Regional Issues

Friendly Force Dilemmas in Europe: Challenges Within and Among Intergovernmental Organizations and the Implications for the U.S. Army Jose Luis Calvo Albero, Jose De Meer Madrid, Kirk Gallinger, Klaus Klingenschmid, Angus McAfee, Stefano Messina, Markus Meyer, Michael Mineni, Darryl Rupp Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Over the last several years, European security has confronted major new challenges. Russia’s land grab in Ukraine and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-inspired transnational terrorism are two of the most obvious, but climate change, destabilizing migration, insufficient energy resources, a weakened European identity, and manipulation of the information space greatly complicate an already threatening security environment. "

Indian and Chinese Engagement in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Comparative Assessment Dr R Evan Ellis Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This monograph is a comparative assessment of the activities of the governments and companies of the Republic of India and of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in Latin America and the Caribbean covering a 15-year period, from the beginning of the 21st century through 2016."

Strategic Landpower and a Resurgent Russia: An Operational Approach to Deterrence, A U.S. Army War College Integrated Research Project in Support of U.S. European Command and U.S. Army Europe LTC R Reed Anderson, COL Patrick J Ellis, LTC Antonio M Paz, LTC Kyle A Reed, LTC Lendy Renegar, LTC John T Vaughan Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Over the past century, U.S. relations with Russia have evolved from ally to enemy to strategic partner to competitor. The political landscape and national interests of the Russian Federation have changed since the breakup of the Soviet Union. As a result, relations between Russia and the United States today are strained, largely because of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Understanding Russia’s intentions has been challenging and difficult in the past for the United States. This monograph argues that Russia’s foreign policy is driven by four overarching factors: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approach to the world around him; the Kremlin’s desire for centralized control of the population; Russia’s desire to protect its homeland through an outside “buffer zone;” and an enduring distrust of the West. "

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."

The Hour of Truth: The Conflict in Ukraine–Implications for Europe’s Energy Security and the Lessons for the U.S. Army Mr Ivan Benovic, Dr Ariel Cohen Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Natural gas disputes between Russia and Ukraine have occurred repeatedly since the breakup of the Soviet Union. However, the 2014-15 wave of these conflicts was also coupled with a Russian-supported war in eastern Ukraine. This warfare, together with Gazprom’s shortsighted attitude to its customers’ needs and concerns, has made Russia’s natural gas supplies unreliable in the eyes of the European Union (EU) members. Given the dependence of the Old Continent on outside sources of natural gas, the unreliable record of Russia as a supplier has boosted regional cooperation and incentivized the EU as a whole to seek solutions to its dangerous dependence..."

Russian Ballistic Missile Defense: Rhetoric and Reality Mr Keir Giles Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Russia has made air and space defense, including ballistic missile defense (BMD), a top priority, while at the same time protesting vehemently against the deployment of U.S. missile defense technology in Europe, which Moscow claims upsets strategic stability and increases the danger of war. Russian declaratory policy provides U.S. policymakers with significant material to develop an approach intended to mitigate Russian obstructionism over European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) and U.S. plans for BMD more broadly. Put simply, Russian complaints at the dangerous irresponsibility of the United States introducing new anti-missile capabilities ring hollow, when Russia is forging ahead with its own program to do precisely the same."

Project 1704: A U.S. Army War College Analysis of Russian Strategy in Eastern Europe, an Appropriate U.S. Response, and the Implications for U.S. Landpower COL Douglas Mastriano, LTC Derek O'Malley Document by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "In the summer of 2014, Russia forcibly annexed Crimea from Ukraine and then actively supported ethnic Russian separatists in an on-going irredentist bid in Eastern Ukraine. This aggressive policy threatens to challenge NATO and the United States in its support of Ukraine and other nations of Eastern Europe. From this changing strategic environment, three central questions emerge: (1) What is the Russian strategy in their periphery? (2) What is the appropriate U.S. response? (3) What are the implications for U.S. landpower?"

Tribal Militias: An Effective Tool to Counter Al-Qaida and Its Affiliates? Dr Norman Cigar Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Despite over a decade of open war, dealing with Al-Qaida and its affiliates in the Middle East is likely to remain a concern for the foreseeable future and will pose a challenge requiring the use of any tool that is likely to be effective in meeting the threat. Most of the local societies in which Al-Qaida has operated in the Middle East and Africa after September 11, 2001, have a predominantly tribal character or at least have a strong tribal component (Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Mali, and Sinai). Developing effective tools to counter Al-Qaida’s continuing presence in that social environment, therefore, is a priority and requires understanding Al-Qaida’s critical vulnerabilities when it operates in those societies and developing the means to counter Al-Qaida’s efforts."

Assessing the People's Liberation Army in the Hu Jintao Era Mr Roy Kamphausen, Dr David Lai, Mr Travis Tanner Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press This volume provides unique insights into the PLA’s achievements over the span of Hu Jintao’s tenure as Central Military Commission Chair from 2002 to 2012. This period saw a remarkable growth in capabilities and a critical expansion in the military’s missions. The PLA increased its adoption of information technologies and advanced sensors into its modernization efforts. It also improved its ability to carry out joint training and missions other than war. Reflecting developments in the Chinese Communist Party, the PLA also experienced important changes in its political focus and mission. Most significantly, Hu Jintao introduced the “historic missions,” which oriented the PLA toward a much greater international mission than it had previously undertaken. Supporting this new international mission, the PLA expanded its participation in international military exercises, as well as peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions abroad, including its first ever permanent naval deployment abroad in the counterpiracy missions in the Gulf of Aden. Understanding how the PLA matured and developed in the Hu era is critical to understanding the PLA today, and for identifying opportunities to further cooperation between our two militaries.