSCs], lead federal agencies, and state... MORE

Strengthening Statehood Capabilities for Successful Transitions in the Middle East / North Africa Region
April 2, 2015 — Author: Dr Mohammed El-KatiriView the Executive SummaryIn this monograph, Dr. Mohammed El-Katiri focuses on the variety of challenges that face reform attempts in the post-revolution Arab countries. He examines underlying factors that have prevented new political elites and post-revolution institutions from successfully implementing essential... MORE

The Growling Bear or “Why The Army Owes Mr. Putin a Favor”
March 2, 2015 — Lieutenant Colonel Michael A. AdelbergThe Army owes Mr. Vladimir Putin a “thank-you.” So does the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)—because his reckless aggression is providing both institutions a resurgent identity. Russia’s current actions provide the United States a unique opportunity, as well as foreshadowing the future. This is because... MORE

Always Strategic: Jointly Essential Landpower
February 11, 2015 — Author: Dr Colin S Gray View the Executive SummaryAmerican Landpower is a strategic instrument of state policy and needs to be considered as such. This monograph explores and explains the nature of Landpower, both in general terms and also with particular regard to the American case. The monograph argues that: (1) Landpower is unique in the... MORE

Assessing Egyptian Public Support for Security Crackdowns in the Sinai
February 10, 2015 — Author: Mr Gregory Aftandilian View the Executive SummaryThis monograph examines the terrorist groups in Egypt emanating from the Sinai and assesses the level of Egyptian public support for the government's security crackdown. These terrorist groups have not only targeted Egyptian security personnel and foreign tourists in the Sinai Peninsula but... MORE

Strategic Insights: Would a Post-2011 Residual U.S. Force in Iraq Have Changed Anything?
February 9, 2015 — Dr. W. Andrew TerrillCurrently, U.S. policy analysts and governmental leaders are examining the rise of the Islamic State (IS) organization, particularly its seizure of vast expanses of Iraqi territory in the summer of 2014. People legitimately ask what could have been done and would a residual U.S. force in Iraq have prevented the spread of IS... MORE

Re-examining the Roles of Landpower in the 21st Century and Their Implications
November 26, 2014 — Author: Dr William T Johnsen View the Executive SummaryAfter 13 years of prolonged ground combat, a weary American public is leery of further interventions requiring land forces. Shifting geostrategic conditions, such as a revanchist Russia and a rising China, reinforce this reluctance. At the same time, technological innovation once more offers... MORE

Tribal Militias: An Effective Tool to Counter Al-Qaida and Its Affiliates?
November 18, 2014 — Author: Dr Norman Cigar View the Executive SummaryDespite over a decade of open war, dealing with Al-Qaida and its affiliates in the Middle East is likely to remain a concern for the foreseeable future and will pose a challenge requiring the use of any tool that is likely to be effective in meeting the threat. Developing effective tools to counter... MORE

Political and Socio-Economic Change: Revolutions and Their Implications for the U.S. Military
September 9, 2014 — Author: Dr John R Deni View the Executive SummaryDramatic political, economic, and social changes across both the Greater Middle East and Latin America over the last several years—in some instances revolutionary, in others evolutionary—have had profound implications for global security generally and U.S. security specifically. Policymakers in... MORE

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