Regional Issues

Force, Statecraft and German Unity: The Struggle to Adapt Institutions and Practices Dr Thomas-Durell Young Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Since the unification of Germany on October 3, 1990, the question of how Bonn will conduct its foreign and defense policies continues to be posited. Gone are the days when Paris "led" Western Europe and the Federal Republic of Germany tacitly accepted its supporting role. The Federal Republic now has all the composite elements to be a Great Power, with the exception of its own nuclear arsenal. Nonetheless, Bonn possesses the largest economy and population in Western and Central Europe, and plans to maintain the largest peacetime military establishment east of the Bug River. Even if Germany were to eschew any Great Power ambitions, it no longer has the luxury of denying either to itself or its allies that it does have important international responsibilities to which it must be prepared to contribute."

What's with the Relationship between America's Army and China's PLA? COL Jer Donald Get Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In May 1995, Secretary of Defense William J. Perry asked the Army to examine various ways to re-establish the army-to-army ties which existed between the U.S. Army and Beijing's People's Liberation Army (PLA) prior to the 1980s. U.S. President George Bush ordered a curb in military-to-military ties following the Tiananmen incident in 1989, and, since then, efforts at rapprochement between the two armies have been faltering and uneven."

Mexico in Crisis Dr Donald E Schulz Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This is the first of a two-part report on the causes and nature of the crisis in Mexico, the prospects for the future, and the implications for the United States. In this initial study, the author analyzes the crisis as it has developed over the past decade-and-a-half, with the primary focus being on the 6-year term of President Carlos Salinas de Gortari and the first few months of his successor, President Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León."

Strategic Implications of the U.S.-DPRK Framework Agreement Dr Thomas L Wilborn Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) signed an unprecedented framework agreement in October 1994 to halt the latter’s nuclear weapons program, establish low-level diplomatic contacts between Washington and Pyongyang, and reduce tensions on the Korean peninsula. In this study, the author argues that it also places the United States, South Korea’s historic ally and partner with South Korea in the Combined Forces Command, in a new and unfamiliar role as mediator of conflict on the peninsula."

Hamas and Hizbollah: The Radical Challenge to Israel in the Occupied Territories Dr Stephen C Pelletiere Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This study argues that Hamas and Hizbollah, the two main religious groups fighting Israel, probably are more threatening to U.S. interests than is generally believed. It discusses the various openings that the groups were able to exploit to advance themselves, and particularly how they profited from errors on the Israelis' part."

Haiti Strategy: Control, Legitimacy, Sovereignty, Rule of Law, Handoffs, and Exit Dr Gabriel Marcella Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Now that the armed forces of the United States have entered Haiti, what is the exit strategy? As the United States, the government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, and the United Nations coalition establish order, it is best to be mindful of the tasks ahead: building a new authority system based on the rule of law, instilling respect for human rights, and developing those values common to democratic communities around the world. The two keys to the success of this strategy will be how Haiti handles the amnesty question and what kind of judicial and police system is developed."

Disaster and Intervention in Sub-Saharan Africa: Learning from Rwanda Dr Steven Metz Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In this study, Steven Metz examines the policy and strategy implications of violence-induced human disasters in Sub-Saharan Africa with special emphasis on Rwanda. The author argues that our senior military leaders, policymakers and strategists must better understand the African security environment. He also warns that to avoid overtaxing the military, U.S. objectives in African disaster relief must be limited. This combination of limited policy goals and operational efficiency will allow the U.S. military to serve public demands at a minimal cost to its other efforts."

The New Russia in the New Asia Dr Stephen J Blank Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In the past, Imperial and Soviet Russia played an active role in Asia. This is no less true for the current Russian republic. While Western analyses and policies may downplay Russia's presence in Asia, Russian leaders do not. In Asia, Russia exercises an important influence on regional developments. No less important is the way which policymakers in Moscow perceive their tasks and goals in Asia. These views will profoundly affect the further development of Russia's internal political, military, and economic structures."

Japan's Self-Defense Forces: What Dangers to Northeast Asia? Dr Thomas L Wilborn Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This study examines Japan as a potential military power in the Asia-Pacific region, and tests the view held by many in the region that Japan could unleash its military and threaten the security of its neighbors. The conclusion is that Japan is not now and is not likely to become a military threat to East Asia, or anywhere else. In the first place, U.S. policy is to remain engaged, and retain a military presence, in the region. Most Asian observers agree that the U.S.-Japan alliance is a guarantor of a peaceful Japan; they worry about Japan because they mistakenly believe that America will "withdraw," and the alliance will lose its meaning."