Past Publications

Strategic Retrenchment and Renewal in the American Experience Dr Peter Feaver Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press In recent years, debates over American grand strategy have often focused on the question of whether the United States should retrench geopolitically or seek to renew its international leadership. This collection of essays puts this pressing question in its proper historical and theoretical context. The authors examine past episodes in which American presidents were confronted with similar choices, and they probe theoretical and policy debates over retrenchment, renewal, and their consequences. The result is a volume that enriches our understanding of how American leaders have, can, and should respond to the challenges and opportunities that characterize international relations. The Strategic Studies Institute is pleased to offer this collection as a contribution to the ongoing debate on American grand strategy.

Strategic Implications of the Evolving Shanghai Cooperation Organization Dr Andrew Monaghan, Mr Henry Plater-Zyberk Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in regional politics, and the significance of the organization for U.S. interests, is widely misunderstood. The organization is emphatically not a military bloc, and yet engages in joint activities which resemble military cooperation to U.S. eyes. It is, in theory, open to new members; but at present is highly unlikely to accept any. Its rhetoric firmly opposes U.S. presence and activity on the territory of member states, and yet individual member states leverage basing agreements with the United States to their advantage..."

Russia and the Caspian Sea: Projecting Power or Competing for Influence? Dr Tracey German Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "This monograph examines Russia’s policy toward the Caspian Sea region as Moscow attempts to counterbalance growing American involvement within what it perceives to be its zone of privileged interest, focusing on the recent expansion of the Caspian Flotilla and the rationale behind it. Moscow has sought to counterbalance the growing involvement of other actors in the region, which has led to rising tension between Russia and its southern neighbors. The primary objectives of the research are to examine Russian perceptions of threat and security in the Caspian region and assess the implications for other actors. This monograph analyzes the drivers of the increasing competition for influence, focusing on developments within the energy sector, and assess the implications of Russia’s consolidation of its dominance for security and stability in the region. This issue is important because a clear understanding of Russian strategic thinking and threat perception in the Caspian Sea is vital in order to facilitate effective U.S. policy in the wider Caucasus and Central Asian region."

European Missile Defense and Russia Mr Keir Giles, Dr Andrew Monaghan Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "In this monograph, Mr. Keir Giles, a British academic and long-term scholar of Russia, examines the history of missile defense, and the current dialogue, from a Russian perspective in order to explain the root causes of Russian alarm. He presents specific recommendations for managing the Russia relationship in the context of missile defense. Important conclusions are also drawn for the purpose of managing the dialogue over missile defense plans not only with Russia as an opponent, but also with European North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies as partners and hosts. The latter are especially significant in the light of these partners’ heightened hard security concerns following Russian annexation of Crimea and continuing hostile moves against Ukraine."

Russia's Contribution as a Partner in the War on Terrorism Mr Henry Plater-Zyberk Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "Written before the Sochi Games, this monograph by Henry Plater-Zyberk explores the Russian approach to counterterrorism, and draws significant conclusions on the prospects for common cause with Russia in fighting terror. Cooperation with Russia in this field is possible and would provide significant benefits, but requires deep understanding of unique Russian concepts and constraints, and the specific nature of the terror threat perceived by Russia. "

Revival of Political Islam in the Aftermath of Arab Uprisings: Implications for the Region and Beyond Dr Mohammed El-Katiri Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "As part of the radical political changes that have affected a number of Arab countries over the past 4 years, the toppling of regimes and the organization of the first fair and free elections in several Arab states have allowed Islamist parties to rise to power. This highly visible political trend has caused mixed reactions, both within these countries and internationally. Prior to the Arab Spring, most countries in the region banned Islamist movements from forming political parties. For decades, members of such movements were jailed, tortured, and exiled from their home countries. Even in those states where Islamist political parties were allowed, they had limited freedom and were under the scrutiny of the regimes, as was, for example, the Moroccan Justice and Development Party."

Visual Propaganda and Extremism in the Online Environment Dr Cori E Dauber, Dr Carol K Winkler Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press Most of the papers included in this volume, except for the editor’s introduction, come from the conference on Visual Propaganda and Online Radicalization hosted in 2012 by Georgia State University in conjunction with the U.S. Army War College. They all speak to the power of visual images, particularly in the online environment, and the sophistication with which a variety of extremist and terrorist groups have adapted to the online environment, particularly through the use of powerful visual images. The strategic point made in these essays, and which serves as a unifying theme throughout the collection, is that weaker forces use these materials to great effect, and to even greater effect when we either underestimate the power of visual images or fail to develop effective counters. The unique value offered by these essays is to lay out clearly the ways in which images work for extremist groups, and to begin the process of developing effective strategies for responding. As the editors make clear, there is an extensive literature available establishing that when compared to text (or words heard over an audio track), images are remembered better, over a longer period of time, and with greater emotional power, having commanded more attention initially. This is true for moving and still images.

Moving Beyond Pretense: Nuclear Power and Nonproliferation Mr. Henry D Sokolski Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press This volume taps the insights and analyses of 13 top security and nuclear experts to get the answers. What emerges is a comprehensive counternarrative to the prevailing wisdom and a series of innovative reforms to tighten existing nuclear nonproliferation controls. For any official, analyst, or party concerned about the spread of nuclear technology, this book is essential reading.

The Future of American Landpower: Does Forward Presence Still Matter? The Case of the Army in the Pacific Dr John R Deni Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute, US Army War College Press "The time has come for a reappraisal of the U.S. Army’s forward presence in East Asia, given the significantly changed strategic context and the extraordinarily high, recurring costs of deploying U.S. Army forces from the 50 states for increasingly important security cooperation activities across the Indo-Asia-Pacific theater. For economic, political, diplomatic, and military reasons, the Indo-Asia-Pacific theater continues to grow in importance to the United States. As part of a broad, interagency, multifaceted approach, the U.S. military plays a critical role in the rebalancing effort now underway. The U.S. Army in particular has a special role to play in bolstering the defense of allies and the deterrence of aggression, promoting regional security and stability, and ameliorating the growing U.S.-China security dilemma."