Recent Publications

Beyond Denuclearization: China and North Korea’s Evolving Relationship
June 17, 2026 — Michael Long... MORE

Book Review: Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare
June 15, 2026 — Economic tools are reshaping global power in ways military professionals cannot ignore. From sanctions to tech controls, modern statecraft is increasingly defined by financial and industrial leverage... MORE

Book Review: War in the Smartphone Age: Conflict, Connectivity and the Crises at Our Fingertips
June 15, 2026 — This review of War in the Smartphone Age highlights Matthew Ford’s argument that mass smartphone use is transforming modern warfare. Using recent conflicts, the book shows how civilian-generated data and connectivity accelerate decision making and reshape the conduct of war... MORE

Book Review: America’s Taiwan Dilemma: Allies’ Reactions and the Stakes for US Reputation
June 15, 2026 — This review of America’s Taiwan Dilemma: Allies’ Reactions and the Stakes for US Reputation highlights how Michael A. Hunzeker and Mark A. Christopher assess allied perceptions of US reliability in a Taiwan crisis. Drawing on extensive interviews with policymakers in Australia, Japan, and South Korea, the book argues these perceptions—rather than raw military power alone—will shape allied responses and the broader strategic outcome... MORE

Book Review: The Boundaries of War: Local and Global Perspectives in Military History
June 15, 2026 — The Boundaries of War: Local and Global Perspectives in Military History, edited by Lee L. Brice and Timothy M. Roberts, challenges traditional narratives by exploring how warfare is shaped by both local conditions and global forces. Through case studies ranging from ancient Rome to the World Wars, the book asks whether military history should be understood through regional uniqueness or broader transnational patterns. This thought-provoking collection redefines how we study conflict by bridging the gap between micro-level experiences and macro-level trends... MORE

Book Review: A Violent Peace: A Global Military History of the Interwar Peace
June 15, 2026 — In A Violent Peace: A Global Military History of the Interwar Peace, editors Ian Ona Johnson and Robert Clemm challenge the myth of a tranquil interlude between the world wars by revealing a landscape of persistent and widespread conflict. Spanning four continents, the book uncovers forgotten wars, ideological clashes, and military transformations that shaped the global order long before 1939. This compelling volume reframes the interwar years as a violent and formative era, essential to understanding the trajectory of twentieth-century warfare... MORE

SSI Live 125 – Europe’s Role in a Taiwan Crisis
June 12, 2026 — In this episode of SSI Live, Major Brennan Deveraux interviews Dr. John Deni on his ongoing research concerning Europe’s potential involvement in a war in the Pacific. The conversation explores the challenges of coalition management and the unique contributions the United States could request from its European allies... MORE

“A Case for Military Proportionality: Disabling Nuclear Plants”
June 12, 2026 — In this episode, Henry Sokolski discusses how proportionality can serve as a concrete tool for winning wars and maintaining alliances and defines the roles the Lieber Code, the Geneva Conventions, precision weapons, and public narratives play in warfare... MORE

In Dire Straits: Iran, Hormuz, and the Risks to the Global Order
June 9, 2026 — Jacob Stoil and Daphné Richemond-Barak... MORE

“Will to Peace or Will to Victory?”: A Heated Debate in Russia’s Leading Foreign Policy Forum
June 5, 2026 — Timothy K. Blauvelt... MORE

The Z-21’s External Fuel Tanks Expand the PLAA’s Planning Options for Helicopter Missions
June 5, 2026 — Joaquin Camarena... MORE

Ukraine’s War Effort in Mid-2026: International Opportunities and Domestic Challenges
June 4, 2026 — The circumstances of the Russia-Ukraine War—and even the nature of modern warfare itself—appear to transform with each passing year. In 2023–24, the war was one of grinding attrition reminiscent of World War I. By 2025, advances in drone technology and battlefield awareness systems had transformed the conflict, creating “kill zones” along the line of contact that rapidly rendered conventional military hardware largely ineffective. Ukraine’s position, however, remained tenuous as the Russian military continued to make slow but incremental gains in territory... MORE