Iraq and Vietnam: Differences, Similarities, and Insights Dr Jeffrey Record, Dr W Andrew Terrill Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "U.S. political and military difficulties in Iraq have prompted comparisons to the American war in Vietnam. How, in fact, do the two wars compare? What are the differences and similarities, and what insights can be gained from examining them? Does the Vietnam War have instructive lessons for those dealing with today’s challenges in Iraq, or is that war simply irrelevant? In the pages that follow, two highly qualified analysts address these questions. Dr. Jeffrey Record, formerly a civilian pacification advisor in Vietnam and author of books on both the Vietnam and Iraq wars, and W. Andrew Terrill, author and co-author of several SSI studies on Iraq, conclude that the military dimensions of the two conflicts bear little comparison..."

The Exigencies of Global, Integrated Warfare: The Evolving Role of the CJCS and his Dedicated Staff LTC Michael S Bell Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Professional military advice from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (the Chairman or CJCS), informed and supported by an independent Joint Staff, is more important than ever in the conduct of global, integrated operations after 9/11. For more than 60 years, the Chairman has played a vital role by providing military advice to the President, the National Security Council (NSC), the Secretary of Defense, and the Congress within the context of civilian control of the U.S. armed forces. The advice of the Chairman consists of much more than his personal views and opinions; it represents the synthesis of the broad operational experience, military judgment, and technical expertise found in a Joint Staff dedicated to the Chairman."

Fighting Insurgents--No Shortcuts to Success Dr James S Corum Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "For the last 3 decades, the Army, the Defense Department, and the CIA have emphasized the high tech aspects of intelligence, sophisticated electronic collection equipment, and multibillion dollar space surveillance programs. Even at the tactical level, Army intelligence personnel are trained primarily to employ a variety of high tech collection means including UAVs, sensors and ground radars. This approach to intelligence collection was appropriate when the intelligence priorities were geared to counting Soviet missile systems or defending the Fulda Gap against a massive Soviet tank attack."

U.S. Security Strategies: Trade Policy Implications for Latin America Dr Max G Manwaring Colloquium Briefs by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, Latin American and Caribbean Center, Florida International University "The Summit of the Americas Center and Latin American and Caribbean Center of Florida International University, and the Strategic Studies Institute of the U.S. Army War College held the first of a series of mini-conferences dealing with security issues in the Western Hemisphere in Miami, Florida, on February 26, 2004."

This is Not Your Father's, or Mother's Army! Dr Douglas V Johnson II Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "It would probably strike the average observer as odd or even irrational for the Army to reorganize just as it engages in war, but that seems to be normal for the American Army. In at least three wars, that is exactly what has happened and it is happening again. Had you been an infantry company commander on April 1, 1917, you would have commanded a company of about 58 soldiers armed with 1903 Springfield rifles. By July of that year the company would be 250 strong and equipped with Springfield or possibly British Enfield rifles, heavy and light machineguns, mortars, hand and rifle grenades, and a host of other devices of war new or previously unknown to the U.S. Army."

Debating Ends, not Just Means, in the War on Terror Dr Stephen D Biddle Op-Ed by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The national security debate tends to focus on means. How much money should we spend? Where should we use force? How should our troops be equipped? Ends, however, ought to shape decisions about means. Yet the ends of American national security usually get less attention than the means. As the nation debates national security in this time of war, what critical questions about the ends of American strategy should we be considering?"

China and North Korea: From Comrades-In-Arms to Allies at Arm's Length Dr Andrew Scobell Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The China-North Korea relationship remains the most enduring, uninterrupted bilateral friendship for both the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). This brother-in-arms relationship was solidified early during the Korean War. Sharing a common border and ideology, both China and North Korea confront the frustration of divided nations. And while, on the one hand, each views the United States as hostile, Beijing and Pyongyang, on the other hand, appear to crave better relations with Washington."

Toward an American Way of War Dr Antulio J Echevarria II Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The American way of war has been much written about over the years. That literature is remarkable for its explicit and implicit consensus regarding the overriding characteristics of the American approach to warfare--aggressive, direct, and focused on achieving decisive victory. A way of war implies thinking about conflict holistically, from prewar condition-setting to the final accomplishment of one’s strategic objectives. Unfortunately, American thinking about war tends to put more emphasis on coercive operations--the destruction of an opponent’s regular forces on the field of battle--than on what is loosely known as war’s “aftermath.” Yet, it is in the aftermath where wars are typically won."

Security in the Americas: Neither Evolution nor Devolution--Impasse Dr Max G Manwaring Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph comes at a time of promise for greater economic integration between the United States and Latin America, but also one of profound concern about the deteriorating security situation in several countries in the region. Importantly, the benefits of stability, economic growth, and democracy depend on effective national sovereignty and security. These realities are gaining credence as we grow to understand that Colombia is a paradigm of the failing state, and that has enormous implications for the well-being of the Western Hemisphere. Yet, no consensus on the threat and how to deal with it has emerged. As a consequence, hemispheric security cooperation is at an impasse."