Recent Articles

Collins Center Update, Volume 12, Issue 1 (Winter 2010) Major Lisa Livingood, Dennis M. Murphy, LTC Vince Lindenmeyer, Bert B. Tussing Collins Center Update by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership

Do Oil Exports Fuel Defense Spending? Dr Clayton K S Chun Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph explores the impact that oil revenue had on the national defense spending of five oil-exporting countries. Despite periods of falling oil revenues, these countries typically did not lower defense spending. In some cases, defense spending increased sharply, or the rate of decrease was much lower than the drop in oil revenues. This condition creates challenges for national security professionals. If nations face falling oil revenues and still have the will and ability to expand their military or security capabilities, then they might do so through the sacrifice of domestic spending or regional stability. Economic sanctions, worldwide recession, or falling oil demand may not stop these oil-exporting nations from purchasing weapons and creating large security forces. Although oil might have been a key to provide past or future earnings expectations to fund defense, perhaps there are other reasons why nations want relatively high defense spending levels despite lower oil revenue. The politics of oil and its impact on government control, regional threats, national interests, and other strategic factors may explain why these nations pursue defense spending despite falling oil revenue."

Decisionmaking in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM: Removing Saddam Hussein by Force Prof John R Martin, Dr Steven Metz Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "With this initial volume of its Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Key Decisions Monograph Series, the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) also attempts to write about key decisions while they are still fresh in the memories of the participants. As with General Smith’s articles, this series will not produce a definitive history; that is still years away. However, the series will make a major contribution to understanding decisions made by senior military and civilian leaders during the several years thus far of the war in Iraq. I am pleased to inaugurate the series, which looks more at the how and why of certain decisions than at the results of those same decisions. This will be particularly useful to senior leaders—both uniformed and civilian—as they reflect on how decisions were made regarding Iraq and how better decisions might be made in future conflicts."

Security Sector Reform: A Case Study Approach to Transition and Capacity Building Ms Aleisha Arnusch, Ms Sarah Meharg PKSOI Paper US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute "In this paper, the authors explore the definition of SSR as it has emerged in the international community, including the United States, its bilateral partners, and various intergovernmental organizations. It examines the makeup of the security sector, identifies emergent principles for implementing SSR in the community of practice, and specifies the outcomes that SSR is designed to produce."

Something Brewing in Venezuela COL Phillip R Cuccia Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Addressing a regional diplomatic-military problem is made all the more complicated when the region is not at the forefront of U.S. global strategic interests. Such a region simply does not get the attention that it deserves. I fear that may be what is happening now with South America in general and Venezuela in particular."

Security and Stability in Africa: A Development Approach LTC Clarence J Bouchat (USAF, Ret) Letort Paper by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "For a topic long overlooked by American policymakers and strategists, the security and stability of Africa has recently become an important national issue. This nascent importance is readily seen in the increased time, effort, and resources now devoted to the continent by such new organizations as the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM). However, to be effective this growing interest must be rooted in the desire to overcome centuries of ignorance and misunderstanding about the conditions and people of Africa"

Security and Stability in Africa: A Development Approach LTC Clarence J Bouchat (USAF, Ret) Letort Paper by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "For a topic long overlooked by American policymakers and strategists, the security and stability of Africa has recently become an important national issue. This nascent importance is readily seen in the increased time, effort, and resources now devoted to the continent by such new organizations as the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM). However, to be effective this growing interest must be rooted in the desire to overcome centuries of ignorance and misunderstanding about the conditions and people of Africa."

Drug Trafficking, Violence, and Instability in Mexico, Colombia, and the Caribbean: Implications for U.S. National Security Mr Evan Brown, Dr Dallas D Owens Colloquium Brief by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Matthew B. Ridgway Center for International Security Studies "The relationships between powerful criminal groups and states are complex and create transnational issues of corruption and the production, transportation, marketing, and consumption of illegal products and services that have national security implications for most states in the Western Hemisphere."

The Effects of Multiple Deployments on Army Adolescents Dr Stephen J Gerras, Dr Leonard Wong Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph examines the effects of multiple deployments through the perspectives of U.S. Army soldiers, spouses, and children. We sought to identify factors that predict the level of stress experienced by Army adolescents during a deployment and also to determine the key indicators of the overall ability of Army adolescents to cope with a life of repeated deployments. Our analysis shows that the factors that best predict lower levels of stress in adolescents during a deployment are: (1) high participation levels in activities—especially sports, (2) a strong family, and (3) the adolescent’s belief that America supports the war. Interestingly, the cumulative number of previous deployments is not significantly related with adolescent levels of deployment stress."