Monographs

Truth, Perception and Consequences Proteus Monograph Series 1, Volume 1 Christine A R MacNulty Monograph by the US Army War College, Center for Strategic Leadership, The Proteus Management Group "Today we, in the United States, tend to regard Sun Tzu’s maxim 'If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles' as being about the physical capabilities, C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance), weapons, and warfighting capability of our own forces and those of the adversary. Given the rest of The Art of War, and its focus on preventing such actions, it is likely that Sun Tzu was referring much more to the understanding of the psyche than to the material aspects of warfare."

East Asian Security: Two Views Dr Gilbert Rozman, Dr Chu Shulong Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Northeast Asia is the most dynamic sector of the global economy, and the most dynamic element is undoubtedly the rise of China. However, in this region conflicts dating back to the Cold War have not yet found resolution. The imbalance between economic progress and political stagnation ensures that international affairs pose many challenges to governments and to students alike. The two papers herein, originally presented at the Strategic Studies Institute’s 2007 annual Strategy Conference, highlight the challenges posed by the rise of China and by the new possibility for making progress on Korean issues due to the SixParty Agreements on North Korean proliferation of February 13, 2007."

Regional Threats and Security Strategy: The Troubling Case of Today's Middle East Mr James A Russell Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph attempts to peel back the layers of complexity surrounding the regional threat environment as a first step in the process of constructing a security strategy that can effectively mitigate the threats to U.S. and global interests. The United States has relied on a remarkably effective Cold War template to protect and preserve its regional interests that includes such elements as access to host nation facilities, prepositioned military equipment, foreign military sales, and joint training and exercises. The question facing strategists is whether this template remains relevant to the regional environment. The author argues that changing internal political dynamics throughout the region will make it increasingly difficult for regional elites to continue to allow the United States to apply its tried and true Cold War template."

On the Uses of Cultural Knowledge Dr Sheila Miyoshi Jager Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph, by Dr. Sheila Miyoshi Jager, explores the role that cultural knowledge must play in thinking about a new strategy for counterinsurgency. Although the importance of cultural awareness and understanding of adversary societies has been widely recognized as essential to operations and tactics on the battlefield, Dr. Jager argues its significance has been largely ignored in formulating the broader strategic goals of counterinsurgency. This monograph highlights the importance of culture, and cultural awareness, in formulating a broad strategy for counterinsurgency which also has wide-ranging implications for U.S. foreign policy."

Force and Restraint in Strategic Deterrence: A Game-Theorist's Perspective Dr Roger B Myerson Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph is a short nontechnical introduction to the use of game theory in the study of international relations. The focus is on the problem of deterrence against potential adversaries and aggressors. The author, Professor Roger Myerson, uses game models to provide a simple context where we can see more clearly the essential logic of strategic deterrence. We should look to such theoretical analysis for basic insights that may have practical importance in policymaking. The main conclusion is that a great power’s use of its military forces may be rendered ineffective or even counterproductive when there are no clear internationally recognizable limits on this use of force."

AFRICOM's Dilemma: The "Global War on Terrorism" "Capacity Building," Humanitarianism, and the Future of U.S. Security Policy in Africa Mr Robert G Berschinski Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "Africa is a continent of growing economic, social, political, and geostrategic importance. It is also a continent of overwhelming poverty, rampant disease, chronic instability, and terrorist activity. The establishment of a new Combatant Command for Africa—AFRICOM—marks an important milestone in the evolution of relations between the United States and the governments of Africa. Through AFRICOM, the U.S. Department of Defense will consolidate the efforts of three existing command headquarters as it seeks a more stable environment for political and economic growth in Africa. In line with this goal, AFRICOM is pioneering a bold new method of military engagement focused on war prevention, interagency cooperation, and development rather than on traditional warfighting."

Russian Security Strategy under Putin: U.S. and Russian Perspectives Dr R Craig Nation, Mr Dmitri Trenin Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The two papers grouped together here were delivered at the Strategic Studies Institute’s annual strategy conference for 2007. As the theme of the conference was global security challenges to the United States and proceeded on a region by region basis, these papers were delivered during the session devoted to security challenges issuing from what is now called Eurasia, i.e., to a large degree the former Soviet Union. The authors illustrate the degree to which great power rivalry in Eurasia has become a major security issue and source of growing Russo-American tensions. Whereas Dr. R. Craig Nation lays out some of the fundamental macro-strategic issues of this rivalry and U.S. goals in Eurasia, as well as the consequences of Russian resistance to Western and American pressures, Dr. Dmitri Trenin emphasizes the growing intensity of Russian threat perceptions."

The United States and ASEAN-China Relations: All Quiet on the Southeast Asian Front Dr Ian Storey Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The purpose of this monograph is twofold. First, the author, Dr. Ian Storey, provides a brief overview of the development of relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Second, he explores the implications for the United States and, in particular, identifies the potential security challenges which might arise from this relationship."

The Eastern Dimension of America's New European Allies Mr Janusz Bugajski Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "This monograph provides a set of recommendations to the United States, NATO allies, and EU institutions in promoting a more consequential Eastern Dimension. Above all, the U.S. administration needs to clearly make the argument that progress toward stable states and secure democracies in a widening Europe and an expanding trans-Atlantic community that encompasses the Black Sea zone is in America’s national interests and serves its strategic goals. The eventual inclusion of all East European states that are currently situated outside NATO and the creation of a wider Alliance would help expand and consolidate democratic systems, open up new markets, stabilize Washington’s new allies, and increase the number of potential U.S. partners."