Recent Articles

Collins Center Update, Volume 14, Issue 3 (Summer 2012) Professor Bert B. Tussing, LTC Vince Lindemeyer, Professor Jeffrey Caton, Mr. Ben Leitzel, Collins Center Update by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership

Cyber Ricochet: Risk Management and Cyberspace Operations Mr Benjamin C Leitzel Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "Recent media reports of the ‘Duqu’, ‘Flame’, and ‘Stuxnet’ malware highlight cyberspace operations capabilities as well as emphasize the vulnerabilities of computer networks and systems. Many computer security vulnerabilities go undetected for years and once discovered vendors can take months to correct the defects. Even after vendors release ‘patches’ to correct the problem, most users fail to update their systems immediately and completely. The result is a cyberspace environment plagued with undefended systems where seams and gaps are exposed to even the most novice cyber threat actor."

Peace & Stability Journal, Volume 2, Issue 4 Mister Robert C Browne Peace and Stability Journal by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute "Today, a population’s expectations of the state for “security” are greater than national defense and protection from unlawful use of force internally. Expectations also include the social freedoms of economic opportunity, employment, education, health care, intellectual freedom, justice, and social mobility. Cultural form may vary by state, but the parameters of a modern social contract are clear and you need to look no further than the Arab Spring to see it..."

U.S. Army War College Guide to National Security Issues, Vol 2: National Security Policy and Strategy, 5th Ed. Dr J Boone Bartholomees Jr Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute

The Next Arms Race Mr. Henry D Sokolski Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, Nonproliferation Policy Education Center With most of the world’s advanced economies now stuck in recession; Western support for defense cuts and nuclear disarmament increasing; and a major emerging Asian power at odds with its neighbors and the United States; it is tempting to think our times are about to rhyme with a decade of similar woes—the disorderly 1930s. Might we again be drifting toward some new form of mortal national combat? Or, will our future more likely ape the near-half-century that defined the Cold War—a period in which tensions between competing states ebbed and flowed but peace mostly prevailed by dint of nuclear mutual fear and loathing? The short answer is nobody knows. This much, however, is clear: The strategic military competitions of the next 2 decades will be unlike any the world has yet seen.

AFRICOM's Role in Water Security Christopher M Best Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "Few substances on Earth are as important to human survival as water. Access to clean fresh water facilitates the growth of industry, agriculture, and human population centers. Providing developing countries the resources and knowledge to access quality water sources can serve as a powerful tool for enhancing regional stability and fostering the credibility of the United States around the world. How issues within and between nations regarding how future demands for water are addressed will require the coordinated effort of various United States Government (USG) agencies moving towards common goals. This paper will focus on AFRICOM’s role in preserving U.S. interests in Africa by fostering water security. It will start with a discussion of major water challenges facing Africa in the near future, discuss the relationship between water security and U.S. national security interests, and conclude with AFRICOM’s role in water security."

U.S. Army War College Guide to National Security Issues, Vol. 1: Theory of War and Strategy, 5th Ed. Dr J Boone Bartholomees Jr Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute This edition of the U. S. Army War College Guide to National Security Policy and Strategy continues to reflect the structure and approach of the core national security strategy and policy curriculum at the War College. The fifth edition is published in two volumes that correspond roughly to the Department of National Security and Strategy’s core courses: “Theory of War and Strategy” and “National Security Policy and Strategy.” Like previous editions, this one is based on its predecessor but contains both updates and new scholarship. Over a third of the chapters are new or have undergone significant rewrites. Many chapters, some of which appeared for years in this work, have been removed. Nevertheless, the book remains unchanged in intent and purpose. Although this is not primarily a textbook, it does reflect both the method and manner we use to teach strategy formulation to America’s future senior leaders.

Can Russia Reform? Economic, Political, and Military Perspectives Dr Stephen J Blank Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The nature of the Russian state and the economy it superintends raise more than academic questions, for if we understand the nature of the state and its subordinated economy, we can then form an accurate vision of what Russia’s overall policy and strategy will be. We may say, euphemistically, that the beginning of wisdom in understanding Russian policy and strategy is to grasp the answers to key questions concerning the nature of its political and economic processes. In line with that approach to understanding Russia, the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) is pleased to present the first volume of papers from its annual conference on Russia conducted on September 26-27, 2011. The resulting papers go straight to the heart of the most important questions concerning the nature of the state and the possibilities for its economic reform."

Information as Power, Volume 6 Jeffrey L. Groh, Benjamin C. Leitzel, Dennis M. Murphy, and Mark A. Van Dyke Study by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The U.S. Army War College (USAWC) is pleased to present this anthology of selected student work from Academic Year 2011 representing examples of well-written and in-depth analyses on the vital subject of Information as Power. This is the sixth volume of an effort that began in 2006. The anthology is an important component of an effort to coordinate and recommend the design, development and integration of content and courses related to the information element of power into the curriculum to prepare our students for senior leadership positions."