Recent Articles

A Hard Look at Hard Power: Assessing the Defense Capabilities of Key U.S. Allies and Security Partners Mr Gary J Schmitt Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Since the end of World War II, the United States has made maintaining a favorable balance of power in Eurasia a core element of its national security strategy. It did so in good measure by maintaining a large conventional military force that was based not only at home, but also in bases spread across Europe and Asia. That strategy was buttressed by developing security ties and alliances with key powers and frontline states. The implicit bargain was that the United States would help keep the peace on their door front if they would provide access from which American forces could operate and, in turn, maintain credible forces themselves to reinforce and support U.S. efforts at keeping the great power peace. The question raised by this collection of essays is: Is that bargain unraveling?"

The Chinese People's Liberation Army in 2025 Mr Roy Kamphausen, Dr David Lai Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The scholarship presented in this edition addresses the uncertainty surrounding the potential direction of the PLA by examining three distinct focus areas: Domestic, External, and Technological Drivers of PLA Modernization; Alternative Futures for the PLA; and Implications for the Region, World, and U.S.-China Relations. The analysis provides an insightful perspective into the factors shaping and propelling the PLA’s modernization, its potential future orientation ranging from internally-focused to globally-focused, and how the PLA’s choices may impact China’s relations with its neighbors and the world."

China’s Rise and Reconfiguration of Central Asia’s Geopolitics: A Case for U.S. Mr Roman Muzalevsky Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "China’s emergence as a global actor has questioned the position of the United States as the strongest power and the future of the Washington-led global order. But achieving the status of a truly global player wielding influence in all dimensions of power would require China, among other things, to leverage its regional influence in Central Asia. This region is increasingly representing China’s western leg of economic expansion and development, and is of a growing strategic importance for Beijing. It is also a region that should be of greater strategic importance to Washington, which seeks to preserve its leading position in the international system and ensure China’s peaceful integration in the global political, security, and economic architecture. "

Reassessing the Barriers to Islamic Radicalization in Kazakhstan Ms Zhulduz Baizakova, Mr Roger N McDermott Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The authors reassess the barriers to Islamic radicalization in the Republic of Kazakhstan. They provide crucial analysis and findings for policymakers seeking to engage with the country, while also presenting important insights into the historical and cultural impediments in the path of radicalizing its youth. Despite the proximity of the Central Asian Republics to Afghanistan and the Global War on Terrorism, unlike its neighbors, Kazakhstan has remained relatively stable and low risk in the face of international terrorism and extremism. This monograph examines some of the reasons as to why this is the case, proving that early judgements offered by commentators concerning Kazakhstan’s experience of domestic politically inspired violence in 2011-12, exaggerated the potential threat of growing Islamic radicalization. "

The Limits of Military Officers’ Duty to Obey Civilian Orders: A Neo-Classical Perspective Mr Robert E Atkinson, Jr Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Several post-September 11, 2001, events—the invasion of Afghanistan and the second invasion of Iraq, the use of “enhanced interrogation,” the detentions at Guantanamo, the “air-only” attacks on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria—have raised a perennially perplexing issue of civilian/military relations: principled limitations on military officers’ duty to obey civilian orders. Not surprisingly, contemporary answers have split along a familiar fault line. Those on one side emphasize, more or less rigorously, officers’ general professional duty to obey; those on the other emphasize, more or less expansively, familiar exceptions for irrational, illegal, or immoral orders."

United Nations Peacekeeping Missions Military Logistics Unit Manual United Nations Peacekeeping Missions Manual by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, United Nations "This Manual provides commanders of Military Logistics Units and their subordinate leaders the guidance they need for planning, preparing and executing their assigned UN peacekeeping tasks. Moreover, this manual provides advice and information to UN Headquarters planners and field Missions on the employment of Military Logistics Unit capabilities and functions. Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) and their deploying contingents will benefit from this manual, as will their national military staffs, schools and units, as they become better able to support the reorientation of Military Logistics Units from national tasks to more fully integrated operations in UN peacekeeping."

Professionalizing Ministerial Advising Doctor Raymond A Millen PKSOI Paper by the US Army War College, Peacekeeping and Stability Operations Institute, US Army War College Press "In this study, Professor Raymond Millen has identified a persistent challenge in U.S. efforts to provide effective security cooperation and capacity building with fragile and failing states—the realm of ministerial advising. From his research and analysis, he has concluded the United States has an opportunity to close the gap between U.S. good intentions and outcomes by recommending the establishment of a professional ministerial corps."

The Strategic Lessons Unlearned from Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan: Why the ANSF Will Not Hold, and the Implications for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan Dr M Chris Mason Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Military personnel who have experience in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Vietnam, as well as senior leaders and military historians alike, will find this book by Dr. Chris Mason thought-provoking and useful. Dr. Mason examines indigenous personnel issues at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels of war and uses empirical data and exhaustive research to argue that all three wars were lost before the first shots were fired—not on the battlefield, but at the strategic level of war."

The Strategic Importance of the Global Oil Market Dr Leif Rosenberger Letort Paper by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This Letort Paper will explain why the confluence of four major factors: 1) rising oil supplies, 2) weak oil demand, 3) financial shifts on Wall Street, and 4) a strong U.S. dollar far outweigh the geopolitical risks in the Mideast and put downward pressure on oil prices. This Paper analyzes the concomitant factors that are now putting upward pressure on oil prices, as well as those that continue to keep oil prices relatively low."