Regional Issues

East Asia in Crisis: The Security Implications of the Collapse of Economic Institutions Dr Stephen J Blank Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The financial crisis that began in Thailand in mid-1997 has now become a global one. It has consumed governments, upset defense planning and the regional standing of major powers in Asia, and is forcing us to rethink Asia’s entire past and future political trajectory. The security implications go beyond merely the crash of unsound financial systems. Governments have fallen across Asia and in Russia. Civil violence is currently taking place in Indonesia, a key Asian state. Defense research, development, and procurement have been postponed in most Asian countries. The crisis and its reverberations have shaken financial markets and governments as far away as Brazil."

Security Implications of the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East Dr Sami G Hajjar Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph, by Dr. Sami Hajjar, addresses the important question of the security implications for the nations of the region of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. The Strategic Studies Institute is pleased to offer the monograph as a contribution to the national security debate on this important issue. The author offers a unique perspective based on extensive interviews that he conducted in the region, and makes specific policy recommendations for U.S. military and civilian decisionmakers."

China's Military Potential Dr Larry M Wortzel Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph provides an appraisal of the ability of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to build a credible military force in the 21st century. The author, Colonel Larry M. Wortzel, examines a complicated set of factors, which when taken together, equates to potential military power in China’s case."

NATO After Enlargement: New Challenges, New Missions, New Forces Dr Stephen J Blank Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In 1999 NATO will formally admit three new members and adopt a new strategic concept. In so doing, it will take giant strides towards effecting a revolutionary transformation of European security. On the one hand, it could be said that NATO enlargement closes the immediate post-Cold War period that began with the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989. But on the other hand, enlargement raises a host of serious new issues for the Alliance and for U.S. policymakers that they must begin to address now. Bearing this fact in mind, the Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) organized a conference with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in January 1998 to explore the new challenges confronting the NATO Alliance. These essays are the product of that conference."

New Century, Old Thinking: The Dangers of the Perceptual Gap in U.S.-China Relations COL Susan M Puska Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "American angst over “China” and how to deal with it has spurred a seemingly endless cycle of U.S. policy debates. Each disagreement or new revelation, such as the recent allegation that the Chinese tried to buy influence through illegal funding to U.S. elections,1 feeds another round of charges that U.S. leaders are either too “soft” or too “hard” on China. These charges are usually punctuated by warnings that these actions could lead to dire consequences for the United States in the future."

NATO Enlargement and the Baltic States: What Can the Great Powers Do? Dr Stephen J Blank Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "As NATO enlarges and approaches the borders of the Baltic states, it faces one of the most difficult and complex security challenges in contemporary Europe. While the Baltic states crave membership in NATO, Russia deems that outcome as unacceptable, threatens to break cooperation with the West in such an event, and NATO allies themselves remain divided over the wisdom of Baltic membership..."

"Enhancing" the Australian-U.S. Defense Relationship: A Guide to U.S. Policy Dr Thomas-Durell Young Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Out from the shadow of the Cold War, most Pacific nations are reassessing their defense postures. Australia is no exception. Among the closest of U.S. allies, Australia shares a number of concerns about potential change in the western Pacific balance. It is thus natural that the two countries look to their own cooperative defense relationship for hedges against an uncertain future. That is the genesis of the current study by Dr. Thomas-Durrell Young. Based on his extensive knowledge of Australian security affairs and recent in-country field work, he examines prospects for enhancing existing bilateral security ties. He does so with a sense for the feasible, offering both guiding principles and practicable approaches that take careful account of the interests of both nations."

Military Medical Operations in Sub-Saharan Africa: THE DoD LTC C William Fox Jr Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Because of the perceived limited national interest in Africa, U.S. "African" policy does not have a strong constituency in the American political process and lacks coherence and focus. U.S. regional involvements tend to be inconsistent and reactive. The result is that the United States invests much more for "cures" to Africa's ills than might be the case if U.S. policy could place more emphasis on "prevention." For their part, at no time in history have African nations been more receptive to U.S. assistance, or more eager for cooperative efforts to address the difficult issues of national development."

Tacit Acceptance and Watchful Eyes: Beijing's Views about the U.S.-ROK Alliance Dr Fei-Ling Wang Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "To understand China's foreign policy in the 1990s and the true attitude of Beijing towards the military presence of the United States in Northeast Asia, one must examine China's perception of the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK). Public statements aside, the People's Republic of China (PRC) has shifted its traditional position and has tacitly accepted, even welcomed, the continuation of the U.S.-ROK alliance. Beijing views the institutionalized presence of the Americans in Northeast Asia as a stabilizing force, serving China's interest of maintaining the favorable status quo in the region. However, continued acceptance is not guaranteed; developments in the Sino-American relationship and the course of reunification of the Korean Peninsula will affect attitudes in the future."