Recent Articles

The Human Terrain System: Operationally Relevant Social Science Research in Iraq and Afghanistan Dr Christopher Sims Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The announcement that the Human Terrain System (HTS) was brought to a close in the fall of 2014 met with a flurry of responses. Commentators assessed the character and content of the social science research program and several identified plausible legacies that it may bequeath U.S. Armed Services. Often the conclusions therein were mixed, hinting instructively at the absence of a strong empirical record of the program. Therefore, this book is a welcomed larger study of the HTS, one of the first investigations to delineate the experiences of former program members, chart the stance of the American Anthropological Association, and gain engagement both from the U.S. Training and Doctrine Command, and a manager from the first primary contractor, BAE Systems."

Underestimated: Our Not So Peaceful Nuclear Future Mr Henry D Sokolski Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "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."

Autonomous Weapon Systems: A Brief Survey of Developmental, Operational, Legal, and Ethical Issues Mr Jeffrey L Caton Letort Paper by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Stories about unmanned vehicles now appear regularly in the national news—and not always in good ways. Within the last 2 years, privately-owned drones have crashed on the White House lawn, surveilled the U.S. Embassy in Paris, and buzzed German Chancellor Angela Merkel. When used in military operations, autonomous weapon systems (AWS) have the potential to save lives as well as apply lethal force across land, sea, and air."

Mastering the Gray Zone: Understanding a Changing Era of Conflict Dr Michael J Mazarr Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The monograph emphasizes that many gray zone tools and techniques have been employed for centuries. But the analysis rightly contends that such approaches have renewed relevance, both because some new technologies have made them more effective than ever and because several major powers are making extensive use of gray zone campaigns."

Lethal and Legal? The Ethics of Drone Strikes Dr Shima D Keene Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "With greatly increased lethal use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) comes greater scrutiny and controversy. This monograph lays out the ethical and legal landscape in which drone killings take place and makes key recommendations not only for ensuring legality and a sound moral basis for operations, but also for ensuring those operations are effective. "

Strategy and Grand Strategy: What Students and Practitioners Need to Know Dr Tami Davis Biddle Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "In this monograph, Dr. Tami Davis Biddle examines why it is so difficult to devise, implement, and sustain sound strategies and grand strategies. Her analysis begins with an examination of the meaning of the term “strategy” and a history of the ways that political actors have sought to employ strategies and grand strategies to achieve their desired political aims. She examines the reasons why the logic undergirding strategy is often lacking and why challenges of implementation (including bureaucratic politics, unforeseen events, civil-military tensions, and domestic pressures) complicate and undermine desired outcomes. This clear-headed critique, built on a broad base of literature (historical and modern; academic and policy-oriented), will serve as a valuable guide to students and policymakers alike as they seek to navigate their way through the unavoidable challenges—and inevitable twists and turns—inherent in the development and implementation of strategy."

Enabling Others to Win in a Complex World: Maximizing Security Force Assistance Potential in the Regionally Aligned Brigade Combat Team CPT (P) Liam P Walsh Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "In 2013, the Army began to examine a new way of conducting business in the area of conflict prevention, looking to “engage regionally and respond globally.” The tool chosen for this strategy is the regionally aligned forces (RAF) concept, which aligns various units with the geographic combatant commands. One potential mission for regionally aligned forces that has the possibility of yielding substantial dividends is security force assistance. By aligning units regionally, particularly the brigade combat team, the Army could greatly increase its ability to conduct security force assistance through building enduring relationships with partner militaries and in gaining genuine regional expertise in potential areas of conflict."

Reforming U.S. Export Controls Reforms: Advancing U.S. Army Interests Dr Richard Weitz Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The Barack Obama administration has launched an Export Control Reform (ECR) program to improve the regulations and procedures for controlling the export of U.S. weapons as well as dual-use equipment and technology. Emphasizing that international economic competitiveness is a core component of national security, the administration’s stated aim is for the ECR to increase U.S. exports and jobs as well as to strengthen U.S. national security and protect U.S. military technologies. "

What's Old is New — Kennan, Putin, and the Russian Competitive Viewpoint LTC Michael A. Adelberg Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press