Recent Publications

Book Review: GSG 9: From Munich to Mogadishu: The Birth of Germany's Counterterrorism Force
April 15, 2026 — In the wake of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre, Germany forged GSG 9—an elite counterterrorism unit that would stun the world with its daring 1977 rescue mission in Mogadishu. Martin Herzog’s gripping account traces the unit’s evolution from humble beginnings to global renown, drawing on exclusive interviews and archival research. This book tells the untold story of how one covert force reshaped modern counterterrorism—and inspired the creation of America’s Delta Force... MORE

Cover of GSG 9: From Munich to Mogadishu: The Birth of Germany's Counterterrorism Force by Martin Herzog

Book Review: Training for Victory: U.S. Special Forces Advisory Operations from El Salvador to Afghanistan
April 15, 2026 — What makes some US Special Forces advisory missions succeed while others fail? In Training for Victory, Frank K. Sobchak examines five decades of elite Green Beret operations—from El Salvador to Afghanistan—to uncover the critical factors behind building effective partner forces. Challenging conventional wisdom, this book reveals surprising truths about language, culture, and combat advising in America’s most complex wars... MORE

Cover of Training for Victory: U.S. Special Forces Advisory Operations from El Salvador to Afghanistan by Frank K. Sobchak

Book Review: The Raider: The Untold Story of a Renegade Marine and the Birth of U.S. Special Forces in World War II
April 15, 2026 — In this gripping narrative, Stephen R. Platt uncovers the forgotten legacy of a rebellious Marine whose daring vision helped shape the future of US Special Forces. Blending biography with battlefield drama, the book reveals how unconventional tactics and bold leadership redefined America’s approach to warfare. A must-read for anyone interested in the origins of elite military units and the individuals who defied tradition to forge them... MORE

Cover of The Raider: The Untold Story of a Renegade Marine and the Birth of U.S. Special Forces in World War II by Stephen R. Platt

Book Review: Victory ’45: The End of the War in Eight Surrenders
April 15, 2026 — In Victory ’45: The End of the War in Eight Surrenders, James Holland and Al Murray trace the dramatic final days of World War II through eight pivotal surrender moments that reshaped the postwar world. With gripping detail and fresh perspectives, they reveal how victory was secured not just through battles, but through diplomacy, resilience, and human decisions. This compelling narrative offers a powerful lens on the war’s conclusion and the fragile peace that followed... MORE

Cover of Victory ’45: The End of the War in Eight Surrenders by James Holland and Al Murray

Book Review: Ransom War: How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security
April 15, 2026 — In Ransom War, Max Smeets breaks down how criminal organizations use cyber technologies for ransoms. He explains the way ransomware organizations operate and how they have evolved with the rise of technology. The reviewer sees this book as well written, with relevant examples and concrete arguments... MORE

Cover of Ransom War: How Cyber Crime Became a Threat to National Security by Max Smeets

PLA Army Places Growing Emphasis on Tactical Indirect Firepower with New Grenade Discharger
April 13, 2026 — Joaquin Camarena... MORE

Slide for the CLSC Quick Take PLA Army Places Growing Emphasis on Tactical Indirect Firepower with New Grenade Discharger by Joaquin Camarena

What is Strategic Rivalry? Why Should We Care?
April 9, 2026 — The states most likely to draw America into its next major crisis or war are not unknowns. They are the usual suspects: The same handful of states that have threatened the United States repeatedly across decades. Interstate rivals have caused roughly 80 percent of history’s wars and the odds of any given rivalry ending peacefully are little better than a coin toss. Yet America’s key strategy documents since the 2017 National Security Strategy have used phrases like great power competition, interstate strategic competition, and strategic competition without acknowledging the essential difference between a competition and a rivalry... MORE

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On The Impossible Mission: The Office of Security Cooperation and the U.S. Forces Drawdown in Iraq
April 9, 2026 — In this episode of Conversations on Strategy, retired Lieutenant General Robert L. Caslen Jr. and historian Dr. Katelyn K. Tietzen-Wisdom discuss Caslen’s 2025 book, The Impossible Mission: The Office of Security Cooperation and the US Forces Drawdown in Iraq. The conversation explores the strategic challenges of the 2011 US drawdown in Iraq. The discussion highlights the complexities of war termination, highlighting the need to learn from the gap between policy expectations and on-the-ground reality... MORE

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SRAD Newsletter Q2 2026
April 3, 2026 — The Strategic Research & Analysis Department (SRAD) would like to share our analysis and insights on the strategic environment and geopolitical events from the past quarter. ... MORE

SSI Live 123 – Obama and the Bomb
April 1, 2026 — In this episode of SSI Live, Major Brennan Deveraux interviews Dr. Frank Jones, a distinguished fellow of the US Army War College, on his recently published book Obama and the Bomb: New START, Russia, and the Politics of post-Cold War Arms Control. The conversation explores the historical significance of this now expired bi-lateral treaty and Frank’s assessment of the conditions required to achieve this type of great-power cooperation... MORE

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On “Bridging Sky and Sea: Joint Strategies for Medical Evacuation in the Indo-Pacific”
April 1, 2026 — This podcast contends that the US Army should coordinate agile and expeditious Joint medical evacuation operations in the Indo-Pacific and develop novel capabilities to do so effectively... MORE

Decisive Point episode: On “Bridging Sky and Sea: Joint Strategies for Medical Evacuation in the Indo-Pacific”

Achieving Victory Through Quantity: PLA Theorists Propose Different Modernization and War-Fighting Pattern
March 30, 2026 — Kevin McCauley... MORE

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