Recent Articles

Peace & Stability Journal, Volume 1, Issue 1 Mister Robert C Browne Peace and Stability Journal by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute "“Rule of law” is one of those big ideas that are essential to a favorable world order in the 21st century. As Plato’s quote above reminds us, rule of law is not a new idea and historically it appears to have a degree of universality. For example, throughout Islamic history, the population and rulers alike were expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the word of God as recorded in the Qur’an (Koran) and the Prophet’s life as provided in the Sunnah and expressed in Sharia..."

The Coming of Chinese Hawks Dr David Lai Op-ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "A new feature in U.S.-China relations is taking shape these days—it is the Chinese hawkish take on controversial issues between the two nations. The most recent Chinese objections stem from U.S. joint military exercises with South Korea and Vietnam in the East and South China Seas. The joint U.S.-South Korea military exercise was unmistakably intended to put North Korea on notice for its putative sinking of a South Korean warship in March 2010; the U.S.-Vietnam joint naval exercise was to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the normalization of relationships between the two countries. However, the Chinese interpreted both military exercises as a U.S. show of force directed toward China."

Some of the Best Weapons for Counterinsurgents Do Not Shoot Retrieving data. Wait a few seconds and try to cut or copy again. Letort Paper by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "If the U.S. Army’s current experience in ongoing overseas operations like those in Iraq and Afghanistan are any indication, reconstruction has become an integral part of the American way of war. And judging from the disappointing results of reconstruction efforts in these operations, measured mostly in terms of the effect that such efforts have had on the course of these wars, there is much lacking in the Army’s understanding of reconstruction itself and the role that it will likely play in all future operations, especially in counterinsurgencies (COIN)."

Harnessing Post-Conflict "Transitions": A Conceptual Primer Mr Nicholas J Armstrong, Ms Jacqueline Chura-Beaver PKSOI by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph offers an unparalleled analysis on current research and available tools for transition in post-conflict situations. The authors make a significant contribution to the field by providing a broadly applicable definition of transition and a comprehensive assessment of the existing approaches and literature on the topic. Most importantly, their analysis lays the groundwork for future conceptual development and improved implementation of post-conflict transitions."

Operation EUFOR TCHAD/RCA and the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy Mr Bjoern H Seibert Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In this monograph, Mr. Bjoern Seibert provides timely and interesting insights into the EU’s new security structure. He examines the largest and most complex EU military operation in Africa, Operation EUFOR TCHAD/RCA, and provides an unprecedented look inside the workings of an EU military operation. Mr. Seibert highlights both successes and failures and then scrutinizes the impact of the operation on the ground. He then addresses an extensive list of lessons that can be drawn from this complex multinational stability operation in Africa. He correctly observes that the operation underscores the EU’s long remaining road toward realizing its ambitious agenda. This will not merely require a more expeditionary mindset, but also substantial shifts in budget priorities and reinvestment. Though the process may take years to complete, it is undoubtedly the right course for Europe to take, and would be in the best interest of the United States. "

SOLLIMS Sampler - Rule of Law and Legitimacy in Governance Mister David A Mosinski PKSOI SOLLIMS Sampler by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute "“Rule of Law” (RoL) is a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the state itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced, and independently adjudicated, and which are consistent with international human rights principles. Effectively implementing the “RoL” is one of the key conditions for achieving success during peace and stability operations. The legitimacy of a government can be directly related to its ability to achieve and sustain the “Rule of Law”."

Harnessing Post Conflict Transitions: A Conceptual Primer Mr Nicholas J Armstrong, Ms Jacqueline Chura-Beaver PKSOI Paper by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, Strategic Studies Institute "Since the end of the Cold War, members of the international community have undertaken more than 20 major operations to stabilize post-conflict societies, yielding mixed results. Stability operations are tremendously complex and demand successful direction of multiple, simultaneous transitions that range from transforming violent conflict to a sustainable, peaceful environment, to the process of forging sustainable governing institutions from fragile or nonexistent infrastructure..."

Candidly, One Friend to Another Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The Transatlantic Partnership between the United States and the United Kingdom has remained viable for the better part of a century. During that time it weathered assorted and sometimes severe storms—from trials over nuclear armament in the late 1940s, to the Suez crisis of the 1950s, to the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s, and to today’s extensive and costly counterinsurgency campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. Indeed, one could well say that the long-standing partnership between the U.S. and UK has been what Prime Minister David Cameron recently, and aptly, described as “the candid friend, the best friend” relationship. Advice offered by one partner to the other has always been refreshingly frank, even if it has been at times difficult to hear, and to heed."

Is the Organizational Culture of the U.S. Army Congruent with the Professional Development of Its Senior Level Officer Corps? Dr James G Pierce Letort Paper by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Organization theory hypothesizes that an organization’s culture enables its members to work through the basic problems of survival in, and adaptation to, the external environment. Organizational culture also guides the organization’s development and maintenance of internal processes and procedures that perpetuate adaptability and promote continued existence. Consequently, organizational culture has considerable impact on an organization’s behavior at any given time, particularly on organizational effectiveness. However, little literature and even less data discuss the impact of organizational culture within military organizations and, more importantly, the impact that organizational culture may have on the development of an organization’s leaders."