Past Publications

Strategy and Grand Strategy: What Students and Practitioners Need to Know Dr Tami Davis Biddle Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "In this monograph, Dr. Tami Davis Biddle examines why it is so difficult to devise, implement, and sustain sound strategies and grand strategies. Her analysis begins with an examination of the meaning of the term “strategy” and a history of the ways that political actors have sought to employ strategies and grand strategies to achieve their desired political aims. She examines the reasons why the logic undergirding strategy is often lacking and why challenges of implementation (including bureaucratic politics, unforeseen events, civil-military tensions, and domestic pressures) complicate and undermine desired outcomes. This clear-headed critique, built on a broad base of literature (historical and modern; academic and policy-oriented), will serve as a valuable guide to students and policymakers alike as they seek to navigate their way through the unavoidable challenges—and inevitable twists and turns—inherent in the development and implementation of strategy."

Autonomous Weapon Systems: A Brief Survey of Developmental, Operational, Legal, and Ethical Issues Mr Jeffrey L Caton Letort Paper by US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Stories about unmanned vehicles now appear regularly in the national news—and not always in good ways. Within the last 2 years, privately-owned drones have crashed on the White House lawn, surveilled the U.S. Embassy in Paris, and buzzed German Chancellor Angela Merkel. When used in military operations, autonomous weapon systems (AWS) have the potential to save lives as well as apply lethal force across land, sea, and air."

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."

What's Old is New — Kennan, Putin, and the Russian Competitive Viewpoint LTC Michael A. Adelberg Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press

The New Arab Regional Order: Opportunities and Challenges for U.S. Policy Mr Gregory Aftandilian Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Gregory Aftandilian examines the new Arab regional order that has emerged in recent years and analyzes opportunities and challenges for U.S. interests in the region as a result of this order. He argues that the new order encompasses two main alliances. The first is an anti-Islamist grouping of countries and factions opposed to the Muslim Brotherhood and like-minded Islamist groups. This alliance emerged in the aftermath of the ouster of Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in July 2013. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait showered the new Egyptian government with billions of dollars in aid because they saw the Brotherhood as a threat. This alliance has expanded to include secular elements in Tunisia and Libya, as well as the Jordanian government."

From Assistance to Partnership: Morocco and its Foreign Policy in West Africa Dr Mohammed El-Katiri Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Morocco is seeking to position itself as a regional security provider in West Africa. Over recent years, Morocco has emerged as a key partner for the development of variety of sectors in different West African countries, but it also aspires to contribute to peace and stability of this African sub-region that continues to face important challenges and significant threats. In particular, a range of initiatives is under way to combat religious extremism, terrorism, and transnational organized crime including illicit drug trafficking, which remains a major threat to peace and security in the region."

Training Humans for the Human Domain Mr Keir Giles, Dr Steve Tatham Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This monograph offers an outline for educating U.S. and allied service personnel in fundamental human domain skills and argues against their being overlooked in favor of technical solutions. Experience from Afghanistan and Iraq has demonstrated the vital nature of understanding human terrain, with conclusions relevant far beyond counterinsurgency operations in the Islamic world. Any situation where adversary actions are described as “irrational” demonstrates a fundamental failure in understanding the human dimension of the conflict. It follows that where states and their leaders act in a manner that in the United States is perceived as irrational, this too betrays a lack of human knowledge. The monograph highlights specific elements of psychology, theology, anthropology, sociology, and linguistics as key requirements for the understanding of human terrain, which is necessary for avoiding mirroring—projecting Western assumptions onto a non-Western actor—and therefore failing correctly to assess the options available to that actor."

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..."

Strategic Insights: If You Want Peace, Prepare for War: Reflections on China's V–Day Parade David Lai Article by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The Chinese government conducted a military parade to commemorate the “70th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War” on September 3, 2015. Although Chinese President Xi Jinping uttered “peace” 18 times in his brief opening remarks and Chinese government propaganda flooded China’s media with massive unqualified praise afterward, this show of force was by no means a blessing for peace. On the contrary, it arguably will cast a shadow over China’s outreach in the Asia-Pacific region for years to come."