Regional Issues

Why Saddam will not Choose Exile Dr W Andrew Terrill Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "During his rise to power, Saddam Hussein is reported to have taken his two young sons to Iraqi torture chambers to view acts of torment committed against the luckless individuals imprisoned there. One of these sons, Uday, grew up to be a psychopath, while the other, Qusay, became a cold disciplined killer like his father. Both learned from Saddam’s torturers to avoid the most horrible of all fates—helplessness before your enemies. It is a fate that Saddam himself will never accept."

Plan Colombia: Reality of the Colombian Crisis and Implications for Hemispheric Security Dr Luz E Nagle Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Professor Luz E. Nagle has never been a believer in Plan Colombia as the solution to her native country’s array of problems. Now she has again published on the subject, in an article which is eloquently critical about the plan’s results during the administration of President Andrés Pastrana, yet which holds out hope for a better turn of events in the new administration of President Alvaro Uribe. It is a study written with passion and commitment. But also, as befits a law professor, it is scholarly in its degree of documentation and factual content."

Colombia's Conflicts: The Spillover Effects of a Wider War Mr Richard Millett Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "As this country’s leadership focuses on homeland security, it is important that we look to our own Western Hemisphere. Terrorism does not solely originate in the Middle East. Colombia’s multifaceted conflicts are by no means confined to that country, a fact long appreciated by civilian and military strategists who are engaged in the search for solutions there. Professor Richard L. Millett documents succinctly in this monograph how the spillover from Colombia affects each of the five countries on its border (Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, and Brazil), as well as those somewhat more distant (Bolivia, Paraguay, and the Caribbean states)."

Dragon on Terrorism: Assessing China's Tactical Gains and Strategic Losses Post-September 11 Dr Mohan Malik Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In this monograph, Dr. Mohan Malik of the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies fills this gap as he assesses how the war on terrorism has affected China. He concludes that the war on terrorism radically altered the Asian strategic environment in ways that negated China’s foreign policy gains of the last decade and undermined its image as Asia’s only great power. Dr. Malik then offers a range of recommendations for a more stable relationship with China."

Avoiding Vietnam: The U.S. Army's Response to Defeat in Southeast Asia Dr Conrad C Crane Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Dr. Crane asserts that the Army must change in order to operate effectively in the full spectrum of future requirements, and it is time to reexamine the war in Vietnam. His study also draws attention to the service’s “Lessons Learned” process, and provides insights as to how the experience gained in Operation ENDURING FREEDOM should be analyzed and applied."

A 21st Century Security Architecture for the Americas: Multilateral Cooperation, Liberal Peace, and Soft Power COL Joseph R Nunez Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph by Colonel Joseph R. Núñez is a constructive response to the question of “How can the United States best develop security cooperation within the Americas?” In it, he develops the necessary background to make the persuasive argument that it is time for the United States to employ strategic restraint and reassurance of allies to develop a new security architecture that is effective and efficient, not to mention reflecting of our values and interests."

Nonstate Actors in Colombia: Threat and Response Dr Max G Manwaring Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Global political violence is clashing with global economic integration. More often than not, the causes and consequences of the resultant instabilities tend to be exploited by such destabilizers as rogue states, substate and transnational political actors, insurgents, illegal drug traffickers, organized criminals, warlords, ethnic cleansers, militant fundamentalists, and 1,000 other “snakes with a cause” and the will to conduct terrorist and other asymmetric warfare. The intent is to impose self-determined desires for “change” on a society, nation-state, and/or other perceived symbols of power in the global community—and, perhaps, revert to the questionable glories of the 12th century."

China and Strategic Culture Dr Andrew Scobell Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The author of this monograph, Dr. Andrew Scobell, examines the impact of strategic culture on 21st century China. He contends that the People’s Republic of China’s security policies and its tendency to use military force are influenced not only by elite understandings of China’s own strategic tradition, but also by their understandings of the strategic cultures of other states."

The Past as Prologue: A History of U.S. Counterinsurgency Policy in Colombia, 1958-66 Mr Dennis M Rempe Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In this monograph, the author outlines the history of U.S. counterinsurgency policy and the recommendations made by U.S. Special Survey Teams in Colombia from 1958-66. The monograph comes at a time when the United States seriously is considering broadening its policy toward Colombia and addressing Colombia’s continuing internal war in a global and regional context. Thus, this report provides a point of departure from which policymakers in the United States and Colombia can review where we have been, where we are, and where we need to go."