Recent Articles

Reviewing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Mr Henry D Sokolski Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "As currently interpreted, it is difficult to see why the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) warrants much support as a nonproliferation convention. Most foreign ministries, including that of Iran and the United States, insist that Article IV of the NPT recognizes all states’ 'inalienable right' to develop 'peaceful nuclear energy.' This includes money-losing activities, such as nuclear fuel reprocessing, which can bring countries to the very brink of acquiring nuclear weapons. If the NPT is intended to ensure that states share peaceful “benefits” of nuclear energy and prevent the spread of nuclear bomb making technologies, it is difficult to see how it can accomplish either if the interpretation above is correct."

Shades of CORDS in the Kush: The False Hope of "Unity of Effort" in American Counterinsurgency Mr Henry Nuzum Letort Paper by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The past 2 years have been the most violent of the Afghan insurgency thus far. Taliban and affiliates seek to undermine the state and sap the will of the occupying force. In response, the United States and the coalition pursue a counterinsurgency (COIN) campaign that coordinates military, political, and economic assistance to the Afghan government so that it may provide security and services to its people. If the effort succeeds, the government will win the confidence of the citizens, who will increasingly reject the insurgents."

Thinking about Nuclear Power in Post-Saddam Iraq Dr Norman Cigar Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph provides an overview and analysis of thinking in Iraq on the issue of nuclear power. Nuclear power has long held a special fascination for Iraq, and despite past controversies, this issue continues to draw the attention of numerous influential Iraqis in the post-Saddam era. Informed public opinion in Iraq today is clearly a more important factor for understanding the background of decisionmaking than it was during the Saddam era, so that this monograph addresses the views of all the sectors of Iraqi society likely to have an input into decisionmaking in this arena."

The Construction of Liberal Democracy: The Role of Civil-Military Institutions in State and Nation-Building in West Germany and South Africa Dr Jack J Porter Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph analyzes the decisionmaking process behind the construction of German and South African armed forces in their transition to democracy. Dr. Jack Porter begins the study by outlining the central theoretical and practical challenges associated with designing democratic armed forces and civil-military institutions. In essence, the overriding goal for these communities is two-fold: the creation of military institutions that are capable of both defending the fledgling democracy from internal and external threats, while also proactively contributing to the consolidation of liberal democracy. Building on the civil-military classics of Samuel Huntington and Morris Janowitz, Dr. Porter then reviews recent case studies that focus on the efforts of post-communist states to democratize their armed forces. A brief discussion of the relatively new policy field of security sector reform (SSR) concludes the introduction."

Crime, Violence, and the Crisis in Guatemala: A Case Study in the Erosion of the State Dr Hal Brands Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In numerous Latin American countries, organized crime and violence are corroding governance and imperiling democratic legitimacy. This phenomenon is most severe in Guatemala, which is currently experiencing a full-blown crisis of the democratic state. An unholy trinity of criminal elements—international drug traffickers, domestically based organized crime syndicates, and youth gangs—have dramatically expanded their operations since the 1990s, and are effectively waging a form of irregular warfare against government institutions."

Collins Center Update Volume 12 Issue 2 (Spring 10) Colonel John Laganelli, Professor Bernard F. Griffard, Professor Dennis Murphy, Mr. Ritchie Dion Collins Center Update by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership

War Is War? -- The utility of cyberspace operations in the contemporary operational environment Dennis M Murphy Issue Paper by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) defines cyberspace operations as “the employment of cyber capabilities where the primary purpose is to achieve military objectives or effects in or through cyberspace.” Cyberspace emerged as a national-level concern through several recent events of geo-strategic significance. Estonian infrastructure was attacked in the spring of 2007, allegedly by Russian hackers. In August 2008, Russia again allegedly conducted cyber attacks, this time in a coordinated and synchronized kinetic and non-kinetic campaign against Georgia. It is plausible that such complex excursions may become the norm in future warfare among nation-states having the capabilities to conduct them."

Information as Power, Volume 4 Jeffrey L. Caton, Cori E. Dauber, Jeffrey L. Groh, David J. Smith Study by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership "The Information in Warfare Working Group (I2WG) of the U.S. Army War College (USAWC) is pleased to present this anthology of selected student work from Academic Year 2009 representing examples of well-written and in-depth analyses on the vital subject of Information as Power. This is the fourth volume of an effort that began in 2006. The I2WG charter calls for it 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 students for senior leadership positions. This publication is an important component of that effort."

Foreign Policy Continuity: War Finds Us Mr Lawrence Kaplan Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In recent months, a chorus has emerged to blame (or credit) President Barack Obama for sustaining many of the signature national security policies of his predecessor, President George W. Bush. Yet anyone puzzled by the similarities between the foreign and defense polices of Presidents Bush and Obama would do well to cast a glance backward, for this is hardly the first time we have heard such complaints."