Recent Articles

Strategic Insights: ISIS in Libya: A Threat or a Dead-End? Azeem Ibrahim Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Prior to 1912, Libya was a province within the Ottoman Empire and subdivided into two regions (Tripolitania in the west and Cyrenaica in the east) reflecting a long-standing ethnic and geographic division in the country. Although not administered separately, the large region reaching south into the Sahara had a different ethnic make-up compared to the rest of the country and was more connected to sub-Saharan Africa than to the Mediterranean. Ottoman control in the south was limited to a few towns, which gave them some oversight of the trade routes; but by the start of the 20th century, Ottoman authority was notional rather than effective in this region."

The Dual-System Problem in Complex Conflicts Ms. Melissa Gregg, Dr. Robert D. Lamb Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Despite decades of research and experience in foreign conflicts and fragile environments, institutions in the United States and beyond are often unable to position themselves for success when called upon to intervene. This monograph contributes to the growing recognition that today’s conflicts are best understood as complex systems, characterized by greater levels of fragility, uncertainty, and intractability than conflicts of previous decades."

Leading Change in Military Organizations: Primer for Senior Leaders Dr Thomas P. Galvin Publication by the US Army War College, Department of Command, Leadership, and Management, School of Strategic Landpower, US Army War College Press, Strategic Studies Institute "Making change happen is a popular topic among U.S. Army War College students and with good reason. There are endless problems to fix, procedures to improve, new ideas to introduce, and an ever-growing and evolving array of state and non-state actors chomping at the bit to challenge the U.S. Furthermore, systems and processes in use by the military rarely seem to bring about change at the desired speed."

A Security Role for the United States in a Post-ISIS Syria? Mr Gregory Aftandilian Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "SYRIA has become one of the most vexing and complex problems for U.S. strategic planners in recent times. Currently, the United States has about 2,000 troops in the northeastern part of the country whose primary mission has been to aid the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), made up primarily of Kurds and some Arab tribesmen, to fight ISIS..."

Impacts of Anti-Access/Area Denial Measures on Space Systems: Issues and Implications for Army and Joint Forces Mr Jeffrey L Caton Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "In January 2012, former President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta published new strategic guidance for 21st century defense. Third among the document’s 10 primary missions of U.S. Armed Forces is the call to “project power despite anti-access/area denial [A2/AD] challenges,” which included the charge to continue “efforts to enhance the resiliency and effectiveness of critical space-based capabilities.” Further, the fifth mission is to “operate effectively in cyberspace and space” potentially against “a range of threats that may degrade, disrupt, or destroy assets.” The 2018 National Defense Strategy and National Space Strategy both reaffirm the vital interests that the United States has in the domain of space."

The Army War College Review Vol. 4. No. 1 & 2 Dr Larry D Miller Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth J. Biskner, Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Sullivan, Mr. Joseph Andrew Brooks, Mr. Patrick B. Quinn, Lieutenant Colonel Scott A. Myers, Colonel Scott W. Mueller Army War College Review by the US Army War College Press

Underestimated: Our Not So Peaceful Nuclear Future-Second Edition Mr Henry D Sokolski Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Mr. Henry Sokolski has written an excellent, short book about what he sees as our not so peaceful nuclear future. While short in length, it covers a lot of ground, and because it is extensively footnoted, it can lead readers to the broader literature. The book provides a good picture of the growing stockpiles of separated plutonium and the stockpiles of highly-enriched uranium, as well as the likely expansion of nuclear power programs in additional countries..."

Key Strategic Issues List 2018-2020 Document by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "As our National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy acknowledge, Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and radical violent extremist organizations pose extant and potential challenges to U.S. national security. Those challenges exist within an extraordinarily complex global security environment characterized by dynamic changes in technology and its application, profound demographic shifts, economic redistribution and distortion, and geostrategic power realignments of historic proportions. These ever-intensifying conditions produce increasing uncertainty concerning the prospects for world peace, stability, and prosperity. Some strategists opine that the potential for great power interstate conflict is higher now than at any time since the end of the Cold War."

Radical Islamist English-Language Online Magazines: Research Guide, Strategic Insights, and Policy Response Pamela L. Bunker, Dr Robert J Bunker Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press, with help from the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) "This book discusses and analyzes the more well-known radical Islamist English-language online publications—al-Qaeda’s Inspire magazine, the pro-Taliban Azan magazine, and the Islamic State’s (IS) Dabiq magazine—as well as a number of lesser-known publications associated with al Shabaab (Gaidi Mtaani and Amka) and al-Nusrah Front (Al-Risalah). Additionally, early Islamist works such as Benefit of the Day, Jihadi Recollections, and Defenders of the Truth are highlighted. Further, Inspire guides and special theme publications and IS reports, news, and little-discussed eBooks—the Black Flags, Shudada (Martyrs), Islamic State, and The West series—are addressed. It next offers a comparative analysis of basic narratives found in 30 combined issues of Inspire and Dabiq magazines. Al-Qaeda and IS online magazine clusters are then provided along with a discussion of the differing strategic approaches of these transnational terrorist organizations. Finally, policy response options are offered as a counter to the emergence of these publications, a detailed radical Islamist online magazine chronology has been constructed, and a glossary of Arab terms found in the two dominant magazines is provided."