Recent Articles

Reforming U.S. Export Controls Reforms: Advancing U.S. Army Interests Dr Richard Weitz Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The Barack Obama administration has launched an Export Control Reform (ECR) program to improve the regulations and procedures for controlling the export of U.S. weapons as well as dual-use equipment and technology. Emphasizing that international economic competitiveness is a core component of national security, the administration’s stated aim is for the ECR to increase U.S. exports and jobs as well as to strengthen U.S. national security and protect U.S. military technologies. "

What's Old is New — Kennan, Putin, and the Russian Competitive Viewpoint LTC Michael A. Adelberg Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Collins Center Update - Summer 2015 Professor Bernard F. Griffard, Mr. Ritchie Dion, Colonel Jack Pritchard, Colonel Jerry Hall, Major Dennis Davis, Lieutenant Colonel Joe Chretien, Lieutenant Colonel Donald Travis Collins Center Update by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership

Training Humans for the Human Domain Mr Keir Giles, Dr Steve Tatham Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This monograph offers an outline for educating U.S. and allied service personnel in fundamental human domain skills and argues against their being overlooked in favor of technical solutions. Experience from Afghanistan and Iraq has demonstrated the vital nature of understanding human terrain, with conclusions relevant far beyond counterinsurgency operations in the Islamic world. Any situation where adversary actions are described as “irrational” demonstrates a fundamental failure in understanding the human dimension of the conflict. It follows that where states and their leaders act in a manner that in the United States is perceived as irrational, this too betrays a lack of human knowledge. The monograph highlights specific elements of psychology, theology, anthropology, sociology, and linguistics as key requirements for the understanding of human terrain, which is necessary for avoiding mirroring—projecting Western assumptions onto a non-Western actor—and therefore failing correctly to assess the options available to that actor."

The New Arab Regional Order: Opportunities and Challenges for U.S. Policy Mr Gregory Aftandilian Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Gregory Aftandilian examines the new Arab regional order that has emerged in recent years and analyzes opportunities and challenges for U.S. interests in the region as a result of this order. He argues that the new order encompasses two main alliances. The first is an anti-Islamist grouping of countries and factions opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood and like-minded Islamist groups. This alliance emerged in the aftermath of the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in July 2013. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait showered the new Egyptian government with billions of dollars in aid because they saw the Brotherhood as a threat. This alliance has expanded to include secular elements in Tunisia and Libya, as well as the Jordanian government."

The Hour of Truth: The Conflict in Ukraine–Implications for Europe’s Energy Security and the Lessons for the U.S. Army Mr Ivan Benovic, Dr Ariel Cohen Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Natural gas disputes between Russia and Ukraine have occurred repeatedly since the breakup of the Soviet Union. However, the 2014-15 wave of these conflicts was also coupled with a Russian-supported war in eastern Ukraine. This warfare, together with Gazprom’s shortsighted attitude to its customers’ needs and concerns, has made Russia’s natural gas supplies unreliable in the eyes of the European Union (EU) members. Given the dependence of the Old Continent on outside sources of natural gas, the unreliable record of Russia as a supplier has boosted regional cooperation and incentivized the EU as a whole to seek solutions to its dangerous dependence..."

From Assistance to Partnership: Morocco and its Foreign Policy in West Africa Dr Mohammed El-Katiri Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Morocco is seeking to position itself as a regional security provider in West Africa. Over recent years, Morocco has emerged as a key partner for the development of variety of sectors in different West African countries, but it also aspires to contribute to peace and stability of this African sub-region that continues to face important challenges and significant threats. In particular, a range of initiatives is under way to combat religious extremism, terrorism, and transnational organized crime including illicit drug trafficking, which remains a major threat to peace and security in the region."

Strategic Insights: If You Want Peace, Prepare for War: Reflections on China's V–Day Parade David Lai Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The Chinese government conducted a military parade to commemorate the “70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War” on September 3, 2015. Although Chinese President Xi Jinping uttered “peace” 18 times in his brief opening remarks and Chinese government propaganda flooded China’s media with massive unqualified praise afterward, this show of force was by no means a blessing for peace. On the contrary, it arguably will cast a shadow over China’s outreach in the Asia-Pacific region for years to come."

The Rise of iWar: Identity, Information, and the Individualization of Modern Warfare COL Glenn J Voelz Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "During a decade of global counterterrorism operations and two extended counterinsurgency campaigns, the United States was confronted with a new kind of adversary. Without uniforms, flags, and formations, the task of identifying and targeting these combatants represented an unprecedented operational challenge for which Cold War era doctrinal methods were largely unsuited. This dilemma became the catalyst for a decade of doctrinal, technical, and organizational change premised on the central idea that nonstate actors and individual combatants were a salient national security concern and, therefore, legitimate military targets. This strategic reprioritization evolved into a new model of state warfare centered on the operational tasks of identifying, screening, and targeting individual combatants and defeating their networks."