Recent Articles

Past is Prologue: Abroad in Syria with the Ghosts of Iraq Dr David Alpher PKSOI Paper by US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute "This paper presents a framework that planners can use to speed the planning process and improve traction. R&S contexts require the ability to function at a high level within conditions of ambiguity, violence and chaos. Using past lessons as principles rather than fixed points on a checklist speeds implementation and guides efforts from a stronger and more flexible starting point. As governance reform is a core thrust within US intervention frameworks, this document argues for improving future operations through a paradigm shift away from top-down R&S interventions."

Strategic Insights: Syria Safe Zones Dr Azeem Ibrahim Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Turning It Up to Eleven: Belligerent Rhetoric in North Korea’s Propaganda Dr Mason Richey Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press After contextualizing North Korea’s capacity for belligerent rhetoric directed toward the United States and its north-east Asian allies, the author examines the contention that rhetoric from Pyongyang represents a conflict escalation risk or even a casus belli. The results of statistical tests indicate a negative correlation between Pyongyang’s rhetoric and international diplomatic initiatives, but no correlation between North Korea’s verbal hostility and its provocations.

SOLLIMS Sampler Special Edition: Refugees and Internally Displace Persons (IDP's) Mister David A Mosinski PKSOI SOLLIMS Sampler by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute "Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) often result from war and violent conflict. If the needs of both displaced people and host communities are not understood and met, however, displacement itself can produce further instability. This lesson report examines challenges and opportunities surrounding the ongoing displacement crisis in Syria and its spillover into neighboring countries in the Middle East and in Europe, as Syria is currently the largest source country of refugees in the world."

Strategic Insights: Think Before You Post: A Message to Those in Uniform COL Heidi A Urben Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Strategic Insights: Thinking Strategically About Latin America and the Caribbean Dr R Evan Ellis Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

Enhancing Identity Development at Senior Service Colleges Doctor Thomas P Galvin Letort Paper by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Senior Service Colleges (SSCs) impart three things as they prepare mid-career officers and civilians for entry into senior levels of leadership: skills, knowledge, and identity. The first two are givens in education. They are easy to define, easy to build a curriculum around, and easy to measure. However, when one considers many of the challenges and crises facing today’s senior leaders, they tend to fall in the third area—the attitudes and dispositions of the leaders putting the skills and knowledge into practice. We tend to treat identity development as a natural and self-evident result of gaining such skills and knowledge, but it is not."

The COIN Conundrum: The Future of Counterinsurgency and U.S. Land Power Dr Thomas R Mockaitis Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The debate over counterinsurgency (COIN), seemingly dormant since the end of the Vietnam War, has been rekindled by the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since the 2006 publication of the U.S. Army/Marine Corps Field Manual (FM) 3-24, Counterinsurgency, practitioners and scholars have argued over the efficacy of COIN. Supporters insist that the new approach outlined in the manual led to the creation of a strategy that defeated the Iraqi insurgents between 2006-2009..."

Military Contingencies in Megacities and Sub-Megacities Mr Werner Selle, Dr Phil Williams Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Urbanization is one of the most important megatrends of the 21st century. Consequently, the possibility of U.S. military involvement in a megacity or sub-megacity is an eventuality that cannot be ignored. After elucidating the nature of urbanization and developing a typology in terms of smart, fragile, and feral cities, we give consideration to the kinds of contingencies that the U.S. military, especially the Army, needs to think about and prepare for. "