Books

A Hard Look at Hard Power: Assessing the Defense Capabilities of Key US Allies and Security Partners—Second Edition Mr Gary J Schmitt Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "In a world where the United States faces two major revisionist powers—Russia and China—and additional security threats from Iran, North Korea, and jihadist terrorists, a critical edge for the United States is its global network of allies and strategic partners. As the 2018 National Defense Strategy notes, 'Alliances and partnerships are crucial to our strategy, providing a durable asymmetric strategic advantage that no competitor or rival can match.' "

Two Case Studies of Successful Strategic Communication Campaigns Dr Thomas P. Galvin Report by the US Army War College, School of Strategic Landpower, US Army War College Press, Strategic Studies Institute "Strategic communication has historically been cited as a weakness in U.S. military operations, both at the operational and strategic levels. Numerous studies have highlighted problems with U.S. abilities to promote a coherent message and influence the environment to be favorable to its strategic interests. Failures are easy to identify. The effects of poor communication can manifest themselves quickly; however, what about successes? Rarely are they discussed, perhaps because it is difficult to know when a campaign achieved enough of the desired effects such that leaders can claim success."

Underestimated: Our Not So Peaceful Nuclear Future-Second Edition Mr Henry D Sokolski Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Mr. Henry Sokolski has written an excellent, short book about what he sees as our not so peaceful nuclear future. While short in length, it covers a lot of ground, and because it is extensively footnoted, it can lead readers to the broader literature. The book provides a good picture of the growing stockpiles of separated plutonium and the stockpiles of highly-enriched uranium, as well as the likely expansion of nuclear power programs in additional countries..."

Radical Islamist English-Language Online Magazines: Research Guide, Strategic Insights, and Policy Response Pamela L. Bunker, Dr Robert J Bunker Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press, with help from the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) "This book discusses and analyzes the more well-known radical Islamist English-language online publications—al-Qaeda’s Inspire magazine, the pro-Taliban Azan magazine, and the Islamic State’s (IS) Dabiq magazine—as well as a number of lesser-known publications associated with al Shabaab (Gaidi Mtaani and Amka) and al-Nusrah Front (Al-Risalah). Additionally, early Islamist works such as Benefit of the Day, Jihadi Recollections, and Defenders of the Truth are highlighted. Further, Inspire guides and special theme publications and IS reports, news, and little-discussed eBooks—the Black Flags, Shudada (Martyrs), Islamic State, and The West series—are addressed. It next offers a comparative analysis of basic narratives found in 30 combined issues of Inspire and Dabiq magazines. Al-Qaeda and IS online magazine clusters are then provided along with a discussion of the differing strategic approaches of these transnational terrorist organizations. Finally, policy response options are offered as a counter to the emergence of these publications, a detailed radical Islamist online magazine chronology has been constructed, and a glossary of Arab terms found in the two dominant magazines is provided."

Avoiding the Trap: U.S. Strategy and Policy for Competing in the Asia-Pacific Beyond the Rebalance COL (R) Frederick J. Gellert, Dr David Lai, Prof John F Troxell Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This book explores the validity of the U.S. rebalance to the Asia Pacific; analyzes the ends, ways, and means of the strategy to meet U.S. and regional partner security objectives; and considers the effectiveness of the U.S. Government effort. This book focuses on the impact of China’s increasing national power on U.S. objectives and those of Asia-Pacific nations"

Still Soldiers and Scholars? An Analysis of Army Officer Testing Dr Steven J. Condly, Dr Arthur T Coumbe, LTC William L Skimmyhorn Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This book focuses on one critical, yet neglected, aspect of the talent-based officer management system that performs four functions: accessing, developing, retaining, and employing talent. The book focuses on the cognitive testing and evaluation of officer aspirants, a critical element in the accession function. The book opens with an introduction in the first chapter, explaining the contemporary significance of the cognitive capability (and hence testing) of officers. Next, eight historical chapters are presented, which describe how the Army conducted cognitive testing for officers over time. The final chapter offers a conclusion in which the authors review their findings, highlight important conclusions, and offer recommendations for the Army to restore a system of rigorous and effective mental screening for officers."

Building Partner Capacity in Africa: Keys to Success Prof Frank L Jones Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "U.S. interests in Africa have expanded in the past decade beyond such traditional areas as economic development through trade and investment, democratic governance and the rule of law, and conflict prevention with an emphasis on peacekeeping and rapid response capacities. The continent is now at the center of a number of critical security issues."

The Al-Qaeda Organization and the Islamic State Organization: History, Doctrine, Modus Operandi, and U.S. Policy to Degrade and Defeat Terrorism Conducted in the Name of Sunni Islam Dr Paul Kamolnick Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Dr. Kamolnick’s book is a meticulously documented investigation and comparison of the al-Qaeda Organization (AQO) and the Islamic State Organization (ISO) across three key strategically relevant dimensions: essential doctrine, beliefs, and worldview; strategic concept, including terrorist modus operandi; and in the final chapter, specific implications, and recommendations for current U.S. Government policy and strategy."

Should We Let the Bomb Spread? Mr Henry D Sokolski Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "In 1966, Leonard Beaton, a journalist and strategic scholar, published a short book that asked: Must the bomb spread? Mr. Beaton’s query reflected the profoundly alarm with which proliferation was viewed shortly after the Cuban Missile Crisis. Today that alarm is all but absent; now, not only is proliferation increasingly viewed as a given (more of a fact than a problem), but some security experts actually see advantages in nuclear weapons spreading or, at least, little harm."